BJP spreading false propaganda on Emergency, says Maharashtra Cong chief

Sapkal said the imposition of the Emergency by the then prime minister Indira Gandhi 50 years ago was Constitutional and accused the BJP of spreading false propaganda.

"The imposition (of Emergency) was necessitated as some forces were trying to spread anarchy," he said while addressing a press conference and accused the BJP of "one-sided" portrayal of the Emergency.

He claimed 'Sengol' replaced the state Emblem in advertisements issued by the state government on Emergency and dubbed it a conspiracy to alter the Constitution.

"The government spent crores on propaganda. However, the state emblem is missing in the advertisement issued by the state government in a newspaper and a Sengol is displayed instead. This is not just symbolic- it's part of a larger conspiracy to alter the Constitution," he alleged.

'Sengol', a historical sceptre from Tamil Nadu, which was given by the British to the first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru to represent the transfer of power, was installed in the new Parliament building.

The Congress has released a special Emergency-themed edition of its party journal "Janmanasachi Shidori", featuring articles by Indira Gandhi, Pupul Jayakar, journalist Kumar Ketkar, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut, among others.

"This issue will present the true picture of the Emergency and counter the BJP's false propaganda," Sapkal said.

He accused the BJP of a "one-sided" portrayal of the Emergency and questioned the party's silence on former RSS chief Balasaheb Deoras' support of the move.

"Indira Gandhi lifted the emergency and called for elections. She did not sell the country's assets to corporates. What about the undeclared Emergency in place under the BJP for the last 11 years?" he asked.

Sapkal further said Ex-PM Indira Gandhi and former presidents of Congress, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, had admitted to excesses during the (21 months) of the Emergency.

He claimed former RSS Sarsanghchalak Balasaheb Deoras had supported the Emergency and had publicly distanced the RSS from the JP Movement.

The Congress has released a special Emergency-themed edition of its party journal Janmanasachi Shidori, featuring articles by Indira Gandhi, Pupul Jayakar, veteran journalist Kumar Ketkar, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP and editor Sanjay Raut, among others.

"This issue will present the true picture of the Emergency and counter the BJP's false propaganda," Sapkal said.

He claimed an RTI reply had confirmed a large-scale voter fraud in the 2024 state assembly elections.

"As per an RTI, there was an 8 per cent surge in the number of voters in Devendra Fadnavis' constituency. Several voters were registered using the same mobile number. The Election Commission acknowledged the discrepancy but no action has been taken," the Congress leader claimed.

He demanded the resignation of Fadnavis until a high-level probe is completed.