Constitutional institutions decimated under Modi regime: Yashwant Sinha

MUMBAI: Estranged BJP leader Yashwant Sinha on Wednesday lamented at the decimation of constitutional institutions like the Supreme Court, national investigative agency CBI, RBI, and election commission among others under the Modi regime.

He was more critical of the way how Prime Minister Narendra Modi has used the occasion of the National War Memorial dedication earlier this week to drive political mileage and sought to credit his party for the memorial.

Sinha, who has filed a petition seeking a CBI probe into the controversial Rafale jet deal, on which the Congress has alleged massive corruption to the tune of Rs 30,000 crore and personally blamed Modi, also called upon the civil society to be more vigilant and responsive in taking on the current dispensation.

On the unceremonious way the last CBI chief Alok Verma was shunted out by the Modi government, the former finance minister said, "it is with a degree of sorrow I say that in this whole episode, I don't think the highest court of the land has covered itself with glory".

Addressing an Asia Society event late evening, he also called for more institutionalized mechanism to select the heads of constitutionally mandated national institutions.

"There is no reason why we should not have a high power panel to select the Chief Election Commissioner and other members of the EC instead of leaving it to the executive of the day. Even judicial appointment should not be left entirely to just one institution. We should have an in dependent body to select the judges as well," he said.

"Given the compromises which have crept in, we need to do it sooner than later. Otherwise, we will continue with the present situation and the things are not going to improve," Sinha warned.

Stating that there are various other issues on which the conventions of the Constitution have been violated with impunity by this government.

Flaying Modi for the politicizing the National War Memorial at India Gate, he said, "can you imagine the Prime Minister going to inaugurate the War Memorial and uses that occasion for petty politics? This has happened and how many of us are questioning this?"

Flaying Modi for talking domestic politics in foreign soils, he said, "there was a very healthy rule that we will not talk domestic politics on foreign soil. But does anyone cares it now?"

"There is a very healthy rule that no policy statement will be made outside Parliament when Parliament is in session. But are we observing that rule? We have all accepted all these as if nothing has happened. This is where the danger lies," Sinha cautioned.

Stating that the Supreme Court is compromised of late, he said, "an apex court judge retires one day and the next day says the CJI was under pressure. Now, the highest court of the land is compromised...Still it's business as usual for the civil society. It is very sad."

There are various areas where as citizens of a free democracy must assert their rights to tell the government of the day where they are wrong and where they must get off, Sinha said.

Addressing the same event, former Sebi chairman M Damodaran said think civil society needs to frame issues better. We need to recognise that all problems won't be solved overnight so we need to prioritise the sequence, frame the issues and approach them right.

He also said today institutions have lost self respect as they function as if they are attached of subordinate offices. "This way our institutions have destroyed themselves. They don't recognise when they hit the self destruct button."