CNN —Police in southern India are investigating a senior leader of the country’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over a campaign video targeting Muslims, as critics accuse Prime Minister Narendra Modi of running an increasingly divisive election.
The party has long denied being anti-Islam but opposition politicians and prominent Muslims have warned that its leaders have been deploying openly divisive rhetoric to turbo-charge their campaign.
The video was removed Wednesday after a request to X from India’s Election Commission to take it down.
Modi’s speech ignited widespread anger among Muslim leaders and opposition politicians and calls for election authorities to investigate.
BJP party spokespeople subsequently said Modi was talking about undocumented migrants.
Persons:
Narendra Modi, Vijayendra, “, Rahul Gandhi, Critics, Manickam Tagore, ”, Modi’s, Modi, –, spokespeople, Rana Ayyub
Organizations:
CNN — Police, Bharatiya Janata Party, BJP, CNN, India’s, Times
Locations:
India, Karnataka, Congress, Rajasthan, Islam