Union Minister and former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national president Jagat Prakash Nadda launched a sharp attack on Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi while addressing a programme organised in Patna on the occasion of Samvidhan Hatya Diwas (Constitution Murder Day) on Thursday.
Addressing the gathering, Nadda criticised the Congress leadership and alleged that those who speak about protecting the Constitution today should first acknowledge the events of the Emergency period. Nadda remarked that the descendants of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi often carry copies of the Constitution during public events but, according to him, fail to understand its provisions.
He said that LoP Rahul Gandhi should apologise to the country for what he described as anti-constitutional actions taken during the Emergency. The BJP leader alleged that the Congress government, through the 42nd Constitutional Amendment during the Emergency, extended the tenure of elected representatives from 5 to 6 years and attempted to reduce judicial oversight over certain constitutional offices.
Nadda termed the Emergency imposed on June 25, 1975, as the greatest attack on Indian democracy, constitutional values, and civil liberties. He said Bihar played a historic role in the movement against the Emergency and that Patna occupies a special place in the struggle to restore democracy.
According to him, the movement to protect democratic values gained momentum from Bihar's soil. The Union Minister recalled the movement led by Jayaprakash Narayan and noted that nearby Gandhi Maidan in Patna witnessed the historic call for Sampoorna Kranti (Total Revolution) on June 5, 1974.
Nadda stated that he personally participated in the student movement during that period and witnessed many of the events that ultimately led to the nationwide agitation against the Emergency. The BJP leader alleged that press freedom was curtailed during the Emergency, civil liberties were suspended, and constitutional institutions came under pressure.
He claimed that more than 1.31 lakh people were detained during the Emergency, large-scale sterilisation drives affected millions of people, numerous houses were demolished in Delhi, and hundreds of journalists were imprisoned. Nadda argued that these developments represented a serious challenge to democratic values and constitutional principles.
Paying tribute to the participants of the JP movement, Nadda said the purpose of observing Samvidhan Hatya Diwas is to inform younger generations about the Emergency period and to create awareness about safeguarding democratic institutions and constitutional values.