Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, June 25 : Terming the imposition of emergency in India by the then Congress Government as one of the darkest chapters of country’s history, Union Minister in PMO with independent charge of Science and Technology, Dr Jitendra Singh today said that Jammu youth activists rose against this draconian law and resisted pressure from Congress and National Conference (NC) which ruled the Centre and State at that time and constantly struggled to uphold the democracy in the country.
Dr. Jitendra Singh was addressing “Intellectual Sammelan” at the Jammu Club, here as chief guest.
Giving full credit to the youth activists of Jammu who resisted all atrocities during the emergency Dr Jitendra Singh said they made sacrifices and did not get lured to join the Congress and NC. This showed their strength of character and spirit for safeguarding democracy.
Dr Jitendra Singh said these youth activists resisted every temptation and displayed their strong will power to carry their struggle to uphold the values of democracy in the country.
He said these youth deserve actual tribute as they were at the formative stage of their carrier at that time but they could not be lured by Congress and NC and instead fought against these parties tooth and nail.
Dr Jitendra Singh said it was the Jana Sangh which was dissolved at that time to strengthen JP movement and form Janata Party to challenge the black law of emergency.
Dr Jitendra Singh said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s commitment to democracy had redeemed the wounds of Emergency, which would always remain a black spot in the history of post-independence India.
Quoting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Dr. Jitendra Singh said, the Emergency imposed in 1975 trampled and suppressed democracy, but democracy is in India’s DNA and that is why the nation could come out unscathed from that darkest period of post-independence times. India is indeed the Mother of democracies, he added.
Democracy runs in the spirit and veins of a common Indian, he said.
Dr. Jitendra Singh said, evaluation of ‘dark period- the period of Emergency’ in India’s history is important so that the young generation can understand the meaning and significance of true democracy, its value and the sacrifices given by our seniors to save and sustain it.
Hailing the commitment of leaders and the common masses in resisting the imposition of emergency, Dr. Jitendra Singh said, the leaders of Jan Sangh supported the pro-democracy movement led by Jai Prakash Narayan and rose against the draconian measures taken by the Government. Jan Sangh followed the Mantra of ‘Nation First, Self Last’ in true spirit and as a party dissolved itself to join the JP movement, he recalled.
Dr. Jitendra Singh said Prime Minister, Narendra Modi will always be remembered for laying the strong foundation of India’s democracy as it was only possible during his period that each benefit of democracy reached the last man in the last queue without any discrimination.
Recalling Winston Churchill’s words that India won’t survive as a democracy even for half a century after gaining freedom, Dr. Jitendra Singh said, had Churchill been alive today, he would have regretted his statement seeing India growing as a vibrant democracy under Narendra Modi and leading the world in every sphere. Today India has even left behind Churchill’s UK in many spheres including economy, he said.
The world today, said Dr Jitendra Singh, not only recognises India as a stable democracy but also a force to reckon with. This was evident from PM Modi’s just concluded USA visit, when even the USA visibly accepted India as an equal partner in all the bilateral engagements, he said.
Under PM Narendra Modi, Dr. Jitendra Singh said, India’s moment has arrived. It is India’s decade and India’s century, he said.
Ravinder Raina, president, Jammu and Kashmir BJP presided over this sammelan and MP Lok Sabha, Jugal Kishore Sharma was special invitee on the occasion.
BJP General Secretary & Incharge Intellectual Sammelans, Vibodh Gupta, assisted by Rakesh Mahajan, Incharge All Cells of BJP and Ved Sharma, co in charge All Cells, organised the event.
Ravinder Raina, while addressing the Sammelan, said that it was on this day in 1975, when emergency was imposed in the country to fulfil the political aspirations of the then Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi. On this day, a black chapter was written in the history of independent India, which is remembered as most unfortunate for a democratic country like India.
“Torture, imprisonment, silencing the voice of free press symbolises all that was emergency, Raina said.
Jugal Kishore Sharma said that the Congress Government under Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi had murdered democracy and a dictatorial set up was established in the country. Congress should seek apology from the people of the country for the blunders committed by their leaders in the past just for the sake of power.
Vibodh Gupta, in his address, said that the party has organised this sammelan to educate the present generation about the way Congress used to harass, torture and imprison the innocent citizens for own survival. He said that people are well aware these days and understand well how to teach Congres a lesson for its anti democratic, anti national policies.
The proceedings of the event were conducted by Ved Sharma, while vote of thanks was presented by Rakesh Mahajan.
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