Rohtak (Haryana) [India], June 25 : Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal on Sunday said that democracy was strangled and leaders were sent to jail after the Emergency was imposed in 1975.
It is 48 years since the Emergency was imposed by the then-Congress government led by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
While talking to media persons, Arjun Ram Meghwal said, "On the night of June 25, 1975, the press was censored during the emergency. Democracy was strangled, leaders were sent to jail." People who were sent to jail because of Congress are openly supporting Congress today."
"It is not possible to imagine that the level of politics will go down to such a level. Our constitution makers would not have imagined this," he added.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid homage to the bravehearts who resisted the "dark days of emergency" and worked to strengthen the democratic spirit.
"I pay homage to all those courageous people who resisted the Emergency and worked to strengthen our democratic spirit. The #DarkDaysOfEmergency remain an unforgettable period in our history, totally opposite to the values our Constitution celebrates," tweeted PM Modi.
The Emergency was in effect from June 25, 1975, until its withdrawal on March 21, 1977.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national president JP Nadda also bowed down to the patriots who fought for the establishment of democracy by enduring immense tortures.
"On June 25, 1975, a family due to its dictatorial tendencies killed the country's great democracy and imposed a stigma like emergency. Whose ruthlessness left behind even the tyranny of hundreds of years of foreign rule. In such difficult times, I bow down to all the patriots who fought for the establishment of democracy by enduring immense tortures," tweeted Nadda.
Emergency was declared for a 21-month period from 1975 to 1977 by the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
The order was officially issued by President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed under Article 352 of the Constitution due to the prevailing "internal disturbance."
The Emergency vested upon the Prime Minister the authority to rule by decree, allowing elections to be suspended and civil liberties to be curbed.
The Emergency in 1975 is considered one of the most controversial periods of independent India's history.
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