Corruption probe: Congress turns the table on Narendra Modi

Corruption probe: Congress turns the table on Narendra Modi

Reacting sharply to Narendra Modi'sbarbs on the government over coal controversy, Congress on Tuesday sought to turn the table on theGujarat chief minister by reminding him of the graft allegations made against his government recently.

"On June 19 this year, a delegation of Congress MPs had met the Chief Vigilance Commissioner and submitted him a 750-page document of 17 scams estimated to be of worth Rs1.17 lakh crore inGujarat.

"I want to ask the Gujarat chief minister whether he is ready for SIT probe in these allegations. Is is this Gujarat model, which he is boasting of," party spokesperson Manish Tewari told reporters.

Tewari's comments came in response to media queries on Modi's remarks in Mehsana where he asked the Prime Minister to face a SIT probe in the coal block allocation controversy.

Blaming the UPA government for the current economic situation, Modiearlier said the Prime Minister should follow the Gujarat model of development.

The Gujarat chief minister also accused Congress of "misusing" the CBI to target him.

At the AICC briefing, Tewari also reminded Modi of the post-Godhra riots saying, "he is the same Chief Minister about whom the Supreme Court was compelled to comment that Nero was fiddling when Rome burnt."

"There is one real Gujarat, which people of the state are bearing with. There is another, which is a falsehood that the Gujarat Chief Minister and the BJPare serving to people.

"Had everything been so good in Gujarat, why former BJP Chief MinisterKeshubhai Patel would have been opposing Modi? Patel says that there is dictatorship in Gujarat and nobody can air his views freely there," Tewarisaid.

To a question on whether Rahul Gandhi will campaign in Gujarat like inUttar Pradesh, Tewari said election in every state is fought on the basis of local issues and all senior leaders, who are given the responsibility to campaign there, will do it.

"Gujarat Congress is ready for the electoral fight in the state. This imaginary picture is being projected by Modi just to hide his shortcomings," he said.