Will stop misuse of agencies a day after taking oath, says Oppn Prez candidate Yashwant Sinha

Jaipur, July 11 (IANS) Yashwant Sinha, the Opposition Presidential nominee, said here on Monday that he will stop the misuse of central agencies a day after taking oath.

Sinha also questioned the silence of the current President on vital issues and said, "If we talk about the last five years, it was a period of silence in the Rashtrapati Bhavan. We saw a silent President."

Sinha also said that his former party BJP is dead and gone. However, he termed former Prime Minister late Atal Bihari Vajpayee as a consensus builder who always consulted the Opposition.

"Politics based on consensus has ended and now it is the era of politics of confrontation," he said.

Speaking to the media here on Monday, Sinha said, "I can say this much that if I win the election and become the President, from the second day onwards I will stop this misuse of agencies by the government. I will not tell you now how I will stop it , but I will do it.

"I will also call the Prime Minister and tell him that remaining silent on the burning issues facing the country is not right, and he should speak out on these issues."

He added, "The Prime Minister should speak on many issues. At least the President can call the Prime Minister and discuss the current situation in the country. That is why the last five years have been a period of silence. A Constitutional obligation of the President was not fulfilled."

Sinha also said the Opposition is not fighting against only one political party, but the fight is also against the agencies of the government which are being used to harass people.

"That's why the fight is against the ED, CBI and Income Tax department. I don't know what will happen to me after the election," he said.

Sinha also questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the falling rupee against the dollar and accused the Centre of playing a game of toppling elected governments in non-BJP states.

"Why are they playing this game just before the Presidential poll? First Maharashtra, and now they are trying to buy MLAs in Goa. They only want to increase their numbers," he said.