PM's plan for minorities upsets Opposition

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday stirred a hornet's nest by his remark that plans for minorities, particularly Muslims, must have the first claim on resources, with the Bharatiya Janata Party, its chief ministers and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh condemning it as having communal overtones.

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, generally known for his anti-Muslim rhetoric, told reporters after the conclusion of the National Development Council meeting in New Delhi: "Every citizen, irrespective of his caste and creed should have equal right over the resources of the country."

Such sentiments were echoed by Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh chief ministers Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Raman Singh respectively. While Chouhan said that the prime minister's

statement was 'not only inappropriate but is dangerous also,' Singh said that economic backwardness should be the sole criteria.

The RSS was more acerbic in the attack on the Prime Minister remarking that 'this was precisely the language used by Mohammad Ali Jinnah before the partition.'

"It is unfortunate our leaders have not learnt lessons from the tragic partition. They are pursuing the same politics of religion for electoral benefits," RSS leader Ram Madhav said.

"This is very unfortunate, appalling for a prime minister to say so," BJP chief Rajnath Singh said.

Haryana Chief Minister Bhupendra Singh Hooda of Congress, however, justified the prime minister's remarks saying that it should be seen in the context that majority of Muslims are poor.