From April 8 to April 23, seven incidents of provocative and inflammatory speeches reported, common theme of destruction of Muslim religious places of worship
The month of April is a crucial month, with elections to the 18th Lok Sabha polls beginning on April 19 and two phases completed by April 26. As with the previous elections, especially those that have seen a resurgent and aggressive Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in a domineering position, the multi-phased contents since 2014 have witnessed hate speeches marring the poll campaign. Banking on a cynical plank –disregard for the Constitution and Indian law—crude speeches full of stigma and slur have been deployed by the party’s top brass to do what it does best—divide and polarise the electorate into a crude and monocoloured identity bracket that votes with no other consideration except a gleeful anti-minority rhetoric.
Since the announcement of the seven-phase schedule for the Lok Sabha polls on March 16, the Model Code of Conduct has come into effect. This further rigorously puts in place avowedly strict guidelines for campaigners, parties and their candidates. As a part of the effort to track and counter hate, Citizens for Justice and Peace has been rigorously tracking provocative and inflammatory speeches being delivered across India, especially –but not only–during election time.
Compiled below is our HateWatch Monitor’s listicle of the instigating speeches delivered in the past fortnight, between April 8 and April 23. The hate offenders (speakers) are leaders from the far-right, including Bharatiya Janata Party leaders, who have either singled out and stigmatised the Muslim community and culture in their speeches, or used religious symbols including places of worship to garner voter support. All these individually and together violate the Representation of Peoples Act, 1951 and are defined as “corrupt practices” under this law. None have been rigorously called out or prosecuted as a compliant Election Commission of India (ECI) turns a blind eye. A common theme in these speeches were exhortations to violence against Muslims and for the destruction of Mosques, with the objective of converting India into a Hindu nation.
This story was originally published in sabrangindia.in. Read the full story here.
