‘Those who have more children’ remarks made by PM Modi incite outrage from the opposition

Following claims by Prime Minister Narendra Modi that the Congress will distribute the nation’s wealth to “those who have children” if elected to power, the opposition retaliated, accusing the Prime Minister of deceiving the public and sowing religious tensions.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was charged with hate speech on Tuesday by the major opposition party in India. Days after the country’s weeks-long general election, Modi dubbed Muslims “infiltrators” and used some of his most venomous rhetoric to date on the minority faith at an electoral rally.

Modi stated during the rally on Sunday in the western state of Rajasthan that “they said Muslims have the first right over the country’s resources” during the Congress party’s time in power.” He responded amid cheers from the audience, “We will gather all your wealth and distribute it among those who have more children if the party returns to power.”

“Do you think your hard-earned money should be given to infiltrators?” he asked, going on, “They will distribute it among infiltrators.”

The prime minister’s comments were deemed “deeply, deeply objectionable” by Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi, who also stated that the party had requested action from the Election Commission of India, which is in charge of the six-week voting period, on Monday. On Friday, the first ballots were cast.

The statements provoked harsh backlash for propagating stereotypes against Muslims and violating election laws that prohibit candidates from taking any action that heightens religious hostilities. In order to win votes, candidates are not allowed to “appeal to caste or communal feelings,” according to the Election Commission of India’s model code of conduct.

The president of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen party and a Muslim politician, Asaduddin Owaidi, declared on Sunday that Modi had termed Muslims “infiltrators” and “people with many children.” The only thing Modi has promised since 2002 is to mistreat Muslims in order to get votes.

Avowed Hindu nationalist Modi’s detractors claim that since his party took power in 2014 and is running for a second term in 2019, India’s secularism and diversity traditions have been under attack.