BJP demands apology from Cong for 'India is Indira' slogan

New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday demanded an apology from the Congress party for using the slogan 'India is Indira and Indira is India' during emergency in 1975.

"During Emergency, Congress's then-president gave the slogan 'India is Indira and Indira is India'. For those who understand Hinduism and Hindutva, the country is only 'Bharat Mata', but for Congress 'India is Indira'. Till now they have not apologized for this slogan," BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi said at a press conference here.

Meanwhile, the BJP is observing the 1975 Emergency Anniversary today as a 'Black Day'.June 25 marks the day when Former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had declared a state of emergency in the country.

Senior BJP leaders have often attacked the Congress over the move, branding it as undemocratic and intolerant.An emergency was declared for a 21-month period from 1975 to 1977 by the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.Officially issued by President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed under Article 352 of the Constitution due of the prevailing "internal disturbance", the Emergency was in effect from June 25, 1975, until its withdrawal on March 21, 1977.

The order vested upon the Prime Minister the authority to rule by decree, allowing elections to be suspended and civil liberties to be curbed.

The final decision to impose an emergency was proposed by Indira Gandhi, agreed upon by the president of India, 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 the Indian state.The Emergency is considered to be one of the most controversial periods of independent India's history.