'Does Congress want to decrease Muslims' rights?: PM Modi's jab at Rahul Gandhi over 'abadi' remark on Bihar caste survey

Prime Minister Narendra Modi while addressing a rally in poll-bound Chhattisgarh took a jab at Rahul Gandhi over the latter's remarks. The PM quoted former prime minister Manmohan Singh's words that 'minorities have the first right over resources of the country'.

Jagdalpur (Chhattisgarh):A day after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi called for giving rights as per the population, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said the Congress should clarify whether rights can be given in proportion to the "abadi" (population) and asked whether the grand old party wants to decrease the rights of the Muslims.

The PM also asserted that poor people have the first right over the country's resources and quoted former prime minister Manmohan Singh's words that 'minorities have the first right over resources of the country'. "What would former prime minister Manmohan Singh be thinking? Manmohan Singh ji used to say minorities have the first right over the resources of the country and Muslims have the first right over resources. But now Congress is saying the population will decide who will get how much share of rights. Do they want to decrease the rights of Muslims?" he asked while addressing the 'Parivartan Mahasankalp' rally of the BJP at Jagdalpur in poll-bound Chhattisgarh.

"Whose population is more," PM Modi asked, and said will it be possible to ensure the rights according to the population. "Should Hindus take all the rights? Congress should clarify whether the rights will be given according to the population. Does Congress want to remove minorities?" he said.

His statements come a day after the Nitish Kumar-led Bihar government released a caste survey, which revealed that OBCs and EBCs constitute a whopping 63 per cent of the state's total population. Rahul Gandhi had hailed the Bihar caste survey saying that the country needs a caste-based census to give people their due rights as per their population.

PM Modi also alleged that the Congress has entered into a secret pact with some other country and taking pleasure in speaking against India, and asked people to remain alert. He also said the grand old party was being run not by its leaders but by some "behind the curtain" elements who are in nexus with anti-national forces.

"Congress says 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.

"I have been saying this that the Congress party is no longer being run by Congress people. Big leaders of Congress are sitting with their mouths shut. Now those people are running Congress from behind the curtain who are in nexus with anti-national forces. Congress wants to destroy India by dividing the Hindus of the country at any cost and wants to divide the poor," he alleged.

"What secret pact Congress has entered into with some other country it has not disclosed so far. After the agreement, Congress is taking pleasure in speaking against India. It is presenting the good things of India in a bad light and enjoying it. It seems their love for the country has declined," he said, cautioning people to remain alert of them.

He also accused the Congress of converting 'loktantra' (democracy) to 'lootantra' (corruption) and 'prajatantra' (democracy) to 'parivartantra' (dynasty).
The prime minister said that for him, the poor are the biggest community. The welfare of the poor will do the welfare of the country, he added. (With agency inputs)