Congress conspiring to eliminate the Hindu faith: PM Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday accused the Congress of conspiring to eliminate the Hindu faith. Addressing a rally in Nandurbar, Maharashtra, PM Modi said that the party is spreading misinformation about job quotas and the Constitution. He added that religion-based quotas were contrary to the intentions of the architect of the Constitution Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar. "The hidden agenda of the Congress is to rob you of your quota and give it to Muslims," Modi said.
Modi accuses Congress of favoring Muslims in job quotas
The PM also alleged that the Congress government in Karnataka unjustly included all Muslims in the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category, providing them with reservation. He also accused the Congress of not caring about the welfare of the Adivasi community. "As long as I am alive, I will not let reservations of Dalits, adivasis, OBCs to be given to Muslims on basis of religion," PM Modi said at the rally.
PM's 'wealth distribution' remark triggered row
This comes just weeks after PM Modi's statements at a poll rally in Rajasthan sparked a row. Addressing a rally in Banswara, Modi said that the Congress, if voted to power, could distribute the nation's wealth among "infiltrators" and "those who have more children." "[Former PM] Manmohan Singh's government had said Muslims have the first right on the country's assets," he said during his address.
Modi referred to Singh's speech
Modi was referring to Singh's speech at a meeting of the National Development Council in 2006 on fiscal priorities of the government. Then too, a controversy had broken out, after which the then Prime Minister's Office had issued a clarification on the "deliberate...mischievous misinterpretation" of Singh's speech. According to the office's statement, Singh had said, "Our collective priorities are clear: agriculture, irrigation...health, education...rural infrastructure, and...essential public investment...of general infrastructure...programmes for the upliftment of SC/STs, Other Backward Classes, minorities, and women...children."
PMO's clarification over Singh's speech in 2006
Singh had added, "The component plans for SC and ST will need to be revitalized...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 PMO had said, that Singh's reference to "first claim on resources" refers to all the "priority" areas listed above, including programmes for the upliftment of SCs, STs, OBCs, women and children and minorities.
Congress manifesto
To be sure, the Congress manifesto calls for a national socioeconomic and caste census to lay the groundwork for affirmative action. There is no mention of a wealth redistribution plan. Prime Minister Modi's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party has repeatedly accused the Congress of being "anti-Hindu" and "appeasing" Muslims.
