In a poignant revelation, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh recently shared a deeply personal account of his experience during the Emergency era, countering accusations leveled by the opposition against the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Singh recounted the heart-wrenching moment when he was prevented from attending his own mother’s funeral due to being incarcerated during that tumultuous period.
Speaking exclusively to news agency ANI, Singh expressed his frustration at the opposition’s allegations of dictatorship against the BJP, urging them to introspect instead. Recalling the events of that fateful night, he vividly described how, at the tender age of 24 and newly married, police arrived at his residence to take him into custody. “I returned home after working the whole day (and) was told the police had come. They told me there is a warrant… it was around midnight when I was taken to jail and kept in solitary confinement,” Singh recounted.
Tragically, Singh remained imprisoned for a year, unable to bid farewell to his ailing mother, who ultimately succumbed to a brain hemorrhage. “I could not come… I did not get release… did not get parole. I got my head shaved in the jail and the funeral was performed by my brothers I could not reach…” he lamented.
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The imposition of the Emergency by the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and the Congress government has long been a point of contention, particularly exploited by critics like the BJP. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, marking the anniversary of that period, emphasized its stark contrast to the democratic principles enshrined in the Constitution. “I pay homage to all those courageous people who resisted the Emergency… ‘dark days of emergency’ remain an unforgettable period in our history, totally opposite to the values our Constitution celebrates,” Modi stated.
Modi’s remarks echoed sentiments expressed in previous years, where he characterized the Emergency as a dark chapter in India’s democratic journey. Criticizing the Congress for its alleged erosion of democratic values, Modi highlighted the need to remember and learn from that tumultuous period.
In his recent speeches, Modi has repeatedly invoked the specter of the Emergency, portraying it as emblematic of the Congress party’s disregard for democracy. By sharing his personal ordeal, Rajnath Singh has added a poignant dimension to the discourse, underscoring the human cost of authoritarian governance and the importance of safeguarding democratic freedoms.
