'Maliciously' attacking PM Modi on last day won't help you in Gujarat: Amit Shah to Manmohan Singh

BJP chief Amit Shah said "we are seeing a very angry Manmohan Singh ji these days. We just want to ask him whether he was so angry when monumental loot & plunder was happening under his watch? The nation missed this anger then."

New Delhi: BJP chief Amit Shah jumped to the defence of PM Narendra Modi saying the last day attacks on the prime minister by the Congress will not help them in Gujarat. Even though Modi and Manmohan were involved in bitter war of words during Gujarat polls, the two leaders interacted outside Parliament Wednesday morning to pay tribute to the people who lost their lives in the 2001 Parliament attack. However, the handshakes weren't enough to bury the issue that rose when Modi alleged that Manmohan was conspiring with Pakistan for BJP’s defeat in the Gujarat polls. Amit Shah asked "why did respected Manmohan Singh take a sharp U-turn and declare that he attended the meeting." "Only after the secret meeting was exposed, respected Manmohan Singh ji said that the discussion was confined to India-Pakistan relations. Why did he not consider it appropriate to apprise GoI about such a meeting with a neighbour like Pakistan. Why did he try to hide it," Shah questioned.

We are seeing a very angry Manmohan Singh ji these days. We just want to ask him whether he was so angry when monumental loot & plunder was happening under his watch? The nation missed this anger then!

— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) December 13, 2017

We want to ask respected Manmohan Singh ji why was he not angry & anguished when a CM of his country was called ‘Maut Ka Saudagar.’ Why is he still silent when PM of his country is called ‘Neech’? — Amit Shah (@AmitShah) December 13, 2017

Former prime minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday afternoon hit out at his successor Narendra Modi again on the eve of the second and final phase of the Gujarat polls, accusing him of spreading "falsehood and canards" to score political points and seeking an apology for his "ill-thought transgression". The video can be viewed below.

Former PM Dr. Manmohan Singh issues a statement on the baseless allegations made towards him by PM Modi. pic.twitter.com/Vlqfjcgr5q — Congress (@INCIndia) December 13, 2017

Upping the ante two days after his sharp outburst, Singh put out a video message to attack Modi over his remarks insinuating that the Congress leader colluded with Pakistan in the Gujarat polls, and said it was unfair to question the nationalism of public servants. "I am deeply pained and anguished by the falsehood and canards being spread to score political points in a lost cause by none less than Prime Minister Narender (sic) Modi. Fearing imminent defeat in Gujarat, desperation of Prime Minister to hurl every abuse and latch on to every straw is palpable," he said. He said he sincerely hoped that the prime minister will show "maturity and gravitas", as expected of the high office he holds, instead of concentrating his energy solely on scoring "erroneously conceived brownie points". "I sincerely hope that he will apologize to the nation for his ill thought transgression to restore the dignity of the office he occupies," he said. Strongly rejecting the "innuendos and falsehoods" made by Modi, Singh said he did not discuss Gujarat elections with anyone else at the dinner hosted by Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar as alleged by Modi and nor was the Gujarat issue raised by anyone else present at the dinner. "The discussion was confined to Indo-Pakistan relations. It is wrong and unfair to question nationalism of journalists, diplomatics and public servants present at the dinner," he said. The former premier also asserted that Modi "is setting a dangerous precedent by his insatiable desire to tarnish every constitutional office, including that of a former prime minister and Army Chief", and described it as sad and regrettable. The Congress Party needs no sermons on "nationalism" from a party and prime minister, whose compromised track record on fighting terrorism is well known, he added. "Let me remind Narendra (sic) Modi that he had gone to Pakistan uninvited after the terrorist attacks in Udhampur and Gurdaspur. Let him also tell the country the reason for inviting the infamous ISI of Pakistan to our strategic Air Base in Pathankot to investigate a terror attack that emanated from Pakistan," he said. He also said that his track record of public service to the country over last five decades is known to everyone and no one including Modi, can "lamely" question it to gain lost political ground.