A new study by a Washington-based research organisation has identified more than 500 songs linked to Hindutva ideology on major digital platforms which allegedly promote hatred and violence against India’s religious minorities, particularly Muslims and Christians.
The report, published by The Center for the Study of Organized Hate (CSOH), examined music available on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Music and Meta’s Music Library. Researchers said they found 523 songs that they believe violate platform policies by promoting hatred, dehumanising minority communities and encouraging violence.
Hindutva is a Hindu nationalist ideology that seeks to define Indian culture primarily through Hindu identity. Critics have long argued that extremist interpretations of the ideology contribute to hostility towards religious minorities, while supporters maintain it represents cultural nationalism.
According to the study, YouTube hosted 210 of the identified songs, followed by Spotify with 109, Meta’s Music Library with 103 and Apple Music with 101.
Researchers said many of the songs contained anti-Muslim and anti-Christian rhetoric, including communal slurs, conspiracy theories and threats directed at places of worship. The report alleges that some lyrics glorify violence and encourage hostility towards minority communities.
Nearly half of the songs examined allegedly contained explicit calls for violence. Out of the 523 songs identified, 263 were found to contain direct threats or incitement against religious minorities, while the remainder used dehumanising language and hateful stereotypes, according to the report.
“The overall effect is a self-reinforcing ecosystem in which hateful rhetoric and violent threats against religious minorities are encouraged, rewarded, and largely free from scrutiny or consequence,” the report said.
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CSOH warned that the widespread circulation of such content online could contribute to discrimination, fear and communal violence offline.
Popularity of songs
The study also highlighted the scale of engagement generated by the songs. Researchers found that videos on YouTube had collectively received more than 198 million views, while music available through Meta’s library had been used in over 5.9 million Instagram Reels.
Questions were also raised about monetisation and platform oversight.
According to the report, three YouTube channels were responsible for more than 40 percent of the identified songs and continued to operate as verified and monetised accounts. More than half of the videos examined reportedly had YouTube’s “Super Thanks” feature enabled, allowing viewers to financially support creators.
One channel, Mayur Music, was highlighted in the study for allegedly hosting 25 songs that violated platform policies while also receiving YouTube’s Silver Creator Award.
Monetisation
Researchers further claimed that 20 of the 30 prominent Hindutva singers examined maintained monetised Facebook accounts, allowing them to earn revenue through user engagement.
The report also found advertisements from more than 100 brands appearing alongside the videos. Among those identified were major international and Indian companies including ChatGPT, Google’s NotebookLM, Amazon Prime, Adobe, Dell, Flipkart, Kellogg’s and Levi’s, as well as India’s central bank, the Reserve Bank of India.
CSOH criticised technology companies for what it described as inconsistent enforcement of their own content moderation policies.
Researchers reported 225 songs to the platforms in October 2025. By May 2026, only 18 had been removed, while 207 remained online, representing more than 90 percent of the reported content.
The study also pointed to differences in reporting mechanisms across platforms. While YouTube and Meta were described as relatively accessible for submitting complaints, researchers said Spotify and Apple Music offered limited reporting options, making it significantly more difficult for users to flag potentially harmful content.
The findings are likely to intensify scrutiny of how major technology companies handle hate speech and extremist content, particularly in countries where religious tensions remain a significant social and political.
