After Obama's religious remarks, parties target Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today came under sharp attack from various parties which used the handle provided by US President Barack Obama's comments on religious tolerance and questioned whether he will rein in "lumpen elements" in the Sangh Parivar for course correction.
Congress, BSP and RJD were among the parties which came down heavily on Modi, saying the US leader had to make such comments because of the "communal and divisive politics" of the BJP-led NDA government.
Obama, before winding up his three-day India visit yesterday, made a strong pitch for religious tolerance and said that India will succeed so long it is not "splintered" on religious lines.

Congress spokesman Randeep Singh Surjewala said he sincerely hoped that Modi "listened to the words of our guest and will do necessary course correction from unilateralisam to India's inherent pluralism."
Questioning whether Modi is "ready to look within, he wondered if Modi would "check lumpen elements within the Sangh Parivar who are tarnishing" the image of India as a land of peaceful cohabitation and co-existence of people of different faiths.
Lamenting that the BJP has been speaking in different voices on the issue of conversions, he said the truth is that RSS and its various outfits have been "attacking core fundamentals of India's Constitutional ethos."

BSP chief Mayawati said the "communal and divisive policy" of the NDA government has caused concerns among several countries so much so that the US President had to caution India against religious divide.