In a blistering attack on the Congress on the 43rd anniversary of the Emergency, Union Minister Mahesh Sharma today accused it of having a "faulty DNA" with "no space of democracy in it" as shown by events like Emergency.
The Union Culture Minister also backed his Cabinet colleague and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, who has likened erstwhile Prime Minister Indira Gandhi to Hitler.
"It was a black day in Indian democracy, it was the murder of democracy," Sharma said, while recalling in a news conference, the day of imposition of the Emergency, June 25, 1975.
"This history of Congress is old. I think Congress' DNA is faulty. Their DNA is faulty and they do not believe in democratic values," he alleged.
Sharma termed Congress DNA as "faulty" while alleging that after the recent Karnataka elections, the party "stooped so low" and despite being in minority "grabbed the power by hook or crook."
Further taking on the Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, Sharma said, "Rahul baba says that institutions of democracy are being murdered (during the present NDA govt). He should know that there is problem in Congress' DNA, there is no space for democracy in their DNA."
The Union minister claimed the Congress having a "faulty DNA" has been proven time and again
He said even at the time of country's Independence, when majority sentiment was to make Vallabhbhai Patel as the Prime Minister, Congress chose to ignore the fact.
He wondered if Patel had become Prime Minister at that time, Kashmir issue may not have cropped up at all.
On a related question on Kashmir, with BJP last week pulling out of its alliance with the PDP in Jammu and Kashmir, Sharma said, "We had supported PDP in national interest and the decision to pull out too was taken in national interest. We had to give time to our alliance with them, but when that effort failed, the decision was taken."
Further touching upon the Emergency, Sharma said even
"before Emergency, the Congress had been misusing Article 356 since 1952..."
He also alleged that the "vindictive attitude," which was part of Hitler's philosophy to decimate anyone who opposed him by using all possible means, was seen during Indira's time too.
"It was because of that vindictive attitude that led to the killings of thousands of Sikhs during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, which shook everyone's soul," he said.
Accusing the Congress of "lacking internal democracy," he wondered if the party could not find anyone more able than Rahul Gandhi to lead the Congress.
"From Pt Nehru to Indira to Sanjay to Rajiv to Sonia to Rahul now - and thankfully next generation has not taken birth (referring to Rahul's bachelor status), otherwise that too would have been written in history who would be next to lead the Congress," he said.
He said the Congress which had tall leaders like country's former President Pranab Mukherjee and Arjun Singh, "is not finding anyone more able than Rahul Gandhi to lead the party today. This is murder of democracy..."
Sharma said the Congress, rather than apologising for the "dark chapter" of the Emergency, "on the contrary they are accusing the present government of undermining institutions of democracy. It is an old habit of Congress to blame others for what they have been doing themselves."
When asked what prompted former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to hail former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi as 'goddess durga' after she led India to victory over Pakistan in 1971 and creation of Bangladesh, Sharma replied, "This is democracy, this is our party's democracy."
"When India took prisoners of war, the people of this country praised her (Indira)... she did good work at that time and she had been praised for this. But again I want to say that for democracy their (Congress) DNA is faulty."
Sharma was also asked to comment on senior BJP leader Shatrughan Sinha and former senior leader of the BJP Yashwant Sinha often slamming the party on various fronts.
The Union Minister said the BJP did not take any action against them out of vindictiveness and this showed internal democracy which the party has.
"Yashwant Sinha's son (Jayant Sinha) is a colleague in the Ministry. Shatrughan was earlier Health Minister, he was also made Shipping Minister, he was our celebrity leader. May be he (Shatrughan) has some personal grudge, but he should keep his views before party platform. But I want to say that no action has been taken out of vindictiveness against these two leaders.
"I want to give an example -- Yashwant Sinha's son is holding important positions in the Union Ministry. No vindictive action has been taken against Shatrughan Sinha. He is member of our party and if he gives constructive suggestions, we will accept them," Sharma said.
Replying to a question, he defended advertisements in major newspapers today, describing the Emergency as the "darkest period of Independent India".
"Through these ads, we are talking about democracy, which is the strongest strength of our nation, bringing it to the youth of society, the future generation of society, if the Congress feels some money is spent on this, I have nothing to say for Congress' thought process and mentality, we will do everything for strengthening of the democracy. Advertisement is a very small issue, we will continue to do that," he said.
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