No competition with Pak, only with developed nations: Congress

Taking a cue from Rahul Gandhi, Congress today said India has no competition with Pakistan but only with the developed countries of the world.

"India has no competition with those (Pakistan) who have been left behind. We are the fourth largest economy of the world and our competition is with the developed countries," party spokesman Shakeel Ahmed told reporters here.

At a press conference in Shimla on October 13, Gandhi had said, "We are giving too much time and importance to Pakistan in our minds. To my mind, it deserves not half the importance we are giving it."

Ahmed said, "What he (Gandhi) said on Pakistan is a ground reality. It should have been said much earlier." Replying to queries whether the stand of the government vis-a-vis Pakistan had slackened in the recent weeks, Ahmed said, "Not at all...What the MEA had to do, it did and is still doing. What the home ministry had to do, it did and is still doing."

On whether the statement of Rahul Gandhi against interlinking of rivers was also a party line, Ahmed said since he was the General Secretary of the party and has spoken something, it is naturally considered the party's view adding, "If the party has to distance from any statement, it does when required."

At the same time, he said, "Every person had some personal opinion." Another party spokesman Abhishek Singhvi said, "Gandhi is only saying that our undue energy and focus should not be Pak centric. It is but obvious that the scale, size, power, democratic polity of India and Pakistan are different like chalk and cheese."