"Does Congress Want To Clip Muslims' Rights?" PM's Big Caste Census Charge

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday slammed Congress over its nationwide caste census pitch and accused the party of trying to divide Hindus, and sought to know if it wants to curtail the rights of Muslims by advocating a population-based distribution of resources.

PM Modi said that for him, the poor form the biggest chunk of the country's population and they should have the first right over resources, irrespective of their caste or community. He also accused the Congress of dividing the society on caste lines for votes.

The PM's statements came a day after the Nitish Kumar government released a caste survey that revealed Other Backward Classes and Economically Backwar Classes constitute a whopping 63% of Bihar's population. 

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, whose party is a constituent of the ruling bloc in the state, welcomed the caste survey and said the country needs a caste census to give people rights as per their proportion in population.

Addressing the BJP's "Parivartan Mahasankalp" rally in Jagdalpur, the headquarters of Bastar district in Chhattisgarh, PM Modi claimed that the Congress has entered into a "secret pact" with a foreign country and takes pleasure in speaking against India, and urged people to be alert.

The country's oldest party is being run not by its leaders but by some "behind the curtain" elements who are in nexus with anti-national forces, he claimed.

"Since yesterday (Monday), the Congress has started speaking a different tune. Congress leaders say the 'abadi' (population) of people will decide the rights (on resources), but for Modi, poor people are the biggest 'abadi' of the country and they have the first right over resources. Welfare of the poor is my aim," he said.

The BJP's star campaigner referred to a 2006 statement of then-Prime Minister Manmohan Singh advocating that minorities, particularly Muslims, must have the "first claim" on resources.

"I was wondering what would former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh ji be thinking? Manmohan Singh ji used to say minorities have the first right over resources of the country and that too the Muslims. But now the Congress is saying proportion in population will decide who will get how much share of rights. Does that mean they want to curtail the rights of Muslims?" he asked.

"Whose population is more?" the PM asked and wondered if it will be possible to ensure distribution of the rights according to social groups' share in the demographic mix.

"If they want to divide the rights on the basis of population, then who will have the first right (over resources)? Whose population is more? Congress leaders should clarify whether the rights will be given according to share in population, whether the Congress wants to take away the rights of minorities. Should Hindus, who have the biggest population in the country, come forward and claim all the rights?" he asked.

Attacking the Mallikarjun Kharge-led party, the PM said the national outfit wants to destroy India by dividing the Hindus.

"I have been saying for a long time that the Congress is no longer being run by Congress people. Big leaders of the Congress are sitting with their mouths shut. Now people in nexus with anti-national forces are running the Congress from behind the curtain. The Congress wants to destroy India by dividing the Hindus at any cost. It wants to divide the poor also. For me, the poor are the biggest community in the country. Welfare of the poor means welfare of the country," the PM said.

Continuing his attack on the Congress, a key constituent of the opposition INDIA bloc, the PM said that the 138-year-old party takes pleasure in speaking against the country.

"So far, the Congress has not disclosed what secret pact it has entered into with some other country. But the people are watching that the Congress takes pleasure in speaking against India. It presents the good things of India in a bad light and enjoys it. It seems their love for the country has dwindled," he said.

The poor have the first right over resources, irrespective of whether they are Dalits, tribals, from backward classes, or the general category, the Prime Minister said.

"The Congress has given the country only poverty and divided society on caste lines to secure its vote bank. The party has been indulging in the same act today. They have been jailing those who are raising their voices for their rights in Chhattisgarh. On the other hand, the BJP is dedicated towards social justice," he stated.

The Prime Minister targeted the Congress government in Chhattisgarh and said that corruption is at its peak in the state and that Chhattisgarh is among states which lead in crimes, including murders.

"Sometimes it seems there is competition between Rajasthan (also ruled by Congress) and Chhattisgarh as to where the maximum number of crimes happens. Development in Chhattisgarh is only visible either in posts and banners or in the coffers of Congress leaders," he said.

The Congress has a track record of looting natural resources of Chhattisgarh, the PM said, vowing that he will not allow the ruling party to usurp the Nagarnar steel plant in Jagdalpur.

"The Congress is trying to usurp the Nagarnar steel plant by spreading lies. It is Modi's guarantee that it will not happen. Bastar's brothers and sisters are the owners of this steel plant. You have a right on it. The Congress will not be given a chance to encroach on it," PM Modi asserted.

The Congress on Tuesday observed a 'Bastar bandh' alleging the Centre is planning to privatise the Nagarnar steel plant.

Neither the Chhattisgarh Chief Minister nor his ministers attended the unveiling or foundation stone laying function of development projects on Tuesday, which shows they have no concern for welfare of the state, where assembly polls are due by the year-end, PM Modi said.

He accused the Congress of converting 'loktantra' (democracy) into 'lootantra' (corruption) and 'prajatantra' (democracy) into 'parivartantra' (dynasty).

Modi accused the Congress government of committing irregularities in recruitments by the state public service commission (PSC) and promised to send culprits to jail if the BJP came to power after the elections.

The PM said it is important for first-time voters to know about what was happening in the country before 2014 when newspaper carried news of big scams and corruption during the Congress-led UPA government.

"In 2014, the country dislodged the Congress from power and elected the BJP with a full majority. Today, instead of scams, India's pride is discussed in the world," he said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)