Act against climate of intolerance: Congress to PM Narendra Modi

NEW DELHI: Congress today latched on to Moody's comments to tell Prime Minister Narendra Modi to act against the climate of intolerance, insisting that the rating agency's views were "Bible" to him during the Lok Sabha polls.

With caste and communal cards being utilised to the hilt in Bihar polls, Party spokesman R P N Singh had a dig at the Prime Minister remarking that by the time election nears the final stage, the Prime Minister would even tell his 'gothra' to people.

"During the elections, the views of Moody's were like Bible to Modi as it is a US company and the Prime Minister is more fond of things foreign", Singh told reporters taking a dig at the Prime Minister.

He said while Moody's are saying the Prime Minister must keep BJP members in check or risk "losing domestic and global credibility", the BJP was resorting to "manufacturing lies" to show that 'all is well'.

Accusing BJP of "going back to basics", he said the party was using every trick in the electoral trade to come up winner in Bihar and speaking the language of polarisation and has given up the talk of development.

This, he lamented, was happening at a time when several writers, historians, scientists and even sculptors were showing growing concerns over the rising incidents of intolerance.

Taking a jibe at BJP chief Amit Shah, Singh said, when the results of the Assembly polls would be out on November 8 and the grand alliance would win, a host of top leaders of BJP would burst crackers and celebrate Diwali.

Shah's "firecrackers in Pakistan" remark has raised a controversy with opposition parties dubbing it as "inflammatory". JD(U) and Congress have complained to the EC and have demanded ban on his entry in Bihar till poll process is over.

"Modi must keep his members in check or risk losing domestic and global credibility," Moody's Analytics, has said referring to the "ethnic tensions" in the wake of controversies over beef and other issues.

The comments by the economic research and analysis division of Moody's Corporation are the first by any major global institution over the recent political controversies in India.

The report titled 'India Outlook: Searching for Potential' further said that the ongoing assembly elections in Bihar could "prove pivotal to Modi's leadership".

It said that the government has also not helped itself in recent times with controversial comments from various BJP members.