India’s opposition has accused PM Narendra Modi of Islamophobic remarks after he claimed his opponents would distribute people’s wealth to “infiltrators” if they won power.
By BBC team
Mr Modi told a rally the opposition Congress wanted to distribute wealth to “those who have many children”.
His remarks were widely seen as referring to India’s Muslim minority.
The Congress party has rejected the claim, which came days after the general election began.
Mr Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government has often been accused of singling out India’s minority communities, especially Muslims.
Rights groups say that they face discrimination and attacks, and have been forced to live as “second-class” citizens under Mr Modi’s rule – an allegation the BJP denies.
The first of seven phases in the general election was held on 19 April. Results will be declared on 4 June.
Mr Modi made the comments on Sunday during an election rally in Rajasthan state, when he was talking about the Congress party’s manifesto.
He alleged that the manifesto said it would “take stock” of the gold women traditionally save in India and redistribute it.
“And their earlier [Congress] government had said that Muslims have the first right over the nation’s wealth,” Mr Modi alleged.
“This means that they [the Congress] will collect people’s wealth and distribute it to whom?” he asked the audience.
“To those who have more children. To the infiltrators. Should your hard-earned money be given to infiltrators?”
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