Narendra Modi accuses Cong of compromising on national self-respect & security

TRICHY: Drawing a parallel between Pakistan and Sri Lanka’s "ill-treatment" of Indian fishermen, Gujarat CM Narendra Modi on Thursday chose to harp on national security and pride as he addressed a BJP youth rally in Trichy, his first political engagement in Tamil Nadu after his nomination as the party’s PM candidate.

The hour-long speech, mostly in Hindi and high on nationalist spiel, was laced with references to international figures including the Brazil president and US whistleblower Edward Snowden, as Modi accused PM Manmohan Singh and the UPA government of policy paralysis and compromising on national self-respect and security.

Addressing a huge rally of over 2,00,000 people, Modi said, "Divisive nature is in the genes of Congress... If the nation’s integrity has to be protected, then we have to understand Congress’s DNA. Congress is divisive in its thinking, speech and other aspects."

The youth conclave had the trappings of a poll campaign with a façade at the venue resembling the Red Fort in Delhi . Targeting UPA’s economic and foreign policies, Modi said a weak Centre had allowed people to cross the borders of India and target Indians, both civilians and army personnel.

Modi said Manmohan Singh could take a cue from the president of a "small country called Brazil" on the matter of national pride. His reference was to Dilma Roussef ’s decision to cancel a visit to Washington to protest US surveillance on Brazil.