Pakistan’s stand gives Modi new poll handle

Not Hindutva, not development, it’s Pakistan that’s front and centre of the Gujarat assembly elections these days. HT reports.

Not Hindutva, not development, it’s Pakistan that’s front and centre of the Gujarat assembly elections these days.

On Saturday, the final day of campaigning, CM Narendra Modi continued his attack on the UPA government, saying it “lacks spine and guts to take on visiting Pakistan dignitary Rehman Malik for equating the Mumbai 26/11 attacks to the Babri demolition”.

“The Union government is so weak that Malik comes to India and states authoritatively that 26/11 is similar to the 1992 masjid demolition. Babri is an internal matter of India. If the Indian government had guts, it would have asked for an apology,” he told a rally in Prantij, 70 km north of Ahmedabad. He said the country expected the PM and his government to stand up to Rehman, who is advisor to the Pakistan PM.

Days ago, Modi had earned the ire of the prime minister’s office and Congress chief Sonia Gandhi by writing to the PM, asking if India had made a deal to hand over the disputed Sir Creek to Islamabad.

In a contest largely bereft of emotive issues, he raked up Sir Creek at Saturday’s rally too. “Why have they (PM, Congress) not responded to my questions? Even the people of India are in the dark about the way the government is dealing with the issue.”