New Delhi: Even though Prime Minister Narendra Modi's nasty election speech in Rajasthan's Banswara has triggered a nationwide controversy, the Election Commission has so far not taken any action. Meanwhile the Opposition bloc INDIA called the speech an attempt to divert attention from "real issues".
Addressing the people Banswara, on April 21, (Sunday) Modi openly attacked India’s Muslims, suggesting they were “infiltrators” and went on to claim that the opposition if elected would give away “mangalsutras” and “land” of those listening to his speech to them (Muslims).
He referred to his immediate predecessor, Dr Manmohan Singh who was in office for 10 years as prime minister till 2014, and said, “Earlier, when his government was in power, he had said that Muslims have the first right on the country’s property, which means who will they collect this property and distribute it to – those who have more children, will distribute it to the infiltrators. Will the money of your hard work be given to the infiltrators? Do you approve of this?”
Modi went on to say, “This Congress manifesto is saying that they will calculate the gold of the mothers and sisters, get information about it and then distribute it. Manmohan Singh’s government had said that Muslims have the first right on property. Brothers and sisters, these urban Naxal thoughts will not let even your mangalsutra escape, they will go this far.”
Narendra Modi and the BJP so far in their campaign trail have invoked religious faith, the Ram temple and Lord Ram multiple times, directly using it to call for people to vote for them. The Election Commission has been completely silent on the messaging via videos, tweets and other exhortations.
Did Manmohan Singh really say that?
Modi’s claim that Dr Singh said that is not new and was refuted in 2006 itself by Singh’s PMO, when Modi had first made the false claim. The PMO had termed such remarks, “a deliberate and mischievous misinterpretation of what the Prime Minister said here yesterday at the meeting of the National Development Council, on fiscal priorities of the government.” It was termed “an avoidable controversy has been generated. The Prime Minister’s observations have also been quoted out of context in some sections of the electronic media, fuelling a baseless controversy.”
The full text of the paragraph in which the Prime Minister referred to the issue of minority empowerment to clarify the matter is as follows:
“I believe our collective priorities are clear: agriculture, irrigation and water resources, health, education, critical investment in rural infrastructure, and the essential public investment needs of general infrastructure, along with programmes for the upliftment of SC/STs, other backward classes, minorities and women and children. The component plans for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes will need to be revitalized. We will have to devise innovative plans to ensure that minorities, particularly the Muslim minority, are empowered to share equitably in the fruits of development. They must have the first claim on resources. The Centre has a myriad other responsibilities whose demands will have to be fitted within the over-all resource availability.”
The PMO’s clarification said. “it will be seen from the above that the Prime Minister’s reference to “first claim on resources” refers to all the “priority” areas listed above, including programmes for the upliftment of SCs, STs, OBCs, women and children and minorities.
Opposition reacts
Chairman, Media and Publicity department of the Congress, Pawan Khera said in a video message in a post, “We challenge the Prime Minister to show us if the word Hindu or Muslim is written anywhere in our manifesto. This kind of lightness is there in your mentality, in your political values. We have talked about justice for the youth, women, farmers, tribals, middle class and workers. Do you object to this as well?”
Khera was referring to earlier mistruths uttered by Modi about the “Muslim League” having influenced the Congress manifesto.
In Jharkhand’s Ranchi at an opposition rally, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge is reported to have said by BBC Hindi, “If democracy and the Constitution end in the country, then the people will have nothing left. Babasaheb Ambedkar ji and Jawaharlal Nehru ji gave equal voting rights to everyone, due to which all classes got respect. But Narendra Modi wants to snatch their rights from the poor.”
B.V. Srinivas termed it as unfortunate that “this person is the Prime Minister of this country, and an even bigger tragedy is that the Election Commission of India is no longer alive.” He said that “due to the frustration of impending defeat, the Prime Minister of India is openly sowing the seeds of hatred, he is polarising by misquoting Manmohan Singh’s 18-year-old incomplete statement, But the Election Commission (Modi ka parivar) is bowing down.”
Modi’s past hate-speech
Modi, in his 12-year tenure as chief minister of Gujarat was known to have made speeches targeting the state’s minority Muslim community brazenly, terming camps where Muslims were forced to stay in after communal violence gripped the state in 2002. Frontline covered him on his Gujarat Gaurav Yatra started shortly after the violence, at a rally at Becharaji in Mehsana district in northern Gujarat, when he said, “What should we do? Run relief camps for them? Do we want to open baby-producing centres? But for certain people that means hum paanch, hamare pachees.”
In 2017 it was time again for direct speech targeting Muslims when in February he spoke of ‘shamshaan versus kabristan’ campaigning for UP and then for Gujarat elections when the BJP had its worst performance this millennium, in a speech at Palanpur on December 10, 2017 Modi invoked a “secret meeting” to get Pakistan to fix Gujarat’s assembly polls. He said that a meeting was held at Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar’s residence, attended by former PM Manmohan Singh, former Vice-President Hamid Ansari, former Army Chief Deepak Kapoor and distinguished diplomats to execute the plot. Modi’s PMO faced embarrassment when in response to an RTI filed by the Congress, his office was forced to say that Modi’s campaign speech could have been based on an “informal input”.
