Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Tuesday sought an apology from the Congress for the imposition of Emergency in 1975, saying it was a “dark period” which causes shivers even after five decades.
On June 25, 1975, the then-prime minister Indira Gandhi, a Congress stalwart, imposed Emergency in the country, suspending civil liberties, jailing opposition leaders and dissidents and effecting press censorship.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has announced a nationwide programme on the 49th anniversary of Emergency to “expose” the Congress’ “authoritarianism” and its disregard for the Constitution.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said the dark days of Emergency are a reminder of how the Congress subverted basic freedoms and trampled over the Constitution which every Indian respects greatly.
CM Yadav said, “I agree with the prime minister. The period of Emergency is a big blot on democracy. It was such a dark period that even today the whole country shivers on remembering it. The Congress should apologise for it. Many families were destroyed due to their excesses.”
Yadav said leaders of Bharatiya Janata Party, which ended the existence of Jan Sangh then to protest against the imposition of Emergency and to express faith in the Constitution, went to jail to protect the Constitution and save democracy.
“The struggle of BJP leaders to save democracy and the Constitution by enduring torture and oppression of the government during Emergency will always be remembered,” he said.
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