Maharashtra Congress slams PM Modi for being in campaign mode over Pulwama attack

MUMBAI: The Maharashtra Congress Saturday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of getting into campaign mode and raising nationalistic fever centred on the Pulwama attack even as mortal remains of its martyrs was en route to native villages for last rites.

PM Modi was on a day-long visit to Maharashtra Saturday and at public gatherings in Yavatmal and Dhule, he spoke of Thursday's attack on the CRPF convoy and said sacrifice of the martyred jawans wouldn't go in vain and its perpetrators would be punished.

Maharashtra Congress spokesperson Ratnakar Mahajan said, "This has exposed his (PM Modi) false concerns for fallen soldiers. When the country is in mourning over the Pulwama incident, the PM expects opposition parties to stand by the government irrespective of political differences. But, he himself is campaigning for his party and creating a feverish nationalistic pitch. The mortal remains of the martyrs are just reaching native places for last rites and the PM has already begun campaigning for his party. People are sure to notice this contradiction," Mahajan alleged.

Mahajan said Modi had come to Dabhadi in Yavatmal district five years ago for "chai pe charcha" programme with farmers.

"He (Modi) remembered this today (in his speech at a rally) but forgot to mention that a farmer from this village wrote a letter to him before committing suicide," Mahajan said.

"It would have been good if Modi had expressed sympathy for the dead farmer while remembering his last visit here," the Congress leader said.