New Delhi, Jul 12 (PTI) The Centre’s decision to observe June 25 as ‘Samvidhan Hatya Diwas’ triggered a political slugfest on Friday with the ruling BJP saying it will remind people of the Congress’ “dictatorial mindset” and the grand old party hitting back, calling the move yet another “headline grabbing exercise in hypocrisy” by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The BJP’s ally JD (U) hailed the government’s decision as “sign of respect” for the democracy and in a veiled attack at the Congress said it’s a “bad news” for those who have “undemocratic tendencies”.
The RJD, the Congress’ ally and the opposition parties’ INDIA bloc constituent, slammed the Modi government for declaring June 25 as ‘Samvidhan Hatya Diwas’ and said with such moves, the BJP is seeking to recover from the “jolt” that it received in the Lok Sabha polls due to its efforts to “tamper with” the Constitution.
The political slugfest between the ruling and the opposition parties began after Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced the government’s decision to observe June 25, the day on which the Emergency was declared in 1975, as ‘Samvidhaan Hatya Diwas’ to commemorate the “massive contributions” of those who endured “inhuman pains” of the period.
Commenting on the development, Defence Minister and former BJP president Rajnath Singh wrote on X, “The circumstances that arose due to the Emergency and the kind of repressive cycle that was carried out then in the history of Indian democracy are still fresh in the memory of the people of the country.” He said the Centre has declared June 25 as ‘Samvidhaan Hatya Diwas’ to remind the attempt that was made to strangle the Constitution by imposition of Emergency in India and also to pay tribute to the agitators who fought against it and protected the democratic rights.
“The contribution of those who spent time in jail and suffered torture during the period of Emergency can never be forgotten,” he added.
In a post on X, Union Minister and BJP chief JP Nadda said June 25, 1975 was the “black day” when the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi imposed the Emergency on the country with the “dictatorial mindset” by “murdering” the democracy enshrined in the Constitution.
“This day will remind us of the sacrifices and martyrdom of all our great men who fought against this dictatorial mindset of the Congress, endured torture and died for the protection of the Constitution and restoration of democracy,” Nadda said.
“I express my gratitude towards the prime minister for this decision which would remind us of the importance of democracy every year,” he added.
Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat welcomed the government’s decision and said it is a tribute to those “countless patriots” who put their lives at stake to “free India from dictatorship”.
“Only those who do not mind being slaves to one family will disagree with this,” he said in a post on X, taking a swipe at the Congress.
Hitting back, the Congress termed the government’s decision as yet another “headline grabbing exercise in hypocrisy” by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“Yet another headline grabbing exercise in hypocrisy by the non-biological PM who had imposed an undeclared Emergency for ten long years before the people of India handed him a decisive personal, political, and moral defeat on June 4, 2024 – which will go down in history as Modi Mukti Diwas,” Congress General Secretary (In-charge, Communications) Jairam Ramesh said.
“This is a non-biological PM who has subjected the Constitution of India and its principles, values, and institutions to systematic assault,” the senior Congress leader said on X.
“This is a non-biological PM whose ideological parivar had rejected the Constitution of India in Nov 1949 on the grounds that it did not derive inspiration from Manusmriti. This is a non-biological PM for whom democracy means only demo-kursi,” he said.
Slamming the Modi government, RJD MP Manoj Jha accused the ruling BJP of following “double standards” and demanded that the Centre declare January 30, the day Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated, as ‘Gandhi Hatya Diwas’.
“And, tell who had killed ‘Bapu’ (Mahatma Gandhi), what was his ideological leaning, which organisation he was associated with” Jha told PTI, as he asked the ruling BJP to “look in the mirror” and apologise for misusing the central probe agencies against political rivals as well as troubling rights activists in the country.
The Centre has declared June 25 as ‘Samvidhan Hatya Diwas’ as the BJP is seeking to recover from the jolt it received in the Lok Sabha polls due to its efforts to tamper with the Constitution, the RJD leader said.
JD (U ) general secretary KC Tyagi welcomed the government’s decision to declare June 25 as ‘Samvidhan Hatya Diwas’ and called it a “sign of respect for democracy”.
“It’s bad news for the people who have undemocratic tendencies,” he told PTI. PTI PK AS MNK
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