Nationalist monks are stepping up their political activities as Myanmar’s election approaches, with the opposition National League for Democracy feeling the heat as the main target of Ma Ba Tha’s growing reach.

The constitution bars monks from voting or forming political parties, but Ma Ba Tha, formally known as the Committee for the Protection of Nationality and Religion, is engaged in what it calls a “voter education” program of sometimes thinly guised attacks against the NLD and its leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

Several weeks of rallies being held across the country have drawn crowds with the ostensible purpose of celebrating the passage of four controversial “protection of race and religion” laws initiated by Ma Ba Tha. The concluding rally is scheduled for Yangon’s Thuwanna Stadium on October 4.

During these events, held while the NLD leader was also campaigning across the country, prominent monks stressed voters should shun any party trying to destroy the three pillars of Ma Ba Tha’s ideology – state, race and religion.

They also urged people to ask six questions to candidates: whether they are Buddhist; do they support the four laws and would they protect them; will they try to change the 1982 Citizenship Law, used to restrict mainly Rohingya Muslims from becoming citizens; would they change section 59f of the constitution that in effect bars Daw Aung San Suu Kyi from the presidency; and would they promise to uphold “race and religion”.

“Ask these questions to the candidate. If he can’t answer, don’t give your vote,” U Aye Paing, a legal adviser to Ma Ba Tha, said at an event in Dawei, Tanintharyi Region, on September 27.

Although monks of Ma Ba Tha’s central committee did not mention a party by name, Ma Ba Tha-branded pamphlets and CDs urging the public not to vote for the NLD were distributed in some townships.

MPs from the NLD opposed the four laws in parliament and, according to government aides, together with the government and USDP succeeded in watering down some of Ma Ba Tha’s original proposals. However in what was widely seen as a response to nationalist pressure, the NLD slate of 1151 candidates does not include a single Muslim.

Meanwhile, U Wirathu, a leading ultra-nationalist member of Ma Ba Tha, is conducting a door-to-door voter awareness program in Mandalay. U Wirathu also intends to interview 48 candidates along the lines of Ma Ba Tha’s six questions.

“We take video and record the interview. We post them on YouTube and distribute CDs to people,” said U Wirathu, adding that NLD candidates will be included. “We don’t want to discriminate against any parties. We’ve sent a letter to the NLD to get permission from the central committee as they requested.”

Electoral laws are unclear on whether monks should be allowed to conduct such programs. U Wirathu said they had not submitted a request to the Union Election Commission, and neither has it hindered their activities. “I don’t think the UEC would ban our activities because this program is aimed at helping the election,” he said.

Such pronouncements are fuelling concerns in the NLD and other parties that the activities of Ma Ba Tha will become a driving force in influencing the outcome of the November 8 election if the government, the ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party and the UEC continue to give them free rein.

Senior NLD officials and political analysts say such activities are specifically aimed at Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, even defaming her over her marriage to her late British husband, to stop the party winning a majority of seats.

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has had to respond to questions prompted by Ma Ba Tha’s campaign at her own rallies.

At a campaign stop in Kungyangon township in rural Yangon Region on September 22, she responded to accusations spread through social media by hardline Buddhist groups that the NLD would harm “race and religion” by letting Muslims enter the country if they won the elections.

She replied that using religion in this way breached the 2008 constitution and urged people not to believe such accounts.

The constitution contains numerous provisions that prohibit using religion for political purposes. Section 121(h) blocks any person who “abets the act of inciting, giving speech, conversing or issuing declaration to vote or not to vote based on religion for political purpose” – or any member of an organisation that does the same – from running for parliament. Section 364 also states, “The abuse of religion for political purposes is forbidden.”

“The abuse of race and religion for political purposes is a kind of vulgar politics,” Daw Aung San Suu Kyi said, questioning why the government did not take action against those breaking the law.

“People must be aware of these activities, whether they are instigated with the purpose of making conflict and provoking unstable conditions among people. That’s why you should control your anger and not make any response in violent ways,” she said.

Responding to attacks on the NLD by Ma Ba Tha groups using sermons and distributing leaflets and CDs allegedly defaming the party, senior NLD officials complained to the UEC with evidence, including photos and leaflets. But the party said it had not seen any action taken by the UEC or the government.

“We can’t say exactly that the government and UEC back Ma Ba Tha, but we can say they support such groups by neglecting to take action against their activities,” said U Win Htein, an NLD spokesperson and central executive committee member.

“We have tried to educate people not to believe in such propaganda and not to make a violent response, as we are keeping to our policy of non-violence,” he added.

The NLD was asking respected monks in various regions to control such activities that were defaming the party, he added.

