Congress most communal, suffering from Modi-phobia: BJP

Nagpur: Piqued by Congress` sustained tirade against BJP`s election campaign committee chief Narendra Modi following his multi-pronged attack on the ruling party, BJP today replied by dubbing Congress as the "most communal" party suffering from "Modi-phobia".

"Why Congress is keeping mum on three important issues including its promise to contain rise in prices of essential commodities within 100 days of coming to power, eradication of poverty as announced in 1971 and wastage of foodgrains, which were raised by Modi in his rally in Pune?," questioned BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar. Congress should clear the air on diversion of foodgrains to liquor manufacturers at cheaper rate, he said. "Congress is down with Modi-phobia. It skirts real issues and is indulging in communalism...Congress is the most communal party," Javadekar said in an apparent reference to Congress` reply to Modi`s pseudo-secularism barb. Speaking at the party rally in Pune on Sunday, Modi taunted Congress of donning a "veil of secularism when in crisis", triggering sharp reaction from Congress which replied saying "burqua of secularism is better than naked communalism". On resignation of Delhi BJP vice-president Aamir Raza Husain over Narendra Modi`s "puppy" remarks, Javadekar said BJP did not expel any individual unlike BSP which sacked its MP Vijay Bahadur Singh". The Hamirpur MP was shown door by BSP today for making statements which went against the "philosophy and principles" of the party. "Even SP leader Shahid Siddiqui also had to face similar consequences for conducting Modi`s interview for his Urdu newspaper," Javadekar said. He was referring to the Samajwadi Party`s stand of disowning Siddiqui for conducting Modi`s interview for his Urdu newspaper `Nai Duniya` last year. PTI