Amid backlash over his remarks perceived to target Muslims during an election rally in Rajasthan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday clarified that he didn’t mean Muslims when he said “those with more children” and asserted that “people should have as many children as they can take care of.”
In an interview with a news channel, Modi said, “I am shocked. Who told you that whenever one talks of people with more children, the inference is they are Muslims? Why are you so unjust towards Muslims? This is the situation in poor families too. Where there is poverty, there are more children, irrespective of their social circle. I didn’t mention either Hindu or Muslim. I have said that one should have as many children as you can take care of. Don’t let a situation arise where the government has to take care of your children.”
When asked whether Muslims should vote for him in this general election, the Prime Minister refrained from directly seeking the community’s votes and said, “I believe that the people of the country will vote for me.”
He added, “The day I start doing Hindu-Muslim, I won’t be fit to live in public life. I will not do Hindu-Muslim divide, this is my resolve.”
The prime minister was under constant attack from the Opposition ever since he made the controversial remarks during a public rally in Rajasthan on April 21. Speaking at a crowded rally in the western state, Modi has said if the opposition led by the Congress party came to power, it would distribute the country’s wealth among “those who have more children”, in an apparent reference to Muslims, whom he had spoken about just before.
The Congress had moved the Election Commission alleging his remarks violated the Model Code of Conduct. Following the Congress party’s objections, the poll panel had issued a notice to the BJP, asking them to submit their response by April 29. The response of the saffron party has not been disclosed yet.