Congress plan for equality is a ‘dangerous game’: PM

Doubling down on his attacks against the Congress’ promises on social justice and alleged wealth redistribution, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 24 claimed that the Congress’s “dangerous intentions” were coming to the fore one by one.

Addressing poll rallies in Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, Mr. Modi reiterated his assertion that Congress’s plan for social welfare and reducing inequality amounted to a “dangerous game” of wealth redistribution and “snatching people’s rights and properties.”

“This is Congress ki loot. Zindagi ke saath bhi, zindagi ke baad bhi (During life, and after life also),” he said. “While you are alive, they want to survey your wealth, property, houses, shops, and land and give it away to secure their vote bank. And when you die, they want to deprive you of the right to leave your assets behind to future generations as well,” he added.

At all three rallies he addressed on April 24, Mr. Modi said that the Congress had planned to implement a 15% reservation based on religion by reducing the existing quota for Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs) and other backward classes (OBCs).

The Congress manifesto for the 2024 Lok Sabha election does not mention a religion-based reservation or reducing the quota for SCs, STs, or OBCs. In fact, the manifesto calls for a Constitutional amendment to raise the quota limit beyond 50%.

On the party’s plan to address economic inequality, the manifesto only says, “We will address the growing inequality of wealth and income through suitable changes in policies,” with no mention of wealth redistribution or even any wealth survey apart from the promised caste census which is to gather socio-economic data as well.