'Neither shocked nor surprised': Mallikarjun Kharge writes open letter to PM Modi over Congress manifesto row

In an all-out attack on the grand old party, which happens to be the main opposition, PM Modi has alleged that the Congress has a wealth redistribution plan to be implemented if it comes to power.

In a series of speeches at various election rallies this month, the PM said that the promises made in Congress' manifesto were reminiscent of the thoughts the Muslim League harboured before Independence.

In a rally in Rajasthan last Sunday, PM Modi claimed that the Congress intended to seize people's property and redistribute it to Muslims. "They will not even leave your 'mangalsutra'," he had said.

He went on to allege that when the Congress was in power under Dr Manmohan Singh, it had said Muslims have the first right on the country's wealth. "This means that they will gather this property and distribute it among people who have more children, among infiltrators. Will your hard-earned money be given to infiltrators? Do you accept this? The Congress manifesto is saying this."

Denying all these allegations, the Congress has said its manifesto states that if elected, the Congress will conduct a nationwide socio-economic and caste census.

"Congress will conduct a nationwide Socio-Economic and Caste Census to enumerate the castes and sub-castes and their socio-economic conditions. Based on the data, we will strengthen the agenda for affirmative action."

"The manifesto does not say anything about a plan to redistribute private property," the party clarified.

The Prime Minister, however, has doubled down, repeating his charge in rally after rally.

In his letter addressed to the Prime Minister, Kharge wrote he is "neither shocked nor surprised by your language or your speeches". "It was expected that you and other leaders from your party would start speaking in this manner after you saw the dismal performance of the BJP in the first phase of the elections," he adds in the letter, shared on X.

Describing the Modi government as "suit-boot ki sarkar",  the Congress president alleged that it works for the corporates "whose taxes you reduced, while salaried class pays higher taxes".

"The poor pays GST even on food and salt and rich corporate claim GST refunds. That is why when we talk of inequality between rich and poor, you are purposely equating it with Hindu and Muslim. Our manifesto is for the people of India whether they are Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Sikh Jain or Buddhist," he wrote.

Kharge has accused the Prime Minister of ignoring atrocities faced by poor and backward women in the country. "Today, you talk about their mangalsutra. Isn't your government responsible for the atrocities against women in Manipur, atrocities against Dalit girls, garlanding of rapists?"

"When farmers are committing suicides under your government, how are you protecting their wives and children? Please read about the Nari Nyay which we will be implementing when we come to power," he said.

The letter said it has become a "habit" for the Prime Minister "to seize on few words taken out of context and create a communal divide".

"You are lowering the dignity of the chair by speaking in this manner. When all of this is over, people will remember that the Prime Minister of the country used such vulgar language for fear of losing an election," Kharge's letter read.

The Congress president urged the Prime Minister not to "get carried away" by his supporters clapping at his speeches. "They are not allowing you to hear the crores of right thinking citizens who are disappointed by your speeches," he said.

"The Congress Nyay Patra aims at providing Nyay to the youth, women, farmers, labours and marginalised people across all castes and communities. You are being misinformed by your advisors about things that are not even written in our manifesto. I would be more than happy to meet you in person to explain our Nyay Patra so that as the Prime Minister of the country you don't make any statements that are false," the Congress president stated before signing off.