NEW DELHI: Addressing the ‘Black Emergency Day’ seminar on Friday to mark the 51st anniversary of Emergency, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the day should be commemorated annually, much like Ravan Dahan during Dussehra.
Speaking at a BJP-hosted seminar on Emergency to mark “Samvidhan Hatya Diwas” in the national Capital, Gupta expressed, “Like Ravan Dahan, Samvidhan Hatya Diwas should be remembered every year. It serves as a reminder that the people of this country will never allow any injustice like the Emergency to be repeated.”
In an apparent attack on the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Gupta said, “Democracy is not a slave of those who carry a copy of the Constitution in their pocket and claim that ‘Loktantra ki hatya ho rahi hai’ (democracy is being murdered).” She emphasised that the Constitution is not in anyone’s pocket and democracy is not anyone’s “slave”.
The Chief Minister further noted that leaders like Jayaprakash Narayan and Atal Bihari Vajpayee never gave up their courage and kept the spirit of democracy alive, even in the most difficult times. Former Union minister Smriti Irani and Delhi BJP president Harsh Malhotra also attended the event, where several people jailed during the Emergency were felicitated.
She said a true leader does not work for personal gain or political power but works for the people, protects democracy, and upholds the Constitution.
The Emergency was imposed from June 25, 1975, to March 21, 1977 by the government headed by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
