Prevailing atmosphere far worse than 1975 Emergency: Yashwant Sinha
New Delhi, June 26: Former Union Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha on Tuesday called prevalent atmosphere in the country "far worse" than the period of Emergency, imposed by the then Congress government between 1975 and 1977.
Speaking to NDTV news channel, Sinha contended that the Emergency is too far back in history now to be made an issue and to capitalise on by the ruling BJP for the upcoming elections.
"Emergency as imposed and then lifted in this country some 43 years ago, the modern generation does not have any recollection of emergency. It is history for them.
"And more importantly, (then Prime Minister) Indira Gandhi was personally punished for imposing emergency in this country when she lost the 1977 election so badly. You can't revive that (debate on it) today... It is part of our history now," said the estranged Bharatiya Janata Party leader.
He said though the leaders of the opposition parties are not put behind bars now as they had been during the 21-month long Emergency period, what prevails now in the country is far worse.
"While nobody has been put behind bars as in 1975, there is still an all pervasive atmosphere of fear, people are scared, people are scared to talk. Even cabinet ministers are not spared. The situation is far worse than it was in the declared Emergency of Indira Gandhi," he said.
Even media, Sinha said, is in "direct line of fire" under the current government as a consequence of which "many senior honest journalists have lost their jobs".
"Today the situation is very bad. Media is giving a totally misleading picture... (It's) completely subdued and made to toe the line," he said.
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Hundreds fall ill after suspected sewage contamination in Jaipur locality
Jaipur (PTI): Hundreds of residents of the Sushilpura area here have fallen ill over the last week, allegedly due to sewage contamination of the drinking water supply, sparking a health scare.
Several residents have reported similar symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhoea, stomach pain, nausea, and fever, with children and the elderly among the worst affected. Locals claim the crisis has impacted nearly every household, forcing many to rely on water tankers or buy packaged drinking water.
Pooran Mal Kumawat, a resident, said his family has been unwell for several days.
"We have all been suffering from diarrhoea and weakness. My wife even had to take injections," he said.
Another resident, Janki Saini, said the situation has become increasingly difficult. "All three of my children are suffering from stomach pain and fever, and we are arranging water from outside," she said.
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Jagdish Sahu, who has spent thousands of rupees on medical treatment so far, highlighted the financial burden caused by the crisis.
"My mother and I are unwell, and I had to take my son for treatment. We are buying water daily, which is adding to our expenses," he said.
According to the residents, the problem began after road construction work in the area allegedly damaged underground pipelines, leading to sewage mixing with drinking water. Overflowing drains and broken streets have further worsened conditions, they said.
Dr Anil Mehta, in charge of a nearby government dispensary, said over 150 patients with similar symptoms have been treated in the last three days alone. Private practitioners in the area have also reported a surge in such cases.
Civil Lines MLA Gopal Sharma, who visited the area multiple times following protests by residents, said efforts were underway to resolve the issue.
"The government and administration are working hard to find a permanent solution at the earliest, and officials have been directed to restore the clean water supply," he said.
Sharma added that teams from the Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) and the health department have been deployed, and relief measures such as the distribution of medicines and water supply arrangements are being carried out.
However, former Congress MLA Pratap Singh Khachariyawas alleged negligence on the part of the authorities and questioned the decision to undertake road work.
"If the road was in good condition, why was it dug up? Damage to sewer and water lines due to such work has led to this crisis," he said, warning of protests if the issue is not resolved soon.
Residents, meanwhile, said tanker supply remains inadequate despite assurances, and contaminated water continues to be used for non-drinking purposes.
Authorities said efforts are on to repair damaged pipelines and ensure safe drinking water, even as the health department continues to monitor the situation closely.
