Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has expressed confidence that his party will win a majority in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. That is precisely why, Kharge said, Prime Minister Narendra Modi talked about 'mangalsutra and Muslims' in his election speeches.
“We are going to win a majority in these elections. And that is why he (Prime Minister Modi) always talks about mangalsutra and Muslims. He says Congress will steal your wealth and give it to those who have more children (Muslims). Poor people always have more children. Only Muslims have these (children)? I have five children,” Kharge said on April 30 at an election rally in Janjgir-Champa district of Chhattisgarh, according to a report in the Indian Express.
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Kharge was referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's comments on April 21 at a rally in Rajasthan in which he alleged that the Congress, if voted to power, would take the people's wealth and distribute it among Muslims. The Prime Minister has repeatedly attributed this claim to the Congress Party's election manifesto for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and to a 2006 speech by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, which said that “Muslims have the first right to the country's resources.” '
The comments turned into a political row, with the Congress pushing the Election Commission of India against the Prime Minister over the matter.
“I was the only son and when everyone else died in the incident, my father said he was only alive to see my children. The poor, who have no money, have children. Why are you (Modi) targeting only Muslims? Muslims are in their country… they are Indians. Brothers, don't be misled by them (BJP) and let us build the country together…let us not destroy this country,” the Congress president said, adding that the Congress, which has been in power for 55 years in the country, has not stolen anyone's 'mangalsutra'. '.
Also read: PM Modi says Congress wants to give people's wealth to Muslims. Fact check of what Nyay Patra actually says…
Kharge in his speech also invoked the deaths of his mother and uncle, who died when his house was set on fire in 1948, and alleged that Prime Minister Modi would target Muslims.
The seven-phase Lok Sabha elections will end with the final phase on June 1. The results will be announced on June 4. The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which is seeking a record third term under Prime Minister Modi, has a target of winning 400 seats this election. The ruling alliance is being challenged by the opposition parties led by Congress under the banner of INDIA bloc.
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Published: May 1, 2024 07:11 IST