Hindu religious sentiments outraged after Indian politicians addressed Lord Ram as "Imam" during press conference
Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India 
2 July, 2026
Case Summary
Hindu religious sentiments were outraged after Congress national spokespersons Supriya Shrinate and Ragini Nayak, during a press conference, addressed Lord Ram as "Imam." On 5 July 2026, members of the Hindu Jagran Manch's district and metropolitan units staged a protest at the Collectorate in Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh, over these disparaging remarks concerning Lord Ram. The protesters submitted a memorandum addressed to the Chief Minister through the District Magistrate, demanding strict legal action against both leaders. During the demonstration, West Uttar Pradesh President of the Hindu Jagran Manch, Thakur Suryakant Singh, stated that at a press conference held at the Congress National Office on 3 July 2026, Lord Ram had been referred to as "Imam", which deeply hurt the religious sentiments of the Sanatan community and amounted to an insult to the Hindu deity. The memorandum also sought the arrest of those responsible for the remarks and called for the enactment of a blasphemy law. The organisation further stated that Congress leaders had previously made controversial statements regarding the existence of Lord Ram and other Hindu religious matters, asserting that such comments disturbed social harmony and offended religious sentiments. Hindu Jagran Manch warned that if appropriate action was not taken, it would launch a wider agitation. District President Mangeram Tyagi and Metropolitan President Ramdeep Bansal also addressed the gathering, reiterating the demand for immediate legal action and emphasising that all political parties and public figures had a responsibility to respect religious beliefs. A large number of Hindu Jagran Manch workers participated in the protest.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
The primary category for this case is "Hate speech against Hindus". The sub-category for this case 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 has been categorised as a hate crime because it involved language that was denigrating one of the most sacred figures in Hinduism. Lord Ram is not merely a historical or cultural figure for Hindus but is revered as an incarnation of Lord Vishnu and embodies dharma (righteousness), virtue, justice, and ideal kingship. He occupies a central place in Hindu theology, worship, scriptures, and religious consciousness. Millions of Hindus regard him as a divine being whose life and teachings form the moral and spiritual foundation of their faith. Consequently, remarks that are diminishing, ridiculing, or recharacterising Lord Ram in a manner that is inconsistent with Hindu beliefs is an affront to the sanctity of their religion itself. Referring to Lord Ram as an "Imam" was deeply offensive because an Imam is an Islamic religious designation with a specific theological meaning that has no place within Hindu religious doctrine. Hinduism and Islam are distinct religions with separate theological frameworks, concepts of divinity, and systems of religious authority. Lord Ram is worshipped as a deity by Hindus, whereas an Imam is generally understood within Islam as a religious leader or, in certain traditions, a spiritual guide. Equating a Hindu deity with an Islamic religious title was therefore not an expression of interfaith harmony but as a distortion of Hindu theology that disregarded the unique religious identity and status accorded to Lord Ram within Hinduism. For many devotees, imposing the terminology of another religion upon a revered Hindu deity undermines the integrity of Hindu beliefs and diminishes the distinctiveness of their religious tradition. Within the Hinduphobia Tracker framework, such incidents are documented because they involve expressions that are insulting and misrepresenting revered Hindu deities, thereby targeting Hindu religious representations. Sacred figures are among the most fundamental components of any religious tradition, and attacks on them extend beyond criticism of ideas to affect the collective dignity and religious identity of their adherents. Normalising the use of language that is disrespectful towards Hindu deities' risks fostering an environment in which contempt for Hindu beliefs becomes increasingly acceptable in public discourse. Such conduct can deepen feelings of marginalisation among Hindus by conveying that their most sacred objects of worship are open to disparagement or reinterpretation in ways that disregard the beliefs of the faith community itself. For these reasons, the incident is categorised as a hate crime in the tracker because the insult was directed at a central object of Hindu worship and religious reverence. The focus of the classification is not political disagreement or ideological debate, but the targeting of a revered Hindu deity in a manner that was offensive to their faith, religious identity, and deeply held spiritual beliefs.
Case Status
Complaint filed
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Others
Perpetrators Range
From 2 To 5
Perpetrators Gender
female
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