NEWSLINKS
US EDITION
COLUMNISTS
DIARY
SPECIALS
INTERVIEWS
CAPITAL BUZZ
REDIFF POLL
DEAR REDIFF
THE STATES
ELECTIONS
ARCHIVES

Search Rediff

Rediff Shopping

Shop & gift from thousands of products!   Books     Music       Apparel   Jewellery   Flowers   More..      Safe Shopping

Advani tells Basu: If not me, satisfy people

Sheela Bhatt in Bombay

Who am I? I am the home minister today, but may not be so tomorrow. West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu should satisfy people of his state and reassure people in India who believe in democracy, that democracy is not under threat. And that's the main issue.

L K Advani was addressing an exclusive upper class Gujarati audience, at a function in Bombay, to 're-release' Bharatiya Janata Party general secretary Narendra Modi's book Sangharshman Gujarat (Gujarat During Struggle).

First released by former Gujarat chief minister Babubhai Patel, it is Modi's view of Gujarat's role during the Emergency. The function was organised by Suresh Dalal, a Gujarati poet who manages Image Publications, which printed the third edition of Modi's book.

Advani spoke on various issues:

On Emergency
In the west, Gallelio had to apologise even for his scientific views. While sage Charwak's beliefs were not accepted or agreed to by society, but people still called him a Rishi and respected him. This is India, where people not only tolerate, but respect others' viewpoints.

Why should there be any problem in politics? You can achieve prosperity through one (rightist) way or the other (leftist). There is no need to be intolerant. What I understand fully is that it is in the nature of Indian people and that's in our culture, to not only tolerate but respect opposite views.

That's the greatness of this country.

Except when democracy was eclipsed for 19 months, democracy was successful for 53 years. An important reason for world respect for India is because of our commitment to democracy.

We have decided that we will run our country in a democratic way and when we have any disagreement with the ruling system, we will change it through democratic means only. Only peacefully.

On West Bengal
I shall give you the example of West Bengal. We are not worried about the state only because some innocent people are murdered. We are also worried because our most precious right to express opinion peacefully, or through elections, has been in danger.

The situation arose because of an intolerant atmosphere created through violence against people in disagreement, who are capable of throwing them out of power and those who can defeat them. This is a threat and danger to democracy. I am only worried about this threat. We want the West Bengal government to address our worry.

Mr Basu had stated, "It's not my duty to satisfy Advani." I accept his argument. Who am I? I am the home minister today but may not be one tomorrow. But Mr Basu should satisfy the people of West Bengal, and, reassure those people in India who believe in democracy that under his government, democracy was not under threat. And that's the main issue."

On his association with Gujarat and his introduction to the history of Somnath's temples
(It will be 10 years of his rath yatra from Somath to Ayodhya, on September 25)

After Partition, when I came to this side (from Pakistan to India), I knew my mother tongue Sindhi and English, my medium of study. I learnt Hindi through Gujarati literature. In 1948, I had read all books of K M Munshi.

September 25 is a very important day that deeply influenced my way of thinking and my life. Ten years back, I took off from Somnath to Ayodhya. Munshi's Pilgrimage to Freedom book inspired me to take this rath yatra.

Munshi's books gave a vivid description of the struggle of people against the Nawab of Junagadh. When the battle of Junagadh was won under the leadership of freedom fighter Shamaldas Gandhi, he sent a telegram to Sardar Patel, then home minister. When the telegram reached Patel, he showed it to Munshi and said, 'Jai Somnath!'

Back to top

Tell us what you think of this report