‘Modi First PM To Lower Dignity Of Public Discourse': Ex PM Manmohan Singh

Appeals to voters to avail of final chance to protect our democracy and Constitution’

In a rare but scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said Modi is the first Prime Minister to lower the dignity of public discourse and the gravity of the office of the PM by giving “hateful speeches” during the poll campaign.

Mounting an attack on Modi, the former Prime Minister said: “I have been keenly following the political discourse during this election campaign. 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.”

“No Prime Minister in the past has uttered such hateful, unparliamentary and coarse terms, meant to target either a specific section of the society or the Opposition. 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 said in his three-page open letter.