WASHINGTON, A Washington-based project, Hindutva Watch, has raised concerns about the growing incidents of hate speech and crimes against religious minorities in India, casting doubt on the nation’s future as a secular state and as the world’s largest democracy.
According to Kashmir Media Service, since Narendra Modi of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) took office as India’s prime minister in 2014, hate crimes and speech against religious minorities, especially Muslims, have surged. Hindutva Watch reported that nearly 80% of these incidents occurred in states and territories governed by the BJP, even though they account for only 45% of India’s population.
Founded in 2021 by Raqib Naik and his team, Hindutva Watch has been monitoring and archiving incidents of hate speech against minorities. Their repository includes over 1,200 videos, which have collectively garnered millions of views. Naik, a 28-year-old journalist, launched this initiative to consolidate information about hate crimes in India, especially given the rise in Hindu nationalism.
Born in occupied Jammu and Kashmir, Naik has reported on human rights abuses in the region, especially those against Kashmiri civilians by Indian forces. After facing harassment for his reporting, Naik chose to reside in the U.S. He believes that being “a Kashmiri, Muslim, and a journalist” puts him at risk in India.
Naik started his mission by tracking the social media activities of far-right leaders in India, noting their efforts to spread hate and influence their base. Naik highlights that mainstream Indian media rarely reports on such hate crimes and speeches, leading to an information void.
Anil Yadav, a journalist from Uttar Pradesh, expressed his disappointment with the media industry’s current state, revealing that there were instructions to primarily criticize opposition leaders and portray the BJP in a favourable light. Another anonymous journalist from Maharashtra shared similar sentiments, describing their role as more public relations than journalism.
Despite the challenges, Naik is committed to using Hindutva Watch as a platform to instigate change. With over 75,000 followers on the social media platform X, he hopes to influence global policymakers. However, the project has faced backlash, including complaints and demands to remove content. For instance, after reporting on an inflammatory speech by Sant Yuvraj Maharaj, a Hindu militant leader, the Indian government requested its removal from X, which was subsequently complied with.
Amnesty International’s representative pointed out the lack of official data on hate crimes in India, highlighting the importance of independent tracking mechanisms like Hindutva Watch.