Hate speech against religious minorities rose sharply in 2025, finds India Hate Lab
Washington, DC : At least 1,318 in-person hate speech events targeting religious minorities were recorded across India in 2025, showing a significant rise in public rhetoric directed largely at Muslims and Christians, according to a new annual report by the India Hate Lab.
The report which is a project of the Center for the Study of Organized Hate, notes a steady escalation over recent years, with incidents increasing by 13 percent compared to 2024 and nearly doubling since 2023. The documentation includes speeches that promoted conspiracy theories, issued calls for violence, encouraged social and economic boycotts, demanded the seizure or destruction of places of worship, employed dehumanizing language, or targeted Rohingya refugees living in India.
Of the 1,289 speeches analyzed, 98 percent focused on Muslims, either directly or alongside Christians. Hate speech involving Christians appeared in 162 incidents, a sharp rise from the previous year. Researchers noted that these patterns indicate a widening scope of anti-minority rhetoric rather than isolated spikes, using the United Nations definition of hate speech.
Geographically, the data show a heavy concentration in states governed by the Bharatiya Janata Party or its allies. Nearly 88 percent of all recorded incidents occurred in BJP-ruled states, coalition-led National Democratic Alliance states, or BJP-administered Union Territories. Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Delhi together accounted for nearly two-thirds of the incidents nationwide. These occurrences were less common in states governed by opposition parties than in 2024.
The report also identifies the organizations and individuals most frequently linked to these gatherings. Groups such as the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Bajrang Dal and Antarrashtriya Hindu Parishad were named as leading organizers. More than 160 organizations or informal groups were connected to hate speech events during the year. Among individuals, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami was recorded as delivering the highest number of speeches flagged under the study’s criteria, followed by Hindutva leader Pravin Togadia and BJP leader Ashwini Upadhyay.
Religious figures, including Hindu monks and religious leaders, took part in 145 activities, which added religious validity to political rhetoric against minorities. Nearly half of all statements evoked conspiracy theories such as “love jihad” and “population jihad,” while more than 300 included explicit demands for violence or the use of guns. Maharashtra had the highest number of remarks deemed especially harmful due to violent content.
Researchers also noted a rise in calls for boycotts and the removal or destruction of mosques, shrines and churches and specific sites like the Gyanvapi Mosque and the Shahi Idgah Mosque were named several times. Minorities were described using demeaning language, such as pests, animals, or illness.
Social media played a central role in amplifying these events. Videos from nearly all recorded incidents were first uploaded or live-streamed online, primarily on Facebook, followed by YouTube, Instagram and X.
Raqib Hameed Naik, Executive Director of the CSOH said “The BJP’s election-period strategy of overt communal polarization failed to deliver the decisive mandate it anticipated in 2024, leading to a shift in approach rather than an abandonment of that strategy.”
He further added “Our data show a move toward sustained, decentralized, ground-level mobilization by Hindu nationalist groups within the RSS-led ecosystem, using rallies, religious events, and local processions to keep anti-Muslim fear and hostility active in everyday political life. This points to a long-term strategy aimed at shaping the political landscape ahead of upcoming state elections and the 2029 general elections.”
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Himachal: Three killed, two injured as speeding car dashes against parked truck
Mandi (HP) (PTI): Three people were killed and two others sustained grievous injuries after a speeding car dashed against a stationary truck at Dadour near Nerchowk in Mandi district on Monday late at night, police said on Tuesday.
There were five people in the car when the tragedy struck. Three were declared dead in the hospital while two have been referred to AIIMS Bilaspur.
The deceased were identified as Anil Kumar (28), Rohit Kumar (26) and Subash Kumar (23), all residents of Mandi district, while the injured are Harish and Pankaj.
A case has been registered under relevant sections and investigations are underway, said Superintendent of Police (SP) Mandi Vinod Kumar.
He added that the bodies have been handed over to the family members of the deceased.
In a statement, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu expressed grief over the loss of three lives in a road accident. He directed the district administration to ensure best possible treatment for the injured and wished them a speedy recovery.
