Beed (Maharashtra): Maharashtra minister and NCP leader Jitendra Awhad on Wednesday kicked up a political storm after he said that just like former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's attempt to strangulate democracy in the past was defeated by students, the same would be repeated in the present.
He was speaking during a programme organised by 'Sanvidhan Bachao Sangharsh Samiti' in Beed city of Maharashtra.
"Indira Gandhi tried to strangulate democracy by imposing Emergency. That time nobody spoke against it openly. But, students from Ahmedabad and Patna protested and JP movement started leading to her defeat. This history will be repeated in Maharashtra and the country," he said.
His statement comes amid the ongoing protests over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC).
"Whenever a Hitler takes birth, he is scared of rationalists and students as they are rebels. It is because of this, the students in JNU and other universities are being attacked," the Housing Minister said.
"The number of students opposing the incidents that pose a threat to the Constitution is not big at present. But the figure will rise in future," Awhad added.
"Neither a Hindu, nor a Muslim, but the Constitution is in danger. Whatever the BJP wants to do, let it do. Hold the tricolor in one hand and the copy of the Constitution in the other and oppose this conspiracy," he said.
Jayaprakash Narayan, also called Lok Nayak, had launched a mass movement against the Indira Gandhi government in 1974. Jailed during the Emergency, he defeated the Congress party in 1977 for the first time which led to the formation of the Janata Party government in the Centre.