Modi returns Sonia's 'magician' barb, country afraid of UPA

Siliguri/Jamshedpur, Apr 10:

today returned

's barb that he is being projected as a "magician", saying the country is only afraid of "black magic" seen during the 10-year UPA rule that "ruined" the country.

Addressing a series of election rallies in West Bengal, Jharkhand and Bihar, the BJP Prime Ministerial candidate escalated the attack on the Congress-led UPA government, calling it a "handicapped regime" run by remote control and said the country does not need another one like it.

"Madam Soniaji is desh ko magician ka dar nahi hai, hamara desh toh darta hain black magic se. Hum pichle dus saal se UPA sarkar ke black magic ko dekh rahe hain (Madam Soniaji, our country has no fear of magicians, our country is afraid of black magic. For the last ten years we are seeing the black magic of the UPA government)," Modi told an election rally in Siliguri in West Bengal.

Without naming Modi, Gandhi said at a rally in Karnataka's Kolar yesterday that he was being projected with his 'true face' hidden behind a mask and as a 'magician' who could cure all ills of the country'.

"This is such black magic that has ruined the country, this black magic has destroyed avenues of income for the youth of the country," Modi said, adding "Yeh black magic walo nein kisano ka jina mushkil kar diya (these black magicians have made it difficult for the farmers to survive)."

"The country has to be saved from the hands of these black magicians, who have blindfolded the people and ruined the country," Modi said.

Gandhi had also made a stinging attack on the Gujarat model of development being touted by him, saying some people had the habit of projecting small things in a big way as if no good work was happening in other states.

"The country does not want a deaf and dumb, handicapped government, run by remote control, at the Centre. The country wants a 'sevak' (worker) to lead it to new heights," Modi said at a rally in Jamshedpur in Jharkhand.

At a rally in Jehanabad in Bihar, Modi slammed the UPA and the Nitish Kumar government in Bihar for 'inadequate facilities' for security personnel and said the Centre's failure to address the plight of farmers reflected its policy of 'Mar Jawan, Mar Kisan".

Expressing anguish at corruption, scams and overall misrule of the UPA government, the Gujarat Chief Minister exhorted the people to throw out the incumbent dispensation at the Centre in the ongoing general elections. "Bahut ho chuka...ab nikalo inko (enough is enough, throw them (UPA govt.) out", Modi said.

PTI