Indira strangulated democracy: Minister Jitendra Awhad

Mumbai: Maharashtra Minister and NCP leader Jitendra Awhad has said that history will repeat itself just like former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's attempt to strangulate democracy in the past was defeated by students similarly, students will do so in the present day too.

"Indira Gandhi had also strangulated democracy, nobody was ready to speak against her. Then, students from Ahmedabad and Patna protested and JP movement started leading to her defeat. This history will be repeated in Maharashtra and the country," Awhad said in a public meeting in Beed on Wednesday.

Awhad said this in an apparent reference to the amended Citizenship Act brought by the Centre, which is being opposed by various state governments and protests, by citizens, are also being held across the country against it. Awhad soon has issued a clarification for his comment.

He also said that there might be differences between the Congress and other parties over the Emergency era but Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah do not come "even close to Indira Gandhi."

"I have huge respect for Indira Gandhi's deeds. There may be some difference of opinion about the Emergency period but there is one truth I do not want to hide, that she cannot be compared to Modi-Shah. These two cannot reach even close to her," Awhad's tweeted.

Maharashtra PWD Minister Ashok Chavan warned NCP leader Jitendra Awhad for his statement on Former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Taking to the microblogging site, Chavan acknowledged that Awhad clarified his position on his remark but also said that disrespect of any kind to their party leader will not be tolerated.

In his tweet, Chavan said, "Indira Gandhi who sacrificed her life for the country's unity and integrity is remembered for her duty even today. It is good that Jitendra Awhad issued a clarification in time. Even then I would like to say something about this. Anyone who disrespects our leaders will be given a befitting response."

Jayaprakash Narayan, also called Lok Nayak, had launched a mass movement against Indira Gandhi's government in 1974. Jailed during the Emergency he defeated the Congress party in 1977 for the first time which led to the formation of the Janata Party government in the Centre.

However, not new to giving controversial statements, Awhad had recently on January 20 said that ancestors of people sitting on the throne in Delhi "were appeasing" the British at the time when Awhad's father was facing a death sentence for the sake of the country.

He further added that Muslims can point out where their grandfathers were buried but Hindus may not be able to say where the last rites of their ancestors were conducted.

"I would ask the (people at) throne in Delhi, will you ask proof of me being an Indian? Then listen to this -- when your father was licking the boots of the British after bowing to them, my father was embracing death and raising slogans Inquilab Zindabad," he said at a rally against the CAA in Maharashtra.

"I want to ask, my Hindu brothers are sitting here, where were you when your grandfather's last rites were performed? Muslims can tell where their graveyards are," he added. The CAA grants citizenship to non-Muslim refugees from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh, who came to India on or before December 31, 2014.