Modi twisted Pawar's Pak remark, showed PM can lie: NCP

Prime Minister Narendra Modi distorted NCP Chief Sharad Pawar's comments about Pakistan, the party said on Thursday.

Modi should either prove that Pawar praised the rulers of the neighbouring country or apologise, Nationalist Congress Party spokesperson Nawab Malik said here.

Hours before, Modi, addressing a rally in Nashik in Maharashtra, targeted Pawar.

Alleging that Congress leaders' comments were being used by other countries and terror outfits against India, Modi said, "I can understand the confusion of the Congress. But Sharad Pawar? I feel bad when an experienced leader like him makes wrong statements for votes."

"He said he likes the neighbouring country. But everyone knows where the terror factory is," the PM said.

Hitting back, Malik said that Modi twisted Pawar's remark.

"Modi has shown that the country's prime minister can be a liar. He said Pawar likes the rulers of Pakistan. But Pawar had clearly said in his speech that the rulers, army officers in Pakistan are anti-India, but the people there are not anti-India," Malik told reporters.

"But it is you (Modi) who likes the rulers of Pakistan as you took oath in their presence," Malik said, referring to Modi's invitation to then Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif for the swearing-in in 2014.

Malik also recalled that Modi had paid a surprise visit to Sharif in December 2015.

"Your flight was on its way to Delhi from Kabul, but you landed in Lahore and went to meet Sharif on his birthday, ate biryani there."

"The video of what Pawar had said recently is available. Show it to people. We will quit politics if the allegation is found to be true, or you apologise to the nation for misleading," Malik stated.