Modi’s BJP fuels hate speech before Assembly elections, says report

The report reveals that in the first six months of 2023, there were 255 recorded instances of hate speech gatherings or rallies across 17 States

Hyderabad: A rather disturbing report on verified instances of hate speech in India in the first half of 2023 has revealed some shocking trends, one being that 80 percent of these hate speech instances were orchestrated by the BJP, RSS or their affiliated outfits, and second, one could have relevance in Telangana, is that 70 percent of these events were reported in States with legislative elections either in 2023 or 2024.

The report, which is now going viral with global publications and news agencies publishing it in what could turn out be a major disgrace for the country, was originally brought out by the Washington-based Hindutva Watch that tracks attacks on minorities.

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The report says it has documented all verified instances of hate speech events organized by Hindu far-right groups against India’s Muslim minorities in the first half of 2023. It has adopted the United Nations framework to define hate speech, which characterizes hate speech as “any form of communication, whether oral, written, or behavioral, that employs prejudiced or discriminatory language towards an individual or group based on attributes such as religion, ethnicity, nationality, race, color, descent, gender, or other identity factors.”

Pointing out that there has been an escalating trend of hate speech in India since 2014 when the BJP assumed power, it says even government officials have frequently engaged in it. Some of the purveyors of hate speech include chief ministers, legislators and senior leaders from the BJP.

The rise of conspiracy theories like Love Jihad, Land Jihad, Halal Jihad, and Vyapar Jihad has been linked with the BJP’s efforts to mobilize Hindu nationalism for electoral benefit, it says, also citing official data that says cases registered under Section 153A of the Indian Penal Code (which deals with promoting enmity on grounds of religion among others) increased by more than 500 percent between 2014 and 2020.

The report reveals that in the first six months of 2023 (181 days), there were 255 recorded instances of hate speech gatherings or rallies across 17 States. Most of these events occurred in BJP-ruled States.

Most interestingly, indicating the BJP’s strategy for polls, a significant proportion of these incidents occurred in States scheduled to go for Assembly elections in 2023 and 2024, highlighting the potential use of hate speech for voter mobilisation.

Here is what the report says:

• 255 documented incidents of hate speech gatherings in first half of 2023
• 205 (80%) of these were in BJP-ruled States
• Maharashtra, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Gujarat witnessed the highest number of hate speech gatherings
• Maharashtra alone accounted for 29% of such incidents
• 52% of hate speech gatherings in BJP-ruled States/UTs orchestrated by entities affiliated with RSS and BJP
• These include VHP, Bajrang Dal, Sakal Hindu Samaj
• 42% of hate speech gatherings in 17 States organized by RSS-affiliated groups
• 33% of gatherings explicitly called for violence against Muslims
• Nearly 12% of events featured calls to arms
• 70% of events in States with elections in 2023 or 2024