Blaming Indira Gandhi will not revive economy, Congress says responding to the Prime Minister’s stinging attack on the party and its first family.

The Congress equated Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, saying he is far more cruel and has “enslaved democracy” for the past 49 months.

Countering Mr. Modi’s attack on the party on the 43rd anniversary of the Emergency, Congress media in-charge Randeep Surjewala said that while the BJP was talking about the 21-month Emergency imposed 43 years ago, it had forgotten that “we are living under undeclared emergency for the past 49 months.”

‘Emergency talk to divert attention’

The Congress said the BJP was harping on the Emergency to divert attention from all its failed promises over the past 49 months. “Will talking about the Emergency get farmers the right price for their crops, or bridge the communal divide, or reduce crimes against women, or end atrocities against Dalits? Can blaming Indira Gandhi alone help in correcting the course of our economy,” asked Mr. Surjewala.

Also read: What’s so special about this anniversary of the Emergency?

Responding to the Prime Minister’s stinging attack on the party and its first family, Mr. Surjewala said, “Delhi Sultanate’s ‘dictator’ Modi, who is crueller than Aurangzeb, today gave lessons to the country on the Emergency. By taking out his anger on the Congress, can a lid be put on Modiji’s jumlas?”

Through his 2014 election campaign, Mr. Modi had referred to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi as Shehzada (crown prince) and the UPA government under Dr. Manmohan Singh as Delhi Sultanate. “Aurangzeb never took lessons from anybody... Dictators don’t take lessons, only history teaches them lessons and I am sure Modiji will also have the same fate,” Mr Surjewala said.

Mr Surjewala said all the name-calling by the BJP is an indication that things are looking up for Congress. “Let me quote Mahatma Gandhi — till about a year ago, Modiji used to mock the Congress. Now he is attacking the Congress. Mahatma Gandhi used to say — first they will mock you, then they will attack you and then they will be defeated by you. So, Modiji is already in second phase which is ending and in 2019, democracy and people of India along with the Congress Party will win when he will be decimated,” he said.