Singhvi: 1975 Emergency a Mistake, Undeclared Emergency Today Unending

New Delhi, Dec 16 (PTI) Admitting that the Emergency in 1975 was a "mistake", Congress leader Abhishek Singhvi said on Monday that while it lasted for 18 months, there is no time limit for the "undeclared emergency" in the country today.

Participating in a debate on the 75-year glorious journey of the Constitution in the Rajya Sabha, he termed the Emergency period in 1975 as a constitutional distortion for a specific time frame while noting that the current undeclared emergency has no time limit and goes on unabated.

"Speaking for the emergency, there were mistakes committed, I mean it and Congress has also said it before. Now 90 per cent of speeches start from the first amendment in 1950. What about the distortions which have creeped in today... what is the answer? If Nehru committed a mistake, we will also do it, is this the way? It is not logical," Singhvi said.

He noted that the Emergency in 1975 lasted 18 months and people eventually reposed faith in the leadership of Indira Gandhi.

"That Emergency was a distortion, which the constitution also supported. There were faults, but it ended. What is the time limit for this undeclared emergency which is there right now? What is the constitution safeguard to end it, there is nothing, zero," Singhvi said.

Launching a scathing attack on the Union government, he stated that an environment of fear prevails in the country.

"Constitution, the sacred scripture of our sovereignty is under siege, pillars of democracy tremble as tyranny tiptoes into our temples of power, the sanctity of secularism is being shredded and federalism is fractured," Singhvi said.

"We are witnessing an era where institutions are being incapacitated, dissent demonised and truth throttled. The custodians of democracy have become its conspirators, the protectors of liberty are now its predators," he added.

Singhvi noted that Gandhi-Nehru-Patel must have done something right that democracy continues to be strong in India while it has faltered in so many other countries.

He noted that the present government is working against the tenets of secularism and federalism.

Citing bulldozing of buildings in certain states, he said over 95 per cent of the action taken has been against a particular community.

This is bulldozer politics and the central government has glorified this so much that now chief ministers are competing against each other, Singhvi said.

He also attacked certain governors who according to him were working against the principle of cooperative federalism.

"...the elected government is entitled to make mistakes... the governor is not a super CM... today we have super CMs," he said.

He also noted that bureaucracy, which should be a steel frame and a pillar of constitution, is also under attack.

"The test which is paramount is servility and loyalty. HMV is the qualifying condition, not the old records which we love, it means his master's voice. Any independence is met with retribution, fear and transfer, etc. From a watchdog you made it into a lapdog," the Congress member said.

While pointing fingers at the media, he termed the coverage offered by some as "verbal terrorism and visual extremism".

Ghanshyam Tiwari of the BJP said the constitution was saved by people who fought against the Emergency imposed by the Congress government.

Milind Deora of Shiv Sena said the political parties should rise above petty politics and focus on further strengthening the constitution and democracy for the coming generations.

Attacking opposition parties, he noted that if political parties cannot bring in democracy within itself, how can they strengthen democracy and the constitution.

They talk very vociferously about market monopolies, but cannot counter monopolies inside their own parties, he said.

"We should bring democracy to our political parties... I want to say proudly that my leader Eknath Shinde restored democracy in Shiv Sena. He ended feudalism and restored democracy," Deora said.

"Another fake narrative or inconvenient truth which I would like to raise is regarding EVMs. The Chief Minister of Jammu & Kashmir has raised... some after they win laud the EVMs but when they lose they say EVM has an issue," he added.