Congress' Mallikarjun Kharge, incensed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's fresh "minority appeasement" allegations, has accused him of making divisive comments for votes. PM Modi and the BJP's ideological mentor Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, Mr Kharge also claimed, have a "hidden agenda".
Calling the Prime Minister's remarks "unfortunate", he said the Congress is "not appeasing anyone". "It is on our manifesto, it is not a hidden agenda...if anyone has a hidden agenda, it is Modi and the RSS," he said, accusing the Prime Minister of towing the RSS line.
PM Modi's comment that the Congress government under Manmohan Singh had said Muslims have the first right on the country's wealth, has sparked a huge political row, with the Opposition heaping criticism on him and the BJP.
Speaking in Rajasthan over the weekend, PM Modi had said the Congress, in its manifesto, said if they form the government, "everyone's property will be surveyed, it will calculate gold belonging to mothers and sisters and then redistribute it. They won't even spare your mangalsutra".
"Do you accept this? Does the government have a right to seize your property? Gold is not for show off, it is linked to women's self-respect. Her mangalsutra is linked to her dreams. You want to snatch it?" he had said.
PM Modi also said when the Congress was in power under Dr Manmohan Singh, it had 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 Congress manifesto is saying this," he had said.
