Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday during his ‘Maan Ki Baat’ radio broadcast said that attempts were made to "crush democracy" during the Emergency imposed in 1977. He asserted that it is difficult to find another example in the world where people defeated a "dictatorial mindset" through democratic means.
Speaking about the Emergency a day after its 47th anniversary, he noted that all rights, including the right to life and personal liberty, were snatched away and controls were imposed on all institutions, including the judiciary and media. Emergency was announced in the country on June 25, 1975, when Indira Gandhi was the prime minister and was lifted on March 21, 1977.
Also Read:
"During the Emergency, all rights were snatched away. Among these rights was the right to life and personal liberty guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution. At that time, attempts were made to crush democracy in India, the country's courts, every constitutional institution, press, everything was brought under control," Modi said without naming Congress. He said censorship was so stringent that nothing could be published without approval. "I remember when famous singer Kishore Kumar Ji refused to praise the government, he was banned, he was not allowed on radio," the prime minister said. Despite several attempts, thousands of arrests and atrocities on millions, the faith of Indians in democracy could not be shaken, he asserted. "The democratic values ingrained in us for centuries, the spirit of democracy that flows in our veins, ultimately triumphed," Modi said.
Through democratic means, the people of India got rid of the Emergency and restored democracy, he said. "It is difficult to find an example like this in the world of defeating the dictatorial mindset through democratic means," Modi said.
"I was fortunate to be a witness as well as a participant in the struggle of our countrymen during the Emergency. Today, when the country is celebrating 75 years of its Independence, we must not forget the dark period of Emergency. Future generations also must not forget it," he said.
Speaking about the ongoing work related to the space sector, the prime minister said the number of start-ups is now over a hundred. He also lauded India's feats in the space sector and cited the creation of "In-Space" which is promoting opportunities in the space sector for the private sector.
Praising sportspersons for their recent achievements, he said Neeraj Chopra made the country proud by winning the gold in Kuortane Games in conditions when the weather there was also inclement. The prime minister also hailed "waste to wealth" efforts to clean the Chitte Lui river in Aizwal and remove rubbish from the sea coast of Puducherry. "If our environment is clean, our mountains and rivers, our seas remain clean; our health also gets better. You must keep writing to me about such efforts," he said. He also stressed the need for water conservation, noting the monsoon's arrival across the country.
First Published: Jun 26, 2022 5:15 PM IST
