Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a sharp attack on the Congress-led opposition in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday, accusing them of suppressing artistic freedom and stifling the Constitution for their own political gains. During his speech in response to the debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s Address, PM Modi recalled several incidents where famous artists, including legendary Bollywood actor Dev Anand, were allegedly targeted by the Congress for not aligning with their interests.
Emergency: A Dark Chapter in India’s History
PM Modi strongly criticized the Congress for imposing the Emergency in 1975, calling it a period when the Constitution was completely disregarded. He accused the party of misusing power and silencing those who did not support its rule.
“The country witnessed the time of Emergency,” PM Modi said. “The spirit of the Constitution was trampled upon for Congress’s lust for power. In Emergency, a very famous cinema artist Dev Anand ji was requested to come out in favour of Emergency… Dev Anand ji refused to do that… he did not have the courage to do this… and this is the reason all the films of Dev Anand ji were banned on Doordarshan for this.”
PM Modi emphasized that the Congress, despite frequently talking about the Constitution, had a history of disregarding it.
“These people who talk about the Constitution, for years have kept the Constitution in their pockets,” he remarked.
Kishore Kumar’s Songs Banned for Defying Congress
Continuing his attack, PM Modi also recalled how the renowned playback singer Kishore Kumar faced repercussions for refusing to comply with Congress’s demands.
“Kishore Kumar ji refused to sing a song for Congress and for this, all his songs were banned on All India Radio,” he stated.
PM Modi highlighted how such actions reflected Congress’s intolerance towards artistic freedom and independent voices.
“I cannot forget those days of Emergency… I guess those pictures are still available,” he added.
Artists and Writers Silenced During Congress Rule
Before mentioning Dev Anand and Kishore Kumar, PM Modi recalled multiple incidents from former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s tenure where artists, poets, and filmmakers were allegedly targeted for speaking against the Congress government.
“A workers’ strike was held in Mumbai. During that strike, the famous poet Majrooh Sultanpuri recited a poem. After this, he was put in jail. Famous actor Balraj Sahni was also jailed only because he participated in a protest demonstration at the time,” PM Modi said.
He further mentioned how Hridaynath Mangeshkar, the brother of legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar, was punished for his artistic expression.
“Hridaynath Mangeshkar Ji, brother of Lata Mangeshkar Ji, had written a poem on Veer Savarkar and wanted to sing it on Akashvani, but was banned from Akashvani for life,” he revealed.
Congress’s History of Controlling Narrative
PM Modi’s statements in the Rajya Sabha aimed to highlight how the Congress has allegedly controlled narratives and punished those who opposed them. He accused the party of suppressing artistic expression, freedom of speech, and constitutional values.
His remarks come at a time when the BJP has been actively positioning itself as the defender of democracy, often bringing up the Emergency and other historical incidents to criticize Congress’s governance.
As of now, Congress has not officially responded to PM Modi’s claims, but past reactions suggest that the party has often rejected such accusations, maintaining that its policies have always upheld democracy and the Constitution.
PM Modi’s speech has once again reignited debates about political control over art and expression in India, with both sides using history to support their arguments.
