Lucknow: Launching a blistering attack on the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government, former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee today (July 3, 2004) said the manner in which the four Governors were sacked has reduced the Constitutional post to that of a "daily wage worker" and termed it as a "big blow to Democracy".

In his first comment on the issue, Vajpayee said Home Minister Shivraj Patil should either deny the Governors had been removed because of their association with Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) or "apologise" to the saffron organisation for using it as a reason.

"Jis tarah se Governors ko hataya gaya hai, usse unki stithi dihari mazdooron jaisi ho gai hai (The way the Governors have been removed, their position has been reduced to daily wage workers)," he told reporters on his arrival here on a two-day visit of his Parliamentary constituency.

"The reasons (of association with RSS) cited (for removal) has not been denied so far. It has been said that they had been dismissed because of their association with RSS," Vajpayee said.

"If this is wrong, the Home Minister should deny it or apologise to RSS," the former Prime Minister said.

Minister of State for Home Sriprakash Jaiswal had said the Government had the right to remove Governors and BJP-led Government should not have appointed RSS-associated people to Raj Bhavans in the first place.

Vajpayee said there could be differences with the views of RSS but it was unacceptable that people associated with the Sangh could not perform a Constitutional duty or hold a Constitutional post.