PM should apologise to nation for remarks against Manmohan during Gujarat polls: Cong

The Congress today said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should apologise to the country for his remarks during the Gujarat election last year that his predecessor Manmohan Singh and other party members had colluded with Pakistan to influence the poll results.

Party spokesperson Pawan Khera cited an RTI reply from the Prime Minister's Office suggesting that the PM made the remarks based on informal and formal information received from multiple sources.

He sought to know as to how can the prime minister make a statement based on information received from informal sources when he is an elected leader and has pledged allegiance to the Constitution.

"You have set a precedent. What is informal about the constitutional post? You have taken oath under the Constitution. You are gathering information from informal sources and you are questioning the leaders," Khare said, demanding an apology from the prime minister.

"The information sought pertains to the PM speaking during a political campaign. The information sought does not relate to a political matter or a decision of the government. So with regard to the Prime Minister, he is entitled to receive informal or formal information from multiple sources," he quoted the RTI plea as saying.

Singh, on his part, has already sought an apology from the PM, terming the charges baseless.

Denouncing the remarks, the Congress spokesperson said Modi has resorted to informal talks ever since he became the PM, but he is considered the most articulate prime minister the country has had.

"What kind of image of India is he creating before the world, especially when every word of the PM is analysed the world over. We deserver a better and a healthier narrative. He should apologise to the country. The statement was a "low-level jumla". If he does not apologise, it will be a serious threat to democracy," Khera said.

He said the prime minister has developed a habit of raising the Pakistan issue, of Hafiz Sayed when he loses elections but forgets to talk about the plight of farmers, small traders or unemployment.