Manmohan Singh retires from Rajya Sabha: BJP, Congress spar over his legacy

New Delhi, April 3

On the day when former prime minister Manmohan Singh retired after 33 years in Rajya Sabha, the ruling BJP and the opposition Congress sparred over his legacy.

After BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya took to X to say that Singh made Indians poor, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh hit back at the BJP leader for “slander.”

“Dr Manmohan Singh, former Prime Minister, retired from Rajya Sabha after 33 years. He held the top job between 2004-14. During his tenure as Prime Minister, Dr Singh, who is hailed as an erudite economist, made India poor.

IMF days show that under the UPA, led by Dr Singh, India’s per capita GDP as % of developing countries (including China) reduced from 35% to 30%. Earlier, AB Vajpayee had raised it from 30% to 35% (1998-2004). Now PM Modi has again pulled it back, and has raised it from 30% to 42% (2014-24),” Malviya said.

Congress’ Ramesh attacking Malviya as “BJP’s troll master”, countered the claims saying the BJP leader has reached a new height of absurdity and malicious deceit today.

“Dr Manmohan Singh is retiring today after 33 years in public service. Instead of showing him even a little respect, and having even a tiny shred of decency, he has chosen to slander Dr Manmohan Singh.

Neither Mr Narendra Modi nor Mr Malviya can ever even remotely approach Dr Manmohan Singh’s contributions to the making of modern India. He is a man who speaks little and accomplishes much,” Ramesh said.

He said from 2004-2014, India’s nominal GDP per capita went from $635 to $1560 – a growth of 145%; from 2014-2024, India’s nominal GDP per capita went from $1560 to $2850 – a growth of 82%.

“India’s total GDP, adjusted for inflation, grew by 7.5% per year under Dr Singh, compared to just 5.8% under Modi.

The 10 years of Dr Manmohan Singh’s tenure transformed India’s economy and society for the better,” the Congress leader said, adding that 27 crore people were lifted out of poverty.