Lok Sabha Elections 2024: PM Modi alleges Congress aims 15% budget allocation for Muslims

During a rally in Maharashtra’s Pimpalgaon Baswant, Prime Minister Narendra Modi alleged that during their time in power, the Congress party proposed a scheme to allocate 15% of the national budget solely for the benefit of Muslims. He further asserted that this agenda is being revived by the Congress now, aiming to appease their voter base and create division by segregating budgets along religious lines, labeling them as a “Muslim budget” and a “Hindu budget”.

In an election rally held in Kalyan, Prime Minister Modi criticized the Congress for engaging in divisive politics based on religion, accusing them of playing the Hindu-Muslim card. He highlighted that while some accuse him of the same, he is actually exposing those within the Congress who are indulging in such tactics to disrupt national unity. Additionally, he addressed another rally in Nashik prior to the one in Kalyan.

Modi accused the Congress of having intentions to reduce reservations for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Classes nationwide, suggesting that they aim to allocate these benefits to Muslims in exchange for votes. He criticized Congress leaders for allegedly promoting “vote jihad” and questioned whether any leaders from the Indian Alliance have spoken out against such actions. Despite these accusations, he noted, some still insist on painting him as the one engaging in Hindu-Muslim politics.

Modi asserted that he isn’t playing the Hindu-Muslim card, but rather revealing the Congress party’s tactics to the public. He compared the security situation during Congress’s tenure, specified by frequent terror attacks, with the relative peace India has experienced under his leadership, marked by surgical and air strikes against threats. He highlighted the avoidance achieved with Pakistan, attributing it to India’s assertive stance. In contrast, he criticized Congress for advocating respect towards Pakistan despite its possession of nuclear weapons.

On the other hand, the Congress party asserted on Wednesday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s primary agenda revolves around Hindu-Muslim politics.

“For the past decade, Mr. Modi has consistently engaged in religious politics,” remarked Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra during a rally in Rae Bareli. She pointed out that in every election, Modi tends to frame the discourse in terms of Hindu-Muslim dynamics. Referring to Modi’s recent statement where he denied such tactics, she challenged his suitability for the post of Prime Minister if he indeed abstains from such divisive strategies.

Jairam Ramesh, a general secretary in the Congress party, took to social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter) to criticize the Prime Minister’s recent statements. He accused the outgoing PM of being a habitual liar and highlighted what he perceived as a new low in Modi’s falsehoods regarding his involvement in Hindu-Muslim politics.

Ramesh pointed out that since April 19, 2024, there’s been ample evidence in the public domain showcasing Modi’s consistent use of communal language and symbols. He emphasized that despite any attempts by Modi to rewrite history, the public’s collective memory retains these instances, underscoring the Prime Minister’s divisive rhetoric.

Rahul Gandhi also targeted the current government in a separate post on social media to criticize the BJP, branding it as a “factory of lies”.

The Lok Sabha elections are slated for May 20, with voting set to start at 7 AM and wrap up at 5 PM. Phase 6 and 7 of the elections are scheduled for May 25 and June 1 respectively. The results of the Lok Sabha elections will be announced on June 4, following the counting of votes.