Indian PM Modi condemns divisive politics in election campaign

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday reiterated that he has never indulged in Hindu-Muslim politics and slammed the Opposition for engaging in appeasement politics adding that his speeches target parties undermining India's secularism.

PM Modi also asserted that he is targeting his opponents and not the Muslim community adding that there should be no discrimination in governance.

PM Narendra Modi made these remarks in an interview with Aaj Tak.

On being asked that the country has a secular administration, and hence, what's the need to bring words like Mangalsutra, intruders, and more children in election rallies, PM Modi said, "I have never done Hindu-Muslim [politics] and will never do it. But if I say that triple talaq is wrong, then I am [labelled] 'anti-Muslim'. If I'm labelled like this, then it is their [critics'] compulsion, not mine," PM Modi said. The Prime Minister said that the Opposition completely followed a communal agenda and he "exposed it, blasted it, accused it."

PM Modi further said, "The issue is that they have written in their manifesto that now they will bring minorities in the contract system. Contracts will be given to minorities. If I oppose the system, then I am doing that because of secularism. But just because I have to use the term minority and 'Muslim', then it is taken as if I am attacking the minorities."

Explaining his point, PM Modi said that he is attacking the political parties and not the Muslims. "I am not attacking them (Muslims), I am attacking those political parties who are destroying the secularism of India, who are doing politics of appeasement, who are destroying the sentiments of the Constitution of the country...," he said.

In his message to the Muslim voters, the PM claimed that the opposition has been fooling the community for the last 75 years. "I am explaining to the Muslims that they are fooling you, they have been fooling you for 75 years, why are you being fooled?"

When asked if he thinks that Muslims would vote for the BJP, PM Modi said, "Will you do everything for votes? Will you do nothing for the country? Will you do it to get power? I am against it. Whatever I do, I will do it for the country. Votes are by-products. You cannot sink the country for votes and I do not want such power. I don't accept such power which destroys my country."

Last month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had launched a scathing attack on the Congress party and alleged that the Congress wants to take away the gold and property of people and distribute it among "those having more children."

The PM had made the remarks while addressing a public rally in Rajasthan's Banswara and said, "Congress manifesto says that it will calculate the gold owned by our mothers and sisters, collect information and then distribute to those... whom former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had said that Muslims have the first right on a country's wealth."

"They will check how much gold our sisters own, how much silver tribal families have, and how much money government employees have there. They (Congress) have said that gold owned by our sisters would be equally distributed. Does the government have the right to take your hard-earned property?" PM Modi had said.

On being asked about the voting turnout in Jammu and Kashmir's Srinagar, the PM asserted that he feels satisfied. "Srinagar's voting is a moment of satisfaction for me because it confirmed that my policies are right, I do not discriminate, and my government does not discriminate based on religion. As far as statehood is concerned, we have promised in the Parliament and we are committed to it."

Voting took place in the districts of Srinagar, Ganderbal, and Pulwama, and partly in Budgam and Shopian districts at around 2,135 polling stations across the Srinagar parliamentary constituency with 6700 migrant voters exercising their voting rights.

In a post on X, the Information and PR Department, Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir had said, "The fourth phase of voting for General Elections to 18th Lok Sabha concluded peacefully here today (May 13) with a remarkable 37.99 per cent voting in the districts of Srinagar, Ganderbal, Pulwama and Budgam and Shopian partly. Kangan assembly constituency topped with 58.80 per cent."

The PR department had further said there were no reports of boycotts at polling stations and no polling booth recorded zero per cent voting.

(ANI)