P.L. Punia takes on Modi for his criticism of PM

Congress leader P.L. Punia on Saturday hit out at Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi for his verbal attack on Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh over the falling rupee, and said the Congress-led UPA Government has effectively managed the economy despite the economic slowdown.

"Narendra Modi who is the Chief Minister of Gujarat and the BJP's poll panel chief has his own status. But the kind of language that he uses does not suit a person like him," said Punia, while disapproving Modi's criticism of the Prime Minister.

"Not only India, but all other countries are passing through the period of recession," he added, while alleging that the BJP would not have been able to effectively manage the Indian economy under present circumstances.

Modi earlier in the day continued his triage against the Prime Minister, and said that the rupee has become mute like the person leading the country.

"In the glorious old times, the rupee was making a lot of noise. But today, it has lost its voice. And similarly, we are unable to hear the voice of our Prime Minister. Both have turned mute," Modi said.

"Today, our currency is on its deathbed. It is in its terminal stage and urgently needs attention of a doctor. ...This government has no cure to improve the condition of a rupee. Central government has no doctor to cure the rupee," he added.

Speaking at a function organised to felicitate him for the creation of Morbi, as a separate district of Rajkot, Modi expressed worry over the continuous toppling value of the Indian currency.

Continuing his ambush on the Congress-led UPA government, Modi said that at the time of coming to power, the present government had promised to reduce inflation within 100 days, but that has did not happen.

Additionally, Modi reiterated that the ruling government was solely to be blamed for the worsening economic climate in the country.

"At present both - rupee and UPA Government- have lost their value. Time has come to stop our country from destruction. The Central Government is misguiding the country. People need to know why our country is heading towards destruction," Modi said.

"The (Congress) party should ponder why people are not allowing it to enter Gujarat," he added.

In his Independence Day address at Bhuj, Modi had lashed out at the Prime Minister on various issues, including the depreciating value of the rupee and the increasingly threatened attacks along the border with Pakistan and China.