'You Instigated Riots When You Were CM': Kharge Targets PM Modi In Congress's 'Black Paper'

Without mentioning the 2002 riots, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said said PM Modi instigated riots with his speeches during his tenure as Gujarat CM.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge (left) and PM Narendra Modi

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi seemingly over the 2002 riots, when the latter was the Chief Minister of Gujarat. Kharge accused him of instigating the riots through his speeches.

Kharge, while presenting a 'Black Paper' on the Centre's policies during its 10-year rule, said: "When you, Modiji, were the Gujarat CM, said that the state should get 50% tax. You even said that people should not pay taxes if this is not given to Gujarat."

Kharge said that Modi even claimed that Gujarat paid Rs 48,600 crore as tax to Centre, but got back only 2.5% of the amount. "If someone from the Opposition says the same, you call them anti-nationals; you accuse them of dividing the nation," he said.

"Tum kya kare? Tum to desh todne ki baat kiya. Dange karwaye. Logo ko bhadkaye. [What did you do? You have always spoken about breaking the country. You instigated riots.]." Without mentioning the 2002 riots, Kharge said: "You [PM Modi] instigated riots with your speeches... What did you do when you were the CM?"

Prime Minister Modi replied to the Congress's 'Black Paper' with a barb, calling it a 'kala teeka' [a superstitious belief involving the application of a black mark to avoid 'evil eyes'. He said: "During this government's tenure, we also saw black-clothes fashion parades in Parliament... In our country, if a child gets dressed well, someone from the family applies a 'kala teeka' to protect the child from evil eyes. Today, the country is touching new heights of prosperity. Therefore, I thank Khargeji for the 'black mark'. I thought that even today he would come wearing black clothes. But black clothes magic became 'Black Paper' today... Those who want to attack will continue attacking. Those who want to defend will find ways to build a shield. These things are normal."