Case Summary

In Madhya Pradesh, Hindu religious sentiments were insulted after derogatory remarks were made about Bharat Mata (Mother India) on social media by Muslim politician Asad Khan Jilani. According to reports, the Muslim politician and Congress leader Asad Khan Jilani made such statements in response to a commemorative coin issued by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh to mark its 100th anniversary. The coin had a representative image of Bharat Mata holding a flag. In response, Jilani commented on a Facebook post, writing that all demons should worship this “witch” (Bharat Mata) and criticised the inscription on the coin. He wrote, "Let all the demons worship this witch (Bharat Mata). Don't impose it on us Indians. One who doesn't hold the Tiranga (Tricolour) in their hand is not our Bharat Mata (Mother India). Be very clear. Rashtra Swaha (Nation Sacrificed/Consumed) is written on this coin, and the nation is indeed being sacrificed/consumed." His post sparked outrage across the local community and Hindu organisations, and screenshots of the post went viral. Sensing he outrage, Jilani deleted his post, but screenshots of it were already being shared on social media. Members of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal filed a memorandum addressed to the Collector and Tehsildar Sanjay Chaurasia, demanding action against Jilani under sedition and the National Security Act, as well as an investigation into his illegal activities and the demolition of his unauthorised properties. The police promptly arrested Jilani to prevent further outrage and presented him in court. The police also carried out a procession of him apologising for his comments, while holding his ears, and chanting “Bharat Mata ki Jai.” The police confirmed that further action would be taken according to court orders, and Jilani was sent to jail.

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Why it is Hate Crime ?

This case has been 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 incident constitutes a clear case of religiously motivated hate speech because it involved the deliberate insult and denigration of a symbol deeply revered by Hindus. Bharat Mata is not merely a political metaphor but a sacred civilisational symbol that embodies the spiritual and cultural identity of Hindus and the Hindu conception of the nation. By referring to Bharat Mata as a “witch” and using dehumanising language, the accused directly attacked Hindu religious sentiment with the intent to mock, provoke, and demean. It is important to note that extremist ideologies often view India as a Hindu collectivity and frame Hindu civilisational symbols as representative of Hindus as a people. Within this worldview, abusing or denigrating Bharat Mata is not a neutral political critique but a coded attack on Hindus themselves. By targeting Bharat Mata, the accused sought to insult Hindus collectively by attacking a symbol that Hindus revere as sacred and integral to their religious and cultural identity. The remarks were not incidental or taken out of context. They were made in direct response to a commemorative coin depicting Bharat Mata, and the language used was explicitly abusive and hostile. Describing worshippers as “demons” and rejecting Bharat Mata as a legitimate national symbol reflects a conscious attempt to delegitimise Hindu belief systems and portray them as dangerous or illegitimate. This goes far beyond disagreement and enters the realm of targeted religious hatred. The deletion of the post only after public outrage further indicates awareness of its offensive and provocative nature. The rapid spread of screenshots and the strong reaction from Hindu organisations underscore the depth of harm caused. Police intervention and subsequent legal action highlight the seriousness of the act and its potential to inflame communal tensions. By abusing a sacred Hindu symbol and framing Hindu reverence as something demonic and illegitimate, the accused engaged in conduct designed to insult and intimidate Hindus as a religious community. For these reasons, the incident has been documented as a hate-driven act rooted in hostility toward the Hindu faith and identity.