With India in the midst of weekslong elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been criticized for his rousing speeches that critics view as a divisive attempt to get more votes.
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi has drawn criticism recently for invoking anti-Muslim rhetoric in mobilizing Hindu voters with India in the throes of a general election.
At a huge election rally in late April in Banswara, a city in the western state of Rajasthan, Modi delivered a polarizing speech in more ways than one, targeting the main opposition party, Congress.
Modi claimed that, if they came to power, the opposition would distribute India’s wealth among “infiltrators” — provocative remarks widely seen as intended to shore up support from the party’s majority Hindu voter base.
Hindu-Muslim tension as a campaign tool
“When they (Congress) were in power, they said Muslims have first right over the country’s wealth,” Modi said during his speech.
“They will take all your wealth and distribute it among those who have more children … among infiltrators.
“Do you think your hard-earned money should be given to infiltrators? Would you accept this?”
Despite the outrage his remarks prompted, Modi doubled down on his statements a few days later at campaign rallies in Malda, West Bengal and Araria in Bihar, pulling the political discourse back to the divisive Hindu-Muslim line.
This story was originally published in dw.com. Read the full story here.