India Hate Lab finds sharp rise in attacks on religious minorities, mostly Muslims, concentrated in BJP-ruled states and amplified by rallies, online platforms, and weak enforcement
NEW DELHI — India witnessed a sharp and troubling rise in hate speech during 2025, with Muslims bearing the brunt of a trend that rights groups say has moved from election rhetoric into daily political and social life. According to a detailed new report by India Hate Lab, a total of 1,318 hate speech incidents targeting religious minorities were recorded last year, marking a 13 percent increase from 2024 and a 97 percent rise compared to 2023.
The findings paint a stark picture of how hate speech has become routine, public, and often unchecked, leaving Muslim communities across the country feeling exposed, unsafe, and unsure of protection despite constitutional guarantees of equality and freedom.
The report, released in January 2026, shows that 98 per cent of all recorded hate speech incidents in 2025 were directed against Muslims. Rights workers say this scale of targeting cannot be treated as random or isolated. Instead, they describe it as a sustained campaign affecting how Muslims live, work, study, and move in public spaces.
“This level of targeting tells us that hate speech against Muslims is no longer an exception,” a Delhi-based civil rights activist said. “It has become part of the noise of everyday politics, and that is deeply dangerous.”
India Hate Lab documented 668 hate speech incidents in 2023. That number rose to 1,165 in 2024 and then climbed again to 1,318 in 2025. Researchers say the steady increase shows earlier warnings were ignored.
The report states that hate speech is now being used not only during elections but also at religious events, street gatherings, and local protests, turning public spaces into platforms for open hostility towards minorities.
In its assessment, the report notes that hate speech has become “a regularly used political and social tool,” rather than a short-term tactic linked only to voting seasons.
Of the 1,318 incidents recorded in 2025, 1,156 directly targeted Muslims. Another 133 cases targeted both Muslims and Christians, marking about a 12 per cent increase from the 1,147 incidents recorded against Muslims in 2024.
Christians were targeted in 162 incidents, accounting for 12 per cent of the total. This represents a rise of about 41 per cent compared to the previous year, pointing to growing pressure on multiple minority groups, though Muslims remain the primary focus.
The language used in many of these speeches followed a clear pattern. Muslims and Christians were often described as “anti-national,” a “threat,” “infiltrators,” or as responsible for a so-called “demographic crisis.”
“These labels are meant to strip people of dignity and citizenship,” a researcher associated with the study said. “Once a group is painted as a threat, harm against them starts to feel justified to some listeners.”
The report analysed data from 23 states and Union Territories. In 16 of these, the Bharatiya Janata Party or its allies were in power for most of the year. These BJP-ruled regions accounted for 1,164 hate speech incidents, or 88 per cent of the national total, marking a 25 per cent increase compared to 2024 in the same states.
In contrast, the seven states ruled by opposition parties recorded 154 incidents in 2025, 34 per cent fewer than the year before.
State-wise figures underline the imbalance. Uttar Pradesh recorded the highest number with 266 incidents, followed by Maharashtra with 193, Madhya Pradesh with 172, Uttarakhand with 155, and Delhi with 76. Karnataka, ruled by the Congress, also appeared in the top ten with 40 cases.
Muslim leaders in Uttar Pradesh said the figures reflect what communities have been experiencing for years. “This data only puts numbers to our fear,” a Muslim community worker from western Uttar Pradesh said. “We hear these speeches, we see the videos, and then we face the social fallout.”
The report highlights that hate speech peaked during election periods and religious events. Assembly elections in Delhi and Bihar, along with local body polls, became major stages for hostile speeches.
April recorded the highest number of incidents, with 158 cases. This surge was linked to Ram Navami processions and rallies held after the Pahalgam terror attack. Between 22 April and 7 May alone, 98 hate speech incidents were recorded in just 16 days.
Rights observers say religious processions, which should be peaceful, are increasingly used to deliver political messages aimed at minorities. “When faith is mixed with hate, it creates fear far beyond the event itself,” a social worker in Delhi said.
Nearly half of all hate speeches in 2025 — around 656 incidents — included conspiracy claims such as “Love Jihad,” “Land Jihad,” “Population Jihad,” “Thook Jihad,” “Education Jihad,” “Drug Jihad,” and “Vote Jihad,” a 13 per cent rise compared to 2024.
