Yashwant Sinha lambasts Modi govt, asks BJP MPs to speak up

Sinha said that after spending four years in power and presenting five budgets, the BJP government has used up all the opportunity to show results

Lamenting that after completing four years of their rule at the Centre, the NDA government has lost its way and the confidence of the voters, rebel BJP leader and former Union Minister Yashwant Sinha on Tuesday called on party MPs to “speak up and save democracy and the country.”

“The government has now completed nearly four years in office, presented five budgets and used up all the opportunity available to it to show results. At the end of it, however, we seem to have lost our way and the confidence of the voters,” Sinha remarked in an open letter to the party MPs published in a national daily.

Noting that the situation in the country remains grim, be it in terms of the poor state of the economy, deteriorating levels of women safety, in the realm of foreign policy, internal democracy in the party and denigration of institutions of democracy, Sinha said, “The situation demands that you speak up in national interest. I am glad to note that at least five Scheduled Caste MPs of the party have expressed their disenchantment with the government for not delivering on the promises made to the community. I am urging you to also express your opinion frankly before the bosses on all issues confronting us. If you remain silent now you will do a great disservice to the country.”

The BJP leader also warned, “Future generations are unlikely to forgive you. It is your right to demand accountability from those who are in the government today and are letting down the country. The interest of the country supersedes that of the party, just as the interest of the party supersedes the interest of an individual. I am appealing specially to former deputy Prime Minister LK Advaniji and former Union Minister MM Joshiji to take a stand in the national interest and ensure that the values they have made such unparalleled sacrifices to uphold are protected and preserved for future generations and corrective steps are taken in time.”

Expressing concerns over the economic situation in the country and the banking scams, Sinha said, “The economic situation is grim, despite tall claims to the contrary by the government that we are the world’s fastest growing economy. A fast growing economy does not accumulate the kind of non-performing assets in its banks, as we have done over the last four years. In a fast growing economy, the farmers are not in distress, the youth are not without jobs, small businesses do not stand destroyed and savings and investment do not fall as drastically as they have over the last four years. What is worse, corruption has raised its ugly head again and banking scams are tumbling out of the closet one after another. The scamsters also manage to run away from the country somehow, as the government watches helplessly.”

Sinha said that everyone in the BJP had hoped that the unprecedented victory in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections would mark the beginning of a new and glorious chapter in the country’s history.  However, looking at the performance of the government, he warned that the chances of the BJP winning the next Lok Sabha elections was remote, especially when confronted with a united Opposition. “Today, it appears as if winning elections by controlling the means of communication, specially the media and social media, is the sole purpose of our party and even that is threatened seriously now. I do not know how many of you will get the ticket for the next Lok Sabha elections but if previous experience is any guide, half of you at least will not. The chances of your winning the election, even if you get the ticket are fairly remote. In the last Lok Sabha election, the BJP had secured only 31 per cent votes; 69 per cent was polled against it. So, if the Opposition unites, you will be nowhere,” he said.

Expressing concerns over the economic situation in the country and the banking scams, Sinha said, “The economic situation is grim, despite tall claims to the contrary by the government that we are the world’s fastest growing economy. A fast growing economy does not accumulate the kind of non-performing assets in its banks, as we have done over the last four years. In a fast growing economy, the farmers are not in distress, the youth are not without jobs, small businesses do not stand destroyed and savings and investment do not fall as drastically as they have over the last four years. What is worse, corruption has raised its ugly head again and banking scams are tumbling out of the closet one after another. The scamsters also manage to run away from the country somehow, as the government watches helplessly.”

Touching upon the issue of violence against women, minorities and dalits, Sinha wrote, “Women are more unsafe today than ever before. Rapes have become the order of the day and instead of acting strictly against the rapists we have become their apologists. In many cases, our own people are involved in these heinous crimes. The minorities are alienated. The worst is that the Scheduled Castes and Tribes, the weaker sections of our society, have been exposed to atrocities and inequities as never before and the guarantees given to them in the Constitution stand threatened.” 

UNI