INDIA LOK SABHA POLLS 2019

Advani in veiled criticism of Modi

One of the founders of India’s governing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), LK Advani, has written a blog post that is being seen as a veiled critique of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In the post, the 91-year-old says that “the essence of Indian democracy is respect for diversity and freedom of expression”.

He continues: “Right from its inception, the BJP has never regarded those who disagree with us politically as our ‘enemies’, but only as our adversaries. Similarly, in our conception of Indian nationalism, we have never regarded those who disagree with us politically as ‘anti-national’.”

Mr Modi and his supporters have frequently painted BJP opponents as anti-national and often suggest that they are working with Pakistan.

On Wednesday at a rally, Mr Modi said that the opposition Congress party was “hatching a conspiracy to destabilise the country” and that its election manifesto was “a document of Pakistan’s conspiracies”.

Mr Advani is believed to be deeply upset at being sidelined in this election by BJP leaders whom he once strongly promoted, says the BBC’s Nitin Srivastava. He was denied a ticket in Gujarat state - from where he has been elected to parliament six times. The blog, our reporter says, appears to be a direct attack on Mr Modi and BJP President Amit Shah.

Mr Advani, an early advocate of the Hindu nationalist movement, called on his colleagues in the party to “look back, look ahead and look within”.

Mr Modi quickly responded on Twitter, saying “Advani Ji perfectly sums up the true essence of BJP, most notably the guiding Mantra of ‘Nation First, Party Next, Self Last.’”

Mr Advani himself is a controversial figure. He travelled across India in 1990, whipping up support for a campaign to build a temple on the site of a 16th Century mosque.

INDIA LOK SABHA POLLS 2019

Advani in veiled criticism of Modi

One of the founders of Indias governing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), LK Advani, has written a blog post that is being seen as a veiled critique of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In the post, the 91-year-old says that the essence of Indian democracy is respect for diversity and freedom of expression. He continues: Right from its inception, the BJP has never regarded those who disagree with us politically as our enemies, but only as our adversaries. Similarly, in our conception of Indian nationalism, we have never regarded those who disagree with us politically as anti-national. Mr Modi and his supporters have frequently painted BJP opponents as anti-national and often suggest that they are working with Pakistan. On Wednesday at a rally, Mr Modi said that the opposition Congress party was hatching a conspiracy to destabilise the country and that its election manifesto was a document of Pakistans conspiracies. Mr Advani is believed to be deeply upset at being sidelined in this election by BJP leaders whom he once strongly promoted, says the BBCs Nitin Srivastava. He was denied a ticket in Gujarat state - from where he has been elected to parliament six times. The blog, our reporter says, appears to be a direct attack on Mr Modi and BJP President Amit Shah. Mr Advani, an early advocate of the Hindu nationalist movement, called on his colleagues in the party to look back, look ahead and look within. Mr Modi quickly responded on Twitter, saying Advani Ji perfectly sums up the true essence of BJP, most notably the guiding Mantra of Nation First, Party Next, Self Last. Mr Advani himself is a controversial figure. He travelled across India in 1990, whipping up support for a campaign to build a temple on the site of a 16th Century mosque.