BJP to protest in Par until PM withdraws remark

New Delhi, Dec 11: The BJP today said it would continue its protests in Parliament against Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's remark at the National Development Council meeting on Saturday until he apologised to the nation as ''mere clarifications'' would not do.

''Mere clarifications cannot explain away the PM's statement as his address was in 'black and white'. He had said that the minorities, particularly the Muslims, must have first claim on resources,'' senior party leader and Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha L K Advani said.

''Is this not rank communal appeasement?'' he queried.

Noting that there were crores in the country who were below poverty line and living in miserable conditions, Mr Advani said that when the Prime Minister talked about priority of claims, he had ''expected him to say that the first claim on resources should be of BPL families, particularly Dalits, Tribals and Backwards.'' Terming the statement a ''violation of the spirit of the Constitution,'' he said that it has ''shocked'' millions in the country and demanded that it be withdrawn.

BJP Parliamentary Party Spokesman Vijay Kumar Malhotra said that a ''mere clarification'' was not enough and the Prime Minister should ''tender apologies to the nation.'' ''The PM's statement is one among such of the actions of the UPA government, including the constitution of Justice Sachar Committee on status of Muslims in the country,'' he said, adding that he could 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 Muslims and not the poor.'' Prof 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.

UNI

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