Criticism of the government is “integral” to democratic functioning and this government has endured the “highest form” of criticism in the last five years, Ram Madhav, national general secretary of the BJP, said on Thursday.
“Criticism is always welcome... This government has endured the highest levels of criticism in the last five years. So, please don’t say we are insensitive to criticism...,” Mr. Madhav said to questions on the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) adding they were open to criticism but in a democratic manner. He was speaking at a panel discussion on strengthening democracy in the Indo-Pacific at the Raisina Dialogue organised by the Ministry of External Affairs and the Observer Research Foundation.
On the concerns over the CAA, he said the citizen was guided by the 1965 Act and they had only made additions to it. He said people were being influenced by propaganda adding the process was undertaken in the most democratic manner and it was debated in Parliament. “If you give a view point, use the right forum.”
Mr. Madhav said a democracy needs a “particular ethic and value” in society and there was need to nurture a value system. “Democracies by nature especially in our part of the world tend to be very noisy. Still they’ve proved functional democracies.”
