Union Home Minister Amit Shah has launched a fresh salvo against the Congress leadership, this time by writing on social media that, “On this day, 45 years ago one family’s greed for power led to the imposition of the Emergency”.
Shah's comment comes in the view of the 45th anniversary of Emergency on Thursday, 25 June.
Other BJP leaders, too, have launched an attack against the Congress.
The home minister said that, “...Overnight the nation was turned into a prison. The press, courts, free speech...all were trampled over. Atrocities were committed on the poor and downtrodden.”
On 25 June 1975, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had declared emergency. Shah further wrote that back then “The interests of one family prevailed over party interests and national interests. This sorry state of affairs thrives in today’s Congress too!”
Referring to the Congress’ decision to remove Sanjay Jha as the AICC spokesperson, Amit Shah wrote, “During the recent CWC meet, senior members and younger members raised a few issues. But, they were shouted down. A party spokesperson was unceremoniously sacked. The sad truth is – leaders are feeling suffocated in Congress.”
Amit Shah then wrote that the Congress needs to ask itself, “Why does the Emergency mindset remain?”
Amit Shah’s attack on the Congress leadership comes at a time when the two parties have been exchanging war of words over the government’s handling of the India-China standoff. Over the last two weeks, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and BJP Chief JP Nadda have been exchanging barbs over the Centre’s strategy on dealing with China.
JP had earlier tweeted, “One ‘royal’ dynasty and their ‘loyal’ courtiers have grand delusions of the Opposition being about one dynasty. A dynast throws tantrums and his courtiers peddle that fake narrative. Latest one relates to the Opposition asking questions to the government.”
Other BJP Leaders Follow Suit
Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar, too, took to Twitter and said, "I wonder, those who killed democracy 45 years ago are questioning the government today. The party that suppressed the entire system, ended the freedom of all and jailed scores of people, particularly from the opposition, is now raising slogans of freedom."
Such politics will not work, Javadekar added.
Meanwhile, Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad accused Congress for its "grossly undemocratic" behaviour in 1975 which he claimed still continues.
In a series of tweets, he added today is the day "to recall the heroic sacrifices of people of India against the grossly undemocratic behaviour of the Congress Party."
Addressing Tamil Nadu BJP workers, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the "power-hungry" Congress government took away people's rights by clamping Emergency this day 45 years, and it was anguishing when the same party spoke on democracy, PTI reported.
(With inputs from PTI)
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