Calibrated effort in Modi regime to weaken democracy,alleges Manmohan; BJP hits back

Former prime minister Manmohan Singh Wednesday accused the government of making a "careful, well-thought-out calibrated effort" to weaken democracy and lamented that the credibility of institutions like Parliament and the CBI was being "systematically denigrated".

Singh levelled the allegation at a news conference in Indore ahead of the Assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh on November 28.

The BJP rejected Singh's charge while the Prime Minister's Office(PMO) did not react.

The BJP alleged that Singh's Congress-led government in its 10-year rule had always put pressure on institutions like the CBI while the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi "respects" institutions and does not interfere in their functioning.

"Nobody is harming or weakening any institution. It is our government that is giving them independence to express their views and in economic policy. Singh should know that there are always difference of opinion and there are multiple options in research allocation," BJP spokesperson Gopal Krishna Agarwal said in New Delhi.

In a veiled reference to developments in the RBI and CBI, Singh said the Modi government is trying to prevail over big institutions, adding this was detrimental to democracy and the law of the land.

"The country has witnessed credibility of institutions like Parliament and CBI systematically denigrated. There is a careful, well-thought-out and calibrated effort to weaken democracy," he said.

"The rule of law is under attack. history shall never forgive our present generation if the situation is not changed," he added.

Alleging that the relationship between the RBI and the Finance Ministry has hit a low, the former Union finance minister said there is a need for "harmony and coordination".

"The RBI governor and finance minister have a delicate relationship. Both have to work together. Even though the job of running the country rests with the government, specific responsibility is given to the RBI governor by the RBI Act. There is a need to recognise inter-dependence of the two entities and work in harmony," he said.

"I am happy with the efforts being made to bring reconciliation. Both need to work in harmony with each other."
The note ban and the "flawed" Goods and Services Tax (GST) of the NDA government have caused a "great damage" to the unorganised sector, Singh said. "The note ban failed to achieve its goal."