PM accused of hate speech against Muslims amid national elections

| Updated: 23 April, 2024 1:37 pm IST

Modi has also been accused by the opposition of prioritising Muslims over other groups.

NEW DELHI: During the campaign rally in Rajasthan for India’s general elections PM Modi’s speech infuriated discussions of his obvious comments against the Muslims in the country. While speaking to a massive crowd in the western state the BJP leader made controversial remarks on Muslims by calling them “infiltrators”.

The PM said that if Congress is voted to power, they would distribute the wealth unfairly as the Muslims have more children. Later, the opposition accused him of hate speech and his Islamophobic ideology citing that his remarks were discriminatory.

After the speech got wide attention, on Monday over 17,400 citizens wrote letters to the Election Commission asking to take action against the leader. Modi’s party BJP has previously been accused multiple times of singling out the Muslim minority

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The remarks were made while he was talking about the Congress Manifesto, which gained criticism from the opposition leaders of other parties. The INC president Mallikarjun Kharge said their manifesto is meant for all and aimed at equality and justice. He also called the PM’s remarks a panic-filled hate speech and that he was the only PM India had who had lowered the dignity of the post.

Asaduddin Owaisi, All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen president said that since 2002, the only “Modi guarantee” has been “to abuse Muslims and get votes”. Saket Gokhale, a member of the Trinamool Congress (TMC), called his comments “hateful and divisive” towards the Muslim minority.

Modi has also been accused by the opposition of prioritising Muslims over other groups. Approximately 230 million Muslims live in India, a country of 1.44 billion people, some of whom are refugees. The opposition has also claimed that his comments and his party encourage Hindu nationalism.

According to the rule, candidates are not allowed to run campaigns that “increase or create mutual hatred and cause tension” between communities, nor can they win over votes based on “caste” or “communal feelings.” Modi and the BJP party have not reacted to the opposition’s criticism. The Election Commission of India, which is in charge of conducting the polls, chose not to comment.