The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Sibal accuses BJP of double-speak

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Tuesday, May 20, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Sibal accuses BJP of double-speak

Special Correspondent

BANGALORE: Union Minister for Science and Technology Kapil Sibal on Monday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of “double-speak” and questioned its contribution to curbing terrorism in the country.

Speaking at a press conference here, Mr. Sibal criticised the BJP for reportedly questioning the bona fides of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in countering terrorism and said the release of three terrorists by the then NDA government during the Kandahar episode had given a push to terrorist activities in the country.

“What the BJP does when in power and says when out of it are totally different,” the Congress leader said and asked the BJP leaders why they had given up the issues of uniform civil code and scrapping of Article 370 of the Constitution.

Mr. Sibal said the constituencies that were going to polls in the final phase on May 22 were among the most backward areas in the State and listed out various measures that were taken up by the S.M. Krishna and N. Dharam Singh governments for improving education and agriculture in these areas.

Asked why the Congress was defeated in the 2004 elections despite these works done by the Krishna government, Mr. Sibal said elections in India were a complex phenomenon and performance of a government alone would not decide the victory of a party. “Despite poor performance, Narendra Modi won the elections in Gujarat,” he remarked.

Mr. Sibal said the Congress Legislature Party would decide who would be its leader.

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