Modi uses Pitroda's remarks to slam Cong, rivals

Prime minister Narendra Modi on Saturday referred to Congress leader Sam Ptroda's remarks on 'anti-Sikh' riots to slam the grand old party and his political rival.

Addressing election rallies at Sonebhadra and Ghazipur districts in the eastern Uttar Pradesh region, Modi also raked up the Alwar gang-rape incident to attack the Congress.

The prime minister said that Pitroda's remarks 'hua to hua' (whatever happened, happened) reflected the ''attitude'' of the Congress toward the problems and issues facing the country.

''This exactly is the attitude of Congress and its partners...it did not allow their governments to take the right decisions,'' Modi said.

The prime minister also raked up the Alwar gang-rape incident and accused the Congress government in Rajasthan of trying to ''hush it up'' fearing that it could have adverse impact on its electoral prospects.

''Nothing could be more insensitive and shameful....politics of votes cannot be more important than the trauma and agony of the rape victim,'' he added.

Modi sought to counter the BSP supremo Mayawati's jibe that the former did not belong to backward caste.

''My rivals have been attacking me on my caste....let me tell them that I belong to the caste of the poor,'' he said.

The prime minister also said that like many of his rivals in politics, he did not ''amass'' wealth despite being the longest-serving chief minister and prime minister for the past five years.

Ghazipur from where union minister Manoj Sinha was in the fray would go the polls in the last phase of polling on May 19. Robertsganj Lok Sabha constituency, which is in Sonebhadra district, about 500 kilometres from here, will also go to polls on the same day.