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24-05-2024
Bureau Report + Agencies
NEW DELHI: India’s election panel ordered the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and opposition Congress to exercise restraint in their campaigns, after both had reported the other for making divisive speeches during India’s vote.
The panel said the parties’ defences for the speeches by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi were “not tenable” and issued notices to the presidents of both groups.
In their complaints to the Election Commission, the BJP accused Gandhi and Congress accused Modi of making divisive speeches on religion, caste and linguistic issues.
India is holding the world’s largest election over seven phases, with votes due to be counted on June 4.
The Congress accused Modi of seeking votes in the name of religion by saying in recent speeches that Congress would seize and redistribute the wealth of India’s majority Hindus among minority Muslims, whom he referred to as “infiltrators” and those who have “more children” last month.
Modi later denied targeting Muslims in his campaign. Congress denied making any election promise on wealth redistribution.
The commission directed BJP and its star campaigners to “refrain from any campaigning” along religious or communal lines.
About 80% of India’s 1.4 billion people are Hindus but it also has the world’s third largest Muslim population of roughly 200 million people.
The BJP accused Gandhi and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge of creating enmity among disadvantaged Hindu and tribal groups by saying that the BJP discriminates against them and would abolish the Indian constitution if it wins the election.
The commission directed that Congress campaigners should not give “false impression” that the constitution could be “abolished or sold”.
It also said in notices to the two parties that it found their defences on these speeches “not tenable”, adding that it noted with “concern” that their campaigners had continued to make such speeches.
It ordered the parties to “refrain from making any statement” prohibited under the election Model Code of Conduct.
As Prime Minister Narendra Modi faces voter fatigue and some resistance from a resurgent opposition in India’s mammoth general election, foot soldiers of his party’s Hindu nationalist parent have stepped in to help regain momentum, insiders said.
With less than two weeks left of a six-week voting schedule, voter turnout has been lower than previous elections, raising concern within the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) that some of its core supporters were staying away.
Modi’s party, chasing a rare third term in office, has also faced stronger opposition than anticipated in a handful of states, leading election experts and Indian financial markets to adjust forecasts of a landslide win.
With no exit polls allowed until all the voting is completed on June 1, it’s difficult to judge how well or poorly candidates are faring but most analysts say Modi should be able to retain a majority in the 543-seat parliament when votes are counted on June 4.
“The trend is suggesting that Modi will be back in power with a reduced majority,” said Rasheed Kidwai, a visiting fellow at the Observer Research Foundation think tank but he added: “Any shortfall of a clear mandate of 300 seats for BJP will reflect poorly on Modi.”
