PM Narendra Modi.
Credit: PTI Photo
Lucknow: Unfazed by the massive controversy triggered by his reported remarks that Congress would distribute nation's wealth among the Muslims, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that the Congress now wanted to snatch the gold possessed by the people, including 'mangalsutras' (a sacred golden thread worn by married women as a symbol of immortality of their husband) and other properties and distribute it among others.
Addressing an election rally at Aligarh, Modi also dubbed the Congress ''anti-Ram'' and said that the grand old party thought that it had a "birthright" to "loot" the country.
''Congress ke shehzade (Rahul Gandhi) ka kehna hai ki agar unki sarkar ayi to won logon ki sampatti ki jaanch karayenge... ab unki nazar hamar mata behno ki sampatti chinne par hai... unki nazar aapke mangalsutra par hai, (the prince of Congress says that if his party forms the government it will launch an investigation into the properties of the people... now they want to snatch the properties of our mothers and sisters... now they eye your mangalsutras)," the prime minister said.
''They (Congress) want to conduct a survey to ascertain who has earned and how much... if you have two houses then they will take one,'' he went on to add.
Modi also said that the Congress was under the influence of 'maoism'. ''This ideology has ruined many nations and now the Congress wants to implement this ideology in the country,'' he added.
The prime minister said that Congress thought it was its "birthright" to "loot" the country. ''They (Congress) have not given anything to the poor and only amassed wealth for their families,'' he said.
Modi added that the Congress rejected the invite for the Ram Temple consecration ceremony, while he (Modi) accepted it with respect.
Modi, who began his speech with the chant of 'Radhe-Radhe' (consort of Lord Krishna) also said that the defence corridor which had come up in Uttar Pradesh would never have been set up under the Congress government as the defence contracts under its regime was mired in corruption.
Apparently eyeing the large Muslim voters in the constituency, Modi referred to the scrapping of the triple talaq and said that the Muslim women has been greatly benefitted by the new law. Modi also appealed to the people to vote in large numbers.
The rally was also addressed by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.