Prime Minister Modi’s party aims to energize nationalist base, analysts say
By Tripti Lahiri and Vibhuti Agarwal
India’s ruling party has in recent days sharpened campaign rhetoric that its critics say pits Hindus against Muslims. It has posted videos depicting Muslims as invaders attacking Hindu temples and seizing jewelry from Hindu women. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is campaigning for a third term in office, has described Muslims as “infiltrators” in India.
Now, the Election Commission, the body overseeing elections, has ordered the social-media platform X to take down an animated video from Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party. The video showed an opposition politician placing an egg labeled “Muslims” in a nest with three other eggs labeled with the names of disadvantaged Indian communities. A bird wearing a skull cap—often worn by Muslim men—hatches from the egg and kicks the other birds from the nest.
This story was originally published in wsj.com. Read the full story here.
