BJP, Congress spar in MP Assembly over 1975 Emergency episode

The Madhya Pradesh Assembly today witnessed noisy scenes as members of the treasury benches demanded a discussion on the imposition of Emergency in 1975 by the then Congress government.

Amid the din, the Question Hour got washed out and the the House was adjourned twice.

As the House convened for the day's sitting, state Legislative Affairs Minister Narottam Mishra said it was a "black day" when Emergency was imposed in the country in 1975.

He said a 'censure motion' should be passed against the move of the then government led by Indira Gandhi.

Mishra along with other cabinet ministers and members of the treasury benches also demanded a debate on the censure motion.

State Home Minister Bhupendra Singh said the Congress should apologise for the imposition of Emergency.

However, members of the opposition Congress stood up and opposed the demands of the ruling party.

Amid the melee, Congress members started shouting slogans against the BJP. The Congress legislators, led by senior party MLA Ramniwas Rawat, then trooped into the well of the House.

Speaker Sitasharan Sharma later expunged some remarks made by members of the ruling party and adjourned the House for 10 minutes.

When the House reassembled after 10 minutes, the situation remained unchanged as the ruling party members, led by Mishra, continued to demand a discussion on the Emergency episode.

To counter it, the Congress MLAs raised the issue of Mahatma Gandhi's assassination.

The speaker tried to pacify members of the treasury benches and the opposition, but the legislators did not pay any heed to it.

Amid the ruckus, the House was again adjourned for half-an-hour.