'What is the meaning of such challenges to Oppn': Chidambaram's dig at PM

New Delhi: Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Wednesday took to Twitter to respond to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s dare to the Opposition to ‘declare openly’ that it would be willing to make every Pakistani an Indian citizen.

In a series of tweets, Chidambaram said: "Why should we give citizenship to people who are already citizens of Pakistan? What is the meaning of such challenges to the opposition?"

"It is gratifying that the students and the young generation are liberal, secular, tolerant and exhibit humanism. Is the government challenging these values," he added.

Another Congress leader, Kapil Sibal, tweeted: "Dear Modiji Instead of being obsessed with the citizens of Pakistan please turn your attention to the citizens of Indian and try and address their problems. Remember the people of India elected you to solve the problems confronting our citizens."

On Tuesday, PM Modi accused the Congress of "spreading fear" among Muslims and reasserted that no citizen of the country would be affected by the new law.

Addressing a rally in Jharkhand, PM Modi said, "I want to throw an open challenge to the Congress and its allies that if they (Congress and its allies) have the guts, they should openly announce that they are ready to grant Indian citizenship to every Pakistani citizen. Then the country will make them pay... Not just that. If they have the courage, let them say they will restore Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir that Modi removed."