 "World doesn't trust Modi, says Cong citing British newspaper")
Narendra Modi was again in the line of fire from Congress which quoted a British newspaper to describe the BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate as "much more than a divisive figure" and claimed the world "doesn't trust him".
On its website, the party said, "The Guardian newspaper questions the credibility of Modi's development model and indicts Modi for his role in the riots in Gujarat in 2002", referring to an opinion piece in the April 7 edition.
It concludes by saying that "Modi is much more than a divisive figure". He is a man who "bears a responsibility for some of the worst religious violence ever seen in independent India," the party said, posing the question to people-- "The world doesn't trust Modi, do you ?"
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The article, titled "Modi, a man with a massacre on his hands, is not the reasonable choice for India", claims that the Gujarat Chief Minister is "responsible for some of the worst religious violence ever seen in independent India".
The latest attack has come close on the heels of Congress targeting Modi by heaping praise on former Prime Minister and BJP leader A B Vajpayee.
The Congress had even gone to the extent of asserting that no leader in the BJP can match the stature of Vajpayee, while questioning Modi's record during 2002 riots.
"How can a person who failed in his 'Rajdharma' as a Chief Minister ever ensure a peaceful and prosperous future for the people of India."How can a person whom the tallest leader of the BJP wanted removed as the Chief Minister be the party's prime ministerial candidate," the article posted on Congress website along with Vajpayee's picture had said.
"Vajpayee was clear what was the reason for the defeat: Gujarat CM Narendra Modi’s failure to control the communal pogrom in his state in 2002... Who failed to protect his citizens, who discriminated between people on the basis of religion, who made a mockery of people’s suffering, ever make a good PM," the website had said.
BJP had hit back saying Congress was showing its "utter desperation" by heaping praise on Vajpayee to attack Modi as it has been one of the worst critics of the former Prime Minister and termed the ruling party's public appreciation as "not bona-fide".
Later Congress General Secretary Shakeel Ahmed, who is also party spokesman, had clarified that the party also considered Vajpayee a "divisive figure".