“…Dangerous for the country”: Dharmendra Pradhan hits out at Congress on Emergency anniversary

Bhubaneshwar (Odisha) [India], June 25 (ANI): Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Sunday hit out at the Congress Party, reminding it of “committing a sin of subverting the Constitution” when its late prime minister Indira Gandhi imposed an emergency in the country today on June 25 in 1975 while reminding the youth how “dangerous” the party is for the nation.

The Bharatiya Janata Party is observing “Black Day” across Uttar Pradesh to mark 48 years since the Emergency was imposed.

“Congress is the party that imposed an emergency in the country in 1975…They committed the sin of subverting the Constitution in the country and we (BJP) celebrate the same day as a black day,” he said.

“Today’s youth must remember how much Congress is dangerous for the country,” Union Minister for Education added.

The Emergency was in effect from June 25, 1975, until its withdrawal on March 21, 1977.

The party has decided to conduct the ‘Maha Jan Sampark’ campaign on the day.

Under the campaign, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will address a public meeting in Gautambuddh Nagar while Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and party state president Bhupendra Singh Chowdhary along with Union Minister of State Meenakshi Lekhi will address public gatherings in Kheragarh and Agra.

State’s Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya will address the public meetings in Kairana, Meerut and Ghaziabad parliamentary constituencies.

Several state BJP leaders will also address the public meetings in the parliamentary constituencies of Fatehpur Sikri and Agra.

Emergency was declared for a 21-month period from 1975 to 1977 by the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

The order was officially issued by President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed under Article 352 of the Constitution due to the prevailing “internal disturbance.”

The Emergency vested upon the Prime Minister the authority to rule by decree, allowing elections to be suspended and civil liberties to be curbed.

The Emergency in 1975 is considered one of the most controversial periods of independent India’s history.