In the only question he has answered as part of a press conference with Joe Biden on June 22, 2023, Modi was asked, “India has long prided itself as the world’s largest democracy, but there are many human rights groups who say that your government has discriminated against religious minorities and sought to silence its critics. As you stand here in the East Room of the White House, where so many world leaders have made commitments to protecting democracy, what steps are you and your government willing to take to improve the rights of Muslims and other minorities in your country and to uphold free speech?”
In response Modi appeared visibly frazzled and denied all charges. “I’m actually really surprised that people say so. And so, people don’t say it. Indeed, India is a democracy.”
The journalist was trolled online by BJP leaders and supporters to such an extent that the White House had to come out and defend her and strongly denounce the trolling and abuse.
Comments
Swethakka what will be your Comment now.Will he be Tolerance now,Akka can he enter India Now... What an JOKE sir ji.
Grow up people Stop blaming each other.
PLEASE RSS CHADDIES WT U WEAR THAT KAKI CHADDI PLEASEE ONCE CHK IN MIRRIOR URSELF
HOW U LOOKKK....
It looks shwetha is enjoying with her birthday suit. What about our culture? Is it acche din?
Yes when human born there was no cloths that means throughout their life they should be naked ??
Indian culture is to cover full body . Have you seen any single photoghraphs of Sita Maata, Lord saraswathi, Lord Sharada with less cloths? have you seen Mother Teresa without showing even her hair??
Have you seen any men anchor with underwear or sleeveless shirt taking interview with any dignitaries ??
Then why these so called modern girls are wearing small cloths in the TV . They have spoiled our Indian female childrens.
Shall anyone who wrote favouring the lady anchor go and tell your family members to wear a short cloths and walk in the street???
Well done Amla , you did a great job. Congratulations.
Guys, take it easy, please read Hashim Amla's tweets
hashim amla (@amlahash)\hey cumon peeps, 95%of stuff on d Internet r fake..but u knew dat right? Certainly I have never asked any reporter to dress for my liking.\"
\"As a South African I have the greatest respect for people of all faiths and cultures. I will never impose my beliefs on anybody else. #peace\"
(https://twitter.com/amlahash/status/695845311743467521?s=03)"
With due respect to all sisters and Brothers.
@ Chinnappa: U r right people born without Cloth,Religion,Language.
Then why people fight in the Name of religion? Why Lower caste people treated Badly? Why rape case is high in India? Why people are killing in the name of Cow?
When Sister's in Different parts of India been raped every day and Kill them brutally it is called TOLERANCE.And if a Muslim oppose a sister for her good then it is INTOLERANCE.
Animals are born naked TOO & they are still without Clothes.
Humans are born naked too but God has given intellectual
By this intellect U can Choose U want to follow the animals way or Human way.
VINITH POOJARY please remove cheddi information who fed U with lot of evil agenda... just open up & read what divine scriptures speaks... and use your intellectual to recogniZe this evil system of looking women in half naked which created men like nithyananda, BJP mla porn watchers, Aasaram and others.
Bap ray Bap you Swetha chinnappa, and our Gentle man Master Vinith Pojarianna and Akkamma , you buffoons forgotten Delhi and Manipal rapes still you are all which part of the world leaving, then why cant you keep in Show case??
Banning International Cricket not a easy to say, but you are not understanding the world, did you been to Great South Africa???
you never improve yourself some one compares to Expensive cars Where are you Yar????
Jai Hind.
Jai Moodianna.
Its true that we r born naked.Coz mother's womb is not a garment's factory.Why do Indian women want to copy western world.Our culture is rich.Those who are proud of short dresses, mini skirts etc,then they have purely sold to west. We are true Indians who follows sita mayya's dress.. And I am proud of it. Women must wear the veil like how sita used to cover with veil/hijab whenever her bro in law laxman came. Respect Indian culture. Respect your country. JAI HIND!!!
HATS OFF TO AMLA .KEEP UP THE GRT WORK.
guys this news is fake. you can check his twitter account.
Coastaldigest before posting any news please cross check.
get lost man, when human born there were no cloths at all that time what your saying everyone died o what, u people created your culture in the name of god.
u people buy costly cars why are u running it on road keep it inside your house, every precious things should be covered and keep it inside.
Miss. Shwetha you shut your mouth and keep quiet. what he did is right. He is a true Muslim and following religion properly. Do not interfere in his personal matter. Keep it up Mr. Hashim Amla. Allah bless you dear.
Well done AMLA...I think now Media people got a lesson how to dress...Indian culture does'nt say to wear cloths as she worn...
Everything PRECIOUS is COVERED!
A women MODESTLY dressed is like a PEARL in its SHELL.
Dear Anchor,
Dont impress people by showing your flesh to strangers ...
impress the one who created U by following his divine guidance by dressing modestly...
People will look U as a sexual object & not as a human which western culture taught U.
Appreciate Hashim Amla for putting this condition.
Intolerance, hasim amla should be banned to enter into india. people born without cloth,religion,language, in between who is this fellow to tell anyone what to wear or what not to wear.
Add new comment