NEW DELHI (AP) 鈥� Millions of Indian voters across 93 constituencies were casting ballots on Tuesday as Prime Minister Narendra Modi mounted an increasingly shrill election campaign, ramping up polarizing rhetoric in incendiary speeches that have
In recent campaign rallies, Modi has called Muslims 鈥渋nfiltrators鈥� and said they 鈥渉ave too many children,鈥� referring to a Hindu nationalist trope that Muslims produce more children with the aim of outnumbering Hindus in India. He has also accused the rival Indian National Congress party of scheming to 鈥渓oot鈥� wealth from the country鈥檚 Hindus and redistribute it among Muslims, who comprise 14% of India鈥檚 more than 1.4 billion people.
Tuesday鈥檚 polling in the third round of has crucial seats up for grabs in states including Karnataka, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh. Most polls predict a win for Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party, which is up against a broad opposition alliance led by the Congress and . The and votes will be counted on June 4.
Modi, who voted in western Ahmedabad city on Tuesday, had kicked off his campaign with a focus on economic progress, promising he would make India a developed nation by 2047. But in recent weeks, he and the ruling BJP have doubled down heavily on their , with Modi employing some of his most divisive rhetoric in his decade in power.
Analysts say the change in tone comes as the BJP aims to clinch a supermajority or two-thirds of the 543 seats up for grabs in India鈥檚 lower Parliament by consolidating votes among the majority Hindu population, who make up 80%. They say Modi鈥檚 party is also ratcheting up polarizing speeches to distract voters from larger issues, like unemployment and economic distress, that the opposition has focused on.
While India鈥檚 economy is among the world鈥檚 fastest growing, many people face growing economic stress. The opposition alliance hopes to tap into this discontent, seeking to galvanize voters on issues like , inflation, corruption and low agricultural prices, which have driven two years of .
鈥淭he mask has dropped, and I think it is political compulsions that have made them do this,鈥� said Ali Khan Mahmudabad, a political science professor at New Delhi鈥檚 Ashoka University.
Changes in the BJP鈥檚 campaign may also be a sign of anxiety around low voter turnout it had not anticipated, Mahmudabad said. Voter turnout in the first two phases have been slightly lower than the same rounds in the last election in 2019, according to official data.
鈥淚n recent elections, the BJP鈥檚 wins have been associated with getting the voters out (to vote),鈥� Mahmudabad said. 鈥淭here may be some fatigue, anti-incumbency or even disenchantment,鈥� which has led the BJP to escalate their rhetoric.
Modi, in numerous speeches in recent weeks, has said women’s wealth could be at risk if Congress comes to power, claiming the party would snatch away their 鈥渕angalsutra鈥� 鈥� a sacred gold chain that indicates a Hindu woman’s marital status 鈥� and give it to its voters, a veiled reference to Muslims. The opposition won鈥檛 stop there, he has repeatedly claimed, saying the party was conspiring to take away 鈥測our property鈥� and 鈥渄istribute it among selected people.鈥�
Others in Modi’s party have echoed his remarks. A recent video posted by the BJP on Instagram was more direct. The animated campaign video, which has since been taken down from the social media platform, said if the Congress party comes to power, it will take money and wealth from non-Muslims and redistribute it to Muslims.
The Congress party and other political opponents have characterized Modi鈥檚 remarks as 鈥渉ate speech鈥� that could fan religious tensions. They have also filed complaints with India鈥檚 election commission, which is overseeing the polls, for breaching rules that ban candidates from appealing to 鈥渃aste or communal feelings鈥� to secure votes.
The commission can issue warnings and suspend candidates for a period of time over violations of the code of conduct, but it has issued no warnings to Modi so far.
Modi’s critics say India鈥檚 tradition of diversity and secularism has come under attack since the prime minister and his party rose to power a decade ago. While there have long been tensions between India鈥檚 majority Hindu community and Muslims, rights groups say that attacks against minorities have become more brazen under Modi.
The party denies the accusation and says its policies benefit all Indians.
Mahmudabad, the political scientist, said Modi鈥檚 party had counted on getting votes from the fervor over a Hindu temple that was built atop a razed mosque that Modi opened in January. Many saw the glitzy spectacle as the unofficial start of his election campaign.
鈥淚nstead, people are talking about inflation, unemployment and economic distress,鈥� Mahmudabad said. 鈥淎nd so in order to galvanize and consolidate their vote, the BJP has raised the specter of Muslims.鈥�
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