Manmohan Singh considered EC soul of democracy, PM Modi views it as “instrument of political hegemony”: Jairam Ramesh

New Delhi [India], July 13 (ANI): With former Chief Election Commissioner SY Quraishi recalling the respect the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had for the Election Commission, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Monday attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing him of viewing the poll body "as an instrument to exercise political hegemony".
In a post on X, Jairam Ramesh accused PM Modi of "capturing" the Election Commission and, referring to the SIR process, alleged that there had been "mass disenfranchisement" in pursuit of PM Modi's political goals.
"Dr. Manmohan Singh's comment made to a former CEC that he considered the Election Commission as 'the soul of our democracy' has invited media attention. Dr. Singh's comment is in sharp contrast to how the incumbent PM views the EC - as an instrument to exercise political hegemony," Jairam Ramesh said.
"Dr. Manmohan Singh could never have imagined that the EC would be so completely captured by his successor and that there would be CECs who would be so brazenly and blatantly partisan that they even commit mass disenfranchisement in pursuit of the PM's political goals," he added.
Jairam Ramesh said it was neither Manmohan Singh's nature nor his ideology "to politicise such national institutions".
He said history has been and will continue to be kind to the former Prime Minister "for his statesmanship and commitment to democracy and nation-building".
Quraishi said in an interview that Manmohan Singh had great respect for the Election Commission and recalled that when he was conveyed poll body's views about the "loose talk" by his ministers during the second UPA government, he said "if that is what you think, I'll commit suicide...".
Quraishi, who served as CEC from 2010 to 2012, said he was shocked to hear words of Manmohan Singh and "was not prepared for this at all".Quraishi said it took him 15-20 minutes to calm the then Prime Minister.
He also said that any aspersion cast on the Election Commission was not acceptable to Manmohan Singh. The incident pertains to the 2012 assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh and the Election Commission had pulled up then Union Law and Minority Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid over his remarks.
"When we were doing elections in UP, that was the time when Law Minister Salman Khurshid made an announcement that if they come to power, they'll increase the quota for minorities. Immediately BJP complained (to the Election Commission). We used to take all these complaints very seriously. We immediately gave a notice to the other party and a battery of lawyers from both sides appeared," he said.
"After four days of hearing, we came to the conclusion that Mr. Khurshid had indeed violated the model code. So we imposed the maximum punishment... After that, some Congress Ministers and leaders started indulging in loose talk against the election commission and me, personally. We were very upset. I don't mind people criticizing me, but condemning the election commission was not acceptable," he added.
Quraishi recalled having a conversation with Harish Khare, who was media advisor to then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
"So on one occasion when Harish Khare (Media Adviser to former PM Manmohan Singh) met me, I told him that this kind of loose talk is not acceptable and if I speak to the media that this is what is happening, your government will run for cover. So he said should I tell the Prime Minister? I said, it is meant for the Prime Minister only so that he takes action," Quraishi said.
"The next day I got, almost a panic call from Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh saying, Qureshi ji, I want to meet you immediately... When I met him, he said, Mr. Qureshi, Harish has told me about your conversation, last night. If that is what you think, I'll commit suicide... I was shocked. I was not prepared for this at all. I was only bringing to the notice the loose talk which his ministers were indulging in. It took me 15-20 minutes to calm him," he added.
Quraishi said he told the then Prime Minister that he admired him.
"You are such a great supporter of election commission.... This shows his sensitivity and his great respect for the commission. And any aspersion cast on Election Commission was not acceptable to him," the former CEC said.
Khurshid had promised nine per cent reservations for backward Muslims in Uttar Pradesh while campaigning for his wife Louise who was Congress candidate from Farrukhabad. He was censured by the Election Commission.
Khurshid later expressed regrets over his remarks and said he bows to the wisdom of the Election Commission. (ANI)