Modi Doubles Down Amid Row: Congress will take away your homes, jewels says PM Modi

Aligarh/New Delhi: Amid the massive row over his remarks at Rajasthan's Banswara, PM Narendra Modi on Monday doubled down on his property redistribution charge at the Congress, alleging that the Congress is eyeing the property of citizens and wants to loot it.

Addressing a rally in Uttar Pradesh’s Aligarh, the Prime Minister said members of the INDIA bloc have lost all hope for the future. “They question why Modi talks of a developed India, why he talks of making India the world’s third-largest economy. These people don’t do anything except for their families and their greed for power. They cheat people,” he said.

The Prime Minister said he wants to warn the country against Congress’ manifesto. “Congress and INDI alliance are now eyeing your income, your property,” he said. Apparently referring to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Modi said, “Congress’ prince has said that if they form the government, they will investigate who earns how much, owns how much wealth and how many houses. He also says that the government will take control of your property and distribute it among everyone. Their manifesto says this.”

The Congress manifesto says that if elected, the Congress will conduct a nationwide socio-economic and caste census. “Congress will conduct a nation-wide 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.

At Aligarh, the Prime Minister repeated his ‘mangalsutra’ remark, alleging that the Congress plans to change the law and take away women’s jewellery. “They also want to survey how much salaried persons have invested in fixed deposits, how many vehicles they own, how much land they own. They will conduct this survey and seize your property,” he said.

Modi alleged that if someone owns an ancestral home at the village and buys a flat in the city, the Congress will take away one of the houses. “Congress will say you already own a home, and you don’t need another. This is a Maoist mindset, a Communist mindset, they have ruined many nations. The Congress and INDI alliance want to apply this in India,” he said.

The Prime Minister’s remarks in Aligarh come a day after his comments in Banswara sparked a massive row. Alleging that the Congress plans to conduct a survey and redistribute private property, the Prime Minister claimed that when the Congress was in power under Dr Manmohan Singh, it 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 remarks, especially the references to Muslims, drew sharp criticism from the Opposition.

A Congress delegation met the Election Commission of India this afternoon and demanded strict action over the Prime Minister’s speech.