The year 2024 witnessed an alarming surge in hate speech incidents targeting minorities in India, with a staggering 74% increase reported during the national elections, according to a new investigation by the Washington-based India Hate Lab. The report, published on Monday, detailed 1,165 recorded instances of hate speech throughout the year, indicating a disturbing trend fueled by political figures, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, who were identified as frequent disseminators of such rhetoric.
Notably, Muslims were disproportionately affected, accounting for 98.5% of the reported hate speech instances. The study highlighted that most occurrences were concentrated in states governed by Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) or its larger political coalition. The BBC sought responses from various BJP spokespersons concerning the report, given the party’s history of being accused of promoting anti-Muslim sentiment.
In light of these allegations, BJP representatives have consistently refuted claims of Islamophobia, emphasizing India’s robust legal framework designed to uphold order and non-violence. On Tuesday, party national spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill dismissed the report as part of an “anti-India reports industry” driven by vested interests.
Despite the BJP's rebuttals, accusations of leveraging hate speech during the contentious election campaign continue to surface. The prime minister faced scrutiny for allegedly endorsing divisive narratives against Muslims. The Election Commission of India even intervened in May, instructing the party to retract a social media post deemed to demonize Muslim communities.
The India Hate Lab's findings suggest that while Christians also faced targeted hate speech, Muslims were notably the primary victims. The report revealed that the majority of incidents occurred during political rallies, religious festivities, protests, and cultural events, with a significant 79.9% taking place in BJP-controlled or coalition-governed states. Three states—Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh—accounted for nearly half of the registered hate speech events.
The 2024 report further indicated a troubling escalation in dangerous speech, with calls from both political leaders and religious figures for violence against Muslims. These hateful proclamations included incitements to violence, economic boycotts of Muslim businesses, and the destruction of properties and religious structures associated with the Muslim community.
As hate speech against minorities appears to gain momentum, especially under the current political climate, advocacy groups continue to sound alarms regarding the rising discrimination and threats faced by Muslims in Modi's India.
