‘Deep flaws in Modi’s character’

After two consecutive days of the BJP needling him, Finance Minister P Chidambaram was provoked into dubbing the Opposition’s PM candidate Narendra Modi as a promoter of “crony capitalism”, a criticism returned in full measure by the BJP.

Half-an-hour after the Finance Minister finished roundly attacking Modi, the BJP’s chief spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad took stage to dub the Congress and Chidambaram the “biggest patrons of crony capitalism”.

“Chidambaram is telling lies when he says Narendra Modi’s business model is that of crony capitalism.

“It is the Congress in general and Chidambaram in particular who patronise crony capitalism,” Prasad said. He cited the 2G spectrum allocation as an alleged instance of the Finance Minister’s promotion of corrupt practices in business.

It was a gloves-off exchange with Chidambaram pointing out “deep flaws” in Modi’s character, besides references to his proximity with a certain section of the big business.

“The corporates have no problems with the Congress. But there are sections of the corporates who are very very chummy with Modi because his brand of capitalism is crony capitalism,” said Chidambaram.

“There are deep flaws in his character. I am deeply ashamed that such a person aspires to be Prime Minister,” said Chidambaram, referring to Modi’s asides at former Chief Election Commissioner JM Lyngdoh and his snide references to Muslims.

The Finance Minister, whom BJP leader Yashwant Sinha accused of running the economy into ground, said the principal opposition party’s understanding of economic issues is “puerile”. In an answer to a question about the markets celebrating Modi’s expected victory, he said: “I think the markets started celebrating the day Yashwant Sinha decided not to contest elections.”

Pointing out “dangerous” authoritarian traits in Modi’s personality, he said: “It is apparent in the slogans being used, the references to ‘Modi sarkaar ’, the fact that BJP is being supplanted by Modi. They are forgetting that ours is a multi-party democracy. It does not work on the ‘I, me, mine’ principle.”

Compassionate leader In contrast, he said, Rahul Gandhi will be a “compassionate, earnest and concerned” Prime Minister.

The Finance Minister also asserted that the SIT report with regard to Modi’s alleged involvement in the Gulberg Society massacre in the 2002 riots should not be treated as a “clean chit”. Replying to a question about the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s statement about Modi being a “disaster” as PM, he said: “I concur with the PM”.

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