Hindu students abused and reprimanded for chanting "Jai Shri Ram" on college premises
Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, India 
5 November, 2023
Case Summary
At Sundardeep College in Ghaziabad, during a fresher party for BBA and BCA students, a Hindu student was abused by a security officer for chanting "Jai Shri Ram." The altercation, captured on video, went viral on social media, drawing public and political scrutiny. The incident occurred after the party ended at 4:30 p.m., and a group of students began chanting "Jai Shri Ram." Security officers asked them to lower their voices and restricted them from chanting such slogans on campus. The situation escalated when the security supervisor, identified as Rai, abused one of the students and confiscated the mobile phone. Rai said, "It is not the government, but I who am in control here." A female professor, Deepa Tanwar, was also seen reprimanding the students, suggesting their actions were inconsistent with religious practices at home. The security supervisor later released a video apologising if his words had caused offense. However, he maintained that the students' chanting disrupted the college environment and referred to it as "noise." The incident prompted local leader Bhupendra Chaudhary to send representatives to the college to investigate. Hindu Raksha Dal official Saurav Pandit also became involved, sharing videos of his discussions with the college management and supporting the students. The situation was eventually resolved peacefully, with the security supervisor issuing an apology and reportedly chanting "Jai Shri Ram" as a gesture of reconciliation. The police, led by DCP Rural Vivek Yadav, confirmed that no official complaint had been filed.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case has been added to the Hinduphobia tracker under two prime categories. The first is- Attack not resulting in death. Under this, the sub-category selected is- Attacked for Hindu identity. In several cases, Hindus are attacked merely for their Hindu identity without any perceived provocation. A classic example of this category of religiously motivated hate crime is a murder in 2016. 7 ISIS terrorists were convicted for shooting a school principal in Kanpur because they got ‘triggered’ seeing the Kalava on his wrist and tilak that he had put. In this, the Hindu victim had offered no provocation except for his Hindu religious identity. The motivation for the murder was purely religious, driven by religious supremacy. Such cases where Hindus are targeted merely for their religious identity would be documented as a hate crime under this category. The second category under which this case has been placed is- Restriction/ban on Hindu practices. Within this, the sub-category chosen is- Restriction on expression of Hindu identity. An example of the state-affected prejudicial and targeted orders against the Hindu community would be a government denying the right of a Hindu or a group of Hindus to hold a religious procession owing to the animosity of non-Hindu groups. Denial of the religious right of the Hindus to assuage the non-Hindu group which harbours animosity to a point where it could lead to violence against Hindus is not only a failure of law and order but is a prejudicial order against Hindus, denying them their fundamental rights to express their religious identity. An example of a hate crime against Hindus by a non-Hindu would be a non-Hindu institution forcing its Hindu employees to abandon religious symbols that a Hindu would wear as an expression of faith owing to inherent prejudice against the faith professed by the victim or a non-Hindu group of people restricting a Hindu group from constructing a place of worship simply because the demography of the area in which the temple is being built is dominated by non-Hindus. Such actions are driven by religious animosity and/or prejudice against Hindus and their faith and would therefore be categorized as a hate crime. This incident, in which Hindu students were reprimanded and abused for chanting "Jai Shri Ram" on the college campus, reflects a clear case of bias and prejudice against the student's religious identity and expression. The slogan "Jai Shri Ram" holds deep religious and cultural significance for Hindus, representing devotion to Lord Ram, one of the most revered deities in Hinduism. Targeting individuals specifically for chanting this sacred phrase goes beyond merely addressing a potential disturbance in the campus environment—it reveals an animosity rooted in the religious significance of the expression. The attack on the students for chanting "Jai Shri Ram" underscores a deeper bias against Hindu beliefs and practices. The actions of the administration in intimidating and punishing the student for his religious expression reflect a discriminatory attitude that seeks to suppress Hindu identity. This behaviour exemplifies a lack of respect for the student’s right to freely express their faith, and such acts of intolerance stem from a broader animosity toward Hindus and their beliefs. For these reasons, this case has been rightfully categorized as a hate crime and included in the tracker, highlighting the need to address such targeted prejudice against religious expressions.
Case Status
Complaint not filed
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Others
Perpetrators Range
From 2 To 5
Perpetrators Gender
both
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