Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi today stunned the meeting of the National Integration Council, chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, when he “declined” to speak and submitted for the records the text of his written speech.

Belying expectations, Modi sat quietly, listening to the verbal duel between Home Minister Shivraj Patil and Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik over deployment of paramilitary forces in the state which is battling a wave of anti-Christian attacks.

Asked about Modi, P K Gera, Gujarat’s Resident Commissioner in Delhi, confirmed that the CM declined to speak. “Yes, he did not speak. Perhaps he didn’t find any reason to speak with so many airing their views.”

Modi’s “reluctance” to speak surprised the large gathering because he was expected to raise a storm over the issue of terror. “We were expecting he would create an uproar. We were taken aback when he refused to speak,” said a Union Minister.

Modi and Rajasthan counterpart Vasundhara Raje had protested the non-inclusion of “terrorism” in the NIC agenda. Taking note, the Centre, at the last minute, included “extremism” in the meeting agenda.

In his written speech, Modi came down heavily on the UPA government for being “soft on terror”. He repeated this before TV cameras later.

At the meeting, people were surprised to see UPA partners Lalu Prasad Yadav, Mulayam Singh Yadav and Ramvilas Paswan on the dais. But it is learnt that the UPA leadership, realising that the trio may just rake up the issue of attacks on Christians to again demand a ban on the Bajrang Dal and Central rule in Orissa, decided to seat them on the dais from where leaders usually do not rake up matters. They were, however, allowed to submit their written speeches.

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