Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and BJP Assam leader, who was formerly with the Congress, Himanta Biswa Sarma, today took on former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who, to everyone’s delight, was ‘speaking up‘ in a press conference in poll bound Gujarat.
Oxford graduate Dr. Singh, who is an economist and has held various posts ranging from chief economic advisor to RBI governor to finance minister before becoming the two time Prime Minister of India from 2004 to 2014, was speaking on how Modi government policies have hindered the nation’s economy. Irony is, he just presided over scams worth crores of rupees and hoped history to be kind.
As a response to the above, Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and Assam Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, took to Twitter to ask Dr. Singh some scathing questions using the hashtag #SpeakUpMMS, asking him why was he quiet on numerous occasions when he was Prime Minister and did not speak up against injustice.
Welcoming Dr. Singh to Gujarat, Rupani asked about the policy paralysis Dr. Singh sat over.
https://twitter.com/vijayrupanibjp/status/927793337381175296?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
He questioned Dr. Singh about the motives which made him and his government stall the Narmada project which kept the people of Gujarat deprived of Narmada water for years.
https://twitter.com/vijayrupanibjp/status/927794055366418432?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Asking for his apology to the Indian citizens on behalf of UPA, for leading the most corrupt government for ten years, Rupani led a frontal attack on the former prime minister.
https://twitter.com/vijayrupanibjp/status/927795927175151616?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Soon he was joined by Himanta Biswa Sarma, former Congress leader who was snubbed by Rahul Gandhi in favour of his pet dog Pidi when Sarma wanted to discuss issues of importance of Assam. Dr. Singh represents Assam constituency in the Upper House of the Parliament, Rajya Sabha since 1991.
He asked Dr. Singh why Assam and Gujarat were deprived from legitimate oil royalty during the UPA rule.
https://twitter.com/himantabiswa/status/927796215864889344?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
He explained that royalty on crude oil at pre-discounted price is the sovereign right of the states. Gujarat and Assam used to get these royalties till 2008. However, Dr. Singh’s government decided to pay oil royalty at post-discounted price leading to Gujarat losing Rs. 8,392 crore and Assam losing Rs. 6,323 crore which crippled the economy.
https://twitter.com/himantabiswa/status/927841883304353792?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
https://twitter.com/himantabiswa/status/927844760416481280?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
He questioned by which right is Dr. Singh visiting Gujarat when his government has done nothing but injustice to Gujarat. One wonders when is Dr. Singh next visiting Assam to face the people he represents in Rajya Sabha.