‘India remembers Emergency as dark period; let’s work to make our democratic ethos stronger’: Modi

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a series of tweets expressed his 'anguish' over the "dark period" and saluted all those who resisted the Emergency.

New Delhi, June 26: On Monday, India observed the 43rd anniversary of the Emergency imposed by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on June 25, 1975. The Emergency was considered as the "darkest period of the Indian democracy" when civil and political rights of every citizen were trampled by the erstwhile Indira Gandhi government to muzzle any dissent.

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government, which has always attacked the Congress and the Gandhi family for imposing the Emergency, on Monday observed the day as a "Black Day". From BJP president Amit Shah to Union finance minister Arun Jaitley, almost all the top leaders of the saffron party slammed the Congress for the 21-month-long Emergency in the country.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a series of tweets expressed his 'anguish' over the "dark period" and saluted all those who resisted the Emergency.

"I salute the courage of all those great women and men who steadfastly resisted the Emergency, which was imposed 43 years ago. Their struggles ensured people power prevailed over authoritarianism and the stifling of civil liberties," PM Modi wrote on Twitter.

I salute the courage of all those great women and men who steadfastly resisted the Emergency, which was imposed 43 years ago. Their struggles ensured people power prevailed over authoritarianism and the stifling of civil liberties.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 26, 2018

The PM added that during the Emergency "every institution was subverted" and people, ideas and artistic freedom "were held hostage to power politics."

"India remembers the Emergency as a dark period during which every institution was subverted and an atmosphere of fear was created. Not only people but also ideas and artistic freedom were held hostage to power politics," Modi tweeted.

India remembers the Emergency as a dark period during which every institution was subverted and an atmosphere of fear was created. Not only people but also ideas and artistic freedom were held hostage to power politics.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 26, 2018

In his last tweet on the Emergency, Modi asked all to "work to make our democratic ethos stronger".

"Let us always work to make our democratic ethos stronger. Writing, debating, deliberating, questioning are vital aspects of our democracy which we are proud of. No force can ever trample the basic tenets of our Constitution," the PM wrote on Twitter.

Let us always work to make our democratic ethos stronger. Writing, debating, deliberating, questioning are vital aspects of our democracy which we are proud of. No force can ever trample the basic tenets of our Constitution.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 26, 2018

This year, the BJP has decided to observe the Emergency in a big manner as top leaders of the party attended public meetings and spoke at length on the subject of safeguarding the democratic values of the country to avoid repeating what the nation witnessed 43 years ago.

Political observers say that the BJP's sudden interest in denouncing the Emergency in a big way has a "political agenda" as the next Lok Sabha polls are scheduled in April/May next year.