Modi on prices: Will write to Sonia in Italian

It's a typical Modi dig at Sonia Gandhi.

"I have written scores of letters to the Centre saying there is a need to control the rise in food prices. I wrote in a language they understand. But nothing has come of it. Now I guess I will have to write to them in Italian," said the Gujarat Chief Minister at a public meeting on Friday.

The Congress' reaction was fast and furious. "Only Modi could have made such a preposterous comment. Modi must have lost it," said Manish Tiwari, the party spokesperson.

Narendra Modi has raked up the issue of Sonia Gandhi's Italian origin in every election since 2002. Then, in 2007, Sonia Gandhi struck back, referring to Modi as the Maut Ka Saudagar or 'Merchant of Death', invoking the communal riots that took place in 2002 on Modi's watch.

Modi was re-elected that December for the third time.

But with the Congress returning to power with a sound majority last May, political analysts say Modi wants to project himself as more than an irrepressible right-wing leader. He wants to be identified with issues that all voters consider important - like the seemingly unstoppable price rice that the country is confronting.

"Gujarat has initiated so many pro-poor schemes. But they are failing because the Centre can't control food inflation," he says. But at a relief camp organized by him on Friday, people complained that the envelopes they received were missing the cash they were promised

Controlling prices is also responsibility of states: Congress

With UP Chief Minister Mayawati and her Bihar counterpart Nitish Kumar blaming the Centre for the price rise, Congress on Thursday hit back saying it (controlling prices) was also the responsibility of the states.

"The UP Chief Minister does not have the interest of the common man at heart. All she wants to do it to score browny points in politics. Government has announced a number of measures for checking prices and if any Chief Minister puts obstacle in these steps, this amounts to working against the common man," Party spokesperson Manish Tewari told reporters.

Another senior party leader Satyavrat Chaturvedi termed Mayawati's statement, charging the UPA government with working under the influence of capitalists, as "irresponsible" and "childish", saying no Prime Minister or Government can do this.

Putting states in the dock over their role in controlling price rise, Chaturvedi said, "Do states have no responsibility? Who looks after supply department, food department and the Public Distribution System? Is it not the state?"

"Centre can give foodgrains but what if states do not lift it. Many states did not lift even 40 percent of the foodgrains given to them. States have to take responsibility.

Putting the blame on the Centre alone won't do," he said.

No intention to hurt Muslim sentiments: Chidambaram

Union Home Minister P Chidambaram on Saturday said he had no intention to hurt the sentiments of Muslims by his recent remarks equating 'jihad' to terrorism and said he was "happy to stand corrected."

"I may assure you that there was no intention to hurt the sentiments of anyone in the Muslim community," Chidambaram said in a letter to M H Jawahirullah, president of Tamil Nadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam (TMMK), who had objected to his remarks on jihad.

He said as a "devout Muslim," Jawahirullah was more informed about the teachings of Islam and the true meaning of the word 'jihad.'

Pointing out that the words 'jihad' and 'jihadi' are in common parlance used to describe militant activities and militants in different parts of the world, including India, Chidambaram said he had used the word as it is used in common parlance.

"Like others,I used the word as it is used in common parlance, and I am happy to stand corrected," he said in his letter.

He said leaders of terror outfits like Al-Qaeda and Lashkar-E-Taiba used the word "jihad" on more than one occasion.

Krishna on Tharoor tweet: all have to fall on same page

"Everyone will have to fall on the same page," was the External Affairs Minister S M Krishna's message today to his junior Shashi Tharoor who had publicly questioned the new visa rules. Minutes after Tharoor met him, Krishna said there could be different perceptions but there is also a method and procedure to "sort out" those issues and he was sure that his deputy minister "understands" that.

"The broad policy parameters are dictated, decided by the Minister in-charge of External Affairs of this country and everyone will have to fall on the same page," he said when asked if Tharoor and the Ministry were on the same page.

Krishna had publicly rebuked Tharoor for using the social networking site 'twitter' for questioning the relevance of tightening of visa norms in the backdrop of David Headley episode. "26/11 killers had no visas", he had posted and wondered if the new rules will make India a less welcoming destinations for tourists.

About repeated controversies over Tharoor tweeting, Krishna said, "I would request you to not generalise issues. There could be different perceptions.

"As I have said in my statement earlier and if there are different perception then I think there is a method, there is a procedure where we sort out those issues and I am sure that Tharoor understands that." He said the two also discussed the visa policy but did not give the details of the talks.

"We discussed. With reference to visa policy, I think the Home Ministry after deliberations have come out with a new policy.Whenever, a new policy comes into effect, there are bound to be repercussions and based on the kind of feedback that MEA gets from various sources, we take it up with the Ministry of Home Affairs and then if need be, we will suggest to the Home Ministry to what needs to be done in this regard," Krishna said.Replying to a question if as the boss of the Ministry, he was happy with the outcome of the meeting with Tharoor, Krishna said, "Oh yes. As the boss of the Ministry, as head of External Affairs Ministry, I am completely at peace with myself and the Ministry. Everything is alright."