New Delhi: The BJP on Monday slammed the Congress over its “undeclared emergency” charge at Modi government, saying it is “deeply ironic” that the Gandhi family-dominated party that imposed Emergency in 1975 for “personal and political gain” is now speaking about democracy and freedom of speech.
This came after the Congress took a swipe at the Modi government on completing 11 years in office, saying the “undeclared Emergency” had turned 11 and the promise of “achche din” (good days) has proven to be a “nightmare” in reality.
Hitting back, senior BJP leader and a Union minister Pralhad Joshi wrote on X, “It is deeply ironic that a party dominated by a single family is now speaking about democracy and freedom of speech.”
He said this is the same Congress that misused Article 356 “over a hundred times” to topple democratically elected governments across the country when it was in power, and also declared a “national Emergency for personal and political gain” in 1975, suspending fundamental rights and stripping citizens of their freedoms.
“Its own government in Karnataka has issued a gag order, eerily reminiscent of the Emergency-era tactics. And now, they are targeting and attempting to arrest journalists and news anchors who express views critical of the party,” Joshi charged.
Will Congress and the party’s president, Mallikarjun Kharge, throw “some light” on these issues, he asked.
The Congress government in Karnataka has decided to initiate a defamation case against the state BJP for allegedly indulging in false propaganda about its performance.
