India Will Never Accept Dictatorship: Amit Shah on Eve of 50th Emergency Anniversary
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday launched a scathing attack on the Congress party, stating that the people of India will “never accept dictatorship,” as the nation prepares to mark the 50th anniversary of the Emergency imposed in 1975.
Speaking at an event in the national capital on the eve of the grim anniversary, Shah said that the spirit of democracy is intrinsic to India and that the memory of the “dark chapter” of the Emergency must not be allowed to fade.
“We have won the war against Emergency because people of this country will never accept dictatorship,” Shah declared. “A lot of people ask why discuss something that happened 50 years ago? 50 years is a long time for memories to fade… If the memory of as huge an occurrence as the Emergency starts fading from collective consciousness, it becomes a serious threat to any democratic nation.”
Taking direct aim at the Congress party’s recent narrative of the “Constitution in danger,” the Home Minister questioned its leaders’ credibility on the subject. “Today, some people preach about the sanctity of the Constitution. But I want to ask — which party do you belong to?” he asked. “Remember the morning when Indira Gandhi announced the Emergency on All India Radio. Was Parliament consulted before this? Were the opposition leaders and citizens taken into confidence?”
Shah continued his sharp questioning, asking, “Those who talk about protecting democracy today — were you the Rakshaks (protectors) of the Constitution back then, or its Bhakshaks (destroyers)? They claimed the Emergency was declared to protect the nation. But the truth is — it was declared to protect their own power.”
Describing the oppressive atmosphere during the 21-month period, Shah said fundamental rights were suspended and citizens were targeted for having free thoughts. “Just imagine that moment… one day, you are a free citizen of India, and the next morning, you wake up as a subject under a dictator. Until yesterday, you were a journalist… the next day, you are labelled an anti-social element and declared anti-national,” he said.
Last year, the central government announced its decision to officially observe June 25 as ‘Samvidhan Hatya Divas’ (Constitution Murder Day) every year. The move has been criticised by the Congress, with party general secretary Jairam Ramesh previously accusing the Modi government of imposing an “undeclared Emergency” for the past decade.
