In Modi’s third term, hate crimes and hate speech in India have sharply increased. From June 7, 2024, to June 7, 2025, 947 hate incidents were recorded. These acts mostly targeted Muslims, Christians, Dalits, and Adivasis. The report of APCR (Association for Protection of Civil Rights) paints a grim picture of rising violence, bias, and impunity.
In 2015, a Muslim man and his son were lynched on Eid al-Adha over fake cow slaughter claims. In 2025, a similar mob attack took place on the same festival. This reflects how such violence has become routine and accepted in India.
Dalit violence is officially tracked under the SC/ST Act, 1989. But there is no legal system for hate crimes against religious minorities. This gap allows these crimes to grow unchecked. The report tries to fill this void through detailed documentation.
Main Findings:
947 total hate incidents were reported in one year.
345 were hate speeches.
602 were hate crimes involving physical or mental abuse.
173 of the 602 cases involved direct physical attacks.
25 of these were fatal. All the people who died were Muslims.
25 Hindus were also hurt, usually bystanders. Hindu women were more affected than men.
Of 345 hate speeches, 178 were by BJP members.
BJP-ruled and election-bound states saw more incidents. This includes state polls like in Uttarakhand.
Uttar Pradesh had the most hate crimes—217. Manipur had just one. Out of the 25 worst-hit regions, 12 were BJP-governed. Four of the top five affected states were BJP-ruled all year. The fifth came under BJP rule in November 2024.
Each month saw about 80 hate events—half crimes, half speeches. When a month had more than 50 cases in one category, it showed a spike. These spikes were often tied to political or religious events.
In September 2024, 23 hate crimes happened in one week. Causes included cow vigilante attacks, inter-community violence, and Ganesh processions. These were mostly scattered local events.
In October 2024, 80 hate crimes were reported. UP had 21, MP had 16, and Maharashtra had 11. During Navratri in UP, Muslims were attacked for attending Garba. Christians faced prayer meeting disruptions in UP and Maharashtra.
November 2024 saw 62 hate speeches. Jharkhand had 34, Maharashtra 15. Themes included “Rohingya threat”, “Love Jihad”, and Waqf conspiracy theories. Almost all speeches were made by BJP-linked leaders.
January 2025 also had a spike in hate speech. Uttarakhand had 17 cases, UP had 13. These were linked to local elections and Kumbh Mela. Several BJP leaders gave inflammatory speeches.
In March 2025, both Muslims and Christians faced attacks. Christians were targeted for holding prayers; churches were damaged. Muslims faced violence at dargahs and in homes. Holi and Ramadan became flashpoints for assault.
Hate linked to Aurangzeb’s tomb led to riots in Delhi, Maharashtra, and UP. These were stirred up by right-wing groups and the film Chhava. It showed how history was used to fuel hate.
In April 2025, 96 hate crimes were reported. UP again led with 27 cases. After the Pahalgam Terror Attack, 68 communal hate crimes occurred. 44 were directly tied to that attack. Ram Navami and Easter also saw hate attacks. Christians were assaulted. Muslims were barred from public spaces. Economic boycotts followed.
In May 2025, 56 hate crimes happened. 21 took place in just six days. This was due to the Pahalgam attack fallout and India-Pakistan war. Though cases slowed later, they stayed above average.
