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Express Tribune
20-02-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
India's hate touching new heights
Under the leadership of the BJP, India's secular identity has been overshadowed by a rising wave of Hindu nationalism. Prime Minister Modi's policies, marked by hate speech and religious bigotry, have sown discord within Indian society, posing an existential threat to minorities, particularly Muslims. Numerous international human rights organizations and watchdogs have highlighted the persecution of minorities in India, with the recent report by the US-based think tank India Hate Lab adding to the growing list. The report outlines a troubling increase in hate speech, which surged from 668 cases in 2023 to 1,165 in 2024—a 74.4% rise. Alarmingly, 98.5% of these incidents targeted Muslims, with over two-thirds occurring in BJP-ruled states or those governed by its allies. According to the report, the 2024 election campaign saw BJP leaders deliver more than 450 hate speeches, including 63 by PM Modi himself. Communal riots in India also witnessed an increase of 84%, rising from 32 to 59 incidents in 2024. Muslims were the primary victims, accounting for 10 out of 13 deaths, mainly in BJP-led states like Maharashtra, UP, and Bihar. Out of 59 riots, 49 occurred in BJP-ruled states, often triggered by disputes during religious festivals or over worship. Religious festivals became a flashpoint for violence, with 26 riots in 2024 stemming from processions, particularly in BJP-controlled areas where right-wing groups inflamed tensions over contested religious sites. Six riots were centered on disputes over worship sites, where fringe groups claimed that mosques and dargahs were illegal structures. Desecration of religious places, often driven by political motives, sparked five major riots, further targeting Muslims amid apparent state inaction. Maharashtra emerged as the epicenter of violence, recording 12 riots, followed by UP and Bihar with seven each. This rise in attacks, especially in areas governed by the BJP, clearly reflects deliberate political strategies, with the state stoking tensions through religious disputes, hence deepening divisions among religious groups. The 59 riots reveal a systemic failure to address religious polarization, endangering vulnerable communities. The venom and division the BJP has injected into society is jeopardizing India's long-term stability. With opposition parties and civil society appearing powerless, the perception of a lack of corrective measures has only grown stronger.
Yahoo
11-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
India sees huge spike in hate speech in 2024, says report
Instances of hate speech against minorities jumped 74% in India in 2024, peaking during the country's national elections, according to a new report. The report, released on Monday by Washington-based research group India Hate Lab, documented 1,165 such instances last year, adding that politicians like Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah were among the most frequent purveyors of hate speech. Muslims were targeted the most, with 98.5% of recorded instances of hate speech directed against them. The report said most of the events where hate speech occurred were held in states governed by Modi's party or larger alliance. The BBC has sought comment on the India Hate Lab report from several spokespersons at Modi's Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Over the years, BJP leaders have often been accused of targeting India's minority communities, especially Muslims. The ruling party has rejected allegations of Islamophobia and hate speech levelled at it by rights groups and opposition leaders. On Tuesday, its national spokesperson reiterated this stance, telling CNN that the country had a "very strong legal system which is structured to maintain peace, order and ensure non-violence at any cost". "Today's India does not need any certification from any 'anti-India reports industry' which is run by vested interests to prejudice and dent India's image," Jaiveer Shergill said. But the party was accused of using hate speech during the heated election campaign last year. The prime minister himself was accused of using divisive rhetoric that attacked Muslims. In May, India's Election Commission also asked the party to remove a social media post that opposition leaders said "demonised Muslims". According to the India Hate Lab report, 269 hate speech instances were reported in May 2024, the highest in the year. Christians have also been targeted by hate speech, but to a lesser extent than Muslims, the report says. Rights groups have often said that minorities, especially Muslims, have faced increased discrimination and attacks after Modi's government came to power in 2014. The BJP has repeatedly denied these allegations. 'Invisible in our own country': Being Muslim in Modi's India Beaten and humiliated by Hindu mobs for being a Muslim in India The lab's report said that hate speech was especially observed at political rallies, religious processions, protest marches and cultural gatherings. Most of these events - 931 or 79.9% - took place in states where the BJP directly governed or ruled in coalition. Three BJP-ruled states - Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh - accounted for nearly half of the total hate speech events recorded in 2024, the lab's data showed. The ruling party was also the organiser for 340 such events in 2024, a 580% increase from the previous year. "Hate speech patterns in 2024 also revealed a deeply alarming surge in dangerous speech compared to 2023, with both political leaders and religious figures openly inciting violence against Muslims," the report said. "This included calls for outright violence, calls to arms, the economic boycott of Muslim businesses, the destruction of Muslim residential properties and the seizing or demolition of Muslim religious structures."


