In the beginning was the word. And when it comes to one powerful man in this country, whose ‘doublespeak’ has been as harsh as his normal discourse, since he has been the Gujarat chief minister, the typical concept of a ‘Freudian slip' does not apply to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
These repetitive and obsessive linguistic expressions are used as a vicious trump card, most often with Muslim citizens of India as the target. It’s like a dark chapter of history repeating itself again and again, first as hate, and the second time, also, as hate: “Hum paanch hamaare pachchees” – being the earliest.
And he has done it again! Like a compulsive habit, used strategically, when he has everything at stake. Modi has done it three times now, since the elections were announced this year, and along with it, the Model Code of Conduct (MCC).
Predictably, the Election Commission of India (ECI), with its recent legacy of being branded as “toothless” by its critics, might yet again choose to turn a blind eye.
The PM often resorts to such vitriol when all his trump cards seem to be collapsing. This time, in the 2024 parliamentary polls, he has chosen to open the innings with these diabolical, communal, and sinister public announcements, often, predictably, with no facts or evidence.
Rahul Gandhi, Akhilesh Yadav and Mamata Banerjee, among others have said that, there is a widespread speculation that the first round of polling on April 19, with more than 100 Lok Sabha seats at stake, including Tamil Nadu with 39 Lok Sabha seats, “almost a foregone conclusion, Prime Minister Narendra Modi seems to be in a tizzy”.
The Trinamool Congress, surprisingly, has already taken out victory processions on the day of polling in North Bengal and other places, while reports from UP, as in Amroha and rest of Western UP, might be indicating that the BJP is on a real sticky wicket this time.
Almost 75, like the ‘margdarshaks’ of his own party who he has rendered powerless, and being a solitary, unilateral, absolute leader of a hugely cash-rich party, reports claim that the PM “looks tired, seems to lack energy, looks unhappy”, in all the public rallies he holds in this scorching heat as the solitary and lonely ‘rock star’.
This, despite the fact that he is backed by the massive organisation of the RSS, cash-rich electoral machinery, and a dedicated fake-news-loyalist-media singing in chorus that he has already won the battle of 2024.
Check this round of the same vicious discourse repeated, for the umpteenth time, with a clear mind, motive, and intent. ‘NDTV’ (among others) reported on April 22, 2024: “At Banswara on Sunday, Modi had said, ‘This 'urban Naxal' mindset, mothers and sisters, they will not even leave your 'mangalsutra'. They can go to that level... Congress manifesto says they will calculate the gold with mothers and sisters, get information about it, and then distribute that property. They will distribute it to whom -- Manmohan Singh's government had said Muslims have first right on assets...
"Earlier, when their (Congress) government was in power, they said Muslims have the first right on the country's assets. This means to whom will this property be distributed? It will be distributed among those who have more children. It will be distributed to the infiltrators. Should your hard-earned money go to the infiltrators? Do you approve of this?" the PM said.
The news report further said that, “According to the then Prime Minister's Office, Dr Singh had said, ‘We will have to devise innovative plans to ensure that minorities, particularly the Muslim minority, are empowered to share equitably in the fruits of development. They must have first claim on resources.’"
According to the MCC of the ECI, “No party or candidate shall include in any activity which may aggravate existing differences, or create mutual hatred or cause tension between different castes and communities, religious or linguistic."
Chief Election Commissioner, Rajiv Kumar, is reported to have said on March 16, “I urge parties to refrain from personal attacks and foul language. No-go areas in speeches are defined to maintain civility. Let us not cross lines in our rivalry. We have issued an advisory for the political parties, they are encouraged to foster a political discourse that inspires rather than divides.”
Sanjay Hegde, a senior advocate of the Supreme Court, was quoted by ‘The News Minute’ as saying that the EC has a vast repository of power under Article 324 of the Indian Constitution. He said it is not that the EC lacks power, they lack the will. “Even if the ECI sends a notice to PM Modi questioning why they shouldn’t take action, it would send a huge message. If it doesn’t take any action, then it’s a signal for increased speech of this kind, for not just the PM, but for others as well," Hegde reportedly said.
The Congress has yet again threatened to complain to the EC. This latest declaration by the PM has been called a bunch of “lies” by Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav. Tejeshwi Yadav, instead, in a statesman like gesture, has pleaded to the PM to talk about real, substantive issues involving the people’s fundamental rights, and not indulge in such a discourse.
Earlier, Modi had said, after the Congress released what it called a “revolutionary” manifesto, that, “Congress issued a bundle of lies in its manifesto... every page reeks of attempts to tear India apart. It reflects the thoughts the Muslim League had before independence."
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge was quick to respond: "Everyone knows how original Hindutva and Jan Sangh leader, (Shyama) Prasad Mookerjee formed his governments in Bengal, Sindh, and NWFP (North West Frontier Province) in the 1940s in coalition with the Muslim League."
From the Muslim League the PM has moved onto the three Ms: Mughals, Mutton and Machli (fish). None related to what he has done to make India a ‘super power’ with eternal ‘acche din’ in the last ten years of power.
