BJP chief Amit Shah attacks ex-PM Manmohan Singh

JALNA: BJP president Amit Shah today took a dig at former prime minister Manmohan Singh saying he always kept "mum" on various issues in contrast to his successor Narendra Modi who is an "articulate" prime minister.

"Manmohan Singh was a 'maun' prime minister whereas Narendra Modi is a 'bolnewala pradhan mantri' (talking prime minister)," Shah said addressing an election meeting for his party candidate Arvind Chavan at Azad ground here.

In a scathing attack on Singh, whom Modi had also targetted during the campaign for Lok Sabha polls, Shah said, "Singh was the maun prime minister propped up by the UPA regime. Singh used to speak only to his wife, besides Congress president Sonia Gandhi,".

"In contrast, BJP has given to people a talking prime minister. Modi went to Japan, Nepal and also spoke at Madison Square Garden in the US. He also held talks with Chinese President. Narendra bhai spoke in Hindi in the US and Japan and we should be proud about it," the BJP chief said.

Referring to Modi's maiden address as Prime Minister from the ramparts of Red Fort on Independence Day, Shah said, "Modi has the courage to speak at Red fort without bulletproof glass as he has a 56-inch chest."

He also hit back at Congress president Sonia Gandhi for demanding an "account of achievements" of Modi government of last 100 days.

"She (Sonia) wants account of the four-month rule of Modi government. Did Congress give account of 60 years of its rule?" he asked.

Refuting Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi's charge that Narendra Modi government failed to give a befitting reply to Pakistan for repeated violations of ceasefire at border, Shah said, "Our soldiers are giving a counter reply. Rahul cannot see what is happening at the border because he is wearing Italian glasses."

Shah also accused the erstwhile Congress-NCP coalition government in Maharashtra of "indulging in scams and patronising corruption."