Indian Prime Minister not weak, says Rahul

Puducherry, Mar 25 (PTI) Joining issues with Bharatiya
Janata Party leader L K Advani, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi
Wednesday took potshots at him saying Indian Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh was not weak as he had not "buckled" to
terrorists like it happened during the Kandahar hijack
episode.

"He (Singh) has achieved a hell of a lot. He has kept
the country faster than it has ever grown. He has brought
massive presure on our neighbour after the Mumbai attack and
he has given us a strategic deal (with the US) which the
previous government had not done," he told a press conference
here.

Asked about Advani's oft-repeated criticism of Singh as
a weak Prime Minister, he said Singh had shown tremendous grit
and determination.

"Let us not go back very far. During the (negotiations
on) US deal, the Prime Minister showed tremendous grit, will
and toughness.

"These are easy things to say. If he is a weak Prime
Minister he did not buckle in front of terrorists. Didn't do a
Kandahar. He has achieved a lot for the country. I do not
think he is weak. He has full support of younsters like me,"
Gandhi said.

He was apparently referring to the National Democratic
Alliance Government's action in swapping terrorists for
release of passengers of the hijacked Indian Airlines aircrat.

When a questioner asked him to compare Advani with the
Prime Minister, he said he did not want to make statements and
pronounced judgements about Advani "who is a senior leader"
but he would definitely speak about Singh. PTI SA
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