New Delhi, October 26: Launching the most stinging attack yet on his successor, former prime minister Manmohan Singh charged the Narendra Modi government of hurting the economy with "foolhardy initiatives".

Demonetisation, Singh said, was "disastrous blow" which was followed up with a "hastily-implemented" GST. None of the "lofty promises" made in the past 4 years, and during the prime ministerial run, have been fulfilled by Modi, the Congress veteran alleged. Raj Thackeray Says Ex-PM Manmohan Singh's Wisdom is Missed Now.

"Much of what the Modi government is all about has turned out to be little more than a series of empty gestures...with very little substance having been achieved on the ground," Singh said, while speaking at the book launch of Congress MP Shashi Tharoor.

Tharoor's latest book, titled "The Paradoxical Prime Minister: Narendra Modi and His India", attempts to point out the alleged discrepancies between the claims made by Modi and the actual scenario on the ground.

"It is a superbly written and devastatingly accurate book," Singh said, while endorsing Tharoor's new book.

On fuel prices, the ex-PM accused Modi of "punishing the people of India" by not reducing the excise duty.

"Petrol and diesel prices are at historic high despite fall in international crude oil prices because Modi govt chose to levying excessive excise duties instead of passing on benefit of low prices to Indians," he said.

Singh also charged Modi of turning the nation into a non-plural, intolerant nation by failing to act against elements who are fanning the communal sentiment.

"He (Modi) has spoken of being a Prime Minister for all Indians but the government he presides over has mostly been silent in face of widespread communal violence, mob lynching, cow vigilantism," he said, further adding that academica is also facing throttled as "free environment of universities has been vitiated".

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 27, 2018 12:18 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).