PM Modi says he does not oppose Islam: 'Indian Muslims need to....'

New Delhi, May 7: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said he does not oppose Islam or Muslims and wants the community to think about their future growth as they vote in an ongoing Lok Sabha elections 2024. His remarks made in an interview with Times Now, come after the Opposition accused him of targeting Muslims over electoral gains and he referred Muslims as "infiltrators".

However, he denied discriminating against Muslims and has linked his recent comment to what he described as the opposition Congress party's election plan to redistribute the wealth of majority Hindus among Muslims. The Congress denies making any such promise.

"We are not opposed to Islam and Muslims," Modi said in the interview aired on Monday.

“"This is not our domain. When it is about their abuses, they have been spinning this narrative since Nehru era. They have always been abusing us as anti Muslim. Secondly, they used to abuse us because by putting in very little work, they would yield dividends. So, they would vilify us as anti-Muslim and then would claim they are friends of Muslims. They gained through this. That is why they created this atmosphere of fear. They were reaping benefits by fearmongering. But the Muslim community is aware now. When I abolished triple talaq and ended that practice, Muslim sisters feel that I am genuine about their concerns. When I give Ayushman cards, they say I am a genuine man. When I give Covid vaccines, they say I am a genuine man. They realise I am not discriminating against anyone. The Opposition's problem is this that their lies have been caught. That is why to mislead, they have to keep saying all kinds of lies,” Modi said when asked about being branded as Anti-Muslim. ”

“I am saying this for the first time to the Muslim ‘samaj’ (community): please introspect. The country is moving ahead, but why does your community feel something is missing? Why did you not get the benefits of government schemes during the Congress era? Reflect on whether you experienced hardship during that period,” he said in a TV interview. ”

“I urge the Muslim ‘samaj’ to think about the future of their children, and also about their own future. I don’t want any community to live the life of bonded labor because someone is creating an atmosphere of fear,” he added.

“When I go to Gulf countries, I get respect as an individual and also as the PM of India. Yoga is a part of the official academic curriculum of Saudi Arabia. If I talk about yoga in India, then, you call it ‘anti-Muslim'” he pointed out.

In the interview, the prime minister also said the poor in the country include all Hindus, Christians, and Parsis and all should get the benefits of reservations.

“I have never said that Muslims won't get reservations. All I'm saying is that religion cannot be the base of providing reservation. Poor in the country include all Hindus, Christians, and Parsis; all should get the benefits of reservations. Dalits and tribals for long have faced injustice for thousands of years, and there is a special reason that the makers of our constitution have taken the right decision, and we are grateful for that. No political party opposes this," PM Modi said.