Union Home Minister Amit Shah delivered a comprehensive critique of the Congress during a debate on the Constitution in the Rajya Sabha, using the interruption of the iconic radio program Binaca Geetmala during the Emergency to illustrate what he described as the Congress's legacy of suppressing cultural and democratic freedoms. Shah painted a vivid picture of how the Emergency, imposed by Indira Gandhi's government from 1975 to 1977, curtailed individual liberties, including cultural expression, and stifled dissent. Drawing from his personal experience, Shah reminisced about the sudden disappearance of Kishore Kumar’s songs from the airwaves, a consequence of a reported fallout between the legendary singer and Indira Gandhi. He stated, “I used to listen to Binaca Geetmala, but it suddenly stopped during the Emergency. My neighbor informed me that Kishore Kumar had a fallout with Indira Gandhi, leading her to prohibit his songs from being broadcast. For 19 months, the public was deprived of hearing duet songs of Lata Mangeshkar and Kishore Kumar in their original form and only heard them in Lata ji’s voice.”
Binaca Geetmala, hosted by the legendary radio announcer Ameen Sayani, was more than just a popular Bollywood countdown show—it was a cultural phenomenon that provided a pulse of the nation’s music industry. The show, which began on Radio Ceylon in 1952, became a weekly fixture in households across India. It eventually moved to All India Radio’s Vividh Bharati service in 1989, running until 1994. The program’s interruption during the Emergency symbolized, according to Shah, the broader erosion of freedom of expression and the imposition of autocratic control by the Congress government of the time.
Using this anecdote as a springboard, Shah criticized the Congress for what he called a consistent pattern of undermining democracy. “And these people talk about democracy,” he remarked pointedly, emphasizing that the actions taken during the Emergency were so egregious that they led to the public severely punishing the Congress in subsequent elections. “This debate is needed so that nobody can do such acts ever again,” Shah said, stressing the importance of remembering such historical events as a safeguard against repeating them.
Shah delved deeper into the history of constitutional amendments to substantiate his argument that the Congress, through legislative maneuvers, had consistently curtailed civil liberties. He highlighted the First Amendment to the Constitution, introduced by Jawaharlal Nehru, as a pivotal moment when freedom of expression was restricted. “The first amendment was to curtail the freedom of expression by former PM Jawaharlal Nehru. The 24th Amendment was brought by his daughter, Indira Gandhi. On November 24, 1971, Parliament was given the right to reduce the fundamental rights of the citizens,” Shah said, accusing Congress of altering the Constitution to consolidate power at the expense of democratic principles.
He then contrasted Congress’s approach to constitutional amendments with that of the BJP. “The Opposition says we will change the Constitution. A provision to change the Constitution is already there in our Constitution. The Congress, during its 55 years of rule, made 77 amendments to our Constitution, while the BJP, in 16 years, did so only 22 times,” Shah stated. He contended that while Congress used amendments to serve its political interests, the BJP’s focus has been on empowering citizens and enhancing governance.
Shah argued that Congress’s constitutional changes, especially during the Emergency, were politically motivated and had far-reaching consequences for individual freedoms. He linked these changes to the broader suppression of democratic institutions, cultural expression, and civil liberties. By comparison, he claimed that the BJP’s amendments have been aimed at addressing governance challenges, strengthening federalism, and empowering citizens through reforms like the abrogation of Article 370 and the Goods and Services Tax (GST).
In expanding his critique, Shah also underscored the cultural implications of such authoritarian governance. He argued that the suppression of iconic figures like Kishore Kumar was emblematic of the Congress’s disregard for creativity and free expression. “This was not just about a singer or a radio show; it was a broader attack on the right to dissent, the freedom to express, and the cultural vibrancy of our nation,” Shah said.
Shah also addressed accusations from the Opposition regarding the BJP’s intentions to alter the Constitution. He dismissed these claims as baseless, asserting that the BJP’s governance record speaks to its commitment to preserving the Constitution while ensuring that it evolves to meet the needs of a modern and aspirational India. “We have made amendments to the Constitution, but only those that empower the people, strengthen democracy and ensure governance becomes more efficient,” Shah asserted.
In conclusion, Shah’s remarks in the Rajya Sabha served as both a critique of Congress’s historical governance and a defense of the BJP’s legislative agenda. By invoking Binaca Geetmala and recounting its disruption during the Emergency, Shah sought to illustrate the tangible impact of authoritarian rule on ordinary citizens’ lives. His broader argument was that the Congress’s legacy of constitutional manipulation and cultural suppression must serve as a cautionary tale, and that the BJP’s governance is a corrective measure aimed at restoring faith in democratic institutions and preserving the freedoms enshrined in the Constitution.
