INDORE: Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday categorically rejected Prime Minister Narendra Modi`s charge that the UPA government led by him was "remote-controlled" by Sonia Gandhi for 10 years.


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"It is wrong to say that my government was remote-controlled," Dr Singh said in a press conference in the Indore district of poll-bound Madhya Pradesh.


While speaking at an election rally in Rewa on Tuesday, PM Modi had alleged that the UPA government led by Dr Manmohan Singh was remote-controlled by then Congress chief Sonia Gandhi.


Driving his point home, Dr Singh said that the "Congress government functioned in a way that the party and the government worked in sync on the stage. And I think that the reason for the success of my government was that there was no difference of opinion between the government and the party."


Coming down heavily on the BJP-led NDA dispensation at the Centre, the former prime minister said that there is something fishy about the Rafale fighter jets deal signed by the Narendra Modi government with France.


The Congress veteran also ridiculed the Modi government for continuously ignoring the Opposition demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into the Rafale deal.


''The people of the country are suspicious of the Rafale deal, the Opposition and various groups are demanding a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe but the Modi government isn’t ready for it,'' the former Prime Minister said adding, ''Isse pata lagta hai daal mai kuchh kaala hai (this proves that there is something fishy about the deal).''


Attacking the BJP regime, Dr Singh said that the credibility of institutions like Parliament and CBI has been systematically denigrated in Narendra Modi's rule.


He alleged that the Centre was making "careful, well-thought-out calibrated effort" to weaken democracy.


While stating that the corruption was peaking in the Modi government, Dr Singh said, "The country has witnessed the credibility of institutions like Parliament and CBI systematically denigrated. There is a careful well-thought-out calibrated effort to weaken democracy."


"The rule of law is under attack. History shall never forgive our present generation if the situation is not changed," he said.


The Congress is out of power in the state since 2003 while the BJP is seeking a fourth consecutive term by winning the election to the 230-member legislative assembly. 


The state will have one-day voting on November 28. Counting of votes will take place on December 11. 


(With Agency inputs)