Winding up his poll campaign in Bihar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today targeted Sonia Gandhi saying the Congress president has no moral right to lecture NDA on tolerance and it should “hang its head in shame” for the 1984 anti-Sikh riots where thousands were massacred.
Scaling up his attack on the grand alliance leaders, he accused them of playing with nation’s security by “sheltering” those promoting terror and asked if such people be allowed to form a government in the state.
Wrapping up his campaign blitzkrieg in Bihar where he addressed about 30 election rallies in the five-phased, high-decibel assembly polls, Modi also attacked Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and RJD supremo Lalu Prasad on the quota issue, claiming he has “exposed” their “lies” and attempts at giving the assembly polls a “casteist colour”.
Modi has been repeatedly accusing the grand alliance of trying to “snatch away” 5 per cent share in reservation for dalits, tribals and backwards and give it to a “particular community”.
“Today is November 2. Do you recall 1984? Lakhs of Sikhs were massacred in Delhi and across India on the second, third and fourth day of Indira Gandhi’s killing in which serious allegations were made against Congress and its leaders. Today, on the same day, Congress party is giving lecture on the issue of tolerance. ‘Doob maro, doob maro’. This does not behove you.
“The tears in the eyes of the Sikh victims have not yet dried. Their wounds have not healed and you are doing this ‘dramebaazi’ on November 2,” he said addressing a poll rally in Purnea in Seemanchal region which has sizeable Muslim population where last phase of polls are due on November 5.
Modi’s remarks came as the Congress’ top leadership prepared to meet President Pranab Mukherjee on the issue of alleged growing religious intolerance tomorrow.
It also came a day after Congress president Sonia Gandhi voiced concern on the issue at a function in the national capital and vowed to fight the “diabolical design” of divisive forces to spread hatred, which posed a threat to the unity of the country.
Attacking the grand alliance leaders, he said at another poll rally in Darbhanga, “When there were blasts in Pune and Mumbai and a dalit police officer was investigating the ‘Darbhanga module’ of terror, its strings touched some leaders closely associated with those in power.”
“While no action was taken against those encouraging and blessing people involved in terrorist activities, the brave policewoman seeking to find the truth was forced to leave Darbhanga and Bihar.
“Do you want such people to rule in Patna who play with the country’s security, those who shelter terrorists and encourage them? Do you want a government of such people? Do you want terrorism to enter this land of Bihar? Do you want Bihar to become a land of bomb blasts?” he asked, while exhorting people to elect a BJP-led NDA government instead.