Modi Stokes Controversy with 'Vote Jihad' and 'Ram Rajya' Rhetoric

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi threatened to install a "Babri lock" on the Ram temple in Ayodhya and urged the public to choose between "vote jihad" and "Ram rajya."

His divisive campaign gains a sinister touch as a result, and the Election Commission keeps turning a blind eye.

The remarks were made during Madhya Pradesh election rallies, just as voters began forming lines outside polling places for the third round of voting in 93 constituencies that were dispersed among ten states and one Union Territory.

At a rally in Khargone, he declared, "Brothers and sisters, India today stands at a crucial juncture of history." "You have to decide if Ram rajya or vote jihad will hold sway, or apko yeh tai karna hai ki Bharat mein vote jihad chalega ya," he said to the assembly.

The Prime Minister stated that whereas terrorists from Pakistan were threatening to wage war on India, the Congress in the United States has called for a "jihad of votes against Modi."

He asked the audience if "vote jihad" was acceptable to them or if the "Constitution of India permits this kind of jihad," explaining that "that (vote jihad) means a particular section is being asked to unite and vote against Modi."

Modi informed the audience during his second rally in Dhar, Madhya Pradesh, that he needs 400 seats to make sure "the Congress doesn't put Babri tala (lock) on the Ram temple in Ayodhya."

He continued, "If the Congress gets its way, they might even declare that only their voter base will have the right to live in India. They are going so low in their appeasement bid."

During his third rally in Ahmednagar, Maharashtra, Modi attempted to characterize Pakistan as the Opposition's "B-team" and charged the Congress with absolving Pakistan of responsibility for the 26/11 terror attacks. "Pakistan ke saath, Congress ka haath," he remarked.

The Election Commission had received several complaints from political parties and concerned individuals asking for action against the Prime Minister for his frequent divisive remarks. This was the context in which the venomous remarks intended to polarize voters were made.

Following a rally in Banswara, Rajasthan, on April 21, where Modi claimed that the Congress manifesto promised to seize citizens' assets, including the mangalsutras of "mothers and sisters," and distribute them disproportionately among "Muslims," "infiltrators," and "those with more children," the complaints before the EC have been pending since last month.

In its complaint to the EC, the Congress emphasized that the remarks "were clearly aimed at creating enmity between groups, far worse than any ever made by a sitting PM in the history of India" and categorically denied any such commitment in their manifesto. "This cannot go unchecked, unanswered, and unpunished," the Congress had emphasized in its demand for action.

When media have questioned EC officials about the allegations, they have simply responded with "no comments." It is unknown that the EC has done anything more than give the BJP a notice.

Tuesday, Modi said that a female party leader was "harassed so much" for going to the Ram temple that "she had to leave the Congress" and that the Congress was planning "dangerous conspiracies." He did not say specifically who was in charge.

Referring to Rahul Gandhi, Modi addressed the Khargone gathering, "Another leader who left the Congress exposed another deep conspiracy, saying the shehzada of the Congress intends to overturn the Supreme Court's decision on the Ram temple like his father did in the Shah Bano case."

Modi's remarks, according to some party officials, shouldn't be interpreted as a sign of desperation but rather as an attempt to inspire BJP cadres and regular voters to rise above their complacency and cast massive ballots.

BJP leaders expressed dissatisfaction with the top leadership, citing reports from the ground indicating that there is no "Modi wave" and voters expressing worries about "price rise" and "unemployment."

Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Press Time staff and has been published from a syndicated feed.