Modi claimed on Sunday that if the Congress comes to power, people’s property would be distributed among ‘infiltrators’ who ‘have more children’.
By Scroll Staff
Opposition leaders on Sunday criticised as hate speech Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remarks claiming that the Congress would distribute citizens’ property among “infiltrators” if voted to power.
At an election rally in Rajasthan earlier in the day, Modi claimed that the Congress’ manifesto talks about calculating “the amount of gold that mothers and sisters have, get information about it and then distribute that property”.
Modi said: “When the Congress-led government was in power, they had said that Muslims have the first right over the country’s assets. This means that they will distribute wealth to those who have more children and those who are infiltrators. Is this acceptable to you?”
The prime minister added: “This Urban Naxal thinking will not spare even the mangalsutras of my mothers and sisters.”
The term “urban Naxals” is used by BJP supporters to describe those who oppose the Modi government.
Modi was purportedly referring to remarks that Manmohan Singh made on December 9, 2006, when he addressed a meeting of the National Development Council. Singh, who was prime minister at the time, said that the country’s priorities were to uplift the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes, minorities and women and children.
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