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.
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'Indira Gandhi had guts to apologise'
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NCP Minister Jitendra Awhad today at a public function at Beed Maharashtra says " during emergency in 1975 "Indira Gandhi ne Loktantra ka Gala Ghota" ...I agree with Awhad. I hope other partners of Thackeray Sarkar Shivsena & Congress will agree with Awhad @BJP4Maharashtra pic.twitter.com/QcqRZMeze1
— Kirit Somaiya (@KiritSomaiya) January 29, 2020 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="
">NCP Minister Jitendra Awhad today at a public function at Beed Maharashtra says " during emergency in 1975 "Indira Gandhi ne Loktantra ka Gala Ghota" ...I agree with Awhad. I hope other partners of Thackeray Sarkar Shivsena & Congress will agree with Awhad @BJP4Maharashtra pic.twitter.com/QcqRZMeze1
— Kirit Somaiya (@KiritSomaiya) January 29, 2020NCP Minister Jitendra Awhad today at a public function at Beed Maharashtra says " during emergency in 1975 "Indira Gandhi ne Loktantra ka Gala Ghota" ...I agree with Awhad. I hope other partners of Thackeray Sarkar Shivsena & Congress will agree with Awhad @BJP4Maharashtra pic.twitter.com/QcqRZMeze1
— Kirit Somaiya (@KiritSomaiya) January 29, 2020
Soon after Awhad's comments, Maharashtra BJP Vice-President Kirit Somaiya took a dig at the Maha Vikas Aghadi government. " ...I agree with Awhad. I hope other partners of Thackeray Sarkar Shivsena & Congress will agree with Awhad (sic)," he wrote on Twitter.
Awhad, however, shot back, saying that Indira Gandhi had the "guts to apologise."
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The Iron Lady Indira Gandhi had the guts to apologise for wrong doings #kiritsomaiya will ur leaders even think so in their dreams
— Dr.Jitendra Awhad (@Awhadspeaks) January 30, 2020 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="
This is the difference between them and her and history repeats in a harsh way and history should not b forgotten
@sanjaynirupam
@ pic.twitter.com/5uhJGf5vIG
">The Iron Lady Indira Gandhi had the guts to apologise for wrong doings #kiritsomaiya will ur leaders even think so in their dreams
— Dr.Jitendra Awhad (@Awhadspeaks) January 30, 2020
This is the difference between them and her and history repeats in a harsh way and history should not b forgotten
@sanjaynirupam
@ pic.twitter.com/5uhJGf5vIGThe Iron Lady Indira Gandhi had the guts to apologise for wrong doings #kiritsomaiya will ur leaders even think so in their dreams
— Dr.Jitendra Awhad (@Awhadspeaks) January 30, 2020
This is the difference between them and her and history repeats in a harsh way and history should not b forgotten
@sanjaynirupam
@ pic.twitter.com/5uhJGf5vIG
"The Iron Lady Indira Gandhi had the guts to apologise for wrong doings
Kirit Somaiya will ur leaders even think so in their dreams
This is the difference between them and her and history repeats in a harsh way and history should not b forgotten (sic)," he wrote.
'Anyone disrespecting our leaders will get befitting response'
Responding to Awhad's comments, Congress leader and Maharashtra PWD minister Ashok Chavan said that anybody disrespecting the party's leaders would be given a befitting response.
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देशाची एकता व अखंडतेसाठी आयुष्य पणाला लावणार्या इंदिराजी गांधी आजही संपूर्ण जगात कणखरता व कर्तबगारीसाठी परिचित आहेत. @Awhadspeaks यांनी वेळीच खुलासा केला ते बरे झाले. तरी मी यासंदर्भात एक नक्कीच सांगेन की, कोणीही आमच्या नेत्यांचा अनादर केला तर चोख प्रत्युत्तर दिले जाईल.
— Ashok Chavan (@AshokChavanINC) January 29, 2020 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="
">देशाची एकता व अखंडतेसाठी आयुष्य पणाला लावणार्या इंदिराजी गांधी आजही संपूर्ण जगात कणखरता व कर्तबगारीसाठी परिचित आहेत. @Awhadspeaks यांनी वेळीच खुलासा केला ते बरे झाले. तरी मी यासंदर्भात एक नक्कीच सांगेन की, कोणीही आमच्या नेत्यांचा अनादर केला तर चोख प्रत्युत्तर दिले जाईल.
— Ashok Chavan (@AshokChavanINC) January 29, 2020देशाची एकता व अखंडतेसाठी आयुष्य पणाला लावणार्या इंदिराजी गांधी आजही संपूर्ण जगात कणखरता व कर्तबगारीसाठी परिचित आहेत. @Awhadspeaks यांनी वेळीच खुलासा केला ते बरे झाले. तरी मी यासंदर्भात एक नक्कीच सांगेन की, कोणीही आमच्या नेत्यांचा अनादर केला तर चोख प्रत्युत्तर दिले जाईल.
— Ashok Chavan (@AshokChavanINC) January 29, 2020
"Indira Gandhi who sacrificed her life for India's unity and integrity is remembered even today. It is good that Jitendra Awhad issued a clarification in time. However, I would like to say something. Anyone who disrespects our leaders will be given a befitting response."
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