Which Emergency is more dangerous: declared or undeclared? BJP, Congress fight over it
On Tuesday, hashtags--#CongressKilledDemocracy promoted by the BJP and #BharatBachao promoted by the Congress--trended on the micro-blogging site, Twitter.
New Delhi, June 26: As the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) observed the 43rd anniversary of the Emergency, imposed by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, the Congress attacked the saffron party with "Prime Minister Narendra Modi's undeclared Emergency" jibe on Tuesday.
The Emergency, imposed by the former PM on June 25, 1975, was considered as the "darkest period of the Indian democracy" when civil and political rights of every citizen were trampled by the erstwhile Congress government to muzzle any dissent.
The ruling 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, PM Modi in a series of tweets expressed his 'anguish' over the "dark period" and saluted all those who resisted the Emergency.
"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.
On Tuesday, hashtags--#CongressKilledDemocracy promoted by the BJP and #BharatBachao promoted by the Congress--trended on the micro-blogging site, Twitter.
Here we bring you some tweets to highlight how both the main political rivals in the country fought a war of words over the "declared and undeclared Emergency":
‘Emergency’ declared in 1975 was the darkest period of Independent India when constitution of India was completely disregarded and democracy was crushed. #CongressKilledDemocracy pic.twitter.com/eQQ7MDvhst
— BJP (@BJP4India) June 26, 2018
Democracy is failing as the Modi Govt has created an atmosphere of fear & authoritarianism by undermining the constitution. #ModiKillingDemocracyhttps://t.co/nFXHrCyL0W
— Congress (@INCIndia) June 26, 2018
When ‘emergency’ was proclaimed on 25th June 1975 by Indira Gandhi led Congress government, what were the immediate casualties? #CongressKilledDemocracy
— BJP (@BJP4India) June 26, 2018
The Modi Govt continues to favour the cronies as the biggest ever change in India's shipping policy endows huge benefits to a small clutch of private companies.https://t.co/nKtxeclE5G
— Congress (@INCIndia) June 26, 2018
भारत रत्न माननीय श्री अटल बिहारी वाजपेयी जी द्वारा आपातकाल के विरोध में लिखी कविता। #CongressKilledDemocracy pic.twitter.com/0gi9XdxLyp
— BJP (@BJP4India) June 26, 2018
The Modi Govt has lead India into financial anarchy with its utter economic mismanagement that has led to bank loot scams that tantamount to over Rs. 70,000 crore.https://t.co/Tjyk9XZiYy
— Congress (@INCIndia) June 26, 2018
The debate over "declared and undeclared Emergency" was not limited to the Congress and the BJP. Even journalists and historians spoke on the subject.
The difference between Indira Gandhi and @narendramodi is that she was a democrat gone rogue for a few years, but Mr Modi. reared in the command and control, Hindutva militarist fascist traditions of @RSSorg doesn't have any roots in democracy
— Sagarika Ghose (@sagarikaghose) June 26, 2018
"Like Mrs. Gandhi once did, Mr. Modi seeks to make his party, his government, his administration and his country an extension of his personality" (from a piece published in February 2013, fifteen months before Narendra Modi became Prime Minister):https://t.co/t5EKsom1A1
— Ramachandra Guha (@Ram_Guha) June 26, 2018