New Delhi, November 20, 2024 – The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has been ordered by India’s Election Commission (ECI) to take down a controversial election ad that has sparked widespread accusations of promoting anti-Muslim sentiment.
Released over the weekend as part of a campaign in Jharkhand, a state in eastern India, the video shows a disturbing portrayal of Muslims in a negative and discriminatory light. In the ad, Muslim characters are depicted taking over a home, with the imagery reinforcing harmful stereotypes. One scene shows a woman recoiling from the newcomers, implying they bring an unpleasant odor, while Muslim children are shown damaging furniture. Additionally, women dressed in hijabs and niqabs are seen invading the home, further contributing to the stigmatizing narrative, according to reports from Al Jazeera and The New Arab.
The ad quickly sparked outrage for perpetuating Islamophobic stereotypes, particularly depicting Muslims as a disruptive force in the life of an opposition supporter. This controversy is not the first time the BJP has been accused of fueling Islamophobia. During the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, a BJP-affiliated social media account shared an animated video that suggested the Congress Party was enabling Muslim dominance at the expense of other communities, further stoking fears about Muslim political influence in India.
In response to the backlash, the Election Commission of India intervened on Sunday, directing the BJP to remove the ad from its social media platforms. The Commission cited violations of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC), a set of guidelines meant to ensure free and fair elections, as the reason for the order. Following the directive, the BJP complied and took the video down from all online platforms.
The controversy highlights ongoing concerns about religious polarization in India’s political landscape, with critics accusing the ruling party of stoking divisions for electoral gain. The incident has also drawn attention to the broader issue of communal tensions in the country, as political campaigns increasingly engage with identity-based narratives.
As the election season heats up, the BJP’s handling of this ad and its response to the Election Commission’s order will likely continue to fuel debates on religious discourse and the ethics of political campaigning in India.
