How Anti-Muslim Hate Speech is Spreading in India

A recent report by the Washington-based India Hate Lab (IHL) reveals a troubling rise in anti-Muslim hate speech in India. According to the report, the country experienced nearly two hate speech events per day in 2023, with 75 percent occurring in states governed by PM Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The IHL report, released as India approaches a national vote, documented 668 hate speech incidents across 18 states and three federally governed territories. Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh were identified as the top states with the highest number of incidents.

These three BJP-ruled states together account for 43 percent of the hate speech events recorded in 2023. Moreover, more than 77 percent of speeches inciting violence against Muslims were delivered in BJP-governed areas.

A significant portion of the hate speech, about one-third, was organized by far-right groups like the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and the Bajrang Dal, both linked to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the BJP’s ideological mentor.

The IHL report also noted that 63 percent of the hate speech events referenced various Islamophobic conspiracy theories. These include “love jihad,” alleging Muslim men lure Hindu women into converting to Islam; “land jihad,” claiming Muslims occupy public lands with religious structures; “halal jihad,” which views Islamic practices as excluding non-Muslim traders; and “population jihad,” asserting that Muslims aim to outnumber other populations.

Pravin Togadia, founder of the Antarrashtriya Hindu Parishad, exemplified this rhetoric in a November 20 event in Haryana, likening current tensions to a struggle akin to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.