How hate speech normalises violence against Christians and Muslims in India
In its ‘Hate Crime Tracker’, the Association for the Protection of Civil Rights recorded 141 violent crimes against minorities in just three months between June and August 2025. In 90% of cases, the Bajrang Dal was involved, with the highest number of incidents in Uttar Pradesh. The latest attack took place in Chhattisgarh, where a Christian who refused to ‘convert’ to Hinduism had his house destroyed amid death threats. ‘These incidents are now becoming routine.’
Delhi (AsiaNews) - A new report published by the Association for the Protection of Civil Rights (APCR), entitled Hate Crime Tracker, has highlighted the ongoing attacks, harassment and vandalism directed at religious minorities in the country, particularly against Muslims and Christians.
The latest incident occurred on 28 September in the district of Sukma, in the state of Chhattisgarh. Mr Sodi Deva, who converted to Christianity several years ago, was threatened with death if he did not ‘return’ to Hinduism. Sodi Deva's house was demolished by a mob led by the village chief. About 60 people took part in the action, during which they destroyed his property and threatened his life.
‘Mass violence, physical assaults and attacks on religious sites and symbols have become alarmingly commonplace, to the point of seeming almost routine,’ the report states, adding that this type of violence ‘not only threatens the immediate safety of minorities, but also undermines their confidence in freely practising their faith without fear of humiliation’.
The highly detailed study highlights the forms this violence takes, ranging from mass lynchings and public displays of hatred to attacks on places of worship, emphasising that hate crimes have not only become more frequent but also more organised and openly justified. According to the report, this research reflects an increasingly intolerant culture, fuelled by extremist rhetoric, institutional inaction and the normalisation of hate speech in public debate.
According to the Hate Crime Tracker, between June and August 2025, 141 incidents of hate crimes and 102 incidents of hate speech were recorded in India. The highest number was in the state of Uttar Pradesh, with 36 cases, followed by Chhattisgarh with 17 cases and Maharashtra with 14. The report also notes 19 attacks on religious structures such as mosques, churches and shrines. Over the course of three months, seven Muslims were lynched to death.
The APCR report highlights that in 115 incidents of hate crimes, the attackers were organised mobs. Victims were often forced to chant religious slogans, beaten and publicly humiliated. Hindutva organisations such as the Bajrang Dal are linked to 126 incidents, while the VHP is linked to 16 and members associated with the ruling BJP party to 12. In about 20 cases, the police were found to be complicit or biased towards the accused.
The report also describes how Muslims were targeted by hate speech during election rallies. Derogatory terms were used by BJP leaders, with words such as “jihad” and “infiltration”. Of 102 reported incidents of hate speech, only four were officially recorded. As many as 70 of these speeches were made by BJP leaders during the election campaign. The report notes that the use of hate speech in politics “normalises the rhetoric of division and demonisation”, stating that the very fabric of secularism and pluralism in India risks irreparable damage.
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