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A day after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh criticized Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi of resorting to falsehoods and twisting facts for political gain, the latter hit back at the ruling party on Monday, saying that Congress leaders run a factory to manufacture lies.
"The Prime Minister says the level of political discourse has been lowered by the BJP. But who has reduced the stature of the PM, the Cabinet and the Parliament? The Gujarat chief minister asked while addressing a rally here.
"Dear PM, who reduced the level of politics? It is the vice president of your party who called your decision nonsense in a press conference, not us," he said.
"Dear PM you said nowhere does the opposition call the PM 'chor' (thief), but your shehzada (prince - referring to Rahul Gandhi) called the main opposition 'chor'," he added.
Prime Minister Singh had on Sunday criticized Modi for resorting to falsehoods and twisting facts for political gains.
"A big BJP leader often resorts to falsehoods. He frequently distorts historical facts. Once in his enthusiasm to attack Congress, he misrepresented facts about a leader who is respected a lot in BJP," he said while addressing a rally Jabalpur.
He also blamed leaders of the saffron outfit for misrepresenting history, and bringing down the standard of political environment in the country.
"In the last few months, we are seeing a lot of negative politics and the standard of political debate has gone down drastically," he said.
"It is good for our democracy that political parties have enthusiasm. But it should be for constructive work. This should be used to tell people what good they will do if voted to power. It seems to me, though, that the enthusiasm of BJP leaders is all about condemning others," he added.
He also hoped that people of Madhya Pradesh would not vote for a party, which endorses divisiveness.
"Sardar Patel had banned the organisation from which BJP derives its ideology for indulging in communalism. I have full faith that you will not vote for a party that endorses divisiveness," he added.
Madhya Pradesh is going to polls on November 25, and results would be announced on December 8, along with those in Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Mizoram and New Delhi.
