Motihari/Muzaffarpur (Bihar), Jun 25 (PTI) Senior BJP leader Anurag Thakur on Wednesday described the Emergency imposed 50 years ago as a "blot on the world's largest democracy", and blamed it on the "dictatorial streak" of the Congress which then ruled the country.
Addressing a press conference at Motihari in East Champaran district of Bihar, the Lok Sabha MP also slammed RJD president Lalu Prasad, saying, "A product of the JP movement that challenged the Congress' dictatorship is now sitting in that party's lap."
The Emergency declared on June 25, 1975, by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi lasted until March 21, 1977. It was marked by widespread press censorship, arrests without trial and the stifling of dissent in academia, politics and civil society.
The BJP-led central government has decided to observe June 25 as the 'Samvidhaan Hatya Diwas' to commemorate the "massive contributions" of those who endured "inhuman pain" during the period.
"By imposing the Emergency, Indira Gandhi had trampled upon Babasaheb Ambedkar's Constitution. Her grandson Rahul Gandhi likes to keep the same Constitution in his pocket. This shows the party's disregard for the Constitution," alleged Thakur, a former Union minister.
He said the nation has not forgotten how, 50 years ago on this very date, Indira Gandhi had clamped Emergency in the thick of the night which was followed by excesses against all those who dared to criticise the government, including the press.
"It was a blot on the world's largest democracy and a reflection on the Congress' dictatorial streak," he said.
While in power, the Congress amended the Constitution several times to achieve its political objectives and dismissed a number of state governments by misusing Article 357, Thakur said adding that these began since the time of Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.
"Late Justice Khanna was denied appointment as the Chief Justice of India because he spoke his mind during the Emergency. So many leaders and student activists were denied parole to attend their close relatives' funerals. Today, the same Congress has the temerity to cast doubts about the electoral process," he said.
Training his guns at Rahul Gandhi, the BJP leader said the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha was "restless for power" and was "getting exposed by Pakistan's endorsement of his tirade against the Narendra Modi government".
Claiming that "lust for power had made Lalu Prasad, a product of JP movement, sit in the lap of the Congress", Thakur exuded confidence that the NDA, under the leadership of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, will return to power in the assembly polls in Bihar.
Later in the day, addressing a seminar on ‘50 years of Emergency’ in Muzaffarpur district, Thakur claimed that Prasad's idea of socialism was built on the foundation of corruption, nepotism, and dynastic politics.
“Though 50 years have passed since the Emergency of 1975, the memories of Congress's injustice, oppression, and dictatorship are still fresh in the nation. For its own convenience, Congress imposed the President's Rule 91 times in the country, dismissing elected governments. In 1980, within just three days, governments in nine states were dismissed," he said.
"To uphold the dignity of democracy, we must also tell future generations how the power-hunger of a single family plunged the entire country into the fire of Emergency,” Thakur said.