Modi should exercise restraint like a Prime Minister must, says Manmohan Singh

Former PM Manmohan Singh, National Conference President Farooq Abdullah and JD(U) leader Pavan Varma release the book "Fables of Fractured Times", authored by Congress leader Manish Tewari | Manvender Vashist

Manmohan Singh said Modi is the Prime Minister of all Indians, and his conduct must be ‘worthy and consistent with the obligation he has as PM’.

New Delhi: With the level of political discourse dropping on the campaign trail every day, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Monday advised PM Narendra Modi to consider “due restraint” in his public speeches.

Singh was speaking at the launch of Congress leader Manish Tewari’s book Fables of Fractured Times in New Delhi.

Personal attacks

In the ongoing campaign ahead of assembly elections in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and other states, many leaders have used derogatory language.

PM Modi had attacked Congress leaders for making personal remarks against his parents. This came after a senior Congress leader, Vilas Muttemwar, said everybody knows about Rahul Gandhi’s father but no one knows the name of Narendra Modi’s father.

The video of the former Union minister making these controversial remarks at a Congress meeting in Rajasthan soon went viral.

In response, referring to Gandhi, PM Modi said the Congress leaders were indulging in such politics at the behest of a naamdar (dynast).

Singh’s advice

Singh was asked to comment on how to maintain dignity and decorum in public discourse, cutting across party lines.

“My advice to the Prime Minister is to exercise due restraint that is becoming of a Prime Minister. When the PM goes to states that are not ruled by the BJP, he has an obligation to not use the language that has now become common practice,” the economist-politician said.

Senior leader of the National Conference Farooq Abdullah had said Modi is the prime minister of the entire country, and Singh agreed, urging the PM to set an example.

“He is the Prime Minister of all Indians. His conduct must be worthy and consistent with the obligation he has as PM,” Singh said.

Singh maintained that he and his Congress-led UPA government never discriminated against BJP-ruled states, but the Modi government is doing it every day.

“We never discriminated against the BJP-ruled states. (Madhya Pradesh CM) Shivraj Singhji would himself testify to this. We paid the respect that was deserved,” he said.