Canberra: Former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott has dismissed as “completely wrong” the allegation that India has become an authoritarian country under the BJP government.
In a statement on the Raisina Dialogue—India’s annual conference on geopolitics and economics held in New Delhi since 2016—Abbott said the forum is better than Switzerland’s Davos and China’s Boao gatherings. He argued that no politically powerful group dominates the event and it does not function as a platform to praise the host government.
Abbott also lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s conduct at the conference, saying Modi sets an example by attending the opening session and listening to the keynote address without speaking. While describing Modi as potentially among the world’s most powerful figures, Abbott said the Prime Minister shows a willingness to listen and does not display arrogance despite being in office for more than a decade.
Rejecting the “authoritarian” label, Abbott said a country with free and fair elections, a dynamic media and a strong, independent judiciary cannot be authoritarian. He added that an authoritarian state would not host a conference where debate is unrestricted, pointing to this year’s event where Israel’s foreign minister and Iran’s deputy foreign minister both presented their views.
