Hyderabad, July 3 (RAHNUMA): BJP Telangana president N Ramchander Rao on Friday called for educating the younger generation about the “atrocities” committed during the 1975-77 Emergency, describing it as the “darkest chapter in Indian democracy”. There was a need to teach the people, especially the younger generation about the atrocities of the emergency imposed by former Prime Minister late Indira Gandhi in the country, he added.
Speaking at the release of the book “Nalgonda Zilla Emergency Vyatireka Porata Yodhulu” in Nalgonda, authored by Chinta Mutyala Rao, Rao said the sacrifices of those who fought to protect democracy must be preserved for future generations.
Marking 50 years since the Emergency, he alleged that former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi imposed it to safeguard her position after the Allahabad High Court invalidated her election. He accused the Congress of suppressing democratic institutions, curbing press freedom and jailing thousands of political activists, including RSS and Bharatiya Jana Sangh workers, students and lawyers.
Rao said the Centre was incorporating lessons on the Emergency into educational curricula to ensure the “true history” of the period reaches the youth.
He also demanded that the Congress apologise to the nation, families of political prisoners and those who suffered during the 19-month Emergency for “crushing democracy and constitutional rights”.
