New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday in his Mann Ki Baat radio broadcast said that during the Emergency imposed in 1975 attempts were made to "crush democracy" in India, and asserted that it is difficult to find another such example in the world where people defeated a "dictatorial mindset" through democratic means.
"I remember, when famous singer Kishore Kumar ji refused to praise the government, he was banned, he was not allowed on radio," the prime minister said. Modi recalled the Emergency imposed by the then Indira Gandhi-led government and said all rights were "snatched away" during that time.
The Emergency was announced in the country on June 25, 1975 when Indira Gandhi was the prime minister, and was lifted on March 21, 1977. "During the Emergency, all rights were snatched away. Among these rights was the right to life and personal liberty guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution. At that time, attempts were made to crush democracy in India, the country's courts, every constitutional institution, press, everything was brought under control," Modi said.