The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) often revisits the Emergency period (1975-1977) imposed by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, using it as a political strategy to draw contrasts with its opponents, primarily the Indian National Congress (INC). The Emergency is highlighted as a time of severe repression, curtailment of civil liberties, and authoritarian governance. By recalling this period, the BJP aims to underscore its commitment to democratic principles and present itself as a guardian against such authoritarianism.
Source:- news 18
This tactic also serves to discredit the Congress, reminding voters of its historical role in imposing the Emergency, thereby attempting to weaken its moral and democratic standing. Additionally, the BJP uses this narrative to counteract criticisms of its governance, framing any comparisons to current authoritarian trends as unfounded or hypocritical, given the Congress’s past.
Source:- BBC news
Moreover, with significant anniversaries of the Emergency or during elections, reviving this discourse resonates with the older generation’s memories and informs younger voters of the Congress’s controversial history. It is a strategy to strengthen the BJP’s positioning as a pro-democracy party while portraying the Congress as a past perpetrator of authoritarianism, despite the decades that have passed since the Emergency.
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