Senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader and former union minister Murli Manohar Joshi on Thursday waded into the controversy set off by the opposition’s allegations that the Election Commission of India is being influenced by the ruling party.
Speaking at the sidelines of the 21st FICCI Higher Education Summit in New Delhi, the ex-BJP national president declined to take sides but said constitutional principles should be adhered to.
Now I say that the government of the people, for the people and by the people shall not perish from the earth, provided the elections are fair, governments are accountable, the bureaucracy is transparent, the Opposition is responsive and responsible, and there is a clear-cut alternative programme. “I fervently hope that this is not treated merely as a law-and-order issue to be tackled through the use of force. Responding to a question on the Opposition’s ongoing protest against CEC Gyanesh Kumar, Joshi said, “…I always say the government of the people, by the people and for the people shall not perish from the earth. (Abraham) Lincoln said this almost 200 years ago.
In a post on X, Joshi said it was “painful” to see students from different parts of the country camping on the streets of the national capital for days, urging the authorities to address their concerns with empathy and work towards a lasting solution. It is very painful to see that even young girls were brutally mishandled,” Joshi said.
