‘India had democracy before others dreamt of it’: On Morarji Desai delivery anniversary, great-grandson shares video

As Prime Minister Narendra Modi was joined by different leaders in paying tribute to Morarji Desai on his a hundred and twenty fifth delivery anniversary Sunday, the latter’s great-grandson, Madhukeshwar Desai, shared on social media a video clip of an interview, through which the previous PM is speaking of India being the oldest cradle of democracy on the planet.

Today, on the event of delivery anniversary of former PM Shri Morarji Desai, Parliamentarians and Officers of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha Secretariats paid floral tributes to him within the Central Hall of Parliament @loksabhaspeaker @ombirlakota @loksabhatv @rajyasabhatv pic.twitter.com/9aCvn9oS1E
— LOK SABHA (@LokSabhaSectt) February 28, 2021
In the interview clip, Desai could be heard saying “India has a vitality and a faith in democracy” which individuals outdoors India didn’t assume was current “in sufficient measure”. “Even in India, some people thought like that, because even in India, there are people who don’t know India itself, that has been the result of Western influence,” the previous PM says.
“People forget that democracy is more natural to India than any other country. Because there was democracy in India before any other country in the world even dreamt of it. It is there in the Vedas, described so fully and firmly,” Desai provides.
When the interviewer says that many British individuals want to assume democracy is their reward to India, Desai says, “If it pleases their vanity, I have no quarrel about it. But we had Republics — fully, fairly elected — 2,500 years ago, much earlier than even Greece had its own kind of democracy.”
Morarji Desai, a long-time Congress man, turned the primary non-Congress Prime Minister of India, after being elected Leader of the Janata Party in Parliament put up the 1977 General Elections. He held the chair from March 24, 1977 to July 28, 1979.

Today, on the event of delivery anniversary of former PM Shri Morarji Desai, Parliamentarians and Officers of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha Secretariats paid floral tributes to him within the Central Hall of Parliament @loksabhaspeaker @ombirlakota @loksabhatv @rajyasabhatv pic.twitter.com/9aCvn9oS1E
— LOK SABHA (@LokSabhaSectt) February 28, 2021
Desai had been Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister underneath Indira Gandhi till 1969, when she took the finance portfolio from him. Desai then resigned as Deputy PM too. When the Congress cut up in the identical 12 months, Desai joined the Indian National Congress (Organisation), versus Indira Gandhi’s Indian National Congress (Ruling). He was jailed through the Emergency.
On Sunday on his a hundred and twenty fifth delivery anniversary, PM Modi tweeted, “Remembering our former PM Shri Morarjibhai Desai. In his long years of public service, he worked tirelessly for India’s development. He was known for his impeccable integrity and unwavering commitment to democracy.”
Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu tweeted, “My humble tributes to former Prime Minister, Shri Morarji Desai. He was a true Gandhian, who never compromised on the principles he believed in. He was a great administrator, strict disciplinarian and an anti-corruption crusader. Shri Desai believed in simple living & high thinking. He will be always remembered for his contribution to nation-building.”