Addressing a press conference, Leader of the Opposition L K Advani defended Modi to the hilt saying his remarks were in response to Gandhi comments and should be seen in the context of terrorism.

Launching a sharp attack on Gandhi, he said words like "merchant of death" and "dishonest" she had used against Modi were "highly objectionable" and warned that such talk would cost the Congress dear in elections.

Such remarks are also not good for democracy, said Advani, who emphasised that BJP and the Congress should be political adversaries and not enemies, a view which he shared with Congress scion Rahul Gandhi also.

He said the party has already complained to the Election Commission regarding the Congress president's remarks and "I would like to know whether Gandhi has been issued any notice so far.

"Election Commission should not have double standards and should adopt a uniform approach in both the cases," Advani asserted.

Defending Modi, he said "on the basis of whatever I have read in newspapers, I can say that his statement would not have come, had the Congress President not made those remarks."