However, Sibal did not name Modi whom he referred to as “perennial opponent”, and called upon the PM candidate to focus on issues instead of individuals.
Responding to Modi’s repeated barbs on Congress destroying the nation, Sibal challenged him for an open debate adding, BJP targets individuals since it has no issues to talk about.
“I am sorry that the issues which should be discussed are not being discussed… They (BJP) do not have issues. Hence they only talk about individuals… One person can neither make nor is going to make the future of the country,” said the Union Minister.
“The country’s future is decided by policies and not allegations. Unfortunately, for some days, such an atmosphere has been made that the talk is more about individuals than about issues,” Sibal said.
The minister cited a number of reports on the performance of the UPA government with claims of better records than the NDA regime on GDP growth, per capita income, FDI and so on.
Sibal praised the UPA government on its performance and said BJP should remain permanently in opposition so that the country could progress.
He was in his attacking best with allegations that MOdi is scared of getting exposed on his untruths and that was the reason why the Gujarat Chief Minister did not want to hold a press conference.
He ridiculed Modi over his “gaffes” regarding history during his Patna rally, saying, “He does not know that Alexander never reached the Ganges, that Chandragupta Maurya did not belong to Gupta dynasty and that Taxila is in Pakistan and not in Patna. How can somebody, who does not know history, create history. Surprised which history book he read.”
Sibal also attacked Modi over BJP’s alliance with Shiv Sena to question his affection for people from Bihar.”If he has so much affection for people from Bihar, he should snap ties with Shiv Sena because they do not want Biharis to live in Maharashtra,” Sibal said.
Taking a dig at Modi, Sibal said the BJP leader never addresses press conferences.
