A recent report by the US-based think tank, India Hate Lab (IHL), revealed a significant rise in hate speech targeting India’s religious minorities in 2024.
The surge was described as “deeply intertwined with the ideological ambitions of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the broader Hindu nationalist movement.”
During the national elections last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP faced criticism for intensifying rhetoric against Muslims, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported.
At his rallies, Modi referred to Muslims as “infiltrators” and suggested that the opposition Congress party would favor Muslims in wealth distribution if it secured victory.
Modi secured a third consecutive term in June but had to form a coalition government after the BJP failed to achieve an outright majority for the first time in a decade.
The IHL report highlighted a 74.4 percent increase in hate speech incidents, rising from 668 in 2023 to 1,165 in 2024.
It noted that “the fact that 2024 was a general election year… played a crucial role in shaping the patterns of hate speech incidents.”
Notably, 98.5 percent of these incidents targeted Muslims, with over two-thirds occurring in states governed by the BJP or its allies.
The report also pointed out that more than 450 hate speeches were delivered by BJP leaders, with Modi himself responsible for 63 of them.
It said, “Muslims, in particular, were portrayed as an existential threat to Hindus and the Indian nation.” Additionally, there was “the most alarming rise… in speeches advocating for the destruction of places of worship.”
Social media platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and X played significant roles in disseminating these messages.
IHL’s analysis found that 266 “anti-minority hate speeches delivered by senior BJP leaders” during the elections were simultaneously broadcast across these platforms through official party and leader accounts.
India Hate Lab operates under the Washington-based Center for the Study of Organized Hate (CSOH), a non-profit think tank.
As of now, the BJP has not responded to requests for comment on the report, according to AFP.
