India's economy systematically dismantled: Manmohan Singh's salvo at PM Modi

Former prime minister Manmohan Singh on Monday launched a scathing attack on the Narendra Modi government and accused it of "systematically dismantling" the Indian economy.

"It took years to make the Indian economy the third largest economy... now it is being systematically dismantled," Singh said while addressing a press conference in poll-bound Karnataka.

Singh slammed the present government for its “disastrous policies” and said that despite favourable global conditions and changes in calculation methods, the growth rate of India’s GDP declined due to the “economic mismanagement” by the government.

The former prime minister also accused the Modi government of “peddling conspiracy theories” against its opponents and not taking “prompt corrective action”.

“No Prime Minister in our country has used the Office of the Prime Minister to say things about his opponent that Modi has been doing day in and day out. It doesn't behove a Prime Minister to stoop so low and it is not good for the country as a whole as well,” Singh said.

Singh showered praises upon state Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for giving “dynamic leadership” to Karnataka and asked PM Modi to learn development lessons from the southern state.

“Siddaramaiah has provided a dynamic and progressive leadership to Karnataka. He has dealt with the drought effectively and provided timely assistance to farmers. We hope PM Modi will learn and implement development lessons from the state,” he said.

Also Read | Can Modi’s ‘secret’ understanding with JD-S help BJP clinch power in Karnataka?

Trust of people eroding in banking system

Launching an all-out attack against Modi, Singh said that people were losing faith in the country’s banking sector due to the “economic mismanagement” of the Modi government.

“The economic management of the Modi government is slowly eroding the trust of the general public in the banking system. Recent incidents which resulted in shortage of cash in many states were preventable,” the former PM said in Bengaluru.

Nirav Modi fraud blame on Modi government

Singh went full throttle and directly put the blame of the Punjab National bank scam on the Modi government. He said that the central government didn’t do anything while Nirav Modi was looting the country.  

“As far as Nirav Modi is concerned, it was obvious that in 2015-16 that something is going around with the affairs of Modi. Yet the Modi government didn't do anything. If blame has to be cast, it has to be on the government of mandate,” Singh said.

“In fact, the PM was in Davos in the company of Nirav Modi & only a few days later he ran away from the country. That itself is the reflection of sad state of affairs in this wonderland of Modi government,” he added. Also Read | PM Modi urges K'taka BJP Yuva Morcha workers to stop violence

Jobs not being created

Singh also took on the Modi government over the issue of increasing unemployment in the country and said that a true leader would create and not destroy the opportunities.

“True leadership creates opportunities, it does not destroy them: Dr Manmohan Singh on the destruction of jobs under Modi Govt,” Singh said.