Chidambaram slams Narendra Modi for 'outrageous' attack on EC

, May 8: Finance Minister

on Thursday slammed

for his "outrageous" attack on the Election Commission, saying it showed BJP's desperation in the elections.

"I have a feeling that the BJP is getting a bit desperate. That is why it is making these outrageous attacks on the EC. The EC has allowed them to carry out their other events, then why should they take umbrage because just one event is denied", he told reporters at the AICC headquarters here.

Hitting out at Modi, the Congress leader said when the Prime Ministerial candidate of a political party makes "outrageous comments against the EC, it speaks more about him rather than the EC."

"I don't think it diminishes the authority of the EC, rather it reveals the character of the person making the allegations", he said, adding that the authority of the EC must be measured by the outcome of the polls, the turnout, violence or absence of it and not by the allegations levelled by somebody.

Holding that by and large, the elections have taken place peacefully, he said the EC has done a "tremendous job, a splendid job".

Chidambaram: It reveals the character of the person making the allegations

At the same time, he said there are some aspects of rules and regulations which people can disagree with, but the overall job done by the EC is tremendous.

Chidambaram's remarks came as BJP today mounted an all- out attack on the EC over refusal of permission to Modi for holding a rally in Varanasi. Modi, a candidate in the Lok Sabha polls in Varanasi, questioned the poll panel's neutrality even as protests were held in Varanasi and in Delhi demanding removal of the Returning Officer.

On BJP's objection to the EC allowing a roadshow in Varanasi while not giving permission to a BJP rally, Chidambaram said the EC has already made a statement regarding it and if BJP is not happy, it should approach the poll panel.

He dismissed a question about Rahul Gandhi's reported presence in an EVM enclosure in Amethi, saying he cannot say whether norms were violated or not. "I don't know. There is a polling officer and a Returning Officer. It is for the EC to see," the Congress leader said.

PTI