Stop dragging us into Gujarat polls, win on your own, Pakistan tells Modi

A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi alleged that Pakistan was interfering in the Gujarat assembly elections, the neighbouring country has responded saying “stop dragging Pakistan” into India’s “electoral debate”.

Taking to Twitter, Pakistan Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mohammad Faisal targeted PM Modi saying he should “win victories on own strength rather than fabricated conspiracies”. He termed the allegations as “utterly baseless and irresponsible”.

India should stop dragging Pakistan into its electoral debate and win victories on own strength rather than fabricated conspiracies, which are utterly baseless and irresponsible. — Dr Mohammad Faisal (@ForeignOfficePk) December 11, 2017

Modi had on Sunday alleged that Pakistan was interfering in Gujarat Assembly polls, and sought an explanation from the Congress over its top partymen who are said to have recently met leaders from the neighbouring country.

Addressing a poll rally, the prime minister had also raised questions over the alleged appeal by former director general of the Pakistan Army, Sardar Arshad Rafiq, that senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel be made chief minister of Gujarat.

Modi said (former Congress minister) Mani Shankar Aiyar had called him "neech" (vile) a day after the alleged meeting of Pakistani leaders with top Congressmen.

"There were media reports yesterday about a meeting at Mani Shankar Aiyar's house. It was attended by Pakistan's high commissioner, Pakistan's former foreign minister, India's former vice president and former prime minister Manmohan Singh," Modi said.

The meeting at Aiyar's house carried on for almost three hours, Modi said.

"The next day, Mani Shankar Aiyar said Modi was 'neech'. This is a serious matter," he said.

Modi added that Rafiq had backed Ahmed Patel as the next chief minister of Gujarat.

"(On one side) Pakistan Army's former DG is interfering in Gujarat's election, on the other side, Pakistan's people are holding a meeting at Mani Shankar Aiyar's house," he said.

"And, after that meeting, people of Gujarat, backward communities, poor people and Modi were insulted. Don't you think such events raise doubts," Modi asked.

He said the Congress should inform the people of the country what exactly it was up to.

(With PTI Inputs)