Veil of secularism better than naked communalism: Congress

New Delhi, July 15: The Congress on Monday countered Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi for his remarks against the UPA government, saying "he should first improve his state before lecturing the centre on development indicators".

"He (Modi) has no moral authority to criticize the central government when he has failed in his state as chief minister," Congress general secretary Ajay Maken told reporters while responding to the charges made by Modi in Pune Sunday.

"He has no right to create a false impression," said Modi.

"The veil of secularism is better than naked communalism," Congress general secretary Ajay Maken told reporters.

"Communalism divides the country while secularism unites it," he said.

Addressing a college gathering in Pune on Sunday, Modi said that whenever the Congress government is faced by trouble, they hide behind "a veil of secularism" so that no one questions them on real issues.

He also questioned the outcome of the food bill, and also hit out at the UPA government over the falling value of rupee, its claims of enacting rights-based legislation, saying people needed action, not acts.

Providing details of the various development indicators achieved during the nine years of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) rule, Maken said the state of Gujarat under Modi does not match up to them.

"We need to reply to his charges which are based on wrong facts," said Maken who added, "We want our success story to be told to people."

According to Maken, the UPA scored better than the BJP-ruled National Democratic Alliance on most counts including education, health, sports and economic growth.

IANS