PM Modi Slams Congress for Suppressing Kishore Kumar, Dev Anand, Balraj Sahni, and Others During the Emergency
New Delhi, 8th February 2025: While addressing the Rajya Sabha on Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a sharp critique of the Congress party, referencing several film industry icons, including Kishore Kumar, Dev Anand, and Balraj Sahni, to highlight instances of alleged political suppression.
“During Nehru ji’s tenure as Prime Minister, there was a workers’ strike in Mumbai. During that time, renowned poet Majrooh Sultanpuri recited a poem, following which he was jailed. Similarly, celebrated actor Balraj Sahni was imprisoned merely for participating in a protest demonstration,” PM Modi stated.
He further pointed out that Hridaynath Mangeshkar, brother of legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar, had composed a poem on Veer Savarkar and wanted to perform it on Akashvani. However, he was subsequently banned from the platform for life.
Referring to the Emergency, Modi highlighted how Dev Anand was pressured to publicly support it but refused. “He displayed immense courage by declining, and as a result, all his films were banned from being aired on Doordarshan,” he added.
Taking a broader dig at the Congress, Modi remarked, “Expecting ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’ from Congress is a mistake. Their thinking doesn’t align with it, as their entire model revolves around ‘Family First.’ Their efforts were directed toward protecting one family’s interests. Even today, they are attempting to sow caste divisions in society.”
He also criticized Congress for failing to grant constitutional status to the OBC panel despite years of demands from MPs across parties. “For years, OBC representatives sought constitutional status for the OBC Commission, but Congress continuously rejected the demand because it did not align with their political interests. It was our government that finally gave it constitutional recognition,” he asserted.
Additionally, Modi accused Congress of restricting press freedom despite projecting itself as a defender of democracy. He recalled how leaders like George Fernandes were handcuffed and jailed during the Emergency, alleging that the Congress government had effectively turned the entire nation into a prison to safeguard the ruling family’s power.
