[Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Lee Hsien Loong, Prime Minister of Singapore, in a file photo.]
New Delhi: The Narendra Modi govertnment in New Delhi Thursday objected to Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's comments about criminalisation of politics in India while at the same time praising Jawaharlal Nehru's leadership.
The Congress party on the other hand welcomed the comments, saying while Nehru is hailed at international level, Prime Minister Modi always tries to denigrate him.
Participating in a debate in the Singapore Parliament two days ago, Loong said that the politics around the globe is changing and people's trust in the political class is dwindling.
"The electorate has started accepting it and believe that this is the new norm and nothing better can be expected. As a result, standards are lowered, confidence is destroyed, and the country suffers more", the Singapore PM said.
During the debate on the Committee of Privileges' report on complaints about untruths told by former Workers' Party lawmaker Raeesah Khan, Loong invoked India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru to argue how a democracy should function.
"Things start off with passionate intensity. The leaders, who fought for and won independence, are often exceptional individuals of great courage, immense culture, and outstanding ability. They came through the crucible of fire and emerged as leaders of men and nations. They are the David Ben-Gurions, the Jawaharlal Nehrus, and we have our own too," PM Loong said.
But while doing so, he also stated that many parliamentarians in India face criminal cases now.
"Nehru's India has become one in which, according to media sources, over half of the Lok Sabha MPs face criminal accusations, including rape and murder. Though many of these claims are claimed to be politically motivated," Loong had said.
The 70-year-old politician said that everyone should maintain and expand the system that Singapore has inherited.
"This necessitates upholding honesty, enforcing norms and standards, applying the same rules equally to everyone, and ensuring that no one is above the law. If we can do it consistently, relentlessly, and unflinchingly, we might be able to make things work. People can have faith in our leaders, systems, and organisations," he had said.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) however has raised strong objections to Loong's comments, taking up the matter with the Singapore High Commissioner in Delhi. The MEA said that Loong's remarks were 'uncalled for'.
On the other hand tagging part of Loong's speech on Twitter, senior Congress leader and MP Jairam Ramesh wrote: "Singapore PM invokes Nehru to argue how democracy should work during a parliamentary debate whereas our PM denigrates Nehru all the time inside and outside Parliament." Watch:
Singapore PM invokes Nehru to argue how democracy should work during a parliamentary debate whereas our PM denigrates Nehru all the time inside and outside Parliament pic.twitter.com/B7WVhzxb9h— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) February 17, 2022
Singapore PM invokes Nehru to argue how democracy should work during a parliamentary debate whereas our PM denigrates Nehru all the time inside and outside Parliament pic.twitter.com/B7WVhzxb9h
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