New Delhi: The Congress on Monday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s comments against communalism were intended to “camouflage” the real face of his government.
“The prime minister has said earlier in parliament also that Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti’s comments were not right. He had said that he would not tolerate this and in the next week itself many such statements were made,” Congress spokesperson Rajeev Gowda told the media here.
“His statement is intended to camouflage what goes on as a routine business by his government and Sangh Parivar acolytes,” he said.
“His aim is to pacify those who are outraged by the kind of communal tension, the kind of communal harmony and the kind of communal violence that has been in place over the last one year,” Gowda said.
On religious discrimination, he said: “Unfortunately this government is known for tremendous double speak and basically these statements are intended to divert attention from what is happening on the ground.”
“We had a debate in parliament about unleashing of communal violence across India and all this government can do is essentially to say that it is not happening. They are turning a blind eye. These communal tensions have worsened and all this is because the perpetrators of communal violence, people who threaten another community, people who deny housing,” he added.
The Congress spokesperson said Modi needed some economics lessons. “Poverty is something UPA has made various efforts for.”
“He is accusing the opposition of being anti-poor when it is his government that has slashed social sector spending,” he said.
Picking on Modi’s claims that “achche din (good days)” have arrived, he said, there was no issue left to discuss if it had already happened.
Gowda also released an e-Book which he said was a fact-based and data-driven exploration of various economic sectors.
Modi, in an interview to news agency UNI, on Monday lashed out at elements inciting communal hatred, saying his government would not tolerate violence against any community.
He said such comments were unfortunate and that they were “totally uncalled for”.
“I have said this before and I say it again: Any discrimination or violence against any community will not be tolerated,” the prime minister said.