BHOPAL: Taking at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's remark that the Emergency imposed in the country by his grandmother and former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was a mistake, Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that Rahul thinks very late and he should apologise for the mistake.
"This is the problem with Rahul that he thinks many years late. The Emergency was imposed in 1975 and I also went to jail. I was a child when I went to jail and today when Rahul Gandhi is speaking, I have turned 61. After so many years he realised that what happened then was wrong s \then he should apologise for the mistake," tweeted Chouhan on Wednesday.
The chief minister further said, "The way he keeps making inappropriate remarks on Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the present time, after many years when his tube light burns, he will realise again and apologize for today’s mistake."
The Congress leader made these remarks in conversation with economist Kaushik Basu at an event organised by Cornell University on Tuesday.
Rahul said, "The Emergency of 1975-77 was a mistake and his grandmother’s actions were wrong. But the party at no point attempted to capture India’s institutional framework."
MP home minister Narottam Mishra also demanded an unconditional apology from Rahul.
"The grandson of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi should apologise to the country for her mistakes. This would be a true tribute to his grandmother," he said.
Cabinet minister Vishwas Sarang said that Rahul should also apologise to the country for stopping the pension of MISA detainees.
"The previous Congress government had stopped the pension to MISA detainees who were tortured and jailed during the Emergency. Rahul should also regret the decision taken by the then Congress government in Madhya Pradesh," said Sarang.
The BJP minister also alleged that Congress had also looted the country.
"There was documentary evidence (in MP Raj Bhawan's website) that when Jawaharlal Nehru, the great grandfather of Rahul Gandhi, had visited Bhopal, a special plane went to Indore to bring Nehru ji's favourite cigarette. It was also heard that Nehru ji's clothes were sent to England and Paris to get washed. This shows how Congress has always looted the country," alleged Sarang.
Congress has rejected the BJP's allegations and said that it was a part of BJP's petty politics.
"BJP is known for playing petty politics against Congress leaders. The statement by BJP leaders against former Congress prime ministers is cheap politics. BJP is misusing a constitutional institution like Raj Bhawan. Will Sarang disclose all private information about former prime ministers?" said Congress state spokesperson, Bhupendra Gupta.