A CJP complaint urges the Election Commission’s intervention as inflammatory speeches by BJP leaders threaten communal harmony and shift focus from core development issues
Team Clarion
NEW DELHI — The Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP) has raised serious concerns over the divisive rhetoric employed by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders during an election rally in Ranchi, Jharkhand.
The CJP lodged a complaint with the Election Commission against BJP leaders, Naveen Jaiswal and Shivraj Singh Chouhan, for their recent vitriolic speeches which have “severely compromised social harmony and threatened the country’s democratic values.”
The complaint by the CJP, an organisation which defends the constitutional rights of Dalits, Adivasis, farmers, workers, religious, ethnic and sexual minorities, women and children, highlights how the speeches deviated from issues of development and stoked fear and communal divisions. It argues that this rhetoric violates both the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) and provisions under the Representation of People Act (RPA), 1951, particularly Section 123, which prohibits corrupt practices in elections, including attempts to sway voters through communal or religious division.
In his speech, BJP MLA Naveen Jaiswal framed the election as a defence against an alleged “takeover” of Jharkhand by “Bangladeshi infiltrators and Rohingya Muslims,” accusing the ruling JMM-Congress coalition of enabling these communities to settle illegally. By portraying Muslims as an existential threat to Jharkhand’s indigenous culture, Jaiswal’s statements urged Adivasi and indigenous communities to vote based on fear, rather than on traditional governance issues.
Shivraj Chouhan, Minister of Agriculture, echoed and intensified these sentiments, alleging that Bangladeshi immigrants were “stealing” resources, jobs, and even deceiving local women into marriage as a means to gain a foothold in Jharkhand. Chouhan further suggested that these individuals were compromising Jharkhand’s safety and warned that allowing the JMM-Congress government to continue would lead to the state’s “destruction.” His portrayal of an “invasion” of local resources and values by Muslims, CJP contends, is a dangerous exaggeration that fuels xenophobic fears and undermines community trust.
The complaint details the harm of such divisive speech, explaining how this rhetoric disrupts Jharkhand’s historically diverse and pluralistic social landscape. The complainant argues that framing Muslims as a monolithic threat erodes communal harmony, creates fear and mistrust, and fosters stereotypes that can lead to acts of discrimination and violence. By shifting focus away from issues of public welfare and development, this approach leaves marginalised communities with fewer avenues for genuine solutions to pressing needs, such as employment and healthcare.
The complaint concludes with a plea for the Election Commission to take immediate action, emphasising the need to preserve Jharkhand’s social harmony and ensure that elections remain focused on the development and democratic values rather than divisive agendas.
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