 MOTIHARI (BIHAR), June 25: Senior BJP leader Anurag Thakur on Wednesday described the Emergency as a "blot on the world's largest democracy", and blamed it on the "dictatorial streak" of the Congress which then ruled the country.
Addressing a press conference in East Champaran district of Bihar, the Lok Sabha MP also slammed former chief minister and RJD president Lalu Prasad, saying, "A product of the JP movement that challenged the Congress' dictatorship is now sitting in that party's lap."
"By imposing the Emergency, Indira Gandhi had trampled upon Babasaheb Ambedkar's Constitution. Her grandson Rahul Gandhi likes to keep the same Constitution in his pocket. This shows the party's disregard for the Constitution," alleged the former Union minister.
He said the nation has not forgotten how, 50 years ago on this very date, Indira Gandhi had clamped Emergency in the thick of the night which was followed by "excesses against all those who dared to criticise the government, including the press".
"It was a blot on the world's largest democracy and a reflection on the Congress' dictatorial streak," he said.
"While in power, the Congress amended the Constitution innumerable times to achieve its political objectives. So many state governments had been dismissed by misusing Article 357. All this had been going on since the time of first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru," Thakur alleged.
"Late Justice Khanna was denied appointment as the Chief Justice of India because he spoke his mind during the Emergency. So many leaders and student activists were denied parole to attend their close relatives' funerals. Today, the same Congress has the temerity to cast doubts about the electoral process," he said.
Training his guns at Rahul Gandhi, the BJP leader said the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha was "restless for power" and was "getting exposed by Pakistan's endorsement of his tirade against the Narendra Modi government".
Claiming that "lust for power had made Lalu Prasad, a product of JP movement, sit in the lap of the Congress", Thakur exuded confidence "the NDA, under the leadership of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, will return to power in the assembly polls in Bihar".
—PTI |
