Dr Singh's failed foreign policy & China remarks purely political: MEA

Former prome minister Manmohan Singh, in a  stinging attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government, said the BJP has been in power for more than seven years but still blames first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru for every problem. "The post of Prime Minister has a certain dignity." senior Congress leader in a video message  said the Congress had never divided the country for political gains or hidden the truth. The BJP, on the other hand, believed in "fake nationalist" based on the British policy of divide and rule, he said. "On one hand, people are facing problems of inflation and unemployment, on the other, the present government, in power for the last seven and a half years, rather than admitting its mistakes and rectifying them, is still blaming first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru for people's problems," Dr Singh said in the message played by the Congress. 

"I feel that the PM's position has a special dignity and should not blame history to downplay faults. When I was Prime Minister for 10 years, I spoke through my work. I never let the country lose prestige before the world. I never undermined India's pride," he said. "I have at least this satisfaction that after the false accusations against me of being weak, silent and corrupt, the BJP and its B and C-teams are getting exposed before the country." He also accused the government of a failed foreign policy and of trying to suppress Chinese incursions at the Line of Actual Control. "They  have no understanding of economic policy. The issue is not limited to the nation. This government has also failed on foreign policy. China is sitting at our border and efforts are being made to suppress it " Dr Singh said. "I hope the PM has understood that foreign policy cannot be conducted by forcibly hugging leaders, playing on swings or going for biryani uninvited," he added. 

The remarks of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on India's foreign policy are purely and clearly a political message, not a policy one, said the Ministry of External Affairs after Dr Singh stated China is sitting at our border and efforts are being made to hide the truth. "This is purely, clearly a political message not a policy one so I think from my position here, I would not like to get into that," said Arindam Bagchi, spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday.