MUMBAI, June 26 - Prime Minister Narendra Modi today targeted the Congress and the Gandhi family over imposition of the Emergency 43 years ago, saying the �draconian measure� was a �sin� of that party and the Constitution was misused for one family.
Speaking at an event organised by the BJP here on the 43rd anniversary of Emergency, a combative Modi launched a no-holds-barred attack on the Congress and the Gandhi family, though he refrained from naming either Sonia or Rahul Gandhi.
Seeking to deflate the Opposition�s charge that his government was imposing an �undeclared Emergency� in the country, Modi said the �psyche� of Congress remains as it was during the Emergency.
�Isn�t their (Congress) approach towards institutions a reflection of the psyche of Emergency? Can the country�s democracy and Constitution remain safe under their watch,� he said.
�When a notice was served to the �family�, such was the arrogance, such was the ego, that even the Chief Justice of India was not spared. There was an impeachment motion against him in Parliament,� Modi said, referring to Congress� effort to bring an impeachment motion against CJI Dipak Misra.
The Constitution was misused �for one family� while imposing the Emergency, Modi said.
The entire country was turned into a jail for selfish personal interest of that family,� he added.
�When (iconic Bollywood singer) Kishore Kumar ji refused to sing for them (Congress) during Emergency, his songs were not allowed to be played on the radio,� he said.
�Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty,� Modi said, adding his government was committed to safeguarding the Constitution and protecting democracy.
Emergency was a black spot on democracy, he said.
Modi lashed out at the Congress for �spreading canards� about fear and intolerance in the country.
�When we used to work during Jan Sangh�s time, these people (Congress) would be busy spreading fear among Muslims, saying people of the RSS and the Jan Sangh will kill Muslims. Now they are saying Dalits are in danger,� he said.
�We are a big nation with a large population, and such fear psychosis does have an impact on people,� he said.
People would never have imagined that �in the lust for power and the mad devotion to a family�, those who talk big things about democracy and Constitution had turned the country into a jail, Modi said.
�An atmosphere of fear prevailed then. We will rarely find another example of how the Constitution was misused as a tool for a family,� he said.
