Remembering the Dark Days: 50 Years Since India's Emergency

Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw called attention to the impact of the Emergency on India's democracy, citing attacks on all four pillars of democracy. He reflected on the press censorship and the courageous resistance by media and individuals during this bleak period in Indian history.

Marking the 50th anniversary since the Emergency's imposition, Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw stated that all four pillars of democracy were under siege during that time. At a commemorative event in Delhi, he highlighted the censorship and suppression faced by the press.

Vaishnaw criticized the Congress party, reminding them of their role in the historical censorship. He showed a photograph of The Indian Express' 'blank editorial' published as a silent protest against media censorship. He lamented on how basic rights were seized and democracy was overshadowed by dictatorship.

Moreover, the I&B minister praised the courage of those who resisted this suppressive era. His remarks were juxtaposed with Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge's attack on the BJP-RSS for their remarks on the Emergency, accusing them of using it as a political agenda decades later.

(With inputs from agencies.)