People responsible for Godhra riots have no right to criticize Emergency: Congress

Bengaluru: Reacting sharply to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's tweet on the Emergency stating that the dark days marked by the period can never be forgotten and how it led to systematic destruction of democratic institutions in the country between 1975 and 1977, senior Congress leader and MLC B K Hariprasad on Sunday said that those 'responsible' for Godhra riots had no right to criticise the Emergency.

In a statement released to the media on Sunday, Hariprasad said, "People who are responsible for the Godhra massacre in 2002, murder of thousands of innocents and loss of Rs 5,000 crore do not have the moral right to criticize Emergency imposed by the late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

People who are supposed to be inside Sabarmati prison of Gujarat are ruling our country. Influential foreign minister of USA Henry Kissinger, praising Indira Gandhi in his autobiography said that Indira Gandhi was a brave and intelligent leader. Indira Gandhi divided Pakistan and became a model to the next generation. She not only made India a nuclear power but also made the country achieve self-reliance in food and defence sectors."

Emergency was imposed by Indira Gandhi for 21 months between 1975 and 1977 on account of "imminent security threats" to the country. During the period, the constitutional rights of citizens were suspended and several curbs imposed. Hitting out at the Congress, the prime minister said that the grand old party had trampled on India's democratic ethos during Emergency, and added that Indians must pledge to do everything possible to strengthen democratic spirit.

"The present government led by BJP leaders has clamped undeclared emergency in the country. It is using CBI, IT and ED to tame its political opponents. They are scaring the governments of opposition parties and luring them through money and threats and bringing them down.

This government led by BJP is detrimental to democracy and freedom of expression. It has jailed senior citizens and does not provide them even basic medical facilities and instead enjoys sadistic pleasure at their pain. Do these people have the ability to criticize emergencies? These BJP fascists who are destroying democracy and the Constitution of the country have lost the moral right to criticize a bold and brave leader like Indira Gandhi," Hariprasad further said.

The final decision to impose an Emergency was proposed by Indira Gandhi, agreed upon by the President, and thereafter ratified by the Cabinet and the Parliament (from July to August 1975), based on the rationale that there were imminent internal and external threats to India. The Emergency is considered to be one of the most controversial periods of independent India.