Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], June 25 : Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Thursday took a jibe at the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and the BJP after NCERT introduced a topic on the 1975 Emergency in a Class 9 textbook, stating that former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi did not break any party.
The 'breaking a party' jibe came as six of nine UBT Sena Lok Sabha MPs switched to Shiv Sena.
Addressing a press conference in Mumbai, Raut claimed that the country has been under an Emergency for the last 12 years.
Defending the 1975 Emergency, he said that the Constitution has a provision for it.
He said, "There is Emergency in this country for the last 12 years. Indira Gandhi did not break any political party or abolish the Constitution. The Emergency is not just a subject for study, but it is also provided for in the Constitution."
"There is a provision in the Constitution for an Emergency if anarchy spreads in the country. This does not mean that you should not respect the Constitution. I want to ask why demonetization was implemented? Why were stringent restrictions and emergency measures taken during the COVID-19 pandemic? Balasaheb Thackeray had supported the Emergency. If someone will say don't follow the government's orders or ask the Army to rebel against PM Modi, what will you do?" the Rajya Sabha MP added.
Meanwhile, the NCERT has introduced the topic in a Class 9 textbook, presenting it as "one of the major challenges," as the majority of fundamental rights were suspended.
The reference appears in the newly developed Social Science textbook, 'Understanding Society: India and Beyond', where the Emergency has been included in a chapter examining the strengths and challenges of Indian democracy.
Rajasthan Congress MLA Sachin Pilot also slammed the move, calling it the BJP government's attempt to alter history. He further accused the Centre of misusing institutions, including the judiciary, bureaucracy and the Election Commission.
"Whenever the BJP government is in power in a state or in the centre, they try to present history the way they want. The challenge faced by democracy has never been seen before in the history of independent India. The way voices are being oppressed using social media, media, judiciary, bureaucracy, Election Commission. This is the first time a government is misusing such institutions," Sachin Pilot said.
This comes as the NDA government is observing the proclamation anniversary of the Emergency on June 25 as 'Samvidhan Hatya Diwas'.