Junagarh:
Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi has slammed Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for not mentioning Mumbai violence in his Independence Day speech today.
"You expressed sadness for what happened in Assam, but the incident that took place in Mumbai, you didn't say a word about that. For something that is as serious as what took place in Mumbai, how can the PM been quiet about that?" Mr Modi said. Two people were killed and 55 others were injured on Saturday when protest in Mumbai over clashes in Assam turned violent.
In his address to the nation on the 66th Independence Day, Dr Singh said, "The incidents of violence which occurred in Assam recently are very unfortunate. I know that these incidents have resulted in the disruption of the lives of a large number of people. We fully sympathize with those families which have been affected by the violence. We are doing everything possible to provide relief to them."
"But what does the PM have to say about the increasing militancy by Bangladesh that is causing such a huge problem in India? Assam is an example of the problem that the whole country faces. The whole country wanted to know what you (the PM) think of this problem," the Gujarat Chief Minister said after hoisting the tricolour in Junagarh.
The recent clashes between Bodos and Muslims have left at least 77 people dead and more than four lakh people homeless in the lower Assam districts.
Almost 400 villages, in the districts of Kokrajhar, Chirang, Dhubri and Baksa have been affected in the violence which first broke out on July 20. Over two lakh people are currently taking shelters in 340 relief camps.