New Delhi, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Wednesday read out a resolution condemning the imposition of a state of emergency and termed then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's decision as an attack on the Constitution, sparking a wave of protests by the opposition in the House.
Birla's reference to the Emergency, soon after his election as Lok Sabha Speaker, also sparked a clash between the government and the opposition in the first session of the lower house.
"This House strongly condemns the decision to impose the state of emergency in 1975. We appreciate the determination of all those people who opposed the state of emergency, fought and fulfilled the responsibility of protecting India's democracy," Birla said amidst of noisy protests by opposition parties.
Opposition deputies, including those from Congress, stood up and raised slogans against the reference to the emergency.
"June 25, 1975 will always be known as a dark chapter in the history of India. On that day, the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi imposed a state of emergency in the country and attacked the Constitution drafted by Babasaheb Ambedkar," said the spokesman.
Birla said India was known all over the world as the mother of democracy.
"Democratic values and debate have always been supported in India. Democratic values have always been protected, they have always been encouraged. Indira Gandhi imposed dictatorship on such an India. India's democratic values were crushed and freedom of expression was strangled," Birla said.
He said the rights of Indian citizens were crushed and their freedom taken away.
"Those were the times when opposition leaders were imprisoned, the entire nation became a prison. The then dictatorial government had imposed several restrictions on the media and there were restrictions on the autonomy of the judiciary," he said. Birla.
The speaker urged members to remain silent for a while and then adjourned the session for the day.
Soon after the House session adjourned for the day, BJP members staged protests waving banners and raising slogans in front of Parliament.
Birla's reference to the Emergency, soon after his election as Lok Sabha Speaker, also sparked a clash between the government and the opposition in the first session of the lower house.
"This House strongly condemns the decision to impose the state of emergency in 1975. We appreciate the determination of all those people who opposed the state of emergency, fought and fulfilled the responsibility of protecting India's democracy," Birla said amidst of noisy protests by opposition parties.
Opposition deputies, including those from Congress, stood up and raised slogans against the reference to the emergency.
"June 25, 1975 will always be known as a dark chapter in the history of India. On that day, the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi imposed a state of emergency in the country and attacked the Constitution drafted by Babasaheb Ambedkar," said the spokesman.
Birla said India was known all over the world as the mother of democracy.
"Democratic values and debate have always been supported in India. Democratic values have always been protected, they have always been encouraged. Indira Gandhi imposed dictatorship on such an India. India's democratic values were crushed and freedom of expression was strangled," Birla said.
He said the rights of Indian citizens were crushed and their freedom taken away.
"Those were the times when opposition leaders were imprisoned, the entire nation became a prison. The then dictatorial government had imposed several restrictions on the media and there were restrictions on the autonomy of the judiciary," he said. Birla.
The speaker urged members to remain silent for a while and then adjourned the session for the day.
Soon after the House session adjourned for the day, BJP members staged protests waving banners and raising slogans in front of Parliament.
