Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday saluted those who had ‘fiercely and fearlessly resisted the Emergency’ 44 years ago. Taking to Twitter, Modi shared a video clip of newspaper clippings and protests during the Emergency with his voiceover.
His tweet read, “India salutes all those greats who fiercely and fearlessly resisted the Emergency. India’s democratic ethos successfully prevailed over an authoritarian mindset.”
India salutes all those greats who fiercely and fearlessly resisted the Emergency.
India’s democratic ethos successfully prevailed over an authoritarian mindset. pic.twitter.com/vUS6HYPbT5
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 25, 2019
Terming the declaration of the Emergency on 25 June as black night, Modi said that no patriots can ever forget that moment adding that the entire country was converted into a jail.
Taking a swipe at PM Modi, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that India had been going through a ‘Super Emergency’ for the last five years. She wrote, “Today is the anniversary of the #Emergency declared in 1975. For the last five years, the country went through a ‘Super Emergency’. We must learn our lessons from history and fight to safeguard the democratic institutions in the country.”
Today is the anniversary of the #Emergency declared in 1975. For the last five years, the country went through a ‘Super Emergency’. We must learn our lessons from history and fight to safeguard the democratic institutions in the country
— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) June 25, 2019
CPI-M leader Sitaram Yechury wrote, “India is a Secular Democracy. One fundamental pillar, ie of Democracy was hit on this day, 44 years ago as the Emergency. We must remember our fight than to resist it, push it back and then restore democracy.”
On 25 June, the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had ordered the imposition of the Emergency. Her order was ratified by then President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed. Many opposition leaders and journalists were jailed and freedom of media severely curtailed.