Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said his government had got Saudi Arabia to increase India’s Haj quota and arranged for Muslim women to go on the pilgrimage alone, presenting a minority-friendly face a day after delivering a polarising speech that targeted the community.

On Sunday in Rajasthan, Modi had alluded to the largest minority community as “infiltrators” and “those who have more children” while alleging the Congress manifesto promises to take away citizens’ assets — including (Hindu) women’s mangalsutras — and hand them over to Muslims.

A day later in Aligarh, where Muslims make up 42 per cent of the population, Modi’s speech seemed to emphasise his long-time claim about being a benefactor of Muslim women — for instance, by banning the instant triple talaq.

“There was a rush earlier because of lower quotas for Haj and only powerful people used to get this opportunity (for the pilgrimage). I requested the crown prince of Saudi Arabia to increase the Haj quota for our Muslim brothers and sisters in India,” Modi said at Aligarh’s Numaish Maidan.

“Today, not only has the Haj quota for India been increased but the visa rules have also been relaxed. The government took a major decision because our Muslim mothers and sisters were unable to go on Haj alone. The government has allowed our women to set out for Haj without mahram (husband, brother or son).”

He added: “Thousands of those sisters whose dream of going on Haj has been fulfilled have blessed me…. The Congress and the Samajwadi Party always played the politics of appeasement but did nothing for the political, social and economic growth of the Muslims.”

Modi also reiterated what he had said in Rajasthan about the Congress confiscating people’s assets but left out the part about these being distributed among Muslims.

“I want to alert the people of the country about a dangerous plan of the Congress’s alliance. I alert the people of Aligarh — the Congress and the INDI alliance have their eyes on your income, on your wealth,” Modi said.

“The shahzada (prince, an allusion to Rahul Gandhi) of the Congress has said that if voted to power, they would conduct surveys about who earns how much, who has how much property… and who has how many houses.

“This wealth will be confiscated by the (Congress-INDIA) government and distributed among others…. Our mothers and sisters have gold…. It is considered sacred. But their eyes are set on amending the law to snatch the properties from our mothers and sisters — the mangalsutras of mothers and sisters are not safe.”