Islamabad is trying to fix Gujarat polls, says Modi

Pakistani officials met ex-PM Manmohan Singh, Mani Shankar Aiyar, says PM.

On yet another day of vitriolic campaigning for the Assembly polls in Gujarat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday suggested that Pakistan was trying to influence the outcome of the elections.

Mr. Modi accused his predecessor Dr. Manmohan Singh of meeting Pakistani officials at a “secret” meeting at Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar’s residence a day before the latter’s controversial remark, terming the Prime Minister ‘neech’ [a lowly person].” “There were media reports about a meeting at Mani Shankar Aiyar’s house in which Pakistan’s High Commissioner, Pakistan’s former Foreign Minister, India’s former Vice-President and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh were present,” Mr. Modi said at an election rally at Palanpur in north Gujarat, scheduled to vote in the second phase on December 14.

Baseless, says Congress

Terming the allegations of its senior leaders’ meeting with Pakistani officials as baseless, the Congress said Mr. Modi’s charges were prompted by his worry about the BJP’s impending defeat in Gujarat.

“Holding the country’s topmost post, Modiji is making baseless allegations. Modiji is worried, dejected, angry. Such a statement has no truth or fact, and is based on lies. Such behaviour is unbecoming of a Prime Minister,” Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala told reporters in New Delhi.

Mr. Surjewala said if Mr. Modi planned to contest the elections on Pakistan-related issues, then he should also tell the people of Gujarat why he “trusted the Pakistani spy agency ISI and offered it entry to Pathankot Airforce Base...”

He also questioned the Prime Minister’s “unplanned” Pakistan visit to attend the wedding of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s granddaughter, soon after “Pakistan-sponsored terrorist attacks at Gurdaspur and Udhampur”.

In his speech, Mr. Modi claimed that the meeting at Mr. Aiyar’s house continued for almost three hours and next day, Mr Aiyer called the Prime Minister “neech”.