JAMMU, Jun 15: Senior BJP leader and former Minister Bali Bhagat today launched a sharp attack on Rajya Sabha MP and senior advocate Kapil Sibal, accusing him of insulting the nation through his recent remarks while conveniently ignoring the Congress party’s own record of what he termed as some of the gravest assaults on democracy and civil liberties in independent India.
Reacting to Sibal’s recent statements, Bali Bhagat said that if there is anything that should evoke shame, it is not India but the Congress party’s actions during the 1975-77 Emergency.
“Kapil Sibal should be ashamed of the Emergency imposed by Congress, not of India. He should be ashamed of the suspension of democracy, the mass arrests of political opponents, the censorship of the media and the coercive sterilization drives that scarred millions of Indians. India does not need lectures from those associated with a political tradition that trampled democratic rights,” Bhagat said.
The BJP leader recalled that during the 21-month Emergency imposed by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, democratic institutions were systematically weakened, fundamental rights were suspended and dissent was ruthlessly crushed. Historical records indicate that more than 1.10 lakh political activists, journalists, students and dissidents were arrested without trial under draconian laws such as MISA and the Defence of India Act. Among those jailed were prominent opposition leaders including Jayaprakash Narayan, Morarji Desai, Atal Bihari Vajpayee and L.K. Advani. More than 250 journalists were reportedly imprisoned while strict press censorship was imposed across the country.
Bhagat further said that one of the darkest chapters of the Emergency was the notorious sterilization campaign spearheaded by Sanjay Gandhi. According to historical accounts, an estimated 60 to 80 lakh men underwent vasectomy procedures during the drive. The campaign disproportionately targeted poor, underprivileged and working-class citizens. Reports from that period documented instances where police and administrative officials rounded up people from villages, bus stands, railway stations and slum areas and pressured or coerced them into undergoing sterilization procedures.
“Before questioning India, Kapil Sibal must answer whether he unequivocally condemns these Emergency excesses. The nation remembers how democracy was throttled, how over one lakh citizens were jailed without trial and how poor families were subjected to coercive sterilization campaigns. These wounds are still remembered across the country,” Bhagat said.
Launching a direct attack on Sibal’s public posturing on nationalism, Bali Bhagat said that while every accused person has a constitutional right to legal representation, the people of India are entitled to examine the public record of political leaders who frequently portray themselves as custodians of national interest.
Bhagat noted that Sibal has appeared as counsel in several controversial cases involving individuals accused in terrorism-related or national-security matters, including cases connected with Davinder Pal Singh Bhullar, convicted in the 1993 Delhi bomb blast case, and Abdul Nasser Madani, among other high-profile accused persons linked to serious security concerns.
“No one is denying the constitutional right of legal representation. However, a person who repeatedly chooses to defend controversial accused and then seeks to issue certificates of patriotism to others must be prepared to face public scrutiny. Nationalism is not a slogan for political convenience; it is commitment to the nation and respect for its sacrifices,” Bhagat said.
He further alleged that Congress leaders have repeatedly taken positions that hurt national sentiments, citing controversies relating to national security, civilizational heritage and matters of faith.
“The same Congress ecosystem that presided over the Emergency, jailed opponents, censored the media and oversaw coercive sterilization drives now seeks to lecture the nation on democracy and patriotism. The people of India have not forgotten history and will not allow these facts to be erased,” Bhagat asserted.
Bali Bhagat said India’s unity, sovereignty and democratic values were built through the sacrifices of freedom fighters, soldiers and patriotic citizens and cannot be diminished by politically motivated remarks.
“The people of India are proud of their nation. They have not forgotten the Emergency, they have not forgotten Congress’s record, and they will not accept lectures on patriotism from those who continuously disparage the country. Kapil Sibal should introspect on the legacy he defends before questioning the pride of 140 crore Indians,” he added.