Modi baiter? Yashwant Sinha.

Karnataka rehearsal for 2019; BJP’s IPL of politics: Yashwant Sinha

MLAs and MPs will be auctioned; they will support whoever offers max money

Agency Report | New Delhi | 17 May, 2018 | 09:20 PM

Former BJP leader Yashwant Sinha has termed the political developments in Karnataka as a "rehearsal" for the Lok Sabha elections and criticised Governor Vajubhai Vala for not adhering to his responsibilities.

Sinha also sat on a protest outside Rashtrapati Bhavan over the issue and appealed to the people to join him to save democracy.

“What is happening in Karnataka today is a rehearsal for what will happen after the Lok Sabha elections in Delhi. I am sitting on protest outside Rashtrapati Bhavan against the BJP’s unconstitutional move to form a government in Karnataka,” the former Finance Minister said.

He said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is eight seats short in the Karnataka Assembly and no other party or MLA has so far come out in its support.

“By not adhering to his responsibilities and acting just in the opposite, the Karnataka Governor has produced such a circumstance in which an Indian Political League has started, like the Indian Premier League in cricket. Now, MLAs and MPs will be auctioned. They will support those who will give them maximum money,” Sinha said.

Will the country’s democracy run like this, asked Sinha, adding “we are sitting here to protect those values”.

He also took on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying “Modi had assured in Parliament while forming 16th Lok Sabha that he would become the biggest protector of democracy. What is going on in the country now?”

“This was not done only in Karnataka, it has been earlier done in Goa, Bihar and Manipur. In these three states, the Governor called the BJP-led alliances to form the government when they showed their post-poll coalition, and allowed them to take oath.

“Contrary to this, the Karnataka Governor did not allow the two parties who claimed majority to form the government. The Governor ignored them and called the BJP to form the government. Is democracy safe?”

Sinha said democracy first ended in the party, which led him to leave it and now it is ending throughout the country.

He said the “government and the BJP have no right to trample the values of democracy in this way”.

The leader said this is the weakness of the political system that issues “which could be solved by ourselves” are presented before the Supreme Court.

“The matter should not go to the Supreme Court. We are bound to take help of the Supreme Court in such issues because justice is not done by the current political system. Justice is not done by the Governor.

“In my view, the Governor’s post is bigger than the Supreme Court. He should have done justice. The issue was dragged to the Supreme Court because the Governor failed to do justice.”

He also raised questions over the appointment of Governors, saying “if Governors work like soldiers of a party, the country’s democracy would not work”.
The Congress will observe ‘Save Democracy Day’ across the country on Friday to protest Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala’s “collusion with the BJP” and his “partisan” action of inviting BJP leader B.S. Yeddyurappa to take oath as Chief Minister following a split verdict in that state.

The Congress will hold protests at state capitals and district headquarters.

State Congress chiefs have been asked to address press conferences and give memorandums to respective Governors to urge President Ram Nath Kovind to “safeguard democratic principles and the sanctity of the Constitution”.

In a letter to party state units, Congress General Secretary Ashok Gehlot said that the party along with the Janata Dal-Secular had submitted a list of Karnataka MLAs, with the numbers more than the required number to form the government.

“The Governor has not only undermined the dignity of his office, he has also acted in an unconstitutional manner. This dangerous precedent strikes at the very heart of India’s democracy and portends grave consequences for all coming elections,” Gehlot said.

The state units have been urged to use “evocative slogans and innovative techniques to highlight the travesty” and also seek the support of civil society organisations.

Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala said at a regular press briefing that the party will expose the misdeeds of the BJP, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah and highlight the fact that democracy has been murdered in broad daylight by none other than the Karnataka Governor who had taken the oath to protect the Constitution. (IANS)