SHIMOGA : At a dialogue program organized by the ‘Citizens for Social Justice’ forum, Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat, President of Vivekananda Vidyawardaka Sangh of Puttur, Dakshina Kannada District, strongly criticized former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi for imposing the Emergency in 1975.
The event, held at Bantara Bhawan on Tuesday, focused on the topic “Emergency: An Insult to the Constitution.” Bhat accused Gandhi of “degrading the country by sacrificing personal freedom for power and undermining the constitution.”
He further alleged that Jawaharlal Nehru was responsible for the division of the country, citing issues such as Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) and territorial concessions to China. Bhat also questioned Indira Gandhi’s lineage, claiming she “exploited” the Gandhi name after marrying Feroze Gandhi.
Describing the Emergency period, Bhat stated that over 567 activists were arrested and imprisoned, and “the entire country came to a standstill.” He praised the RSS for “struggling” and “delivering justice to the people” during this period, while criticizing intellectuals and certain media outlets for their silence.
Former Union Minister A. Narayanaswamy also spoke at the event, accusing the Congress party of lacking commitment to the Constitution. He alleged that the party’s “biggest achievement is corruption” and blamed their “misrule” for the ongoing poverty in the country.
The program was presided over by retired Principal Prof. H. Rachappa, with retired Chancellor Prof. Vishnukant Chatpalli in attendance. Dr. Srinivasa Reddy provided the introduction to the event.