PM quotes Manmohan Singh to target Congress; party counter-checks claims

Cong will give people's wealth to infiltrators, proponents of large families, says PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s election speech in Rajasthan’s Banswara has sparked controversy due to his remarks about Muslims. Leaders from the Congress have criticised the speech, accusing Modi of attempting to deflect attention from “real issues.”

Modi on Sunday said the Congress, if elected to power at the Centre, would distribute people’s property, land and gold among Muslims and cited former PM Manmohan Singh’s remark that the minority community had the first claim on the country’s resources.

“The Congress has already declared that Muslims have the first right to the country’s resources,’’ Modi said while addressing an election meeting in Rajasthan’s Banswara district.

Modi said the Congress had announced that it would conduct a survey to find out the property of individuals, gold owned by women, silver mostly owned by tribal families, and land and cash belonging to government employees and others, and redistribute it.

“Can you tolerate the government snatching your hard earned money and property?’’ he asked.

“This urban-naxal mindset, my mothers and sisters, they will not even leave your ‘Mangalsutra’. They can go to that level,” Modi said.