New Delhi: Congress today (April 13, 2004) blasted Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi for questioning Sonia Gandhi about her relations with Italian businessman Ottavio Quattrochhi describing him as a "criminal".

"Who is Narenda Modi? Modi is a criminal and he should be in jail in the light of Supreme Court's observation in the Best Bakery case that the fanatics who spread violence in the name of religion are worse than terrorists and more dangerous than an alien enemy," party spokesman Kapil Sibal told reporters.

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Political Parties in India

He was replying to a question about Modi's demand that Congress president Sonia Gandhi should make public her relationship with Quattrochhi.

"Sonia Gandhi should treat his (Modi) statement with contempt," he said.

To a question whether the Best Bakery case would be an election issue, he said, "Yes, this is a political issue and we will make it an election issue."