Jaipur (Rajasthan) [India], June 25 : Marking the 50th anniversary of the Emergency imposed in 1975, Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister Prem Chand Bairwa on Wednesday strongly condemned the Congress party for its actions during that period.
Bairwa emphasized the importance of educating the younger generation about the "atrocities committed during the Emergency,"
Speaking to the media, Bairwa said, "During the Emergency, thousands of innocent people were put in jail. They (Congress) have violated the Constitution several times...The BJP government has done the work of safeguarding the Constitution under the leadership of PM Modi."
"Today we are observing the day as 'Kala Divas' in at district level. We want our upcoming generation to get aware of the atrocities done by the Congress government during those times," he said.
Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday slammed the "Emergency" imposed in 1975, calling it an "era of injustice" driven by the Congress party's "hunger for power".
He said the PM Narendra Modi-led government observes June 25 as 'Samvidhan Hatya Diwas (Constitution Assassination Day) to remind the younger generation of this dark period in Indian democracy.
In a post on X, Shah wrote, "The 'Emergency' was an 'era of injustice' driven by Congress's hunger for power. The Emergency imposed on June 25, 1975, caused immense pain and suffering to the people of the nation. To ensure that the new generation understands this, the Modi government has named this day Samvidhan Hatya Diwas. This day reminds us that when power turns into dictatorship, the people have the strength to uproot it."
Shah further criticised the Congress party and its leadership at the time for attacking democratic institutions."The Emergency was not a national necessity but a reflection of the anti-democratic mindset of Congress and one individual. The freedom of the press was crushed, the judiciary's hands were tied, and social activists were thrown into jail. The people of the nation raised the battle cry of 'Vacate the Throne' and overthrew the dictatorial Congress. Heartfelt tributes to all the brave souls who sacrificed their lives in this struggle," he added.
Apart from this, the Union Cabinet today observed a two-minute silence in memory of those who lost their constitutionally guaranteed rights and faced "unimaginable horrors" during the Emergency. The cabinet paid tribute to their "exemplary courage and valiant resistance" to the Emergency's excesses.