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."
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MP: 40 years after Bhopal gas disaster, toxic waste leaves Union Carbide factory for disposal
Bhopal, Jan 1: Forty years after the Bhopal gas tragedy, the shifting of some 377 tons of hazardous waste began from the defunct Union Carbide factory on Wednesday night for its disposal, an official said.
The toxic waste is being shifted in 12 sealed container trucks to the Pithampur industrial area in Dhar district, 250 km away from Bhopal.
"12 container trucks carrying the waste set off on a non-stop journey around 9 pm. A green corridor has been created for the vehicles which are expected to reach Pithampur industrial area in Dhar district in seven hours," said Bhopal Gas Tragedy Relief and Rehabilitation Department Director Swatantra Kumar Singh.
He said around 100 people worked in 30-minute shifts since Sunday to pack and load the waste in trucks.
"They underwent health check-ups and were given rest every 30 minutes," he added.
Highly toxic methyl isocyanate (MIC) gas leaked from the Union Carbide pesticide factory on the intervening night of December 2-3, 1984, killing at least 5,479 people and leaving thousands with serious and long-lasting health issues. It is considered to be among the worst industrial disasters in the world.
The Madhya Pradesh High Court on December 3 rebuked authorities for not clearing the Union Carbide site in Bhopal despite directions from even the Supreme Court and set a four-week deadline to shift the waste, observing that even 40 years after the gas tragedy, authorities were in a "state of inertia".
The high court bench had warned the government of contempt proceedings if its directive was not followed.
"If everything is found to be fine, the waste will be incinerated within three months. Otherwise, it might take up to nine months," Singh told PTI on Wednesday morning.
Initially, some of the waste will be burnt at the waste disposal unit in Pithampur and the residue (ash) will be examined to find whether any harmful elements are left, Singh said.
The smoke from the incinerator will pass through special four-layer filters so that the surrounding air is not polluted, he added.
Once it is confirmed that no traces of toxic elements are left, the ash will be covered by a two-layer membrane and buried to ensure it does not come in contact with soil and water in any way.
A team of experts under the supervision of officials of the Central Pollution Control Board and State Pollution Control Board will carry out the process, Singh said.
Some local activists have claimed that 10 tons of Union Carbide waste was incinerated on a trial basis in Pithampur in 2015, after which the soil, underground water and water sources in surrounding villages became polluted.
But Singh rejected the claim, stating that the decision to dispose of the waste at Pithampur was taken only after the report of the 2015 test and all the objections were examined.
There would be no reason to worry, he said.
A large number of people had on Sunday taken out a protest march in Pithampur to oppose the disposal of Union Carbide waste in the city which has a population of about 1.75 lakh.
12 trucks carrying 337 tonnes of toxic waste from the Union Carbide factory in Bhopal, stored for 40 years, left at 9:05 p.m. for Pithampur near Indore. The waste is expected to arrive early on January 2nd, following a 250-km green corridor with heavy security.
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