Presidential election is a fight against ‘misuse’ of central agencies, says Yashwant Sinha

Opposition's candidate Yashwant Sinha on Monday said the July 18 presidential poll is a fight against the "misuse" of central agencies by the Union government. Sinha said if he becomes the president, the misuse of central agencies will be stopped.

He also alleged that the BJP and the government led by it at the Centre are "deliberately" creating an atmosphere of hate in the country. Sinha attacked the Centre over its economic policies, declining growth and the fall in rupee exchange rate.

However, he said India will not see a situation like Sri Lanka. Sinha said the elections are being held in unusual circumstances.

"All know what is the condition of the country. An atmosphere of hate is being created and pushed deliberately by the BJP and the Government of India," he told reporters.

"This is also a fight against those agencies which are being misused by the Centre. I do not know what will happen to me after the elections," he said.

Saying that the country saw a "silent president" in the past five years, Sinha asserted that the misuse of central agencies will be stopped if he is elected the president. He will call the prime minister and ask him to speak on the issues which are raised by the Rajasthan CM, Sinha said referring to the demand of Ashok Gehlot that that the PM should address the nation on the current situation of tension, hate and violence in the country.

Responding to a question about the Sri Lanka economic crisis and India, Sinha said the crisis like it will not be seen in India. "I can say that India will not become Sri Lanka," he said. He also attacked the BJP over political developments in Maharashtra and now in Goa and said such development took place before the presidential election so that the number of opposition votes does not increase.

He said politics based on consensus, which was there in the era of former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee, has now ended. Now, there is politics on conflict, he said. After the press conference, Sinha met MLAs of the Congress and others supporting him.

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