'Emergency was a ploy to cling to power'
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, June 28 2025: BJP Manipur unit president A Sharda Devi has stated that the Nationwide Emergency in 1975, during former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's tenure, was solely to retain power.

Addressing a press conference at Thambal Shanglen at Nityaipat Chuthek today, she continued that the BJP observes June 25, the day Emergency was imposed in 1975, as Samvidhaan Hatya Diwas, Sharda Devi claimed that the Emergency was imposed across the country to retain power after Indira Gandhi was barred from contesting elections by a Court on June 12, 1975.Saying that the Congress party's assertion that the Emergency was imposed due to widespread protests by the RSS and BJP is baseless, she alleged that human rights were widely violated during the Emergency period.

BJP was founded in 1980, she said.

Claiming that political leaders and students widely protested the decline in cultural, economic, political, and social conditions of the country in Gujarat, Bihar etc during Indira Gandhi's tenure, she said that many political leaders were arrested during the Emergency.

BJP does not engage in family-based politics, said Sharda and added that the Saha Commission in 1978 declared the imposition of the Emergency unjustified and asked which political party had violated the Constitution.

Rejecting the claim that the BJP undermines press freedom, Sharda Devi said that 250 journalists, including a Hindustan Times correspondent from Manipur, were imprisoned during the Emergency.

She claimed that the BJP has never suppressed press freedom.

On the Manipur crisis, Sharda Devi said the people of Manipur and the BJP want the formation of a popular Government in the State.

She appealed to the people to support the Government in its efforts to restore normalcy.

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