India Hate Lab: Anti-minority hate speech up 74% in 2024, says report

Hate speech against minorities, especially Muslims, peaked during the national election, the report says.

British Broadcasting CorporationWatch LiveHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthVideoLiveHomeNewsIsrael-Gaza WarWar in UkraineUS & CanadaUKUK PoliticsEnglandN. IrelandN. Ireland PoliticsScotlandScotland PoliticsWalesWales PoliticsAfricaAsiaChinaIndiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastIn PicturesBBC InDepthBBC VerifySportBusinessExecutive LoungeTechnology of BusinessFuture of BusinessInnovationTechnologyScience & HealthArtificial IntelligenceAI v the MindCultureFilm & TVMusicArt & DesignStyleBooksEntertainment NewsArtsArts in MotionTravelDestinationsAfricaAntarcticaAsiaAustralia and PacificCaribbean & BermudaCentral AmericaEuropeMiddle EastNorth AmericaSouth AmericaWorld’s TableCulture & ExperiencesAdventuresThe SpeciaListEarthNatural WondersWeather & ScienceClimate SolutionsSustainable BusinessGreen LivingVideoLiveLive NewsLive SportHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthVideoLiveAudioWeatherNewslettersIndia sees huge spike in hate speech in 2024, says report3 hours agoMeryl Sebastian, BBC News, KochiGetty ImagesSeveral protests have been held against anti-Muslim violence and hate speech in IndiaInstances of hate speech against minorities jumped 74% in India in 2024, peaking during the country's national elections, according to a new report.

The report, released on Monday by Washington-based research group India Hate Lab, documented 1,165 such instances last year, adding that politicians like Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah were among the most frequent purveyors of hate speech.

Muslims were targeted the most, with 98.5% of recorded instances of hate speech directed against them.

The report said most of the events where hate speech occurred were held in states governed by Modi's party or larger alliance.

The BBC has sought comment on the India Hate Lab report from several spokespersons at Modi's Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cpwx9942x72o

---