Mumbai, June 26 -- As the Centre marks the 50th anniversary of the Emergency as 'Samvidhan Hatya Diwas', Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray) faction leader Sanjay Raut on Thursday defended the Emergency imposed in 1975, saying it was not a "black day" for democracy.

Speaking to the mediapersons, Raut said, "Look, people say that the Emergency imposed is a black day for the democracy and the constitution of the country. We do not believe this. Balasaheb Thackeray openly supported the Emergency. The day Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated in this country was a black day for the country. The day we stopped the war under the pressure of President Trump and mortgaged our self-respect was also a black day for us."

His comments came amid heated political...