Congress to distribute country's assets among infiltrators: Modi's remark sparks row

Speaking at the rally, Modi in his trademark style said, "Earlier during its government, Congress had said Muslims have the first right to the country's assets. This means the assets will be distributed among people who have more children and infiltrators. Should people's hard earned money be distributed among infiltrators?"

"Congress' manifesto is stating that they will calculate the gold of mothers and sisters and then distribute those people, who were called by Manmohan Singh-ji as the first claimants to the country's assets

"This kind of an Urban Naxal thought won't spare the Mangalsutras of women. They will reach this far, I will tell you," the Prime Minister said.

Modi referred to a 2006 speech by then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during a National Development Council meeting on financial properties of the government.

Singh had said, "I believe our collective priorities are clear: agriculture, irrigation and water resources, health, education, critical investment in rural infrastructure, and the essential public investment needs of general infrastructure, along with programmes for the upliftment of SC/STs, Other Backward Classes, minorities, and women and children.

"The component plans for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes will need to be revitalised. We 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 Centre has a myriad of other responsibilities whose demands will have to be fitted within the overall resource availability."

Slamming the Prime Minister, Congress top leader Rahul Gandhi has claimed Modi is trying to divert people's attention from important issues after disappointment in the first phase of voting.

Rahul posted on X, "After the disappointment in the first phase of voting, the level of Narendra Modi's lies has fallen so much that out of fear, he now wants to divert the attention of the public from the issues.

"Trends have started coming in regarding the immense support that Congress's 'Revolutionary Manifesto' is receiving. The country will now vote on its issues, vote for its employment, its family and its future. India will not go astray!"

Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav said as quoted by NDTV, "Not only the country but the whole world also knows Prime Minister Narendra Modi lies, the way how he spread lies about the Congress's 'Nyay Patra' and former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh is an example of dirty politics."

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi posted on X, "Modi today called Muslims infiltrators and people with many children. 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. 1% of Indians own 40% of the country’s wealth. Common Hindus are made to fear Muslims while their wealth is being used to enrich others."