Case Summary

An Instagram user came under criticism after sharing an image depicting Lord Shiva bowing before Jesus, a portrayal that is extremely insulting and derogatory towards one of Hinduism's most revered deities. The matter came to light after a video highlighting the post was circulated on social media. The video showed the objectionable image published by an Instagram account operating under the username "from_heaven_to_earth". The image portrayed Jesus standing while Lord Shiva appeared in a posture of submission before him, conveying the superiority of one faith over another by degrading a central figure of Hinduism. A review of the Instagram account further showed that the objectionable image was not an isolated post. The account's timeline contained several posts ridiculing Hindu deities, Hindu religious beliefs, and symbols associated with the Hindu faith, indicating a sustained pattern of anti-Hindu content rather than a one-off publication. X user Archit Vyas also shared screenshots of the Instagram account before its content was removed. The screenshots showed multiple AI-generated images depicting revered Hindu deities, including Lord Ganesha and Lord Hanuman, in degrading and submissive positions before Jesus, further suggesting a consistent pattern of content denigrating Hindu religious representation. Following widespread criticism and public backlash, the account holder removed the content from the profile. At the time of writing this report, all posts had been deleted from the Instagram account, leaving the profile devoid of its earlier content. The incident sparked criticism from social media users, many of whom argued that the repeated publication of AI-generated images portraying revered Hindu deities in humiliating and subordinate positions before Jesus was intended to mock Hindu beliefs and promote the superiority of one religion by degrading another.

Case Images

Why it is Hate Crime ?

This incident has been added to the database under the category- Attack on Hindu religious representation, and within this, the subcategory selected is- Iconoclastic representation of Hindu Gods/Goddesses. An icon is a symbol of someone or something that is revered, or a religious representation of a spiritual ideal. Iconography is of vital significance in the Hindu milieu. It helps connect people’s spiritual beliefs with the real world. Iconography within the Hindu faith takes several shapes and forms. Murtis are of most significance to Hindus, to which daily rituals, prayers and offerings are done. Besides the murtis, there are several other symbols which have deep significance in the Hindu faith – the Om and Swastika for example. Any iconoclastic representation of these symbols, images and murtis is an affront to the religious beliefs and faith of the Hindu community itself since the symbols and icons are deeply religious in nature. In this sub-category of crime, we would record hate crimes and iconoclastic representations, in words, art, or any other form of representations of symbols that hold religious significance for the Hindu community. Since these symbols, icons and murtis are central to the Hindu faith, any iconoclastic representation of these symbols is born out of animosity towards the faith itself, manifesting itself through these symbols and therefore, these representations would be considered religiously motivated hated crimes. The other category selected is- Hate speech against Hindus, and 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. This incident has been categorised as a hate incident because the content was not limited to theological expression or the promotion of one religion. Instead, it depicted revered Hindu deities in humiliating and submissive positions before the central figure of another faith, thereby degrading sacred figures that are deeply venerated by millions of Hindus. Such portrayals go beyond religious comparison and amount to the denigration of Hindu religious representation. In Hinduism, deities such as Lord Shiva, Lord Ganesha, and Lord Hanuman are not symbolic characters but living objects of devotion and worship. Deliberately depicting them bowing, begging, or otherwise appearing subordinate before the religious figure of another faith is inherently derogatory because it seeks to diminish their sanctity and, by extension, ridicule the beliefs of those who worship them. Such imagery is iconoclastic in nature, as it symbolically attacks and degrades sacred religious icons that occupy a central place in Hindu religious life. The pattern of content shared by the account further reinforces this conclusion. The objectionable image of Lord Shiva was not an isolated post. Screenshots of the account, captured before the content was deleted, showed multiple AI-generated images portraying Hindu deities, including Lord Ganesha and Lord Hanuman, in similarly degrading and submissive positions before Jesus. The repeated publication of such imagery demonstrates a sustained pattern of targeting Hindu religious symbols rather than an isolated act of expression or artistic interpretation. The cumulative effect of these posts is to portray Hindu deities as inferior and worthy of humiliation while simultaneously elevating another religion through the degradation of Hinduism. Such representations foster contempt towards Hindu religious beliefs and normalise the mockery of figures held sacred by Hindus. By repeatedly using revered Hindu deities as objects of ridicule and humiliation, the content attacks not merely individual religious figures but the religious identity and faith of the Hindu community itself. For these reasons, the incident has been documented as a hate incident involving the mocking and denigration of Hindu religious representation. The deliberate use of degrading imagery targeting revered Hindu deities, coupled with a repeated pattern of similar content, demonstrates hostility directed at Hindu beliefs and their sacred symbols rather than the mere expression of religious opinion.