Hindu sentiments outraged; social media user posts derogatory remarks against Goddess Durga and Durga Puja pandal
Pratapgarh, Uttar Pradesh, India 
11 October, 2026
Case Summary
In Patti town, Pratapgarh, Uttar Pradesh, a social media user posted derogatory remarks against Goddess Durga and a Durga Puja pandal during the 2026 Durga Puja celebrations. According to media reports, Sunny Jaiswal, son of Satya Prakash Jaiswal, had been organising a Durga Puja pandal for 38 consecutive years. In 2026, he once again organised the religious celebrations on Civil Lines Road, decorating the pandal with devotion and installing an idol of Goddess Durga. During the religious event, an Instagram user posted derogatory remarks targeting Hindu beliefs, Goddess Durga and the Durga Puja pandal. The remarks offended the religious sentiments of local Hindu residents and devotees, triggering anger in the area. Following the incident, Sunny Jaiswal lodged a complaint at Patti police station. After conducting a technical investigation into the Instagram account, the police registered a First Information Report (FIR) against the user under the Information Technology Act and other relevant legal provisions for hurting the religious sentiments of the Hindu community. Notably, the Hinduphobia Tracker team contacted the Patti police to obtain further details about the incident and establish the exact nature of the remarks made by the accused. However, the police refrained from disclosing the specific comments, stating that they were derogatory and could not be shared in the interest of maintaining peace and communal harmony.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case is being added to the tracker under the primary category: Hate Speech against Hindus. 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 case is a clear example of a hate crime because the perpetrator posted derogatory remarks against Goddess Durga, the Durga Puja pandal and the Hindu faith on social media during the 2026 Navratri celebrations, offending the religious sentiments of the Hindu community. Navratri, also known as Durga Puja, is one of the most significant Hindu festivals, celebrated over nine nights to honour the divine feminine, particularly Goddess Durga. The festival celebrates the triumph of good over evil and holds immense spiritual significance for millions of Hindu devotees. Durga Puja, observed with particular devotion during this period, commemorates Goddess Durga’s victory over the buffalo demon Mahishasura, symbolising the destruction of evil and the restoration of righteousness. Goddess Durga is revered in Hinduism as a manifestation of Shakti, the divine feminine power, and as the protector of the universe and destroyer of evil. She embodies strength, courage and righteousness, and her worship forms an integral part of Hindu religious life. Her image is a sacred representation of divine power and protection, holding profound devotional significance for millions of Hindus. Derogatory remarks against the Goddess therefore insult a deeply revered religious figure central to Hindu faith and practice. A Durga Puja pandal serves as a sacred space where devotees gather to worship Goddess Durga, offer prayers and perform religious rituals. Centred around the idol of the Goddess and decorated for the festival, it becomes a focal point for collective worship, devotion and community celebration. Desecrating its religious significance through derogatory remarks disrespects a space dedicated to Hindu worship and the religious traditions it represents. By targeting Goddess Durga, the Durga Puja pandal and Hindu religious beliefs, the perpetrator directed derogatory remarks at sacred elements central to the Hindu community’s faith and identity. Such conduct went beyond criticism of religious ideas and demonstrated contempt for revered figures, places of worship and devotional traditions. The remarks were therefore rooted in religious hostility towards Hinduism and its adherents, making the incident an instance of hate speech directed at the Hindu community. The timing of the remarks further aggravated the offence. They were made during Navratri, a major Hindu festival when devotees gather to worship Goddess Durga and participate in religious celebrations. Targeting the Goddess and a pandal during this sacred period turned a time of devotion and collective celebration into one of distress and religious hurt. Directing such insults at the Hindu community during one of its most significant observances reinforced the hostile nature of the act, making it a religiously driven hate crime. The publication of the remarks on social media also enabled them to reach an audience beyond the immediate locality. By using a public digital platform to disseminate derogatory content about Goddess Durga, the Durga Puja pandal and Hinduism, the perpetrator exposed a wider audience to the offensive material and increased its potential to hurt religious sentiments and aggravate communal tensions. The public nature of the remarks amplified their impact and contributed to the religiously hostile character of the incident. At the time of writing this report, the perpetrator’s identity remained unknown. However, the act of making derogatory remarks against Goddess Durga, the Durga Puja pandal and Hindu religious beliefs was rooted in hostility towards Hinduism and the Hindu community. Therefore, the case is being documented in the Hinduphobia Tracker’s hate crime database. Disclaimer: The Hinduphobia Tracker records incident dates based on when the crime occurred, rather than when it was reported by the media. However, as media reports did not specify the exact date of the incident in this case, 12 October 2026, the date on which it was reported by the media, has been selected as the indicative incident date for documentation purposes only.
Case Status
Complaint registered
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Unknown
Perpetrators Range
Unknown
Perpetrators Gender
unknown
Sources 
