Hindu religious sentiments insulted by objectionable video targeting Sanatan Dharma, Lord Shiva and Kanwar Yatra
Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, India 
16 August, 2026
Case Summary
In Akrabad, Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, Hindu religious sentiments were insulted after a video/song circulated on social media containing objectionable content relating to Sanatan Dharma, Lord Shiva and the Kanwar Yatra. Atul Upadhyay, the national president of Rashtriya Apna Dal, lodged a complaint with the police against the content and sought action against those responsible for its dissemination. The complaint stated that the lyrics, terminology and presentation in the video contained material that was offensive to the religious sentiments of followers of Sanatan Dharma. Upadhyay said that the Kanwar Yatra was an important religious tradition associated with devotees of Lord Shiva and that content deliberately disseminated to insult Hindu religious beliefs could hurt religious sentiments and disturb social harmony. He requested the police to preserve the video as digital evidence and conduct a detailed investigation into its original video and audio, including the complete song, lyrics and scenes. The complaint also sought an investigation into the roles of the uploader or channel operator, lyricist, singer, producer and other persons involved in creating or disseminating the content. It further requested legal action if the investigation established that the material had been intentionally circulated to insult Hindu religious beliefs, along with steps to remove or block the content through the competent authority.
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 here 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 crime because the objectionable video/song that circulated on social media targeted Sanatan Dharma, Lord Shiva and the Kanwar Yatra, which was offensive to the religious sentiments of Hindu devotees. The content did not concern a private dispute between individuals but involved references to central elements of Hindu religious belief and practice. By using Sanatan Dharma, Lord Shiva and the Kanwar Yatra as subjects of objectionable content, the video targeted recognised expressions of Hindu religious identity and had the potential to demean and offend Hindu devotees on account of their faith. The Kanwar Yatra is one of the most significant annual Hindu pilgrimages associated with the worship of Lord Shiva. Every year, millions of Kanwariyas undertake the pilgrimage during the holy month of Shravan, travelling to sacred rivers to collect holy water and carrying it in decorated Kanwars before offering it at Shiva temples. The pilgrimage represents an important expression of devotion to Lord Shiva and involves religious observances, discipline and acts of penance. Consequently, objectionable content directed at Kanwariyas or the Kanwar Yatra does not merely concern a secular public gathering but touches upon a major religious practice followed by millions of Hindus. The objectionable nature of the content was significant because the video/song brought together references to Sanatan Dharma, Lord Shiva and the Kanwar Yatra, thereby encompassing both the religious identity of Hindus and one of its most prominent devotional traditions. Had the content been confined to criticism of a specific individual or an isolated incident involving a Kanwar procession, it could have been assessed as criticism of particular conduct. Instead, the material referred to religious beliefs, a revered Hindu deity and a sacred pilgrimage, making the religious character of the content central to the offence. The circulation of such material therefore had the effect of directing derogatory or offensive expression towards Hindu religious beliefs and practices rather than merely addressing an individual act of misconduct. The case also warranted inclusion because the objectionable content involved Lord Shiva, a principal deity in Hinduism and the central object of devotion during the Kanwar Yatra. References to a revered deity in an offensive or derogatory context directly affect a core element of Hindu religious belief. Similarly, invoking Sanatan Dharma and a major Hindu pilgrimage in objectionable material extended the scope of the content beyond an individual target and into the domain of Hindu religious identity and practice. The combination of these references indicated that the material had a distinctly religious dimension and was capable of denigrating beliefs and practices held sacred by Hindus. Overall, the case met the parameters for inclusion in the Hate Crime Database because the objectionable material specifically invoked and demeaned elements central to Hindu religious identity, including Sanatan Dharma, Lord Shiva and the Kanwar Yatra. The content was circulated publicly on social media and was the subject of a police complaint seeking investigation and legal action. The incident was therefore documented as an instance of religiously motivated hostility directed towards Hindu beliefs, a revered Hindu deity and a major Hindu religious practice. 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 none of the media sources covering this case has specified the exact date when the objectionable video was uploaded. Therefore, for documentation purposes, we have recorded the date based on when the incident was reported in the media, 17 August 2026.
Case Status
Complaint filed
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Unknown
Perpetrators Range
Unknown
Perpetrators Gender
unknown
Sources 
