On February 10, 2025, the India Hate Lab (IHL) released a report titled Hate Speech Events in India 2024, highlighting a rise in hate speech targeting religious minorities, especially Muslims and Christians. The report, compiled by the Center for the Study of Organized Hate (CSOH), documents and analyzes 1,165 verified hate speech events across India in 2024—a staggering 74.4% increase from the previous year.
According to the report, the majority of these incidents occurred during political rallies, electoral events, religious processions, and nationalist gatherings. Many of these events, the report states, were organized with the express aim of harassing minorities, particularly Muslims and Christians.
“The rise in hate speech in 2024 directly correlates with the political climate and the ongoing ideological push by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP),” the report states.
“Hate speech incidents surged during key electoral events, particularly the Indian general election and state elections in Maharashtra and Jharkhand.”
The BJP and its allies played a central role in instigating hate speech, with top party leaders like Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath being prominently involved in spreading communal rhetoric, according to the report.
“During the election period in May 2024, political leaders and religious figures associated with Hindu nationalist organizations were responsible for an overwhelming majority of hate speech incidents,” the report adds. “What’s alarming is the direct involvement of BJP leaders at the national level in propagating dangerous speech.”
The report also reveals a shift in hate speech patterns, with the demonization of Muslims and Christians intensifying. The report documents how Hindu far-right leaders have increasingly portrayed Muslims as “infiltrators” and linked them to exaggerated claims about violence against Hindus in neighbouring Bangladesh.
“Hate speeches frequently linked Indian Muslims to claims of being Bangladeshi migrants or Rohingya refugees,” the report states. “This narrative has helped stoke exclusionary sentiments and has escalated anti-minority hostility.”
One key finding of the report is the alarming increase in dangerous speech—defined as speech that promotes violence against minority groups. “This kind of speech has risen sharply, with political and religious leaders openly inciting violence against Muslims,” the report states. “There have been calls for boycotting Muslim businesses, destroying Muslim homes, and even demolishing their religious structures.”
Social media played a major role in amplifying this rhetoric. Of the 1,165 hate speech events, 995 were traced back to social media platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and X (formerly Twitter), where they were first uploaded or live-streamed. Facebook alone accounted for nearly half of these videos.
The report also notes that despite platforms’ community standards prohibiting hate speech, very little action has been taken to remove violative content. “As of February 6, 2025, only 3 out of 259 harmful videos have been removed from Facebook, leaving 98.4% still accessible,” the report says.
The findings show that hate speech has become increasingly normalized in Indian politics, with leaders using it as a tool to rally support and spread exclusionary narratives. “This is not just a political tool—it’s become an integral part of how political discourse operates in India,” the report concludes.
