Narendra Modi targets Sonia on price rise; Congress hits back

Whipping up Sonia Gandhi's foreign origin to flag the price rise issue, Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi made a veiled attack on the Congress chief, saying he would now write a letter to the Centre in 'Italian' to make it act to rein in food prices.

The Congress hit back at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader's personal attack, suggesting he has become mad. "He has lost his mind. From an uncivilised person, you can only expect such a presposterous rhetoric. I would not even want to dignify such comments by speaking from this podium," Congress spokesman Manish Tiwari said in New Delhi today.

Speaking at a Garib Kalyan Mela at Patan, about 130 km from here, last night Modi said, "I have written a number of letters to Central government on the issue of price rise. I have written letters in the language they can understand, urging them to take steps to do something about the rising prices of food items.

"But, I think that they have no sympathy for the poor people, and it seems that they are not willing to take steps to control rising prices. Now, I need to write a letter in Italian," he said.

Modi and Sonia have had a few run-ins during the Gujarat Assembly election campaign towards the end of 2008.

"They (Centre) had organised a meeting on the issue of price rise. But have now postponed it saying that they have some other work. I don't understand what work is more important than addressing the issue of price rise," Modi said.