Manmohan Singh writes to president, terms Narendra Modi's language during Karnataka poll campaign 'menacing and intimidating'

Former prime minister Manmohan Singh and other senior Congress leaders have written a letter to the President of India, asking him to caution Prime Minister Narendra Modi from “using unwarranted, threatening and intimidating language against the leaders of the Congress party or any other party or person as it does not behove position of the prime minister.”

INC COMMUNIQUE

Letter to the President of India by Former Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh; LoP Rajya Sabha, Leader of CPP in LS & other senior leaders pointing out the negation of Constitutional oath by PM @narendramodi, and his unacceptable conduct. pic.twitter.com/WXAhFKgupQ

— INC Sandesh (@INCSandesh) May 14, 2018

The letter mentioned Modi’s speech in Hubli, Karnataka on 6 May, 2018. “Congress ke neta kaan kholker sunn lijiye. Agar seemao ko paar karenge toh ye Modi hai. Lene ke dene padd jaenge (The Congress leaders should listen with utmost attention. If you cross the limits, then this is Modi, you will have to pay for it),” the letter quoted Modi as having said.

In the past, the letter said, all prime ministers have maintained immense dignity and decorum in the discharge of public or private functions/actions. It is unthinkable that in our democratic polity, the prime minister as head of the government would utter words which are threatening, intimidating in content and a public warning to the leaders and members of the main Opposition party (Congress), the letter stated.

It further said that the threat held out by the prime minister to Congress’ leadership “deserves to be condemned.” “The words used are menacing and intimidating with intent to insult and provoke breach of the peace.”

The letter also said that the Congress party is the oldest party in India and has faced many challenges and threats. “We would also like to state that neither the party nor our leaders will be cowed down by such threats.”

Singh had previously also said that the prime minister has “stooped low” in his comments about opponents and that doesn’t “behove a prime minister”.

“No prime minister in our country has used the Office of the Prime Minister to say things about his opponent that Modi has been doing day in and day out. It doesn’t behove a prime minister to stoop so low and it is not good for the country as well,” The Times of India quoted Singh as saying.