New Delhi: BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi on Monday found himself under a barrage of attacks from NDA's erstwhile allies Trinamool Congress (TMC) and National Conference (NC).
Both TMC and National Conference tore into Modi with the former reiterating that he had blood on his hands, an indication to the 2002 Gujarat riots, while the party from Jammu and Kashmir questioned his secular credentials.
A day after his remark that those voting for Modi should drown in the sea, Union Minister and National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah on Monday said he had nothing against the Gujarat Chief Minister as a person but was apprehensive about his agenda with regard to Jammu and Kashmir and Muslims.
"What does Modi want? Why are we against him? We are not against him as a person but against his intentions. His first intention is to abrogate Article 370 which gives special status to us (Jammu and Kashmir)," the National Conference president told a poll rally at Kangan in Ganderbal district.
Abdullah, the NC candidate for Srinagar Lok Sabha seat, said abrogation of Article 370 would never be acceptable to the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
"That (abrogation of the Artice) means our flag will be pulled down, our Constitution annulled and we be made their slaves. The people of Jammu and Kashmir will never accept this," the National Conference president said.
He said the other issue on Modi's agenda, a cause of concern for Muslims, was BJP's wish to implement uniform civil code.
"The second issue is very grave. He wants to sideline the Shariah Law (Muslim Personal Law) and enact a uniform civil code which will apply to Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs and everyone else. This is not acceptable to Muslims," Abdullah said.
The NC patriarch urged people to defeat the communal forces and strengthen secularism.
"On one side are communal forces and on the other, those opposing them. Now it is up to you whether you want to strenthen communal forces or secular forces," he said.
While Abdulah cornered Modi over his agenda regarding J&K, TMC chief Mamata Banerjee lambasted the Gujarat CM by calling him a "devil" and a "dangerous man".
The Trinamool Congress has been lashing out at Modi after he targeted Mamata over the Saradha chit fund scam. Party leader and former quiz master Derek O'Brien had on Sunday stirred a hornet's nest by calling Modi the 'butcher of Gujarat'.
Mamata Banerjee on Monday further said that India will plunge into darkness under Narendra Modi's rule. She added that if Modi came to power at the Centre, he will deport Bangladeshi immigrants from the country.
The TMC and the BJP have been at loggerheads ever since Modi took on Mamata at a rally in Serampore, West Bengal. During the rally, Modi accused Mamata of shielding the Saradha chit fund scam accused, alleging that she pocketed nearly Rs 2 crore from them in return for protection.
The TMC was quick to react as it dared Modi to prove the charges or else apologise for the remarks against Mamata.
Though the BJP strongman hasn't replied to Trinamool Congress's attack on him, but he retailiated strongly to Abdullah's salvo. Modi accused Farooq Abdullah's father of being responsible for hurting secularism.
Speaking to a regional channel, Modi slammed Farooq and his son Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah over the exodus of Kashmiri pandits from the Valley.
"Irresponsible statements by the likes of Dr Abdullah cannot derail India's mission. Due to communal politics of Abdullah family, Kashmiri Pandits were removed from their homes only due to their religion. Is this secularism? Just for the sake of politics, Dr Abdullah's family communalised J&K, which is a land of Sufism and harmony," Modi said.
"Instead of telling those voting for Modi to drown, Dr. Abdullah should look at himself and his family in the mirror and see how they ruined J&K," he added.
(With additional inputs from PTI)
Comments
0 comment