Hindus abused, their faith denigrated with cow dung and urine jibes by Christian pastor in Tamil Nadu
Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India 
15 June, 2024
Case Summary
The Hindu community and their faith were denigrated by a Christian pastor in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. According to media reports, the incident took place on 16th June 2024 during a Sunday service at the Church of South India Immanuel Church. During his sermon, the pastor made highly derogatory remarks targeting Sanatan Dharma (Hinduism) and Hindus, particularly the Brahmin community. While the sermon began with a discussion on how worship strengthens Christianity and should be a way of life, it quickly degenerated into a harsh denunciation of Hindu practices and beliefs. The pastor drew a comparison between the global influence of Christianity and Islam, claiming that their descendants rule the world, while disparaging Hindu worship. He mocked sacred Hindu customs, such as the consumption of cow urine and dung, using these practices to insult Hindu spirituality and caste distinctions. He said, "Do they even have brains? One who eats cow dung is upper caste, “crossbelt” (a derogatory reference to one wearing sacred thread janeu/poonool) – the one who eats the cow that gives this cow dung is lower caste.” He further insulted Hindus by stating that they are the only race in the world to consume cow dung and urine, calling the practice disgusting, and questioning the intelligence of those who engage in it. He made crude remarks specifically targeting the Brahmin community, suggesting that those who claim descent from Lord Brahma should not be indulging in such practices. Towards the sermon’s conclusion, the pastor criticised historical water discrimination in Indian villages, alleging such prejudices persist today and blaming Hindus for fostering “water politics.” He ended by praising Jesus as a progressive figure who defied untouchability and other social conventions.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case has been added to the tracker under the primary category- Hate Speech against Hindus. Within this, the subcategory selected is- Anti-Hindu slurs, mocking faith. Anti-Hindu slurs and the deliberate mocking of the Hindu faith owing to religious animosity involve the usage of derogatory terms, stereotypes, or offensive references to religious practices, symbols, or figures. One of the common anti-Hindu slurs used against Hindus is “cow-worshipper” and “cow piss drinker”. The intention of using this term is to demean and mock Hindus as a group and their religious beliefs since Hindus consider the cow holy. Additionally, some symbols and the slurs attached to them have a historical context that exacerbates the insult, hate, stereotyping, dehumanisation and oppression against Hindus. Cow worship has been used for centuries to denigrate Hindus, insult their faith and oppress Hindus specifically as a religious group. There has been overwhelming documentation about how cow slaughter has been used to persecute Hindus with cow meat being thrown in temples and places of worship. There has also been overwhelming documentation where cow meat (beef) has been force-fed to Hindus to either forcefully convert them to Islam or denigrate their faith. Apart from cow worship, the Swastika – which holds deep religious significance for the Hindus – has also been misinterpreted and distorted to use as a slur against Hindus. Similarly, the worship of the Shivling has been used by supremacist ideologies and religions to denigrate Hindus owing to religious animosity. Such slurs and denigration stem out of inherent animosity and hate towards Hindus and their faith, therefore, it is categorised as hate speech targeted at Hindus specifically owing to their religious identity. The incident involving the Christian pastor in Coimbatore starkly exemplifies anti-Hindu hate speech through his deliberate denigration of Hindu worship, Hinduism, and the Hindu community. The pastor commenced by abusing and mocking deeply sacred Hindu customs, specifically the consumption of cow urine and dung, which are essential components of the Panchadravya utilised in various Hindu rituals. By ridiculing these practices and questioning the intelligence of Hindus with statements such as “Do they even have brains? One who eats cow dung is upper caste, ‘crossbelt’"—a derogatory term aimed at Hindus who wear the sacred thread (janeu/poonool)—he insulted the sanctity of Hindu religious symbols and beliefs. Such disparagement of the cow’s revered status and its associated sacred substances unmistakably reflects religious animosity and qualifies unequivocally as anti-Hindu hate speech. Moreover, his false allegation that lower-caste Hindus consumed beef—a sacred animal in Hinduism—further demeaned Hindu religious identity and deeply offended religious sentiments. His vitriol extended explicitly to the Brahmin community, whom he insulted by asserting that descendants of Lord Brahma would not engage in consuming cow dung or urine, thereby branding the Hindu faith as displeasing and unhygienic. Additionally, he accused Hindus of perpetuating water discrimination in villages, unfairly painting the entire Hindu community as responsible for caste-based social evils. These claims, rooted in harmful stereotypes and animus, are nothing less than calculated anti-Hindu propaganda intended to demean, insult, and vilify an entire religious tradition and its adherents. The pastor’s language and narrative promoted hatred and fostered division by targeting and abusing Hinduism while advocating Christianity as progressive. This clearly means he aimed to assert the superiority of Christianity while maliciously attacking Hinduism, making it a blatant instance of anti-Hindu hate speech. This case incontrovertibly fits the criteria of religiously motivated hate speech, given its explicit contempt for Hindu sacred practices and communities. It involves not only verbal attacks on faith and identity but also fuels religious discord and seeks to erode the rich cultural heritage of the Hindus. Reflecting the gravity and communal repercussions of the pastor’s words, this incident has been rightfully included in the Hinduphobia Tracker’s hate crime database.
Case Status
Unknown
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Christian Extremists
Perpetrators Range
One Person
Perpetrators Gender
male
Sources 