The report explains that these claims present minorities as organised enemies plotting against the majority, even when no evidence exists. Such narratives, researchers warn, feed suspicion in everyday interactions, from renting homes to sharing public spaces.
In 141 speeches, minorities were described using animal or pest-like terms such as “termites,” “parasites,” “pigs,” “mad dogs,” and “poisonous snakes.” Muslim scholars say such language lowers the threshold for violence.
“When people are spoken about like animals, it becomes easier to hurt them,” said a Muslim academic based in Hyderabad. “Words prepare the ground.”
One of the most disturbing findings relates to open calls for violence. The report recorded 308 speeches, or 23 per cent of the total, that included direct calls for violence. In 136 cases, speakers openly urged people to take up arms.
Maharashtra recorded the highest number of such speeches, with 78 incidents, up from 64 in 2024. Around 40 per cent of all hate speech cases in the state included direct calls for violence.
Among political figures linked to such speeches, Maharashtra minister Nitesh Rane featured among the leaders issuing violent calls. In the previous year, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami delivered 71 hate speeches, making him the most active leader in this category in 2024.
The report also recorded 120 speeches calling for the social and economic boycott of Muslims, urging people not to buy from Muslim shops or engage with Muslim workers.
Calls for violence rose by 19 per cent compared to 2024, while appeals for social and economic boycott increased by 8 per cent.
“These calls hurt livelihoods,” said a Muslim trader from central India. “Even one speech can ruin years of hard work.”
In 276 speeches, speakers demanded the removal or demolition of mosques, dargahs, and churches. The most frequently targeted sites were the Gyanvapi Mosque in Varanasi and the Shah-i-Eidgah Mosque in Mathura, both in Uttar Pradesh.
Muslim residents near these sites say such speeches increase tension and fear. “When leaders talk about removing mosques, it makes us worry about mobs,” said a local resident from Varanasi. “We feel unprotected.”
India Hate Lab identified more than 160 organisations and informal groups whose events featured hate speech. The Vishva Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal were linked to the highest number of incidents, with 289 events, followed by the International Hindu Parishad with 138 events.
Researchers say this points to coordination rather than isolated outbursts. “This is organised,” a report contributor said. “It is not one angry person speaking alone.”
The report stresses the central role of social media in spreading hate speech. Videos of 1,278 of the 1,318 incidents were first shared or live-streamed online.
Facebook accounted for 942 videos, followed by YouTube with 246, Instagram with 67, and X with 23.
The report states that “social media platforms, especially Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and X, played a major role in the smooth functioning of this entire hate ecosystem.”
It adds that live-streaming enabled rapid spread “in complete contradiction to the hate speech prevention claims and policies of these platforms.”
Muslim activists say online amplification turns local hate into national fear. “A speech in one town reaches millions,” said a youth worker in Mumbai. “There is no escape.”
Beyond numbers, the report reflects a deep impact on Muslim life. Community leaders say fear now shapes decisions about travel, business, schooling, and even worship.
“Parents worry when children go to school,” said a Muslim teacher from Rajasthan. “Shopkeepers worry about customers. Women worry about safety in public.”
Many Muslims say they feel blamed for crimes they did not commit and pressured to prove loyalty repeatedly. “We are citizens, not suspects,” a student from Delhi said.
Amid the grim findings, the report notes one positive development. Karnataka passed the Hate Speech and Hate Crime (Prevention) Bill, 2025, becoming the first state to enact a comprehensive law addressing hate speech.
The law allows for up to seven years in prison and a fine of up to ₹50,000 for hate crimes, covering speech made in public, in print, or online.
Rights groups welcomed the move but said one state law is not enough. “This shows action is possible,” said a legal expert. “But protection should not depend on state borders.”
India Hate Lab and civil rights groups have urged authorities to act against hate speech swiftly and fairly, arguing that delay and silence send the wrong message.
“When action is slow, it feels like approval,” a Muslim lawyer said. “People then feel free to repeat these speeches.”
The report’s findings raise serious questions about political responsibility, policing, and platform accountability. For India’s Muslims, the data confirms a lived reality.
“This is not about hurt feelings,” said a community elder from Uttar Pradesh. “It is about safety, dignity, and the right to live without fear.”
As hate speech continues to rise, Muslim groups say the real test will be whether institutions choose to protect those under attack or allow words to keep turning into harm.
