Instances of hate speech in India soared by 74% in 2024, reaching a staggering 1,165 documented cases, as per findings from the research organization, India Hate Lab, based in Washington. The report highlights that this spike aligns with the country's national election period and notably implicates political figures, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, as frequent disseminators of such discourse. A worrying 98.5% of instances were directed at Muslims, marking them as the most severely affected group.
**Surge in Hate Speech Against Minorities in India Amid 2024 Elections, Report Reveals**
**Surge in Hate Speech Against Minorities in India Amid 2024 Elections, Report Reveals**
A new report indicates a drastic rise in hate speech targeting minorities in India, especially Muslims, coinciding with national elections.
The report details that the majority of hate speech cases were reported in regions governed by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has faced criticism for systematic targeting of minorities, particularly Muslims, since coming to power in 2014. The BJP has long rejected claims of Islamophobia, framing its legal system as adequate in maintaining peace and order. However, the party has been pointedly criticized during its fierce election campaigns for divisive rhetoric and has even been directed by the Election Commission to retract posts perceived as inflammatory.
A closer look at the report unveils that May 2024 alone witnessed 269 instances of hate speech—the month accounting for the highest number of incidents in the year. While minority groups like Christians were also targeted, the severity was far less compared to the Muslim community.
The analysis from India Hate Lab indicated that hate speech incidents predominantly occurred during political rallies and gatherings linked to the BJP, with states like Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh accounting for nearly half of all documented instances. Moreover, the report identified an alarming trend of incitement towards violence found in the discourse, including harmful calls to action against Muslim communities.
Rights organizations have consistently pointed out that such patterns of hate speech and discrimination have escalated under Modi's leadership, a claim the BJP continues to dismiss.
A closer look at the report unveils that May 2024 alone witnessed 269 instances of hate speech—the month accounting for the highest number of incidents in the year. While minority groups like Christians were also targeted, the severity was far less compared to the Muslim community.
The analysis from India Hate Lab indicated that hate speech incidents predominantly occurred during political rallies and gatherings linked to the BJP, with states like Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh accounting for nearly half of all documented instances. Moreover, the report identified an alarming trend of incitement towards violence found in the discourse, including harmful calls to action against Muslim communities.
Rights organizations have consistently pointed out that such patterns of hate speech and discrimination have escalated under Modi's leadership, a claim the BJP continues to dismiss.
