The Emergency imposed in 1975 was the biggest attack and a blot on the Constitution of India, President Droupadi Murmu said today in her address to a joint sitting of the Parliament. This is her first address to Parliament after the general election elected a new Lok Sabha this year.
“The Emergency in 1975 was the biggest attack on the Constitution of India and a blot on it,” the President said, amid cheers from the treasury benches and protests by the Opposition.
Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar echoed the President on the Emergency and said it had “attacked the Constitution”.
The President’s remark comes against the backdrop of a heated exchange between the ruling BJP and the Opposition on Emergency. While central ministers, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, have stressed on the horrors of the Emergency imposed by the Indira Gandhi government, the Congress and its allies have said an “undeclared emergency” is in the force over the past 10 years of Narendra Modi government.
In her address to Parliament, the President outlined the government’s achievements in the last term and outlined its vision for the ongoing. India, she said, has become the fastest growing major economy in the world and has gone from the 11th spot in 2014 to the 5th in terms of the size of economy. She said the government is now focused on its goal of making India the third-largest economy. “The government is giving equal priority to all three arms: manufacturing, services and agriculture. India is becoming Atmanirbhar in every field at a rapid pace.”
The President’s address also touched upon the burning issue surrounding irregularities in the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), an all-India exam for admission to medical courses.
The government, she said, is fully committed to investigating the recent incidents of paper leaks and ensure that the guilty are punished. As she made the remarks, cries of “NEET” were heard from the Opposition benches.
“Sanctity, transparency are a must in government recruitments and examinations. The government is committed to conduct fair investigation and ensure the most stringent punishment to those guilty in the recent incidents of paper leak,” she said, adding that there is a need to rise above “partisan politics” and take strong steps on this issue.
