Case Summary

In Sherkot, Uttar Pradesh, a Muslim man named Shahzad Ali made objectionable and derogatory posts against Hindu organisations and 'Operation Sindoor' launched by India to avenge the Pahalgam Hindu massacre. The accused is a teacher at the PJM Inter College. Shahzad Ali posted abusive and derogatory content on Facebook, in which he used offensive language against RSS and BJP supporters and insulted the religious symbol of sindoor, which holds spiritual significance for Hindu women. His comment read, " It cannot be said whether the RSS and BJP's prostitutes will distribute sindoor to every household or apply Sindoor to all women. Hindu sisters, beware of prostitutes". The post went viral, drawing widespread outrage from Hindu organisations and Hindu women. Various Hindu organisations protested against it, demanding strict legal and disciplinary action against the teacher. As of the date of writing this report, the accused was arrested by the police, and the investigation was ongoing.

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Why it is Hate Crime ?

This case has been added to the tracker under the primary category of: - Hate speech against Hindus. Within it, 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. This case has been added to the tracker because Shahzad Ali, a Muslim teacher, made a calculated and hateful attack on Hindu identity by targeting both Hindu organisations and sindoor—a sacred symbol in Hinduism. In a Facebook post, Ali referred to RSS and BJP supporters as “prostitutes” and warned Hindu women to “stay away” from them. His choice of words was not just vulgar but a deliberate attempt to vilify those associated with Hindu beliefs and institutions. The reference to sindoor was particularly offensive and culturally charged. Sindoor (vermilion) is not merely a cosmetic product—it holds deep spiritual significance for married Hindu women. Applying sindoor in the parting of a woman’s hair is a sacred ritual symbolising her marital status, devotion, and the well-being of her husband. It is both a personal religious expression and a public symbol of commitment to dharma (duty) and tradition. By sarcastically suggesting that the BJP and RSS would “apply sindoor to all women in every household,” Ali reduced this revered symbol to a vulgar political metaphor. Instead of recognising its sacred value, he mocked it in a sexualised and degrading way. This is not only disrespectful to Hindu religious sentiments but also a misogynistic slur targeting Hindu women and their identity. It implies that a sacred tradition can be used as a political tool, thereby ridiculing an entire faith. The insult becomes even more serious when seen in the context of Operation Sindoor, India’s military response to the targeted massacre of Hindus in Pahalgam. The use of the word sindoor in this context represented both a tribute to the pain of Hindu women and a stand for Hindu dignity. Ali’s attempt to belittle this, amid such a sensitive background, reveals his intent to undermine Hindu voices and mock Hindu suffering. Ali’s comments reflect a deeper animosity—not just toward specific political groups, but toward the very notion of Hindu self-respect and cultural assertion. His slur was a veiled attempt to delegitimise Hindu organisations like the RSS, which are seen as defenders of Hindu identity. This is a common tactic among Islamist and leftist circles, who resent any platform that empowers Hindus or articulates their concerns. By calling Hindu women to stay away from these groups, Ali was essentially attempting to alienate them from their religious roots and weaken community solidarity. His post reflects not personal frustration, but a mindset steeped in religious hostility—one that seeks to ridicule and undermine Hindu values from within. For these reasons, this incident is being tracked as a hate crime targeting the Hindu faith, its symbols, and its institutions.