CNN
11-02-2025
- Politics
- CNN
World's most populous nation saw a ‘staggering' rise in hate speech last year, report says
India's religious minorities have faced a 'staggering' rise in hate speech over the past year, including from top leaders of the ruling Hindu nationalist party of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, according to a report released Monday. The number of hate speech incidents targeting Muslim and Christian minorities rose to 1,165 in 2024 from 668 the year prior, a 74% increase, according to a report from the Washington-based research group, India Hate Lab. The majority of these, around 98%, targeted Muslims, either explicitly or alongside Christians. 'Hate speech in India in 2024 followed an alarming trajectory, deeply intertwined with the ideological ambitions of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the broader Hindu nationalist movement,' the report said. Modi, who won a third term in last year's elections, has long been accused by critics of fueling religious tensions and inciting violence against Muslims and other minorities since assuming power more than a decade ago. His Hindu nationalist party has sought to turn India – a nation constitutionally bound to secularism – into a Hindu rashtra, or homeland for the Hindu majority, critics say, at the expense of the millions who profess minority faiths. Modi and his BJP have repeatedly said they do not discriminate against minority groups. The BJP's national spokesperson, Jaiveer Shergill, condemned the report on Monday, saying it was published to malign India's image. 'India as a nation has a very strong legal system which is structured to maintain peace, order and ensure non-violence at any cost,' Shergill told CNN. 'Today's India does not need any certification from any 'anti-India reports industry' which is run by vested interests to prejudice and dent India's image.' According to the report, hate speech last year reinforced 'longstanding Hindu nationalist tropes' such as the portrayal of Muslims and Christians as 'outsiders,' 'foreigners' and 'invaders' who lack a legitimate claim to belonging in India, the report said. It found that the BJP organized around 30% of last year's hate speech events, a nearly six-fold increase from the year prior, with its party leaders delivering 452 hate speeches, a 350% rise from the previous year. The majority were recorded during the general election campaign. Modi has in the past been accused of making Islamophobic remarks in speeches on the campaign trail. 'These high-profile hate speeches (by Modi and powerful regional leaders) were further amplified and reinforced by an arsenal of local BJP leaders, Hindu far-right organizations, and religious figures, who spread similar rhetoric at community and grassroots levels,' the report found. Muslims make up roughly 200 million of India's 1.4 billion population, with the population of Christians at roughly 27 million. Under Modi's leadership, Hindu nationalists have been appointed to top positions in key government institutions, giving them the power to make sweeping changes to legislation that rights groups say unfairly target Muslims. Textbooks have been rewritten to downplay the history of India's former Islamic rulers, cities and streets with Mughal-era names renamed and Muslim properties have been demolished by authorities for illegal encroachment on government land and as punishment for alleged rioting. In 2019, Modi removed the special autonomy of Jammu and Kashmir – India's only Muslim-majority state – bringing it under the direct control of New Delhi. That same year, his administration passed a controversial citizenship law that excluded Muslim migrants, sparking deadly riots. India prohibits hate speech under several sections of its penal code, including a section that criminalizes 'deliberate and malicious acts' intended to insult religious beliefs. However, some experts say hate speech has proliferated in India as a result of the judiciary's reluctance to recognize hate speech offenses. Anas Tanwir, a lawyer and founder of the Indian Civil Liberties Union, said the judiciary has failed to take concrete action against hate speech 'despite clear prohibitions under various laws in India.' The India Hate Lab, a project under the Washington, DC-based think tank Center for the Study of Organized Hate (CSOH), releases annual data on hate speech in the world's largest democracy. They define hate speech by the United Nations framework which looks at any kind of communication in speech, writing or behavior that attacks or uses pejorative or discriminatory language based on a person's religion. CNN's Rhea Mogul contributed to this report.


