A study conducted by the Washington DC-based India Hate Lab has reported a 74.4% increase in anti-minority hate speech in India in 2024 compared to the previous year, documenting 1,165 instances targeting religious minorities, primarily Muslims and Christians.
The study, Social Media and Hate Speech in India highlighted that 98.5% of these incidents targeted Muslims, either explicitly or alongside Christians, while 9.9% were directed at Christians.
The study revealed that politicians were among the most frequent purveyors of hate speech, with six out of the ten most active figures being political leaders, including Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
Adityanath was found responsible for 86 instances, accounting for 7.4% of all recorded hate speech incidents, while Modi delivered 67 such speeches, making up 5.7% of the total in 2024.
The report analysed the role of social media in amplifying hate speech and documented its spread across various public gatherings, such as political rallies, electoral campaign events, religious processions, and protest marches.
It found that 79.9% of these incidents occurred in states and Union Territories governed by the BJP, while opposition-ruled states accounted for only 20% of such events.
According to the findings, BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh reported the highest number of hate speech incidents, collectively contributing to 47% of all recorded cases.
The BJP itself emerged as the most frequent organiser of events where hate speech was documented, with the study noting that 340 such instances were linked to the party, particularly during the general elections held between March and June and key state elections in Jharkhand and Maharashtra. This marked a 580% increase from 2023, according to the research.
Raqib Hameed Naik, executive director of the Center for the Study of Organized Hate, which operates India Hate Lab, stated that the report demonstrated how anti-minority hate speech was not incidental but followed a deliberate pattern, highlighting that it had become a standard feature of Indian political culture, electoral campaigns, institutional structures, and the social fabric.
A separate report published by Human Rights Watch in August had pointed to Modi’s role in spreading Islamophobic rhetoric during the 2024 Lok Sabha election campaign, stating that he made such remarks in at least 110 speeches.
The report noted that these statements appeared to be aimed at undermining the political opposition by portraying it as favouring Muslim rights while fostering fear among the Hindu majority through disinformation.
The findings suggested that Modi’s campaign frequently relied on hate speech targeting Muslims and other minorities, with BJP leaders repeatedly making statements that incited discrimination, hostility, and violence against marginalised groups.
The Human Rights Watch report also referred to Modi’s speech in Banswara, Rajasthan, on April 21, where he described Muslims as "infiltrators" and accused them of having more children.
It further stated that the prime minister made similar remarks on multiple occasions during his campaign, reinforcing the study’s broader findings on the increasing use of hate speech in Indian political discourse.