Villains of Emergency must be punished: Prasar Bharati chairman

The "villains" of the Emergency must be tracked down and punished in order to secure democracy in the country, Prasar Bharati Chairman A Surya Prakash said on Monday.

Speaking at a discussion on "Emergency: Darkest Hour in Indian Democracy", he said India came under a "fascist regime" for months during the Emergency.

"The villains of the Emergency wrecked our Constitution and the democratic way of life. In my view, we must still track them down. The Nazi hunters are still at work (in the West) even after 60-70 years. We should not let them go," Prakash said.

"We must track them down and punish them. Dr Manmohan Sigh must answer why a person described as a tyrant by the Shah Commission was made an election commissioner. On whose instruction did he do this," he said, referring to Navin Chawla.

"If we wish to secure our democracy, the villains of the Emergency and their mentors must be made to pay," he added.

Prakash also backed an idea mooted by a member of the audience that a memorial .