Narendra Modi, Mamata Banerjee trade barbs on Emergency

New Delhi: Recalling the Emergency era on its 44th anniversary, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said “India’s soul was crushed to stay in power” and asserted that the nation cannot forgive those who were responsible for the act nor can it go back to the dark days of the Emer-gency.

Opposition leaders, in particular TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee, used the occasion to attack the Modi-led dispensation of imposing ‘super Emer-gency’ and attacking ‘secular democracy’.

The BJP and its leaders recalled the Emergency as “one of the darkest chapters in India’s history”.

Mr Modi, who tweeted on the issue earlier during the day, also raised it during his reply to the motion of thanks to the Presidential address in the Rajya Sabha.

Recalling the era, Mr Modi said on the on the fateful night of June 25, “the soul of the country was crushed, the voice nation’s media was stifled, leaders were put behind bars just to save someone’s seat of power. It went against the judicial system.”

In his tweet, the PM said “India salutes all those greats who fiercely and fearlessly resisted the Emergency. India’s democratic ethos successfully prevailed over an authoritarian mindset.”

“Few people were constantly asking during the debate- ‘Who did it? Who did it?’ I want to ask them —today is June 25. Who imposed the Emergency? Who trampled over the spirit of the Constitution, gagged the media and bullied the judiciary? We cannot forget those dark days,” Mr Modi said in Parliament.

Continuing her tirade against the Modi government and the BJP, West Bengal Chief  Minister Mamata Banerjee tweeted: “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.”

Hitting back, the BJP said situation in West Bengal was akin to a “state of emergency” and asserted that the saffron party believes in democracy and is committed to protect it.

“The way Mamata is conducting things in West Bengal, is no less than the state of Emergency. She is doing a very bad job at running the state...The way violence is being promoted is against democracy. The BJP and this government is committed to  safeguard democracy and believes in ' sabka saath sabka vikaas'. We saved the  country from Emergency  in 1975 and now, we will fight in West Bengal too," said Union minister Prakash.

In an apparent attack at the Modi government, CPM’s Sitaram Yechury said a “today a stronger resolve than in 1975 is required to fight back attacks on secular democracy.”

“One fundamental pillar, ie of Democracy was hit on this day, 44 years ago as the Emergency. We must remember our fight then to resist it, push  it back and then restore democracy,” he said.