Hate & Harmony

From inflammatory speeches to oaths of exclusion, a series of far-right gatherings across India in December 2024 spotlight the growing normalisation of hate and the urgent need for action.

On December 25, as the world celebrated the joy and warmth of Christmas, right-wing groups like VHP, Bajrang Dal, and Hindu Jagran Manch disrupted events across the country. From forcing a Zomato rider in Indore to remove his Santa costume, to halting celebrations in Mumbai, Lucknow, and Rohtak, Bapunagar and Dehradun

Across the country, Christmas celebrations are facing mounting opposition from right-wing groups accusing religious conversion and cultural invasion. In Kerala, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh, VHP activists disrupt school events, abuse staff, and incite communal hate against the Christmas celebrations, two VHP leaders booked and remanded to judicial custody for 14 days in Kerala

The independent journalist, in this on ground report tracks the violence that hit Parbhani in Marathwada post December 10 especially examining, through exclusive eye-witness accounts the allegations of brute violence in police custody and police violence during the indiscriminate combing operations on December 11

Waris Khan and Arif Bamane embody selfless heroism in times of crisis. Khan saved 7 lives after a car accident in Madhya Pradesh, while Bamane rescued 30 passengers from the sea following a ferry collision in Mumbai

Pursuant to denial of permission for Dharam Sansad, Yati Narasinghanand and other right-wing figures incite religious intolerance with calls for armed defence at another event, while legal authorities and courts struggle to address the growing menace of communal rhetoric.

In a shift from demolition drives and religious surveys, the UP government targets Muslim-majority areas with electricity theft accusations, leading to fines, power cuts, and allegations of politically motivated harassment, particularly against Muslim opposition figures like MP Zia-Ur-Rahman Barq.

The custodial death of Dalit law student Somnath Suryawanshi, systemic police violence against Ambedkarite communities, and government inaction have ignited protests across Maharashtra, exposing deep-rooted caste injustices and institutional impunity

A contempt petition filed in the SC as well as a collective stance from religious leaders seek to hold authorities accountable for allowing the "Dharam Sansad" to proceed unchecked, which threatens public harmony and violates constitutional principles of unity and peace.

With the controversial event set to take place in December, widespread opposition from civil society, legal experts, and political leaders intensifies, calling for immediate intervention to prevent hate-fuelled unrest.