On Sunday, the 31st annniversary of the imposition of the Emergency, the Bharatiya Janata Party made a scathing attack on the Congress, accusing it of 'dynastic politics' and 'misusing' the Constitution for the sake of power.

"Thirty-one years have passed since the Emergency but the very mindset that was behind its impostion still exists. The Congress believes that there is only one family in India that is competent to rule the country," senior BJP leader L K Advani told partymen at a function to observe the anniversary as 'Save Democracy Day'.

"When the Congress saw that the Election Commission might take action against Sonia Gandhi [Images] (on the office of profit issue), they adjourned Parliament sine die and tried to issue an ordinance. It is high time for the country to decide whether it is dynasty or democracy that they want," the leader of the Opposition said.

Alleging that the Congress had 'three scams to its credit' within two years of its rule, Advani allleged that top leaders of the party were involved in the Quattrocchi issue, Volcker scandal and the Scorpene submarine deal.

Remembering the Emergency, which was imposed on June 25 1975, Advani said that it was a 'misconception' to believe that such episodes might not occur in the future as long as the Congress was in power.

Speaking on the occasion, BJP general secretary Arun Jaitley alleged that the dissolution of the Bihar Assembly by the Centre in May last year was 'a reminder that the Congress was not averse to misusing the Constitution to remain in power as it did during the days of the Emergency'.

Also read:

• 'Emergency should never happen again'
• 'This is the time for imposing Emergency'
• Janardan Thakur on the Emergency