“Your grandmother also attempted to dismantle it”: Fadnavis invokes 1975 Emergency while targeting Rahul Gandhi

Drawing a sharp historical parallel, the senior BJP leader invoked the 1975 Emergency imposed by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, accusing the Congress party of having a track record of undermining constitutional values.

Launching a fierce attack on Rahul Gandhi and the INDIA bloc, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday questioned the opposition's attempt to march to the Supreme Court to meet the Chief Justice of India, asserting that the country will not tolerate actions that undermine constitutional frameworks. Speaking to reporters in Nagpur, Fadnavis backed the apex court's stance, emphasising that grievances must be addressed strictly through legal procedures rather than street agitations.

Drawing a sharp historical parallel, the senior BJP leader invoked the 1975 Emergency imposed by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, accusing the Congress party of having a track record of undermining constitutional values. "Rahul Gandhi ji, this Constitution was authored by Bharat Ratna Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar. Your grandmother also attempted to dismantle it. In 1975, your grandmother—through Parliament—enacted an amendment effectively barring citizens from approaching the courts to enforce their fundamental rights, which were the most significant provision introduced by Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar," Fadnavis said.

"However, the entire opposition fought back at that time and succeeded in restoring Babasaheb's Constitution. Therefore, no matter how many protests you organise against the Constitution, we will not allow any harm to come to Babasaheb's Constitution; we will not let you subvert it in this manner. The country will not tolerate these activities that go against the Constitution. Come what may, we will spare no effort to save this Constitution and this democracy—this is a warning I wish to issue to Rahul Gandhi," he added. Questioning the march, Fadnavis said, "...Consider the instance where he speaks of marching to the Supreme Court and demanding to meet the Chief Justice. Under which constitutional provision is the Chief Justice expected to come out and hold discussions with a protest march? The Supreme Court’s response was absolutely correct: if one has a grievance, one must approach the Court through the proper legal channels."

Fadnavis also condemned the opposition alliance for constantly casting aspersions on key constitutional bodies, urging the Congress to introspect its leadership instead of blaming Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). "We condemn the manner in which the Congress party and its so-called 'INDI Alliance' are attacking India's constitutional institutions and attempting to cast doubt on the judiciary. The Congress needs to do some introspection, as major states across the country have rejected the party for years... The need is not to blame EVMs for their defeat, but to look for the cause within their own leadership—a leadership that has been repeatedly rejected," he added.

"The Congress party and its leader, Rahul Gandhi, consistently work to malign and spread falsehoods or rumours about the robust institutions established by Bharat Ratna Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar—institutions that serve as the pillars of our democracy. Whether it is the Election Commission, the Supreme Court, the CAG, or the RBI, they are attempting to destroy every institution created under the Constitution because they have faith in neither the Constitution nor democracy," the Maharashtra said. Earlier in the day, Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi led the INDIA bloc's march towards the Supreme Court, where the opposition plans to petition the court, listing out alleged irregularities in the SIR process and seeking action against CEC Gyanesh Kumar.

All India Students' Association (AISA) president Neha Bora was walking alongside the two leaders during the march. Thousands of political workers and civil rights activists joined the march, bringing major stretches of the capital, including Mandi House and Barakhamba Road, to a complete standstill. Rahul Gandhi's legal team has reached the Supreme Court registry seeking an extension to file an in-person writ petition. The petition reportedly concerns the protest-related issues in New Delhi linked to alleged irregularities by the Election Commission of India. (ANI)