Indian minorities have faced a distressing escalation in hate speech, with a recent report revealing that incidents increased by 74% during the 2024 national elections. The study, published by the Washington-based India Hate Lab, recorded an alarming 1,165 reported instances of hate speech, predominantly targeting Muslims, who were the focus of 98.5% of these occurrences.
The report highlights that these instances typically took place at events orchestrated or supported by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) or its alliances. In light of these findings, the BBC has reached out to Modi's party for responses; however, the BJP has consistently dismissed accusations of promoting Islamophobia or instigating hate against minorities.
On Tuesday, a BJP spokesperson reiterated the party's position, asserting that India has a robust legal system aimed at upholding peace and maintaining non-violence. "Today's India does not require validation from what they term 'anti-India reports industry'," stated Jaiveer Shergill, stressing that the interests of the nation are at the forefront.
Despite these denials, the BJP faced allegations of utilizing divisive rhetoric during the contentious electoral campaign, with Modi himself criticized for inflammatory comments targeting the Muslim community. Notably, in May, the Election Commission of India mandated the removal of a contentious social media post that was accused of inciting anti-Muslim sentiments.
The India Hate Lab's report noted that May 2024 recorded the highest number of hate speech instances at 269. It also acknowledged that while Christians were likewise targeted, the scale was not as severe as for Muslims. Rights organizations have frequently asserted that the climate for minorities, particularly Muslims, worsened following Modi's rise to power in 2014—a pattern the BJP has repeatedly refuted.
The report further revealed that the majority of reported hate speech incidents (79.9%) transpired in regions under BJP governance. States such as Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh were identified as the epicenters, collectively accounting for nearly half of the documented occurrences.
In 2024, the BJP was implicated in organizing 340 of these events—representing a staggering increase of 580% from the previous year. The report additionally indicated that many political and religious leaders were found inciting dangerous rhetoric, which included calls for violence, economic boycotts against Muslim businesses, and threats to demolish Muslim properties and places of worship.
