New Delhi, Oct. 11 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that a new political generation, which was fully dedicated to the democratic values, was born during the movement led by Jayaprakash Narayan.
“Many people in politics today owe their initial days to those days of Emergency and the Jayaprakash movement when a new political generation was born,” he said while speaking at an event – Loktantra Prahari Abhinandan – organised on the occasion 113th birth anniversary of Jayaprakash Narayan at Vigyan Bhavan here.
Prime Minister Modi said the political generation born during the Emergency was fully dedicated to democratic values, inspired by Jayaprakash Narayan.
“When we remember likes of Gandhi ji, Jayaprakash Narayan, Nanaji, we always think about integrating the villages of India, he said.
“Emergency did a lot of damage to the nation, it was an attack on India’s democratic tradition. But sometimes, such emergencies give birth to good deeds; Jayaprakash movement, Navnirman movement paved way to a new kind of politics,” he added.
Prime Minister Modi said the leadership born during the Emergency was not one for TV screens but a leadership to live and die for the nation.
“Media should not let the country forget Emergency. We need not cry while remembering Emergency. Let’s talk about how the anti-Emergency movement strengthened democracy. In 1977 polls, top leadership was in jail. No one knew what was happening but see the strength of people and their respect for democracy,” he added.
Prime Minister Modi further said the Indian media might have its preferences but it should never let people of this country forget the days of Emergency.
“We don’t want to remember Emergency to criticize someone but to constantly be reminded of commitment towards democracy and freedom of press,” he added.
Prime Minister Modi also paid his tribute to Nanaji Deshmukh on his birth anniversary and said that the latter also implemented Jayaprakash Narayan’s idea of ‘Sampoorna Kranti’ in villages.
“If there is anyone whom Abdul Kalam ji has personally praised in his writings, that’s Nana ji Deshmukh,” he said. (ANI)