‘Congress should apologise for imposing Emergency’

Union Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying and Panchayati Raj, SP Singh Baghel on Wednesday said the Indian Constitution was as sacred as our country’s Gita, Guru Granth Sahib and Bible.

He was addressing a gathering on the occasion Samvidhan Hatya Diwas, observed by the BJP in the auditorium of Panchayat Bhawan on Wednesday. Earlier, he also visited the exhibition organised on this occasion. The minister said, “We should respect and honour the Constitution. Amendments should also be made in the Constitution in the interest of the country, but making amendments for personal gains and retaining power was equal to killing the Constitution. The BJP was working to save the Constitution and protecting democracy in the country. The Congress should apologise for imposing Emergency in the country.”

At the programme, those who were imprisoned during the Emergency and their families were also honoured by the minister. Baghel said the land of Kurukshetra had given the country knowledge about Dharma-Adharma, justice-injustice, policy and immorality, which was followed not only in the country but all over the world. Till now, Adharma, injustice and immorality were defeated and those who killed the Constitution should also learn this lesson.

Baghel said the period of Emergency was a black spot on democracy of the country. This was the time when the citizens of the country were living in hiding, shopkeepers suffered losses, farmers were not able to work in their fields and whoever was found outside was put in the jail. Besides these, sterilisations were done and people had to endure a lot of torture. During the Emergency, about 1.10 lakh people were put in jail.

He said the state of Emergency was declared at the time of any external threat to the country, at the time of internal unrest and in financial crisis. In 1975, there was no such reason.

BJP district president Tejender Singh Goldy said the Emergency was imposed in the country on 25 June 1975, which had completed 50 years. During the period of Emergency, people were sent to jail and the Constitution was amended and changed. This was considered a black chapter of the Indian Constitution, therefore this day was being observed as Samvidhan Hatya Diwas.

Haryana Tribune