New Delhi, June 25 : BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya on Sunday released a seven-minute-long video to mark 48 years since Emergency was declared by Indira Gandhi-led Congress government.
Tweeted with a hashtag “Dark Days Of Emergency” the video shows Malviya stating that it reflects the oppressive mindset of the Congress, which still persists.
“The Emergency reminds us of 1975, but it is not just an isolated incident, it represents the oppressive mindset of the Congress party, which continues even today. After 28 years of Independence, the country witnessed a dictatorship in the form of the Emergency,” he says.
The video also accuses former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru of sidelining prominent leaders and gaining complete control over the party.
Acharya Kripalani, who served as Congress president during independence, had a rift with Nehru and eventually had to resign from the party in 1951, the BJP leader says.
“When Purushottam Das Tandon became the Congress President, Nehru resigned from the party committee. Later, after the death of Sardar Patel, Tandon, who was singled out, had to step down from the presidency. Nehru then appointed his daughter, Indira Gandhi, as the party president while he served as the Prime Minister. This meant that the entire control of the country and the party was in the hands of a single family. When Indira Gandhi became Prime Minister, all the senior party leaders were shown the door,” he alleges.
The BJP leader also alleges that amendments were made to Article 19, which guarantees freedom of speech and expression, during the Emergency. These changes were purportedly made to suppress opposition voices and the public. (IANS)