New Delhi: Launching an attack on the Centre, the joint Opposition presidential candidate Yashwant Sinha on Wednesday said that the Indian democracy is in grave danger and every institution of democratic governance is being subverted by the ruling party, news agency IANS reported. According to the report, Sinha said the government agencies like the ED, CBI, income tax department and even the Governor's office are being ‘weaponised’ to target the opposition leaders, engineer defections in opposition parties and topple state governments.
"Never before did the Indian Republic face as many simultaneous threats to the Constitution," IANS quoted him as saying while addressing a meeting of Congress and other opposition MLAs and MPs in Guwahati.
Talking about the economy being ‘mismanaged’, Sinha said, "The Indian rupee has suffered the steepest fall against the US dollar during the tenure of the current Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) from 58.44 in 2014 to 79.63 on Tuesday. The unprecedented price rise has badly hit the common people. Here is an example. The price of an LPG cylinder in 2014 was Rs 410. Today in Guwahati, it is Rs 1,129 - nearly 300 per cent increase. Record unemployment, especially in the northeast, has created a bleak future for our youth."
The opposition presidential candidate further alleged that in a bid to win elections, the ruling party has embarked on an evil design to communally polarise the Indian society.
"We have seen this in Assam, too. This will have perilous consequences not only for social peace, but also for the nation's unity and integrity. The ruling dispensation's agenda of one nation, one party, one ruler is meant to convert democratic India into an imitator of communist China. This must be stopped," he said.
"I have a great personal regard for Droupadi Murmu. However, I have repeatedly stressed that this election is not about persons and their identities, it is about ideologies. It is about their commitments to the Constitution," Sinha added.
"Should India have a silent Rashtrapati? Should India have a rubber-stamp Rashtrapati?" Sinha said, adding, "I shall serve as the impartial Custodian of the Constitution. I shall use my powers, without fear or favour, to restrain the government if it deviates from the principles of the Constitution."
During the meeting, Sinha further said that Shiv Sena leader Udhhav Thackeray was forced to pledge support to NDA candidate Droupadi Murmu.