Following remarks by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during an election campaign in Rajasthan claiming that if Congress comes to power it would distribute citizens’ property to “infiltrators”, Opposition leaders severely criticised him saying his language was “poisonous” and was an attempt to divert from real issues plaguing the country.
Taking a sharp dig at PM Modi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said that the his “panic-filled” speech showed that the Opposition INDIA bloc was “winning” the first phase polls.
“What Modi ji said is not only a hate speech but also a well thought out ploy to divert attention. Today the Prime Minister did what he has learnt from the values of the Sangh. Lying for power, making baseless references to things and making false accusations on opponents is the specialty of the training of RSS and BJP,” Kharge said in a post on X in Hindi.
“The 140 crore people of the country are no longer going to fall prey to this lie. Our manifesto is for every Indian. It talks about equality for all. It talks about justice for all,” he added.
In the history of India, no Prime Minister has lowered the dignity of his post as much as has Modi, the Congress chief said.
Sharing the Congress’ latest advertisement that focuses on rising prices and unemployment on Monday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said, “Unemployment and inflation are at their peak in the country and Narendra Modi says ‘everything is fine’.”
“He (Modi) has several new techniques to ‘divert from the issues’, But the end of the business of lies is near,” Gandhi said in a post in Hindi on X.
The reactions came after PM Modi, addressing a rally in Rajasthan’s Banswara, alleged the Congress plans to give people’s hard-earned money and valuables to “infiltrators” and “those who have more children”.
He cited that if the Congress comes to power, it would redistribute wealth of people to Muslims and cited former PM Manmohan Singh’s remark that the minority community had the first claim on the country’s resources.
“This urban Naxal mindset, my mothers and sisters, they will not even leave your ‘mangalsutra’. They can go to that level,” Modi futher said.
As the video of PM Modi’s speech went viral online, Congress MP and former minister of Information and Broadcasting Manish Tewari wrote, “This is what Former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh exactly said about the weaker sections and their rights on national resources:
“I believe our collective priorities are clear: agriculture, irrigation and water resources, health, education, critical investment in rural infrastructure, and the essential public investment needs of general infrastructure, along with programmes for the upliftment of SC/STs, other backward classes, minorities and women and children. The component plans for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes will need to be revitalized. We will have to devise innovative plans to ensure that minorities, particularly the Muslim minority, are empowered to share equitably in the fruits of development. They must have the first claim on resources. The Centre has a myriad other responsibilities whose demands will have to be fitted within the over-all resource availability.”
“For PM Modi to twist it & give it a communal slant does not behove the office he is holding,” he added.
Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut termed the PM’s comments as “disheartening”
“He even talked about mangalsutra (sacred thread worn around neck by women). It means he is completely disillusioned and is going to lose this election,” the Rajya Sabha member claimed, as quoted by PTI.
“The possibility of electoral loss bothers him, and that is why such language…how can individuals having a certain number of kids be a campaign issue?” he said.
All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen president Asaduddin Owaisi, wrote on X, “Modi today called Muslims infiltrators and people with many children. Since 2002 till this day, the only Modi guarantee has been to abuse Muslims and get votes.”
“If one is talking about the country’s wealth, one should know that under Modi’s rule the first right to India’s wealth has been of his wealthy friends. 1% of Indians own 40% of the country’s wealth. Common Hindus are made to fear Muslims while their wealth is being used to enrich others,” Owaisi said.
Meanwhile, Trinamool Congress (TMC) Rajya Sabha MP Saket Gokhale alleged that the Election Commission has given “free pass” to PM Modi and BJP.
“Important – if you’re equally disgusted with what Modi said today, it’s time to use your power. Election Commission ignores the Opposition & has kept giving a free pass to Modi and the BJP. During elections, EC is not accountable to political parties.”