Only One Party Has Access to 90% Election Funds: Manmohan Singh

The former prime minister believes that time has come to rethink State funding of election.

Former prime minister Manmohan Singh said that the time has come to rethink the state funding of election.

(Photo: PTI)

Addressing the birth centenary celebrations of Communist Party Leader (CPI) Indrajit Gupta, former prime minister Manmohan Singh said that the time has come to rethink State funding of elections, considering that only a single party has access to 90% of the resources.

Referring to the report on electoral funding published by a parliamentary committee headed by Indrajit Gupta, Singh applauded Gupta’s contribution as a parliamentarian, reported news agency ANI.

“I was privileged to be a member of the committee headed by him. He argued for the role of State funding in the election. Today, when only one party has access to 90 percent of the election fund, such ideas need to be discussed and deliberated.”

Manmohan Singh, Former PM

During the governments of prime ministers HD Deve Gowda and IK Gujral, Indrajit Gupta served as the Union home minister from 1996 to 1998.

‘Not Obsessed With Trapping Of Powers’

Gupta understood the importance of an opposition in a democracy and knew that without a strong opposition, a democracy has no soul, Singh said

“A remarkable quality of Indrajit Gupta ji was that he was never obsessed with the trappings of power. Even as a Cabinet minister, he valued the role of the opposition, preferring consensus over confrontation.”

Manmohan Singh, Former PM

He also added that Gupta would listen to every idea patiently no matter how disparaging it would appear in the beginning.

Singh also said that Indrajit Gupta was a man of simplicity and a humility, a quality that might not win you elections, but is remembered by generations to come.

“As the leader of the smaller party, he would often speak towards the end of the parliamentary debates. But every time he spoke, he always introduced a new dimension forcing the treasury benches to take note.”

Manmohan Singh, Former PM

(With Inputs from ANI)