Muslim man posts iconoclastic picture of Ma Durga with obscene song on WhatsApp status
Bara Banki, Uttar Pradesh, India 
4 October, 2024
Case Summary
In Mirapur village, under the Kothi police station, a Muslim man named Naseem was arrested for posting an edited image of Ma Durga with an obscene and offensive song on his WhatsApp status. A case was filed against him for hurting religious sentiments by BJP MLA Dinesh Rawat of Barabanki, post which, Naseem was arrested.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case has been categorised as a hate crime motivated by religion and placed under two prime categories of the tracker. The first prime category relevant here is- Attack on Hindu religious symbols and within this, the sub-category selected is- Iconoclastic representation of Hindu Gods/Goddesses. An icon is a symbol of someone or something that is revered, or a religious representation of a spiritual ideal. Iconography is of vital significance in the Hindu milieu. It helps connect people’s spiritual beliefs with the real world. Iconography within the Hindu faith takes several shapes and forms. Murtis are of most significance to Hindus, to which daily rituals, prayers and offerings are done. Besides the murtis, there are several other symbols which have deep significance in the Hindu faith – the Om and Swastika for example. Any iconoclastic representation of these symbols, images and murtis is an affront to the religious beliefs and faith of the Hindu community itself since the symbols and icons are deeply religious in nature. In this sub-category of crime, we would record hate crimes and iconoclastic representations, in words, art, or any other form of representations of symbols that hold religious significance for the Hindu community. Since these symbols, icons and murtis are central to the Hindu faith, any iconoclastic representation of these symbols is born out of animosity towards the faith itself, manifesting itself through these symbols and therefore, these representations would be considered religiously motivated hated crimes. The second prime category relevant here is- Hate speech against Hindus. Under this, the sub-category 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. In this instance, the accused Naseem altered an image of Ma Durga. This act can be seen as an iconoclastic representation, which involves the deliberate destruction or disrespect of religious icons or symbols. Such actions not only violate the sanctity associated with deities in Hinduism but also show a profound disrespect for the beliefs and values of millions of adherents. Further, the accused, paired it with offensive music. By doing this, the accused exhibited a clear disrespect and disregard for Hindu beliefs and practices. The act was not merely offensive but deliberately targeted a central aspect of Hindu worship, intending to provoke and insult Hindus who hold Ma Durga in high esteem. Such actions reflect a troubling intolerance toward the Hindus and their faith, leading to a classification as a religiously motivated hate crime.
Case Status
Arrested
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Muslim Extremists
Perpetrators Range
One Person
Perpetrators Gender
male
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