Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (TP)
Udupi, Jun 25: "During the Emergency, the Parliament had become the playground of dictators," remarked MP Kota Srinivas Poojary while addressing a gathering at the ‘Samvidhan Hatya Diwas’ program held at the Udupi district BJP office on June 25.
Speaking on the occasion, MP Kota Srinivas Poojary recalled, “Dr V S Acharya was jailed for 18 months merely for raising slogans like ‘Bolo Bharat Mata Ki Jai’. Today marks the day when the emergency was declared by the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. It has been 50 years, and still, debates continue on why it was imposed. Emergency is to be declared only if there’s a threat to internal security, but it was misused for political power.”
MP Kota Srinivas Poojary further stated that the entire country was turned into a jail, and those who dared to raise their voice were arrested. “The press had no freedom. Media houses were muzzled. Leaders like Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Bal Krishna Advani, George Fernandes, Lalu Prasad Yadav, and Dr V S Acharya were imprisoned. In total, over 36,000 leaders were jailed for more than 18 months. Many lost their lives behind bars. At that time, Parliament was reduced to a playground for autocrats. Let such days never return,” he added.
Udupi District BJP president Kuthyar Naveen Shetty also addressed the gathering and reflected on the dark days of Emergency.
The programme began with the lighting of the lamp by Udupi district BJP president Kuthyar Naveeb Shetty.
BJP District secretary Herga Dinakar Shetty welcomed the attendees, while Shrikant Alevoor proposed the vote of thanks. Reshma Uday Shetty, general secretary, compered the event.
MLA Yashpal A Suvarna, Mangaluru region convener Uday Kumar Shetty and others were present on the occasion.