BJP Jamshedpur Mahanagar marked a solemn "Black Day" on Tuesday to protest against the Emergency imposed by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1975. The event, held at the Bada Hanuman Mandir Auditorium in Mango, saw leaders and activists gather to commemorate what they termed as the darkest chapter in Indian democracy.
Under the chairmanship of Mahanagar President Sudhanshu Ojha, a seminar titled 'Defense of Democracy - Our Resolution' was conducted, where discussions highlighted the egregious impact of the Emergency on India's democratic fabric. Leaders of the BJP, including Amar Bauri, Leader of Opposition in the Jharkhand Assembly, and other prominent figures like senior BJP leader Gurvinder Singh Sethi and former MLA Maneka Sardar, were present to pay homage to the democracy fighters who valiantly opposed the authoritarian regime.
Amar Bauri, in his address, condemned the Emergency as a period when fundamental rights were trampled upon and political dissent was silenced. "The imposition of Emergency by Indira Gandhi's government shackled our constitution and plunged India into darkness for 21 months," he remarked. He also underscored the role of BJP in upholding democratic values and cautioned against threats to democracy posed by certain political factions.
Amar Bauri honored several veterans of the democracy movement, presenting them with shawls as a token of gratitude for their resilience and courage during those tumultuous times.
Earlier in the day, BJP leaders paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Gandhi Maidan, symbolizing their commitment to non-violent resistance against authoritarianism. Workers donned black bands on their arms in symbolic protest against the suppression of freedoms during the Emergency.
Mindset that led to Emergency very much alive in Congress: Sethi
In a scathing critique, senior BJP leader Gurvinder Sethi declared that the ideological underpinnings that precipitated the Emergency in 1975 are still palpable within the Congress party today. Speaking at an event commemorating the Black Day organized by BJP Jamshedpur Mahanagar, Sethi drew parallels between historical events and contemporary political dynamics. Addressing a gathering of party members and supporters, Sethi remarked, "The mindset that led to the imposition of Emergency by Indira Gandhi is regrettably very much alive in the Congress party." He emphasized that the Emergency period, marked by widespread censorship, curtailment of civil liberties, and imprisonment of political opponents, remains a stark reminder of the perils of unchecked authoritarianism.
