Owing to compulsions of alliance politics, the Samajwadi Party spared the Congress for imposing Emergency on this day, 43 years ago in 1975. The SP instead, sought to hit out at the ruling BJP alleging that a situation of ‘undeclared’ emergency prevailed in the country. The party had contested 2017 Assembly poll in alliance with Congress in UP and was likely to be part of a grand alliance for 2019 lok Sabha poll. SP spokesman Rajendra Chaudhary said in a statement in lucknow on Mondaythat Emergency was clamped in the country 43 years ago in 1975 on June 25, violating democratic rights of the people which was followed by jailing of politicians and the fourth estate was muzzled. Without naming the Congress or then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, Chaudhary said, “It violated civil liberties of the masses and freedom of expression, large number of leaders of opposition parties were arrested and censorship on newspapers was enforced. Even today, chill runs down the spine as the then Union government unleashed a reign of terror and opposition leaders were tortured in jail.’’ The SP leader said that the present NDA regime has imposed an undeclared emergency in the country where freedom of expression was under severe threat and intolerance reigned supreme. “The BJP government in a deliberate move is weakening democratic institutions and democractic values were being throttled. Hardships are growing for honest journalists and the youth face a bleak future,” he said. Talking about honouring people jailed during Emergency by Akhilesh Yadav government, Chaudhary said, “The SP government gave a pension of Rs 15,000 a month to these ‘loktrantrik Senani’ besides free bus travel and medical facilities. The SP has always fought for democratic rights of the people and will continue to do so in future too.”