Daijiworld Media Network - Bhopal (SR)

Bhopal, May 11: Yashwant Sinha, former BJP leader, speaking at a meet-the-press programme here on Friday said, "After the communal riots in Gujarat, Atal Bihari Vajpayee had decided that the then state chief minister Narendra Modi should resign. While going to the national executive committee meeting in Goa in 2002, Atalji had made up his mind that the Gujarat government would be dismissed if Modiji refused to resign."

Further explaining Vajpayee’s decision on Modi’s matter, he asserted, "There was a meeting within the party. According to my information, Advaniji had opposed this (dismissing the Modi government) and he told Atalji that if Modiji is dismissed then he (Advani) would resign from the government. So, he (Vajpayee) withheld the decision and Modiji continued,” as per PTI source.

He also rubbished the controversy over the alleged misuse of INS Viraat by former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and said these are non-issues and that former naval officers had already issued clarifications on it.

Sinha also lashed out at PM Modi for raising the issue of Pakistan in the general elections saying, "It is unfortunate that the issue of Pakistan is being raised in the elections. He hyphenated our country with Pakistan. Are we a country of Pakistan's category? There is no talk about China, as he must be feeling happy with the Pakistan rhetoric."

Blaming the Modi government for misinterpreting statistics, he said GDP data during the previous UPA government was higher than during the current NDA government.

Sinha also alleged Modi for using bad language in the political discourse. "It is expected from a PM to use dignified language but this is not happening," Sinha said.