Election seasons are often subject to violence, heated debates, hate speech and personal attacks this election was no different.
Narendra Modi
The Indian Prime Minister while speaking in Madhya Pradesh on May 1, 2019, threw allegations at the Congress claiming that the party wanted him killed. Even though the former Gujarat CM did use the words purely for rhetoric, it was still in violation of the Moral Code of Conduct. The Prime Minister, however, received a clean chit from the Election Commission.
"Sochiye, Congress walon ko aapke Modi se itni nafrat ho gayi hai ki woh Modi ko maarne tak ke sapne dekhne lage hain (Think, Congress has so much hatred for me that it even dreams of killing your Modi)".
Rahul Gandhi
The Congress chief in an effort to nullify the 'Main bhi Chowkidaar' campaign of the prime minister, claimed that 'Chowkidaar Chor hai' translating to 'the watchman is a thief'. The prime minister had earlier suggested that he will serve and protect the country like a watchman.
"Chowkidaar chor hai"
Maneka Gandhi
While addressing a gathering in Sultanpur on April 12th, Union Minister Maneka Gandhi said that she will be further inclined to give jobs to people who voted for her.
"This is important. I am winning. I am winning because of the love and support of people. But if my victory is without Muslims, I won't feel that good. Dil khatta ho jayega (Things will become sour). Then when a Muslim comes to me for work, I think let it be, how does it matter. It's all give and take, isn't it? We aren't all sons of Mahatma Gandhi, are we?
Moon Moon Sen
Former actor Moon Moon Sen has repeated used her mother's name in election rallies and speeches. Her BJP opposition, Babul Supriyo has heavily condemned this act.
“I am Suchitra Sen’s, daughter. When I come to Asansol, I feel her beside me,”
Azam Khan
Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan seemed to have stooped pretty low when he targeted BJP leader Jaya Prada is his election rally in Rampur, Uttar Pradesh on April 14th.
“I brought her (Jaya Prada) to Rampur. You are a witness that I did not allow anyone to touch her body. It took you 17 years to identify her real face but I got to know in 17 days that she wears khaki underwear,”
Satpal Singh
Himachal Pradesh Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Satpal Singh Satti made a defamatory and distasteful comment at Rahul Gandhi on April 13th while addressing a rally in Solan, Himachal Pradesh. Infuriated by Rahul Gandhi's comments on the prime minister, he said this.
"Rahul Gandhi is out on bail, his mother is out on bail, his brother-in-law is out on bail, and yet he calls the prime minister a 'chor' [thief]. Modi ji is not even on bail, there is no case against him then who are you to call him [Modi] a chor like any judge?" Satpal Satti said, adding, "A Punjabi man asked me to convey this to you with a heavy heart that if this country's 'chowkidar' [watchman] is a 'chor', then you are a m*d**c**d."
Mayawati
The Election Commission had imposed a 48-hour campaigning poll ban on Aril 15th. She was banned following her speech in Deoband appealing to Muslims not vote against a particular party in the elections. In retaliation, she claimed that the Election Commission was being 'unconstitutional.'
“The unconstitutional decision of Election Commission appears to have been taken under pressure. The hidden intention behind the decision is not to let me appeal to the people of ‘Bahujan Samaj’ to vote against the BJP in elections and dethrone it,” said Mayawati in a press conference in Lucknow.
Tejasvi Surya
BJP's youngest candidate, contesting from Bangalore South had branded the people who do not support Modi as anti-India or anti-national.
"This election is a test of the common Indian's patriotism, and if you are with Modi, you are with India, if you are not with Modi, you are anti-India, that's it."
Pragya Thakur
Malegaon blast accused Pragya Thakur had thrown allegations at Hemant Karkare, chief of the Mumbai Anti-Terrorist Squad who had lost his life in the Mumbai Attacks in 2008. She received a 72-hour poll campaigning from the Election Commission following this.
"I told him you will be destroyed, and just over a month later. terrorists killed him"
Ranjeet Bahadur
Bharatiya Janata Party leader, Ranjeet Bahadur while addressing a crowd in Barabanki, Uttar Pradesh on April 20th claimed that he will convert Muslims to Hinduism by shaving off their beards.
"After the Lok Sabha elections, the party will bring machines from China to shave 10-12 thousands of Muslims and later will force them to adopt Hindu religion." He asked people to vote for the BJP in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections or else, "get ready to face consequences if you do not vote for the BJP."
This election like all the elections before seems to rely on rhetoric and destroying of political correctness, rather than discussing real issues. The comments have been vile and very discriminatory in nature. The bigger problem is the community and caste-based hatred that has been propagated using election rallies.