'Modi ji first PM to lower dignity of public discourse': Manmohan Singh’s final letters on PM Modi,BJP, & more

Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who passed away at the age of 92 on Thursday, had earlier this year strongly condemned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's election campaign, accusing him of using hate speech and lowering the dignity of the Prime Minister's office.

Manmohan Singh passed away on Thursday evening at AIIMS after suffering a sudden loss of consciousness. The nation bids farewell to a statesman whose legacy will continue to influence Indian politics for years to come.

“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 thereby the gravity of the office of the prime minister," Singh stated in a letter released on May 30.

The Congress supremo also took aim at PM Modi’s campaign narrative, specifically the false claims attributed to him.

"He has 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,” he wrote, categorically denying the allegations made during the election period.

Agnipath Scheme & economic woes: A threat to national

Singh sharply criticised the Agnipath scheme, a controversial military recruitment program under the Modi government. He argued that the four-year service term discouraged youth from joining the armed forces and endangered national security.

"The Agniveer scheme endangers national security. The Congress party has therefore promised to abolish the Agniveer scheme," Singh declared.

The former Prime Minister didn’t hold back on the economic front either, highlighting the disastrous impact of the BJP government's policies. He lambasted the handling of demonetisation, the flawed Goods and Services Tax (GST), and the mismanagement during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The imposition of the demonetisation disaster, a flawed GST, and the painful mismanagement during the COVID pandemic has resulted in a miserable situation, where an expectation of a subpar 6-7 per cent GDP growth has become the new normal. Average GDP Growth under BJP Government has plunged to under 6 per cent, while during Congress-UPA tenure, it was about 8 per cent (New Series)," wrote the ex PM and Union Finance Minister.

"While the Congress-UPA, despite challenges, increased the purchasing power of our people, the misrule of the BJP Government has resulted in depletion of household savings to a historic 47-year low. Rural wages have witnessed a systematic fall, and wage disparity has led to widespread distress," noted Singh in the letter.

BJP’s hostility toward Punjab & farmers

Singh's letter also lashed out at the BJP's treatment of Punjab and its farmers, particularly during the farmer protests. He attacked the BJP for targeting Punjab, Punjabis, and the concept of Punjabiyat, referring to the tragic deaths of 750 farmers.

“In the past ten years, the BJP government has left no stone unturned in castigating Punjab, Punjabis and Punjabiyat. 750 farmers, mostly belonging to Punjab, were martyred while incessantly waiting at Delhi borders, for months together. 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," Singh wrote.

The ex PM took a firm stance against Modi's narrative of division, particularly when the Prime Minister accused him of saying that Muslims had the "first right" to the country's resources. Singh rejected this, stating, "This narrative of dehumanisation has now reached its peak. It is now our duty to save our beloved nation from these forces of discord."

"Modi has indulged in most vicious form of hate speeches, which are purely divisive in nature," he had also said in the letter shared by Congress on social media platform X.

A final appeal to Punjab’s voters

In his final campaign letter ahead of the last phase of the 18th Lok Sabha elections on June 1, Singh appealed to voters in Punjab to support the Congress Party. He stressed that only Congress could ensure a "growth-oriented progressive future" and protect the values of democracy and the Constitution.