Modi to felicitate prisoners of Emergency

In a bid to embarrass JD(U) and RJD for aligning with Congress, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will felicitate persons including political leaders who went to jail during the Emergency, at an event to mark Loknayak Jai Prakash Narayan's birth anniversary tommorow.
"Senior party leader Lal Krishna Advani and Punjab CM Prakash Singh Badal will also participate in the felicitation programme 'Loktantra Ke Prahari' in which the Prime Minister will felicitate those who fought against Emergency and went to jail in 1975-76," Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu told reporters.
Terming Emergency as a "black" period of Indian democracy, Naidu said that the new generation is required to be educated and sensitised about it in the interests of democracy and the country.

"Emergency was a black period in Indian democracy and the next generation should know what it is, why it was imposed, how it was imposed, what were its effects and side effects and how people taught a lesson to those who imposed it," he said.
BJP will hold nationwide programmes including at state capitals and districts. Party president Amit Shah will attend the birth anniversary programme at JP Narayan's birth place Sitabdiyara.
Four sitting Governors and BJP leader Subramanian Swamy will be among the 16 persons who will be honoured at the programme, sources said.
Naidu questioned JD(U) over its joining hands with Congress "which imposed Emergency, sent lakhs of people jail and even attacked JP" in the Bihar polls.

"Leaders from JD(U) compromising with such a party (Congress) and sitting together...Is it justified? The way some of JD(U) are talking outside is because of utter frustration," he said.