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Government has denigrated institutions, says Sangma

Former Union minister Purno A Sangma today said the present government had denigrated institutions, and warned that this would permanently damage the democratic system.

Opposing the motion of confidence sought in the Lok Sabha by Atal Bihari Vajpayee, he said this included Parliament, offices of the president and governors, educational institutions, and the bureaucracy.

"Anyone can become anything these days," he said, accusing the government of belittling the governor's office.

Sangma said this government had come up with 35 ordinances in its term and that it was a government of ordinances. He also accused the government of poor floor management and lack of experience in governance, causing great damage to the country.

He launched a scathing attack on the ministry of human resource development, saying Murli Manohar Joshi was trying to saffronise education. He said he had information about how various people were being inducted into various institutions merely because their personal beliefs matched those of the government. This will be dangerous for democracy, he said.

Sangma said many confidential messages from the President to the government had been leaked out to the media. He also criticised Defence Minister George Fernandes for going too often to the media instead of revealing details to Parliament.

"Has the defence minister become so defenceless?" he asked.

He said according to reports he had read, the President was merely informed of Admiral Vishnu Bhagwat's dismissal even though he is the supreme commander of the armed forces.

Sangma did not feel the prime minister was himself responsible for this, but the party and its inexperience had vitiated the democratic institution.

UNI

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