Prime Minister Narendra Modi clarified his remarks that Congress will distribute the country’s wealth between ’those who have more children’, saying that he did not only talk about Muslims but talked about every poor family.’
In an exclusive interview with Network 18, PM Modi said “I neither said Hindu nor Muslim… I will not be able to be in the public domain the day I start doing politics of a Hindu or Muslim. I see everyone equally.”
Replying to the question of why has he not been successful in breaking the perception that he is not against Muslims, PM Modi said, ‘This is not a question of a Muslim. After 2002, my image was tarnished.’
“In my house, there are all Muslim families around me. Eid was also celebrated in our house, there were other festivals in our house. Food was not cooked in our house on the day of Eid. Food used to come to my place from all the Muslim families. When Muharram started, we needed to come out from under the Tajiya, we were taught. I grew up in that world. Even today many of my friends are Muslims,” he said.
Last month while addressing a rally in Rajasthan’s Banswara, PM Modi cited the Congress manifesto, saying that if the Congress came to power, it would redistribute the wealth of people to Muslims. He also cited former PM Manmohan Singh’s remark that the minority community had the first claim on the country’s resources.
PM Modi said that he does not market love toward Muslims, and the day Hindu Muslims start doing so, he will not be able to live in the public domain. If people were allotted a house, it would go to anyone irrespective of religion, he said.
“I do not work for a vote bank. I believe in Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas,” he added.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi filed his nomination from the Varanasi Lok Sabha seat after offering prayers at the Dashashwamedh Ghat and the Kaal Bhairav temple. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath was among the leaders present at the collectorate when Modi filed his papers on Tuesday.
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The day I start doing Hindu-Muslim, I won’t be fit to be in public life, and I won’t do it: PM Modi
