Panaji, Jun 26 (IANS): Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said on Tuesday that the Constitution of India was in danger during the Congress rule, while the BJP is trying to protect it.

At an event organised to mark 50 years of the imposition of Emergency by the then Congress government led by Indira Gandhi as 'black day', Sawant criticised Rahul Gandhi for "spreading lies" that the BJP will tamper with the Constitution.

“It was the Congress which changed Babasaheb Ambedkar's Constitution several times. The Constitution was in danger because of the Congress during its rule,” Sawant said.

Senior BJP leader Govind Parvatkar claimed that then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi imposed Emergency after she was disqualified as an MP for corrupt practices by the court to protect her chair.

"All the opposition leaders and prominent karyakartas were arrested at midnight (on June 25, 1975) and more than one lakh political and social activists were jailed during the 21 months of Emergency. The media was gagged, and all civil rights were withdrawn as dictatorship prevailed in the country for 21 months,” he said.

“Rahul Gandhi, who is talking about the Constitution now, should be ashamed of the acts of his grandmother,” Parvatkar added.

BJP Rajya Sabha MP Sadanand Tanavade said the young generation should know about the black deeds of the Congress.

“I appeal to the karyakartas to be vigilant of the canards and lies being spread by the Congress,” he said.