Veteran BJP leader LK Advani, in a blog, said that the Bharatiya Janata Party has never regarded those who disagreed with it politically as "anti-national" or "enemies" but only as adversaries. In his blog, Advani wrote, "The essence of Indian democracy is respect for diversity and freedom of expression. Right from its inception, the BJP has never regarded those who disagree with us politically as our 'enemies', but only as our adversaries". The veteran leader's view came ahead of general elections when PM Modi and other BJP leaders have made the issue of national security a key plank for Lok Sabha polls.