A large number of Bengal’s Left-leaning cultural fraternity, academics and civil society members in a letter to the Election Commission expressed concern at the trend, which they alleged was led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to blatantly disregard the model code of conduct and attack those opposed to the BJP as “enemies of Lord Rama”.

“To attack his (Modi’s) political adversaries, he is appealing to the religious sentiments by branding the latter as ‘enemies’ of Lord Rama who have opposed the building of the Rama Temple in Ayodhya...,” read the letter signed by around 100 personalities.

Academics Pabitra Sarkar and Malini Bhattacharya, theatre critic Samik Bandyopadhyay, actors Sabyasachi Chakraborty, Paran Bandopadhyay, thespians Arun Mukhopadhyay, Chandan Sen, musicians Debojyoti Mishra, Arko Mukherjee and film-makers Kamaleshwar Mukherjee, Anik Dutta and Satarupa Sanyal were among the signatories.

Urging action against the “offenders”, the letter pointed out that the Prime Minister “in this way was inciting hatred against his political opponents” and in his rallies, a religious slogan like “Jai Shri Ram is used as a political slogan is used as a political slogan by the slogan”.

Given the volatile situation in which the Lok Sabha polls are being held, a signatory of the letter, singer Subhaprasad Nandi Majumdar, said they had made it clear to the EC that the Prime Minister’s politicising the name of Lord Rama might lead to fuelling communal discontent the sensitive areas.

"When provocation comes from top political leaders at other levels too might follow suit," the leader stated.

Majumdar added: "The BJP and Modi's attempt to stoke religious sentiments was a deliberate ploy to divert the attention of voters from social security issues that includes the demand for food security, right to education and jobs."