New Delhi:
A day after Narendra Modi listed what he described as the many failures of the government, the Congress issued a detailed rebuttal, challenging what it sardonically described as the BJP leader's 'gyaan'.
It was especially focused on challenging Mr Modi's accusation that the Congress falls upon the "burqa (veil) of secularism" when it is mired in a multitude of shortcomings. "I believe the burqa of secularism is way better than the nakedness of communalism," said Ajay Maken, the head of the Congress's communications department. (Watch) Union minister Shashi Tharoor tweeted that the alleged "burqa of secularism" is "preferable, surely, to the khaki shorts of intolerance & hatred that he (Modi) now tries to hide?"
Mr Maken devoted lengthy press conference to suggesting that Mr Modi's omnibus of charges against the government are factually incorrect and that his image as a standard-bearer of effective governance and development is manufactured. "I want to ask him what did he do in Gujarat that he keeps touring the whole country trying to give lessons to youths?" he asked.
Targeting Mr Modi for suggesting that the Centre has failed to improve higher education, Mr Maken asked "how much is spent on education, in relation to GDP... (Modi) he forgets two things. One, he should research NDA's terms before talking about UPA. Second, he should talk about what he has done in Gujarat. I will not talk in absolute terms, as percentage of GDP, 1.6 per cent was spent during NDA, and during our term, 4.04 per cent."
The Congress also said that Mr Modi is deliberately misrepresenting information to malign the government. Mr Tharoor tweeted: "Modi claims China spends 20% of GDP on education. Reality from Xinhua, China's official news agency: 3.93%" (Who said what)
The new war of words comes after a weekend during which Mr Modi faced severe criticism for his remark on the communal riots that lacerated his state in 2002. "If someone else is driving a car and we're sitting behind, even then if a puppy comes under the wheel, will it be painful or not? Of course it is," the Gujarat Chief Minister said.
It was especially focused on challenging Mr Modi's accusation that the Congress falls upon the "burqa (veil) of secularism" when it is mired in a multitude of shortcomings. "I believe the burqa of secularism is way better than the nakedness of communalism," said Ajay Maken, the head of the Congress's communications department. (Watch) Union minister Shashi Tharoor tweeted that the alleged "burqa of secularism" is "preferable, surely, to the khaki shorts of intolerance & hatred that he (Modi) now tries to hide?"
Mr Maken devoted lengthy press conference to suggesting that Mr Modi's omnibus of charges against the government are factually incorrect and that his image as a standard-bearer of effective governance and development is manufactured. "I want to ask him what did he do in Gujarat that he keeps touring the whole country trying to give lessons to youths?" he asked.
Targeting Mr Modi for suggesting that the Centre has failed to improve higher education, Mr Maken asked "how much is spent on education, in relation to GDP... (Modi) he forgets two things. One, he should research NDA's terms before talking about UPA. Second, he should talk about what he has done in Gujarat. I will not talk in absolute terms, as percentage of GDP, 1.6 per cent was spent during NDA, and during our term, 4.04 per cent."
The Congress also said that Mr Modi is deliberately misrepresenting information to malign the government. Mr Tharoor tweeted: "Modi claims China spends 20% of GDP on education. Reality from Xinhua, China's official news agency: 3.93%" (Who said what)
The new war of words comes after a weekend during which Mr Modi faced severe criticism for his remark on the communal riots that lacerated his state in 2002. "If someone else is driving a car and we're sitting behind, even then if a puppy comes under the wheel, will it be painful or not? Of course it is," the Gujarat Chief Minister said.
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