Modi brings up ’84 riots, attacks Cong on ‘intolerance’

Purnea (Bihar)  : In a stinging counter-attack on the Congress for raising the issue of “intolerance”, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday raked up the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, saying it should hang its head in shame for the carnage instead of doing the “drama” of lecturing the NDA government.“Today is November 2. Do you recall 1984? Lakhs of Sikhs were massacred in Delhi and across India on the second, third and fourth day of Indira Gandhi’s killing, in which serious allegations were made against the Congress and its leaders. Today, on the same day, the Congress Party is giving lecture on the issue of tolerance. ‘Doob maro, doob maro’. This does not behove you.“The tears in the eyes of the Sikh victims have not yet dried. Their wounds have not healed and you are doing this ‘dramebaazi’ on November 2,” the Prime Minister said, addressing an election rally in Seemanchal region of Purnea where the last phase of Bihar polls are due on November 5. The remarks of Modi came as the Congress top leadership decided to meet President Pranab Mukherjee to raise the issue of “intolerance”.It also came a day after Congress president Sonia Gandhi voiced concern on the issue at a function in the National Capital and vowed to fight the “diabolical design” of divisive forces to spread hatred, which posed a threat to the unity of the country.Taking a dig, Modi “thanked” Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and RJD chief Lalu Prasad for giving 40 seats to the Congress, saying these seats will easily come in BJP’s kitty.“Both Lalu ji and Nitish Ji have been fighting against the Congress for long. There may be some compulsion of both of them that they have given forty seats to the Congress, a party which is non-existent in Bihar.“I am thanking both of them for one thing that both gave us 40 seats without a challenge. We have thus got the 40 seats on a platter. I thank Lalu ji and Nitish ji for these 40 seats given to theCongress. For the rest, I am thanking people of Bihar,” Modi said.