Modi likens Narasimha Rao to Bahadur Shah Zafar

Guntur (Andhra Pradesh), May 1 (IANS) BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi Thursday drew a comparison between P.V. Narasimha Rao and Bahadur Shah Zafar, saying the former prime minister like the last Mughal emperor was denied two-yard land for funeral in Delhi.

Addressing an election rally in this Andhra town, he said while Bahadur Shah Zafar fought the British for India's independence, Narasimha Rao fought for the country's economic freedom.

Modi said the Nehru-Gandhi family denied Narasimha Rao two-yard land in Delhi in the same manner in which British did not allow Bahadur Shah Zafar's burial in the capital.

"When Bahadur Shah Zafar died, British government in Delhi refused to give two-yard land because he fought them for India's independence. When Narasimha Rao died, the mother-son government refused to give two-yard land for him in Delhi," he said.

The Gujarat chief minister said Narasimha Rao deviated from Congress traditions to fight for economic freedom and though he dedicated his entire life for the Congress, the party did not allow his body to be kept in the party office.

The BJP leader reiterating his allegation that Nehru-Gandhi family always insulted Telugu sons of soil. He referred to the incident in which Rajiv Gandhi publicly pulled up then chief minister T. Anjaiah. He also alleged that Indira Gandhi backstabbed then President of India Neelam Sanjiva Reddy.