Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla urged members to observe silence for a while and later adjourned the proceedings for the day.
A wave of protests erupted by the Opposition in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday after newly-elected Speaker Om Birla read out a resolution condemning the imposition of Emergency. He also termed the decision by then prime minister Indira Gandhi an attack on the Constitution. The Emergency was imposed on June 25, 1975, by the late PM Indira Gandhi under Article 352. It is considered one of the most controversial periods in India's political history. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Emergency.
"This House strongly condemns the decision to impose Emergency in 1975. We appreciate the determination of all those people who opposed the Emergency, fought and fulfilled the responsibility of protecting India's democracy," Birla said amid vociferous protests by opposition parties.
Opposition MPs, including from the Congress, were on their feet, raising slogans against the reference to the Emergency. "June 25, 1975 will always be known as a black chapter in the history of India. On this day, then prime minister Indira Gandhi imposed Emergency in the country and attacked the Constitution made by Babasaheb Ambedkar," the speaker said in the first session of the lower house.
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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. The democratic values of India were crushed and freedom of expression was strangled," Birla said.
He said the rights of Indian citizens were crushed and their freedom snatched away. "Those were the times when opposition leaders were jailed, the entire nation was turned into a prison. The then dictatorial government had put several restrictions on the media and there was restraint on the autonomy of judiciary," Birla said.
The speaker urged members to observe silence for a while and later adjourned the proceedings for the day. Soon after the House was adjourned for the day, BJP members staged protests by waving placards and raising slogans outside Parliament.
(With inputs from PTI)
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