A report by Hindutva Watch, a Washington DC-based research group that tracks hate crimes against minorities in India, has left no room for doubt over the persecution of Muslims in India. It clearly states the ruling BJP and its affiliated groups are involved in the majority of hate speech incidents against Muslims. Shockingly, approximately 80% of the incidents occurred in the states and union territories governed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s BJP.
This revelation is not much of a surprise for those who have been following the situation closely. Incidents of violence against Muslims in India have been reported almost daily, and the plight of Indian Muslims has become an increasingly concerning issue. The report merely serves to confirm what many have feared: that the hate speech and discrimination against Muslims in India have reached alarming proportions. This troubling trend cannot be ignored any longer. Over half of the documented incidents in 2023 were directly orchestrated by the BJP and its affiliated groups, including the Bajrang Dal, Vishwa Hindu Parishad, and Sakal Hindu Samaj, all of which have ties to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the ideological parent of the BJP. The evidence presented in the report, including verifiable videos of hate speech events and in-depth investigations by journalists and researchers, paints a deeply concerning picture of the situation on the ground. What is even more distressing is that India, since 2017, has ceased to collect official data on hate crimes. Hindutva Watch had to resort to data gathering through social media, news outlets and data scraping techniques to compile this report. The situation is dire, and it demands immediate attention. The report’s findings should serve as a wake-up call for the global community and human rights defenders. The persecution of Indian Muslims cannot be allowed to continue unchecked. The world, especially important capitals, should come forward for the protection of minorities in India. The killing of a Sikh leader on Canadian soil by the Indian agents is sufficient to prove that Hindutva-inspired extremists can go to any extent in their hate. It is also for the OIC countries to play their part and become a strong voice for the Indian Muslims.
