Friday, May 10

Following The Trend, Union Minister Anurag Thakur Echoes ‘Wealth To Muslim’ Rhetoric

Edited by Fazal Rahman Chembulangad
Following The Trend, Union Minister Anurag Thakur Echoes 'Wealth To Muslim' Rhetoric; Slams Congress Manifesto

As a spate of anti-Muslim rhetoric marks the ongoing general elections, Union Minister Anurag Thakur today followed the trend by slamming the Congress party alleging favours to Muslims. In the latest hate speech incident, the BJP leader was heard saying that the Congress manifesto preparation involved the hand of foreign forces who want to give “your children’s property to Muslims.”

In a video shared by the news agency ANI, the Minister said, “In the Congress manifesto, along with the hand of the Congress, hands of foreign forces are also visible who want to give your children’s property to Muslims, finish the nations nuclear weapons, divide the nation on casteism and regionalism.” He was reportedly speaking at a rally in Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh – his home state.

The Youth & Sports Affairs Minister who is contesting the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from his sitting Hamirpur constituency further said that the ‘tukde-tukde gang’ has surrounded “Congress completely and has hijacked their ideology.” “You have to decide whether the children’s property should remain with them or should it go to Muslims. We gave all rights to Muslims, equally. But we did not give it based on religion, we gave it because it was their right.”

The apparent hate speech follows a series of such incidents reported amid the heat of the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. The Prime Minister while speaking at an election rally in Rajasthan’s Tonk stated that the Congress distributes the wealth of Indians to the Muslims. He also used the term “infiltrators and those who have more children” during his speech.

The speech of the Prime Minister had led to widespread condemnations from the opposition. Notably, the BJP chief JP Nadda later followed the Prime Minister’s controversial statement, repeating that the Congress plans to redistribute wealth to infiltrators.” 

The BJP chief also hit out at the Congress saying it pursues appeasement politics and claiming that the grand old party’s manifesto was a “Muslim League imprint”

However, as the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections ended on April 26, Anurag Thakur repeated the same statement. The Election Commission recently sent notice to the BJP functionaries after the Congress complained against the Prime Minister’s speech at Rajasthan. 

It is not the first time Anurag Thakur has been involved in hate speech against minorities. During the 2020 Delhi assembly elections campaign, he invited the Election Commission’s notice after making a provocative remark. While addressing the election rally, the BJP leader asked “to shoot.” He was talking about the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act protests in Delhi. His statement’s English translation reads, “What should be done with traitors of the country? Shoot them.” The Union Minister also made the people chant the “Goli Maaro,” slogan during the rally.