Hindu religious sentiments hurt after Muslim cleric makes objectionable remarks targeting Hindu deities
Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India 
3 August, 2026
Case Summary
In Indore, Madhya Pradesh, Hindu religious sentiments were hurt after indecent and objectionable remarks concerning Lord Shiva and other revered Hindu deities were made by a Muslim cleric, Maulana Jirjis Ansari, on social media. Subsequently, High Court advocate Vivek Vyas submitted a written complaint to the Police Commissioner seeking registration of an FIR under relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code and the Information Technology Act. The complaint stated that the remarks had hurt the religious sentiments of Hindu devotees and had the potential to disturb social harmony and law and order. The complaint referred to Sections 299, 196 and 353 of the Indian Penal Code, 2023, and cited Supreme Court judgments concerning objectionable and hateful remarks against revered religious figures. It stated that such remarks fell outside the protection of freedom of expression when they targeted worshipped deities and had the potential to create tension and disharmony in society. The complainant also requested that the police conduct a forensic and technical examination of the audio and video material circulating on social media. He sought immediate registration of an FIR if a prima facie cognisable offence was established, removal of the objectionable material from social media platforms, an impartial investigation and strict legal action if the accused was found guilty.
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. The incident qualified as a religiously motivated hate crime because the conduct was directed at figures that are central to Hindu religious belief and worship, rather than being a general expression of criticism or disagreement. Lord Shiva and other Hindu deities hold sacred status within Hinduism, and remarks directed at them in a derogatory or indecent manner specifically targeted religious objects of reverence. The religious identity of the targets therefore formed the central basis of the offence, making the conduct distinct from ordinary offensive speech that did not single out a protected religious community or its sacred beliefs. The nature of the remarks was also significant in establishing the element of religious hostility. Derogatory treatment of revered Hindu deities demeans beliefs and practices that are integral to the religious identity of Hindus and reveals contempt towards the faith itself. The effect of such speech extended beyond the immediate persons who heard or encountered the remarks. When Hindu deities are publicly insulted, the conduct degrades religious symbols that are shared across the Hindu community and contributes to an environment in which Hindu beliefs and sacred figures are treated with contempt. Public denigration of revered Hindu figures therefore affects the dignity with which Hindus can practise and express their faith. The case therefore involved hostility expressed through the denigration of Hindu religious beliefs and sacred figures. The fact that the subject of the objectionable expression was specifically Lord Shiva and other Hindu deities provided the religious nexus required to distinguish the incident as anti-Hindu conduct. On this basis, the incident was categorised as a hate crime against Hindus because the offensive conduct was centred on Hindu religious identity, sacred beliefs and objects of worship. 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 accused made those objectionable remarks. Therefore, for documentation purposes, we have recorded the date based on when the incident was reported in the media, 4 August 2026.
Case Status
Complaint filed
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Muslim Extremists
Perpetrators Range
One Person
Perpetrators Gender
male
Sources 
