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Journalism of Courage
A day after Bihar released its caste survey data which also estimated that Muslims comprised 17.70 per cent and Hindus 81.99 per cent of the state population, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, picking on the Congress leadership for demanding a nationwide caste census, asked whether it wanted to take away the rights of the minorities since the party had been pushing for “jitni abaadi utna haq” – rights according to the size of the population.
Addressing a rally Tuesday in Jagdalpur in Bastar district of Chhattisgarh where Assembly elections are due later this year, Modi also accused the Congress leadership of being “in league with anti-national forces” and said the party was “out to divide Hindus at any cost and destroy Bharat”.
Without mentioning the Bihar caste survey or Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s demand for a nationwide caste census, the Prime Minister said , “The Congress began a new chant yesterday. Congress ke neta kehte hai jitni abaadi utna haq, mei kehta hoon agar is desh me sabse badi koi abaadi hai toh woh abaadi gareeb hai… Aur gareeb ka kalyan yahi mera maqsad hai (Congress leaders say rights should be according to the size of the population. I say the largest population in the country is that of the poor. The welfare of the poor is my goal).”
“I wonder what former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Ji must be thinking. He used to say the minorities, and Muslims even among the minorities, had the first right on the nation’s resources. Now the Congress is saying that the population size will decide who has the first right,” he said.
“Is the Congress trying to reduce the rights of the minorities? And if population basis is going to decide, who has the first right? Who has the largest population? Should rights be according to population? The Congress should make it clear,” he said.
“Is the Congress trying to remove minorities? Should Hindus, who form the largest population, come forward and claim all their rights?” Modi asked.
“I have been saying this for a while, and I am repeating that Congress people no longer run the Congress party. Congress leaders are sitting with lips sealed. Congress has been outsourced. Those who run the Congress are in league with ant-national forces. Congress is out to divide Hindus at any cost and destroy Bharat,” he said.
“Until now, the Congress has not revealed what secret deal it has with another country. I caution you against their conspiracy… If you (Congress) want to talk about rights, the first right over minerals and property of this country is of the poor, Dalits, tribals and backward people,” he said.
Despite a bandh announced by the ruling Congress in Chhattisgarh over privatisation of the Nagarnar steel plant, a huge crowd showed up for Modi’s rally in Jagdalpur.
Maintaining that people of Bastar will remain the sole owners of Nagarnar steel plant, he accused the Congress of promoting its own people and family members.
“The steel plant will bring around 55,000 jobs and we will invest thousands of crores more into it. When more investment will be made, the factory will be bigger and the development more rapid,” he said.
