Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla for his condemnation of the Emergency in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday and said it was a wonderful gesture to stand in silence in honour of all those who suffered during those days.
Birla read out a resolution condemning the Emergency in the Lok Sabha, shortly after he was elected speaker, and flayed the then-government headed by prime minister Indira Gandhi.
A large number of MPs stood in silence for a few moments amid protests by Congress MPs and some other opposition members.
Modi said in a social media post, “I am glad that the Honourable Speaker strongly condemned the Emergency, highlighted the excesses committed during that time and also mentioned the manner in which democracy was strangled.”
The Emergency was imposed 50 years ago but it is important for today’s youth to know about it because it remains a fitting example of what happens when the Constitution is trampled over, public opinion is stifled and institutions are destroyed, he added. The happenings during the Emergency exemplified what a dictatorship looks like, Modi said.
Speaker Om Birla read out the resolution condemning the imposition of Emergency and termed the decision by then prime minister Indira Gandhi an attack on the Constitution, triggering a wave of protests by the opposition in the House.
Birla’s reference to the Emergency, shortly after his election as Lok Sabha speaker, also saw a face-off between the government and the opposition in the first session of the lower house.
“This House strongly condemns the decision to impose Emergency in 1975. We appreciate the determination of all those people who opposed the Emergency, fought and fulfilled the responsibility of protecting India’s democracy,” Birla said amid vociferous protests by opposition parties. Opposition MPs, including from the Congress, were on their feet, raising slogans against the reference to the Emergency.
“June 25, 1975 will always be known as a black chapter in the history of India. On this day, then prime minister Indira Gandhi imposed Emergency in the country and attacked the Constitution made by Babasaheb Ambedkar,” the speaker said.
Birla said India was known all over the world as the mother of democracy. “Democratic values and debate have always been supported in India. Democratic values have always been protected, they have always been encouraged. Indira Gandhi imposed dictatorship on such an India. The democratic values of India were crushed and freedom of expression was strangled,” Birla said.
He said the rights of Indian citizens were crushed and their freedom snatched away. “Those were the times when opposition leaders were jailed, the entire nation was turned into a prison. The then dictatorial government had put several restrictions on the media and there was restraint on the autonomy of judiciary,” Birla said.
The Speaker urged members to observe silence for a while and later adjourned the proceedings for the day. Soon after the House was adjourned for the day, BJP members staged protests by waving placards and raising slogans outside Parliament.
BJP MPs, including Union ministers demanded an apology from Congress over the imposition of Emergency in 1975 and violating the Constitution.
With the Congress and its allies in the INDIA bloc persistently targeting the Narendra Modi government for its alleged attack on constitutional values, the ruling alliance has sought to turn the tables by launching a frontal counterattack over the Emergency issue against the backdrop of its 49th anniversary on June 25.
Soon after Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla adjourned the House after reading out a resolution condemning the imposition of Emergency and flaying then prime minister Indira Gandhi for her attack on the Constitution, a large number of BJP-led NDA MPs assembled outside, carrying placards and raising slogans.
“Emergency ke liye Congress sharm karo” and “emergency ke liye maafi mango” were among the slogans raised by them. Union ministers Ashwini Vaishnaw, Pralhad Joshi, Kiren Rijiju and Lalan Singh joined other MPs in attacking the Congress.
BJP MP and the party’s national spokesperson Sambit Patra said, “It is necessary to show the mirror to those who are talking about saving the Constitution and holding its copies in their hands. They were those who tried to erase the Constitution.” “That’s why we are hearing the slogan: Rahul Gandhi ‘maafi mango’ (apologise),” Patra said.
JD(U) MP and Union Minister Lalan Singh slammed the Congress, saying the party, which had “ripped” the Constitution to shreds by imposing Emergency, does not have the right to talk about protecting its values.
“Indira Gandhi, grandmother of the Leader of Opposition (Rahul Gandhi), had imposed the Emergency. What is their right today to talk about the Constitution? Do they have the right to even discuss about the Constitution,” he asked. Union ministers Arjun Ram Meghwal and Gajendra Singh Sekhawat also joined the protest.
BJP MP and former Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad hailed Birla for bringing the resolution on Emergency, saying “it was necessary”. The Congress government under then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had imposed Emergency just to hold on to power, he said.
Union minister Giriraj Singh took a swipe at the Congress’ allies such as the Samajwadi Party, saying Akhilesh Yadav’s father and socialist stalwart Mulayam Singh Yadav was among the leaders arrested during the Emergency.
BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj said the Congress should apologise to the country for “murdering” democracy 50 years ago. “How bizarre it is that the Congress flashes the Constitution in Parliament but never looks within. The Congress has forgotten its own history that 50 years ago it had murdered democracy by imposing Emergency to serve its selfish political motive and lust for power,” she said. Thousands of people were arrested overnight, the BJP MP added.
Since Tuesday, the BJP held a large number of events across the country to mark the Emergency’s anniversary and the exercise will continue for a week.
