Rahul said about Indira's imposition of crisis on the country- yes it was a mistake, but what is happening today ...

New Delhi, 2 March 2021 Tuesday

Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday joined the prestigious Cornell University virtual program. The program featured questions and answers on the topics of democracy and development. In a conversation with Professor Kaushik Basu, Rahul Gandhi spoke about the imposition of emergency by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi as well as the current political situation.

On the question of emergency imposed by Indira Gandhi in 1975, Rahul Gandhi said yes, it was a mistake, but there is a difference between what happened after that and what is happening today. It is a matter of courage to admit one's mistake.

Rahul Gandhi said that we are not allowed to speak in Parliament, there is no hope from the judiciary, RSS-BJP has immense economic power. Businesses are not allowed to stand in opposition. This is a deliberate attack on the ideas of democracy. In Manipur, the governor is helping the BJP, in Puducherry, the lieutenant governor did not allow many bills to be passed because he was associated with the RSS. Congress has never tried to take advantage of institutions. The present government is undermining India's democratic system.

Rahul Gandhi said that I have been trying for many years to promote internal democracy in the Congress party, for which my own party people criticized me, I told the people of my own party that it is definitely necessary to bring internal democracy in the party, modern democracy. So effective, as they have independent institutions, but in India those freedoms are being attacked.

"I have been in favor of internal democracy in the Congress for a decade," he said. I have promoted elections in youth and student organizations. I am the first person to consider democratic elections important in the party. For us, the Congress is an organization fighting for independence, which has given India a constitution. It is important for us to maintain democracy and democratic processes.

There is a fundamental difference between what happened in the Emergency, which was wrong & what is happening now. Congress party, at no point, attempted to capture India's constitutional framework. Our design doesn't allow us that. Even if we want to do it, we can't: Rahul Gandhi pic.twitter.com/HNiheYzOK5

- ANI (@ANI) March 2, 2021