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 14 December to 21 December 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) Controversial maulvi from Kerala, Umar Faizi Mukkam, has once again sparked controversy with his statements. This time, he has made derogatory remarks against Bhagwan Shiv and Mata Parvati during his speech at a public meeting in Areekode.

2) Rudrapur Police booked Aman Qureshi, a resident of Delhi, for posing as a Hindu man to marry a Hindu woman under false pretenses. The case was registered based on a complaint filed by Vinod Kohli under the Uttarakhand Freedom of Religion Act, 2018, and Sections 318(4) and 219 of the Bharatiya Nayay Sanhita (BNS). The First Information Report (FIR) names Islamist Qureshi, who introduced himself as Aman Choudhary, as well as an intermediary, Santosh Kumar, who allegedly vouched for his false identity. Police have launched an investigation, and the accused Islamist has been arrested.

3) In a heart-wrenching revelation at the Gopalganj City Police Station, a Hindu girl exposed the barbaric acts of an Islamist youth who deceived and victimized her under the guise of love. The accused, Islamist Sameer Sehgal, whose real name is Tabrez, trapped the girl in a love jihad scheme, subjected her to repeated assaults, and attempted to convert her to Islam forcefully. The harrowing details of her ordeal, involving rape, blackmail, and forced abortions, have sparked outrage.

4) Known for making controversial statements, RJD MLA Fateh Bahadur Singh once again sparked controversy, saying that while temples promote stupidity, it is the schools which promote rationality.

5) In a deeply troubling revelation, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terror Squad (ATS) have uncovered a conspiracy involving madrasa students being trained to derail trains in the Jhansi and Kanpur regions.

6) Around 16 people were arrested by the Maharashtra Police in Hingoli district for pelting stones at a Hindu businessman. As per the initial reports, a mob of around 40-50 Islamists attacked a businessman identified as Kailash Kabra and pelted stones at his residence and commercial premise alleging him of conducting an alleged ‘blasphemous’ act against Islam.

7) In Uttar Pradesh’s Lucknow, a man named Ibrahim kidnapped a 5-year-old boy from Charbagh railway station and took him to a warehouse where he raped and murdered him. As if his crime was not horrific enough, when the police confronted the murderer Ibrahim with the mother of the dead child, he said, “If your son were a Muslim, he would have been saved, he was a Hindu. We attack Hindus.” And then he started laughing.

8) A young woman died by suicide after her boyfriend, Islamist Faraz, ignored her repeated calls. The case was reported from Chandrapuri. The woman reportedly made 120 calls to Faraz, but he did not answer. Frustrated and distraught, she left a voice note before setting herself on fire. The police investigation has since uncovered startling details, including evidence of religious conversion, monetary transfers, and an abortion.

9) A Hindu widow from Basaha Mafi village, situated in the Phoolbehad police station area of Lakhimpur Kheri, displayed a poster announcing her house for sale. woman cited persistent harassment by members of the Islamic community as the reason. The poster read, “Muslimo se pareshan hokar ghar chodna chahte hai. Makan bikau hai” (Fed up with harassment by Muslims, we want to leave this house).

10) In a recent development, the Hindu organization Kutumba Surakshya Parishad (KSP) has demanded the reopening of the shrine and given a 10-day ultimatum to the government and concerned authorities to act on their demand, failing which the organization would indulge in protests. Meghalaya’s Education Minister, Rakkam A. Sangma, has mocked the Kutumba Surakshya Parishad (KSP) for issuing a 10-day ultimatum demanding the reopening of the Mawjymbuin Cave for Hindu rituals.

Bangladesh

Attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh are relentless and designed to cleanse the religious minority from the country gradually. According to a study by Prof. Abul Barakat of Dhaka University, no Hindus will be left in Bangladesh by 2050 due to systemic and institutionalized persecution. Temple desecration, land grabbing, mob attacks after false blasphemy charges, rape/forced conversion of women, and hate speech are tools used to intimidate and drive Hindus out.

1) Islamist extremists attacked the Mahashmashan Kali Mata Mandir, vandalized 7 murtis of deities and stole gold ornaments. The incident occurred in Jamalpur in Sarishabari upazila of the Islamic Republic.

2) Bangladesh Police arrested four Islamists for attacking the Hindu minorities in Sunamganj district. They are identified as Alim Hossain(19), Sultan Ahmed Raju(20), Imran Hossain(31) and Sajahan Hossain(20). 

3) A robbery incident occurred at Kashimpur Central Crematorium in Baraharishpur of Natore Sadar Upazila. Tarun Chandra Das, a young man serving there, was also killed. The temple was looted.

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.