President Droupadi Murmu on Thursday called the Emergency of 1975 imposed by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi the “biggest attack” on the Constitution and the “darkest chapter” in the nation’s history.
During her first address to Parliament, President Murmu said the country plunged into chaos during the Emergency and attempts to “tarnish” democracy should be condemned by everyone.
“Emergency was the biggest and darkest chapter of the direct attack on the Constitution. The entire country plunged into chaos during Emergency, but the nation was victorious against such unconstitutional powers,” she said while addressing a joint sitting of Parliament.
“Every attempt to tarnish our democracy should be condemned by all. Divisive forces are conspiring to weaken democracy, create chasm in society from within and outside the country,” the President said amid cheers from the NDA members and protests by the Opposition leaders.
The Constitution has stood up to every challenge and every test in the past decades, she said. “The entire country felt outraged. But the country emerged victorious over such unconstitutional forces as the traditions of the republic lie at the core of India,” she said.
Indira Gandhi imposed the Emergency in June 1975, which lasted until March 1977 and was endorsed by President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed under Article 352 of the Constitution. It was declared citing imminent internal and external threats to the country.
President Murmu’s remarks come amid the ongoing exchange of fire between the BJP and Opposition on the Emergency. As Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP leaders recalled the horrors of the Emergency, the Congress and its allies blunted the attack saying an “undeclared Emergency” in the past 10 years under the BJP rule.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, who returned to the post for a second straight term on Wednesday, also invoked Emergency and asked the members of the House to observe a two-minute silence in memory of the citizens who lost their lives during the period, triggering protests and sloganeering from the Opposition.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and said it was a wonderful gesture to stand in silence in honour of all those who suffered during those days.
“I am glad that the Speaker strongly condemned the Emergency, highlighted the excesses committed during that time and also mentioned the manner in which democracy was strangled. It was also a wonderful gesture to stand in silence in honour of all those who suffered during those days,” the prime minister said in a tweet.
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said it is “unfortunate” that the Speaker ended up undermining the spirit of consensus by a “divisive” statement.
“This was not necessary. It was 49 years ago. If you have to go to such lengths on a day on which the message was to be one of cooperation and consensus, that’s unfortunate,” he said.
