Despite bans, hate speech in India on the rise

74 pc rise in hate speeches against Muslims in 2024

Hate speech in India, despite being prohibited under the Indian Civil Code, is becoming an increasingly widespread issue. It is frequently used by political parties to push their agendas, often targeting minorities based on caste, religion, or sexual orientation. A recent report by the India Hate Lab (IHL), a Washington-based research organisation, highlights a troubling rise in such incidents, particularly around the 2024 national elections.

Despite being prohibited and penalised under the Indian Civil Code, hate speech in India is increasingly becoming a prevalent issue. It is often wielded by political parties to advance their agendas and is widely observed on social media platforms, where minorities are targeted, whether based on caste, religion, or against the LGBTQ+ community. 

The atmosphere has grown highly politicised, with hate being incited against these groups, often a reminder of the British divide-and-rule strategy that, seemingly, has not been left behind.

A recent report by the India Hate Lab (IHL), a Washington-based research organisation, reveals a troubling rise in hate speech incidents aimed at minorities in India. Instances of hate speech targetting Muslims, for example, surged by 74 pc in 2024, with a notable increase around the time of last year’s national elections.

The IHL 2024 report carefully documented this escalation, noting 1,165 verified instances of in-person hate speech events. “The fact that 2024 was a general election year in India, with polling occurring in seven phases from April 19 to June 1, played a significant role in shaping the patterns of hate speech incidents compared to 2023,” the organisation stated in its report. India Hate Lab also noted that 80 pc of hate speech incidents last year occurred in states governed by the BJP and its allies. 

During the election period last year, about 373 hate speech incidents were recorded, with Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar, Delhi, West Bengal, and Jharkhand being the most affected, says the report.

“There has been an exponential rise in hate speech, fueled by political legitimistion, digital amplification, selective law enforcement, and its instrumentalisation as an electoral strategy. The normalisation of inflammatory rhetoric by public figures, coupled with state inaction, has emboldened perpetrators. Hate speech is no longer incidental but a calculated method of altering India’s socio-political fabric, systematically reinforcing exclusionary ideologies,” Fazal Abdali, a human rights lawyer based in Delhi tells Media India Group.

“Limited action against hate speech stems from the nexus between political patronage and institutional complicity. Perpetrators affiliated with ruling establishments enjoy impunity, while marginalised groups face disproportionate legal scrutiny. Law enforcement remains selective, and judicial responses inconsistent, eroding deterrence and enabling further transgressions. This selective application of law not only normalises hate speech but institutionalises it as a tool of political hegemony,” he adds.

Instances of hate speech in India

Over the years, numerous political leaders have resorted to hate speech to further their own agendas, with various instances being recorded, condemned by the public, authorities, human rights organisations and NGOs.

In 2019, Sadhvi Pragya Thakur, a Member of Parliament, made controversial remarks regarding the 2008 Mumbai attacks. She referred to the martyr Hemant Karkare, a former police officer who was killed during the attacks, stating, “Karkare died because of my curse”. Additionally, she has made several remarks targetting Muslims and the LGBTQ+ community.

In another instance, Azam Khan, a senior leader of the Samajwadi Party (SP), made derogatory comments ahead of the 2019 general elections, claiming that ‘Muslims have been enslaved by the BJP’ and describing the electoral process as a ‘conspiracy to wipe out Muslims’. This was not an isolated incident, as Khan has previously made communal remarks against Hindus.

In 2020, Kailash Vijayvargiya, a senior BJP leader from Madhya Pradesh, made controversial statements about ‘ghar wapsi’ (homecoming), suggesting that Muslims adhering to a specific religious ideology should be forced to revert to Hinduism. He further stated that such individuals should be segregated from the rest of society.

These remarks, among others, have sparked widespread condemnation and drawn attention to the increasing use of divisive rhetoric in Indian politics.

In recent years, including 2024, hate speech has not been confined to public gatherings. Social media has played a major role in spreading and popularising such speech, allowing it to reach millions in just a few seconds. The IHL report tracked 995 videos of in-person hate speech events, tracing them back to their original sources on platforms like Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp and Telegram.

In other instances, in 2021, a hate speech campaign was organised against journalist Rana Ayyub on Twitter, where she faced serious threats of violence, including rape and murder. These threats came from multiple social media users, some of whom were later linked to organised online hate campaigns.

The same year, Suresh Chavhanke, the founder of the news channel Hindustan Post, posted a video on Twitter in which he praised an individual who had murdered a Muslim man. The video also included communal comments that incited hate against Muslims.

Despite widespread condemnation, these instances continue, reflecting a growing challenge for both authorities and society in combating hate and promoting tolerance.