Jammu, Jun 25 (KNO): Terming imposition of ‘Emergency’ in 1975 by the Indira Gandhi led Congress Government as the darkest period in the history of Independent India, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Wednesday said the new generation needs to know how nation’s democracy was held captive for 21 months.
Addressing “Samvidhan Hatya Diwas” here, the Lieutenant Governor, according to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) said, “The youngsters need to understand how our democratic values were tarnished and how some handful of people ruthlessly bled the very soul of the democratic republic, assaulted our democratic norms, shattered India's ancient democratic form and damaged the four pillars of democracy, for sheer political gain.”
Calling “dictatorship” as a mindset that needs to be understood, he said, “The new generation also needs to be told how our great leaders and vigilant citizens displayed great courage and unshakeable loyalty to democratic values,”
On the occasion of “Samvidhan Hatya Diwas”, the Lieutenant Governor also inaugurated the 1975 Emergency Exhibition at Convention Centre, Jammu.
Commemorating the torturous events of the darkest chapter in the history of Independent India, the Lieutenant Governor honoured the victims of Emergency who made numerous sacrifices to safeguard constitutional values.
“I consider Emergency to be the most inhuman act of Indian democratic history and today's observation of 'Samvidhan Hatya Diwas' is also an opportunity for deep reflection and reaffirmation of commitment to democratic values and constitutional morality,” he said.
The Lieutenant Governor observed that the commemoration of imposition of Emergency on 25th June 1975, is not merely a date for historical remembrance, but a call to action to resist any future attempts to undermine India's democratic fabric, and to strengthen our resolve to deepen the foundations of our democracy and work with complete dedication for greater success of our nation.
“We must learn from those incidents and prepare young generations to prevent such atrocities in future. It is also an opportunity to create awareness about constitutional values in every section of the society so that no dictatorial mentality can repeat it in future,” he said.
He paid homage to the countless individuals, political leaders, journalists, activists, and citizens, who bravely resisted the authoritarian regime and safeguarded the democratic values.
“In that darkest period in India's democratic history, the soul of the country was crushed, Civil liberties were attacked, Constitutional safeguards were violated and dreams of nation-building were buried.
The suspension of fundamental rights, press censorship, and the widespread arrests of political opponents and citizens was a direct assault on the democratic dreams that fuelled India's independence movement and were enshrined in its Constitution,” he said.
The Lieutenant Governor called upon the youth to take the lead in exposing those responsible for the murder of the Constitution and democratic values.
The Lieutenant Governor also shared his personal experiences from the Emergency period and emphasized on educating the people about their rights guaranteed by the Constitution.
“Democracy is in the nature of India, democracy is ingrained in our veins since time immemorial, that is why India is called the mother of democracy. I also salute those great personalities who nurtured the rich tradition and heritage of this nation, those who truly enriched democratic values generation after generation.
I have full faith that the saga of sacrifices and resilience of our satyagrahis who valiantly protected the democratic values during the Emergency will continue to inspire us to further strengthen our democracy and build a truly developed India,” the Lieutenant Governor said.
Political leaders and citizens who were the victims of Emergency shared the accounts of sufferings they endured during the dark period of Emergency. The Lieutenant Governor assured them that their issues and concerns will be taken up with the concerned authorities—(KNO)