Modi again rakes up Muslim issue, Muslim hate omitted from personal website
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Even after facing mounting criticism for his rhetoric targeting Muslims while accusing the Congress party, Prime Minister Narendra Modi raked up Muslim issues again at an election campaign in the Tonk-Sawai Madhopur constituency of Rajasthan and accused the Congress party of engaging in divisive and appeasement politics in favour of the Muslim community.
PM Modi’s campaign targeting the Muslim community, however, is expected to continue unless the Election Commission exerts its constitutional power on PM Modi, who seems to be struggling to find support for the BJP in the people's response to elections held in the states during the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections.
Critics allude to the BJP government’s insecurity, given the prevailing situation in the country, for PM Modi to raise the Muslim issue as a ploy, in the belief that people would vote for the BJP not because of its progressive governance but out of hatred towards the Muslim community.
In this instance, Modi alleged that the Congress, during its tenure, made repeated attempts to implement Muslim reservations, which he claimed were against the Constitution and aimed at garnering votes from particular communities.
During his address, Modi asserted that the progress and strength of the nation were the result of the collective efforts of its citizens, particularly emphasizing the upliftment of 25 crore impoverished individuals during his tenure.
He contrasted his government's actions with what he portrayed as the potential consequences of a Congress-led administration, highlighting issues like security in Kashmir, implementing the One Rank, One Pension scheme, and handling crises like terrorist attacks and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Meanwhile, the brazen attack on the Muslim community, terming them ‘infiltrators’ and those who beget more children, and the assertion that if the Congress comes to power, it would prioritize Muslim interests over others, was found missing in the English summary of Modi's speeches on his personal website.
He employed rhetoric aimed at stoking fears, referring to the Muslim community as "those with more children," and also alleged that Congress would seize assets, including women's jewellery, to distribute them unfairly.
The summary instead focused on broader criticisms of the Congress party's policies and manifesto promises. This has raised eyebrows among political observers, who see it as an attempt to downplay or sanitize the more contentious aspects of Modi's rhetoric, according to The Wire.
The website www.narendramodi.in, alleged to have been used as a propaganda portal promoting Modi's leadership, provides video recordings of the speeches in Hindi, leaving only Hindi speakers to comprehend what PM Modi really meant. However, the absence of the full text of Modi's speech in Bhanswara on the website as of the reporting time has drawn attention. Similarly, Modi's WhatsApp channel had not yet uploaded the speech.
This shift in Modi's rhetoric, directly targeting the Muslim community, marks a departure from his previous election speeches, where such references were rare. The Election Commission of India has yet to comment on the matter, leaving many observers questioning whether Modi's statements violate the Model Code of Conduct.
Modi's fiery rhetoric in the run-up to the elections, particularly his focus on communal divisions and accusations against the Congress party, has sparked debate and scrutiny.
