Multiple videos of hate speeches being delivered over the length and breadth of India have surfaced on ‘X’ (formerly Twitter). Most of these videos show BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) members and leaders espousing an anti-Muslim divisive ideology in poll bound states of India. These videos bring forth a worrying trend of spreading anti-minority sentiments, encourage polarizing opinions and rousing the Hindu audience in an attempt to seek votes for a particular political party.
Documented below are six speeches. Except for one speech, the rest of the hate speeches are either given by BJP legislators or at an election rally for the BJP party. Three of the speeches reported below were given by Assam BJP Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. Additionally, except for one speech, the remaining five were delivered at poll bound states. The hate speeches are as follows:
- Location: Naramadapuram, Madhya Pradesh
Date: November 11
Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma delivered a communal speech at a rally with the aim of spreading anti-Muslim sentiments and polarising the voters. He targeted Madrassas in his speech and accused the Congress party of Muslim appeasement by refusing to visit the Ayodhya temple after its inauguration.
The speech:
“Three years ago, I became the Chief Minister of Assam. In the beginning of my tenure, I received a file regarding giving salaries to the teachers of a Madrassas. I asked what kind of a shops is this Madrassa, are the students at Madrassas becoming engineers or doctors? And then they told me that only M***a are manufactured here at Madrassas. And then I told my subordinate that am I responsible for making a M***a? I asked them to close down this shop, to which my subordinate said that we cannot do that there will be an uproar. I told him that now that there is a BJP government in the state, no one will have the power to create any chaos.”
“In the last three years, did you see any Congress party member going to the Ram Lalla temple? They have no such plans because these people do not want your votes, they only want the votes of the Babars and the Aurangzebs.”
The video can be viewed here:
Location: Naramadapuram, Madhya Pradesh
Date: Nov 11Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma delivers another communal speech to polarise voters. pic.twitter.com/qxWGQBqFaR
— HindutvaWatch (@HindutvaWatchIn) November 12, 2023
- Location: Patan, Neemkathana, Rajasthan
Date: November 9
BJP MP (Member of Parliament) Mahant Balaknath Yogi delivered an anti-Muslim hate speech and spread misinformation regarding the Kanhaiya murder case to instigate the Hindu audience.
Extracts from the speech:
“The culprits of Kanhaiya’s murder are given bail, Kanhaiya is yet to get justice. On the other hand, a small incident takes place in Jaipur and the CM announces a compensation of 50 lakh for them.”
“We are not granted permission to take our religious processions or put religious symbols outside of our houses, while they are allowed to have parties and take out rallies.”
“During the time of Ramzan, fatwas are declared for the whole state of Rajasthan and the government even organises water, food and other celebrations for them. On the other hand, there has been no for Kanhaiya. Can you imagine what would have happened had an incident like this taken place in UP (Uttar Pradesh)? I think no one would have even dared to commit such a crime in that state.”
The video can be viewed here:
Location: Patan, Neemkathana, Rajasthan
Date: Nov 9BJP Member of Parliament Mahant Balaknath Yogi continues to deliver communal speeches to polarise voters. pic.twitter.com/RsVi6W2cyO
— HindutvaWatch (@HindutvaWatchIn) November 11, 2023
- Location: Chhapikheda, Rajgadh, Madhya Pradesh
Date: November 9
Another speech was delivered by Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma which was filled with anti-Muslim dog whistling during an election rally. With the aim of gaining votes, Biswa targeted opposition leader Digvijay Singh by accusing him supported the Popular Front of India (PFI).
The speech:
“They (Congress party members) go to every temple except for the Ram Lalla temple in Ayodhya as they know that if they go there, the Babars and Aurangzebs will be upset. All the Hindus are ready to visit Ram Lalla temple on January 22, are we not? But only the Congress people are not willing. If one has to rule based on the votes of Babars, they should rather sit at home and not rule at all.”
“Today, if any PFI member is arrested, Digvijay Singh states that they have arrested innocent people and 97% of them are innocent, I want to ask Digvijay Singh that if Lashkar-e-Taiba and PFI are not behind the bomb blasts, is Congress behind them? Why do you always support PFI and always demean Hindus? Only one Hindu in India always insults Bharat Mata and that is Digvijay Singh.
“If I don’t speak about Babar, Akbar and Aurangzeb, then who do I talk about because the Hindu of India remains in trouble because of these rulers only? I have told the Election Commission of India that till the time I am in politics; I will keep on making statements against Akbar and Babar and no one can stop me.”
The video can be viewed here:
Location: Chhapikheda, Rajgadh, Madhya Pradesh
Date: Nov 9Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma delivers a communal speech filled with anti-Muslim dog whistling during an election rally. pic.twitter.com/EJWgOGbUwP
— HindutvaWatch (@HindutvaWatchIn) November 11, 2023
- Location: Janjgir-Champa, Chhattisgarh
Date: November 6
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma continues to deliver election speeches filled with anti-Muslim dog whistling.
The speech:
“Congress took out something I might have said against Akbar and filed a complaint against me with the Election Commission of India. I want to ask them a question on why they love Akbar so much. Now we have even destroyed the Babar Mosque and made it into our Ram Temple, which will be inaugurated on January 11, and yet you are still in love with Akbar. One of them are even encouraging forced religious conversions and the other one has given the Chhattisgarh rea to Akbar.”
