The main opposition party in India has accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of using hate speech during a campaign rally, where he referred to Muslims as “infiltrators.” The remarks have drawn strong criticism, with the Congress party filing a complaint with the Election Commission of India. Critics of Modi, who belongs to the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, argue that his rhetoric is exacerbating religious tensions and undermining the country’s tradition of diversity and secularism. The party denies these accusations and maintains that its policies benefit all Indians.
Modi’s comments at the rally in Rajasthan included suggesting that the Congress party would distribute wealth among those with more children, referring to Muslims as infiltrators who should not receive any financial support. The Congress party’s president described these comments as hate speech, and the party called for action from the election commission, citing the violation of rules that prohibit candidates from appealing to caste or communal feelings for votes. The ongoing election, which will last six weeks, is expected to result in a victory for Modi and his BJP party, according to most surveys.
Criticism against Modi has been growing, with Muslim lawmaker Asaduddin Owaidi accusing him of consistently targeting Muslims for political gain since 2002. Human rights groups have raised concerns about increasing attacks on minorities, particularly Muslims, under Modi’s leadership. Incidents of mob violence, discrimination against Muslim businesses, and destruction of places of worship have been reported. Modi has also been accused of endorsing the Hindu nationalist idea that Muslims are taking over the Hindu population by having more children, despite official data showing a decline in fertility rates among Muslims.
The Congress party has petitioned the election commission to take action against Modi and the BJP for repeatedly using religion and religious sentiments in their campaign. The party alleges that the commission’s inaction in penalizing the prime minister and his party for electoral law violations has allowed them to continue exploiting religious divides for political gain. The commission has the authority to issue warnings and suspend candidates for violating the code of conduct. However, a spokesperson for the commission declined to comment on the situation.
Throughout his tenure as prime minister, Modi has faced criticism for his silence on issues relating to religious tensions and hate speech. His party has propagated the idea of Muslims as infiltrators and has enacted laws restricting interfaith marriages based on the unfounded theory of “love jihad.” Critics argue that Modi’s failure to address and condemn hate speech has emboldened extremist supporters and perpetuated discrimination against Muslims. The election results are set to be announced on June 4, with the BJP expected to secure another term in office.
