'Manmohan was not as strong as Modi in dealing with terror', says Sheila Dikshit; later clarifies

NEW DELHI: Delhi Congress chief Sheila Dikshit on Thursday said that former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's "reaction" after the 26/11 Mumbai attacks was "not as strong and determined perhaps" as that of PM Narendra Modi after the Pulwama strike.

She, however, added that PM Modi does everything for "politics".

In an interview with TV channel, when asked about the UPA government’s stand after the 26/11 Mumbai attack, she said, "Manmohan Singh, yes, I agree with you, was not as strong and as determined as he (Modi) is. But there is also a feeling that he is doing it all for politics."


The Delhi Congress chief, however, took to Twitter to clarify her statement saying that her comments made in an interview were being "twisted". "Here is what I said - it may seem to some people that Mr Modi is stronger on terror but I think this is a poll gimmick more than anything else."

Dikshit further tweeted, "I also added that national security has always been a concern and Indira ji has been a strong leader."


Her comments could come as a huge embarrassment to the Congress just ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

BJP president Amit Shah took a dig at the Congress and thanked Dikshit for "reiterating what the nation already knows."

Shah tweeted: "Thank you @SheilaDikshit ji for reiterating what the nation already knows but the Congress party is never ready to admit."

Expressing shock over Delhi Congress president Sheila Dikshit's remark, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal said that it only hinted at "something cooking between the BJP and Congress".

Taking to Twitter, Kejriwal wrote, "This statement of Sheila ji is really shocking. Something is cooking between the BJP and Congress."

Congress has been accusing the BJP of politicising the Balakot air strikes carried out by India in Pakistan. Countering the opposition, PM Modi has been questioning why the then UPA government did not respond as strongly after November 2008 attacks.