Attacks on Hindus and Hindu Dharma, both in Bharat and overseas, are frequent and unrelenting. In many regions of the world, this persecution is like a genocide slowly unfolding before our eyes. For decades, the world has ignored the actual depth and breadth of these attacks, driven by disturbing anti-Hindu bigotry. From murders, forced conversions, land grabs, assault on festivals, desecration of temples and murtis, hate speech, and sexual violence to institutionalized & legal discrimination, Hindus are facing an increasing assault on their very existence along with an unprecedented Hindu hatred.
In this weekly summary for the period from 10 October to 16 November 2024, we hope to provide a snapshot of such crimes and hopefully awaken more people around the world to this human rights crisis:
Bharat
1) TMC MP Saket Gokhale stopped annual Mata Jagran in Lutyens Delhi apartment leading to protests by angry residents.
2) Six persons, including five minors, have been arrested in connection with the vandalism of a Chhath Puja ghat in Purnia. One arrested accused has been identified as Tajimul, while the rest 5 are minors so their identities have not been disclosed.
3) Congress leader Kamru Zaman Choudhury sparked a controversy during a debate on Times Now regarding the funds allocated by the state of Uttar Pradesh for the upcoming Maha Kumbh. During the debate, Kamru called for selling Mandir gold and using it to clear the country’s debt.
4) The female students residing in the hostel of the Barkatullah University of Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, were harassed and made to write an apology letter for going to the Mandir and reciting the Sunderkand. Following this incident, the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) launched a protest in opposition to this decision.
5) An ongoing matter of grabbing the land of the Gayatri Bal Mandir (temple) to build a mosque in Madai of Ranjhi area of Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh came to light recently. Meanwhile, the issue of a very old stepwell built on Gwarighat Road has now surfaced. The stepwell of Badshah Halwai Mandir installed during the period of Queen Durgavati of Gondwana has been converted into a mausoleum. Furthermore, the stepwell has been painted with a green colour to incorporate it into the Muslim faith.
6) In a significant case highlighting issues of religious coercion and community disturbance, Pastor David Raja Reddy from Balabhadrapuram village in Andhra Pradesh’s East Godavari District has been arrested by Biccavole Police. David faces multiple charges, including forced religious conversion, extortion, and harassment.
7) The probe by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) into Bengaluru’s Rameshwaram Cafe blast incident has revealed the jailed suspected terrorists’ link to Pakistan and global terror outfit ISIS.
8) A case of mass conversion of Hindus has come to light in Buxar, Bihar, where three pastors have been accused of converting 50 to 60 Hindu men and women to Christianity. A video of the same has also surfaced in which the pastors can be seen removing the vermilion after ordering the women to take a dip in the Ganges and then making a cross on their heads. The video sparked a flurry of protests from Hindu organizations. The pastors have been taken into custody by the police.
9) Fact-Finding Committee (FFC) constituted by the Delhi-based NGO Call for Justice brought to light serious allegations of religious discrimination and forced conversions at Jamia Millia Islamia, a minority institution in Delhi. The report reveals that non-Muslims are harassed and forced to convert to Islam at Jamia Millia Islamia.
Most hate crimes are driven by anti-Hindu bigotry encoded in certain religious teachings and political ideologies. While the anti-Hindu hate in Islamic countries is evident, there is another subtler form of anti-Hindu sentiment within institutions and the public sphere of ostensibly secular states (like India) that provides an enabling environment for Hinduphobia and hate crimes. This subtle, everyday discrimination can be missed unless one studies prevailing laws and patterns. The gradual ban on firecrackers during Diwali is a good example – it might seem pollution-related on the surface. Still, the double standards at play become apparent when one looks at the larger picture of restrictions on Hindu festivals and the lack of sound reasoning behind the ban.
We request all readers to share other anti-Hindu hate crimes that we might have missed in this period in the comments below or by emailing [email protected]. We also solicit support in maintaining the Hindu human rights tracker database.
