Congress defaming institutions: Modi

The BJP prime ministerial candidate targets the External Affairs Minister for his remarks on the Election Commission and the Supreme Court

BJP’s prime ministerial nominee Narendra Modi here on Friday accused the Congress of denigrating institutions.

Attacking External Affairs Minister Salman Khursid, Mr. Modi said, “Our Foreign Minister had recently gone to London. I am shocked to know that he had spoken very serious matter there.”

“We are the biggest democracy in the world. Although our electoral system is so big, election results are declared on the day of counting. Thanks to the Election Commission of India [ECI] that does it,” Mr. Modi said addressing a rally here in western part of Odisha.

“In America, it takes several days to know the winner. When George Bush was fighting elections, it took a week to know who the winner was. In India, the ECI should be given the credit for undertaking such a massive exercise,” Mr. Modi said.

“Mr. Khursid abused the EC instead of praising it. Our Foreign Minister had sullied the image of the institution accusing the ECI of not letting them speak,” he charged.

“They are doing it because they are now busy finding out excuses for their impending defeat and exploring ways of shifting blames. They have not even spared the Supreme Court of India. Dear Prime Minister, your Minister had damaged the reputation of the two great institutions,” Mr. Modi said.

“The INC is no longer the Indian National Congress. it is Institution Neglecting Congress. They are flaying all constitutional bodies. Their only work is to misuse, abuse and reduce the power of institutions.”

Criticising the Congress for bringing in two “showpiece” legislation— the Food Security Act and the Forest Rights Act—, he said “the Congress had promised to bring down inflation in 100 days. It has not fulfilled its promise. Children sleep empty stomach. The only approach of the Congress is to stay in power. After 60 years, they thought of making legislation on food security,” he said.

Mr. Modi accused the Congress off neglecting tribals and said the legislation on tribal rights was best implemented in the BJP-ruled States. “It was Atal Behari Vajapayee who thought of creating separate Ministry, preparation of separate budget and placing separate Minister for tribal affairs. If the Congress has no concern for tribals, what they would do.”