Tearing into the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government at the Centre, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday said the “attitude” of suspecting everyone to be a thief or anti-national just because they don’t agree with you is “damaging to democratic discourse”.
Addressing the media in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, a day ahead of the first anniversary of demonetisation, Singh said November 8 was a “black day” for the economy and democracy.
“Tomorrow we mark one year since the disastrous policy was thrust on the people of our country. To promote less cash economy coercive steps like demonetisation are ineffective,” he said.
“I repeat what I said in the parliament, this was organised loot and legalised plunder,” he said further adding that the twin (demonetisation and GST) blow has broken the back of small businesses.
Manmohan Singh criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s pet project of bullet train and called it an “exercise in vanity”.
“Bullet train, launched with much fan fare, is an exercise in vanity. Did PM consider alternative of the high speed train by upgrading broad gauge railway?,” said Singh.
“By questioning bullet trains does one become anti-development? Does questioning GST and demonetisation make one a tax evader?”
“This attitude of suspecting everyone to be thief or anti-national, low level rhetoric is damaging to democratic discourse,” the former PM said.
The Congress leader further highlighted that India had to “run for Chinese imports” at the cost of Indian jobs and in the first half of 2016-17, imports from China stood at Rs.1.96 Lakh Crore and in 2017-18 it increased to Rs 2.41 Lakh Crore.
“Unprecedented growth of imports by over Rs.45,000 Crore, a 23 per cent increase in a year can be attributed largely to demonetisation, GST,” he said.