An online advertisement linked to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has sparked widespread outrage for promoting anti-Muslim sentiment ahead of the ongoing Jharkhand state elections.
The 53-second video shows a group of Muslims—men and children wearing skullcaps and women in burqas—arriving at a middle-class home, where they forcibly enter, take control of the radio, and soil the furniture. A woman in the video is seen holding her nose in disgust, symbolizing the perceived “impurity” of the intruders. The caption reads, “We will change the look of Jharkhand.”
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BJP spokesperson Shahdev defended the video, claiming it was meant to show the “horrific” consequences of outsiders invading homes.
However, the video has caused significant unrest, particularly within Jharkhand’s Muslim community. Mehbooba Mufti, leader of the Jammu and Kashmir People’s Democratic Party, condemned the ad as “deplorably communal” and a threat to India’s secular fabric, highlighting the need for a pluralistic vision where all religions coexist.
In response to the backlash, the Election Commission of India (ECI) intervened, ordering the video’s removal for violating the Model Code of Conduct, which governs election campaigns. The BJP complied, taking down the video from all platforms.
This incident adds to concerns about the BJP’s use of divisive, Islamophobic rhetoric in its political campaigns, particularly as tensions rise between Hindu and Muslim communities in India. The party’s portrayal of Muslims as a threat to national unity has drawn sharp criticism from both domestic and international sources, accusing the BJP of undermining India’s secular ideals.
