No, PM Modi did not refer to people of Karnataka as ‘sinners’ in poll speech

What is the claim?

On April 29, 2024, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held public meetings in Davanagere and Belagavi, cities in the southern Indian state of Karnataka, as part of his ongoing campaign for the 2024 general elections.

A clip from Modi’s speech at these meetings went viral, with allegations that the prime minister labeled the people of Karnataka as ‘sinners’ who should be punished in this election. In the clip, Modi can be heard stating in Hindi, “You should punish these ‘people of Karnataka’ for the sins they have committed in this election. And Modi also gives you a guarantee in the coming years…”