CPI(M) Lodges Complaint against PM Modi
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Brinda Karat, CPI(M) Polit Bureau member and Pushpinder Singh Grewal, Delhi state secretariat member of the CPI(M) lodged a complaint to the SHO, Mandir Marg police station on April 22, 2024, against Narendra Modi, prime minister, for promoting enmity between groups and making statements that are imputations and assertions that are prejudicial to national integration.
Since the Mandir Marg PS refused to accept the complaint it has been sent to the Commissioner of Police, Delhi. Below we publish the text of the letter.
WE are writing in order to make a complaint in respect of utterances made by the prime minister, Narendra Modi which we believe constitute hate speech under Sections 153A/153B/298/504/505 IPC. In a speech given during an election rally in Bhanswara, Rajasthan on April 21, 2024, Modi intentionally and strategically used anti-Muslim tropes in order to convey an impression to the Hindu community that their property was under threat, as the assets of the community, particularly the gold and mangalsutra of (Hindu) women, would be distributed to members of the Muslim community by the Congress party. This has the effect of targeting individuals based on their membership of a group and exposes the group to hatred. It is utterly illegal to appeal for votes using hate speech as the prime minister has done.
It is not an un-common feature of communalism to characterise Indian Muslims as intruders, looters and a threat to Hindus and particularly Hindu women. An earlier instance of this was decried in the judgement of the Supreme Court Babu Rao Patel v. Delhi (Administration) (1980) 2 SCC 402. Even now a mere google search will lead to scores of speeches and articles where Muslims in India (invariably linked to the Mughals) are described as “invaders”.
The prime minister has unconstitutionally and intentionally, used the words “घुसपैठियों” (meaning “intruder” or “invader”), describing persons to whom the property of Hindus would be distributed. This is just after he mentions that the former prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh has asserted that Muslims have the first right to the resources of the nation. The expression sets up Hindus and their properties as being made over to (Muslim) intruders, who have more children. The PM’s speech, therefore, fans and propagates fear of Hindu marginalisation at the hands of Muslims and is a threat to national unity, besides constituting hate speech. The relevant extract of the speech, which we heard on the youtube channel and is further widely reported and circulated on social media nation-wide, is below:
“उन्होंने कहा है कि अगर कांग्रिस की सरकार बनेगी तो हर एक की प्रॉपर्टी का सर्वे किया जाएगा। हमारी बहनों के पास सोना कितना है, उसकी जाँच की जाएगी उसका हिसाब लगाया जाएगा। हमारे आदिवासी परिवारों में चाँदी होता है, सिल्वर कितना है उसका हिसाब लगाया जाएगा। सरकारी मुलाजिमों के पास कितना जगह है, ... इतना ही नहीं, आगे क्या कहा है, यह जो गोल्ड है बहनों का और और जो सम्पत्ति है यह सबको समान रूप से वितरित कर दी जाएगी। क्या यह आपको मंज़ूर है क्या? आपकी सम्पत्ति सरकार को ऐंठने का अधिकार है क्या? क्या आपकी सम्पत्ति को, आपने मेहनत करके कमाई हुई सम्पत्ति को सरकार को ऐंठने का अधिकार है क्या। क्या उसस सम्पत्ति को, मेरी माताओं बहनों की ज़िंदगी में, सोना वह सिर्फ़ शो करने के लिए नहीं होता है उसके स्वाभिमान से जुड़ा हुआ है। उसका मंगलसूत्र, वह एक सोने की क़ीमत का मुद्दा नहीं है, उसके जीवन के सपनों से जुड़ा हुआ है। तुम उससे छीनने की बात कार रहे हो अपने मैनिफ़ेस्टो में?
गोल्ड ले लेंगे और सब वितरित कर देंगे और पहले जब उनकी सरका थी उन्होंने कहा था कि देश की सम्पत्ति पर पहला अधिकार मुस्सलमानों का है। इसका मतलब किसको बाटेंगे? जिनके ज़्यादा बच्चें हैं उनको बाटेंगे। घुसपैठियों को बाटेंगे। क्या आपकी महनत की कमाई का पैसा घुसपैठियों को दिया जाएगा? आपको मंज़ूर है यह? यह कांग्रिस का मैनिफ़ेस्टो कह रहा है कि वह माताओं और बहनों की सोने का हिसाब करेंगे, उसकी जड़ती करेंगे जानकारी लेंगे और फिर उसस सम्पत्ति को बाँट देंगे/ और उनको बाटेंगे जिनको मनमोहन सिंह जी की सरकार ने कहा था कि सम्पत्ति पर पहला अधिकार मुस्सलमानो का है। भाइयों और बहनों, यह अर्बन नक्षल की सोच, मेरी माताओं और बहनों, यह आपका मंगलसूत्र भी नहीं बचने देंगे, यहाँ तक जाएँगे मैं कह रहा हूँ।” (Emphasis Supplied)
(Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YcNppwKm3q4 )
(Entire video of speech is available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8s9LkUoFzA&ab_channel=NarendraModi, portion extracted above starts at 35:15)
The statements made by the PM are inflammatory and illegal and promote ill-feeling between communities. He is clearly referring to the Hindu community when he refers to “mangalsutra” and “gold” of mothers and sisters. Similarly, the inference is clear when the PM mentions “जिनके ज़्यादा बच्चे हैं” and “घुसपैठियों” as a reference to the Muslim community. He has clearly used the words Muslim in his speech. Using these stereotypes and tropes results in the vilification of the Muslim community and severely damages the national integrity and unity of this nation, which espouses values of secularism and equality for all its citizens. It causes great injury and harm to members of the Muslim community and constitutes an insult to their identity and religious beliefs as both Muslims and Indian citizens.
As offences under Section 153A/153B are cognizable in nature, we request you to immediately register an FIR in respect of the aforementioned incident and conduct investigation appropriately and urgently. Given the context of the speech as part of campaigning, and given the impending elections, the words of the PM may well be inflammatory and lead to disastrous consequences. Furthermore, in a case such as this, since the relevant portion of the speech has been broadcast all over India, the impact of the utterances made is also pan-India including within the jurisdiction of your police station. No citizen, no matter how high his position, is above the law. It is therefore incumbent on you to file an FIR under the relevant provisions mentioned, against the prime minister of India, Narendra Modi.
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