Modi challenges centre to file sedition charges

Surat, Jun 16 (UNI) Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi has challenged the UPA government at the Centre to file sedition charges against him for his controversial remarks, questioning the tax revenue sharing between the state and the Central government.

Addressing a gathering here yesterday, Mr Modi said ''if speaking truth in the interest of Gujarat means sedition, then let them do that.'' 'I invite the whole Congress regime, please do not waste a single day, book me for sedition right today and hang me. Let me see how they can,'' he said.

''How can they?. They have not been able to hang Afzal Guru,'' he said referring to the man convicted for the terror attack on Parliament in 2001.

Mr Modi was responding to the Congress reaction to his earlier statements. The Congress last week said Mr Modi's remarks were nothing less than an ''assault on the idea of India''.

The Chief Minister on Thursday had challenged the Centre to slap sedition charges against him on his remarks, regarding tax revenue sharing arrangements between the states and the Centre.

His remarks have once again brought the Centre-State relationship issue to the fore.

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