“At the present point of time, the forces that can crush democracy, notwithstanding the constitutional and legal safeguards, are stronger,” Mr Advani has said in an interview to The Indian Express.
The 87-year-old BJP veteran was speaking on the 40th anniversary of the 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 faith. I don’t have the confidence that it (Emergency) cannot happen again,” he said.
Asked to specify what makes India today vulnerable to an Emergency-like situation, he said: “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.”
Mr Advani, who had once tried unsuccessfully to persuade his party against picking Narendra Modi as its prime ministerial candidate, was assigned the role of mentor and kept out of decision-making soon after the party took power last year. He has so far used silence as a way of expressing his disillusionment.
The BJP, in its first response to his remarks, has said he was referring to institutions, not individuals.
“Advani ji was referring to institutions rather than pointing towards any individual. I don’t think so emergency can arise, democracy of India is very strong,” said BJP spokesperson and senior journalist MJ Akbar.
The party’s ideological mentor Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh or RSS has reacted cautiously.
“I have read his interview. I don’t think so situation of emergency will arise. Emergency can be declared for a region or state but not in entire nation,” said senior RSS leader MG Vaidya.
“I know Advaniji… there is nothing like that the way his statement is being interpreted. If Advani needed to send a message, he would have done so directly,” he told reporters.
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