Hindu Nationalist Leader's Comments on Muslims Violate Electoral Laws, Opponents Claim
The Congress party in India accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of targeting minority Muslims during a campaign speech, in violation of the country's secular constitution and election code.
Modi, a Hindu nationalist, has been criticized for his "Hindu-first" politics and alleged marginalization of India's 200 million Muslim population.
In a rally in Rajasthan, Modi made an explicit reference to Muslims, claiming a previous Congress government had given them priority over the nation's wealth.
A political figure made controversial comments during an election campaign, stating that if his opponent's party won, the funds would be given to those with more children and "infiltrators." Critics perceived this as a veiled reference to Muslims, and the Congress party filed a complaint with the Election Commission, accusing the comments of being "divisive, objectionable, and malicious" and "blatant and direct violations of electoral laws." The Congress party spokesperson expressed hope for action against the comments, which they deemed worse than any ever made by a sitting Prime Minister in India's history.
India's elections, which began last Friday, are expected to result in a victory for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his BJP party.
During the campaign, the BJP has frequently referenced the inauguration of a grand temple to the deity Ram, which was built on the site of a centuries-old mosque that was demolished by Hindu zealots.
BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia stated that Modi's remarks about the temple issue resonated with the public, as he was "calling a spade a spade."