Mumbai/ NEW Delhi: Slamming the Congress party and the Gandhi family on the 43rd anniversary of the imposition of Emergency, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday that India was "turned into jail for the selfish personal interests" of that family.
Addressing a meeting organised by the BJP to mark the Emergency anniversary, Modi said the day needs to be observed to re-dedicate oneself to the protection of the Constitution and democracy.
"Emergency is a black spot on the golden history of the nation. Observing black day today is not just to criticise the Congress for its sin of imposing Emergency but also to create awareness for the protection of Constitution and democracy," Modi said.
Lashing out at Congress for "spreading illusionary fear" about the Constitution, Dalits and minorities facing danger (in the BJP-led regime), Modi said Congress could never improve. "For the promotion of self-interest, they destroyed their own party," he said.
" For selfish interests, Congress turned the country into jail by imprisoning opposition leaders. For them, the country and democracy have no value. Instead of (Indira Gandhi) quitting as PM after the court verdict, Emergency was imposed. How can these people talk about safeguarding the Constitution," he said.
"When Kishore Kumar ji refused to sing for the (Congress), his songs were not allowed to be played on the radio," Modi said.
It evoked a strong reaction from the Congress, which likened Modi to Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, whose reign has been described as oppressive by a majority of historians. There is an "atmosphere of fear" in the Prime Minister's administration, in which everyone is branded "anti-national", the party said.
At a press conference held soon after, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said, "In this time of Aurangzeb, is everybody not branded anti-national if he questions? Are Dalits not beaten and disrespected? Are people not murdered for eating habits, caste, creed?"
Aurangzeb "never took lessons from anybody", Surjewala said in an apparent dig at PM Modi's explanation that Emergency should be remembered for its lessons. "The truth is that Modi is seeking history's refuge to hide his non-performance, but he doesn't realise he will become history himself," the Congress leader said.
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) president Mayawati alleged on Tuesday that the country had been under an "undeclared emergency" for the last four years and the people were feeling "suffocated" due to the prevailing situation.