PM takes dig at BJP, other segmented opposition parties for dividing society

Indore, Apr 1 7(ANI): Prime Minister Manmohan Singh took a dig at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for dividing the society on the basis of religion and said that it is important to take all communities together for the development of the country.

Manmohan Singh did not also spare other segmented smaller and regional fringe parties, many of whom could ally with his Congress party.

Taking a swipe at such groups that have eroded Congress party's vote share over the years, Singh said they were trying to fragment the society along religion and caste lines.

"There are certain parties in India which want to do vote politics by dividing the country on the basis of religion, community and caste. With such politics, the country cannot move forward. In a country like India, which is very vast and diverse, it is very important to take all the communities together for the development. We need to save ourselves from the politics that divides the society and spreads hatred," Singh said while addressing a public rally here on Thursday.

Without taking names, Singh said that the parties that now promise to firmly deal with terrorism, meekly surrendered before terrorists when they were in power.

"It's in front of everybody to see how strictly we dealt with the situation after the Mumbai terror attacks. And the account of other parties on that count is also in front of you. And the parties who now lay stake to deliver a decisive government, I want to ask them what they did to crush terrorism when they were in power? During their government, so many terror attacks happened and what strength have they shown in tackling with terrorist activities at that time? I don't have to say much about such questions," he said.

BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate L K Advani and Manmohan Singh have been locked in a war of words during campaigning for general elections, especially over the fact that Advani has labeled Singh a weak Prime Minister. (ANI)