2 Union Ministers have come out in support of Home Minister Amit Shah after industrialist Rahul Bajaj directly asked him questions on the Modi government’s perceived aversion to criticism.
Mr Bajaj had at a private event organised by The Economic Times newspaper told Mr Shah that people feared criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his administration for fear of reprisals. “…You are doing good work but if we criticise you there is no confidence that you will appreciate that,” Mr Bajaj said. “In UPA 2 we could criticise anyone,” he added.
The Home Minister denied allegations there was an atmosphere of fear in the country. “No need to fear about anything. The Narendra Modi government has been criticised continuously in media. But, if you are saying that there is such an environment, we need to work to improve this,” Mr Shah responded.
The Home Minister’s response won praise from Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
“Home Minister @AmitShah answers on how issues raised by Shri. Rahul Bajaj were addressed. Questions/criticisms are heard and answered/addressed. Always a better way to seek an answer than spreading one’s own impressions which, on gaining traction, can hurt national interest,” Mr Puri tweeted.
“There are societies in the world which are governed by fear, but a society where citizens can weave fake narratives & hurl invectives at the govt cannot be classified as one governed by fear, it is a society characterized by fair dose of indiscipline,” he said.
Ms Sitharaman said the industrialist was able to ask the critical question to the Home Minister only because “freedom of expression” is “alive” in India.
“That Mr Rahul Bajaj could stand up to Sh @AmitShah Ji’s face, express himself freely & instigate others to join him clearly indicate that freedom of expression & democratic values are alive & flourishing in India. This is exactly what democracy is all about,” Ms Sitharaman tweeted.
The Congress also weighed in on the issue with a swipe at the BJP. “It can be difficult to speak truth to power. Circumstances however, have made doing so increasingly necessary. Rahul Bajaj stands out for his courage & integrity & for calling a spade a spade,” the Congress tweeted.
