Amit Shah says Rajiv Gandhi took pride in the Emergency. What exactly did the former PM say in Lok Sabha on July 23, 1985?

Shah posted on X (Twitter): “The yuvraj of the Congress party (Rahul Gandhi) has forgotten that his grandmother imposed the Emergency and his father, Mr Rajiv Gandhi, on July 23, 1985, said in the Lok Sabha, taking much pride in this horrific episode, “There is nothing wrong with an Emergency”.

The Congress crushed the spirit of our Constitution several times for the sake of maintaining a certain family in power.

Indira Gandhi unleashed ruthless atrocities on the people of India during Emergency.

The yuvraj of the Congress party has forgotten that his grandmother… pic.twitter.com/Qau9k68A8W

— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) June 25, 2024

This is what happened in Lok Sabha on that day, according to available records of the proceedings of Parliament.

On July 23, 1985, the opposition had given notice for an Adjournment Motion.

Opposition leaders wanted to discuss the proclamation of the Emergency by the government of Indira Gandhi on June 25, 1975. However, the Speaker, Balram Jakhar, did not allow the motion.

He repeatedly told the socialist leader Prof Madhu Dandavate, the veteran Kerala leader K P Unnikrishnan, and the CPI leader Indrajit Gupta: “I have not allowed any Adjournment Motion. There is no basis for Adjournment Motion.”

Amid protests and confusion, Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi began to speak, and exchanged some sharp words with the opposition leaders.

Rajiv did say that Indira Gandhi had been “correct” to impose the Emergency”.

He referred to a statement he had made earlier at a press conference, and said: “I was asked a very specific question. One, whether I thought the Emergency when it was proclaimed in 1975 it was Correct? I said ‘yes’. I think it is correct and I stand by that statement.”

As the opposition members protested, he went on: “The second part of the question I was asked was that ‘if conditions similar to those in’ [19]75 were to repeat themselves…would I do the same thing?’ My answer was that it was highly unlikely that any given set of conditions can repeat themselves…”

He added that if the conditions warrant, all Prime Ministers should take similar steps.

Responding to Dandavate, Rajiv said: “Not only have the hon. Members not paid attention to my press conference, they have not been listening to what I have been saying now. I have just said barely two minutes age that it is highly unlikely that one set of circumstances will ever repeat themselves in their totality. In my press conference I said the same thing, I said that one set of circumstances will not repeat themselves and after…

“I said conditions of 1975 are not likely to repeat themselves. Over. I finished one point. Next, I said that if conditions are such that an emergency is required, I will not hesitate to have an emergency. And the conditions are said here…”

After some commotion, he continued: “I have said very clearly, and I would like to add to that: if any Prime Minister of this country who feels that an Emergency is necessary, under these circumstances, and does not apply the emergency, he is not fit to be the Prime Minister of this country… Then what are you asking about?”

He asked the opposition why they did not remove the word ’emergency’ from the Constitution.

Rajiv said: “…The Emergency, as it was proclaimed in 1975, was as per the Constitution in 1975. It was passed in this very House…

“If the hon. Members on the other side of the House are allergic to the word ’emergency’ then why did you not remove it when you had amended this Constitution in 1978? Why did you leave it? There is a reason why you had left it; because it is necessary; that is why you have left it… Then why are you allergic to what you have left in the Constitution?”