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Thursday, Sep 13, 2007
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Protest against ‘remarks’ by Narendra Modi

Special Correspondent

GANDHINAGAR: Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi’s alleged derogatory remarks against Congress president Sonia Gandhi has landed him in a controversy.

The Pradesh Women’s Congress, Youth Congress workers and others have organised demonstrations all over the state while State president Bharat Solanki criticised Mr. Modi for showing disrespect to women as a whole.

The Mahila Congress organised a demonstration in front of the Raj Bhavan and burnt Mr. Modi’s effigy. State Mahila Congress president Chandrikaben Chudasma said the women would not tolerate insulting behaviour by Mr. Modi towards their party president, who had come to be recognised as the “epitome of sacrifice” and an ideal for all women in the country.

The Minister of State for Home, however, denied that the Chief Minister had made any derogatory remarks against Rajiv Gandhi or Sonia Gandhi. He claimed that at a tribal meeting at Dharikheda in Narmada district, Mr. Modi had referred to Rajiv Gandhi as “the former prime minister and Ms. Gandhi’s husband” and not as “former husband.”

He said if Ms. Chudasma had cared to listen to the taped version of Mr. Modi’s speech, she would not have organised such a “ridiculous” agitation and lowered the prestige of the Raj Bhavan by staging a demonstration.

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