Muslim man arrested for walking dog with Shri Ram tag on the animal’s neck
Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, India 
21 January, 2024
Case Summary
On the day of Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha, on January 22, 2024, a man from the Muslim community was arrested in Ghaziabad for walking a dog with a tag of Shri Ram on the animal’s neck. Reports suggest that Kaushambi Police received a complaint that a person from the Muslim community was walking a dog with a tag of Shri Ram on the animal’s neck. When police reached the area, they found the complaint to be true. The Police immediately arrested the culprit.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case has been added to the hate tracker under the prime category of '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 stems out of inherent animosity and hates towards Hindus and their faith, therefore, it is categorised as hate speech targeted at Hindus specifically owing to their religious identity. Here, a Muslim man was arrested for walking a dog with a "Shri Ram" tag around its neck. In Hinduism, Lord Ram is a highly revered deity and associating the sacred name of Shri Ram with a dog is a deliberate act of insult aimed at diminishing the sanctity of a central figure in Hindu belief. This act reflects a deeper intent to provoke and offend the religious sentiments of Hindus, showcasing blatant disrespect toward their faith. Such an action is an intentional attempt to degrade a core religious symbol, making it a case of religiously motivated hostility. This act has further significance because it was done by the perpetrator on the day of Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha. The Ram Mandir in Ayodhya being rebuilt was a significant milestone for the Hindu community since the birth place of Lord Ram was reclaimed after a 500-year long struggle. Muslim invaders had, centuries ago, constructed a mosque on the spot after desecrating the original Ram Temple there. The Muslim man, by making his dog wear a tag with Shri Ram written on it, was basically signalling his disdain for Hindus and their professed faith, leading to the reclamation of their sacred site.
Case Status
Arrested
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Muslim Extremists
Perpetrators Range
One Person
Perpetrators Gender
male
Sources 
