Authoritarian Modi embarrassing India: Congress

New Delhi: Calling him authoritarian, the Congress on Friday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of embarrassing India by repeatedly claiming abroad that he had restored the country's credibility.

"We completely reject his claim that he has restored India's credibility," Congress leader Anand Sharma told a news conference here, on the second day of Modi's visit to Britain.

He said Modi's claim implied that India had no credibility earlier and the world did not respect India before Modi took power in May 2014.

"By repeating this thing over and over again in capitals that he visits, he is embarrassing the country.

"India had respect, India had credibility and India was one of the most favoured destinations for FDI because of government policies" even earlier, Sharma said.

The Congress leader alleged that there was an atmosphere of fear in India today, and the whole blame for this lay on the prime minister.

"The PM presides over a government which is arbitrary in functioning. The PM is authoritarian when it comes to the conduct of the affairs of the state.

"It is his government which has sullied India's image as a favoured destination because of forces which have been unleashed and which have been given protection and endorsement by Modi," Sharma said.

India's reputation as a secular nation has taken a backseat, he added.
The Congress has blamed the Modi government and the BJP and allied groups for what it says is rising intolerance in the country.
Source: IANS