Political analysts see the attacks on the NLD by radical monks as part of the government’s strategy to prevent an outright NLD victory in the elections.

“If we look at the current situation, it is very clear that the government and the USDP back Ma Ba Tha,” said political commentator U Than Soe Naing.

He said such groups had boomed since the sectarian violence in Rakhine State in 2012 and although they are expected to intensify their activities the government is unlikely to respond.

The government is also suspected of providing indirect support to Ma Ba Tha’s rallies marking the passing of the four laws. At an event on September 20 in the Ayeyarwady Region capital Pathein, the regional government provided chairs and materials to build a stage, while USDP secretary U Tin Aung Myint also attended. A military truck carrying posters in support of “race and religion” was seen by local residents at an event in Nay Pyi Taw on September 24.

Some campaigning ministers are jumping on the nationalist bandwagon in their own rallies.

“Don’t believe someone who says I love the country and people after getting married to a Muslim, Hindu and English,” said Minister for Agriculture and Irrigation U Myint Hlaing when he met residents in Kyaukge Inn village in Dekkhinathiri township, Nay Pyi Taw, on September 23.

His first priority if elected would be to protect religion, he said.

U Than Soe Naing said he was worried that the government would exploit Ma Ba Tha’s strength if they thought they would not be able to dictate the formation of the next administration after the election.

“Religious issues are very sensitive and it is a very easy way to persuade people. We are seriously concerned the government would use the forces of Ma Ba Tha if it is sure they can’t get enough votes. If religious issues influence the November 8 election, the country is taking a step backward,” he said.

He suggested the NLD should alert the international community to its campaign difficulties.

Nine embassies – Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Norway, Japan, Sweden, the UK and US – issued a joint statement on September 15 calling on the government to ensure transparency in the election while expressing concern that religion was being used as a tool of division and conflict during campaigning.

The government rejected the statement, warning it could “instigate misunderstanding and doubts among the people”.

But Matthew Walton, an Oxford academic specialising in Buddhism and politics in Myanmar, suggested that rather than directly colluding with Ma Ba Tha and exchanging legislation for the backing of a powerful lobby, the USDP – and especially individual party members – may be seizing a momentary priority alignment.

“Why wouldn’t a political party exploit a perceived weakness in an opponent and seek to paint itself as the protector of religion, as that’s become such an important issue in recent months?” he said.

A paper Mr Walton co-wrote in July added that Ma Ba Tha’s demonising, anti-Muslim sentiments and rhetoric hyping security concerns also stood to benefit election-related political agendas. He cautioned, however, that an overlap of interests such as attacking the NLD during the campaign period would not necessarily translate into a lasting partnership.

“Remember that [Ma Ba Tha] has proven itself just as willing to criticise and threaten the government if it doesn’t get what it wants,” he said.

Leading Ma Ba Tha members and supporters have sought to distance themselves from the USDP.

U Wirathu said that while Ma Ba Tha groups had received donations from USDP members, monks can accept donations from anyone.

He noted that Ma Ba Tha’s central body has already announced it does not support any abuse of religion for political purposes. He said Ma Ba Tha did not want to take part in politics but that it had a duty to protect “race and religion”. The material criticising the NLD was not issued by the central committee, he said.

“The central committee instructed members not to take actions that would defame parties. But we have seen pamphlets using Ma Ba Tha. I think there are two possible reasons. One is that other groups want to use our logo for political purposes. Another is that people don’t want to vote for NLD candidates because NLD MPs were against approving the religious laws in parliament,” he said.

The party should complain to the UEC if they have been attacked and the commission should solve the problem, U Wirathu added.

Ko La Pyae Zin, founder of Myitta Takhun Association, which supports Ma Ba Tha, said that although his group has thanked President U Thein Sein for passing the laws on “race and religion”, this did not mean they would vote USDP.

“Our activities should not be under attack because we thanked the government for approving the religious laws as we struggled for many years to realise them,” he said.

Most members of Ma Ba Tha and linked associations were former NLD supporters who had lost trust in the party and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi after they opposed the laws in parliament, he said.

The fear was that the NLD would overturn the laws if it formed a government, he said. “If NLD gives a promise they won’t take any action to destroy these laws and will protect these laws, I can say it is very sure the NLD would win the landslide they expect,” he said.

U Win Htein indicated no such promise would be forthcoming.

The NLD had never acted to harm the people since its founding 27 years ago, and if elected it would not destroy any law that was of real benefit to the people, he said.

“But we cannot support those laws that do not benefit people and violate human rights,” U Win Htein declared.

Officials from the UEC and the President’s Office declined to comment on Ma Ba Tha’s involvement in politics and the elections. They referred the issue to the Ministry of Religious Affairs, which did not respond to calls.