On April 12, ‘The Hindustan Times’ reported that Modi had said: "The people of Congress and INDIA alliance do not care about the sentiments of the majority of the people of the country. They enjoy playing with the sentiments of the people. A person who has been sentenced by the court and who is on bail (Laloo Yadav) -- they (Rahul Gandhi) visit the house of such a criminal and enjoy cooking mutton in the month of Sawan and they make a video of it to tease the people of the country." PM Modi was then speaking at an election rally in Jammu and Kashmir's Udhampur.
Significantly, the BJP is not contesting in the three seats in the valley in Jammu and Kashmir, nor the prestigious seat of Anantnag-Rajauri, despite the daily rhetoric of turning around Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019.
… “The law does not stop anyone from eating anything but the intentions of these people are something else. When the Mughals attacked here, they were not satisfied until they demolished the temples. So, just like the Mughals, they want to tease the people of the country by showing the video in the month of Sawan," the PM was quoted as saying by news agency, ANI.
The ‘mutton episode’ refers to Rahul Gandhi being taught a special Bihari mutton dish by Laloo Yadav, with a full garlic, unpeeled, thrown in the curry, and, later, the family relishing it.
In large parts of India people eat non-vegetarian food in all seasons and during festivals, across the religious spectrum. Later the Prime Minister also seemed to have reacted to a spoofy video posted by Tejashwi Yadav, with a rather mischievous intent.
“Amid Navratri, eating non-veg food, by showing these videos, hurting the sentiments of the people, who are you trying to impress?" the PMi had asked.
Tejashwi Yadav had posted a video showing him and his recent ally, Mukesh Sahani, of the Vikassheel Insan Party (VIP), who has a huge following among ‘boat-people’ in Bihar, eating a sumptuous fish dish, garnished and spiced with onions and green chillies in the their chopper, while campaigning.
On April 11, ‘The Telegraph’ of Kolkata reported, “The three-minute video posted online by Tejashwi shows him saying: ‘These are the only 10-15 minutes during which we get an opportunity to eat during the election campaign. I thank Mukeshji for providing the fish.’”
“Sahani, a youngster like Tejashwi, joins in with a teaser and a taunt over their brandished meal of a small fish variety (chechra) found in the Kosi river belt. Sahani reportedly said, “Kuchh logon ko hamara aur hamaare chhote bhai Tejashwiji ka video dekh kar bahut mirchi lagega… (Some folks will sizzle up watching this video of mine and my younger brother, Tejashwiji.)”
“If that was a deliberately dangled bait — as Tejashwi smartly made it out to be later on twitter — the adversaries readily rose to take a bite. Much to their regret! Tejashwi gobbled the fish up with demonstrable rapture; the BJP was left to deal with the leftover bones!
“No sooner had they seen the Tejashwi-Mukesh video, than several in the BJP ranks saw an opportunity to turn that meal of fish – foul. They went to work, at once happily and furiously, slamming the two young Mahagathbandhan leaders for eating non-vegetarian food during the pious period of Chaitra Navratri. Chaitra Navratri, which falls on the first day of the month of Chaitra, marks the beginning of the Hindu lunar year. This year, the festivities started on April 9 and will continue until Ramnavami on April 17” , the news report stated.
“These people portray themselves as Sanatan ki santaan (children of Sanatan religion), but they have no Sanatan culture in them. What do they want to show by posting such a video during the Navratri? These people cook and eat mutton during saawan (the Hindu month dedicated to Lord Shiva),” Bihar’s Deputy Chief Minister and senior BJP leader Vijay Kumar Sinha told reporters.
Tejashwi Yadav retaliated that he was merely testing the IQ of the bhakts. “I was taking an IQ test of the BJP leaders and andhbhakts. I have won. I clearly mentioned the date April 8 in the post. Neither do they read nor do they understand. They are complete morons,” the RJD leader told reporters.
“The BJP and its people have failed in my test. They never discuss people’s issues with such vigour. They don’t talk about unemployment, poverty, education or health. But, when it comes to religion, they start jumping and giving statements,” he said.
Indeed, the PM and his followers have time and again used various forms of vicious hate speech and derogatory, often inflammatory, language, with no concern for public decency or protocol.
For instance, way back on October 30, 2013, the NDTV reported: “In Himachal Pradesh's Mandi, Mr Modi, who is the ruling BJP's star campaigner, had not named anyone when he said, "Wah kya girlfriend hai. Apne kabhi dekha hai 50 crore ka girlfriend? (What a girlfriend? Have you ever seen a 50-crore girlfriend)."
Modi was reportedly referring to (late) Sunanda Pushkar, then the wife of Shashi Tharoor, who was caught in an IPL controversy. The statement created an outrage among citizens, especially women and women’s groups.
Tharoor had replied: "My wife is priceless, beyond any imaginary 50 crore, but you have to be able to love someone to understand that and we'll have to see if he is capable of understanding that."
