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New Delhi, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s inflammatory remarks targeting Muslims have provoked widespread outrage across India’s political and social landscape, drawing condemnation from various civil society organizations and prominent political figures.
According to Kashmir Media Service, during an election rally in Rajasthan’s Banswara on Sunday, Modi referred to Muslims as “infiltrators” and accused them of having many children, implying that they would disproportionately benefit from government assets. He criticized the previous Congress-led government, saying, “Earlier, when their [Congress] government was in power, they had said that Muslims had the first right on the country’s assets. This means to whom will this property be distributed? It will be distributed among those who have more children. It will be distributed among the infiltrators.â€�
These remarks have drawn sharp criticism from across the political spectrum. Former Indian Home Minister and senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram said no prime minister has made such “outrageous” remarks against Muslims. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin called Modi’s speech “toxic, vile, and highly deplorable,” suggesting that it was an attempt to stir religious sentiments to distract from his failures. Stalin also criticized the Election Commission for not acting against Modi’s “blatant hate speech.”
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan condemned Modi’s speech, labeling it “insidious” and a threat to India’s democratic and secular values. He urged the Election Commission to take strong action, emphasizing that efforts to undermine India’s secular credentials must be resisted. Similarly, Akali Dal president Sukhbir Badal, a former alliance partner of the BJP, criticized Modi for promoting communal hatred.
In response to Modi’s remarks, Indian civil society organizations, including the Rajasthan Election Watch (REW) and the People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), have demanded that the Chief Election Officer (CEO) of Rajasthan file a complaint against Modi for his anti-Muslim speech. PUCL member Kavita Srivastava and Mukesh Goswami of REW have approached the CEO of Rajasthan to submit their complaint. The outcome of their complaint is pending, as they were asked to return the next day for an update.
Prominent political leaders, including Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, former Congress president Rahul Gandhi, and senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, have also denounced Modi’s controversial statements.
These developments reflect growing concern over the rise of communal rhetoric in Indian politics and the potential threat to India’s secular and democratic principles.