Goa CM Pramod Sawant.
Credit: PTI Photo
Panaji: Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Tuesday alleged that the opposition Congress has promised in its election manifesto "redistribution of wealth", and added that the Goan diaspora residing abroad should take this point seriously as they send their hard-earned money back to the home country.
He also sought to know whose wealth the Congress plans to redistribute and to whom. Talking to PTI, Sawant said the Congress has not come clear on its assurance of redistribution of wealth as mentioned in its manifesto, raising several doubts over it.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi triggered a political row in Rajasthan on Sunday by claiming that the Congress manifesto promised "redistribution" of wealth and that it was planning to give people's hard-earned money and valuables to "infiltrators" and "those who have more children". He referred to former PM Manmohan Singh's speech in 2006 to contend that he had said that Muslims have the "first claim" on the country's resources.
Sawant alleged that Congress's manifesto smacks of "communalism". "The issue of redistribution of wealth, as mentioned in the Congress manifesto, is not clear. Congress candidates in Goa Ramakant Khalap and Viriato Fernandes should clarify on it", the chief minister said.
"Whose wealth will they be redistributing? Are you going to redistribute our property, jewellery? To whom will they redistribute? Our brothers living in London, who earn money there and send it here, will you redistribute their wealth?" he asked. "Whom do they want to redistribute the jewellery to?...Our brothers who are in London, should be afraid of the Congress", the chief minister said.
He said the Goans who work abroad, earn there and save their earnings in the form of fixed deposits in India. "If that money is distributed, then it will go to the unwanted community", he added. The chief minister said different kind of people were settling in India.
"They have big families. If money goes to them, our country will be in trouble. People have not understood the Congress' 'Nyay Patra', but when they come to know the motive behind it, don't know what they will throw at them (Congress)", he said.
The Congress candidates should explain to the Goans what they meant by redistribution of wealth, he said, adding, "They should tell all our Christian brothers and sisters as to what kind of redistribution of wealth they will do". Speaking about the BJP manifesto, Sawant said the "Modi ki guarantee" was clear.
"We speak about the Uniform Civil Code. We have been following the UCC. Congress should tell whether they will implement UCC or redistribution of wealth," he said. According to the Goa CM, the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) benefits Sikhs, Buddhists and Christians. "They will get Indian citizenship. 'Modi ki guarantee' is clear, but redistribution of wealth is not clear", he said.