Advani demands withdrawal of PM's remark

Advani demanded that the PM should apologise for his remark and a mere clarification would not do, reports HS Bartwal.

Leader of Opposition LK Advani on Monday rejected the clarifications from PMO on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's remarks on giving priority in resources to minorities saying that the PM's statement could not be "explained away".

Observing that "it is a written address, in black and white," he demanded that it must be withdrawn as it violated the spirit of the Constitution and had "shocked" millions in the country.

Noting that the PM had said the minorities, particularly the Muslims, must have the first claim on resources, Advani asked "What is this, if not rank communalism?"

"There are crores in the country below the poverty line, living in miserable conditions... When the Prime Minister talks about priority of claims, I would expect him to say the first claim on our resources should be of those below the poverty line, particularly the Dalits, the tribals and the backwards," the BJP leader stated.

BJP Deputy Leader in Lok Sabha VK Malhotra alleged, meanwhile, that to please the Muslims the UPA Government could go to the extent of naming the Republic of India as the "Islamic Republic of India". He demanded that the PM should apologise for his remark and a mere clarification would not do.

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