Sanyasi's curse & Minister's threat: Campaign rhetoric

From a curse, if one doesn't vote for a "sanyasi" to a dare to Muslims if they approach for work without voting in favour to asking whether picturesque Wayanad is in Pakistan, the election rhetoric has reached a feverish pitch.

If one goes by the trend, it may get worse in the coming days with more voters stepping out of their homes to exercise their franchise in the next six phases of the Lok Sabha elections ending May 19.

The Election Commission is flooded with complaints about controversial comments made by senior leaders from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to BJP chief Amit Shah to BSP supremo Mayawati and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath among others.

The latest among the controversial statements were by Union Minister Maneka Gandhi and BJP MP Sakshi Maharaj, who are under the EC scanner following complaints.

Gandhi, who is contesting from UP's Sultanpur and made the controversial statement which was circulated on social media, said, "I am winning with the help of people. If my victory comes without the support of Muslims, I will not feel good. Why? I can only say that it will leave a bitter taste. Then when a Muslim comes for any work, I will then think let it be."

Maharaj had said during campaigning, "a sanyasi has come to your door. And when a sanyasi comes to your door, asks for an explanation and makes a request. If you don’t listen to him, then the sanyasi takes the good deeds of the family and gives his sins to you."

If this is the latest, Prime Minister Narendra Modi landed in controversy earlier when in Latur he said, "I want to ask first-time voters: Can your first vote be dedicated to the courageous jawans who did the Balakot air strike? Can your first vote be in the name of the courageous martyrs who lost their lives in Pulwama."

This was read by Opposition as going against the direction of Election Commission, which had asked parties not to use the military in campaigns. Another remark by Modi was on Rahul Gandhi's Wayanad foray when he said the Congress president ran away from “Hindu Samaj” to a place where the “majority is a minority”.

BJP chief Amit Shah also had controversial remarks during his campaigns. On Congress president Rahul Gandhi's Wayanad foray, Shah asked whether Wayanad was in Pakistan while referring to the green party flags of Indian Union Muslim League. His comments on expanding the National Register of Citizens exercise across India also attracted criticism.

Gandhi, on his part, is in the eye of a storm for his comments suggesting that the Supreme Court has said 'Chowkidar (Modi) Chor Hai' (Watchman is a Thief) in reference to its order on Rafale deal which said that it would consider certain secret government documents. A contempt petition is now filed against him.

Adityanath is also in trouble for his remarks during campaigning. he had said, "Congress would feed 'biryani' to terrorists, while Modi's army (Modi-ji ki Sena) gives them bullets and bombs." Referring to Mayawati's speech that Muslims should vote for the Grand Alliance and not Congress, he had said, "they have Ali, we have Bajrang Bali' comments.

AAP chief and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also had his share of controversial statements on Election Commission and Modi.

"Pakistan and Imran Khan are openly supporting Modi-ji. It is clear now that Modi ji has some secret pact with them. Everyone is asking - did Pakistan kill 40 of our brave soldiers in Pulwama on 14 Feb just before elections to help Modi-ji?" Kejriwal said on Twitter," he had tweeted.

In a series of tweets, he said, "Anti-BJP votes deleted all across India...Reports coming from all across India that votes have been deleted on an unprecedented scale...Why are all faulty EVM machines seen to be voting always for BJP? Why do most deleted voters turn out to be anti-BJP voters?"