Hitler's steps inspired Indira's Emergency: Jaitley

BJP leader Arun Jaitley Wednesday sought to rubbish Rahul Gandhi's comparison of Narendra Modi to Adolf Hitler and alleged that the steps taken by the Nazi leader inspired Indira Gandhi during the Emergency.

In an article "Whose role model was Hitler" on the Bharatiya Janata Party website, Jaitley said the Congress vice president would be aware of the excesses during the Emergency imposed in 1975.

"Yesterday (Tuesday), I heard a few extracts of the speech delivered by Rahul Gandhi in Gujarat. He compared (Gujarat Chief Minister) Narendra Modi to Adolf Hitler. Rahul Gandhi may have been a young child in 1975 when his grandmother Indira Gandhi as prime minister decided to proclaim the internal Emergency. Surely, he is not unaware of what happened during those 19 months of the Emergency," Jaitley said.

The BJP leader said suspension of democracy, abrogation of civil liberties, detention of political opponents, abandonment of free press, absence of judicial independence and vestige of power in one person were features of Hitler's regime.

"Each step had inspired Indiraji's internal Emergency. There was one basic difference between the two. Hitler did not promote a dynasty because he did not have any one to promote," Jaitley said.

Without naming Modi, Rahul Gandhi had said in his speech there were leaders who believe they were the epitome of knowledge.

"There are two types of leaders. One who think people are wise and you can learn from them, like Mahatma Gandhi... Then there is another kind of leader, whose best example is perhaps Hitler. Hitler thought there was no need to go to people and never realised their power. He always thought he was the epitome of knowledge... They just deliver big speeches, make huge claims and make tall promises," Rahul Gandhi had said.