‘Democracy under threat’: Yashwant Sinha joins TMC
KOLKATA: Former Union minister Yashwant Sinha, a critic of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi government, on Saturday joined Trinamool Congress days ahead of the high-octane West Bengal assembly polls.
Sinha, a senior BJP leader during Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led government who quit the party in 2018, said it was necessary to ensure that TMC wins the assembly elections as the Indian democracy was under threat.
“Strength of the democracy lies in the robustness of its institutions, and all the institutions have been weakened systematically,” Sinha said in Kolkata.
“The tipping point was the
attack (in Nandigram) on Mamata Banerjee,” the former Union minister added, referring to the controversy over the alleged attack on the chief minister while campaigning earlier this week. The BJP has sought proof of the attack while the TMC has complained to the
Election Commission that the incident was a threat to Banerjee’s life.
“This government can do anything to win the election. The attack on Mamata Ji made me decide that I want to work with her,” he said about the March 10 incident.
KOLKATA: Former Union minister Yashwant Sinha, a bitter critic of Prime Minister Narendra Modi regime, on Saturday joined Trinamool Congress days ahead of the high- octane West Bengal assembly polls.
Sinha, a senior BJP leader during Atal Bihari Vajpayee rule, told reporters it was call of the hour to ensure TMC win the assembly elections with a thumping majority which will herald defeat of Modi government in 2024 Lok Sabha polls and save the country.
Sinha, who served in the cabinet of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, had quit the saffron party in 2018 after having serious differences with the present party leadership.
His son Jayant Sinha is the BJP MP from Hazaribagh in Jharkhand. The octagenarian leader had campaigned for TMC in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
Speaking after joining TMC at its office in Kolkata, the bureaucrat-turned-politician, made a scathing attack on Modi and Union Home minister Amit Shah,observing that democracy is under threat in the country under them. “Strength of the democracy lies in the robustness of its institutions, and all the institutions have been weakened systematically,” he said.
“The country is faced with strange situation. The values and principles we gave so much importance, the founding principles of our Republic are not being followed. “The farmers of the country are sitting near Delhi for months but the government doesn’t care. The ruling party has only one objective - win elections by any means,” he said.
The senior politician pledged support to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in her fight against the BJP.
“Trinamool Congress will win the polls by thumping majority. But, we have to increase the victory to another level.
“(Gopal Krishna) Gokhale had famously said ‘What Bengal thinks today India thinks tomorrow’. Bengal should herald changes. The win of TMC in West Bengal assembly polls will ring in changes in 2024 general elections and defeat them (ModiShah) led BJP,” Sinha said.
Observing that the BJP led by Atal Behari Vajpayee was vastly different from the saffron party today,Sinha said “Atal ji believed in consensus. Now Modi and Shah believe in crushing opposite opinion. Atal ji believed in taking people along, but the present BJP regime believes in conquering people.