Leader of the Opposition Sonia Gandhi's remark that some leaders arrested during the Emergency had written a letter to the then prime minister Indira Gandhi pleading that they be released may find her in an embarrassing situation.

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An angry Sonia made the statement when Deputy Prime Minister Lal Kishenchand Advani admonished her saying that a party that imposed Emergency in the country and sent political leaders to jail must not give lessons in democracy to others.

Advani was replying Gandhi's charge that his government was behind the toppling of the Congress government in Arunachal Pradesh.

There was an uproar in the House as Gandhi mentioned the letter.

Former prime minister Chandra Shekhar rose and said: "Such sweeping statements are objectionable from the leader of the opposition. She should make public such letters of request. These kind of allegations are unfair."

BJP leader V K Malhotra tried to raise a point of order. He wanted to know that when Sonia Gandhi was not even a citizen of the country during the Emergency, how come she has access to such documents.

He demanded that she table the letter in the House, a demand reiterated by Advani when he resumed speaking.

"I will request Soniaji to reply to Chandrashekharji. Lakhs of Indians were victims when democracy was stifled. You cannot put such allegations on us. You should present such letters before the House."

Sonia Gandhi, however, remained silent.

Prakash Shah, Ahmedabad-based human right activists and writer who went to jail during the Emergency, told rediff.com: "Balasaheb Deoras, the then chief of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, was the only leader I can recollect who wrote a letter to Mrs Gandhi and asked for his release after hearing about Mrs Gandhi's August 15 speech. He had praised the speech and had expressed his agreement with Mrs Gandhi's 20 point programme. All over India many RSS workers were released for unexplained reasons."

Shah said: "Sonia's taunt in the Lok Sabha shows that the Congress is not feeling sorry for the Emergency. This is unbecoming of a Congress leader who is keen to become the part of the national mainstream."

EARLIER REPORT:
References to Emergency lead to heated exchanges in LS