MUMBAI: Maharashtra minister and NCP leader Jitendra Awhad who said on Wednesday that former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had tried to “throttle” democracy by imposing the Emergency withdrew the statement a day later after a sharp reaction from the Congress.
PWD minister and former CM Ashok Chavan had warned of a ‘tit for tat’ over Awhad’s remarks against Mrs Gandhi.
“Indira Gandhi tried to throttle democracy by imposing Emergency. That time nobody spoke against it openly. But opposition started from Ahmedabad and Patna, and Indira Gandhi was defeated due to the power of the people,” Awhad had said on Wednesday while speaking at a program organized by ‘Sanvidhan Bachao Sangharsh Samiti’ in Beed of Marathwada region.
Recently, senior Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut had created a flutter by claiming that Indira Gandhi used to come to meet yesteryear don Karim Lala in Mumbai. However, after criticism from ally Congress, Raut had withdrawn the remark.
Similarly, after a rebuttal from former CM Ashok Chavan, Awhad withdrew his remarks.
“Indira Gandhi, who laid her life for the unity and integrity of the nation, is still known around the world for accomplishments of her strong leadership. If anyone tries to insult our leaders they shall get a befitting reply,” said Chavan in a tweet.
Soon after the tweet, Awhad released a video on social media stating that his remarks were wrongly interpreted.
“Indira Gandhi was a leader par excellence. I’m an ardent admirer of several of her decisions from nationalization of banks to creation of Bangladesh and many more. Yet, during 1974-77 due to some of her decisions, people felt that their fundamental rights are being curbed and she lost power. This is the history which tells us that whenever fundamental rights are crushed people rise against mightiest of powers. The same thing is happening against Modi and Shah today. If Indira Gandhi could be defeated Modi and Shah too can be defeated easily. I wanted to highlight this part,” Awhad said.
“Whenever a Hitler takes birth, he is scared of rationalists and students as they are rebels. It is because of this the students in JNU and other universities are being attacked,” Awhad had said at Beed while adding that though the number of students opposing the incidents that pose a threat to the Constitution is not big at present, it will rise in future.