New Delhi [India], June 26 : Communist Party of India (CPI) General Secretary D Raja on Thursday criticised the BJP for observing June 25 as Samvidhan Hatya Diwas, saying the current situation in India is worse than the Emergency.
He alleged that atrocities against Dalits, Adivasis, and minorities are rising and accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the BJP, and the RSS of trying to change the Constitution framed by Dr BR Ambedkar.
Speaking to ANI, D Raja said, "...We see increasing atrocities on Dalits, Adivasis, and minorities, including Muslims, every day. What is happening in India today is worse than the Emergency, and never before have we seen such an arrogant, dictatorial rule as we are seeing today. We must understand this. PM Modi, BJP, RSS are trying to change the current Constitution given to us by Dr Ambedkar..."
While Shiv Sena leader Shaina NC slammed Congress on the 50th anniversary of the imposition of Emergency and said that Congress jailed opposition leaders, journalists and suppressed the judiciary in 1975.
"Today, June 25, is 'Samvidhan Hatya Diwas', the day when the Congress Party destroyed the Constitution. This is the same Congress Party that declared the Emergency without any discussion or debate. Over 1 lakh opposition leaders, journalists, and activists were imprisoned, and the judiciary was suppressed. We are proud that PM Modi has given us our country back and has also shown that no dictatorship will prevail in India. Remembering this, on June 25, the Constitution and its significance come to mind," Shaina NC told ANI.
Meanwhile, TMC leader Kunal Ghosh said that the BJP has no right to politicise the Emergency.
"Our CM and TMC chief Mamata Banerjee has told very clearly that whatever happened it was for the time being...But the BJP has no right to do politics on these things because the BJP is attacking the Constitution now," he said.
Between 25 June 1975 and 21 March 1977, India was placed under a state of Emergency under Article 352 of the Constitution. On 25 June 1975, the then-President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed issued the Emergency Proclamation under Article 352, citing threats from internal disturbance. This was the third Emergency in India's history, but the first one declared in peacetime. Earlier proclamations were during wars with China (1962) and Pakistan (1971).