The first day of Om Birla as Speaker in the 18th Lok Sabha was marred by controversy after he invoked Emergency, calling it a “black chapter in history”.
Hours after being re-elected as the Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla faced uproar from the Opposition after he asked the members to rise for two minutes’ silence to mark the 50th anniversary, which was termed as the “dark days of Emergency” by the Modi government.
Opposition MPs, including from the Congress, were on their feet, raising slogans against the reference to the Emergency. Soon after the House was adjourned for the day, BJP members staged protests by waving placards and raising slogans outside Parliament. However, it received praise from the Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
On the motion on emergency presented in Lok Sabha, the Speaker said, “This House strongly condemns the decision to impose Emergency in the country in 1975. Along with this, we appreciate the determination of all those people who strongly opposed the emergency, fought an unprecedented struggle and took the responsibility of protecting the democracy of India.”
“The aim of these amendments made by the Congress government was to bring all the power to one person, control the judiciary and eliminate the basic principles of the Constitution. By doing this, the rights of citizens were suppressed and the principles of democracy were attacked,” he added.
“Not only this, the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi also talked about committed bureaucracy and committed judiciary, which is an example of her anti-democratic attitude. The Emergency brought with it such terrible policies filled with anti-social and dictatorial spirit, which destroyed the lives of the poor, Dalits and the deprived,” Birla added.
During the Emergency, people had to suffer the brunt of compulsory sterilisation imposed by the Congress government, arbitrariness in the name of removing encroachment in cities and the government’s evil policies, he said, adding this House wants to express its condolences to all those people.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised Birla for his statement condemning the Emergency in the Lok Sabha. “I am glad that the Honourable Speaker strongly condemned the Emergency, highlighted the excesses committed during that time and also mentioned the manner in which democracy was strangled”, he posted on X.
He further added that it was also a wonderful gesture to stand in silence in honour of all those who suffered during those days. The happenings during the Emergency exemplified what a dictatorship looks like, he added.
