Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], June 26 : Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Thursday defended the registration of an FIR against the Karnataka BJP for its controversial post on 'X' targeting former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, saying the action was taken in response to complaints.
The FIR was registered after the BJP's post attempted to malign the image of Indira Gandhi, which triggered objections from Congress workers and supporters.
Speaking to reporters, Parameshwara said, "FIRs are registered based on certain complaints or suo moto if there are some things which generate animosity among people. In this case, if someone tries to malign the leader who served the country for many years and considers the positive development during that time, naturally, some people will object."
Karnataka BJP Chief BY Vijayendra defended the party's social media post, claiming that it was an apt description of the emergency imposed.
Karnataka BJP President BY Vijayendra says, "Yesterday was the completion of 50 years of the day when Indira Gandhi imposed Emergency in the country. This issue has been discussed nationwide. What is wrong with the BJP's comparison of Indira Gandhi to Hitler? The world knows how the entire democracy collapsed to save her power... Senior leaders, Sangh parivar, everybody was put behind bars, and the media was suppressed... Probably DK Shivakumar must go back and learn what history has to say about the Emergency, about how democracy was suppressed."
Earlier on Wednesday, Congress leader and party's General Secretary (Communications) Jairam Ramesh alleged that for past eleven years, India has been under undeclared emergency, stating "Over the past 11 years and 30 days, India democracy has been under a systematic and dangerous five-fold assault that can be best described as "Undeclared Emergency@11". These remarks come as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) observes the 50th anniversary of the Emergency imposed by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, as the 'Samvidhaan Hatya Diwas'.
The Congress leader accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of multiple things, including attacking the Constitution, weakening the Parliament, eroding the autonomy of Constitutional bodies, damaging the judiciary, intimidating businesses, controlling the media, destroying federalism, misusing investigative agencies and cracking down on civil liberties.
The Congress MP also slammed the BJP for controlling the media by putting pressure on news outlets and arresting, raiding journalists, adding that "Owners are pressured to hire government-friendly journalists, and government advertising and permits are used as tools to control editorial content." While on eroding centre-state relations, he accused the BJP of trying to topple Opposition-ruled states and trying to buy legislators.
On 25 June 1975, then President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed issued the Emergency Proclamation under Article 352, citing threats from internal disturbance. The Emergency was declared against a backdrop of mounting political unrest and judicial developments that shook the legitimacy of the ruling leadership.