PM lands in Munich for G7, addresses diaspora
HT Correspondent
NEW DELHI: Forty-seven years after an attempt was made to crush democracy and hold it hostage through imposition of the Emergency, the people of India have responded to all such conspiracies in a democratic manner, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday.
Addressing thousands of Indian expatriates at the Audi Dome stadium in Munich hours after arriving in Germany to participate as a special guest in the G7 Summit, Modi described the Emergency imposed shortly before midnight on June 25, 1975 as a “black spot” on the vibrant history of India’s democracy.
“The democracy which is our pride, which is in the DNA of every Indian, an attempt was made to crush that democracy and hold it hostage 47 years ago at this time,” Modi said, speaking in Hindi. Though he didn’t name anyone, he appeared to be targeting the opposition Congress party, whose leader and then prime minister Indira Gandhi had declared the Emergency.
“The people of India have answered all conspiracies to crush democracy in a democratic way. We Indians take pride in our democracy, wherever we are,” he said in the speech that lasted a little more than 30 minutes.
“Every Indian can proudly say India is the mother of democracy,” he said, adding that Indian democracy is vibrant despite the country having people with many different cultures, languages and traditions. Every citizen believes in democracy, which is securing the lives of the people, he said. In his monthly “Mann Ki Baat” radio broadcast earlier in the day, Modi had targeted the Congress for imposing the Emergency and said it is difficult to find another example in the world where people had