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Omar Abdullah's ‘80% vs 14%’ counter amid row over Modi's remarks on Muslims: ‘What kind of threat…?’
Omar Abdullah expresses concern over attempts to create religious tension, challenges detractors to show evidence of Muslims demanding more than entitled.
National Conference leader and former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah on Monday voiced concern over alleged efforts to pit different religious groups against each other.
Speaking at a public rally in Shopian, Abdullah said, “Statements are being made to make people fight against each other...attempt is being made to create tension between different religions.”
“In other places, it is being said that Hindus are in danger. Hindu population is 80% and Muslim population is 14%. What kind of threat will the 80% have from the 14% population?” he asked rhetorically.
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He challenged detractors to provide evidence of any Muslim demanding privileges beyond their rightful share.
“We never asked for more than what we're entitled to, never. Show me one Muslim, who has demanded anything more than what he is entitled to.”
Abdullah's remarks came against the backdrop of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's controversial speech in Rajasthan's Banswara which drew backlash from the opposition parties.
Read: BJP defends Modi's remarks on Muslims, says 'resonated with people'
Prime Minister Modi claimed that the Congress party plans to redistribute gold and hard-earned money to "infiltrators" and “those who have more children” as he cited former PM Manmohan Singh's speech from 2006.
"Earlier, when their (Congress) government was in power, they had said that Muslims have the first right on the country's assets. This means to whom will this property be distributed? It will be distributed among those who have more children.
"It will be distributed to the infiltrators. Should your hard-earned money go to the infiltrators? Do you approve of this?" he said.
Read: ‘Nakedly communal appeal’: Shashi Tharoor slams PM Modi's ‘wealth to infiltrators…’ remark
On Monday, the prime minister repeated his allegations against the Congress party but stopped short of saying that the wealth would go to Muslims.
Addressing an election rally in Aligarh, a constituency with a sizeable Muslim population, Modi accused the Congress and the Samajwadi Party of following a policy of “appeasement” and yet doing nothing to uplift the socio-economic condition of the community.
"The Congress “shahzade” (prince) says if his government comes, they will investigate who earns how much and how much property they have. Not only this, he further says the government will take over the property and redistribute it. This is what their election manifesto is saying," he claimed, referring to Rahul Gandhi.
"Just think, our mothers and daughters have gold. This is ‘stridhan’ (women’s property). It is considered sacred, even the law protects it. But now they are eyeing a change in law and snatching the property of our mothers and sisters,” he said.
