Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh recently penned a scathing letter to Punjab’s voters, condemning the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre. In his letter, Singh portrayed the current regime as a “despotic regime” attempting to impose dictatorship in India. He urged voters to safeguard democracy and the Constitution from what he perceives as repeated assaults by the ruling government. Here are the key points from his letter:
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- Singh appealed to Punjab’s voters to utilize their voting power to prevent what he sees as the erosion of democratic values in the country.
- He emphasized Punjab’s historical resilience and called upon its citizens to uphold the democratic ethos of inclusiveness and harmony.
- Singh criticized the BJP government for its treatment of farmers, citing the deaths of 750 farmers at Delhi borders during protests against the farm laws.
- He denounced Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s characterization of farmers as “Andolanjeevis” (professional protestors) and “Parasites” in Parliament.
- Singh highlighted the failure of the government to fulfill its promise of doubling farmers’ income by 2022, citing statistics on low farmer income and high debt.
- He criticized the economic policies of the BJP government, including demonetization, GST implementation, and management during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Singh pointed out a decline in GDP growth under the BJP government compared to the Congress-UPA tenure, with average growth plummeting below 6 percent.
- He lamented unprecedented levels of unemployment and inflation, contributing to a widening wealth gap, which he claims is at a 100-year high.
- Singh accused the government of whimsical decision-making in farm-related matters, exacerbating the plight of farmers and rural households.
- He concluded by urging voters to use their ballot as a tool to protect democracy and uphold the values of inclusiveness and social justice.
