Muslims, Cong manifesto and lies over lies; MCC rule not applicable to BJP

The ruling BJP is determined to continue its religious slurs against the Muslim community to target the Congress, even after the Election Commission has served Prime Minister Narendra Modi a notice. Despite calls from different quarters to tame the BJP from using religion in the poll campaign, particularly targeting the Muslim community, BJP star campaigners like Anurag Thakur, Rajnath Singh, and BJP chief JP Nadda have continued to rake up religion with misleading and inflammatory statements based on lies.

The Election Commission seems to have been tight-lipped in responding to these blatant violations of its Model Code of Conduct by the BJP leaders, who have been seen to have fallen into a dilemma while witnessing the first two phases of the Lok Sabha elections. They found no reason to invoke their ten years of development to influence people but only to ignite anti-Muslim sentiments to garner votes.

Critics cite instances of BJP leaders, mostly in the northern region of India, targeting the Muslim community with a narrative suggesting that Muslims do not have rights in the country, as if they are not rightful citizens. This communal rhetoric has been successfully ingrained in the hearts of people without contestation and is now they are creating a specious narrative that if the Congress is elected to power, it would snatch wealth, reservations, and opportunities from the SC, ST, and other backward communities to redistribute them to the Muslim community.

In a series of speeches, Modi and his cohorts have made inflammatory remarks, accusing the Congress party of orchestrating a divisive agenda aimed at redistributing wealth to Muslims. Despite lacking evidence, these claims have been amplified by other BJP leaders, perpetuating a narrative of fear and prejudice.

Central to the BJP's rhetoric is the misrepresentation of the Congress manifesto, which allegedly promotes preferential treatment for Muslims at the expense of other marginalized communities. However, a closer examination reveals that the Congress manifesto makes no such assertions, focusing instead on broader issues of development and social justice.

One of the BJP's key tactics involves referencing past statements by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, distorting his words to fit their narrative. Singh's remarks from 2006 have been selectively quoted to insinuate a bias towards Muslims in resource allocation, despite the context suggesting otherwise.

The Election Commission of India has issued notices to both the BJP and the Congress, citing violations of the Model Code of Conduct. However, the persistence of divisive rhetoric from BJP leaders underscores the challenges faced in enforcing electoral regulations and maintaining a level playing field.

Critics have denounced Modi's speeches as unprecedented hate speech, with global observers expressing alarm at the escalation of communal tensions. The BJP's attempts to polarize voters along religious lines have drawn condemnation from various quarters, raising concerns about the country's secular fabric.

Notably, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Defense Minister Rajnath Singh have echoed Modi's sentiments in their own speeches, further cementing the party's stance on the issue. Their references to Singh's past statements and unfounded allegations against the Congress add fuel to the fire, exacerbating an already volatile situation.

At a rally in Chhattisgarh’s Bemetara on Friday, Shah wen to the extent of accusing the Congress of claiming in its manifesto that it would bring Muslim personal laws and run the country on “Sharia law”.

“The Congress party's manifesto suggests, upon careful reading, a plan to reintroduce personal laws. What is their intention in resurrecting Muslim personal laws? Can our nation operate under Sharia law? Is it feasible to revive triple talaq? The Congress party is accused of advancing the agenda of the Muslim League. However, Rahul Baba, your candidacy will not be favoured, and neither will the reintroduction of triple talaq. The issues of CAA, triple talaq, and Article 370 remain untouched,” Shah said.

In Uttar Pradesh, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has joined the fray, accusing the Congress and the Samajwadi Party of attempting to grant reservations based on religion. Such claims, devoid of evidence, serve to deepen communal divide and undermine the principles of equality and secularism enshrined in the Indian constitution.

Moreover, Adityanath's insinuation that the Congress manifesto advocates the slaughter of cows has been met with scepticism, with critics labelling it as a deliberate attempt to stoke religious sentiments for political gain. Such rhetoric not only fuels communal tensions but also detracts from substantive policy debates essential for a vibrant democracy.

The BJP's strategy of fear-mongering and misinformation threatens to overshadow legitimate policy discussions and erode public trust in the electoral process. By exploiting communal fault lines, the party risks sowing seeds of discord that could have far-reaching consequences for India's social cohesion and democratic values.