Cong tried to change basic structure of Constitution during Emergency: BJP

Hyderabad: Former MLC and advocate N Ramachandra Rao said the Emergency was a dark day for democracy in independent India that trampled upon the fundamental rights and attempted to change the basic structure of the Constitution.

He addressed the media after several advocates staged a protest to mark the 50th year of imposing the Emergency at Telangana State High Court on Tuesday.

Thanking the advocates for expressing their solidarity in observing the black day as part of BJP's nationwide Anti-Emergency Day programme, he said that the Emergency was imposed to change the Constitution to extend elections for another year by the Congress government at the Centre led by late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. He said that Congress, being the longest-serving party in 75 years of independent India and violated the Constitution many times, imposed President’s Rule and scrapped the elected State governments. On the other hand, the BJP respects the Constitution, he said.