A recent report by the India Hate Lab (IHL) has documented a disturbing spike in hate speech events across India, with 64 in-person incidents recorded between April 22 and May 2 in nine states and the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). This surge followed the Pahalgam attack and has reportedly been exploited by Hindu nationalist groups to stoke communal discord.
Maharashtra topped the list with 17 incidents, followed by Uttar Pradesh (13), Uttarakhand and Haryana (6 each), Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh (5 each), Himachal Pradesh (5), Bihar (4), and Chhattisgarh (2). According to the IHL report, these gatherings were largely organized by far-right Hindu outfits including the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), Bajrang Dal, Antarrashtriya Hindu Parishad (AHP), Rashtriya Bajrang Dal (RBD), Hindu Janajagruti Samiti, Sakal Hindu Samaj, Hindu Rashtra Sena, and Hindu Raksha Dal.
The report highlights that the rallies frequently featured inflammatory rhetoric targeting Muslims, with speakers using dehumanising slurs such as “green snakes,” “keede” (insects), and “mad dogs.” Calls for violence, social exclusion, and economic boycotts were common.
Several prominent figures associated with Hindu nationalist groups, including BJP MLA Nandkishor Gurjar, reportedly incited violence and encouraged Hindus to arm themselves. Speakers at these events often invoked conspiracies linking Indian Muslims to Pakistan and Bangladesh, further fuelling communal hostilities.
The hate campaign has reportedly triggered a rise in hate crimes, especially against Muslims and Kashmiris. Documented incidents include assaults on Muslim vendors in Haryana, attacks on Kashmiri shawl sellers, threats by BJP leaders in Uttarakhand, and a brutal axe attack in Uttar Pradesh, where the attacker allegedly declared, “Twenty-six were killed; twenty-six of yours will die too.”
IHL also found that most hate rallies were livestreamed or posted on social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and X, significantly amplifying their reach. Researchers warned that this online dissemination of hate content is contributing directly to real-world violence.
