Modi running a one-man "Presidential government": Shourie

New Delhi: Arun Shourie today hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi accusing him of "narcissism" and of running a one-man "Presidential government" the direction of which was "dangerous" for India. Shourie, a Cabinet minister in the Vajpayee government who has drifted away from BJP in recent years, called the Modi government "a Presidential government without checks and balances" and said that the direction of the government under his supervision "is not good for India". In a 40-minute interview to Karan Thapar for India Today TV's "To The Point" programme, he analysed the two years of Modi government and warned that over the next three years he expected "a more systematic attempt to curb civil liberties" and an increase in "decentralised intimidation" besides "choking" of "inconvenient voices". Shourie accused the prime minister of narcissism,  which he described as both "self-love to an exaggerated extent and insecurity", and Machiavellism, which meant that he "exploits events to his benefit", according to a press release issued by the channel. The former minister, who has criticised Modi in the past also, said that the prime minister's "attitude to people is to use and throw them". He treats people "like paper napkins" and was "remorseless", he alleged. Shourie also referred to the raging controversy over the AugustaWestland helicopter deal and criticised the Modi government for not appealing against the acquittal by the Italian trial court of the company's two former chiefs Giuseppe Orsi and Bruno Spagnolini. According to him the reference by the Italian appeals court judge to the Indian government being unhelpful in the matter was specific to the Modi government.