Narnaul: Haryana BJP president Dr Archana Gupta on Wednesday accused the Congress of carrying out the “greatest assault on Indian democracy” by imposing the Emergency in 1975 solely to retain power.Addressing a felicitation ceremony here ahead of the 50th anniversary of the Emergency, Gupta said Congress leaders frequently spoke about protecting the Constitution even though it was their own party that had “strangled democratic institutions and suspended civil liberties”.“Rahul should remember that his grandmother, Indira, imposed the Emergency to remain in power. Opposition leaders were arrested overnight, the press was censored and democratic freedoms were crushed,” she said.Describing June 25, 1975, as one of the darkest days in independent India’s history, Gupta alleged that thousands of political activists and opposition leaders were jailed, media freedoms curtailed and dissent systematically suppressed.“The younger generation must be made aware of what happened during the Emergency. Democracy survives only when citizens understand the sacrifices made to protect it,” she said.Turning to organisational matters, Gupta credited BJP workers for the party’s electoral success and reiterated the organisation’s mantra of “Win the Booth, Win the Election”. She also advocated natural farming and cautioned against excessive use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides.Senior BJP leaders, legislators and representatives of several social organisations attended the event.
