New Delhi, July 15
Stung by BJP Campaign Committee chief Narendra Modi’s remarks yesterday that the Congress hides behind the veil of secularism when confronted with a crisis, the ruling party hit out at the Gujarat Chief Minister today saying the veil of secularism was better than the nakedness of communalism.

Top Congress leaders today used a host of platforms —from an elaborate press conference at the AICC headquarters to Twitter — to slam Modi’s ‘burqa’ comments made at Pune’s Fergusson College yesterday.

While they rebutted Modi on UPA’s poor track record in education and its controversial hosting of the Commonwealth Games, they ensured that the tone of the rebuttal enhanced the shrillness of the ongoing secularism-communalism debate which began with Modi’s ‘puppy analogy’ in respect of the 2002 Gujarat riots.

Congress general secretary Ajay Maken turned Modi’s argument on its head saying: “The burqa of secularism is better than the nakedness of communalism. While communalism divides, secularism binds.”

Maken’s line resonated in the comments of MoS HRD Shashi Tharoor who said, “He (Modi) says we hide behind the burqa of secularism. Preferable, surely, to the khaki shorts of intolerance and hatred that he (Modi) now tries to hide.”

AICC general secretary Digvijay Singh fuelled the debate further asking Modi to explain his brand of secularism. “I want to know what the definition of secularism according to Modiji is. One religion, one culture, one nation is the definition of secularism according to the RSS and Advaniji,” Singh said as the Congress held an early press interaction today to offer due rebuttals to Modi’s anti UPA assertions.

Maken’s counter claims for Modi were -- the NDA spent 1.67 pc of the GDP on education while the UPA is spending 4.02 pc; average annual growth during the UPA’s nine years has been 7.9 pc as against 6 during the NDA’s; Gujarat is the 13th among states on education spending and the worst on midday meal spending; sportspersons from Gujarat have hardly won medals in the National Games or the CWG where Congress-ruled Haryana wrested four. “Gujarat CM is misinforming people. What has he done in 11 years of rule in his state so as to lecture others on development?” asked Maken.

But most part of Congress’ rebuttal was directed at painting Modi as a polarising political figure. Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari, hitherto silent, broke his silence today to say that the country must choose between an inclusive and sectarian India.