NEW DELHI: Hate speech against minorities, including Muslims and Christians, rose by 13 percent in 2025 in India, with most incidents taking place in Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) governed states, a US-based research group said on Tuesday.
India Hate Lab reported 1,318 cases of hate speech in 2025, marking a steady rise from 1,165 incidents in 2024 and 668 in 2023.
According to the group, these incidents occurred at political gatherings, religious processions, protest rallies, and cultural events across the country.
The report noted that 1,164 of the recorded cases took place in states and union territories governed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), either on its own or in alliance with coalition partners.
The data showed April as the month with the sharpest increase, recording 158 incidents.
Nearly 100 of these occurred between April 22, following a deadly attack in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, and May 7, when tensions escalated into a conflict between Pakistan and India.
Human rights organisations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, have long warned of growing pressure on minority communities in India since Modi assumed office in 2014.
“Sorry Christmas.” 🎄😢⚠️🙏
“Christmas is under attack in India.”
Caste Hindu goons attacked and vandalised a Christmas setup at a mall in Raipur.
The world is watching India. We are turning into a zombie society. Govts seems helpless before these goons. Pathetic situation! pic.twitter.com/WVES00sEsD
— Suraj Kumar Bauddh (@SurajKrBauddh) December 25, 2025
They have highlighted measures such as a religion-based citizenship law—described by the United Nations as “fundamentally discriminatory”—along with anti-conversion laws, restrictions on religious freedom, the 2019 revocation of occupied Kashmir’s special status, and the demolition of properties owned by Muslims.
India Hate Lab, founded by US-based Kashmiri journalist Raqib Hameed Naik, is a project of the Centre for the Study of Organised Hate, a nonprofit Washington-based think tank. The BJP has alleged that India Hate Lab presents a biased picture of India.
India Hate Lab said it follows the United Nations’ definition of hate speech, which describes it as prejudicial or discriminatory expression directed at individuals or groups on the basis of characteristics such as religion, ethnicity, nationality, race, or gender.
It may be recalled that the United States has also condemned recent attacks by Hindu groups against Christians in India and reaffirmed its opposition to violence targeting people because of their faith.
The warning comes amid rising incidents of religious intolerance across India, particularly around the Christmas holiday.
Earlier in December last year, Pakistan had also expressed deep concern over attacks on Christians in India, citing incidents of vandalism and threats during Christmas celebrations.
Pakistan’s Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said the incidents reflect a broader pattern of intolerance against religious minorities.
