Anti-Muslim hate speech in India rose by 62 per cent within the second half of 2023 in comparison with the primary six months of the yr, a Washington-based analysis group mentioned on Monday (Feb 26), including the Israel-Gaza warfare performed a key function within the final three months.
India Hate Lab documented 668 hate speech incidents concentrating on Muslims in 2023, 255 of which occurred within the first half of the yr whereas 413 occurred within the final six months of 2023, the analysis group mentioned in a report launched Monday.
About 75 per cent, or 498, of these incidents occurred in states ruled by the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Occasion (BJP) of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in line with the report. The states of Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh accounted for essentially the most hate speech.
Between Oct 7 – when Palestinian group Hamas attacked Israel, sparking the battle within the Gaza Strip as Israel retaliated – and Dec 31, there have been 41 incidents of hate speech in opposition to Indian Muslims that talked about the warfare, the report added. It accounted for about 20 per cent of hate speech within the final three months of 2023.
The analysis group mentioned it used the United Nations’ definition of hate speech – prejudiced or discriminatory language in direction of a person or group based mostly on attributes together with faith, ethnicity, nationality, race or gender.
Rights teams have alleged mistreatment of Muslims underneath Modi, who turned prime minister in 2014 and is broadly anticipated to retain energy after the 2024 elections.
They level to a 2019 citizenship regulation that the UN human rights workplace known as “basically discriminatory”; an anti-conversion laws that challenges the constitutionally protected proper to freedom of perception; and the 2019 revoking of Muslim majority Kashmir’s particular standing.
There has additionally been demolition of Muslim properties within the title of eradicating unlawful building and a ban on sporting the hijab in lecture rooms in Karnataka when the BJP was in energy in that state.
Modi’s authorities denies the presence of minority abuse and says its insurance policies goal to profit all Indians. The Indian embassy in Washington and India’s overseas ministry didn’t reply to a request for remark.
India Hate Lab mentioned it tracked on-line exercise of Hindu nationalist teams, verified movies of hate speech posted on social media and compiled knowledge of remoted incidents reported by Indian media.
