Human rights researcher Raqeeb Hameed Naik seeks sanctions on Hindu groups; USCIRF told about hate speech, demolitions, evictions and discriminatory laws against minorities in India
LONDON — A hearing before the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom has drawn fresh international attention to allegations of growing persecution of Muslims, Christians and backward communities in India. The US-based human rights researcher Raqeeb Hameed Naik presented detailed testimony accusing state institutions and Hindu organisations of enabling discrimination and violence against minorities.
Naik, who serves as executive director of the Centre for the Study of Organised Hate, told the commission at the weekend that anti-minority campaigns in India were receiving “high political patronage” and were being carried out through a combination of government institutions, political networks and extremist groups.
In his testimony, Naik alleged that the repression of minorities in India was “embedded in bureaucracy, codified in law, protected by complete impunity and increasingly ruthless.”
The testimony included criticism of policies and speeches linked to several senior political leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
Naik alleged that hate speech against Muslims and Christians had sharply increased in recent years. According to figures cited in his testimony, 1,318 incidents of hate speech were recorded in 21 Indian states in 2025, marking what he described as a 97 per cent rise compared with 2023.
He claimed that minorities were publicly referred to using terms such as “termites”, “snakes”, “worms” and “pigs” at political and religious gatherings. He also alleged that some Hindu extremist groups had organised training involving swords, knives and firearms.
Naik further alleged that Muslims in Assam were facing large-scale evictions and demolition drives. Referring to the government led by Himanta Biswa Sarma, he claimed that at least 33 eviction operations had been carried out between 2021 and 2026.
According to his testimony, more than 22,000 houses and structures were demolished and nearly 300,000 families were affected.
“If this trend continues, India could become one of the countries with the largest internally displaced populations in the world,” Naik told the commission.
The activist also criticised laws and policies such as the Citizenship Amendment Act, the National Register of Citizens and the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, alleging that these measures were disproportionately affecting Muslim communities and threatening to disenfranchise large numbers of voters.
Naik’s testimony additionally raised concerns over the demolition of Muslim-owned properties in several states. He alleged that machinery produced by companies such as JCB, Caterpillar Inc., Tata Group, Mahindra Group and Hyundai Motor Company had been used during demolition campaigns targeting Muslim properties.
He urged the US commission to examine whether companies supplying heavy machinery were carrying out adequate human rights checks before their equipment was used in such operations.
The testimony also focused on attacks linked to self-styled cow vigilante groups. Naik alleged that Muslim cattle transporters and drivers were regularly assaulted in several Indian states and claimed that more than 4,000 videos related to such attacks had been documented over the past three years.
Speaking about the situation of Christians, Naik alleged that churches had been shut down in some areas and that priests and worshippers were facing violence, harassment and accusations of forced conversion.
He cited figures from the United Christian Forum claiming that incidents of violence against Christians rose by 555 per cent between 2014 and 2024.
Naik also accused social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and X, of becoming what he called “central infrastructure” for spreading hate speech and inflammatory content targeting minorities.
He further alleged that Indian authorities were monitoring and pressuring critics living abroad. Naik claimed that he personally received a notice through X seeking his GPS location data.
During the hearing, Naik called on the United States government to designate India as a “Country of Particular Concern” under international religious freedom provisions.
He also demanded Global Magnitsky sanctions against organisations such as Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad, along with sanctions against certain Indian political leaders.
Indian government representatives and leaders of Hindu nationalist organisations have repeatedly rejected allegations of systematic persecution of minorities and maintain that India’s laws apply equally to all citizens regardless of religion. Officials have also defended eviction drives and law enforcement actions as measures linked to illegal encroachments and public order.
The testimony before the USCIRF is likely to add to the ongoing international debate surrounding religious freedom, minority rights and political polarisation in India.
