Fight against Emergency has kept democracy alive, says Shah
Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday slammed Congress on the eve of the 50th anniversary of the Emergency, imposed by late former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1975. He asserted that the people of India will “never accept dictatorship” and emphasised that the fight against the Emergency has been crucial in preserving Indian democracy.
During the ‘Aapatkaal Ke 50 Saal’ program, Shah remarked, “It has been 50 years in the documents, but even today, the wounds inflicted by the tyranny of the Congress remain fresh in the hearts of crores of Indians." He insisted that the memories of the dark days orchestrated by what he referred to as Indira Gandhi’s ‘Kitchen Cabinet’ should never fade.
Without directly naming him, Shah targeted Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, questioning the right of Congress leaders to discuss the Constitution. He asked, “What did your party do during the Emergency? Was any permission taken from Parliament?” He reminded the audience that the Congress party had become a “destroyer of the Constitution” during that period.
He said during the Emergency, the entire country had turned into a prison. Everyone was thrown into jail cells and no one was given a chance to hear.
Shah said if the memory of as huge an occurrence as the Emergency starts fading from collective consciousness, it becomes “a serious threat to any democratic nation".
“Today, we are the world’s largest democracy and the reason we overcame a dark chapter like the Emergency is because our nation never bows down to dictatorship," Shah said.
“We have won the war against Emergency because people of this country will never accept dictatorship…. The spirit of the Constitution and democracy is intrinsic to India. A lot of people ask why discuss something that happened 50 years ago? 50 years is a long time for memories to fade…. Hence, the memory of society about the emergency must be rejigged," he added.
Attacking Congress over its “Constitution in danger" narrative, the Home Minister asked if then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi took the Opposition leaders and citizens into confidence before declaring Emergency on June 25, 1975.
“Today, some people preach about the sanctity of the Constitution. But I want to ask which party do you belong to? Remember the morning when Indira Gandhi announced the Emergency on All India Radio. Was Parliament consulted before this? Were the opposition leaders and citizens taken into confidence? Those who talk about protecting democracy today, were you the Rakshaks (protectors) of the Constitution back then, or its Bhakshaks (destroyers)? They claimed the Emergency was declared to protect the nation. But the truth is that it was declared to protect their own power," Shah said.
Describing the circumstances prevailing during the Emergency, Shah said that people were labelled as “anti-national" without taking part in any protest or indulging in sloganeering.
“Just imagine that moment during the Emergency. One day, you are a free citizen of India, and the next morning, you wake up as a subject under a dictator,” he said, highlighting the plight of journalists and citizens whose only “fault” was their free thoughts.
India