NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during a debate on the Constitution in Lok Sabha, tore into the Congress, saying the party “will not be able to wash away the sin of Emergency”.
In a reference to the national Emergency that was imposed by PM Indira Gandhi in 1975, PM Modi on Saturday said the Constitution was torn apart when it was completing 25 years as the rights of the citizens were snatched.
“The Constitution was torn apart when it was completing 25 years; the Emergency was imposed (in 1975), all constitutional rights were snatched and the country was turned into a jail. All the rights of the citizens were snatched and there was a clampdown on media. Congress will never be able to clear this stain,” PM Modi said.
“I expected a good debate on the Constitution, but some decided to grieve their losses: PM Modi said in an attack at the Congress party.
Narrowing his attack on the Gandhi family, the PM said: “One family of Congress left no stone unturned in hurting the Constitution”.
“One Congress family changed the Constitution to attack freedom of expression, it insulted the founders of the Constitution. Nehru wrote to chief ministers that if the Constitution comes in the way it should be changed,” PM Modi claimed in the Lower House.
PM Modi said the Congress government under the Gandhi family over the years advocated to “committed judiciary” and even “punished” Justice HR Khanna, who ruled against Indira Gandhi’s decision during the period of Emergency.
“Seeds sown by first PM Nehru in changing the Constitution were followed up by Indira Gandhi who even overturned the SC decision. Indira Gandhi clipped the wings of courts through Constitutional amendments to capture judiciary,” PM Modi asserted.