India votes in third phase of national elections as PM Modi escalates his rhetoric against Muslims

By KRUTIKA PATHI and SHEIKH SAALIQ
Associated Press

NEW DELHI (AP) — Millions of Indians across 93 constituencies are voting as Prime Minister Narendra Modi has mounted an increasingly shrill election campaign, ramping up polarizing rhetoric against Muslims. Modi, who voted Tuesday in western Ahmedabad city, has called the minority community infiltrators and accused his rivals of scheming to seize the wealth of non-Muslims and redistribute it to Muslims. Tuesday’s polling has crucial seats up for grabs in states including Karnataka, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh. Nearly 970 million voters — more than 10% of the world’s population — will elect 543 members to the lower house of Parliament for five years during the staggered election, which runs until June 1. The votes will be counted on June 4.