Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, one of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s most trenchant critics, called upon people on Sunday to do everything it takes to “protect rights and freedoms” guaranteed by the Constitution as she warned of a ‘super emergency’ under the current regime.
“On the #InternationalDayofDemocracy today, let us once again pledge to safeguard the constitutional values our country was founded on. In this era of ‘Super Emergency’, we must do all it takes to protect the rights and freedoms that our Constitution guarantees,” Banerjee tweeted.
On the #InternationalDayofDemocracy today, let us once again pledge to safeguard the constitutional values our country was founded on. In this era of ‘Super Emergency’, we must do all it takes to protect the rights and freedoms that our Constitution guarantees
— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial)September 15, 2019
Banerjee who also heads the Trinamool Congress had made the same charge of super emergency earlier also. She has also accused the central government of muzzling dissent and subverting the autonomy of constitutional institutions.
In 2007, the United Nations General Assembly had resolved to observe September 15 every year as the International Day of Democracy to uphold and promote the principles of democracy.
On the 44th anniversary of the emergency last June, Banerjee said the country ws going through “super emergency” for the past five years. The Emergency was imposed by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on this day in 1975 which was in effect till March 21, 1977 and led to a crushing defeat of the Congress in the general election that year.
Banerjee had tweeted in June that people must learn our lessons from history and fight to safeguard the democratic institutions in the country.
First Published:
Sep 15, 2019 12:34 IST
Source: HindustanTimes