'Average GDP growth under BJP govt...': Manmohan Singh castigates BJP govt ahead of Punjab voting

As Punjab gears up for the next phase of the General Elections, former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh has issued a comprehensive letter to the people of Punjab, addressing a range of economic and social issues that have emerged over the past decade. Dr. Singh, known to be the architect of India's economic reforms, has outlined his concerns about the current state of the nation under the BJP government.

Dr. Singh began by highlighting the economic challenges India has faced in the past ten years. "The nation's economy has witnessed unimaginable turmoil," he wrote, pointing to several key issues. "The imposition of the demonetisation disaster, a flawed GST, and the painful mismanagement during the COVID pandemic has resulted in a miserable situation, where an expectation of a subpar 6-7 percent GDP growth has become the new normal."

Comparing economic performance, Dr. Singh noted, "Average GDP growth under the BJP government has plunged to under 6 percent, while during the Congress-UPA tenure, it was about 8 percent (New Series)." He also drew attention to rising unemployment and inflation, stating, "Unprecedented unemployment and unbridled inflation have greatly widened inequality, which is now at a 100-year high."

Dr. Singh criticised the impact of the BJP's policies on household savings and rural wages. "The misrule of the BJP government has resulted in the depletion of household savings to a historic 47-year low. Rural wages have witnessed a systematic fall, and wage disparity has led to widespread distress."

Addressing the challenges faced by the youth, Dr. Singh wrote, "Our youth is the most neglected section of society under the present dispensation. There are 30 lakh government vacancies. Innumerable paper leaks have cast a dark shadow on their future, even as they are forced to wait for recruitment for years." He highlighted the Congress party's "Yuva Nyay" guarantees as a solution, including the Right to Apprenticeship and commitments to systematically fill vacancies, reserve half of those jobs for women, and establish fast-track courts for paper leak cases.

Dr. Singh also criticized the Agniveer Scheme imposed by the BJP government on the Armed Forces. "The BJP thinks that the value of patriotism, bravery, and service is only 4 years. This shows their fake nationalism. Those who trained for regular recruitment were woefully betrayed by the outgoing regime." He emphasized the scheme's negative impact on Punjab's youth and national security, stating, "The youth of Punjab, the son of the farmer, who dreams of serving the motherland through the Armed Forces, is now thinking twice about getting recruited only for a 4-year stint. Agniveer Scheme endangers National Security. Congress party has therefore promised to abolish the Agniveer Scheme."

In contrast, Dr. Singh recalled the efforts made by the Congress-UPA government to support Punjab. "The Amritsar-Kolkata Industrial Corridor, which is now part of the Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor and passes through Amritsar, Jalandhar, and Ludhiana, was implemented during our tenure." He listed several key projects, including a new oil refinery in Bhatinda, an IIT at Ropar, a National Law University in Patiala, and the Shaheed Bhagat Singh memorial at Khatkar Kalan. Additionally, he mentioned the development funds released for Talwandi Sabo and Anandpur Sahib as part of the tercentenary of Guruta-Gaddi of the Guru Granth Sahib.