Anti-Hindu and anti-India remarks posted on social media by three Bangladeshi students of AMU

Case ID : 59548e6 | Location : Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, India | Date of Incident : Tue, 10 December, 2024
Case ID : 59548e6
location Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, India
date 10 December, 2024
Anti-Hindu and anti-India remarks posted on social media by three Bangladeshi students of AMU
Hate speech against Hindus
Anti-Hindu slurs, mocking faith

Case Summary

Three Bangladeshi students of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) were accused of making anti-India and anti-Hindu remarks on social media, along with vulgar comments about Indian women and temples. The accused students, identified as Shamyul, Rifat Rehman, and Mahmood Hasan Arafat demanded a ban on ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness) temples, referring to the organisation as a militant group. The remarks sparked outrage among AMU students, who filed an official complaint demanding strict action against the offenders. The controversy began when screenshots of the offensive social media posts were shared with the AMU administration. The complainants, led by Akhil Kaushal, a postgraduate student, called for the suspension of the accused, the cancellation of their visas, and their deportation back to Bangladesh. In response, AMU authorities initiated an investigation and issued notices to the accused students. The deputy proctor, Nawaz Ali Zaidi, confirmed that a comprehensive inquiry was underway and that strict action would follow based on the findings. Among the accused, Shamyul returned to Bangladesh after completing his BA degree, and Mahmood Hasan Arafat, who was accepted to the BA LLB program, did not enrol, and was also in Bangladesh. Only Rifat Rehman, a third-year BA student, remained at AMU and was served a notice seeking an explanation. The administration also contacted its admission centre in Bangladesh to collect further information about the students. Meanwhile, protests erupted within AMU, with Hindu students demanding harsher measures and increased surveillance of foreign students’ social media activities to prevent similar incidents. A student leader warned that the offenders would be expelled if the university failed to act decisively. Additionally, the complainants revealed that one of the accused had made controversial comments about cow dung consumption in Uttar Pradesh, a remark they said could strain India-Bangladesh relations. Zaidi emphasised that social media should be used responsibly and that any activities tarnishing the university’s or India’s reputation would not be tolerated. He assured that the matter was being taken seriously and that the investigation would be thorough.

Why it is Hate Crime ?

The case has been added to the 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 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 Bangladesh students' derogatory comments, which included anti-Hindu remarks, insults against temples, and their demand to ban ISKCON by labelling it a militant group, explicitly targeted Hindu beliefs and practices. Such remarks not only denigrate Hinduism but also exhibit an evident intent to mock and disrespect Hindus. The offensive nature of their comments—ranging from vulgar statements about Indian women and sacred religious institutions to inflammatory remarks about Hindu traditions like cow dung usage—reflects an underlying animosity towards Hindu culture and faith. This type of speech transcends mere criticism, as it aims to ridicule and provoke the Hindus. By targeting key symbols of Hindu identity and reverence, such actions constitute a direct assault on the beliefs of the Hindu community, making it a clear instance of religiously motivated hate speech. Here it becomes important to mention that this incident can also be viewed as an extension of the recent wave of persecution faced by Hindu minorities in Bangladesh, following the political shift and the ousting of Sheikh Hasina. In recent months, targeted violence against Hindus in Bangladesh has escalated, including the brutal killing of ISKCON priests and attacks on Hindu temples. The derogatory remarks made by the Bangladeshi students at AMU about ISKCON, Hindu temples, and Indian traditions mirror the same animosity that the Muslims have exhibited against the minority Hindus in the Islamic nation. It can be interpreted as an extension of this pervasive hate, with the students importing the animosity and prejudices prevalent in their home country, which is why this case has been added to the tracker.

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Case Status


Complaint filed

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Perpetrators Details

Perpetrators


Muslim Extremists

Perpetrators Range


From 2 To 5

Perpetrators Gender


both

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