Manmohan Singh said he would not like to enter in any competition with PM Modi on the basis of his humble background.
Former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh on Saturday said he does not want to compete with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the basis of his humble background as he does not the country to "take pity" on him.
"I don't want the country to take a pity on the basis of my humble background. I do not think I would like to enter in any competition with Prime Minister Modi Ji on this particular matter," Singh, who was speaking on an event in Surat, said.
PM Modi has often spoken about his humble background and his past as "chaiwalah".
Last week, while hitting out at the Congress over a recent meme mocking him as a "chaiwalah", Modi said that he was being targeted by the main opposition party because of his humble background and for being born to a "poor mother".
The Congress had responded by saying that Modi "has forgotten" that the Congress gave prime ministers like Lal Bahadur Shastri and Manmohan Singh, who came from humble backgrounds.
Joining the Congress campaign in Gujarat, where two-phase elections will take place on December 9 and 14, Singh today attacked the government on demonetisation.
"I invoke memories of more than 100 people who lost their lives while standing in queues as a result of demonetisation. I say with immense pain & a sense of deep responsibility that the 8th of November was a black day for our economy & democracy," Dr. Singh said.
Addressing professionals and businessmen in Surat, Singh said demonetisation cost the country 1.5 lakh crore in economy.
"Demonetisation cost us 1.5 lakh crore in economy. GDP growth rate in 1st quarter fell to 5.7%. Even if the growth reaches to 6.7% in 2017-18, it is still less than UPA's 10 year average of 10.6%," he said.
Dr. Singh, who is credited with swooping economic reforms in 1991, said none of the objectives of demonetisation. including curbing counterfeit money, rooting out black money. have been met.
On the other hand it converted black money to white while poor suffered, he said.
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