On the 44th anniversary of the Emergency on Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to Twitter to laud the bravehearts who fought against the then government and saved the democratic values of the country.
The video in which he has given his voice starts with the PM’s old speech in Parliament where he spoke about the adversities during the Emergency days. He can be heard saying that democracy faced the greatest threat of all times during those days but despite that, the country did not lose hope. “The country was turned into prisons and voice of the Opposition was muddled,” he said in the video.
India salutes all those greats who fiercely and fearlessly resisted the Emergency.
India’s democratic ethos successfully prevailed over an authoritarian mindset. pic.twitter.com/vUS6HYPbT5
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 25, 2019
Sharing the 1.27-minute-long video, PM Modi wrote: “India salutes all those greats who fiercely and fearlessly resisted the Emergency. India’s democratic ethos successfully prevailed over an authoritarian mindset.”
Earlier in the day, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also recalled the Emergency days as one of the darkest chapters in India’s history’. “The declaration of Emergency on June 25, 1975 and the incidents that followed, mark as one of the darkest chapters in India’s history. On this day, we the people of India should always remember the importance of upholding the integrity our institutions and the Constitution,” he tweeted.
The declaration of Emergency on June 25, 1975 and the incidents that followed, mark as one of the darkest chapters in India’s history.
On this day, we the people of India should always remember the importance of upholding the integrity our institutions and the Constitution.
— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) June 25, 2019
Former prime minister Indira Gandhi had on June 25 of 1975 declared Emergency, citing “internal disturbance” across the country as the reason for taking the extreme measure. During the controversial period which stretched over to 19 months, a number of opposition leaders and activists were put behind bars and even the press was censored.
After the imposition of Emergency, the Congress lost power for the first time in the history of independent India and a number of smaller political parties under the banner of Janata Party forming the government.
Several politicians including PM Modi has in the past also attacked the Gandhi family over the Emergency. “The greed of staying in power was such that democracy was sacrificed. Political leaders who were widely respected were put behind bars. It was all done so that one family – the Gandhi family – could benefit,” he had earlier said.
Source: Zee News