Cong’s Modi remark shows emergency mindset: BJP

A day after the Congress compared Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi to Adolf Hitler’s propaganda minister Goebbels for having launched a no-holds-barred attack on the UPA government, the BJP sprang to Modi's defence, accusing the Congress of “Emergency mindset”.

A day after the Congress compared Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi to Adolf Hitler’s propaganda minister Goebbels for having launched a no-holds-barred attack on the UPA government, the BJP sprang to Modi's defence, accusing the Congress of “Emergency mindset”.

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Modi has attacked the UPA for “lack” of policy or leadership in Mumbai two days back, dubbing it “Nirmal Baba's darbar” and holding it responsible for economic ills of India.

“Comparing the comments of Modi, a senior national leader ... with Goebbels is not only malicious but deeply condemnable," said BJP chief spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad. "Not even a single criticism of Modi against the governance of the UPA is factually incorrect. Calling it factually incorrect and comparing it Goebbels... exposes the true colour of the Congress. This kind of language was spoken about only during 1975-76 when India was under emergency ... This is the India of 2012 and such a language will not be acceptable."

Modi’s stature within the BJP is seen as being on the rise, especially after the Mumbai national executive, which he attended on his own terms after having Sanjay Joshi thrown out. However, his strong arm tactics brought party infighting sharply in focus, making even BJP MP and veteran lawyer Ram Jethmalani dash off a letter to party bigwigs complaining about its squabbles and inertia.

Prasad, however, rejected Jethmalani's assessment: "Ram Jethmalani is a senior MP and we all have a lot of respect for him. But the party does not agree with his views ...”