“We have to fight against forced religious conversion and also ensure that the Mughal rule of Akbar and Babar do not come back in India. So, while I can be okay with Hindus and Muslims living together, my fight will be against all the new Babars and Aurangzebs so that they cannot rule our country once again.”
The video can be viewed here:
Location: Janjgir-Champa, Chhattisgarh
Date: Nov 6Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma continues to deliver election speeches filled with anti-Muslim dog whistling. pic.twitter.com/qyhcqJkZMl
— HindutvaWatch (@HindutvaWatchIn) November 10, 2023
- Location: Kumbhalgarh, Rajasthan
Date: November 4
At an election rally in support of BJP legislator Surendra Singh Rathore, a Hindu far-right monk used hateful rhetoric against Muslims and raised called for Hindu youths to pick up swords to protect their religion.
The speech:
“There is a pertinent need for us to worry about our country because we are unaware of the height of the preparations being made to target us. Our holy country, our Hindu nation and our religion is under threat. They are planning to sell, convert and destroy our country.”
“A conspiracy of Jai Bhem and Jai Meem is going on. They entice people, influence us in order to make their own governments. When our country gained Independence, the 22% Hindu population present in Pakistan was not allowed to leave from there. They stopped the SC/ST and Harijan community from leaving because they knew that if these people leave, no one will pick up animal carcasses and clean the country and it will start stinking. Today, the 22% population of Hindus have been reduced to 1.5% only. These people kidnapped the daughters of Hindus and then forcefully converted the Hindus living there to lessen the population. Only in places that they are lesser in population do Muslims believe in brotherhood. In their majority, Hindus become their food.”
“The young present here, I know these are the days that you should eat and play, but these are also the days that you should pick up swords. You should go meet people in our society and make them aware of this.”
“Only vote for those who promise that they will declare India as a Hindu nation.”
The video can be viewed here:
Location: Kumbhalgarh, Rajasthan
Date: Nov 4At an election rally in support of BJP legislator Surendra Singh Rathore, a Hindu far-right monk used hateful rhetoric against Muslims and called on Hindu youths to pick up swords. pic.twitter.com/DT06F1NggR
— HindutvaWatch (@HindutvaWatchIn) November 11, 2023
- Location: Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh
Date: October 14
Notorious repeated hate offender and hate speaker Suresh Chavhanke delivered yet another hate speech using dehumanizing language against Muslims and gave open calls to violence. He peddles bogey conspiracy of the increasing Muslim population as well as temples being demolished to build Mosques.
The speech:
“We have to expel all the traitors from our country. We have to ask Maharaj ji on the issue of population by telling him that we stop ourselves at 2 children, while those people are still carrying on with four wives and 44 children. We should ask him for a solution on this otherwise it will not be good for us.”
“I want to ask all of you whether there are any ashrams in Pakistan? There are no ashram, no Hindu saints and sadhu in Pakistan. That is why I say that only till the time Hindus are there will there be any ashrams and sadhu left. And only when these ashrams and saints are protected will we be able to secure Sanatan Dharam.”
“When we deal with the issue of these traitors, we use hammers as we know that ‘Laato ke bhoot baaton se nahi maante’ (those who know the language of violence do not understand the language of non-violence)”
“I always say that those who are not good should only be given one chance. After that, we shoot them. If the disease stays inside a human being for too long, they cause more issues, don’t they? In the same way, being dishonest to your own country is a disease. We approach our government to make laws to punish these traitors and these dishonest people, which got me thinking that every disease can be cured in this ashram so we should ask the Maharaj himself on how to control this disease.”
“The father of Aurangzeb was Shah Jahan. A lie is told about Shah Jahan that he constructed the Taj Mahal. In reality, Shah Jahan had constructed Tejo Mahal and Taj Mahal had been built by rulers from Rajasthan. And yet, we say that Taj Mahal was constructed by Shah Jahan.”
“Aurangzeb wanted to become a ruler fast, so he killed his own brother and then imprisoned his father. During imprisonment, Aurangzeb prohibited Shah Jahan any drinking water. On this, Shah Jahan said that even the Kaafir Hindus were better than his own son as they even feed their own dead ancestors.”
“We are celebrating 75th year of Independence. The government has declared it to be an Amrit Mahotsav. But, I refuse to believe that our country is a fully independent nation as the birth spot of our Lord Krishna is yet to be free from beneath a Mosque. How do I celebrate Amrit Mahotsav knowing that the idols of pour Lord Krishna were broken and buried beneath the stairs of the Mosque in Agra? How do I celebrate anything when I know that on a daily basis, thousands of Namazi step on those idols? Should we call such a nation independent?”
“4 lakh temples have been demolished in India and Mosques have been built over them.”
“It is our agenda now to ensure that within one year, we work towards ensuring that this nation becomes a Hindu nation and is declared so.”
The video can be viewed here:
Location: Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh
Date of Event: October 14Suresh Chavhanke delivered hate speech using dehumanizing language against Muslims and gave open calls to violence. pic.twitter.com/N61pgduJ1K
— HindutvaWatch (@HindutvaWatchIn) November 11, 2023
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