The national emergency imposed 45 years ago marked a black chapter in the history of Indian democracy and should always be remembered, former Union minister Shanta Kumar said on Thursday.
In a press statement issued here, the 85-year-old BJP veteran said emergency was declared on June 25 and by the next day the entire country was converted into a prison.
“The biggest democracy of the world turned into monarchy of a political party,” he said.
The former minister said he and many of his friends from Himachal were thrown behind the bars.“When we argued in the court that right to life was bestowed on us by the Constitution, the government in its reply said that even this right was also suspended,” he said.
He said people should always remember that this emergency was not imposed due to an enemy attack or a natural calamity but because the Allahabad high court had declared election of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi to Lok Sabha null and void.
The country was converted into jail because a successful movement was building up against the regime under the leadership of freedom-fighter JP Narayan.
{{/usCountry}}The country was converted into jail because a successful movement was building up against the regime under the leadership of freedom-fighter JP Narayan.
{{/usCountry}}“JP too was put behind the bars and he was even dubbed the enemy of the country,” he said.
Shanta Kumar said after the emergency was lifted, a new history was written in 1977 general election.“This election was not fought by the parties but the masses of India,” he added.
“That movement was against corruption. Today, Indian democracy is strengthened but the evil of corruption still prevails,” he said. He also paid tributes to his comrades who were with him in Nahan Jail during emergency.