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Emergency can repeat: Advani
Senior BJP leader LK Advani has said that he fears a repeat of the Emergency as \"forces that can crush democracy have become stronger\" in India, in remarks that are being interpreted by rival parties as a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
New Delhi: Senior BJP leader LK Advani has said that he fears a repeat of the Emergency as "forces that can crush democracy have become stronger" in India, in remarks that are being interpreted by rival parties as a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
In an interview to an English daily, Advani said: "At the present point of time, the forces that can crush democracy, notwithstanding the constitutional and legal safeguards, are stronger." He was speaking on the 40th anniversary next week of the 1975 Emergency, when the Congress government jailed Opposition leaders and imposed severe curbs on the media.
"I do not say that the political leadership is not mature. But because of the shortcomings, I don't have the confidence that it (Emergency) cannot happen again," said the 87-year-old BJP veteran, adding, "I do not see any sign in our polity that assures me, any outstanding aspect of leadership.
A commitment to democracy and to all other aspects related to democracy is lacking." The comments have been seized by critics of the BJP and PM Modi. "LK Advani is a senior politician so it is clear where the needle of suspicion is. We have seen the authoritarian streak in the Modi government," said Left leader Sitaram Yechury.
"Advani ji is correct in saying that emergency can't be ruled out. Is Delhi their first experiment?" tweeted Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, whose government is locked in an ugly power tussle with the Centre. Sharing Advani's fear that "forces that can crush democracy are stronger", former Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee said that political enmity and vendetta had touched a new low and the fear of an Emergency was still there in Indian politics, says a Kolkata report.
"By and large, I agree that the fear of Emergency is still there. The political enmity and vendetta have stooped to a new low and unfortunately the provision of Emergency still lies there in the Constitution," he said. The Congress' Tom Vadakkan saw the comments as a clear denunciation of Modi's leadership.
