Sibal attacks Modi claims on Gujarat

Kapil-SibalNew Delhi, Sep 20 : Communications Minister Kapil Sibal Friday accused BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi of making false claims about Gujarat's development.

"It is unfortunate that the media projects false data without even checking the realities," Sibal told the Indian Women's Press Corps here.

"In the process, we are adulterating the nature of the reality."

The Congress leader said the Bharatiya Janata Party keeps claiming that Gujarat was number one in electricity generation.

"How can Gujarat be number 1? It is number 14. How can a leader say that?" he asked.

On the contrary, Sibal said that the number of houses without electricity in Gujarat had gone up between 2001 -- the year Modi became chief minister -- and 2011.

"On any parameter, Gujarat is far behind many states."

He said the Congress strategy was to talk about real issues.

"You talk about replicating the Gujarat model across the country. What is your Gujarat model? What is your model for development?"

Asked if the UPA II government had lost credibility, he said: "I do not think so. If you look at the assembly elections of the last few years, the Congress has actually won more elections than the BJP.

"Yes, we have in certain channels lost credibility. But that is a different issue."(IANS)