Modi has ended Cabinet form of govt: Congress
New Delhi, Sept. 1: Prime Minister Narendra Modi believes in the “complete concentration of power” which has “effectively destroyed” the Cabinet form of government, the Congress today said, ahead of a reshuffle in the Council of ministers.
Congress senior spokesperson Anand Sharma said the reshuffle would make no difference to the government as there was lack of talent in the Council of ministers.
“I don’t see much talent that he has (sic),” he said.
While the reshuffle, slated to be held on Sunday, was the prerogative of the prime minister, it would make “zero difference”, he said.
“He may appoint anyone and remove anyone and change any portfolios but will make a zero difference because this is the prime minister who believes in the complete concentration of power,” Mr Sharma told reporters here.
He said key ministries for more than three years were without a Cabinet minister, which, he added, had never happened. “Why? So that all policy papers which originate from the Cabinet minister’s signature are prepared in the PMO. This is what he was doing as the chief minister of Gujarat. That is exactly what he is doing now to India,” he said. The Congress leader claimed the Appointments Committee of Cabinet (ACC) had “from day one virtually been done away with”, even though, he said, it existed on paper.
These were direct orders from the PMO, he said, “until he was reminded that the word ‘committee’ means two people, more than one. So, the Home Minister was included". Modi, he added, had “effectively destroyed” the Cabinet form of government.