Jaipur: Citing former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's remark that the minority community had the first claim on the country's resources, PM Modi on Sunday suggested that if the Congress comes to power after the counting of votes for the Lok Sabha Election 2024, the party would redistribute wealth of the citizens, news agency PTI reported.

"The kind of mindset they have, my mothers and sisters, they will not even leave your 'Mangalsutra'. They can stoop to that level," PM Modi said while addressing a rally in Rajasthan's Banswara.

"The Congress manifesto says they will calculate the gold with mothers and sisters, get information about it and then distribute that property. They will distribute it to whom - Manmohan Singh's government had said that Muslims have the first right on the country's assets," he claimed.

"Earlier, when their (Congress) government was in power, they had said that Muslims have the first right on the country's assets. What does this tell you about [potential] distribution of property under the Congress rule? It will be distributed among those who have more children. It will distributed to the infiltrators. Should your hard-earned money go to the infiltrators? Do you approve of this?" PM Modi quipped as he addressed a crowd full of supporters.

His reference was to Manmohan Singh's controversial “first claim” remark that the former PM had made, back in 2006.

While the Congress manifesto delves into the issue of economic inequalities, the party has claimed that it does not talk about "redistribution" and that it favours a "comprehensive socio-economic caste census".

The opposition party had also asserted that Rahul Gandhi did not promise redistribution of the nation's wealth in Hyderabad on 7 April 2024 and that his words were "misrepresented". The clarification from Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh came days after Rahul Gandhi had talked about the need for conducting a survey in order to ensure more equitable distribution of the country’s wealth.

Stressing that the Congress is now trapped "in the clutches of the Leftists" and its manifesto "is worrying and serious" as it is an attempt to implement the "ideology of Maoism on the ground", PM Modi further said, "If a Congress government is formed, everyone's property will be surveyed, the amount of gold our sisters have will be investigated and calculated. Our tribal families have silver, which will be calculated... This gold and other assets will be distributed equally to everyone.

"Is it acceptable to you? Do governments have the right to confiscate your property which you have earned through hard work? The gold with our mothers and sisters is not for showing off, it is connected to their self-respect. The value of their 'Mangalsutra' is not in gold or its price but it is has deep-rooted connection to her dreams in life and you are talking about snatching it," the prime minister said.

He also came heavily on the Congress for “ignoring the welfare of tribals” and said the party could not find a single person from the Adivasi community who could be the President of the country during its 60-year rule.

"Were the tribals not capable? Just see the Congress' mindset. But in 2014, you blessed us.. and now a tribal daughter is the country's president. This is real participation. This is the spirit of the Constitution given by Babasaheb," PM Modi said while addressing the public meeting in Banswara in support of BJP's Mahendrajeet Singh Malviya.