Hate Speech Events in India 2024

FOCUS

India Hate Lab (IHL) published this report in February 2025. It records and investigates hate speech incidents that occurred all across the country in the year 2024. The report notes that the number of hate speech incidents increased from 668 in 2023 to 1,165 in 2024, marking a 74.4 per cent rise. It lists nationalist festivals, religious meetings, political rallies, and election campaigns as major venues for the spread of hate speech.

The report also highlights the role of social media platforms in promoting hate speech. It identifies 995 videos which could be tracked back to Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, or X where they were first uploaded or live-streamed. The report's methodology includes social media tracking, media analysis, field reporting, and verification based on the United Nations hate speech framework and the Rabat Plan of Action's six-part threshold test.

This 115-page document is divided into fifteen chapters: Introduction (Chapter 1); Key Findings (Chapter 2); Methodology (Chapter 3); Hate Speech Trends in 2024 (Chapter 4); Anti-Christian Hate Speech (Chapter 5); Hate Speech During Elections (Chapter 6); Rohingya Refugees & “Bangladeshi Infiltrator” Narrative (Chapter 7); Hindu Religious Leaders and Hate Speech (Chapter 8); Dangerous Speech and Call to Arms (Chapter 9); Economic Boycott of Minorities (Chapter 10); Campaign to Seize Minority Places of Worship (Chapter 11); Political Shifts and Hate Speech (Chapter 12); Judicial and Legislative Developments on Hate Speech (Chapter 13); Social Media Platforms and Hate Speech (Chapter 14); Conclusion (Chapter 15).

    FACTOIDS

  1. According to the report, hate speech increased significantly during the general elections in 2024 and the state elections in Maharashtra and Jharkhand. Hate speech targeted Muslims (98.5 per cent of the cases) and Christians (9.9 per cent of the cases), with common themes including calls for violence, economic and social boycotts, and conspiracy theories based on “jihad”.

  2. Social media played an important role in amplifying hate speech. Facebook alone accounted for 495 videos. As high as 266 hate speeches delivered by senior BJP leaders were simultaneously live-streamed across numerous platforms. 

  3. Uttar Pradesh recorded the highest number of hate speech occurrences in 2024, with 242 incidents which marked a 132.7 per cent increase over 2023. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath alone delivered 86 hate speeches, 45 of which occurred in May 2024 during the peak of India's general elections. 

  4. Anti-Christian hate speech increased in 2024 with 115 reported incidents, 106 of which happened in BJP-ruled states. Madhya Pradesh recorded most such incidents (20 cases), followed by Uttar Pradesh (19 cases) and Maharashtra (15 cases). December saw the peak in such incidents, with 17 hate speech recorded during the Christmas season indicating a broader pattern. 

  5. The 2024 general elections saw an increase in hate speech, with 373 incidents reported between March 16 and June 1. 

  6. Dangerous speech and direct calls for violence increased in 2024 with 259 occurrences documented, 217 of which were in BJP-ruled states. Many speeches encouraged Hindus to equip themselves, with some events even distributing pitchforks and swords. 

  7. This report states that 111 hate speeches called for an economic and social boycott of minorities, with 85 per cent of these cases taking place in BJP-ruled states. These talks, frequently linked to conspiracy theories like "love jihad" and "spit jihad," tried to separate Muslims and Christians economically, portraying boycotts as a vital defense against an alleged existential threat.

  8. Karnataka resisted the nationwide increase in hate speech, cutting incidents by 20 per cent in 2024 compared to the previous year through proactive governance, fact-checking programs, and police intervention. 

  9. In 2024, 995 hate speech incidents were posted or live-streamed on social media, with Facebook hosting 495 videos (49.8 per cent of such incidents) and YouTube hosting 211 videos (21.2 per cent). 


    Focus and Factoids by Muskan Dhalwal.

AUTHOR

India Hate Lab 

COPYRIGHT

India Hate Lab 

PUBLICATION DATE

Feb, 2025

TAGS

#hate-speech #social-meda #election #minorities

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