india

Updated: Dec 10, 2018 21:43 IST

Former prime minister Manmohan Singh alleged Monday the BJP-led central government was taking the country towards a “wrong path” and the nation’s freedom could be under threat due to its actions.

He said the Congress had played an important role in strengthening the country’s freedom, but “during the last four and a half years, the BJP laid emphasis on things which could adversely affect India’s history”.

“This can again endanger country’s freedom,” he said.

Manmohan Singh was speaking at the re-launch ‘Navjivan’, a Hindi newspaper that was first launched in 1919 by Mahatma Gandhi but was closed several times during the British regime.

“I want to appeal to the people that they should understand how the present government is taking the nation on a wrong path and there is a need to strongly fight against it,” he said, adding former prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru had once said that “Freedom is in peril, defend it with all its might.” He said Punjab had played a vital role in the fight for country’s freedom.

The event was attended by Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and other party workers.

Congress leader and Associated Journals Limited chairman Motilal Vora on the occasion said after Mahatma Gandhi was sent to jail in 1920, he had asked Jawaharlal Nehru to run the paper.

Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh could not attend the event due to ill-health.

“I regret not being able to attend the function, as I’ve been advised bed rest by the doctors,” he tweeted.

(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. )