Hindu faith insulted with derogatory remarks during Dussehra event in Sultanpur, Uttar Pradesh
Sultanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India 
1 October, 2025
Case Summary
Derogatory remarks against Hindus were made by a speaker during a Dussehra event at a Buddhist Vihar in Kadipur, Sultanpur district, Uttar Pradesh. The incident occurred when Professor Shyamlal, addressing the gathering on the occasion of Vijayadashami, October 2, 2025, used offensive and divisive language about Hindu society and its beliefs, leading Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Rajesh Gautam to intervene and seize the microphone mid-speech. The event, organised at the Buddhist Vihar in Kadipur constituency, was attended by several local residents, Buddhist followers, and political representatives, including sitting MLA Rajesh Gautam and former MLA Bhageluram. Witnesses said that during his address, Professor Shyamlal used derogatory expressions, including the word “haraami” (bastard), while speaking about religious and social issues. His remarks were perceived by attendees as disrespectful towards Hindus and as an attempt to stir religious hostility. Reacting to the provocation, MLA Rajesh Gautam walked up to the dais, snatched the microphone, and confronted the speaker over his choice of words. The altercation led to a heated exchange between the two on stage, momentarily halting the event. Audience members captured the confrontation on video, which rapidly circulated online, sparking widespread discussion. The video of the incident drew contrasting responses. While some criticised the MLA’s behaviour as aggressive, many social media users and local residents defended his intervention, stating that such language against the Hindu faith could not be tolerated, especially during a public religious event. Speaking to reporters later, MLA Rajesh Gautam clarified his stance, saying, “The words used on stage were not acceptable. The speaker insulted religion and sought to divide society. As a Dalit and a believer in my faith, I cannot tolerate language that promotes religious conversion or disrespects Hindu beliefs.”
Why it is Hate Crime ?
The primary category in this case is: Hate speech against Hindus. The subcategory under this 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 in Kadipur, Sultanpur district, stands as a demonstrative instance of hate speech directed towards the Hindu community, expressed through the use of derogatory language and ridicule of their faith during a religiously sensitive occasion. The speaker, identified as Professor Shyamlal, chose the festival of Vijayadashami, a revered Hindu festival that marks Lord Ram’s victory over the demon king Ravan, symbolising the triumph of good over evil, to deliver remarks that were not only inflammatory but also contemptuous towards Hindu beliefs and traditions. His public use of the word “haraami” while referring to aspects of Hindu society went beyond the limits of permissible expression and entered the domain of targeted insult and provocation. Such language, when employed in a public religious context, carries the weight of incitement and humiliation. It seeks to erode the dignity of the community by presenting its faith as inferior or worthy of mockery. This is not mere criticism or academic disagreement; it is the deliberate denigration of a religious identity. Historically, the use of anti-Hindu slurs has been part of a wider pattern of hostility, where expressions such as “cow-worshipper” or “cow urine drinker” have been used to dehumanise Hindus and caricature their faith. Mocking cow urine is an attempt to delegitimise and belittle the Hindu faith itself. Such remarks have been observed in statements made by those who express open hostility towards Hindus, including Pulwama terrorist Ahmed Dhar, who used the slur to denigrate Hindus while justifying violence. His remark about killing CRPF soldiers because they "drink cow urine" highlights how this slur is weaponised not only to ridicule religious practices but also to justify acts of hatred and violence. The reference to “haraami” in a similar tone reflects the same inherited prejudice — one that attempts to ridicule Hindu piety and normalise contempt against Hindus in public spaces. The recurrence of such expressions in social or political discourse has the cumulative effect of legitimising anti-Hindu bigotry under the guise of freedom of speech or socio-political critique. By making offensive comments and targeting individuals based on their religious identity, the accused revealed his disdain for Hinduism. His words are not just casual insults but indicate a deeper hostility, fueled by a desire to demean and belittle Hindu beliefs and customs. As such, this incident is being categorised as a religiously motivated hate crime against Hindus. By documenting it, the Hinduphobia Tracker seeks to underline how linguistic hostility, when normalised in public forums, fosters division and resentment. Words that demean religious identity are not harmless opinions but instruments of prejudice, and recognising them as such is essential to ensuring respect and equality for all faiths.
Case Status
Unknown
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Others
Perpetrators Range
One Person
Perpetrators Gender
male
Sources 
