When Manmohan Singh attacked PM Narendra Modi during 2024 Lok Sabha elections
“Modi ji has indulged in the most vicious form of hate speeches, which are purely divisive in nature,” Manmohan Singh said about the PM during Lok Sabha polls.
Former prime minister Manmohan Singh had brought out the mainstream politician spirit in him during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections when he slammed his successor, Narendra Modi, for giving “hateful speeches” during the poll campaigning.
Brushing aside his soft, elderly image and critical health conditions, Manmohan Singh took a bold stance against the current prime minister.
The 92-year-old Congress leader passed away in Delhi on Thursday night after being brought to AIIMS in a critical condition.
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Ahead of the seventh and final phase of voting for the general elections on June 1, the architect of India's economic reforms had appealed to voters of Punjab, asserting that only Congress could lead the way to a growth-oriented future where both democracy and the Constitution are safeguarded, news agency PTI reported.
He slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party-led central government for an "ill-conceived" Agnipath scheme for the Armed forces, describing it as a threat to national security.
"The BJP thinks that the value of patriotism, bravery and service is only four years. This shows their fake nationalism," Singh said in a letter.
The grand old party released the former PM's letter, considered to be his last to the Punjab voters, to the media on May 30 amid peak election chaos in the nation.
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He accused the outgoing regime of Narendra Modi of "woefully" betraying those who trained for regular recruitment in the army.
"The youth of Punjab, the son of the farmer, who dreams of serving the motherland through the Armed Forces, is now thinking twice about getting recruited only for a 4-year stint. Agniveer scheme endangers national security. Congress party has therefore promised to abolish the Agniveer scheme," Manmohan Singh had written.
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Launching a scathing attack on PM Modi, Singh noted that he had been closely following the political discourse during the poll campaigning and witnessed that "Modi ji has indulged in the most vicious form of hate speeches, which are purely divisive in nature".
"Modi ji is the first prime minister to lower the dignity of public discourse, and there gravity of the office of the prime minister," he had added.
Singh further said that there was no PM in the history of India who used such "hateful, unparliamentary and coarse terms", which were aimed at a specific section of the society or the Opposition.
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"He also attributed some false statements to me. I have never in my life singled out one community from the other. That is the sole copyright of the BJP," the former PM's fierce words read.
Singh had described the situation to be peak of "this narrative of dehumanisation", adding that it is the people's duty to save the beloved nation from "these forces of discord".
He had urged voters to make a choice for development and inclusive progress and to give love, peace, fraternity and harmony a chance in India.
"I appeal to all the young minds to exercise caution and vote for a brighter future. Only Congress can ensure a growth-oriented progressive future, where democracy and the Constitution shall be safeguarded," Singh had said.
Notably, prime minister Narendra Modi had at the time accused Manmohan Singh of saying that Muslims have the first right on the resources of India. To this, the former PM responded and said that people of the nation are seeing through all this.
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Noting that the nation was standing at a crucial juncture and that too in the last phase of voting, Singh reiterated the need to ensure the protection of Constitution and democracy "from the repeated assaults of a despotic regime, trying to unleash dictatorship in India".
Further, Singh lauded Punjabis as warriors and slammed the BJP government, saying that it left no stone unturned in "castigating Punjab, Punjabis and Punjabiyat".
"As if the lathis and the rubber bullets were not enough, none less than the Prime Minister verbally assaulted our farmers by calling them 'Andolanjeevis' and 'Parjeevi' (Parasites) on the floor of the Parliament. Their only demand was the withdrawal of the three farm laws imposed on them without consulting them," he had said.
He compared the UPA regime with the Modi government, saying that the Congress-led administration had increased the purchasing power of people despite challenges. Whereas, the BJP-led Centre's "misrule" resulted in depletion of household savings to a historic 47-year low.
(with PTI inputs)
