“Congress is only bothered about headlines”: Pralhad Joshi hits out at Jairam Ramesh over his ‘headline-grabbing exercise’ remark

New Delhi [India], July 13 (ANI): After Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh described the central government’s decision to declare June 25 as ‘Samvidhaan Hatya Diwas’ as yet another “headline-grabbing exercise in hypocrisy” by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi hit out at Congress, saying that “they are only bothered about headlines.”

Speaking to ANI, Pralhad Joshi said, “They (Congress) are only bothered about headlines, they are not bothered about safeguarding Constitution and democracy. Are they still defending emergency?…such an incident should not happen in the future and with that intention, Samvidhan Hatya Divas was announced, they should respect and welcome it…”

Earlier, in a series of tweets on X, Jairm Ramesh said, “Yet another headline grabbing exercise in hypocrisy by the non-biological PM who had imposed an undeclared Emergency for ten long years before the people of India handed him a decisive personal, political, and moral defeat on June 4, 2024 – which will go down in history as ModiMukti Diwas”.

“This is a non-biological PM who has subjected the Constitution of India and its principles, values, and institutions to systematic assault,” his post added.

O Friday, Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) made the announcement in a gazette notification pointing “a proclamation of Emergency was made on 25th June 1975, following which there was gross abuse of power by the government of the day and people of India were subjected to excesses and atrocities”.

The notification reads “Whereas, people of India have abiding faith in the Constitution of India and the power of India’s resilient democracy; Therefore, Government of India declares 25 June as ‘Samvidhaan Hatya Diwas’ to pay tribute to all those who suffered and fought against the gross abuse of power during the period of Emergency and to recommit the people of India to not support in any manner such gross abuse of power, in future”.

49 years ago on June 25, Indira Gandhi’s government unleashed a wave of repression, imprisoning lakhs of people without justification and muzzling the media. The Emergency stripped citizens of their fundamental rights and undermined the country’s democratic fabric.

As per the fresh MHA notification, ‘Samvidhaan Hatya Diwas’ serves as a solemn reminder of the struggles and sacrifices made by those who fought for India’s democracy during the 1975 Emergency. The day will commemorate their bravery and resilience in the face of oppression, ensuring that future generations remember the importance of upholding democratic values and protecting the Constitution.

Earlier on June 26, the Lok Sabha adopted a resolution condemning the Emergency imposed by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi as Speaker Om Birla read out the resolution condemning the act and said that June 25, 1975, will always be known as a black chapter in the history of India.