Hate speech targeting religious minorities in India rose sharply in 2025, with Muslims facing the highest number of incidents, according to a new report by India Hate Lab.
The group documented 1,318 in-person hate speech events across the country during the year, a 13 percent increase compared with 2024 and nearly double the number recorded in 2023. Researchers said the figures show hostile rhetoric against minorities has become increasingly visible and normalised in public life.
India Hate Lab defines hate speech events as public gatherings, including political rallies, religious processions, protest marches and nationalist meetings, where speakers openly target religious communities.
According to the report, Muslims were the most frequently targeted group, with incidents rising by nearly 12 percent over the previous year. Hate speech against Christians increased by around 41 percent, marking the sharpest annual rise recorded for the community.
Together, speeches targeting Muslims and Christians accounted for the vast majority of incidents documented in 2025.
Researchers said minorities were routinely portrayed as outsiders, anti-national actors or demographic threats, language that has become increasingly common at public events.
BJP-ruled states dominate figures
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The highest number of hate speech events were reported in Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Delhi, which together accounted for almost two-thirds of all incidents nationwide.
According to the report, nearly 88 percent of the events took place in states governed by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, either directly or through coalition governments, marking a notable increase compared with the previous year.
India Hate Lab said the pattern suggests inflammatory rhetoric has continued beyond election periods and is now present throughout the year.
Speaking to 5Pillars, Raqib Hameed Naik, executive director of the Center for the Study of Organised Hate (CSOH), said the data pointed to a shift in how hate speech is mobilised in India.
“The data show that while domestic and international events continued to trigger episodic spikes in hate speech, the more striking trend was the persistence of an elevated baseline throughout the year,” said Eviane Leidig, director of research at the centre.
“Unlike previous years, where hate speech tapered off outside election cycles, 2025 saw sustained mobilisation even during non-election periods, pointing to a strategic shift rather than reactive mobilisation alone.”
Conspiracy theories and calls for violence
Nearly half of all recorded speeches referenced conspiracy theories such as love jihad, population jihad or halal jihad, terms used by Hindu nationalist groups to accuse Muslims of secretly undermining India’s Hindu majority. Researchers said the claims lack factual basis but remain widely circulated in political speeches and online content.
The report also flagged a rise in the severity of rhetoric. Almost one in four speeches contained direct calls for violence, while others promoted social or economic boycotts or called for the demolition of mosques and churches.
Prominent religious sites, including the Gyanvapi Mosque and the Shahi Idgah Mosque, were repeatedly referenced during hate speech events.
The report identified Hindu nationalist organisations such as the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal as among the most frequent organisers of hate speech gatherings.
Researchers also noted the growing involvement of religious figures, including Hindu monks and priests, whom the report said helped legitimise anti-minority narratives among audiences.
Social media amplification
Social media platforms were found to play a central role in spreading hate speech, with videos from 1,278 of the 1,318 events uploaded or live-streamed online.
Facebook accounted for the largest share of uploads, followed by YouTube, Instagram and X. Researchers said inconsistent enforcement of platform policies has allowed such content to circulate widely.
India Hate Lab warned that the sustained spread of hate speech has increased the vulnerability of Muslims and Christians to harassment, discrimination and violence.
The report noted that the rise in hostile rhetoric has coincided with policy decisions and legal measures that disproportionately affect religious minorities, including stricter anti-conversion laws and increased scrutiny of Muslim communities.
It said the continued normalisation of hate speech risks further deepening social divisions and weakening protections for minority groups in India.
