New Delhi
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday tweeted the “sad truth” that leaders are feeling suffocated in the Congress, noting due to efforts of lakhs of people, the Emergency was lifted and democracy restored in India but not in the Congress. “Interests of one family prevailed over party interests and national interests. This sorry state of affairs thrives in today’s Congress too,” he said, recalling on this day on June 25, “45 years ago one family’s greed for power led to imposition of the Emergency and turning of the nation overnight into a prison.”
“The press, courts, free speech... all were trampled over. Atrocities were committed on the poor and downtrodden,” he said, adding, the Congress, which gagged the democracy, even today does not allow democracy within the party as “during the recent CWC meet, senior members and younger members raised a few issues. But, they were shouted down. A party spokesperson (Sanjay Jha) was unceremoniously sacked.”
BJP chief Amit Shah said: “As one of India’s opposition parties, Congress needs to ask itself:
-- Why does the Emergency mindset re- main?
-- Why are leaders who don’t belong to one dynasty unable to speak up?
-- Why are leaders getting frustrated in Congress?”
Else, their disconnect with people will keep widening, he added.
Congress chief spokesman Randeep Singh Surjewala lambasted Amit shah, tweeting: “And so spoke those, who oc- cupied present positions by forcibly re- tiring and humiliating every patriarch and colleague who built them” and said the list is long: “LK Advani, MM Joshi, Keshubhai Patel, Kalraj Mishra, Haren Pandya and Sanjay Joshi.”
Meanwhile, PM Modi will on Friday launch the ‘Atma Nirbhar Uttar Pradesh Rozgar Abhiyan’, which seeks to promote local entrepreneurship and create partnership with industrial associations to provide employment opportunities.
The PM said, "Emergency was imposed on the country exactly 45 years ago. I salute the people who fought for the protection of India’s democracy then, underwent the torture."
Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot | Photo by FPJ Correspondent
Ashok Gehlot hits back with LK Advani quote
New Delhi
In a rejoinder to Home Minister Amit Shah’s attack on the Congress on the emergency anniver- sary, Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot hit back quoting the sidelined BJP patriarch LK Advani say in 2015 that “forces that can crush democ- racy are stronger… I don’t have the confidence it (Emergency) cannot happen again.” He tweeted his surprise PM Modi and Amit Shah are worried only about the Congress. “Their insecurities and fear is evident because everyone knows including Mr Shah that only Congress under the leader- ship of Soniaji and Rahulji have the courage and strength to take on the tyranny of the current regime.”
He said it is no secret for the last three decades, no one from the Gandhi family has held any position of power. “They have rather always encouraged and empowered the cadre and ground worker of the Congress Party like me and if at all we are disconnected with public, why is Mr Shah so worried?”
“It is the Congress which has built, protected and nourished the democracy of this nation,” Gehlot said, stressing India is the only robustly functioning and flourishing democracy in South Asian region, thanks to the magnanimous role played by the Congress in the 70 years of history of this nation.
“Sacrifice is inherent in Congress’s DNA — Right from Nehruji till date. Late Indiraji sacrificed her life for the nation and her contribution in creating Bangladesh a new nation will always remain India’s greatest diplomatic victory and will be re- membered for generations to come. Late Rajivji also laid his life for this great nation — and his contributions are historical milestones that continue to make this nation still stronger like 73rd and 74th Amendment — Panchayati Raj and Right of franchise for youth at the age of 18. This is their contribution to the democracy of this country,” tweeted Gehlot.
Meanwhile, Rajasthan Dy CM and PCC chief Sachin Pilot said Rahul Gandhi should again take over as party president.
