After mocking gold hunt, Modi attempts reconciliation

He also stressed on the need to get back black money stashed away abroad

Days after criticising the treasure hunt in UP, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi today took a U-turn and praised seer Shobhan Sarkar based on whose dream the ASI is carrying out excavation in Unnao district.

"Sant Shobhan Sarkar ke prati anek varsho se lakho logo ki shraddha judi hui hai. Main unki tapasya aur tyag ko pranam karta hu (lakhs of people have reposed faith in seer Shobhan Sarkar over last many years. I salute his austerity and renunciation)," Modi said in a tweet.

Stressing on the need of getting back black money stashed away abroad, Modi demanded that the Centre should come out with a white paper on it.

"Bharat sarkar se agrah karta hu ki woh videsho mein jama kale dhan ke sambandh main ek white paper prastut kar desh ki janta ko ashwast kare (I urge the Indian government to come out with white paper on black money deposited in other countries and assure the people of the nation)," Modi said in the second tweet.

Modi's reconciliatory tone is being seen as a result of a reported letter written by followers of Sarkar castigating him on his remarks criticising government's action of digging a temple fort premises in Unnao district of UP based on the seer's dreams.

Addressing a rally in Chennai on Friday, Modi had said, "The whole world is laughing at us over this bizarre exercise."

"Somebody dreamt and the government has launched an excavation...The money hidden by thieves and looters of India in foreign banks is much more than 1000 tonnes of gold. If you (government) bring back that money, you won't have to do digging for gold (in Unnao)," Modi had said.

The central government has, however, clarified that they have not told the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to go ahead for gold hunt based on vision of seer Shobhan Sarkar.