Senior BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi on Tuesday said that there is need of leaders who can debate with the Prime Minister and express views clearly without worrying about making him unhappy.
He was speaking at an event here to pay tribute to former Union Minister S Jaipal Reddy, who passed away in Hyderabad in July this year.
Joshi said this while highlighting the time he spent with Reddy during their association in a forum on intellectual property rights in the 1990s.
The BJP veteran said that Reddy used to express his views on relevant issues and "never compromised on them irrespective of his association."
Joshi added, "Mein aisa samajhta hun ki aajkal aise netritva ki bohut aavashyakata hain jo siddhandhon ke saat, bebaaki ke saat aur bina kuch is baat ke chinta kiye hue ki pradhan mantri naraaz honge ya khush honge, apni baat saaf saaf kehte hain, unse bahas karte hain (I feel that today there is dire need of a leadership which expresses views clearly, can debate with the Prime Minister based on principles, without any inhibition and not worrying about making him happy or sad)."
The senior BJP leader further stated that forums where politicians discuss national and international issues cutting across party lines have "almost finished" now.
"The forum which included leaders from different parties, wherein they formed opinions on national and international issues, less of such attempts are being made now. They are almost finished. It is important to revive such practices (jagrit karne ki zarurat hai)," he said.
"Holding discussions across party lines, on problems facing the country, while keeping aside the relationship with the party for some time, would be a real tribute to Reddy," Joshi added.