Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Thursday said that Prime Minister Indira Gandhi imposed the nationwide emergency to save her PM's chair as her election to Lok Sabha from Raebareli was set aside by Allahabad High Court.
"Today we recall the draconian day of 25 June 1975, when the then Congress Government led by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi imposed emergency to save her PM chair as her election to Lok Sabha from Raebareli was set aside by Allahabad High Court on the ground of malpractices," said Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad.
"During the emergency period, prominent leaders like JP Narayan, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Chandrashekhar, L K Adv, and George Fernandes were arrested and tortured," he added.
The Union Minister elaborated saying "even media was not spared and censorship was imposed. Even judiciary was not spared, those whose judgment Congress party found uncomfortable were superseded."
He also said that the thousands were illegally jailed and forced sterilization took place during the emergency period. "Even the unmarried people were forcibly sterilized," he added.
Ravi also slammed the slogan of "India is Indira and Indira is India," which was started by the then Congress leader Debakanta Baruah.
"Debakanta Baruah coined the sycophantic slogan, "India is Indira and Indira is India." Back then, there was no limit to such sycophancy.
"Our leaders like late Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Rajnath Singh, Arun Jaitley, Ananth Kumar, Sushma Swaraj, JP Nadda, and I opposed it and fought against the emergency as student leaders," he added.
Lastly, he slammed the functioning of the Congress party, saying that whoever goes against the party leader Rahul Gandhi is sidelined in the party.
"To date, Congress party has continued with its 'durbar' culture where Gandhi family calls all the shots at the party. Even to this day, whoever suggests anything against Rahul Gandhi is sidelined in the party," he added.
On 25 June 1975, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had announced a national emergency in view of 'threats to national security'.
During the emergency, opposition leaders were arrested, censorship was imposed, and a ban was announced on grassroots orgzations which lasted for a period of 21 months.
( With inputs from ANI )