My salute to all the soldiers who defended democracy in emergencies: PM Modi

- The country will never forget this sacrifice, the new generation needs to learn a lesson

New delhi date. 25 July 2020, Thursday

Today marks the 45th anniversary of the Emergency declared on June 25, 1975. Recalling the state of emergency, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the state of emergency was imposed on the country 45 years ago. At this time, I salute all those who struggled to protect India's democracy, who suffered mental anguish. The country will never forget his sacrifice.

When the state of emergency was imposed in the country, there was indignation in the minds of the people, not limited to political leaders. When their rights were taken away from the common people, they came to know what their existence was in ordinary life.

In an emergency, the people of the country realized that something had been taken away from them. Indians can be proud to say that democracy is in our culture above the rule of law. Democracy is our culture, our heritage. We have grown up this year.

Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said that on June 25, 1975, the state of emergency was imposed by the Congress government led by the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Leading opposition leaders, including Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan, Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee, LK Advani, Chandrasekhar and millions of Indians, were arrested.

He said that the people of India voted overwhelmingly against the Congress party in the 1977 elections, until Indira Gandhi lost and for the first time in the history of independent India, a non-Congress government came to power at the Center. I was fortunate that as an activist of the JP movement from Bihar I fought the Emergency.

"Today is a day to remember the heroic sacrifices of the people of India against the undemocratic practices of the Congress party," he said. The legacy continues today. The new generation needs to learn a lesson.