Modi made anti-Muslim remarks in 110 LS poll speeches: Rights body

New Delhi, NT Bureau: Prime Minister Narendra Modi made Islamophobic remarks in 110 speeches during the Lok Sabha elections campaign this year, according to a report published by Human Rights Watch on Wednesday.

The global human rights advocacy group analysed all 173 speeches made by Modi after the Model Code of Conduct came into force on March 16. The code, issued by the Election Commission, sets guardrails for speeches and other aspects of the polls.

“In at least 110 speeches, Modi made Islamophobic re - marks apparently intended to undermine the political opposition, which he said only promoted Muslim rights, and to foster fear among the majority Hindu community through disinformation,” said Human Rights Watch.

“Modi’s 2024 electoral campaign frequently used hate speech against Muslims and other minorities,” the group added.

“The leadership of Modi’s Hindu majoritarian Bharatiya Janata Party repeatedly made statements inciting discrimination, hostility, and violence against marginalized groups during [Modi’s] campaign to win his third consecutive term of office.”

The group pointed out that despite Modi’s denial of harbouring an antiMuslim bias, he regularly stoked fear among Hindus by making false claims that “their faith, their places of worship, their wealth, their land, and the safety of girls and women in their community would be under threat from Muslims” if the Opposition INDIA bloc came to power after the Lok Sabha general election.