Shah was addressing a gathering on Tuesday at the programme of felicitation of emergency prisoners, organised in Ahmedabad marking the day of emergency as 'Black Day'.
BJP chief Amit Shah lashed out at Congress president Rahul Gandhi for making allegations against the BJP on the issue of freedom of expression. Shah said the members of the party that imposed emergency in India do not deserve the right to speak on freedom of expression, speech or press or deterioration of democratic values. Shah was addressing a gathering on Tuesday at the programme of felicitation of emergency prisoners, organised in Ahmedabad marking the day of emergency as 'Black Day'.
Shah said, "Congress, and especially their president Rahul Gandhi allege that BJP subverted constitutional institutions but Rahul Gandhi should look back at the Congress's history and acts of his ancestors. Mrs Gandhi's family members and Congress do not have the right to speak on democratic values as they brutally killed democracy by imposing emergency. They used article 356 for 120 times throughout their rule destabilising 14 to 15 people's elected government. They misused tool of emergency and article 356 to save their powers."
"Mrs Indira Gandhi imposed emergency to save her power when sentiments of people in India went against Congress and her government. When Allahabad court's order snatched power from her of voting in parliament following the death of Lalit Narayan Mishra, she imposed emergency to muzzle the voice in her opposition. No body was allowed to speak against government including politicians, reformers or press. Mrs Gandhi sent around 1.56 lakh people behind bars for 19 months for raising voice against her atrocious actions during emergency."
Shah also said that out of 1.56 lakh people sent behind bars during emergency, 95 thousand belonged to BJP or Jan Sangh. He also mentioned in his speech that Indira Gandhi's government manipulated judiciary, government media like All India Radio and Doordarshan and government machinery.
Shah added, "They always attempted for committed judiciary and welcomed court order, if it was in their favour. When judiciary did not run according to their whims, they brought impeachment motion against SC chief justice. In fact, democratic value is paralysed in Congress party also as they have set aside the system of elections to appoint party president and select the members of same family, While BJP made the boy from poor family a prime minister and a small party worker a national president."
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