NEW DELHI: The Government of India has denied any plan to impose internal emergency in the Country and described news to that effect as totally unfounded. A government spokesman said that no such proposal was ever discussed in the Cabinet or elsewhere.
Rumors suggesting the imposition of emergency were fuelled by a meeting Prime Minister Chander Shekhar had with President R. Venkataraman on May 27. Since the President has ears of certain Congress (I) leaders it was suggested by Congress (I) spokesman Mr Pranab Mukherji that “if the reported idea was correct nothing could be more sinister”. He wondered as to why this talk of emergency when the country was already in the process of electing a new government. He pointed out that the present government had no legal or legitimate authority to postpone elections Congress (I) circles speculated that at his meeting with the President the Prime Minister had conveyed the Cabinet’s decision to impose emergency.
Denying any such suggestion a government spokesman said that Mr Chander Shekhar had discussed the law and order situation with the President. The spokesman said that certain elements felt upset that the government had successfully tackled the law and order problems in the wake of Gandhi’s assassination.
Article extracted from this publication >> May 31, 1991
