Decode Politics: PM Modi warns people Congress will ‘distribute your wealth’. What does Cong manifesto actually say?

A day after he triggered a political backlash by saying that a Congress government would distribute the nation’s wealth among “infiltrators” and “those who have more children”, suggesting that the party meant Muslims, Prime Minister Narendra Modi repeated on Monday that the Opposition party and INDIA bloc were “eyeing people’s earnings and property”.

Addressing a rally in Aligarh, he said: “The Congress shehzaada says that they will get investigated who earns how much, how much property you have, how much money you have, how many houses you have. He further says that the government will take possession of this property and distribute it to everyone… Our mothers and sisters have gold. This is stri dhan, it is considered sacred, the law also protects it. Their eyes are on your mangalsutra.”

The Congress, which has contested the PM’s claims that the party says so in its manifesto, has said it will approach the Election Commission demanding action against Modi. It has also said that its chief Mallikarjun Kharge has sought an appointment with Modi to “educate him” on the Congress manifesto.

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram, the chairman of the party’s manifesto committee, flayed PM Modi remarks as “outrageous”. “Each sentence outdid the previous sentence in its absolute falsehood and brazen mendacity. Will the BJP tell the world: a) when and where did the Congress say that we will distribute people’s land, gold and other valuables among Muslims? b) when and where did the Congress say that a survey will be conducted to value the property of individuals, gold held by women and silver owned by tribal families? c) when and where did the Congress say that land and cash belonging to government employees will also be distributed?”,