Never ridiculed Vajpayee who has been ailing since long: Cong tells Modi

Kanpur: Congress today decried Narendra Modi’s remarks on Sonia Gandhi’s health at a recent rally, saying it had never ridiculed BJP leader Atal Bihar Vajpayee, who has been ailing for a long time. Union Minister Rajeev Shukla said Modi’s language had changed since he was named the BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate, and asked him not to mock sick people as anybody can become ill at any time. [caption id=“attachment_1234983” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  AFP[/caption] Shukla also backed Jairam Ramesh after his comments over Rahul’s Muzaffarnagar riots-ISI connection remarks created a stir and said media had distorted Ramesh’s comments. The Minister, who was inspecting preparations for the India-West Indies one day match at Green Park stadium, said Congress had never ridiculed Vajpayee who has been ailing since long. In fact, Congress was praying for the long life of the veteran leader, he said. Shukla said Modi’s language had changed after he was made the BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate. “The script given to him is faulty. He doesn’t know the history of the world,” he said. Modi had at a recent rally asked the Congress President to let party Vice-President and son Rahul Gandhi take over. “Madam, you are ill. Let the shehzada (prince) take over,” he had said. Shukla also backed Ramesh after his comments on Rahul’s remarks created a stir. Rahul had triggered a controversy last month when he had said that Pakistan’s ISI was in touch with Muzaffarnagar riot victims. Ramesh today refuted reports that he wanted Rahul Gandhi to apologise to the Muslim community for his controversial remarks and said that his comments were twisted by the media. PTI