Himalaya Harbinger, National Bureau.
A comprehensive report released by India Hate Lab, a Washington DC-based group documenting hate speech against religious minorities in India, sheds light on a disturbing trend. In 2023, the country witnessed a staggering 668 documented hate speech events targeting Muslims.
According to the report, the events surged from 255 in the first half of the year to 413 in the second half, indicating a significant 62% increase. Disturbingly, about 75% of these events, totaling 498, occurred in BJP-ruled States, Union Territories governed by the BJP-led Central government, and Delhi, where police and public order fall under the Union government’s purview.
The report details alarming patterns, revealing that hate speech events peaked from August to November. During this period, states like Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, and Chhattisgarh were gearing up for Assembly elections. Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Karnataka, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, and Bihar emerged as the top 10 states with the highest number of hate speech events.
In a shocking revelation, the report highlights “significant quantitative differences” in hate speech events between BJP-ruled and non-BJP ruled States. Instances of dangerous speeches were found to be more prevalent in BJP-ruled states, where 78% of all events involving direct calls to violence occurred. Similarly, 78% of all hate speech events targeting places of worship were recorded in BJP-administered States.
An interesting observation made in the report is that hate speech events in non-BJP-ruled states were more likely to involve BJP leaders. While only 10.6% of events in BJP-ruled States included BJP leaders, the figure rose to 27.6% in non-BJP ruled States, suggesting a correlation between BJP involvement and attempts to make inroads in non-BJP-ruled states.
The report identifies organizations behind hate speech events, with the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and the Bajrang Dal being responsible for 32% of the documented events. Surprisingly, the BJP itself organized about 50 hate speech events, often in the context of election rallies.
The report further notes a concerning trend of “organizations explicitly dedicated to cow vigilantism,” such as the Gau Raksha Dal, regularly engaging in hate speech.
Highlighting the individuals responsible for hate speeches, the report names BJP legislators T Raja Singh and Nitesh Rane, AHP chief Pravin Togadia, far-right influencer Kajal Shingala, Sudarshanb News owner Suresh Chavhanke, and Hindu religious leaders Yati Narsinghanand, Kalicharan Maharaj, and Sadhvi Saraswati Mishra.
The report concludes by emphasizing the symbiotic relationship between hate speech and violence, citing case studies such as the incidents in Nuh, Haryana, in July 2023, and Kolhapur, Maharashtra, in June 2023. It warns of the emergence of new entrepreneurs of hate in India’s polarized public sphere, collaborating with established outfits and pushing agendas that challenge the status quo.
In a statement, the India Hate Lab noted, “Within India’s increasingly polarized public sphere, new entrepreneurs of hate are emerging, collaborating with established and other new outfits, pushing the agenda of minority hate while also challenging the status quo, seeking to outbid one another and carve out new niche spaces by taking increasingly extreme positions.”
