Friday, March 25 2005 19:59 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Criticising BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) for "politicising" Narendra Modi cancelling his visit to London, Congress today (Mar 25, 2005) said it was unnecessarily dragging Prime Minister Manmohan Singh into the issue.

"Why bring Prime Minister into this matter. This is totally a case of politicisation," chairperson of AICC (All India Congress Committee)'s media department Ambika Soni told reporters in an apparent reference to official claims in Gandhinagar last night that Modi decided to cancel his visit to London after Prime Minister had telephoned him.

She said Modi was advised by the Centre that there was a report about large scale opposition to his visit and there was a threat to his life.

"In the wake of this threat, Modi was told to take a decision whether his visit would be right. Keeping in view of his security the Gujarat Chief Minister preferred not to visit," she said and asked why drag the Prime Minister.

Earlier, the PMO clarified this morning that Prime Minister did not telephone Narendra Modi to ask him not to undertake visit to Britain but it was the Gujarat Chief Minister who informed the former about cancellation of his trip on the advice of Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil, the PMO said today.

Modi, after accepting Patil's advice, called up the Prime Minister to inform him about cancellation of his three-day trip which was to begin today.