'Still blaming first Prime Minister Nehru': Manmohan Singh attacks PM Modi

Targeting the govt on a host of issues, including the farmers' agitation, foreign policy, price rise and unemployment, Singh said Cong had never divided the country for political gains or hidden truth

The BJP had been in power for more than seven years and was still blaming first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru for the problems of the people, former prime minister and Congress leader Manmohan Singh said on Thursday in a scathing attack against the Modi-led government.

Targeting the Central government on a host of issues, including the farmers' agitation, foreign policy, price rise and unemployment, the former prime minister said ahead of the Punjab elections on February 20 that the Congress had never divided the country for political gains or hidden the truth.

"On the one hand, people are facing problems of price rise and unemployment, on the other, the present government which has been in power for the last seven and a half years, rather than admitting their mistakes and making amends, is still blaming first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru for being responsible for people's problems," Singh said in a video message in Punjabi.

The Congress played the message at a press conference here.

"A few days ago, in the name of the prime minister's security, an attempt was made to defame Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi and the people of the state," he said, referring to Modi's convoy being stuck on a flyover in Ferozepur during the prime minister's visit to the state.

"During the farmers' agitation, too, an attempt was made to defame Punjab and Punjabiyat," he said.

The world salutes the bravery, patriotism and sacrifice of Punjabis, but the NDA government did not talk about any of this, Singh said.

As a true Indian hailing from Punjab, all these things deeply hurt me, he said.