Modi’s 2015 post said that as a youngster he had learnt a lot during the anti-Emergency movement. Shashi Tharoor shared it on X with the caption: “Thanks for teaching today’s youngsters many of the same lessons, Modiji!” He did not spell out the comparison, but the timing was clear. Delhi had just seen mass detentions, closed Metro stations and heavy security around the CJP protest demanding CEC Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation.
What Shashi Tharoor Had Flagged
Tharoor earlier said 250 trains were cancelled, 45 Metro stations closed and around 22,000 police and paramilitary personnel deployed to stop the protest. Police had denied permission and cited law and order. I found no government response to Tharoor’s post.
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Opposition Piles On
Rahul Gandhi called Modi “Mogambo” and announced that the INDIA bloc would take to the streets again on October 12. He alleged that Delhi Police and BJP workers used violence against students and women during the protest. These are his allegations, and I found no police response to them in the reports reviewed.
A Notable Messenger
The jibe stands out because Tharoor has had a strained relationship with Congress leadership. In an earlier essay on the Emergency, he argued that it should not be remembered only as a dark chapter and that its lessons must be understood. A party colleague responded with a veiled dig, asking if he was echoing the BJP, while the BJP welcomed his remarks. This time he turned the Emergency comparison against the government.
Does the Parallel Hold?
Critics see echoes of 1975 in preventive detentions and curbs on protest, while the government points to prohibitory orders and says its measures were aimed at preventing disorder. Courts and the Election Commission’s response may shape which view prevails. The INDIA bloc’s October 12 protest will test it again.
