Kejriwal echoes Advani sentiments on ‘Emergency’

In the midst of a turf battle with the Centre on a range of issues, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday agreed with BJP patriarch LK Advani that imposition of Emergency cannot be ruled in the country and wondered whether Delhi will be the “first experiment” towards it.

“Advani ji is correct in saying that Emergency can’t be ruled out. Is Delhi their first experiment?,” Kejriwal tweeted.

The Kejriwal dispensation has been engaged in a turf war with Lt Governor Najeeb Jung and the Centre on transfers and postings of top officials as well as authority over Delhi Government’s Anti-Corruption Branch.

As political circles speculated that Advani’s comments were aimed at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, AAP leader Ashutosh was more direct saying the remarks by the BJP veteran were “indictment of Modi’s politics”.

“Advani’s interview is the first indictment of Modi’s politics. He is saying democracy is not safe, Emergency is not far, under Modi’s leadership,” Ashutosh tweeted.

In an interview, ahead of the 40th anniversary of the Emergency, Advani <g data-gr-id="34">said</g> “forces that can crush democracy are stronger” and that he will not say that it cannot happen again.

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. Of course, no one can do it easily...But that it cannot happen again–I will not say that. It could be that fundamental liberties are curtailed again,” he said.

The bitter confrontation between AAP government and the Centre has led to an unprecedented situation of two Home Secretaries working in Delhi Government.

The Delhi Government had <g data-gr-id="36">transfered</g> Home Secretary Dharam Pal and appointed Rajendra Kumar in his place. However, Jung rejected Pal’s transfer and asked him to continue while the Delhi 

Government directed Kumar to discharge his duties as Home Secretary.

The Kejriwal government has been accusing the Centre of trying to run Delhi through the LG and render the elected dispensation redundant.