Babbar slams Modi for practising 'self-centered politics'

Congress leader Raj Babbar today accused Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi of practising self-centred politics and adopting an attitude of "my way or highway".

Without taking the name of Modi, he said 'my way or highway' used to be a theory in the West where Mafias used to shoot and throw those persons on highway who did not agree with them.

"Gujarat NSUI has taught a lesson to those believing in my way or highway. The same people believing in my way or highway have reduced Keshubhai Patel and L K Advani to the status of trophies. They are now treating these people like trophies that have been won," Babbar said addressing an NSUI convention attacking Modi.

Congress President Sonia Gandhi, who was to inaugurate the event, did not come. Rahul Gandhi will be attending the event tomorrow.

Referring to the recent victory of NSUI in Gujarat University Student Union elections, Babbar exhorted the NSUI to work to ensure Congress victory in the Lok Sabha polls.

Suggesting that Modis' politics centres around himself (Main), Babbar said that Rahul Gandhi on the contrary talks of "Main Nahin Hum" (Us and not me).

Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvin Kerjiwal, whose government was supported by Congress in Delhi, was also in the firing line of Babbar.

Referring to the RTI legislation brought out by UPA he said this power of getting information with depositing just Rs 10 rupees should have been used by Congress workers.

"Using that power, some cunning persons captured the Delhi throne," he said. Babbar said in an apparent reference to Kejriwal, who was an RTI activist at one time.

Babbar, who is Congress spokesperson also asked the youth workers of the party not to be shy in accepting the challenge of price rise. He said they should also remind people that earnings have also gone up substantially.

"Do not feel shy on the issue of price rise. Do not be on the defensive. We will be proved wrong that way. Think what used to be the pocket money of your father and grandfather.

"When we talk of price rise, we should look at the growth of our pockets. Congress wants that the earning capacity of the people goes up further in time to come. Congress has worked in this direction," he said.

The two-day convention is being organized to mobilise its cadres across the country for the Lok Sabha polls.

The convention named "Udaan: Unleashing the Spirit of Young India" is being attended by all state and district level NSUI office bearers have been invited to attend.