New Delhi: The much-talked about meeting between Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) patriarch LK Advani has been cancelled. Kejriwal was scheduled to meet Advani a day after the BJP leader created a furore with his comment that he fears an 'emergency like situation'.
According to sources, the BJP was not happy with the proposed meeting and feelers were sent by Advani's house to Kejriwal to cancel the meeting. Both the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) and the BJP were not happy with the Advani's statement on emergency.
The Delhi Chief Minister had backed Advani's remarks saying"Advaniji is correct in saying that Emergency can't be ruled out." Referring to Aam Aadmi Party's turf war with the Centre over bureaucratic appointments, Kejriwal had said that the Central government was already experimenting in Delhi.
Echoing Kejriwal's words, AAP leader Ashutosh also said that Advani's remarks show he has no faith in Modi. "This reminds me of that time LK Advani hinted at dictatorship and Hitler in his blog when Modiji was being chosen as PM candidate. What LK Advani ji has said shows that he has no faith in Modi and this government," AAP leader Ashutosh said.
In an interview ahead on the 40th anniversary of the Emergency, the veteran leader had said that "forces that can crush democracy" in the country were stronger. Pointing that there were "not enough safeguards in India in 2015" to prevent an Emergency-like situation, Advani said that he could not assert confidently that an Emergency could not happen again in India.
In the years since the Emergency in 1975-77, he said, "I don't think anything has been done that gives the assurance that civil liberties will not be suspended or destroyed again. Not at all."
Much to the embarrassment of the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre, Advani said that "a commitment to democracy is lacking in the country". The BJP veteran 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."
Pointing that there were not "enough safeguards in India in 2015" to prevent an emergency-like situation, Advani said that he could not assert confidently that an emergency could not happen again.
Though he mentioned about some "weaknesses" in the political leadership, he added that he did not mean that it was "not mature".
"Today, I do not say that the political leadership is not mature. I don't have faith because of its weaknesses. I don't have the confidence that it (Emergency) cannot happen again," said the leader.
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