Between LK Advani’s Emergency lines, Opposition reads a signal to BJP, Government

While the JD(U), RJD and Left said Advani’s message was directed at the Prime Minister, AAP leader Ashutosh said the interview was the “first indictment of Modi’s politics”.

Also Read: BJP ducks messenger, shoots the message

Delhi Chief Minister was also quick in respond to Advani’s comment on twitter. “Advani ji is correct in saying that emergency can’t be ruled out. Is Delhi their first experiment?,” tweeted Kejriwal in a taunt reference to the ruling BJP.

Advani ji is correct in saying that emergency can’t be ruled out. Is Delhi their first experiment?

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) June 18, 2015

“He is saying democracy is not safe, emergency is not far, under Modi’s leadership,” Ashutosh tweeted. “Advani then said BJP had moved away from the ideals of Mookerji, Atal, Upadhyaya and is pursuing the personal interest of one man. Advani was right,” he added.

Read Also: I don’t have the confidence it (Emergency) cannot happen again: Advani

“Advaniji is correct in saying that another Emergency can’t be ruled out. Is Delhi their first experiment?” asked Delhi Chief Minister and AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal.

In the interview published on Thursday, Advani said: “At the present point of time, the forces that can crush democracy, notwithstanding the constitutional and legal safeguards, are stronger… I don’t think anything has been done that gives me the assurance that civil liberties will not be suspended or destroyed again. Not at all.”

Read Also: Partition was British guilt, Emergency is ours: Advani

Among the first to react were RJD chief Lalu Prasad and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who were both jailed during the Emergency which was declared by the Indira Gandhi government on June 25, 40 years ago.

“Advaniji proved that our concerns regarding anti-democratic elements & activities being sponsored & promoted by (the) union govt are correct,” Lalu Prasad tweeted. “Already there is (an) undeclared emergency as authoritarian & Hitlerian tendencies (have been) prevailing in (the) country…,” he added.

Kumar, too, underlined the gravity of Advani’s remarks. “Advani ji is a very senior leader. I share his concerns, his worries are valid. We are facing an Emergency-like situation daily,” said the Bihar CM.

JD(U) president Sharad Yadav also said that the country was experiencing “an undeclared Emergency”.

“Unlike in 1975, there is no hope of a public resistance to the totalitarianism building up now. Around 110,000 people went to jail then, but I cannot see a similar protest happening now,” he added.

The Left parties, too, joined the chorus. “Advani is a very senior politician. And if he makes such a remark, I think it is very clear,” CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury said, indicating that the statement was aimed at Modi.

“He should come out openly if he was serious about the issue he was raising. At least during the time the late Indira Gandhi imposed Emergency, she had blamed the Opposition. Now fears are being raised from within,” CPI national secretary D Raja said.

“Every other day, the RSS and the Sangh Parivar make statements attacking secularism and the constitutional fabric of the country. Has Advani hinted at these things?” Raja asked.