Opposition leaders argue hate speech is becoming routine in political rhetoric, especially among top BJP figures
NEW DELHI — Amid mounting concerns about increasing communal violence and hate speech nationwide, the Association for the Protection of Civil Rights (APCR) has launched a new website to track and document hate crimes, which largely target Muslims.
The portal, apcrhct.org, enables citizens to submit reports of hate crimes and hate speech through a comprehensive online form. The organisation said it follows the UN-backed Rabat Plan of Action, using its six-point framework to differentiate unlawful hate speech from protected free expression.
APCR stated that the portal’s purpose is to systematically record incidents that are often underreported or dispersed across various sources.
Association representative Fawaz Shaheen said the platform seeks to improve transparency and accountability in documenting hate cases.
At the launch event held in the national capital on Wednesday, legal experts, activists, and opposition leaders addressed the rise of hate speech in the country.
Opposition leaders warned that hate speech has grown increasingly normalised in political discourse, particularly from senior leaders of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh said hate crimes are underreported or misrepresented. “The data we have in Parliament about hate crimes and riots comes from the home minister. It is many times higher than this,” Singh said.
“But they do it cleverly. They don’t show them as hate crimes… They categorise them as riots. They don’t show them as violence,” he added.
Singh also alleged that hate speech by political leaders directly fuels violence. “How much have hate crimes increased because of the prime minister’s speeches? How much have hate crimes increased because of chief ministers’ speeches?” he asked. He continued, “Our prime minister says we can identify people by their clothes. This means he claims he can identify who is Hindu and who is Muslim.”
Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) lawmaker Manoj Jha voiced concerns about the wider political climate, questioning whether elections under such conditions remain fair. “I say, when you have a choice between winning elections or winning the country, then winning the country will be the choice,” Jha said.
“What do people want? Should elections be conducted like this?” he asked, contrasting India’s political competition with other democracies.
He also pointed to structural and institutional issues, stating, “Efforts are being made across the country… whether it is through delimitation, or proxy systems.”
Jha added, “Otherwise, you may have to increase the capacity of your hate tracker website.”
According to APCR’s compiled data, 3,576 religion-based hate incidents have been recorded across India since 2014. Preliminary analysis indicates physical assaults make up 747 incidents, while 376 cases involve attacks on property. Other frequently cited triggers include visible religious identity (908 incidents), disputes over food choices such as non-vegetarian consumption (547 incidents), and religious festivals (166 incidents).
The organisation also said its database now holds detailed records from 2024 through early 2026, documenting 1,153 hate crime cases and 761 incidents of hate speech.
