Modi resorted to ‘hate speech’ in his rally speech: Congress
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remarks suggesting that Congress, if voted back to power in the ongoing general elections, would redistribute wealth to "those who have more children and infiltrators" has kicked up a row over "hate speech".
During a rally in Rajasthan's Banswara yesterday, Modi referenced former prime minister Manmohan Singh's statement made in 2006 regarding the minority community's first claim on India's resources.
Addressing the rally, Modi alleged Congress plans to give people's hard-earned money and valuables to "infiltrators" and "those who have more children."
"Earlier, when their [Congress] government was in power, they had said that Muslims have the first right on the country's assets. This means to whom will this property be distributed? It will be distributed among those who have more children. It will be distributed to the infiltrators. Should your hard-earned money go to the infiltrators? Do you approve of this?" Modi was quoted by PTI as telling the rally.
Hitting back at Modi, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said, "Today, Modi ji's desperate speech showed that INDIA is winning the first phase. What Modi ji said is definitely a hate speech but it is also a deliberate ploy to divert attention."
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said that after facing "disappointment" in the first phase of voting, "the level of lies of Narendra Modi has fallen so much that he now wants to divert people from the issues as he is rattled".
Congress yesterday clarified that while its manifesto for 2024 Lok Sabha poll addresses economic inequalities, it does not advocate for wealth redistribution, but rather supports a comprehensive socio-economic caste census.
The opposition party said Rahul Gandhi did not promise redistribution of the nation's wealth in Hyderabad on April 7, 2024. Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh issued the clarification after Rahul Gandhi was reported as talking about the need to conduct a survey for more equitable distribution of the country's wealth.
Reacting to Modi's speech, All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen president Asaduddin Owaisi wrote on social media platform X (formally Twitter), "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. One percent of Indians own 40 percent of the country's wealth. Common Hindus are made to fear Muslims while their wealth is being used to enrich others."