Cong takes U-turn, says Sonia remark not for Modi

This assumes significance as Congress had earlier said that the comment was for Modi and the party was not apologetic about it.

With the Election Commission issuing notice to Congress President Sonia Gandhi for her ‘merchant of death’ remark, her party on Monday changed the tune again, saying the comment was not about Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi.

It said a reply to the EC notice will be submitted on Tuesday wherein the same line of argument will be furnished.

“The text (of Gandhi’s speech) is for everybody to see. No names appear in the text,” Congress spokesman Abhishek Manu Singhvi said in Delhi.

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The comment assumes significance as Singhvi had on Saturday said that Gandhi’s comment about ‘merchant of death’ was about Modi and the party was not apologetic about it.

“Of course, she did. You can read that statement,” Singhvi had told reporters when asked whether or not the Congress President’s remark was about Modi.

Earlier, senior Congress leader and Union Minister Kapil Sibal had said Gandhi had not referred to anyone in her speech during election rally in Gujarat.

The Election Commission on Sunday issued a notice to Gandhi for her comments, seeking a reply by Tuesday.