The emergency in 1975 was a mistake, but what about the undeclared emergency that continues today, asks Singhvi

Congress MP Abhishek Manu Singhvi participating in a discussion on 75 years of the Constitution in the Rajya Sabha on December 16, 2024. Photo Credit: ANI

Admitting that the emergency declared in 1975 was a “mistake”, senior Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi said on Monday (Dec 16, 2024) that it lasted only 18 months, but today, the country is in an “undeclared emergency” without any time. limit

He spoke during the debate on 75 years of Indian Constitution in the Rajya Sabha. Calling the Emergency of 1975 declared by the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi as a ‘constitutional distortion’, he said, ‘It was a distortion, which was also supported by the Constitution. There were mistakes, but it was finished. What is the deadline for this undeclared crisis? What is the protection of the constitution to end it? There is nothing, zero,” Mr Singhvi said.

Attacking the central government, he said that there is an atmosphere of fear in the country. “We are witnessing an era where institutions are becoming ineffective, dissent is demonized and truth is stifled. The guardians of democracy have become its conspirators, the defenders of freedom are now its predators,” Mr. Singhvi added.

He said that although the ruling party was demonizing the country’s first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, Gandhi-Nehru-Patel must have done something right to strengthen democracy, he said.

Governors on fire

He said that the current government is working against secularism and federalism. He also attacked some governors and said they acted against the principle of cooperative federalism. “…an elected government has the right to make mistakes, a governor is not a super CM, today we have super CMs,” he said.

Opposing the opposition, MPs from NDA allies – JD(U), Ajit Pawar-led NCP and Shiv Sena expressed their full support to the government. JD(U) MP Sanjay K Jha today said those who spoke about the caste census were silent at the Bharat Bloc meeting in Mumbai, when the JD(U) – then part of the bloc – wanted to include the caste census. joint resolution. “The Trinamool Congress had objected to our proposal and the Congress remained silent,” he said.

Shiv Sena’s Milind Deora said political parties should rise above petty politics and focus on strengthening the constitution and democracy for the next generation. Attacking the opposition, he asked if the political party could not bring democracy within itself, ‘how to strengthen democracy and the constitution? The parties voiced the market monopoly, but could not stop the monopoly within their own party, he said, “We have to bring democracy to our political parties… I am proud to say that my leader Eknath Shinde restored democracy in the Shiv Sena. He ended feudalism and restored democracy. Did,” Mr. Deora said.

“Another fake story or inconvenient truth that I want to raise is about EVMs. The Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir has raised it…Some people praise EVMs after winning but when they lose there is a problem with EVMs,” he added.