HISTORY shows that rulers use hate speech to provoke hate crimes and ‘othering’ among communities. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s decade-long rule is riddled with divisive rhetoric; his BJP is bent on creating discord in Indian society, making daily life for the country’s minorities, particularly the Muslims, increasingly challenging. The US-based think tank, India Hate Lab, has released a new report exposing an alarming surge in hate speech — from 668 cases in 2023 to 1,165 in 2024; communal venom rose by 74.4pc with 98.5pc of the hate speeches directed at Muslims. Over two-thirds occurred in BJP-ruled states or in those run by its allies. As a vital aspect of Mr Modi’s Hindutva politics, communal flames burn brighter during election season. According to the IHL, last year’s election campaign witnessed BJP leaders deliver more than 450 hate speeches with 63 from Mr Modi himself. Indeed, it is high time India’s activists and opposition parties showed greater commitment to battling the evil for the sake of an inclusive and progressive society.

Unfortunately, the state-sponsored diet of hate seems to have gained ground among Indians as public and media outrage is rare. Few have understood that feeding hate deflects attention from the BJP’s failure to deliver the governmental and policy reforms that it promised for a rising India. And hate retains the Hindu-majority vote bank for the party. Allowing rampant hate speech by godmen and lawmakers enables ordinary people from the majority religion to employ violence — such as lynchings and bulldozing homes to degrade and subdue Muslims — to assert a sense of supremacy. The Hindutva rampage — from destroying mosques to economic boycotts of poor Muslims — aims to erase Muslim history. Maligning Muslims is a minor, albeit chilling, part of this agenda. The oil-rich Muslim brotherhood and the international community, which claims to uphold human rights, need to walk the talk.

Published in Dawn, February 12th, 2025