Sambit Patra listens to 'Mann ki baat' with Bihar BJP leaders

Firebrand BJP spokesman Sambit Patra on Sunday said he felt ''lucky'' to be in Bihar, the veritable epicenter of protests against the Emergency, on a day Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke about the crushing of democracy in 'Mann ki baat'.

Patra, who is here in connection with programmes of the party, joined his colleagues at the state headquarters to listen to the radio broadcast which completed its 90th installment.

When approached by journalists for comments, he said, ''Our parents were of our age when democracy was throttled by imposition of Emergency.

''Democracy was reclaimed by a popular uprising of which Bihar was the epicenter. I consider myself lucky to be here on this day,'' said Patra.

The BJP leader, who refrained from mentioning the Congress or Indira Gandhi by name, refused to speak further, despite prodding by reporters.

He folded his hands in response to queries about his visit to Bihar coinciding with that of Congress leader Kanhaiya Kumar with whom he has matched wits in many heated TV debates.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)