Attacking PM Modi and the BJP for raking up the Emergency, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on 1 July, said "contribution" of former premier Indira Gandhi for the country cannot be ignored just because of her 1975 decision.
He also said that Gandhi was "pro-democracy" as she called for elections in 1977 after lifting Emergency which she lost.
In his weekly column in party mouthpiece "Saamana", Raut said it would be "treason" to reject the contribution of national leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru, Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Patel, Rajendra Prasad, B R Ambedkar, Netaji Bose and Veer Savarkar.
The Shiv Sena MP in Rajya Sabha said, "If the day when the Emergency was proclaimed by (then PM) Indira Gandhi is to be called 'Black Day', then there were many such 'black days' under the present Central government.”
Raut said many poor people lost their jobs for some days due to the note ban under which bank notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 denominations were banned from circulation in November 2016.
"Small traders incurred heavy losses. The cash with rich people turned 'white'. Prime Minister had claimed that the note ban will bring out the black money, however, instead of black money coming out many people died while standing in queues," he said.
Raut said the BJP government's promise that violence in Jammu and Kashmir would end has turned out to be hollow.
He said the economy has not yet been recovered fully from the demonetisation impact.
In a veiled attack on the prime minister, Sena leader said, "Only those who suffered like George Fernandes during the Emergency have the right to speak against the measure. Fernandes not only went to jail but he was trying to attempt a revolutionary plan to topple authoritarian regime of Indira Gandhi".
The Shiv Sena leader also taunted Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who had given a critical speech on 26 June on the 43rd anniversary of the Emergency in Mumbai, ahead of the PM.
"Those who were not even born or were not even toddlers are today talking against Emergency and late Indira Gandhi. I am not a supporter or opponent of emergency. Even late Balasaheb Thackeray had supported the Emergency saying 'if it makes the country more disciplined, then emergency is needed'. Despite that the printing press run by Thackeray was sealed during the emergency. It is a kind of sacrifice but Thackeray never sought credit for it or demanded pension," Raut said.
Raut said that in the earlier days of Emergency, all types of mafias, local goons and extortionists had been arrested which was appreciated by people.
"During the Emergency period, civil servants started attending office on time. There was over activity in implementing mass sterilisation. Compulsory family planning of Muslims has been the agenda of Sangh Pariwar," he said.
He said underworld dons like Haji Mastan, Kareem lala, Yusuf Patel and Varada Rajan were sent to jail during the Emergency.
Claiming that RBI governor is being treated like a "puppet", Raut referred to nationalisation of banks by Indira Gandhi who he said protected money of the common people through the move.
"Today, Reserve Bank's governor was treated as puppet and note ban was imposed. Many think that media owners and editors should bend down on their knees and speak," he said.
Raut said, "Modi thinks that there is some conspiracy being hatched against him. Indira Gandhi had thought the same. The country was in economic crisis after 1971 war of Bangladesh independence. She expected the Opposition to help her in such situation. It was not wrong but the Opposition decided to take advantage of such crisis".
Seeking to draw a parallel between Modi and Gandhi, Raut said the PM's security has been increased in view of some "threats" to his life wheres Gandhi didn't pay heed to warnings by the intelligence agencies about some Sikh security guards and got killed in 1984.
"Language of (socialist leader) Jayprakash Narayan was also instigating in those days. He had appealed to the Army and police officials to not follow the orders of the government. Fernandes had used railway strike as a weapon. Then Railway minister Lalit Narayan Mishra was killed in a blast while judges and other ministers were also attacked," Raut said referring to the turmoil ahead of the Emergency.
"However, she was pro-democracy and hence she faced the elections after a couple of years and witnessed defeat. However, people re-elected her. If the day of her political defeat is to be celebrated as 'Vijay Diwas', then should her re-election be taken as 'black day'?" he asked.
Raut said Modi and the BJP are repeatedly targetting the Gandhis because they are still afraid of the "skeleton" called Congress which could not win even 50 seats in the 2014 polls.
Raut hailed newspaper publisher late Ramnath Goenka for standing firmly against Gandhi during the Emergency era.
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