As the seven-phase Lok Sabha 2024 elections progress, the use of anti-Muslim language in election speeches has raised concerns at home and abroad. The speeches come at a time when some pundits are predicting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will win his third consecutive Lok Sabha election.
A former election official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said of the ongoing speeches, "I have never seen this level of election speeches. The speeches have never been so venomous. This is unimaginable."
Irfan Engineer of the Center for the Study of Society and Secularism, a peace-focused organization after the 1993 riots in Mumbai, said the speeches would only increase polarization and this did not bode well for the future.
He said, "The 2014 and 2019 elections were fought on corruption, good times and nationalism, but Lok Sabha 2024 is being fought on 'Muslim opposition'." Michael Kugelman, director of the South Asia Institute at the US-based Wilson Center, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party were doing everything they could to achieve the 400-seat target.
The news paper Indian Express carried an editorial on Prime Minister Modi's speech in Banswara, Rajasthan, with the headline – "No, Prime Minister."
At an election rally in Rajasthan, Prime Minister Modi made a comment on Muslims, quoting an old speech by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, calling them (Muslims) intruders and procreators of too many children.
Many statements came out one after the other
However, the matter did not stop there. A post on social media X about the Karnataka BJP's Anamach, an "anti-Muslim" election ad, also drew controversy.
The opposition is calling the claims made by the BJP leaders based on the Congress manifesto as false and divisive. Apart from this, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said, "Congress is saying that we (Congress) will implement Sharia law through personal law."
BJP president JP Nadda told news agency ANI, "When I read the Congress manifesto, I wondered whether it was the Congress party's manifesto or the Muslim League's manifesto." BJP's social media in-charge Amit Malviya wrote on Platform X, "It is clear that Congress will control our wealth and small savings and share with Muslims."
In a speech, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh said, "Congress has indicated in its manifesto this time to give reservation to religious minorities for government jobs. If this manifesto is implemented, the armed forces may also be included."
Union Minister Anurag Thakur said in a meeting, "The Congress manifesto shows the hand of foreign powers along with the hand of the Congress. They want to give the wealth of your children to Muslims."
There is no mention of words like Sharia or Taliban in the Congress manifesto. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Banswada speech, BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia said in a press release that people who enter India illegally are more important to the Indi coalition than the people of the country.
What do people with different ideologies say?
On criticism of the speeches, right-winger Suvrokamal Dutta said, "Has the head not been separated from the body in this country? Has not the ideology of Gajwa-e-Hind come to this country? Is vote jihad not coming to this country? All these things are true. The Prime Minister has exposed this truth. If they are doing it, are they committing a crime?"
BJP Minority Morcha president Jamal Siddiqui dismissed criticism of Prime Minister Modi's speech, saying, "Modiji has always thought for the benefit of Muslims."
He added, "Muslims do not mean intruders. Why do we blame it on Muslims. People from Pakistan are trying to break the country. People from Bangladesh are stealing the jobs of the people of the country. There are Hindus and Muslims who have more children."
Why is the Election Commission silent?
The Election Commission released a statement on April 16, a month after the code of conduct came into effect. According to the Election Commission statement, the commission has received around 200 complaints, out of which 169 complaints have been acted upon. 51 complaints were made by BJP, of which 38 complaints were acted upon. 59 complaints were made by the Congress, of which 51 cases were acted upon.
However, in this era of toxic election speeches, the Election Commission is being accused of not being as strict with the BJP leaders as it is with the opposition leaders. That too at a time when BJP leaders are talking about Hindu symbols in their speeches.
TMC's Derek O'Brien alleged that the Election Commission was behaving as a "biased umpire". An Election Commission official refused to comment on the allegation. Tamil Nadu Congress leader Selvaperunthagain, who appealed the Prime Minister's speech to the Madras High Court, asked in a interview why the Election Commission was silent about the speeches being made on caste, religion and communities.
According to a former election officer, if the Election Commission had acted strictly on the speeches given earlier, this situation would not have happened today.
