From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network

Bengaluru, Jun 26: Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, who visited the Freedom Park in the city to mark the remembrance of the dark days of Emergency, hailed the strength of people’s power and said the country’s political situation got transformed due to this powerful Jan Shakti.

Participating in the 47th anniversary of the imposition of Emergency, he said it is necessary to keep observing the event to remember that the common man and people’s power can save the country and fight against authoritarian tendencies.

Bommai said the former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi imposed emergency to safeguard her power and suppressed freedom by jailing all her political opponents.

He recalled that Loknayak Jayaprakash Narayan sought transform the political landscape through his people’s movement of bringing in total revolution. Karnataka had played a leading role in the struggle against emergency with the then Jan Sangh leaders such as Atal Behari Vajpayee, Lal Krishan Advani and B S Yediyurappa were jailed in Bengaluru with none of leaders seeking bail.

“It is the duty of all citizens to fight for protecting democracy and for the unity and integrity of the country,’’ he said urging the people to join in the nation building activities.

Bommai took the opportunity to praise Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his leadership and initiatives of nation building and reforms in bringing about Niti Aayog, Swacch Bharat, Direct Benefit Transfer Scheme, Jal Jeevan Mission and several radical measures.

The Chief Minister also participated in the anti-drug campaign organised by the State Excise and Youth Empowerment Department. Minister Byarati Basavaraj, MLAs Ravi Subramanya and Nagaraj Yadav as well as Youth Empowerment Department Secretary Dr Shalini Rajneesh attended the programme.