Democracy in Crisis- The Alarming Normalization of Anti-Muslim Hate Speech in India

India, the world’s largest democracy, witnessed a shocking surge in hate speech against Muslims in 2024, with incidents rising by 74% compared to the previous year. 

A new report by the Washington-based India Hate Lab (IHL) has revealed that an overwhelming 98.5% of all recorded hate speech incidents targeted Muslims, exposing the growing hostility they face in the country. 

The report documented 1,165 hate speech incidents in 2024, with 931 of them occurring in states governed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the ruling Hindu nationalist party of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh (three BJP-ruled states) accounted for nearly half of these incidents. 

The 2024 national elections were marred by an aggressive anti-Muslim narrative. Critics and rights groups accused Modi and his party of using hate speech as an electoral strategy to mobilize Hindu voters. During campaign rallies, Modi referred to Muslims as “infiltrators” and suggested that the opposition Congress party would redistribute national wealth to them if elected. 

The IHL report found that BJP leaders delivered over 450 hate speeches in 2024, a staggering 350% increase from the previous year. Modi alone was responsible for 63 of these speeches, while Home Minister Amit Shah and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath further intensified the rhetoric. 

Hate speech events were frequently held at political rallies, religious processions, and cultural gatherings, reinforcing the anti-Muslim narrative at every level. 

Despite clear evidence, the BJP has repeatedly denied accusations of Islamophobia. Party spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill dismissed the IHL report as an attack on India’s reputation. 

“India as a nation has a very strong legal system which is structured to maintain peace, order, and ensure non-violence at any cost,” he told media. Shergill added, “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.” 

However, the Election Commission of India was forced to intervene in May 2024, asking the BJP to remove a social media post that opposition leaders claimed “demonized Muslims.” Hate speech incidents peaked that month, with 269 cases recorded—underscoring the political motivations behind the surge. 

A Muslim man was shot during an intense period of communal unrest in New Delhi in 2019

The report highlighted the alarming consequences of this hate speech. “Hate speech patterns in 2024 revealed a deeply alarming surge in dangerous speech compared to 2023, with both political leaders and religious figures openly inciting violence against Muslims,” it stated. 

This included direct calls for violence, economic boycotts of Muslim businesses, and the destruction of Muslim religious sites. 

Social media has played a significant role in amplifying anti-Muslim hate. Platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and X (formerly Twitter) were used extensively to spread inflammatory rhetoric. 

The report found that 266 anti-Muslim speeches by senior BJP leaders were simultaneously broadcast across these platforms, reaching millions. Despite content moderation policies, these companies failed to curb the spread of hate speech. 

The surge in hate speech aligns with a broader trend of Hindu nationalist assertions under Modi’s leadership. Since 2014, Modi’s government has introduced policies that disproportionately impact Muslims, such as the revocation of Kashmir’s special autonomy and the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act, which excludes Muslim refugees. 

Muslims have also faced systemic erasure, from history books being rewritten to downplay Islamic contributions to the demolition of Muslim-owned properties under the guise of “illegal encroachments.” 

The inauguration of the Ram Temple on the site of the demolished Babri Masjid in 2024 has further emboldened Hindu nationalist groups, who now demand the takeover of more Muslim religious sites. 

While India’s penal code criminalizes hate speech, enforcement has been weak. “The judiciary has failed to take concrete action against hate speech despite clear prohibitions under various laws in India,” said Anas Tanwir, founder of the Indian Civil Liberties Union. 

Experts argue that this lack of accountability has emboldened politicians and extremist groups, creating an environment where hate speech and violence against Muslims go unchecked. 

The consequences of this unchecked hate speech are dire. It not only threatens the safety of India’s 200-million-strong Muslim community but also emboldens Hindu extremist groups. 

Past incidents of communal violence have shown that hate speech often translates into real-world attacks, and the growing normalization of anti-Muslim rhetoric makes future violence almost inevitable.