The Congress on Sunday remained silent on BJP leader Narendra Modi’s criticism of the party in pursuing dynastic politics and targeting Rahul Gandhi for his criticism of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government's move to promulgate an ordinance to protect convicted politicians.
It also chose to ignore the comments made by Modi at a mammoth rally here on UPA constituents pulling it in different directions and accusing the government of becoming paralysed when it came to taking crucial decisions. “It is not significant,” was the refrain of Ajay Maken, chairman of the AICC Communication Department, when pointed out that the trend of humiliating the prime minister was started by Congress leaders.
At a hurriedly called press conference, Maken lashed out at Modi for remarks that he claimed showed Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in poor light, and demanded an apology.
He accused the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate of spreading canards against the prime minister by believing the words of a Pakistani journalist on a reported reference to Singh as a “rural woman” by Pakistani premier Nawaz Sharif.
Maken also accused Modi of blatant double standard in public discourse. He expressed surprise as to why Modi had not yet declared his stand on the ordinance on convicted lawmakers.
“Was it the presence of Nitin Gadkari, who had to withdraw his nomination for the BJP president's post due to corruption charges, on the stage or to save Babubhai Bokhiriya, a minister in Modi’s cabinet who has been handed a jail term by a court in a mining scam?” asked Maken.