Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], June 26 (ANI): As the Centre marks the 50th anniversary of the Emergency as 'Samvidhan Hatya Diwas', Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray) faction leader Sanjay Raut on Thursday defended the Emergency imposed in 1975, saying it was not a 'black day' for democracy.

Speaking to the mediapersons, Raut said, 'Look, people say that the Emergency imposed is a black day for the democracy and the constitution of the country. We do not believe this. Balasaheb Thackeray openly supported the Emergency. The day Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated in this country was a black day for the country. The day we stopped the war under the pressure of President Trump and mortgaged our self-respect was also a black day for us.'

His comments came amid heated political debate on the 50th anniversary of the Emergency and recent remarks by Amit Shah, who targeted the Nehru-Gandhi family, referring to them as a 'royal family' that weakened democracy.

Reacting sharply to Shah's statement, Raut hit back, saying, 'The sacrifices made by Pandit Nehru, Indira Gandhi, these families sold their homes for the country for the freedom struggle, you businessmen can never do that. Mahatma Gandhi did not have a royal family, right? Nothing happens in politics just by having money and power. One should also understand a little history...'

Earlier on Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi slammed the Congress party over the imposition of Emergency in 1975, terming it as the 'darkest chapter' in India's democratic history.

Union Minister Amit Shah addressed a gathering at the first-ever event organised to commemorate 25th June as 'Samvidhan Hatya Diwas' (Constitution Killing Day), pointing out that the Emergency was imposed on the day.

Terming the imposition of Emergency in India for 21 months from 1975 to 1977, the Home Minister said, 'Bad incidents usually should be forgotten in life. And it is correct, but when it relates to social life and national life, bad incidents should be remembered forever, so that the youth and teenagers of the country are cultured, organised, ready to defend, and ensure that such bad incidents are never repeated.'

Shah said with this thought in mind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi decided to commemorate June 25 of every year as 'Samvidhan Hatya Diwas' and the Union Home Ministry issued a notification related to it.

'How the country was reduced to a prison during the Emergency, the soul of the country made dumb, the courts made deaf and pens of the writers were made to fall silent, keeping those things in mind and after giving it a thought, it was decided to commemorate today as 'Samvidhan Hatya Diwas'. This will bring awareness to the younger generations about the incidents that happened during the emergency,' Shah said.

He further said, 'Remembering the Emergency is not just knowing history, but a warning.' The Union Home Minister said that on the night of June 24, 1975, the Emergency was imposed, and an ordinance was promulgated to implement a dictatorial mindset. (ANI)