``Even now I say it (the BJP) is uncivilised and barbaric,'' Basu told a crowded press conference held soon after a meeting with Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee.

Ever since he left the BJP smarting from his famous hit at the ruling party some months ago, journalists have sought his opinion on the BJP at every opportunity. And the 86-year-old Basu has always obliged. As he did today as well.

But, explaining the rationale for his low opinion of the BJP, Basu clarified that it was not aimed at any one individual. ``What do you say if, at the end of the 20th Century, you break up somebody else's prayer house the Babri Mosque.

If people with the same ideology and close to you politically kill Christians who are 2.5 per cent of the population, fearing a threatfrom them,'' he questioned.

``In a civilised country such things don't happen,'' Basu explained, wondering aloud what terms other than ``barbaric and uncivilised'' could be used in the context. But the veteran Marxist leader did not spare the Congress either, lashing out at the poor record of Congress governments which he felt had failed to deliver the basic demands of the common people. Asked about the state government's relationship with the Centre, Basu regretted the absence of a federal system. He also regretted the lack of a proper accountability system in the country.

He said: "The party has asked me to carry on with my responsibilities. I cannot say how long I will be able to carry on. ''

`Basu's having a serious attack of sour grapes'
NEW DELHI: The BJP-Jyoti Basu slanging match goes on, with the former taking strong exception to the latter's description of the saffron party as ``uncivilzed and barbaric.'' ``These are rantings of a man whose dream to become the Prime Ministerof the country has been shattered,'' BJP general secretary M Venkaiah Naidu observed today, while reacting to the West Bengal Chief Minister's statement.

``It is an assault on the democratic aspirations of the people, including the people of West Bengal where the Marxists, for a change, are on the run,'' he said, adding, ``The Marxists' contempt for the democratic process and the people's verdict has been reinforced by Basu's comments.''

Terming these remarks as the ``rantings of a man suffering from a serious attack of sour grapes, Naidu retorted: ``After all, Basu wanted to be the Prime Minister, but his party CPI(M) chose to offer its service as the palanquin-bearer of the Congress.''