New Delhi, December 11
Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha L.K. Advani today rejected clarifications from the PMO over Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s remark on plans for minorities and sought their withdrawal, saying that it violated the spirit of the Constitution and smacked communalism.
In a written statement, Mr Advani said the Prime Minister’s statement “cannot be wished away”, as it was a written address, in black and white.
Quoting from the Prime Minister’s address that the minorities, particularly the Muslim minority, “must have the first claim on resources”, Mr Advani wondered saying: “What is this, if not rank communal appeasement?”
“There are crores of people in the country below poverty line, living in miserable condition,” Mr Advani said, adding that “when the Prime Minister talks about priority of claims, I would expect him to say that the first claim on our resources should be of those below the poverty line, particularly the Dalits and the tribals and the backwards.”
Meanwhile, the BJP has said it will continue its protests in Parliament against the Prime Minister’s remark at NDC meeting until he apologises to the nation.
BJP Parliamentary Party spokesperson V.K. Malhotra said a mere clarification was not enough and the Prime Minister should tender an apology to the nation.
“The PM’s statement is one among such of the actions of the UPA government, including the constitution of the Justice Sachar Committee on the status of Muslims in the country,” he said, adding that he would have understood “if the PM were to tell that the poorest-of-the-poor should have the first right over the resources, but he wants this right to be with the Muslims and not the poor”.
Professor Malhotra claimed that 15 per cent Muslims were better off from all angles - economy, education and politics - and their status was comparable to many among the Hindu middle class.
