Attack on Hindu sentiments: Muslim man linked to Islamic political party makes derogatory remarks against Hindu deities
Muradabad, Uttar Pradesh, India 
9 December, 2025
Case Summary
In Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh, derogatory remarks were made against Hindu gods and goddesses by a Muslim lawyer named Waqeer Rashid, who was associated with the All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM), an Islamic political party. According to media reports, this incident came to light when the Youth Wing office-bearers and workers of the Shiv Sena staged a protest at the Senior Superintendent of Police's (SSP) office on 10th December 2025. They expressed their anger over the derogatory remarks made against Hindu deities by Rashid, an office-bearer associated with AIMIM. The Shiv Sena members submitted a memorandum to the SSP demanding that a case be registered regarding the matter. They demanded the strictest actions against the accused and stated that derogatory remarks against Hindu deities deeply hurt their religious sentiments and that such statements would not be tolerated. Those present during the protest included Shibu Pandey, Akash Singh, Pankaj Pal, Arun Thakur, Umesh Thakur, Badam Singh, Ankur Tandon, Shibu Saini, Tilakraj Sharma, Suresh Saini, Vishal Saini, Pradeep Singh, Dharmendra Kashyap, Mayank Saini, and Rahul Singh, among others.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
The primary category selected in this case is- 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 represents a clear instance of anti-Hindu hate speech, as the Muslim accused, associated with the All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM), made derogatory and offensive remarks targeting revered Hindu deities. Hindu gods and goddesses are highly revered by Hindus and embody profound spiritual values, cosmic principles, and moral guidance, representing dharma (righteousness), prosperity, strength, and wisdom. They form the foundation of the Hindu faith, identity, devotion, and cultural heritage for millions worldwide. When such sacred figures face insult, Hindus experience it not as a casual slight, but as a direct assault on their faith and identity. When the accused makes offensive and derogatory remarks against Hindu deities, it reveals deep-seated religious animosity towards the Hindu community. This targeted abuse deliberately demeans what Hindus hold sacred, attacking their core identity and instilling humiliation and division. By mocking symbols central to Hindu worship, the accused demonstrates religious intolerance, fostering hostility against Hindus as a group and constituting religiously motivated hate speech. This is not an isolated incident. AIMIM members have repeatedly denigrated Hindus, threatened them directly, and mocked their sacred faith with impunity. For instance, in 2012, AIMIM leader Akbaruddin Owaisi branded Hindu gods and goddesses as "manhoos" (inauspicious) in his speeches, insisting their names must be avoided in "blessed gatherings" to preserve purity. He ridiculed deities like Rama and Kausalya, sneering at varying temple claims and regional depictions of gods to portray Hindu devotion as laughable and inconsistent. He escalated further with his chilling "15 minutes" threat, boasting that if police stand down for just that long, Muslims will unleash violent attacks and crush Hindus with their street strength. Likewise, AIMIM's Danish Qureshi spewed offensive comments on the Shivling during the heated Gyanvapi and Kashi Vishwanath dispute. Given this pattern of AIMIM-associated figures denigrating Hindu deities and the current case, it constitutes religiously motivated hate speech against Hindus and their faith. Therefore, this case is being added to the hate crime database of the Hinduphobia Tracker. Disclaimer: The Hinduphobia Tracker records the dates of incidents based on when the hate crime occurs, rather than when the media reports it. In this case, media reports do not specify the exact date of the derogatory remarks by the accused. It only mentions that the Hindu organisations raised the matter with the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) on 10th December 2025. Therefore, this date serves as the indicative date of the incident solely for documentation purposes.
Case Status
Complaint filed
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Muslim Extremists
Perpetrators Range
One Person
Perpetrators Gender
male
Sources 
