Hindu students asked to consume beef by Muslim teacher on Ram Mandir's Pran Prathishtha day

Case Summary
On the day of Ram Mandir's Pran Prathishtha ceremony on January 22, 2024, a Muslim teacher identified as Saddam Hossain told the students of Birnagar High School of Malda, West Bengal, to "eat beef." Massive protests broke out outside the school. Angry Hindu students and locals demanded the arrest of Saddam for hurting religious sentiments.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
Distinct elements in this particular case demonstrate that the crime was committed while harbouring a bias against the Hindu faith. According to the case details, it has been added to the tracker under two prime categories. The first is- Attack on Hindu religious representations. Under this, the sub-category selected is- Defiling religious customs. Sanatan Dharma is not a religion of one book, which is to say that while it has religious scriptures that form the central tenets of the faith, there are several traditions followed through thousands of years, mostly passed from generation to generation orally. There are several such customs and traditions that are followed by various Hindus and Hindu sects. Defiling of these traditions and customs is a breach of an individual or group’s religious practices. Such practices can range from dietary restrictions like not eating non-vegetarian food for a certain period of the year, not eating non-vegetarian food at all, not eating beef since the cow is considered holy in Hinduism, the sanctity of religious customs followed in the house (like many ISCKON devotees), etc. Any malicious action leading to the breach of such traditions or defilement of these traditions owing to animosity towards the faith or for the sake of activism stems not only from the lack of faith in the religion itself but also from disregard for the faith of the devotees who follow the customs/traditions and implicit bias against the faith, the tradition itself. Since these specific traditions are central to the faith of the devotees of that specific sect of Hindus, any non-compliance with these traditional rules would be considered a religiously motivated hate crime. The second category selected 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. For Hindus, the Pran Pratishtha event represents the pinnacle of centuries-long struggles to reclaim Lord Ram’s birthplace and reinstate Bhagwan Ram to his Janmabhoomi. The return of Lord Ram to Ram Janmabhoomi is a testament to the thousands of devotees, particularly the Karsevaks, who gave up everything to continue battling for a site that was forcibly taken by Islamic fundamentalists who humiliated the native Hindus by erecting a mosque on top of an already existing temple. Moreover, for Hindus, the cow is considered sacred, and the consumption of beef is prohibited in their faith. Considering the above facts, the Muslim teacher's statement, urging students to "eat beef," on the day of the Pran Pratishtha ceremony of the Ram Mandir, directly challenges Hindu religious sentiments. The timing and nature of the comment not only display a disregard for Hindu customs but also reflect a deliberate attempt to provoke and offend a community during a moment of profound religious significance. Such actions are emblematic of Hinduphobia as they demean deeply held beliefs, showcasing animosity towards Hindu practices. The teacher's behaviour represents an attack on the sanctity of the Hindu faith and highlights a broader pattern of disrespect and animosity toward Hindu traditions and values, and this is why this case has been added to the tracker.

Case Status
Unknown

Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Muslim Extremists
Perpetrators Range
One Person
Perpetrators Gender
male