Jodhpur (Rajasthan) [India], June 27 : Congress leader and former Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot on Friday, while replying to Rajasthan CM Bhajanlal Sharma's statement over the 50th anniversary of the Emergency, mentioned that he doesn't know many things as he is a "new" politician. Gehlot said that people should not mind his statements.
"Bhajanlal Sharma is a new politician and does not know a lot of things. What he says should not be minded", Ashok Gehlot told reporters in Jodhpur.
Furthermore, the former Rajasthan CM stated that the Congress had expressed its regret after it came back to power after the Emergency. He highlighted that many Congress leaders, including Indira Gandhi, went to jail after the Emergency.
"After the Emergency was imposed, when Congress came to power again, we publicly expressed regret... We have also gone to jail... Indira Gandhi was sent to jail when she won from Chikkamagaluru", Gehlot added.
Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma on Wednesday slammed the Congress government on the 50th anniversary of the imposition of the Emergency and described the Emergency as a dark period in Indian history, where democratic values were crushed by the then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi-led government.
Sharma emphasised that June 25, 1975, is recorded in Indian history as 'Samvidhan Hatya Diwas', highlighting the government's attack on democratic institutions.
Addressing a seminar on 'Emergency and Martyrdom Day of Syama Prasad Mookerjee in Jaipur, Sharma said, "The date of 25th June 1975 has been recorded in Indian history as 'Samvidhan Hatya Diwas'. We have to tell this to the coming generation and also tell them that the then Indira Gandhi government declared emergency in the country and also did the despicable act of crushing the democratic values of India."
He praised the role of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Jan Sangh workers in resisting the Emergency and fighting for democracy. Sharma noted that their efforts helped shape the country's future.
"Our Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh workers, Jan Sangh workers gave as much strength at that time as they could, and they did the job of giving a reply. Today we realise what would have been the condition of our country if our nationalist people had not moved in this direction," he added.