Instead of digging for gold, get back money from Swiss banks: Narendra Modi

NEW DELHI: Mocking at the Archaeological Survey of India's ( ASI) hunt or gold in Uttar Pradesh's Unnao district, BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi on Friday said, "The black money stored in Swiss banks is worth more than 1000 tonnes of gold, get that back."

"The whole world is making fun of us. Someone dreamt and the government has gone hunting for gold," Modi hit out. ASI began excavating for a treasure of 1,000 tonnes of gold, which a sadhu dreamt to have been buried at a dilapidated fort in Unnao district.

In Chennai to address students at the Madras University, Modi said "The cyclone (Phailin) could not stay because there is another cyclone, a cyclone of change which did not let it stay," Modi said.

Modi said that the Trichy rally was a great success because of people of Tamil Nadu and party workers. "I am here to convey my feelings & thank everyone in Tamil Nadu regarding the Trichy rally."

Madras High Court dismissed a petition, seeking to cancel permission granted to a function at the Madras University campus here, in which Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi is to participate this evening.

A Division Bench comprising Justices T Mathivanan and K B K Vasuki dismissed the PIL and said the Chennai Police Commissioner should give protection to the event and see that no untoward incident takes place.

Objecting to Modi's participation in the function, Thanga Tamizhselvan president of Tamizhnadu Makkal Katchi, in his PIL contended, it was not fair to allow a political leader "known for his Hindu fundamentalism" to speak at the university.

The petitioner referred to an incident where permission granted to American Islamic scholar Amina Wadud to speak at the same venue was cancelled on the ground that her speech might hurt the sentiments of some sections.

Meanwhile, senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley said the "acceptability" of his party's PM candidate Narendra Modi within India and among the diaspora has improved due to his track record in governance and "decisive leadership quality."

The "unease, almost bordering on disillusionment" with the Congress led government, is building up in India and among the diaspora about "decisions not being taken, corruption souring India's image and leadership not being inspirational, he told PTI.

"In most sections, Modi's stock is quite high. (People) look at him as somebody (with) proven track record in governance and are looking for a decisive leadership quality. That has hugely improved his acceptability. In short, the impression outside and inside the country is not very different," Jaitley said.