Comparing Prime Minister Narendra Modi with "dictator" Aurangzeb, the Congress on Tuesday said there is an "undeclared Emergency" in the country for the past 49 months and democracy has been held hostage by his party BJP.
Describing the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) as a "Bahut Jhoothi Party" (a party based on lies) and Modi a "liar Prime Minister", the Congress said owing to its arrogance, in 2019 the BJP would meet the same fate as it had in 1984 when it was reduced to two seats.
Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala told reporters: "Dictator Emperor Narendra Modi, who is more cruel than Delhi sultanate's Aurangzeb, today (Tuesday) gave the country lessons in Emergency, which took place 43 years back."
"He forgot to say that Aurangzeb had imprisoned only his father, but in the past 49 months of undeclared Emergency, today's Aurangzeb Modiji, along with his party BJP, has held the very democracy a hostage," said Surjewala.
Prime Minister Modi said on Tuesday that the period of the 1975-77 Emergency was a "dark period" that the nation could never forget and called for making democracy stronger by "writing, debating, deliberating and questioning" its vital aspects and reiterated his commitment to protecting the Indian Constitution and democracy.
Surjewala said: "For the last 49 months, PM Modi's numerous promises have turned out to be lies. Black money hasn't returned yet and democracy is being crushed under the Modi government."
He said that an atmosphere of fear is being created to suppress dissent.
"There is an undeclared Emergency in this country for the last 49 months, and the opposition is being suppressed. Modiji himself follows those people who give death and rape threats to anyone who opposes them, including BJP's minister Sushma Swaraj," said Surjewala.
"The Finance Ministry is actively working to disrupt the thriving Indian economy instead of improving it. The Prime Minister is himself threatening the states to fall in line or else there would be cuts in the grants released to them," he added.
"PM Modi is distracting people to hide his failures. He is trying to divert the attention of the country by talking about 43-year-old Emergency."
Hitting out at the BJP, the Congress leader said: "Forty-three years ago, Janata Party (JP) was pro-rich and pro-zamindars, while Congress party fought to give access of banks to the marginalised. Even today the BJP favours only a handful of rich."
