In a strong response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's dual stamping of a Muslim League imprint on the party's manifesto and an alleged promise of “wealth redistribution to infiltrators”, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge has said that the Prime Minister has rebuffed his efforts to dividing must stop and give him time. so that he can explain the contents of the document.
In a series of speeches at election rallies this month, the Prime Minister had said the promises in the Congress manifesto were reminiscent of the Muslim League's thoughts before independence. At a rally in Rajasthan on Sunday, Prime Minister Modi had also courted controversy by claiming that the Congress was planning to seize people's properties and redistribute them among Muslims. “They don't even want to leave your 'mangalsutra',” he had said.
Speaking at a rally in Wayanad in Kerala, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's constituency, Mr Kharge on Tuesday tackled all the allegations head-on.
“Prime Minister Modi says the Congress manifesto is a Muslim League manifesto. I request him: if he gives me time, I will take our manifesto and explain it to him. Where do we say that something is only for Muslims? We do things for Our manifesto is for the poor, farmers, young women and everyone. He just wants to divide the society and keep talking about Hindu-Muslims,” the Congress leader said.
Referring to the Congress's promises for the youth and women, Mr Kharge continued: “Yuva Nyay is for everyone. Naari Shakti is for everyone. It is not just for Muslims, not just for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, those below the poverty line. It's for everyone. During the UPA era, we gave some rights without people asking for them. For example, the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee was given by Sonia Gandhi and the BJP opposed it.
“They said that by bringing in MGNREGA, Congress was bringing poverty to the country. We have made MGNREGA a right, education a right, food security a right. These things cannot be taken away even if Prime Minister Modi and (Union Home Minister) Amit Shah want to do so. These are permanent rights granted by the UPA government,” he added.
Continuing his attack on the Prime Minister, Kharge said he has traveled the world and the country but has not visited violence-hit Manipur. “Rahul Gandhi went there, consoled the people and told them, 'Don't lose heart. I am there',” he said.
The controversy over the Prime Minister's 'infiltrator' comments continues to boil. While the Congress has accused the Prime Minister of trying to play a communal card and divert attention from the issues, the BJP has hit back saying that the Prime Minister was calling it all and echoing the sentiments of the people. The party has also cited an excerpt from a 2006 speech by then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to support its claims.