Incidents of anti-Muslim hate speeches by not-fringe BJP leaders

The Narendra Modi-led government has declared the derogatory remarks made by Nupur Sharma do not reflect the view of the government. A spokesperson of the Indian Embassy in Qatar said the Indian ambassador termed Sharma a "fringe element".

The official statement of the BJP also appeared to be an effort to do damage control. While the party tried to distance itself from Sharma, who has been a vocal representative of the party, the Islamophobic actions of BJP leaders are not a secret.

BJP leaders and followers on several occasions have preached anti-Muslim sentiments. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's campaign has focused on anti-Muslim speech on many occasions. Over 30 of such hate speeches are publicly available, reported The Wire. He has referred to Muslims of India as "criminals", "Taliban", and "rioters" repeatedly.

Bihar BJP MLA Haribhushan Thakur Bachaul called to set Muslims on fire a few weeks ago. Earlier this year, he said Muslims living in India should not have voting rights and be treated as second-class citizens.

BJP MLA Mayankeshwar Singh has threatened Muslims with bodily harm for living in India. He said on camera: "If you have to live in Hindustan you have to say 'Radhe Radhe'. Or else, like those who went to Pakistan during the partition, you can go too. You have no use here".

Another BJP MLA from Uttar Pradesh, Raghvendra Pratap Singh verbally attacked Hindus who do not support him by saying all Hindus who did not vote for him have "miyan blood" in their veins. He further called such people "traitors of Hindu religion".

Hindu Mahasabha leader Pooja Shakun Pandey is also facing charges for calling for the mass murder of Muslims in the name of protecting the Hindu religion. BJP Mahila Morcha leader Udita Tyagi is also known to make genocidal calls on TV.

BJP leader and Supreme Court lawyer Ashwini Upadhyay was arrested for instigating hatred against Muslims in a rally at Jantar Mantar Delhi. He was accused of calling for the death of Muslims. In November 2021, he, on a panel, suggested Muslim men are mixing body fluids in the food and used the term "jihadis". A month later, he called for the genocide of Indian Muslims in the same way Rohingyas of Myanmar are hunted.

The violent anti-Muslim speeches by BJP leaders have translated to the death of both Muslim and non-Muslim civilians. In May, a 65-year-old man with mental health issues, Bhawarlal Jain, was found dead in Madhya Pradesh. A video of him being repeatedly slapped by a BJP worker Dinesh Kushwaha went viral. In the footage, the BJP follower is heard asking the elderly man if he is Muslim and demanding the Aadhar Card to identify his religion.