Hurl at Sonia was no ball, will change line, length: Modi

When Gupta asked him if he would try and change his ‘‘line and length,’’ Modi said: ‘‘I will. But please understand that I have been making public speeches for the last two and half years, addressing as many as five rallies in a day. Once in a while, you many find one sentence and say that should not have been said. ’’

Asked whether ‘‘a third umpire’’ has ever told him that ‘‘you’re bowling too many no-balls,’’ Modi said: ‘‘You people in the press are always pointing out.’’

This excerpt of the Modi interview was beamed today. The day also saw the BJP appealing to all politicians, including Modi, to exercise restraint. Party president M Venkaiah Naidu told reporters in New Delhi that he had advised all in Congress, BJP and Left parties to exercise restraint and conduct the campaign in a dignified manner. ‘‘This advice is not only for Modi but for all.’’

In Bangalore, when reporters asked BJP leader Arun Jaitley about Modi’s remarks on Sonia and Rahul, he said that his party would advise its leaders not to make personal attacks.

In Patan on March 31, Modi, while sharing the platform with Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani, said: ‘‘The Congress symbol used to be gai and vaccharado (cow and calf) and people used to say gai (Indira Gandhi) and vacchharado (Sanjay Gandhi) are contesting. Have to kheduto mane kahe chhe saheb have to jarsi vacchhrado chuntani ladhva aavyo chhe (Now farmers tell me a hybrid calf has come to contest the elections).’’

Meanwhile, the Congress stepped up its attack on the BJP saying that making ‘‘derogatory’’ remarks was a ‘‘well-thought-of, well-planned strategy.’’ ‘‘The use of such indecent and low-level talk is a well-thought-of and well-planned strategy by BJP top brass, including Atal Behari Vajpayee and his deputy L K Advani… It is their policy,’’ AICC spokesman Abhishek Singhvi told reporters.

‘‘Modi is not an exception to this policy as VHP leader Praveen Togadia and Vinay Katiyar have also used such language,’’ Singhvi alleged. He accused Advani of encouraging Modi by maintaining silence on the issue. ‘‘Unfortunately, those who have the bridle in their hands are themselves encouraging him (Modi),’’ he said.