Instances of hate speech against minorities jumped 74% in India in 2024, peaking during the country’s national elections, according to a new report.
The report, released on Monday by Washington-based research group India Hate Lab, documented 1,165 such instances last year, adding that politicians like Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah were among the most frequent purveyors of hate speech.
Muslims were targeted the most, with 98.5% of recorded instances of hate speech directed against them.
The report said most of the events where hate speech occurred were held in states governed by Modi’s party or larger alliance.
The BBC has sought comment on the India Hate Lab report from several spokespersons at Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Over the years, BJP leaders have often been accused of targeting India’s minority communities, especially Muslims.
The ruling party has rejected allegations of Islamophobia and hate speech levelled at it by rights groups and opposition leaders.
On Tuesday, its national spokesperson reiterated this stance, telling CNN that the country had a “very strong legal system which is structured to maintain peace, order and ensure non-violence at any cost”.
“Today’s India does not need any certification from any ‘anti-India reports industry’ which is run by vested interests to prejudice and dent India’s image,” Jaiveer Shergill said.
But the party was accused of using hate speech during the heated election campaign last year. The prime minister himself was accused of using divisive rhetoric that attacked Muslims. In May, India’s Election Commission also asked the party to remove a social media post that opposition leaders said “demonised Muslims”.
According to the India Hate Lab report, 269 hate speech instances were reported in May 2024, the highest in the year.
Christians have also been targeted by hate speech, but to a lesser extent than Muslims, the report says.
Rights groups have often said that minorities, especially Muslims, have faced increased discrimination and attacks after Modi’s government came to power in 2014. The BJP has repeatedly denied these allegations.
The lab’s report said that hate speech was especially observed at political rallies, religious processions, protest marches and cultural gatherings. Most of these events – 931 or 79.9% – took place in states where the BJP directly governed or ruled in coalition.
Three BJP-ruled states – Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh – accounted for nearly half of the total hate speech events recorded in 2024, the lab’s data showed.
The ruling party was also the organiser for 340 such events in 2024, a 580% increase from the previous year.
“Hate speech patterns in 2024 also revealed a deeply alarming surge in dangerous speech compared to 2023, with both political leaders and religious figures openly inciting violence against Muslims,” the report said.
“This included calls for outright violence, calls to arms, the economic boycott of Muslim businesses, the destruction of Muslim residential properties and the seizing or demolition of Muslim religious structures.”
