50 global civil society orgs condemn anti-Muslim hate speeches made by Modi, BJP candidates during Indian elections
Washington, D.C. (June 1, 2024) – Today, a global coalition of civil society organizations released a statement co-signed by 50 human rights groups condemning the repeated anti-Muslim hate speeches made by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and members of the far-right Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) during Indian elections.
“Despite repeated complaints by India’s opposition parties and tens of thousands of concerned citizens, Prime Minister Modi has continuously targeted Indian Muslims and his political opponents alike in his hate speeches, fanning the flames of an already dangerous climate of anti-minority hate and violence in the nation,” the statement read.
In violation of Indian law, which prohibits communal speech during elections, Modi has referred to India’s 250 million Muslim as “infiltrators”, deployed Islamophobic tropes accusing Muslims of having more children than India’s Hindus, claimed that Muslims will rob other marginalized communities of government benefits, and shockingly referred to Muslims exercising their right to vote as “vote jihad.”
Numerous other BJP politicians have made similar hateful comments, including senior government leaders. Notably Home Minister Amit Shah associated Muslim schools and clerics with the “mafia”; Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath declared that an opposition government would bring in a “Taliban” style government; and Assam Chief Minister Hemanta Biswa Sarma has boasted of forcing Islamic seminaries across his state to shut down.
“We call upon the leaders of the international community to impress [our concerns] upon Mr. Modi, urge him to immediately retract and apologize for his statements, and urge him to commit to holding his fellow party members accountable for spreading violent hate speech as well,” the statement concluded.
Read the full statement below:
The undersigned civil society organizations and concerned individuals across the world strongly condemn the hate speeches made repeatedly by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and top leaders of his ruling Bharatiya Janata Party against India’s Muslim community since India’s parliamentary elections began in April.
Despite repeated complaints by India’s opposition parties and tens of thousands of concerned citizens, Prime Minister Modi has continuously targeted Indian Muslims and his political opponents alike in his hate speeches, fanning the flames of an already dangerous climate of anti-minority hate and violence in the nation.
In his many election speeches, the prime minister has labeled India’s 250 million Muslim as “infiltrators”, deployed Islamophobic tropes accusing Muslims of having more children than India’s Hindus, and claimed that Muslims will rob other marginalized communities of their reservations. This is a blatant attempt to further normalize and amplify anti-Muslim fears and hatred within Indian society.
Shockingly, Modi has also called the right of India’s Muslim citizens to vote as “vote jihad”, in a blatant attempt to disenfranchise them. Almost on cue, police in Sambhal district of BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh state beat up hundreds of Muslim voters and chased them away to not allow them to vote.
Modi has stoked hatred for and fear of Muslims by saying that should the Opposition parties win power, “terrorists in jail would be invited to the prime minister’s office and served biryani” and “land will be taken away to give to Muslims as part of land jihad.” He has further sought to stoke hatred for Muslims by saying if the Opposition parties win the election they will withdraw affirmative quotas (reservations) from the tribal and Dalit communities and give them to “those who practice vote jihad,” a reference to Muslims.
Modi’s hate-filled rhetoric has also been copied by several other leaders, including Home Minister Amit Shah who accused West Bengal’s Chief Minister of promoting Madrassa, Mullah and Mafia. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who said the Opposition parties wanted to bring the “Taliban” rule to India to implement the Sharia and redistribute “your” (Hindus’) properties to Muslims.
Assam Chief Minister Hemant Sarma, also a BJP leader, has been spewing hatred towards Muslims at public rallies, by targeting the setting up of Muslim religious schools, which is a Constitutional right of the Muslim community, and even the right of the Muslims to wear the religious caps.
In March 2024, experts from the Special Procedures of the United Nation Human Rights Council expressed their concerns about the level of anti-minority violence and rhetoric within India as it prepared for the coming elections, as well as the lack of response from the government about these reports and the United Nation’s own communiques. They warned of the danger to minority groups and called for change, citing the need for an election free from discrimination.
We, the global civil society, maintain that the leader of the world’s largest democracy – whose parliamentary elections have a significance and bearing for the rest of the world – should not stoop to spreading hate speech and must be held accountable for doing so. We call upon the leaders of the international community to impress this upon Mr. Modi, urge him to immediately retract and apologize for his statements, and urge him to commit to holding his fellow party members accountable for spreading violent hate speech as well.
Signed –
Indian American Muslim Council
Hindus for Human Rights
Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC)
Genocide Watch
Dalit Solidarity Forum
Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations (FIACONA)
New York State Council of Churches
North America Manipur Tribal Association (NAMTA)
Asian Children’s Educational Fellowship
American Sikh Council
Justice for All
International Christian Concern
India Civil Watch
Coalition Against Fascism
Boston South Asian Coalition
Black African Cemetery Coalition
Justice4Palestine Actions Enablement Network
Virginia Political Action Committee
Tunisian Action Network
Libyan American Alliance
Bethesda African Cemetery Coalition
Islamic Leadership Institute of America
Coalition of Seattle Indian Americans
ICNA Council for Social Justice
The London Story (TLS)
South Asian Diaspora Action Collective (SADAC)
South Asian SOAR
The Citizens Foundation
World Without Genocide
Sikh Information Centre
Sikh Assembly of America
Incarnation Anglican Church
Assembly for Human Rights
World Without Genocide
Global Buhjan Group
Georgia Muslim Action Committee (GAMAC)
American Muslims for Palestine- New Jersey
Coalition of Americans for Pluralism in India (CAPI)
Islamic Community Center of Laurel
Interfaith Leadership Council of Metropolitan Detroit
ImpactHub
Incarnation Anglican Church
Jubilee Campaign
Muslim Community Support Services
NRI Ambedkarite
South Asian American Coalition to Renew Democracy (SACRED)
Ambedkar King Study Circle
Dallas Sikh community
