Date:09/12/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/12/09/stories/2007120958470100.htm

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Congress stands by Sonia’s comment

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: The Congress on Saturday asserted that the party stood by its president Sonia Gandhi’s “merchants of death” comment.

“We reiterate and stand by the statement made from the All-India Congress Committee in respect of the description of Mr. Modi [Gujarat Chief Minister]. The description is not just apposite, it is mild,” party spokesman Abhishek Singhvi said at a press conference here.

Asked categorically if Ms. Gandhi referred to Mr. Modi as “maut ke saudagar” (merchants of death) at a rally in Gujarat, Mr Singhvi said: “What she said has been seen, heard and read by everybody.”

On Friday, senior party leader Kapil Sibal said Ms. Gandhi had not named any individual and in fact referred to functionaries in the Modi government. Asked about this, Mr. Singhvi refused to comment but emphasised that what he was saying was the “AICC stand.”

In the light of Mr. Modi’s acts of omission and commission and utterances over several years, “we leave it to the people of India to judge Mr. Modi, his character and his government,” Mr. Singhvi said.

PTI reports:

Hours later, Mr. Sibal said, “I had never said that the remarks [of Ms. Gandhi] were meant or not meant for Mr. Modi. He said the controversy was due to a spin given by the media to his remarks.