According to the model code of conduct enforced by the Election Commission, religious symbols cannot be used during election campaigning. Apart from this, no appeal can be made to vote on the basis of religion, sect and caste.
According to the code of conduct, hate speeches and slogans against any religious or caste community have also been banned. The opposition is demanding action against Prime Minister Narendra Modi citing these rules.
The intensity of questions increased when a notice was sent to party president JP Nadda, not Modi, for Prime Minister Modi's Banswada speech. Similarly, a notice was sent to Congress party president Mallikarjun Kharge instead of Rahul Gandhi on one of Rahul Gandhi's speeches. This happened for the first time.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh tweeted, "It is clear that the Election Commission's hands are tied due to the pressure created by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's derogatory remarks. However, under fair practice should the Election Commission have sent a notice on Rahul Gandhi's remarks?"
It may be mentioned here that the Election Commission ordered Congress leader Randeep Surjewala not to hold an election meeting for 48 hours. The action was taken because of the disastrous comments he (Surjewala) made on BJP leader Hema Malini.
Apart from this, the Election Commission criticized Congress spokesperson Supriya Sreeneth for making such comments on BJP candidate Kangana Ranaut on social media.
What causes increased sharpness in speeches?
Prime Minister Modi made a speech in Banswara ahead of the second phase of elections. In the second phase, voting was held in some seats of states like Kerala, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal.
According to Irfan Nooruddin, a professor of Indian politics at Georgetown University in the US, "Prime Minister Modi has spent the last ten years working only with gestures to convince the party's core votebank, and has left it to other leaders to make sharper statements."
Professor Nooruddin said, "This is a sign that the BJP is finding that talking about the economy does not appeal to voters. Because unemployment in villages and cities and creating new opportunities for jobs is a key challenge."
He added, "BJP people also feel that Arvind Kejriwal's arrest before the elections also hurt itself (BJP). This move has brought unity to the opposition and they are raising slogans of 'democracy in danger' with vigour." Professor Arvind Kejriwal's arrest is a result of (BJP's) overconfidence. According to him, the BJP did not get the electoral benefit of the Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha Mohotsav as expected.
He asked what was the rationale behind mentioning Adani, Ambani in attacks on Rahul Gandhi in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's election speeches, who are believed to be close to the BJP. The professor asks who will believe this. An Indian-origin professor at an American university said that the vandalism of political parties in Maharashtra also led some people to move away from the BJP.
Michael Kugelman said that Prime Minister Modi is confident that his party will do well in the elections. They are trying to engage others going beyond their core supporters.
He added, "If this is the case, it is not a smart policy. If he (Narendra Modi) uses the kind of language he (Narendra Modi) uses to attract Muslim voters, independent-minded voters, and voters who are not very interested in politics to him (BJP). should be avoided."
Michael Kugelman considers this kind of speech language unfortunate. Supporter of BJP policies Dr. According to Suvrokamal Dutta, "The speeches of Prime Minister Modi and BJP leaders are not divisive politics. These talks are related to the country's sovereignty, security, integrity and strategy."
"Prime Minister Narendra Modi has to say these words under compulsion. Isn't it a historical fact that former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said that the first right on the national resources of this country belongs to the minorities especially the Muslims.
According to critics, BJP leaders and supporters are deliberately misconstruing Manmohan Singh's speech.
BJP leaders are denying these allegations
BJP leaders have consistently denied these allegations. According to Suvrokamal Dutt, a right-wing expert on international issues, India does not care what the international or western countries say about India.
There has been bias, how many Indians have been killed. How does America talk about all this. America and Europe should think about their position first."
According to BJP Minority Morcha President Jamal Siddiqui, "When questions are asked in front of the Prime Minister, when Congress releases its election manifesto, when Congress Shahzada Rahul Gandhi keeps his word in front of the people, when he targets Modi, then Modi ji also speaks his word. People have to be told."
Prime Minister Modi recently answered a question about Muslims in an interview with Times Now TV channel. He said, "Reflect and think that the country is progressing so far. If you feel a shortage in your society, what is the reason? Why did you not get the benefit of the government schemes in the Congress government?"
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