Modi to Rahul: Reveal names of youth in touch with ISI or apologise
Updated
Jhansi, Oct 25 (PTI): Narendra Modi today attacked Rahul Gandhi for saying that ISI was in touch with Muslim youth of Uttar Pradesh's Muzaffarnagar and asked him to reveal the identity of such persons or apologise publicly for levelling "serious allegations" and "defaming" the entire community.
Citing Gandhi's remarks that he had been told about it by intelligence personnel, the BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate questioned why intelligence agencies "report" to Gandhi, "who has never taken oath of secrecy", and brief him on such sensitive matters.
Addressing a rally here, he also said that if the government has information about ISI, Pakistan's intelligence agency, being in touch with some youth in Uttar Pradesh, it should act, rather than "just give the news like a news agency".
Addressing Rahul Gandhi as a 'shahzada' (prince), Modi referred to his comments yesterday and said he levelled "serious allegations against the youth in relief camps (of Muzaffarnagar) that they are hobnobbing with ISI. It is your responsibility to make public the names of such youth...
If you do not disclose the names, then you should apologise publicly for defaming an entire community."
The relief camps were set up for the victims of riots in Muzaffarnagar that took place last month.
On Gandhi's contention about ISI hobnobbing, he said told the Congress Vice President that his party was in power and asked "how is ISI freely spreading its influence in the lanes of UP under your very nose? What are you doing about it?"
Targeting the Congress and its government over it, Modi said, "you are behaving as a news agency, just giving news about what ISI is doing. You have to act against them."
Earlier Report
Rahul playing politics with riots, statement unfortunate: Muslim leaders
Lucknow, Oct 25 (IANS): Muslim clerics Friday slammed Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi's statement that some Muslim youths from riots-ravaged Muzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh were in touch with Pakistan's intelligence agency ISI, and said these were "most unfortunate".
Maulana Saif Abbas Naqvi, a prominent Shia cleric, said such statements not only painted the Muslim community in bad light but also strengthened the communal forces. He said these were a "grave insinuation" on millions of peace loving and patriotic Muslims in the country.
He also alleged that instead of understanding the plight and pain of the riot victims, the Gandhi scion was playing politics with the communal riots and the victims.
Shahar Qazi, Maulana Abul Irfan Miyan Farangi Mahali, said the statement of Rahul Gandhi was "most unfortunate" and demanded an immediate and unconditional apology from the Congress leader.
"It does not behove leaders of a national party like the Congress to give such cheap and hurtful statements against the Muslims...we are patriotic and would do anything for India" he said in a statement.
Maulana Kalbe Sadiq, senior vice-president of the All-India Muslim Personal Law Board, also said that anyone who casts aspersions on the integrity and loyalty of the minorities for the country was doing a great dis-service to the country and the Muslims.
At an election rally in Indore Thursday, Rahul Gandhi had made a sensational claim that singed by the riots and killings in Muzaffarnagar district of the state, many Muslim youth were in touch with Pakistan's intelligence agency ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence). The riots and communal violence in the district in September had left 62 dead and 43,000 homeless.