During his election campaign, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's assertion that former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh advocated for Muslims to have the primary claim on the country's resources has sparked considerable political debate.
Opposition parties have voiced strong objections to the statements made by the PM during his rallies in Rajasthan.
Did Singh actually say Muslims should have first right to resources?
At the 52nd national development council meeting, Singh was speaking about "collective priorities." former PM Singh had remarked on the need to develop several sectors – like agriculture, irrigation, water resources, health, education and others.
These sectors needed development, "along with programmes for the upliftment of SC/STs, other backward classes, minorities, and women and children. We will have to devise innovative plans to ensure that minorities, particularly the Muslim minority, are empowered to share equitably in the fruits of development. They must have the first claim on resources," Singh said.
The source of this remark was traced to a report published by The Times of India, quoting then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during the 52nd meeting of the National Development Council. Titled, "Muslims must have first claim on resources: PM", the report said "Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday said plans for minorities, particularly Muslims, must have the
first claim for resources so that benefits of development reach them equitably."
Following the report, The search also led us to a clarification by the PMO, which mentioned that former PM Singh's statement had been deliberately and mischievously misinterpreted, "fuelling a baseless controversy." It carried the transcribed version of a part of the former prime minister's speech, offering context to his statement.
"I believe our collective priorities are clear: agriculture, irrigation and water resources, health, education, critical investment in rural infrastructure, and the essential public investment needs of general infrastructure, along with programmes for the upliftment of SC/STs, other backward classes, minorities and women and children. The component plans for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes will need to be revitalized. We will have to devise innovative plans to ensure that minorities, particularly the Muslim minority, are empowered to share equitably in the fruits of development. They must have the first claim on resources. The Centre has a myriad other responsibilities whose demands will have to be fitted within the over-all resource availability."
It further underscored the fact that the Prime Minister's reference to "first claim on resources" refers to all the "priority" areas listed above, including programmes for the upliftment of SCs, STs, OBCs, women and children and minorities.
Hence, this clarifies that Manmohan Singh underscored the importance of prioritizing plans and schemes for the upliftment of Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), other backward classes, women, children, and minorities, rather than exclusively focusing on the Muslim community.
The Congress party has taken the matter to the Election Commission of India (ECI) urging action against PM Modi. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge condemned Modi's remarks as "hate speech," emphasizing that they have "degraded the integrity of political dialogue."
The complaint from the Congress party focused on a specific segment of Modi's speech where he remarked, "When they (Congress) were in power earlier, they said that Muslims have the first right to the country's resources... This is Urban Naxal thinking, and mothers and sisters, they will not even spare your Mangalsutra."
Kharge stated on X, "Today Modi ji's panic-filled speech showed that INDIA is winning in the first phase results. What Modi ji said is not only a hate speech but also a well thought out ploy to divert attention... The 140 crore people of the country are no longer going to fall prey to this lie."
However, the ECI declined to comment on Modi's speech, which the Congress alleged violates several sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Model Code of Conduct, leading to a barrage of complaints to the poll panel.
