Narendra Modi accused of targeting Muslims during election speech

India’s main opposition party, the Congress, on Monday filed a complaint with the Election Commission against Hindu nationalists Prime Minister Narendra Modi He has been accused of ‘openly targeting’ the Muslim minority in his election speech.

India, the world’s most populous country, is constitutionally secular and its election rules and regulations do not allow election campaigns based on ‘sentiments targeting any community’.

Modi’s ‘Hindu first’ policies are a key part of his electoral appeal and his opponents accuse him of ignoring India’s 200 million Muslim population.

Indian Prime Ministers generally avoid mentioning religion in explicit terms and use the word ‘Hindu’. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is not included in the 76-page election manifesto.

Addressing a weekly election rally in Rajasthan, Modi claimed that the previous Congress government had said that “Muslims have the first right to the country’s wealth.”

He said that if the Congress wins, ‘wealth will be distributed among those who have more children. It will be distributed among the infiltrators. Do you think your hard earned money should be given to hackers? Will you accept it?’

Critics say that these sentences refer to Muslims.

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In its complaint to the Election Commission, the Congress said the ‘divisive, objectionable and malicious’ comments were aimed at a ‘specific religious community’ and were in ‘clear and direct violation of election laws.’

“These words are worse than any statement by any Prime Minister in the history of India,” the complaint said.

Speaking to reporters outside the commission’s office, Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi said: ‘We hope that concrete action will be taken (on our complaint).’

Modi and BJP are expected to win in India’s marathon elections that started last Friday. Election results will come on June 4.

Earlier this year, Modi presided over the inauguration of the grand Ram Temple, built on the site of a centuries-old mosque.

BJP often mentioned this temple in the election campaign.

BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia told reporters on Monday that Modi was talking ‘without being wrapped up’ and his remarks were in line with what people thought.