As India’s national elections reach their midpoint, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s campaign rhetoric has intensified, targeting the Muslim community with increasingly direct and inflammatory language. Speaking before a crowd in Gujarat, Modi accused opposition parties of allying with Muslims to orchestrate a “vote jihad,” drawing on controversial terms like “love jihad” and “land jihad” to stoke fear among his supporters.
This escalation comes amid ongoing concerns about the potential for such rhetoric to incite violence. Local opposition leader Maria Alam from the Samajwadi Party had previously encouraged Muslim voter participation as a form of “jihad,” meaning struggle, which Modi characterized as a threat to Indian democracy. Critics argue that Modi’s focus on divisive issues and identity politics could undermine the secular fabric of the nation.
With 960 million registered voters, the stakes are high, and Modi’s speech patterns have shifted to include harsher descriptors for Muslims, labeling them as “infiltrators” and suggesting they aim to outnumber Hindus. This strategy appears to resonate with historical fears and prejudices within segments of the Hindu majority.
The recent campaign activities also included an animated video published by Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), depicting Muslims as historical aggressors, which was later removed from Instagram following reports of hate speech. Despite these controversies, Modi’s approach might be swaying public opinion, as his party leads in the polls despite India’s economic challenges and democratic backsliding.
This narrative shift marks a significant moment in Modi’s political strategy, focusing less on economic development and more on consolidating his base through polarization. As the election progresses, the impact of Modi’s rhetoric on communal harmony and the political landscape will be closely monitored.