Egypt Independent
11-02-2025
- Politics
- Egypt Independent
World's most populous nation saw a ‘staggering' rise in hate speech last year, report says
New Delhi CNN — religious minorities have faced a 'staggering' rise in hate speech over the past year, including from top leaders of the ruling Hindu nationalist party of Prime Minister India's religious minorities have faced a 'staggering' rise in hate speech over the past year, including from top leaders of the ruling Hindu nationalist party of Prime Minister Narendra Modi , according to a report released Monday. The number of hate speech incidents targeting Muslim and Christian minorities rose to 1,165 in 2024 from 668 the year prior, a 74 percent increase, according to a report from the Washington-based research group, India Hate Lab. The majority of these, around 98 percent, targeted Muslims, either explicitly or alongside Christians. 'Hate speech in India in 2024 followed an alarming trajectory, deeply intertwined with the ideological ambitions of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the broader Hindu nationalist movement,' the report said. Modi, who won a third term in last year's elections, has long been accused by critics of fueling religious tensions and inciting violence against Muslims and other minorities since assuming power more than a decade ago. His Hindu nationalist party has sought to turn India – a nation constitutionally bound to secularism – into a Hindu rashtra, or homeland for the Hindu majority, critics say, at the expense of the millions who profess minority faiths. Modi and his BJP have repeatedly said they do not discriminate against minority groups. The BJP's national spokesperson, Jaiveer Shergill, condemned the report on Monday, saying it was published to malign India's image. 'India as a nation has a very strong legal system which is structured to maintain peace, order and ensure non-violence at any cost,' Shergill told CNN. 'Today's India does not need any certification from any 'anti-India reports industry' which is run by vested interests to prejudice and dent India's image.' According to the report, hate speech last year reinforced 'longstanding Hindu nationalist tropes' such as the portrayal of Muslims and Christians as 'outsiders,' 'foreigners' and 'invaders' who lack a legitimate claim to belonging in India, the report said. It found that the BJP organized around 30 percent of last year's hate speech events, a nearly six-fold increase from the year prior, with its party leaders delivering 452 hate speeches, a 350 percent rise from the previous year. The majority were recorded during the general election campaign. Modi has in the past been accused of making Islamophobic remarks in speeches on the campaign trail. 'These high-profile hate speeches (by Modi and powerful regional leaders) were further amplified and reinforced by an arsenal of local BJP leaders, Hindu far-right organizations, and religious figures, who spread similar rhetoric at community and grassroots levels,' the report found. Muslims make up roughly 200 million of India's 1.4 billion population, with the population of Christians at roughly 27 million. Under Modi's leadership, Hindu nationalists have been appointed to top positions in key government institutions, giving them the power to make sweeping changes to legislation that rights groups say unfairly target Muslims. Textbooks have been rewritten to downplay the history of India's former Islamic rulers, cities and streets with Mughal-era names renamed and Muslim properties have been demolished by authorities for illegal encroachment on government land and as punishment for alleged rioting. In 2019, Modi removed the special autonomy of Jammu and Kashmir – India's only Muslim-majority state – bringing it under the direct control of New Delhi. That same year, his administration passed a controversial citizenship law that excluded Muslim migrants, sparking deadly riots. India prohibits hate speech under several sections of its penal code, including a section that criminalizes 'deliberate and malicious acts' intended to insult religious beliefs. However, some experts say hate speech has proliferated in India as a result of the judiciary's reluctance to recognize hate speech offenses. Anas Tanwir, a lawyer and founder of the Indian Civil Liberties Union, said the judiciary has failed to take concrete action against hate speech 'despite clear prohibitions under various laws in India.' The India Hate Lab, a project under the Washington, DC-based think tank Center for the Study of Organized Hate (CSOH), releases annual data on hate speech in the world's largest democracy. They define hate speech by the United Nations framework which looks at any kind of communication in speech, writing or behavior that attacks or uses pejorative or discriminatory language based on a person's religion. CNN's Rhea Mogul contributed to this report.


