Narendra Modi attacks Congress on food ordinance, graft from Kalmadi's turf

PUNE: Under fire from Congress over his "puppy" remark, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi today mounted a counter-offencive, questioning the efficacy of its much touted food security scheme and accused it of "destroying national honour in the eyes of the world" with Commonwealth Games scam.

"They have brought before the nation a food security bill and are claiming as if a meal has already come on the plates," Modi said in a barb at Congress over the food security ordinance, the largest initiative of its kind in the world and brainchild of party president Sonia Gandhi.

He also chose to launch the attack on Congress over the scam-hit CWG games from the home turf of its MP and disgraced former chairman of Organising Committee Suresh Kalmadi.

"Two countries hosted two games...South Korea hosted Olympics and India the Commonwealth Games. While Korea brought honour to itself through the Olympics, our nation of 120 crore people lost its honour in the eyes of the world," he said addressing students and faculty at the Ferguson College here.

"One country uses sport to bring laurel to itself among the global community and another brings itself dishonour."

Modi, however, chose not respond to criticism by his opponents for defending his government over the way it tackled 2002 post-Godhra communal riots and his "puppy" and "I am a Hindu Nationalist" remarks which have invited criticism.