Criticism mounts after PM Lee’s remarks on India spark diplomatic tensions
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s comments on India during a speech in Parliament earlier this month have caused diplomatic friction between Singapore and India, two nations typically known for their amicable relations. India’s Ministry of External Affairs voiced its concerns to Singapore’s High Commissioner, calling the remarks “uncalled for.”
Despite it being over a week since PM Lee’s remarks, reactions continue. A letter published in the South China Morning Post (SCMP) on Feb 26 from a netizen stated, “PM Lee would do well to keep his focus on his own country,” criticizing Singapore’s political system. The writer further compared India’s vibrant democracy to Singapore’s one-party leadership since 1959.
During his Feb 15 speech addressing the Raeesah Khan scandal, PM Lee had praised India’s founding Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru but highlighted the difference between Nehru’s India and today’s India. He noted that nearly half of the MPs in India’s current lower house face criminal charges, which led to backlash.
The SCMP also published a letter from Deepak Mirchandani in response to an article discussing why PM Lee’s comments hit a nerve in India. Mirchandani criticized Nehru’s elitist background and praised current Prime Minister Narendra Modi, highlighting Modi’s economic growth initiatives, efforts to reduce corruption, and his inclusive slogan, “Sabka sath, sabka vikas, sabka vishwas” (Together with everyone, development for all, trust of all).
