'First PM to lower dignity…': Manmohan Singh slams Modi
What's the story
Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his "divisive hate speeches" during campaign for the Lok Sabha elections.
Singh—who led the United Progressive Alliance governments from 2004 to 2014—said that no previous PM has used such "hateful, unparliamentary, and coarse terms" targeting specific sections of society or the opposition.
"Modi is first PM to lower dignity of public discourse...gravity of office of PM," Singh said in a letter addressed to Punjab voters.
2024 elections
Punjab to vote in final phase
All 13 seats in Punjab will vote in the final phase of the Lok Sabha elections on June 1.
Singh's remarks come as PM Modi—the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s star campaigner—is in Hoshiarpur, Punjab, on the last day of campaigning for the final phase of the general elections.
The former prime minister also blamed PM Modi for attributing some "false" statements to him.
2006 remarks
'False' statement attributed to me: Singh
Singh was referencing his 2006 remarks, which were quoted by PM Modi during his poll campaign in Rajasthan last month.
The PM had alleged that Singh had said that "Muslims should have the first right" to the country's resources.
The then Prime Minister's Office had clarified that Singh's reference to "first claim on resources" "refers to all the 'priority' areas... including programmes for the upliftment of SCs, STs, OBCs, women and children and minorities."
Statement
Never distinguished one community from another: Singh
"I have never in my life distinguished one community from another. This is the special right and habit of BJP," he said in his letter.
Appealing for peace and harmony, the former PM added, "I appeal to every voter of Punjab to vote for development and coordinated progress. I urge all young people to vote carefully, and to vote for the future. Only Congress can guarantee a development-led progressive future, where democracy and the Constitution will be protected."
On economy
Singh hits out at BJP over India's economy
Singh also hit out at the BJP over the country's economy.
"The scourge of demonetization, mismanaged GST and poor management during the...pandemic have created dire conditions. Below average 6-7% GDP growth has become normal. Annual GDP growth under the BJP government has dropped to less than 6%, while it was around 8% during the Congress-UPA," he said.
"The mismanagement of the BJP government has reduced household savings to a historic low of 47 years," he added.