Lucknow, Jun 26: Remembering the Emergency imposed in the country in 1975, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar said on Wednesday that in any circumstances such a day will not be witnessed in the country now.
Addressing the golden jubilee celebrations of Central Electronics Limited (CEL) in Ghaziabad district, Dhankhar said, “The country has never seen dense black clouds, which this day saw (in 1975). The biggest democracy of the world had gone in the dark in 1975. In any circumstances, India will not see such a day.
“We are strong. The foundation of Indian democracy has become so strong that there is democracy in villages, Nagar Palika and districts,” he said.
On June 25, 1975, at midnight, the then President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed declared a state of Emergency in India following advice from the then prime minister Indira Gandhi.
Dhankhar, who reached the CEL campus and planted a sapling first, said as Rajya Sabha Chairperson he has asked the MPs to plant 100 saplings.
“I follow this. I remember the prime minister on an occasion said… ‘Ma ke naam ek ped' (A sapling in the name of mother) should be our mission because it will impact our lives,” he said.
Hailing the work of CEL officials and employees, he said, “The world is changing very fast. We are on the cusp of another industrial revolution.
“It is required of us to focus incrementally on technological innovations. You are part of it and will move ahead in this regard,” the vice president said.
Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh today announced the grant of ‘Mini RATNA' status (Category-1) for CEL on the occasion.
Singh, while highlighting CEL's performance, said over the last few years, especially in the last five years, CEL's financial stability, profitability and operational excellence have touched new heights.
CEL's performance in terms of the numbers in turnover, net worth, reserves, net profit and the likes are also remarkable, he added.
“CEL has transformed from a loss-making PSU to a dividend-paying PSU and this is the third consecutive year that CEL has paid dividends, that too at increasing rate, to the Government of India,” he said.
“Our aim is to increase indigenisation of technology and boost manufacturing by capacity building and skill development. CEL's contributions in the fields of defence, railway, security, surveillance and solar energy shows its vital role in promoting indigenous technologies and manufacturing capabilities,” he said.
