The BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi on Tuesday slammed Defence Minister A K Antony on setbacks faced by the country’s defence systems during his tenure and sought an explanation  from the minister.

Speaking at an election meeting in Kasaragod, Modi repeated his charge that Antony’s remarks following the beheading of Indian soldiers early last year had “benefited” Pakistan.

“Mr Antony was upset about my charges… I was drawing attention to how his statement in the Parliament (that the Pakistan army had no role in the incident) was in conflict with the Indian Army’s stand on the issue. His statement was celebrated in Pakistan,” he said at the event organised as part of the election campaign for BJP’s candidate from Kasaragod, K Surendran. Last month, Modi had slammed Antony over the statement at a party meeting held in Jammu.

The Gujarat chief minister criticised the Union and state governments on handling of the case involving two Italian marines who killed two fishermen from Kerala. “I want to know from the defence minister, prime minister and Kerala’s chief minister the details of the prison these two marines are lodged in,” he said.

Modi also said Antony had failed to ensure relief for the thousands of Malayalis who battle tough working conditions in other countries.

Modi slammed the politics of convenience played out in Kerala between the two rival fronts led by the CPM and the Congress. “It’s a friendly match that’s being played between the UDF and LDF; the agreement is to rule by turn and wash away sins committed by each other,” he said. Despite immense potential in tourism and healthcare industries, Kerala exports its talented manpower. “The land of tourism has been converted to a nursery of terrorism,” Modi said.