Manmohan Singh urges Assam to vote wisely

Former Prime Minister of India Dr Manmohan Singh in a video message urged the people of Assam to cast their vote "wisely". He said in the upcoming elections voters should elect a government that will uphold democracy.

New Delhi: Former Prime Minister of India, Dr Manmohan Singh, on Friday in a video message to the people of Assam urged them to cast their vote "wisely" in the upcoming elections and elect a Government that upholds Democracy.

Dr Singh said Assam is currently facing very serious setbacks as the state is being divided on the basis of religion, culture and language.

He said, "Today I'm speaking as one of you. Once again the time has come for you to cast your ballot in the Vidhan Sabha Elections. You must vote wisely. The people of Assam have endured terrible suffering through a long period of insurgency and unrest. Under the leadership of late Mr Tarun Gogoi, Assam made new beginnings towards peace and development. However, it is now facing a very serious setback."

"Society is being divided on the basis of religion, culture and language. The basic right of the common man is being denied. There is an atmosphere of tension and fear," Dr Singh added.

The former PM had represented Assam in the Rajya Sabha for 28 years from 1991 to 2019. He called the state his "second home". He noted that Assam had enabled him to serve the country as a Finance Minister for five years and then as the Prime Minister for 10 years.

He slammed the BJP Government, saying, "Ill-conceived notebandi, and badly implemented GST have weakened the economy. Lakhs of people and women have lost their livelihood. Price hike for petrol, diesel and cooking gas have made the lives of Aam Admi vulnerable. The poor are becoming poorer and COVID-19 is making the matter much worse."

He urged the people of Assam to vote for a government that upholds the Constitution of India and the principles of Democracy.

"You must vote for a government that cares for every citizen and every community. You must vote for a Government that puts Assam on the path of peace and development," he asserted. Dr Singh further added that if Congress is voted to power, it will not implement the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and will also try its best to get it repealed. He stated that the Congress is committed to protecting the unique language, culture and history of Assam.