The Hindu : Modi criticises Sonia's 'silence'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Nov 21, 2003

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National

Modi criticises Sonia's 'silence'

By Our Staff Correspondent

RAIPUR Nov. 20 . The Gujarat Chief Minister, Narendra Modi, today criticised the Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, for what he called her ``silence'' over the violence against Hindi-speaking population in Assam. It was her responsibility to ensure safety of the non-Assamese people, he told reporters here today.

Asked about accusations of his being communal, Mr. Modi said such allegations were made against Lokmanya Tilak, Mahatma Gandhi and even Sardar Patel when they were fighting for Independence.

``Some people have this attitude,'' he said.

Refusing to comment on the Election Commission's showcause notice to the Congress for alleged misuse of Government aircraft, Mr. Modi said he would not like to comment on the Commission's functioning.

He said it was important that people became sensitive towards the issue of conversion as it was linked to the security of the country which, in turn, was linked to development.

On the Dilip Singh Judev episode, he said it had helped the people to realise the ``true face of the Congress Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, Ajit Jogi.

In another development, a former Member of Parliament, Govind Ram Mirri, today joined the Congress.

He was a Rajya Sabha MP between 1977-79. Mr. Mirri's son was denied ticket from Masturi and this is being cited as the reason for his departure.

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