New Delhi, May 14 (newsin.asia): Former Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday wrote a letter to President Ram Nath Kovind asking him to caution Prime Minister Narendra Modi about using ‘unwarranted, threatening and intimidating language’ against leaders of the Congress or any other party as it does not fit the position of Prime Minister.
Referring to Modi’s speech in Hubli during campaigning for the Karnataka elections, where he warned Congress leaders against “crossing the boundary or facing a backlash”, the letter said that such menacing and intimidating words might provoke breach of peace.
“Congress leaders listen with your ears wide open. If you cross the boundary, then this is Modi, you will face a backlash (Congress ke neta kan kholkar sun lijiye, agar simayon ko par karenge, ye Modi hain, lene ke dene par jayenge),” the letter quoted PM Modi as saying during a rally in Hubli on May 6. The link to the video was also mentioned in the letter.
“The threat held out by the Prime Minister to the leadership of the Indian National Congress (INC) deserves to be condemned. This cannot be the language of a constitutionally governed democratic country of 1.3 billion people. Such discourse ,whether in public or in private, is unacceptable conduct,” the letter said.
“The words used are menacing and intimidating with intent to insult and provoke breach of peace.”
“The Congress Party is the oldest party in India and has faced may challenges and threats.The Congress’ leadership has always exhibited courage and fearlessness in facing threats and challenges. We would like to state that neither the party nor our leaders will be cowed down by such threats,” the letter warned.
It further said: ” The President of India, as the constitutional head of the Union of India, enjoys high duty and obligation to advice and guide the Prime Minister and his cabinet. Admittedly,the Prime Minister is not expected to use menacing language even in the course of an election campaign, which tantamount to using his powers and privileges as Prime Minister to settle personal and political scores.”
“The Honorable President may caution the Prime Minister from using such unwarranted, threatening and intimidating language against the leaders of the Congress party or any other party or person as it doe not behove the position of the Prime Minister.”
The letter was countersigned by Congress leaders Karan Singh, P.Chidambaram, Ashok Gehlot, Anand Sharma, Ambika Soni, Ahmed Patel, Mallikarjuna Kharge, Motilal vohra, Kamal Nath and Mukul Wasnik.
Earlier Letter
Earlier too Manmohan Singh had issued a statement condemning the “anti-national tag” which Modi had given to him and other senior leaders of the Congress party during the Gujarat State Assembly elections. In a strongly worded statement the usually reticent former Prime Minister Singh said that Modi’s remarks did not befit the high office he was holding and asked him not to denigrate the office by his thoughtless and unwarranted remarks and insinuations.
Modi had said in one of his election speeches that Manmohan Singh and other leaders of the Congress had met with the Pakistan High Commissioner over dinner in Delhi to plan a strategy to win the Gujarat elections. The BJP had earlier dubbed Congress leader Ahmad Patel as a Pakistani front because he is a Muslim.
