- Sunday, May 19, 2024
I want to say to the Muslim community: introspect, think. The country’s progressing, if you feel any shortcomings in your community, what is the reason behind it?, the PM asked in an interview.
By: Shubham Ghosh
INDIAN prime minister Narendra Modi has remarked in the middle of a highly polarised national election that he is not opposed to either Islam or Muslims and wants the community to give a thought to their future growth as they vote in the polling that saw completion of its third phase on Tuesday (7).
The PM’s critics often accuse him and his Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of targeting the Muslims — India’s biggest minority community — for electoral benefits and it was also alleged that Modi indirectly taunted the community as “infiltrators” who have “more children” at an election rally in the north-western state of Rajasthan in April.
Modi, 73, has denied discriminating against Muslims and connects his recent remark to what he called the opposition Indian National Congress’s election ploy to distribute the wealth of the majority Hindus among the minority community. The Congress denied making any such promise.
Read: Modi casts ballot in third phase of India polls 2024
“We are not opposed to Islam and Muslims,” Modi told broadcaster Times Now in an interview aired on Monday (6).
“The opposition is looking after its own benefit. Muslim community is intelligent… the opposition is worried that their lies have been caught.”
Modi, who was the chief minister of the western state of Gujarat where deadly communal riots broke out in 2002 resulting in deaths of many Muslims, is seeking a rare third straight prime ministerial term in this year’s election.
Read: India’s opposition accuse Modi of shielding sex scandal accused
A little more than half of 543 parliamentary constituencies have completed voting by the end of the third phase on Tuesday in which Modi himself also voted in his home state. Four more phases will be held and the results will be announced on June 4, three days after the final phase.
Surveys suggest that Modi will succeed in his mission which the opposition Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance or INDIA is trying to thwart.
The PM’s election campaign kicked off by showcasing his government’s economic achievements over the past decade but changed tack after the first phase of voting on April 19 by focusing more on firing up his BJP’s Hindu base by attacking rivals as pro-Muslim.
“I want to say to the Muslim community: introspect, think. The country’s progressing, if you feel any shortcomings in your community, what is the reason behind it? Why didn’t you get government benefits in the time when Congress was in power?” he said in the interview.
According to analysts, Modi and his party have made controversial remarks to fuel their hardline base as the election sees comparatively low voter turnout from previous years. Surveys have pointed out that jobs and inflation are the main concerns of voters.
“Think of your children and your own future,” Modi said, referring to Muslims and the elections. “I don’t want any community to live like labourers because someone is fearmongering.”
