Anti-Muslim hate speech has been soaring in India, with a recent report by the Washington-based research group India Hate Lab recording 668 cases in 2023. While 255 events took place in the first half of 2023, the figure rose to 413 in the second half of the year, marking a 63% increase.. The report documented that 75% of the total instances that year took place in BJP-ruled states.
In light of Sunday’s remarks, opposition leaders are calling for the Election Commission of India (ECI) to investigate whether Modi’s speech breaches its code of conduct. The code stipulates that politicians cannot appeal to voters on the basis of “caste” and “communal feelings,” nor can they run campaigns that “aggravate differences or create mutual hatred or cause tension” between communities.