Hindu religious sentiments insulted as Muslim man makes derogatory remarks targeting Hindu religious leader and sacred religious texts
Mumbai, Maharashtra, India 
23 April, 2026
Case Summary
In Mumbai, Maharashtra, Hindu religious sentiments were insulted after a Muslim social media influencer made derogatory remarks against a Hindu religious leader and Hindu religious texts. According to reports, the Muslim accused, identified as Abu Jabir Hussain Ghyasuddin Talukdar alias Javed, operated an Instagram account with a following exceeding one lakh users. He had posted videos in which he mocked Jagadguru Swami Rambhadracharya, particularly in relation to his views on the concept of a Hindu Rashtra. The content also included objectionable commentary on Hindu scriptures, thereby insulting Hinduism. The incident came to public attention after Bajrang Dal worker Ajit Yadav viewed the videos and subsequently filed a complaint with the police. Acting on this complaint, police registered a case under Section 299 of the Indian Penal Code, which pertains to deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings. Following the registration of the case, police located and arrested the accused from the Oshiwara area of Mumbai on the night of 24 April 2026.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case has been added to the tracker under the primary category of - Hate Speech against Hindus. Within it, the sub-category selected is- Mocking/denigrating Hindu leaders. Hate speech is defined as any speech, gesture, conduct, writing, or display that is prejudicial against a specific individual and/or group of people, which is leading to or may lead to violence, prejudicial action or hate against that individual and/or group. Religious leaders are often seen as representatives of the community, especially, the community’s religious faith and beliefs. Mocking or denigrating a religious leader specifically owing to his religious identity and/or the religious rituals he observes can be considered hate speech because the motivating factor of the speech is animosity and/or dislike for what he represents – the religious beliefs and faith of the community. It is important to note that mere insulting words against an individual do not constitute hate speech. It is entirely possible that insulting words are used for an individual, however, the specific speech is not the result of religious hate and/or animosity towards the professed faith of the religious leader, but the individual himself. For the speech to be considered hate speech, the speech itself or the motivating factor behind the speech has to be religious in nature. Such speech which denigrates Hindu religious leaders specifically owing to animosity towards the faith they profess and the community faith they represent will be treated as hate speech under this category. The other subcategory selected is- Subversion of scriptures. Subverting the religious scriptures of Hindus has particularly devastating consequences. Subversion of the scriptures of Hindus is often done to justify or promote hatred, discrimination, or violence against specific individuals or groups of Hindus. Religious scriptures are often nuanced, and those who harbour religious animosity towards Hindus often misquote or misrepresent the scripture to legitimise their animosity and hate towards the faith and its adherents. Any such misquoting of scriptures or subversion to justify hate, violence and discrimination against Hindus owing to religious animosity is hate speech and is categorised as such. The other sub-category 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. This case qualified as a religiously motivated hate speech incident as the accused deliberately created and disseminated derogatory content targeting a prominent Hindu religious leader and Hindu religious texts through social media. The accused targeted Jagadguru Swami Rambhadracharya, a widely respected spiritual figure whose teachings and public presence hold significance for large sections of the Hindu community. By mocking and ridiculing him in relation to his views on the concept of a Hindu Rashtra, the accused did not confine his actions to personal criticism but instead extended them into the realm of religious denigration, as such figures symbolise spiritual authority and continuity within Hindu tradition. Spiritual leaders such as Jagadguru Swami Rambhadracharya are not merely individuals but custodians of religious knowledge, interpreters of sacred traditions, and representatives of collective faith. Derogatory remarks directed at such a figure undermined the legitimacy and dignity of religious leadership within Hindu society. By publicly mocking him, the accused contributed to creating a narrative that diminished respect for Hindu religious authority and fostered hostility towards those who uphold and propagate Hindu beliefs. The accused also made disparaging remarks targeting Hindu religious texts. Hindu scriptures are regarded as sacred repositories of spiritual knowledge, philosophical guidance, and moral order. Thus, any attempt to mock or make objectionable comments about these texts constitutes an attack on foundational elements of the faith itself. In this case, the accused extended his remarks beyond an individual and directed them towards Hindu religious literature, thereby broadening the scope of the offence to include core doctrinal and spiritual components of Hinduism. Such actions demonstrated an intent to erode reverence for texts that form the basis of religious understanding and practice. Furthermore, the accused used social media as a medium for amplification of the objectionable content. The accused operated an Instagram account with a substantial following, exceeding one lakh users, and used this platform to circulate the objectionable content widely. Social media platforms significantly magnify the reach and impact of such remarks, transforming them from isolated expressions into mass communication capable of influencing public discourse. By choosing a public and widely accessible platform, the accused ensured that the derogatory content reached a broad audience, thereby increasing the scale of potential harm to Hindu religious sentiments and normalising disrespectful discourse. In recent times, social media has increasingly become a platform for anti-Hindu hate, with derogatory memes, videos, and messages targeting Hindu religious symbols, practices, and deities. Such content is recognised as part of a broader pattern of Hinduphobia and religious hate crimes online. This deliberate targeting of revered religious icons firmly establishes this act as a religiously motivated hate crime; therefore, it is being categorised under the hate crime database. Taken together, the targeted mockery of a revered Hindu religious leader, the disparagement of sacred texts, and the strategic use of social media to amplify the content established a clear pattern of conduct rooted in hostility towards Hindu religious identity. The incident went beyond individual expression and entered the domain of religious denigration, as it attacked both the representatives and the foundational elements of the faith. For these reasons, the case met the criteria for a religiously motivated hate speech incident and was added to the tracker. Disclaimer: The Hinduphobia Tracker records incidents based on when an event occurred or when the victim's ordeal began. It is important to clarify that the report does not specify the exact date when the accused posted the offensive content. Therefore, for documentation purposes, we have recorded the date based on when the accused was arrested, 24 April 2026.
Case Status
Arrested
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Muslim Extremists
Perpetrators Range
One Person
Perpetrators Gender
female
Sources 
