Modi takes a dig at Sonia's tele-message, accuses Congress of disrespecting democratic institutions

Reacting to Congress President Sonia Gandhi's televised appeal to the people asking them to defeat the "divisive and autocratic" forces, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi on Tuesday accused the Congress party of disrespecting the democratic structures of the country.

"Sonia Gandhi has come to the fore to take charge of her party's campaign. She had thought that her son would do something, but when nothing happened. Now, what could she do? So, the mother herself had to come to the fore and appeared on TV to deliver advertised messages to the nation," said Modi while addressing a rally here today.

He called Sonia's televised appeal as a 'paid news', and alleged that the Congress has lots of money to buy time and space on TV.

"When you (Sonia) say that you and your party says that you respect the democratic institutions of the country, then it is not digestible. In 2004, when Congress government was formed, what was your first action? Without following any democratic practice or without consulting any Chief Minister, you removed governors. Is this a sample of you honoring democratic traditions?" Modi alleged.

He also raised the issue of rotting foodgrains and said the Supreme Court had directed the centre to distribute the foodgrains to poor, but the directive was not followed by the government.

"They let the hardwork of the farmers rot in open and did not even distribute it to poor. They later sold this foodgrain to liquor companies for 80 paise per kg rate. Is this is how you respect the order of the Supreme Court or any other democratic structure?" he asked.

He asserted that in these Lok Sabha elections there is a race going on between different states to end the misrule in Delhi.