Congress hits back at Modi, charges BJP of indulging in 'vote bank politics'

The Congress Party on Thursday countered Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi's secularism pitch, saying it is the main opposition party which is indulging in 'vote bank politics'.

"Vote bank politics is something which they are indulging in, by indulging into majority vote bank politics. And this, they have been doing so not now, but ever since independence. And this, is what Sardar Patel was against the RSS for," said AICC General Secretary and Communications Department in-charge Ajay Maken.

Maken charged Modi, BJP and the RSS leaders of repeatedly attacking the foundation stone of the nation.

"At times it appears that right now they are sitting in the opposition and attacking the free expression of ideas of the people. God forbid if they come to power what they will do to the free expression of ideas of the people. It is beyond our imagination," he said.

Maken drew the attention of the media to an article written in 'The Hindu' on October 8 by a senior female associate editor.

"In that article, she proved two to three points on the basis of facts that the RSS is backtracking from the promises it made to Sardar Patel," he said.

Modi earlier today lauded Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh for saying that India's first Home Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was truly secular.

Modi, however, taunted the Prime Minister for calling Sardar Patel a Congressman.

"I met the PM. He said something very rightly, I am proud of it. I respect the PM for saying that Sardar Patel was a truly secular. We need the Patel kind of secularism and not vote bank politics," Modi said.

"We built Mahatma's temple and memorial. Nobody challenged us that Modi you are from BJP why are you building Gandhi who was from Congress. But now they point out why is Modi honouring Patel who is from Congress," he added.

Modi said the country is bigger than a political party for them.

"We respect Sardar Patel for his achievements, even though he was not from BJP," he added.

Modi, who addressed a farmers rally in Kevadia (Gujarat) before inaugurating the statue on Sardar Vallabhai Patel's 138th birth anniversary, said this statue will be a symbol of India's rise.

"I want people from all over the world to see this statue, to see India's rise. We have to integrate people of India. We have to integrate all powers," said Modi.

"Our unity is our guarantee for a bright future," he added.

This statue, which is being constructed at a cost of Rs. 2,074 crore, will be twice the size of the Statue of Liberty in the United States.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) veteran Lal Krishna Advani, who represents Gujarat in the Lok Sabha, was the chief guest on the occasion.

The statue is to be built on an island called Sadhu Bet on the river Narmada in Gujarat, the home state of both Sardar Patel and Modi.

The inauguration has been preceded by a war of words between the BJP and Congress over Sardar Patel's legacy.