People power forced Congress to restore democracy: PM Modi

New Delhi: In a series of posts on X on the Emergency imposed by Indira Gandhi 50 years ago, PM Modi said, "The 42nd Amendment is a prime example of their shenanigans. The poor, marginalised and downtrodden were particularly targeted, including their dignity insulted."

The PM recalled how the Congress govt, which was then in office, sought to change the Constitution. Some of the amendments, which were undone by the Janata Party govt that took office in 1977, included the suspension of fundamental rights, curtailing the powers of courts and changing the Preamble.

Modi's reference to "dignity of the poor" was seemingly a reminder of the forced sterilisations.

"We salute every person who stood firm in the fight against the Emergency. These were the people from all over India, from all walks of life, from diverse ideologies who worked closely with each other with one aim: to protect India's democratic fabric and to preserve the ideals for which our freedom fighters devoted their lives," Modi said.

He said it was people's collective struggle that ensured that "the then Congress govt had to restore democracy and call for fresh elections, which they lost badly". "May we scale new heights of progress and fulfil the dreams of the poor and downtrodden," he added.

The PM also mentioned the release of the book 'Emergency Diaries' chronicling his journey during those years and called upon all those who remember those dark days or those whose families suffered during that time to share their experiences on social media.

"It will create awareness among the youth of the shameful time from 1975 to 1977," the PM said, recalling his days as a young RSS pracharak when Emergency was imposed.

"The anti-Emergency movement was a learning experience for me. It reaffirmed the vitality of preserving our democratic framework. At the same time, I got to learn so much from people across the political spectrum," he said, expressing happiness that some of those experiences had been compiled in the form of a book, whose foreword has been penned by former PM H D Deve Gowda.