Veteran BJP leader L K Advani said Thursday that his party has never regarded those who disagreed with it politically as "anti-national" or "enemies" but only as adversaries, remarks which come at a time when top BJP leaders have used anti-national barbs against political rivals on the issue of national security.
Advani, who has been replaced by party president Amit Shah in Gandhinagar Lok Sabha seat, wrote a blog 'Nation First, Party Next, Self Last' ahead of the party's foundation day on April 6, in which he said, "The essence of Indian democracy is respect for diversity and freedom of expression."
In the blog, written almost five years after he posted the last piece on its web page, the 91-year-old leader said, "Right from its inception, the BJP has never regarded those who disagree with us politically as our 'enemies', but only as our adversaries."
Reacting to Advani's blog, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted, "Advani Ji perfectly sums up the true essence of BJP, most notably the guiding Mantra of Nation First, Party Next, Self Last.' Proud to be a BJP Karyakarta and proud that greats like LK Advani Ji have strengthened it."
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