CNN
11-02-2025
- Politics
- CNN
World's most populous nation saw a ‘staggering' rise in hate speech last year, report says
India's religious minorities have faced a 'staggering' rise in hate speech over the past year, including from top leaders of the ruling Hindu nationalist party of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, according to a report released Monday. The number of hate speech incidents targeting Muslim and Christian minorities rose to 1,165 in 2024 from 668 the year prior, a 74% increase, according to a report from the Washington-based research group, India Hate Lab. The majority of these, around 98%, targeted Muslims, either explicitly or alongside Christians. 'Hate speech in India in 2024 followed an alarming trajectory, deeply intertwined with the ideological ambitions of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the broader Hindu nationalist movement,' the report said. Modi, who won a third term in last year's elections, has long been accused by critics of fueling religious tensions and inciting violence against Muslims and other minorities since assuming power more than a decade ago. His Hindu nationalist party has sought to turn India – a nation constitutionally bound to secularism – into a Hindu rashtra, or homeland for the Hindu majority, critics say, at the expense of the millions who profess minority faiths. Modi and his BJP have repeatedly said they do not discriminate against minority groups. The BJP's national spokesperson, Jaiveer Shergill, condemned the report on Monday, saying it was published to malign India's image. 'India as a nation has a very strong legal system which is structured to maintain peace, order and ensure non-violence at any cost,' Shergill told CNN. 'Today's India does not need any certification from any 'anti-India reports industry' which is run by vested interests to prejudice and dent India's image.' According to the report, hate speech last year reinforced 'longstanding Hindu nationalist tropes' such as the portrayal of Muslims and Christians as 'outsiders,' 'foreigners' and 'invaders' who lack a legitimate claim to belonging in India, the report said. It found that the BJP organized around 30% of last year's hate speech events, a nearly six-fold increase from the year prior, with its party leaders delivering 452 hate speeches, a 350% rise from the previous year. The majority were recorded during the general election campaign. Modi has in the past been accused of making Islamophobic remarks in speeches on the campaign trail. 'These high-profile hate speeches (by Modi and powerful regional leaders) were further amplified and reinforced by an arsenal of local BJP leaders, Hindu far-right organizations, and religious figures, who spread similar rhetoric at community and grassroots levels,' the report found. Muslims make up roughly 200 million of India's 1.4 billion population, with the population of Christians at roughly 27 million. Under Modi's leadership, Hindu nationalists have been appointed to top positions in key government institutions, giving them the power to make sweeping changes to legislation that rights groups say unfairly target Muslims. Textbooks have been rewritten to downplay the history of India's former Islamic rulers, cities and streets with Mughal-era names renamed and Muslim properties have been demolished by authorities for illegal encroachment on government land and as punishment for alleged rioting. In 2019, Modi removed the special autonomy of Jammu and Kashmir – India's only Muslim-majority state – bringing it under the direct control of New Delhi. That same year, his administration passed a controversial citizenship law that excluded Muslim migrants, sparking deadly riots. India prohibits hate speech under several sections of its penal code, including a section that criminalizes 'deliberate and malicious acts' intended to insult religious beliefs. However, some experts say hate speech has proliferated in India as a result of the judiciary's reluctance to recognize hate speech offenses. Anas Tanwir, a lawyer and founder of the Indian Civil Liberties Union, said the judiciary has failed to take concrete action against hate speech 'despite clear prohibitions under various laws in India.' The India Hate Lab, a project under the Washington, DC-based think tank Center for the Study of Organized Hate (CSOH), releases annual data on hate speech in the world's largest democracy. They define hate speech by the United Nations framework which looks at any kind of communication in speech, writing or behavior that attacks or uses pejorative or discriminatory language based on a person's religion. CNN's Rhea Mogul contributed to this report.