New Delhi:
The Congress, on Friday, accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of hypocrisy in his statement that his government would not tolerate intolerance in India. PM Modi had spoken in London on Thursday.
"The prime minister's statement in just full of hypocrisy...He said intolerance cannot be tolerated. There can't be a greater contradiction," Congress spokesperson Anand Sharma said on the second day of PM Modi's visit to the UK.
The principal opposition party rejected PM Modi's assertion that he has restored India's credibility abroad and accused his government, instead, of sullying the country's image. "It is all about I, me and myself, Shri Narendra Modi," Mr Sharma said.
"By repeating these things over and over again in capitals of other nations, he is embarrassing us...It is his government which has sullied India's image because of the forces that have been unleashed, given protection and endorsement by his government," Mr Sharma said.
He said the government's decision, announced on the eve of PM Modi's departure to London, to open up Foreign Direct Investment in 15 sectors including Defence was forced by the BJP's poor showing in the Bihar elections and the prime minister's trip to UK.
Taking objection to Tuesday's announcement, the Congress accused the Modi government of going back on its commitment that the Cabinet Committee on Security would scrutinise all proposals for FDI over 26 per cent in Defence equipment.