Speaker Birla condemned the then Congress govt dictatorship of imposing Emergency

After being elected as Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla condemned the then-Congress government's decision to impose an Emergency in 1975, while appreciating people who opposed its implementation and fulfilled their responsibility of protectingIndian democracy.

Birla in his address to the House condemned the imposition of the Emergency. Birla asked the House members to rise for two minutes' silence to mark the 50th anniversary of the "dark days of Emergency".

"This House strongly condemns the decision to impose Emergency in 1975. Along with this, we appreciate the determination of all those people who opposed the Emergency, fought and fulfilled the responsibility of protecting the democracy of India. June 25, 1975, will always be known as a black chapter in the history of India," he said.

"India is known all over the world as the mother of democracy. Democratic values and debate have always been supported in India. Democratic values have always been protected; they have always been encouraged. Dictatorship was imposed on such an India by Indira Gandhi. The democratic values of India were crushed and freedom of expression was strangled," Birla added.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi apprecieting Speaker Om Birla said, "I am glad that the Honourable Speaker strongly condemned the Emergency, highlighted the excesses committed during that time and also mentioned the manner in which democracy was strangled. It was also a wonderful gesture to stand in silence in honour of all those who suffered during those days. The Emergency was imposed 50 years ago but it is important for today's youth to know about it because it remains a fitting example of what happens when the Constitution is trampled over, public opinion is stifled and institutions are destroyed. The happenings during the Emergency exemplified what a dictatorship looks like."