Former PM Manmohan Singh accuses Narendra Modi of reducing dignity of office
New Delhi, May 30: Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has sharply criticised the BJP-led NDA government, calling it a "despotic regime trying to unleash dictatorship in India." In a letter addressed to voters in Punjab ahead of the seventh phase of the Lok Sabha Elections on June 1, Manmohan Singh urged them to protect democracy and the Constitution from what he described as repeated assaults by the current regime.
"Punjab and Punjabis are warriors. Known for our spirit of sacrifice, our indomitable courage, and our belief in democratic values of inclusiveness, harmony, amity, and brotherhood, we can protect our great nation," he stated.
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Manmohan Singh accused the BJP government of relentlessly castigating Punjab over the past decade. He highlighted the plight of farmers, noting that 750 farmers, primarily from Punjab, lost their lives during prolonged protests at Delhi borders. "As if lathis and rubber bullets were not enough, the Prime Minister insulted our farmers by calling them 'Andolanjeevis' and 'Parjeevi (Parasites)' in Parliament. Their only demand was the withdrawal of the three farm laws imposed without consultation," he said.
Despite Prime Minister Narendra Modi's promise to double farmers' income by 2022, Manmohan Singh argued that government policies over the past 10 years had eroded farmers' earnings. "The national average monthly income of farmers is a meager Rs 27 per day, while the average debt per farmer is Rs 27,000 (NSSO). High input costs, including fuel and fertilisers, GST on at least 35 farm-related items, and erratic decisions on farm exports and imports have decimated farmers' savings, leaving them marginalised," he added.
Manmohan Singh also criticised the nation's economic management over the past decade, citing "unimaginable turmoil." He attributed the economic distress to "the demonetisation disaster, flawed GST implementation, and mismanagement during the Covid pandemic," which he claimed have led to a situation where a subpar 6-7 percent GDP growth is now considered normal.
"The average GDP growth under the BJP government has fallen below 6 percent, compared to about 8 percent during the Congress-UPA tenure (New Series). Unprecedented unemployment and rampant inflation have greatly widened inequality, now at a 100-year high," Singh added.
- ANI
