New Delhi: Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Murli Manohar Joshi on Tuesday said that India needs leadership that can fearlessly debate with Prime Minster Narendra Modi based on principles and without worrying that whether he would be happy or angry. The veteran BJP leader said this while speaking at a memorial service organised for Congress leader and former Union minister S Jaipal Reddy, who passed away in Hyderabad on July this year.

While speaking at the event, Joshi also recalled his association with Reddy in the 1990s when they were members of a Parliamentary panel on intellectual property rights. The senior BJP leader said that Reddy used to express his views on relevant issues and ''never compromised on them irrespective of his association.''

"I feel that there is a dire need of such leadership which expresses views clearly, can debate with Prime Minister based on principles, without any inhibitions and not worrying about making him happy or said," Joshi said. Joshi was the BJP president between 1991 and 1993 and headed the party’s Ekta Yatra. Narendra Modi was then the organiser of the event.

Joshi also said that forums where politicians discuss national and international issues cutting across the party lines have almost 'finished' now. "The forum which include leaders from different parties, wherein they formed opinions on national and international issues, less of such attempts are being made now. They are almost finished. It is very important to revive such practices," he said.

"Holding discussions across party lines, on problems facing the country, while keeping aside the relationship with the party for some time, would be a real tribute to Reddy," Joshi added further.

The event was also attended by other political bigwigs of the country including Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, former PM Manmohan Singh, Communist Party of India General Secretary D Raja, Communist Party of India (Marxist) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury and Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi and others.