Instances of hate speech targeting minorities, particularly Muslims, in India increased by 74% in 2024, according to a Washington-based research group. The surge was closely linked to last year’s national elections, the group stated on Monday.
India Hate Lab recorded 1,165 cases of hate speech in 2024, a sharp rise from 668 incidents the previous year. These instances were observed during political rallies, religious processions, protest marches, and cultural events.
“The fact that 2024 was a general election year in India, with voting taking place in seven phases from April 19 to June 1, played a key role in shaping the patterns of hate speech incidents compared to 2023,” the group noted in its report.
India’s embassy in Washington has not yet responded to the findings.
Report Released Ahead of US-India Talks
The report comes just days before a scheduled White House meeting between US President Donald Trump and India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Modi’s government has faced criticism from human rights organizations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, over its treatment of minorities.
The Indian government and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have denied allegations of discrimination, asserting that their policies—such as food subsidy programs and electrification initiatives—benefit all citizens equally.
Hate Speech Spiked During Election Season
India Hate Lab highlighted that a third of last year’s recorded hate speech incidents took place between March 16 and June 1, coinciding with the peak of election campaigning. May saw a particularly high number of cases.
The report pointed to comments made by Modi in April, where he referred to Muslims as “infiltrators” with “more children.” Modi, who secured a third consecutive term as prime minister, has rejected claims that he fueled divisions. His BJP, however, fell short of a majority and had to rely on coalition partners to form a government.
According to the research group, 80% of hate speech cases in 2024 occurred in states governed by the BJP and its allies.
India Hate Lab and BJP’s Response
India Hate Lab, founded by US-based Kashmiri journalist Raqib Hameed Naik, operates under the Center for the Study of Organized Hate, a Washington-based nonprofit think tank. The BJP has accused the group of portraying India in a biased manner.
Human rights activists have pointed to various government actions that they believe have negatively impacted minorities, including:
- The 2019 citizenship law, which the United Nations labeled as “fundamentally discriminatory.”
- Anti-conversion laws that challenge constitutional protections for religious freedom.
- The 2019 revocation of Kashmir’s special status.
- Demolition of Muslim-owned properties deemed “illegally constructed” by authorities.
- A hijab ban in classrooms in Karnataka, enforced under new school uniform policies when the BJP was in power in the state.
India Hate Lab stated that it used the United Nations’ definition of hate speech in its report, which includes prejudiced or discriminatory language against individuals or groups based on religion, ethnicity, nationality, race, or gender.
