Of course, the BJP has sharpened attack against Congress and the 'first political family' on the Emergency.
"Is it in anticipation that the Congress-led Opposition is moving now into a transition phase, which could take it towards a more dominant position?
What is also clear is that despite heading a coalition government, requiring him to be conciliatory towards his partners, PM Modi is unlikely to soften towards Opposition parties," says an article in 'Indian Express'.
The article penned by Neerja Chowdhury says it was Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla’s measure in calling for a two-minute silence in the House, to honour those who had fought the Emergency, and saying that a Lok Sabha resolution condemned what happened in 1975, "rattled the Congress".
Rahul Gandhi, with his new found status of LoP, rushed to the Speaker himself layed the “political” speech by Birla.
Of course, India has come a long way in the half-century since the Emergency. Though weakened in the 2024 polls, the BJP still forms the pole of the polity, having replaced the Congress. "But the Congress is confident it is on the recovery path, as part of an Opposition front that as a whole emerged stronger in the Lok Sabha elections," runs the article.
Amid intense debate in parliament and also outside, there is a section which believes there is nothing wrong in debating and discussing Emergency.
"The Congress and other opposition parties will make a mistake to run away from the debate itself," analyst G V Anshuman Rao told the blogger.
Rao said in response to a question : "What story... this is not a story... It's a fact of history. There you are -- even seasoned politicians like Indira Gandhi admitted her mistake. But today, the Congress wants to run away from the debate.Why ? And the question of Indira Gandhi tendering apology to His Holiness Jagadguru .....this is also a fact of history.
When Indira Gandhi's troubles were multiple ... she was advised to seek Jagadguru Swami Chandrashekharanda Saraswati ji's blessing. Later we were told -- initially Jagadguru refused to meet her and his reason was excesses committed during the Emergency."
"Ultimately, she (Indira Gandhi) not only said sorry. Jagadguru was very specific, he said you have to assure me that you will not repeat what you did in 1975."
(see interview details in the next blog)
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| Anshuman Rao |
There goes another version. "As a young RSS full-timer, Narendra Modi remained incognito for the entire Emergency phase, utilising it as an opportunity to work with leaders and organisations across the political spectrum, which exposed him to diverse ideologies and viewpoints," says 'Times of India'.
It has also been reported that in 1978, Narendra Modi authored his first book, ‘Sangharsh Ma Gujarat’, a memoir of his experiences as a leader in the underground movement against Emergency in Gujarat.
It is true if Narendra Modi is talking about the Emergency now to counter the Congress’s claims about “defending” the Constitution, the BJP’s message has been accentuated by both Speaker Om Birla in his speech in the Lok Sabha following his re-election, and President Droupadi Murmu, in her customary address to the joint session at the start of a new Parliament.
Meanwhile, the drama and row over 'Hitler' cult of politics has only intensified as Narendra Modi's regime has often been likened to the Nazi Party by Modi's detractors.
This was largely driven by their perceived anti-Muslim and anti-Christian bias, and their support for calls to ban the consumption of beef — cows are highly revered animals in Hinduism.
Allegedly there has been 'refusal' to crack down on vigilante Hindu squads and mobs who attacked people for engaging in the cow-slaughter trade.
Modi is determined to fight the Congress. He is sure Emergency narratives will weaken Congress attack against his government vis-a-vis abuse of power and subverting the Constitution. For him, it is just an allegation but Indira Gandhi really did so !!
The BJP leaders instead slam the Congress and questioned its democratic credentials.
"On this day back in 1975, democracy was murdered by the Congress merely to meet its political agenda so it could continue in power," Home Minister Modi's trusted colleague Amit Shah has said in the past. This year on June 25, Shah tweeted directing his ire against Rahul and Rajiv Gandhi.
“The yuvraj of the Congress party (Rahul Gandhi) has forgotten that his grandmother imposed the Emergency and his father, Mr Rajiv Gandhi, on July 23, 1985, said in the Lok Sabha, taking much pride in this horrific episode, “There is nothing wrong with an Emergency”.
Responding to Madhu Dandavate, Rajiv Gandhi had said in Lok Sabha, 1985: “Not only have the hon. Members not paid attention to my press conference, they have not been listening to what I have been saying now. I have just said barely two minutes age that it is highly unlikely that one set of circumstances will ever repeat themselves in their totality.
In my press conference I said the same thing, I said that one set of circumstances will not repeat themselves and after…".
Rajiv had referred to a statement he had made earlier at a press conference, and said: “I was asked a very specific question. One, whether I thought the Emergency when it was proclaimed in 1975 it was Correct? I said ‘yes’.
I think it is correct and I stand by that statement”, Late Rajiv had said.
ends
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