Former BJP leader Yashwant Sinha on dharna to protest ‘murder of democracy’ in Karnataka

Yashwant Sinha sitting in protest at Vijay Chowk | Kumar Anshuman

Sinha was joined by Rashtriya Janata Dal leader and MP Manoj Jha, as well as leaders from the Aam Aadmi Party, the Congress and the Samajwadi Party.

New Delhi: Former BJP leader Yashwant Sinha sat on a protest at Vijay Chowk near Parliament Thursday, protesting against the invitation given by governor Vajubhai Vala to B.S. Yeddyurappa to form the government in Karnataka.

Sinha began his protest in the afternoon under the banner of the National Forum, which he started in January this year.

“I have sat on a protest because democracy has been murdered in Karnataka,” Sinha told ThePrint. “By giving the BJP a chance to form the government, the governor has acted as a BJP party leader and not as a constitutional authority.”

Sinha vowed to continue his protest until “justice is delivered” in Karnataka, and those who have the numbers are invited to form the government. “If the Supreme Court gives justice, then it is fine, otherwise my protest shall continue,” he said.

Sinha was joined by RJD leader and MP Manoj Jha, AAP leaders Ashutosh, Dilip Pandey and Pankaj Pushkar, Congress leader Bhakt Charan Das, Samajwadi Party leader Ghanshyam Tiwari and others.

Sinha attacked the BJP over its “lust” to form governments even if it doesn’t have the numbers. “There is a famous saying about the current BJP — ‘if they get the numbers they will form the government, if they don’t get the numbers they again will form the government’. The way the Modi government is playing with constitutional positions, it is not right,” he said.

Sinha even warned that a similar situation may arise after the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, and the BJP might use similar tactics to form the government.

“You saw what happened in the last parliament session. A no-confidence motion was not tabled. If the BJP doesn’t get the numbers in 2019, it will not even prove the majority in the house and run the government,” he said.

The Congress had approached the Supreme Court Wednesday night to challenge the governor’s invitation to the BJP to form the government. The court, however, did not stay the oath ceremony, reserving its final order for Friday, 18 May.