Colombo: A new report by the Center for the Study of Organized Hate (CSOH) has identified emerging signs of Hindu nationalist groups gaining grassroots influence in Sri Lanka, contributing to a complex landscape of religious extremism in the post-civil war era.
Titled “Contours of Emerging Hate in Sri Lanka”, the report details how new forms of religious fundamentalism have taken root since the end of the conflict. While ultra-nationalist Sinhala-Buddhist groups like the Bodu Bala Sena have long been known for spreading anti-Muslim sentiment through coordinated misinformation campaigns, the CSOH highlights a newer trend: the rise of similar ideologies within the Tamil-speaking North and East.
The report maps the activities of three specific Hindu nationalist groups: Siva Senai, Rudra Sena, and Ravana Sena. The Siva Senai, established in the Northern Province in 2016, ostensibly aims to “protect Hindu heritage” from “Sinhalization”—the imposition of Sinhala-Buddhist identity in historically Tamil and Muslim areas—and the perceived encroachment of Christianity and Islam.
However, the report notes that the narratives advanced by these groups often mirror divisive rhetoric found elsewhere in the region. Their campaigns frequently centre on anti-Christian and anti-Muslim sentiments, focusing on issues such as religious conversion, women’s attire, cattle slaughter, and interfaith marriages.
According to the CSOH, these groups are reportedly cultivating transnational linkages with Indian Hindu nationalist digital platforms, politicians, and public figures. Christian leaders in the region have also reported being targeted by groups promoting Hindutva ideologies, often with alleged links to right-wing organisations in India.
“Overall, the emergence and growing viability of these groups reflects a shifting political landscape in Sri Lanka, shaped in part by the weakening of both Tamil nationalist parties and Sinhala-Buddhist ultra-nationalist formations,” the report stated. It further observed that these groups attempt to influence electoral behaviour through appeals to Saiva Hindu identity and mobilisation around contested religious sites.
This development occurs against a backdrop where Buddhist monks have already become a source of fear for minorities. Indian journalist Sonia Faleiro, writing for The Guardian, noted that groups like the Bodu Bala Sena rally followers under the banner of protecting Buddhism but seem driven by a “quest for dominance”.
Sri Lanka’s demographic landscape consists of a Sinhalese-Buddhist majority, with Hindus, Muslims, and Christians forming significant minority communities. The report suggests that while Sinhala-Buddhist nationalism remains a dominant force, the rise of parallel Hindu nationalist movements introduces a new layer of complexity to inter-communal relations in the island nation.