'Italian Lenses, PR Exercise': BJP Hits Back at Sonia Gandhi Over Indira Gandhi, Emergency Remarks

New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday hit back at Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi over her recent remarks targeting the Narendra Modi government and her comments on former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's decision to impose the Emergency in 1975. The BJP accused Sonia Gandhi of attempting to portray Indira Gandhi as a victim and termed her remarks a "PR exercise", saying they could not hide the truth about the Emergency.

The BJP also asked Sonia Gandhi to remove her "Italian lenses" to see India's progress under the Modi government over the past 12 years.

Senior BJP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Tarun Chugh took aim at the Congress leader, saying she was unable to acknowledge India's development and its emergence as a global power under the BJP-led NDA government.

"If you take off your Italian lenses, you will see India clearly: Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Prayas, and India rising as a global power at a 7.8 per cent (GDP) growth rate," Chugh said while reacting to Gandhi's remarks.

He further alleged that Gandhi was unable to digest what he described as a new wave of faith sweeping across the country under the BJP-NDA government. Chugh also raised questions over the Congress party's past record, asking Gandhi to address alleged scams during its rule, the 1984 anti-Sikh riots and the Bhopal gas tragedy in her upcoming memoir.

BJP's 'PR Exercise' Jibe Over Emergency Remarks

BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari also criticised Sonia Gandhi over her comments on the Emergency, accusing her of attempting to present Indira Gandhi as a victim.

In a post on X, Bhandari said, "She is trying to project Indira Gandhi as victim, but her PR exercise cannot hide the truth."

He also referred to former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi's controversial remark following the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, alleging that the Gandhi family had not been forgiven by the country for its political legacy.

Bhandari further accused Sonia Gandhi of engaging in vote-bank politics and questioned her past reactions to incidents such as the Batla House encounter and the Babri Masjid dispute.

What Did Sonia Gandhi Say About Indira Gandhi, Emergency?

The BJP's reaction came after Sonia Gandhi, in an interview ahead of the November 10 release of her memoir, Belonging: A Journey of Love, spoke about the Emergency imposed by her mother-in-law and former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on June 25, 1975.

Reflecting on the period, Sonia Gandhi acknowledged that democratic rights had been curtailed and that habeas corpus had been suspended. However, she maintained that the Emergency was imposed constitutionally.

"It was only after the Emergency that I came to know the true gravity of what had been happening. Yes, democratic rights had been curtailed and there was a suspension of habeas corpus, but it was done constitutionally," she said.

She also offered her perspective on the circumstances surrounding Indira Gandhi's decision, saying that when she looked at the period from the former Prime Minister's point of view, she saw her struggling to deal with deteriorating circumstances.

Sonia Gandhi referred to violent protests, government offices and public transport being set on fire, widespread organised unrest and calls for the bureaucracy and armed forces to disobey orders.

She also recalled that Indira Gandhi had subsequently publicly expressed regret and apologised for the excesses committed during the Emergency.

Sonia Gandhi Targets Modi Govt, Alleges Polls Were Stolen

Separately, Sonia Gandhi launched a sharp attack on the Narendra Modi government, alleging that the past 12 years had caused significant damage to India's democratic institutions and constitutional fabric.

In the same interview, the Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson claimed that opposition parties had not received a level playing field since the BJP came to power in 2014. She accused the ruling establishment of exercising control over key institutions, particularly the Election Commission, as well as mainstream media.

"What is more, it has been amply proved in recent months that many elections have been stolen, and people are now more aware of it," she said.

Gandhi also expressed confidence in the Congress's political prospects, claiming that the party was making progress despite facing several challenges. She said the Congress was working with like-minded parties and that its prospects were improving day by day.

Her remarks have triggered a fresh political exchange between the BJP and Congress, with the ruling party questioning the Congress leadership's account of the Emergency and its political legacy while Sonia Gandhi has accused the Modi government of weakening democratic institutions.

The political confrontation comes days before the release of Gandhi's memoir, Belonging: A Journey of Love, scheduled for November 10.

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