Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made Islamophobic remarks in the majority of his speeches during the 2024 nationwide elections, according to a Wednesday report by Human Rights Watch (HRW). 

Upon analysis of the 173 speeches he made over the course of the campaigning period, HRW found that 110 of them had derogatory comments aimed at Muslims and other minority groups. These comments characterised Indian Muslims as “infiltrators.” HRW stated that the political motivation between the remarks stemmed from “[the intention] to undermine the political opposition, which he said only promoted Muslim rights, and to foster fear among the majority Hindu community through disinformation.” The Model Code of Conduct that must be followed during elections clearly states that ​“there shall be no appeal to caste or communal feelings for securing votes.”

When asked about his remark about the “infiltrators” having “too many children,” Modi replied that he would not be “eligible to stay in public life” if he participated in “Hindu-Muslim” politics. However, in one speech in Jharkhand, Modi said that “these infiltrators [Muslims] have threatened the security of our sisters and daughters.” He also made allegations that if the Congress party, the BJP’s biggest political opponent, came into power, it would give special treatment to Muslims. 

During India’s 2024 general election, multiple Muslim interviewees shared their experience of “being invisible in [their] own country” in a recent BBC Article, which highlights the increasingly hostile environment that Muslims face in their everyday life, from being called a “terrorist” at school to being asked to open an instrument case to check for weapons. Amnesty International recently released a study on the targeted demolition of Muslim-owned properties across a number of India’s states. At the same time, the HRW has reported that the BJP is misusing laws to crack down on critics who have spoken out against their actions.