Dharmendra Pradhan – Union Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas:

1. Accepting that Emergency was a mistake is another theatrical exercise by Rahul Gandhi to fool the nation.

Such insincere & tactical regrets cannot wash away the memories of the dark chapter when fundamental rights were infringed, press was gagged, institutions were held hostage.

2. The country has not forgotten how the government of the day had the gumption to tell the Supreme Court that the right to life had been suspended.

3. Rahul Gandhi ji’s comment does not reflect remorse, it is actually part of a pattern where Congress, after being rejected by people, expresses regret for the Emergency only to deploy the same authoritarian DNA after it succeeds in hoodwinking people.

4. Has Shri Rahul Gandhi forgotten his ordinance-trashing episode and how he shamed and disrespected the Prime Minister of India? Has Shri Rahul Gandhi forgotten his recent breach of privileges?

5. Has Shri Rahul Gandhi forgotten that Late Rajiv Gandhi apologised but justified the Emergency and thereafter attempted gagging the press by bringing ‘Defamation Bill’, curbing civil liberties and seeking to spy on citizens through the Post Office Amendment Bill, 1986.

6. Spreading canards against the Modi Govt will not divert people’s attention from ‘sins’ of the Congress. People of India are smart and will not be taken in by this new drama of Rahul Gandhi ji.