Modi repeats redistribution of wealth comment, Congress seeks legal recourse

Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate said the party is exploring legal remedies as the Election Commission of India is not acting on the complaint against Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his “redistribution of wealth” remarks.

Shrinate said institutions like the ECI need to have the complete faith of the people and should work to restore that trust if it is shaken.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi made hate speeches in Rajasthan. My colleagues met the EC on Monday and we have pressed charges against him. As they are not acting upon our complaint, we are looking at legal remedies," she told PTI.

The Congress on Monday moved the ECI seeking "appropriate action" against Modi for his 'redistribution of wealth' remarks at a poll rally in Rajasthan (a modified version was later repeated at a rally in Uttar Pradesh), alleging that the comments were "divisive", "malicious" and targeted a particular religious community.

Today, once again speaking at a rally in Tonk in Rajasthan, PM Modi said the Congress tried to extend reservation on the basis of religion and give it to Muslims, and once again accused the party of hatching a "deep conspiracy" to snatch people's wealth and distribute it among "select" people.

On 21 April, the prime minister had triggered a political row by claiming that the Congress manifesto promised “redistribution” of wealth to Muslims after conducting a survey.

Addressing an election rally in Tonk, the prime minister said as soon as the Congress formed the government at the Centre in 2004, one of its first tasks was to reduce the SC/ST reservation in Andhra Pradesh and give it to Muslims. "Modi is giving you a guarantee with an open heart that reservation for Dalits and backward tribals will neither end nor will it be allowed to be divided in the name of religion," he said.

"We hope that it will be a free and fair election. But we see little evidence of that,” Shrinate said, asserting that the less said about the ECI’s actions against the BJP, the better.

On the proper functioning of EVMs (electronic voting machines), Shrinate said, "Even if one person says his or her vote didn't go where it was intended, it is the responsibility of institutions like the EC to restore people's faith."

She pointed out that opposition parties have been pressing for 100 per cent VVPAT counting, but the ECI has not accepted the suggestion.

With inputs from agencies