Defence Minister Rajnath Singh recalled the emergency days imposed by the then Indira Gandhi-led Congress government as he countered the dictatorship charge by Congress.
"I could not come, ...I did not get released, did not get parole. I got my head shaved in jail, the last rites were performed by my brothers I could not reach...and imagine they make allegations of dictatorship against us, they do not look within,
In an interview to ANI, Singh became emotional saying that he was not even allowed to attend his mother's last rites after she died of a brain hemorrhage because he was in jail. At that time Singh was 25.