This kind of foul language is a repetitive and inevitable pattern when it comes to Modi. For instance, in an interview to the ‘Reuters’ news agency, Modi said (as reported by NDTV, July 13 2013): "Even If I am in the back seat of a car and a puppy (kutte ka bachcha) comes under the wheels, isn't it painful? It is. Whether I am a chief minister or not, I am a human being -- I will be sad if something bad happens anywhere."
On December 10, 2018, ‘The Quint’ referred to the PM’s veiled reference to Sonia Gandhi as a “widow”. The Congress said that this was indeed “disgraceful and pathetic”.
The Italian reference is used all the time, despite the fact that Sonia Gandhi, elected as MP several times, married Rajiv Gandhi, former Prime Minister, when she was young. She has been an Indian citizen since then, and has now lived her entire life in India. She almost became the prime minister in 2004, but decided to bestow the honour to Manmohan Singh.
Meanwhile, PM Modi now refers to Rahul Gandhi as “Shehzaade”, implying he belongs to some fictitious Muslim dynasty of the mythical Mughals, or whatever. Rahul Gandhi has no Muslim lineage whatsoever. His grandfather, Feroze Gandhi, a freedom fighter and scholar, was a Parsi, married to Indira Gandhi, his grandmother.
This terminology seems to have replaced the BJP troll machine’s work to branding Rahul Gandhi as “pappu” over the years. Since “pappu” is not sticking anymore, hence, ‘Shehzaade’, again seen as targeting Muslims.
In May 2019, while addressing a rally in eastern UP, the Prime Minister had said that the life of then Congress president Rajiv Gandhi, had ‘ended’ as “Bhrashtachari No. 1” (Corrupt No. 1). "Your father was termed 'Mr Clean' by his courtiers, but his life ended as 'Bhrashtachari No 1," he had reportedly said.
"The statement by the prime minister is not only the violation of the Model Code of Conduct but also an insult of a Bharat Ratna awardee martyr. Hence, we appeal to the EC to take action against Prime Minister Narendra Modi by barring him from speaking at public rallies," the UP Congress Committee said in a letter on May 5 at that time.
During the nation-wide protests against the NRC and CAA in 2019, when Assam and Megahalaya was on the boil with violence and protests happening all over, and tens of thousands of citizens across all communities had hit the streets in protest against this unconstitutional and communal Act all over India, protests had erupted in Delhi as well. Amidst this ocean of protests, the BJP regime had to take back the CAA.
On December 17, 2019, ‘The Scroll’ reported: “On Sunday, as protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act intensified across the country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a statement that dripped with communal vitriol. At an election rally in Jharkhand, he said that the people “creating violence” could be “identified by their clothes” – an emphatic reference to members of the Muslim community.”
This was the time when BJP leader Anurag Thakur made his infamous and inflammatory slogan in a public meeting: “‘Desh ke gaddaro ko… goli maaro saa..’ ko (shoot the traitors)! No action was taken against him. Later, he was given a cushy ministerial position, as if in reward, at the Centre.
During the Delhi Assembly elections, Union Home Minister, Amit Shah, too, made this infamous and inflammatory statement: "When you press the button (on the voting machine) on February 8, do so with such anger that its current is felt at Shaheen Bagh," he declared.
The litany of this kind of discourse has been never-ending and non-stop since the summer of 2014 when Modi came to power and took oath under the Indian Constitution. The ‘Khan Market Gang’, the ‘Tukre Tukre Gang’, ‘JNU as a den of anti-nationals’, ‘urban Naxals’, etc. And before the elections in 2024, now, the 3 Ms! With Muslim citizens as targets.
Meanwhile, Brinda Karat, member, CPI-M Polit Bureau, and Pushpinder Singh Grewal, Delhi State Secretariat member of the CPI-M, have lodged a complaint at the SHO, Mandir Marg police station, against Narendra Modi, Prime Minister, for promoting enmity between groups and making statements that are imputations and assertions that are prejudicial to national integration.
A CPI-M statement said that since the Mandir Marg police station refused to accept the complaint, it has been sent to the Commissioner of Police, Delhi.
In a quick reaction, on Monday, April 22, more than 17,000 citizens appealed to the ECI to take immediate action against the latest ‘hate speech’ by Modi in Rajasthan. The petition states: “This speech violates the model code of conduct set up by the ECI. It distorts the facts which are already available in the public domain posing a serious challenge to all the initiatives taken by the ECI to prevent fake news and fact-check all forms of communication.
“By targeting Muslims, using a pejorative language, to seek votes, it seriously undermines India's stature as the ‘Mother of Democracy’ in the world. Further, approval of such hateful language, that may alienate certain communities, is at odds with the egalitarian values enshrined in the Constitution of India and will only bring disrepute to India's position as a ‘Vishwa Guru’ or World Leader in the comity of nations.
“The ECI's failure to take any action against such hate speech will only undermine its credibility and autonomy that has been safeguarded and upheld by a series of exemplary officers before you. We hope you will take cognizance of this issue and take the strictest possible action to restore the civilized discourse befitting to any great civilization which is our collective, proud heritage.”
Amit Sengupta is a senior journalist. The views expressed here are the writer’s own.