In a striking reminder of India's political past, several previously unpublished documents—including detention orders of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, former Jan Sangh president Balraj Madhok, and other key political figures jailed during the 1975 Emergency—were put on public display at an exhibition organised by the Delhi government on Wednesday.
Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta formally opened the exhibition, which marked the 50th anniversary of the Emergency. Rare records and materials pertaining to the Emergency declared on June 25, 1975, by the central government, then led by Congress, were on display at the event.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta attacked Rahul Gandhi, the leader of the Congress, harshly during her speech at the exhibition, charging the party with being hypocritical about democratic principles. "The Emergency, when the Constitution was choked, is the darkest day in the nation's history. Gupta pointed to what she called a contradiction in the Congress party's position, saying, "Now, you (Rahul Gandhi) keep a copy of the Constitution in your pocket and give the call for saving democracy."
Also Read: Rekha Gupta inaugurates Ayushman Arogya Mandir at Tis Hazari
She also recalled the hardships that families of political prisoners endured during the Emergency. "The fact that thousands of political activists were imprisoned and their families were left to fend for themselves for 21 months is difficult to forget," she said.
Delhi's Minister of Art, Culture, and Language, Kapil Mishra, spoke at the event and emphasised the importance of the documents on exhibit, many of which had never been made public before.
“This exhibition presents government documents that had not been in the public domain until now. These include the detention orders of leaders like Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Balraj Madhok, and Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia. The aim is to ensure that people never forget how democracy and the Constitution were trampled during the Emergency,” Mishra said.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been planning a number of events nationwide to commemorate the Emergency@50, a dark period in Indian democracy that saw the imprisonment of opposition leaders and the suspension of civil liberties for almost two years, as part of larger efforts to mark the event.
Also Read: Rekha Gupta slams AAP over Maulana Azad Hospital mismanagement
Follow us
