New Delhi, July 10 -- In a move likely to deepen his rift with Congress leadership, senior party leader Shashi Tharoor has written an article on the 1975 Emergency imposed by the Indira Gandhi government. While reflecting on its excesses and long-term lessons, he also took aim at his party colleagues for having "downplayed" those excesses over the years.

The Emergency remains a sensitive issue for Congress, particularly since the BJP under Narendra Modi began observing June 25 as Samvidhan Hatya Divas. Congress has countered this by accusing the BJP of enforcing an "undeclared Emergency".

Tharoor also highlighted the role of Indira Gandhi's son, Sanjay Gandhi, in leading the controversial forced sterilisation campaigns and slum demoliti...