E-Paper
Emergency was darkest phase of Indian democracy: Rajnath
Defence minister Rajnath Singh flayed the Congress for its ‘democracy-under-threat’ attacks on the government
Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday flayed the Congress for its ‘democracy-under-threat’ attacks on the government and reminded it that imposition of Emergency 48 years ago (on June 25, 1975) was the darkest phase of Indian democracy.
“How Congress won elections and formed governments in Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh if there is no democracy in nation, as falsely alleged by them (Congress leaders). It was the Congress which imposed Emergency and jailed opposition leaders including I for months,” Singh while addressing a public meeting in Agra.
“I was kept behind bars in isolation for two-and-a-half months and had to remain in prison for 16 months. Opposition leaders were jailed after the then President of India declared Emergency on June 25, 1975 on advice of the late PM Indira Gandhi,” he recollected.
“Now the same Congress is holding meetings with Opposition parties in Patna in name of ‘saving democracy’ when in fact it was the Congress which throttled the democracy by imposing Emergency. In fact, the only motive of all these opposition parties is to remove Narendra Modi. The Opposition parties, including the SP and the BSP, should understand that politics cannot be under cover and should be in full public view and transparent,” Singh added.
“Voters in India have trust in the leadership PM Modi. The outcome is that now India is the nation which is being ‘heard’ globally in sharp contrast to scenario in the past when India had no voice internationally,” the defence minister said.
“It is a matter of pride for every Indian that their PM is being welcomed with warmth globally as seen in recent past in the US, Australia and other nations. The PM has led the rise of India from 11th position in global economic world in year 2014 to fifth biggest economy in world in 2023. An expert agency has predicted that India might rise to third position by 2027,” said Singh.
He was accompanied by state BJP chief Bhupendra Chaudhary and party MP from Fatehpur Sikri Rajkumar Chahar. “Pakistan was given befitting reply in its own border after our jawans were killed in Uri sector. No nation can now ask India to bend and Indians trapped in Ukraine were rescued after the intervention by our PM,” Singh said.
“India proved itself by providing double dose of vaccine to its citizens and providing vaccines to several nations to fight the Covid pandemic,” he added. Singh also praised CM Yogi Adityanath for his measures to improve law and order situation in Uttar Pradesh.
