Congress urges EC to take action against PM Modi's 'redistribution of wealth' speech; calls it 'divisive, malicious'

Soon after the voting for the 18th Lok Sabha started, the biggest party in opposition, Congress, on Monday urged the Election Commission of India (ECI) to take action against Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'redistribution of wealth' speech. The party said that the statements made by PM Modi are 'divisive and malicious.'

"We respect the office he (PM Modi) holds; he is as much our PM as yours or the BJP. The higher the position he holds, the more the obligation he holds to exercise restraint. Unfortunately, the statement he quoted, it is seriously objectionable. We can never expect this from the PM. We would pray to him with folded hands to withdraw these comments and clarify," said Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi on party delegation's meeting with ECI over PM Modi's purported remarks.

Singhvi after meeting the poll panel said "PM Modi has named a community, spoke about religion blatantly, he spoke about communal and community blatantly...he has clearly violated section 123...irrespective of the status of the person who has done this, appropriate action as in any other case, will and must follow shortly."



Earlier during the day, PM Modi accused the Congress again of planning to redistribute people's property if it is voted to power, but stopped short of saying that the wealth would go to Muslims. Addressing an election rally in western Uttar Pradesh's Aligarh, a constituency with a sizeable Muslim population, Modi accused the opposition Congress and the Samajwadi Party of following a policy of "appeasement" and yet doing nothing to uplift the socio-economic condition of the community.

Along with the complaint against PM Modi, the Congress delegation submitted 16 complaints against the BJP and sought immediate action against the ruling party. They also complained against the fresh appointments to UGC even when the election period was underway.

"If this Hon'ble Commission fails to rise to the challenge of upholding the law in the face of these defiant, deliberate and brazen violations being committed by the PM and his party, the Hon'ble ECI risks tarnishing its legacy and abandoning its Constitutional duty by setting a precedent of helpless inaction that will go down in infamy," the Congress memorandum to EC said.

The party said a complaint has been filed against the appointment of members to the UGC made by the Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Human Resources.

According to the UGC's website, vacancies for appointment of new members have been available since August 2023 and "the timing of the appointment suggests that they are politically motivated, in contravention to the model code of conduct and other orders issued by the Hon'ble Election Commission and have not been made bona fide", the party alleged.

On Sunday, the prime minister triggered a political row by claiming that the Congress manifesto promised "redistribution" of wealth after conducting a survey.

Citing former prime minister Manmohan Singh's 2006 remark on Muslims having the "first claim" on the country's resources, Modi said in Rajasthan's Banswara that the Congress was set to hand over the wealth of others to "infiltrators" and "those who have more children".

(with agency inputs)