Modi hits out at Manmohan

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Friday questioned the Manmohan Singh-led UPA government on why it announced FDI in retail a day after Congress president Sonia Gandhi returned from the United States.

“The decision of FDI was taken only next day after Sonia returned from the US. This raises questions,” Modi remarked on last day of the BJP national meet at Surajkund.

On September 11, Sonia returned from the US after a routine medical check-up. This was her second trip since August.

He also dubbed the UPA government as “anti-farmer” besides hitting out at Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

“Why do you become ‘Singham’ only to benefit the US? Why do you become active when America faces elections?,” he asked throwing verbal volleys at the prime minister.

Modi stated that even US President Barak Obama, who is facing polls, is advocating his citizens to buy stuff from small businessmen instead of big retail chains to push the economy and check unemployment. “But, India wants to open the doors for FDI in retail at the cost of small traders and farmers,” he added.

Attacking the Centre for strings of corruption, Modi alleged a possible collusion of Congress leaders with corporate when he pointed out that a photograph showed coalgate scam suspect Manoj Jayaswal along with Sonia Gandhi and her political secretary Ahmed Patel.

Earlier, on the opening day of the party conclave, he had charged that the CBI was fighting the coming elections in Gujarat for the Congress.