Modi govt trying to remote control all independent institutions: Sibal

Senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal Saturday alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi government is running all independent institutions through remote control, whose battery is almost dead now.

Accusing the BJP-led government of appointing RSS affiliated people at the top post of independent institutions in the country, he said it is a dangerous trend and not healthy for the democracy.

However, there was no immediate reaction from the BJP.

"Modi government is trying to run every independent institution in the country through a remote control. But the remote control's battery is now almost dead," Sibal said while speaking at the Jagran forum organised by the Dainik Jagran group.

Underlining that change is important, Sibal said the country does not want development that leaves behind a trail of destruction.

"The development that leaves behind a trail of destruction, we do not want that change. Modi promised maximum governance and minimum government, but what we got," Sibal questioned.

"All changes are meant for the betterment in the future. The change which annihilates the Constitution is dangerous," he added.

On being asked about the Congress questioning credibility of electronic voting machines (EVMs), Sibal said the party never claimed EVMs are tampered, it only suggested that these machines, like any other machine, can get tempered, while referring to an alleged incident where a bus carrying EVMs went missing in Madhya Pradesh.

The party raised questions about security of EVMs, he said, adding that "we are not saying that EVMs are tempered, but we are saying tempering can happen.