As the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) launched a coordinated strike on the Congress over Emergency on Monday, the grand old party performed a riposte to the narrative with an ‘emergency’ take of its own.
Top BJP leaders and other party officials took to various media platforms to speak on how the Emergency imposed by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on 25 June 1975 was a “dark chapter” in India’s history. They shared their experiences from the days of the Emergency recounting how the period was one that undermined all the freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution of India.
The Congress took to Twitter to share a meme showing a serious looking Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The message read, “Four years under Modi Sarkar has seen the economy in shambles, healthcare deteriorating, systematic destruction of education, crimes against women, atrocities against Dalits, skyrocketing fuel & commodity prices, communal hatred at an all time high.”
Four years under Modi Sarkar has seen the economy in shambles, healthcare deteriorating, systematic destruction of education, crimes against women, atrocities against Dalits, skyrocketing fuel & commodity prices, communal hatred at an all time high.#ModiEmergency pic.twitter.com/iG6mX7u1cK
— Congress (@INCIndia) June 25, 2018
In a series of tweets, the Congress raised police brutality, cow vigilantism and attack on press freedom as points to attack the Modi dispensation.
“It takes a great leader courage and humility to acknowledge one’s mistakes and learn from them,” read a pinned tweet which carried the picture of Indira Gandhi with a news clipping from 24 January 1978 which quoted her saying that she owns the responsibility for “the mistake”.
It takes a great leader courage and humility to acknowledge one’s mistakes and learn from them. pic.twitter.com/agkcYOBFci
— Congress (@INCIndia) June 25, 2018
Congress parties from other states, too, targeted the Modi government over a series of problems. All of the tweets were posted with under the hashtag #ModiEmergency.
“The tenure of PM Modi led BJP govt has been marked with compromising all ethos of democracy. Freedom of speech is under threat as RTI activists are being murdered & BJP sponsors a troll army online. Many of these trolls are blessed 2 be followed by the PM himself,” tweeted West Bengal Congress.
The tenure of PM Modi led BJP govt has been marked with compromising all ethos of democracy. Freedom of speech is under threat as RTI activists are being murdered & BJP sponsors a troll army online. Many of these trolls are blessed 2 be followed by the PM himself.#ModiEmergency
— West Bengal Congress (@INCWestBengal) June 25, 2018
Congress in Telangana quoted former BJP leader Yashwant Sinha in its tweet.
“In today’s “Undeclared Emergency” there is an atmosphere of fear & came unannounced. It did not happen suddenly, therefore we have not realised it. It’s a slow poison which is being injected into the body politic of India – Yashwant Sinha,” read the tweet posted by the party’s Telangana unit.
“The prime minister talks of remembering the Emergency. Yes, we remember the Emergency. But we also ask him to remember we are facing an undeclared Emergency,” All India Congress Committee (AICC) spokesperson Tom Vadakkan alleged.
“We accept the Emergency was a mistake. We have learned from it. But while reminding us of those mistakes, please learn to correct yourself. If you do not learn from history, you are bound to repeat it. The country is witnessing just that,” he said.
The Prime Minister remembered the Emergency as “a black night” that cannot be forgotten and underlined the need for eternal vigilance to preserve democracy.
Union Minister Arun Jaitley on Monday compared former Indira Gandhi to Hitler, stating that both used the Constitution “to transform democracy into dictatorship”.
Read More: On 43rd anniversary of Emergency, Arun Jaitley compares Indira Gandhi to Hitler
(With inputs from agencies.)