Ranchi: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has announced that a campaign video released by the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Jharkhand unit, portraying Muslims as infiltrators, appears to breach the Model Code of Conduct.

According to Kashmir Media Service, the ECI instructed Jharkhand Chief Electoral Officer K Ravi Kumar to ensure the video is removed from social media and to request an explanation from BJP’s state unit. Although the BJP has deleted the video, it remains available on some right-wing Hindutva accounts.

The video depicts individuals dressed as Muslims forcefully occupying a supporter’s house, warning voters against making “wrong choices.” This portrayal has prompted significant backlash from political parties in the region.

The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and the Congress party have lodged formal complaints, accusing the BJP of disseminating false narratives aimed at inciting communal tensions. The JMM has criticized the video, describing it as a new low in BJP’s divisive political tactics.

The Congress party has called for criminal charges against BJP’s social media handlers, asserting that the party frequently employs provocative rhetoric to polarize voters.

Experts note that such narratives, including labeling Muslims as Rohingyas and Bangladeshi infiltrators, have become integral to BJP’s electoral strategy, with backing from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Rights organizations caution that these campaigns risk deepening societal rifts and marginalizing Muslim voters.