Attempt made to crush the democracy: PM Modi on Emergency 1975 in Mann Ki Baat

On June 25, 1975, the Congress government led by the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had made another blunder declaring an emergency due to the prevailing "internal disturbance". It had snatched the Constitutional rights of every Indian overnight for power, imposed an Emergency, and left the foreign rule behind in terms of brutality.

 

In the Mann Ki Baat program, PM Narendra Modi talked about the black day. He discussed "one such mass movement of the country, that holds great importance in the life of every citizen of the country". He said, "It was the month of June when an emergency was imposed. In that, all the rights were taken away from the citizens of the country. One amongst those rights was the 'Right to Life and Personal Liberty' provided to all Indians under Article 21 of the Constitution."

 

 

 

"At that time an attempt was made to crush the democracy of India. The country's courts, every constitutional institution, the press, were put under control. The condition of censorship was such that nothing could be printed without approval." He recalled an incident when "famous singer Kishore Kumar refused to applaud the government, he was banned. His entry on the radio was done away with."

 

 

"But even after many attempts, thousands of arrests, and atrocities on lakhs of people, the faith of the people of India in democracy did not shake… not at all! For us, the people of India, the sanskars ​​of democracy which we have been carrying on for centuries; the democratic spirit which is in our veins, finally won." The people of India got rid of the emergency and re-established democracy in a democratic way. It is difficult to find such an example of defeating a dictatorial mindset, a dictatorial tendency in a democratic way, in the whole world," PM Modi said.

 

PM Modi also said that he had "the good fortune to have been a witness and to be a partner in the struggle of the countrymen - as a soldier of democracy." Further, he added, "Today, when the country is celebrating 75 years of its independence, celebrating Amrit Mahotsav, we should never forget that dreadful period of emergency. The generations to come should also not forget. The Amrit Mahotsav not only encompasses the victory saga of freedom from hundreds of years of slavery, but also the journey of 75 years after independence. We move forward, learning from every important stage of history."