Guwahati: The country has experienced a surge in anti-Muslim hate speech events in the last year, this was stated by a research group based in Washington, DC.
The report states that a staggering 75 per cent of these hate speech events took place in states governed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The research group — India Hate Lab documented 668 hate speech incidents targeting Muslims in 2023, 255 of which occurred in the first half of the year while 413 took place in the last six months of 2023, the research group said in a report released Monday.
Most of these hate speeches escalated between August and November, coinciding with the period of political campaigning and polling in four major states.
This suggests a concerning correlation between political rhetoric and the proliferation of hate speech targeting Muslims, highlighting the potential exploitation of communal tensions for electoral gains.
About 75 per cent, or 498, of those incidents, took place in states governed by the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, according to the report.
The states of Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh accounted for the most hate speech.
The research group said it used the United Nations’ definition of hate speech — prejudiced or discriminatory language towards an individual or group based on attributes including religion, ethnicity, nationality, race, or gender.
Rights groups have alleged mistreatment of Muslims under Modi, who became prime minister in 2014 and is widely expected to retain power after the 2024 elections.
India Hate Lab said it tracked online activity of Hindu nationalist groups, verified videos of hate speech posted on social media, and compiled data of isolated incidents reported by Indian media.