Did Union Minister Scindia Critique Congress Over Emergency?

Guna, June 27 (NationPress) Union Minister for Communications and Development in the North East Region, Jyotiraditya Scindia, launched a fierce attack on the Congress party on Friday, accusing it of prioritizing personal ambitions over public welfare, particularly in times of political crisis.

Addressing a youth Parliament event organized by the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) to mark the 50th anniversary of the Emergency, Scindia referenced the notorious 1975 slogan, “Indira is India, and India is Indira,” labeling it the “pinnacle of political arrogance.”

“When the grip of Congress on power falters, the party abandons public concerns and clings to the individual at its helm,” Scindia stated, sharply contrasting Congress’s historical actions with the BJP’s proclaimed “Nation First” philosophy.

He characterized the Emergency — enacted by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi — as a time when democracy was stifled, civil liberties were suspended, and dissent was crushed.

Having departed from Congress in 2020 to join the BJP, Scindia accused his former party of consistently overstepping the “Laxman Rekha” that should delineate democratic governance from authoritarianism.

Scindia further contended that Congress’s ideological foundation remains intact even after five decades since the Emergency, still favoring dynastic loyalty over democratic accountability.

Additionally, he criticized Congress for what he termed its “selective reverence” for B.R. Ambedkar, asserting that the same party that now demands a statue of Ambedkar at the Gwalior High Court previously forced him to resign from the Cabinet and fielded candidates against him in elections.

Scindia’s remarks are part of a broader BJP initiative to observe June 25 as “Samvidhan Hatya Diwas,” designed to remind citizens of what the party describes as the darkest chapter in India’s democratic journey. Meanwhile, Congress has accused the BJP of manipulating historical narratives to distract from current governance shortcomings.

“My grandmother Vijaya Raje Scindia, along with Atal Bihari Vajpayee and others, vehemently opposed the Emergency. They attempted to silence her, but they failed. This is the essence of the Scindia family, and I wish to convey this to Congress today,” Scindia asserted.

Further targeting the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, Scindia remarked that the latter accuses the BJP of “suppressing” the Opposition's voice.

“He claims he wasn’t permitted to speak in Parliament and that the opposition's voice is being stifled. I would suggest he reflect on the people’s oppression during the Emergency,” Scindia said, without directly naming Rahul Gandhi.

Moreover, the BJP leader ridiculed the Congress-led opposition bloc, stating that the founders of many of these political parties were imprisoned during the 21 months of the Emergency.

In another event held in Bhopal, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav attacked Rahul Gandhi, accusing him of exhibiting the same “dictatorial” demeanor as his grandmother and former PM Indira Gandhi did in 1975.

“Congress blames the Election Commission of India and the BJP for its continuous electoral losses, indicating a lack of trust in India’s democratic framework and institutions. Rahul even publicly tore up the ordinance of the former PM Manmohan Singh-led Congress government,” the Chief Minister stated.