‘The emergency of 1975 was a mistake, but today’s undeclared emergency is without time limit.

Senior Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi on Monday termed the 1975 Emergency as a mistake and alleged ‘undeclared emergency’ in the country at present. He said that this emergency is going on without any fixed time limit and there is no provision in the Constitution to stop it.

Discussion on 75th anniversary of the Constitution

During the discussion on the glorious journey of 75 years of the Constitution in the Rajya Sabha, Abhishek Manu Singhvi termed the Emergency of 1975 as a ‘constitutional distortion’. He said:

“The Emergency of 1975 was a mistake, and the Congress has accepted this before. That emergency ended after 18 months. But the undeclared emergency going on today has no time limit.”

Allegation of currently undeclared emergency

Singhvi said that in today’s times the pillars of democracy are ‘shaking’ and dictatorship has entered the corridors of power. In a scathing attack on the Narendra Modi government, he said:

“The Constitution, the sacred book of our sovereignty, is under threat. The sanctity of secularism is being destroyed and federalism is being weakened. The protectors of democracy have now become its devourers.”

Inaction and suppression of dissent

Singhvi said that during the tenure of the current government:

1. Institutions are becoming inactive.
2. Dissent is being suppressed.
3. The truth is being hidden.

He alleged that the defenders of freedom have now become the ‘victims’ of freedom.

Legacy of Gandhi, Nehru and Patel

Singhvi said that India’s democracy is still strong today because of the right decisions of Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Patel. He said:

“While democracy has weakened in other countries, in India it still stands strong.”

Question on bulldozer politics

Raising the issue of bulldozer politics, Singhvi said:

“More than 95 percent of the bulldozer action was taken against a particular community. This politics has increased so much that chief ministers are now competing with each other.”

Appeal to protect the Constitution and democracy

Abhishek Manu Singhvi stressed on protecting the Constitution and said that the country should follow the principles of secularism and federalism. He said that it is the responsibility of all of us to protect democracy and the Constitution.