Balasaheb Thackeray, RSS openly supported Emergency: Sanjay Raut
Mumbai: In a recent statement, Shiv Sena leader and MP Sanjay Raut defended the 1975 Emergency imposed by the Congress party, asserting that Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) openly supported the measure.
Raut's remarks come amidst the backdrop of the Centre designating June 25 as "Samvidhaan Hatya Diwas" to mark the day Emergency was declared by then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
Raut argued that the Emergency was justified on grounds of national security, citing alleged threats to public order and attempts to destabilize the country through acts of violence. He further claimed that had Atal Bihari Vajpayee been Prime Minister during a similar crisis, he too would have imposed Emergency measures.
"They have no work left. It has been 50 years, and people have forgotten the Emergency. Why was an Emergency imposed in this country? Some people want to spread anarchy in the country. An open announcement was made from Ramlila Maidan, our jawans, and army were told not to follow the orders of the government. So in such a situation, if Atal Bihari Vajpayee had been the Prime Minister, then he would have also imposed it. It was a matter of national security, some people were making bombs in the country and were exploding bombs at various places. I want to tell you that Amit Shah doesn't know anything about Emergency. Those who praise Bala Sahab Thackeray with fake Shiv Sena (Shinde) have extended his support to Emergency. Balasaheb Thackeray had openly supported the Emergency at that time. RSS also supported it," Sanjay Raut said.
"Shiv Sena leader Balasaheb Thackeray openly supported the Emergency in 1975. He openly supported Indira Gandhi. She was welcomed in Mumbai. He supported the emergency because he felt the anarchy in the country needed to be controlled. What was wrong with that?...What happened in 10 years of BJP rule will be remembered. They are also not the saviors of the Constitution," he told ANI.
Discussing former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's stance, Raut stated,
"After this, the government of Janata Party came to power, the government of Atal Bihari Vajpayee. They did not feel that the Constitution was murdered. But who are they (BJP)? They don't have work so that's why they are diverting the people of the nation. Unka dimag thikane nhi hai. If we talk about Emergency then each and every day of the Modi government in the past 10 years will be marked for murdering the Constitution," he said.
On June 26, the Lok Sabha adopted a resolution condemning the Emergency imposed by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Speaker Om Birla read out the resolution, stating that June 25, 1975, will always be known as a black chapter in the history of India.
"This House strongly condemns the decision to impose Emergency in the country in 1975. Along with this, we appreciate the determination of all those people who strongly opposed the Emergency, fought an unprecedented struggle and took the responsibility of protecting the democracy of India," said Speaker Om Birla.
Birla also added, "The day of June 25, 1975, will always be known as a black chapter in the history of India."
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
NEET student hangs self in Rajasthan's Sikar
Jaipur (PTI): A student preparing for the NEET examination allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself in a rented room in Rajasthan's Sikar on Friday, police said.
According to the police, the student allegedly hanged himself from a ceiling fan using his sister's scarf while one sister was attending coaching classes and the other was in the bathroom.
He had appeared in the NEET UG exam 2026, which was cancelled due to paper leak, they said.
Udyog Nagar SHO Rajesh Kumar said that the deceased, identified as Pradeep Meghwal, was a resident of Kanika ki Dhani village in Jhunjhunu's Gudha Gaudji area.
He had been living in a rented room in Sikar's Jaldhari Nagar area with his two sisters while preparing for NEET over the last three years.
His elder sister later found him hanging and informed the landlord and police after bringing him down, officials said.
The SHO said the body was kept at SK Hospital mortuary, and a postmortem had not been conducted.
The student's father, Rajesh Kumar Meghwal, told police that Pradeep's NEET examination had gone well and the family was expecting him to score around 650 marks.
Former Rajasthan deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot expressed grief over the incident and linked it to anxiety among students after reports of irregularities and paper leaks in NEET 2026.
Pilot said repeated paper leak incidents and cancellation of examinations were affecting students' mental health and demanded a time-bound investigation and strict action against those responsible.
