Emergency was declared by former PM Indira Gandhi on June 25, 1975
Several BJP leaders today put out posts on social media to mark 45 years of the Emergency declared by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1975. Emergency has remained one of the most controversial periods in Indian democracy.
The BJP said on Twitter: "Emergency 1975- The unforgivable sin of Congress. Before the President's signature on the declaration papers, top national leaders like JP Narayan, Morarji Desai, LK Advani and AB Vajpayee along with hundreds of others had been imprisoned overnight."
Union Home Minister Amit Shah tweeted: "On this day, 45 years ago one family's greed for power led to the imposition of the Emergency. Overnight the nation was turned into a prison. The press, courts, free speech... all were trampled over. Atrocities were committed on the poor and downtrodden." Mr Shah also accused the Congress having an "Emergency mindset".
Another senior minister, Piyush Goyal, tweeted: "Emergency is the darkest period in independent India's history." Jitendra Singh, Minister of State for PMO wrote, "History will always recall it as a black day of Indian democracy...." Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan posted that Emergency made a mockery of the Constitution.
Senior BJP leader BL Santosh wrote, "Congress led by Indira Gandhi imposed Emergency and trampled upon the fundamental rights of ordinary people."
Indira Gandhi imposed the Emergency on June 25, 1975, days after the Allahabad High Court found her guilty of electoral malpractices and barred her as a parliamentarian for six years. She cited "internal disturbance", suspended many constitutional rights and jailed thousands of political opponents, student leaders and journalists. The Emergency was withdrawn in 1977. Mrs Gandhi lost the 1977 general elections and Morarji Desai took over as India's fourth Prime Minister.