Punjab Election: Former PM and Congress leader Manmohan Singh targeted BJP saying the party's nationalism was based on the British policy of ‘divide and rule’.
The BJP had been in power for more than seven years and was still blaming first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru for the problems of the people, former prime minister and Congress leader Manmohan Singh said on Thursday in a scathing attack against the Modi-led government.
Targeting the Central government on a host of issues, including the farmers’ agitation, foreign policy, price rise and unemployment, Singh said ahead of the Punjab elections on February 20 that the BJP’s nationalism was based on the British policy of “divide and rule”.
The Congress played the message delivered in Punjabi at a press conference here.
"On the one hand, people are facing problems of price rise and unemployment, on the other, the present government, which has been in power for the last seven and a half years, rather than admitting their mistakes and making amends, is still blaming first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru for being responsible for people's problems," Singh said in his video statement.
The former prime minister also referred to the security lapse of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s convoy being stuck on a flyover in Ferozepur last month.
"A few days ago, in the name of the prime minister's security, an attempt was made to defame Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi and the people of the state," he said.
"During the farmers’ agitation too, an attempt was made to defame Punjab and Punjabiyat," he said.
The world salutes the bravery, patriotism and sacrifice of Punjabis, but the NDA government did not talk about any of this, Singh said.
“As a true Indian hailing from Punjab, all these things deeply hurt me,” he added.
Singh said there are many challenges before the people of Punjab and it is very important to deal with them effectively.
It is very important to address the issues of Punjab's development, its farming and unemployment, he said.
“And this work can only be done by the Congress,” he said as he appealed to the people of Punjab to vote for the Congress.
The Congress leader said he had worked as prime minister for 10 years and had always preferred that his work should speak for itself.
"We never divided the country for political gains. We never tried to put curtains on the truth. Never allowed the country’s prestige to be lowered," he said.
At the international level, prestige of India and Indians was enhanced, he said, while adding that the country remembers the good work done during the Congress-led UPA rule.