Case Summary

In the United States, a derogatory remark against Hinduism and Diwali celebrations was made by a Christian man named Elijah Schaffer. The accused is a journalist and the chief executive officer of Rift TV, a news portal. Diwali, also known as Deepavali, holds profound importance for Hindus as it symbolises the victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance. It commemorates the return of Lord Rama to Ayodhya after defeating the demon king Ravana, representing the triumph of righteousness (dharma) and virtue. The festival also celebrates the divine feminine energy through Goddess Lakshmi, who symbolises wealth, prosperity, and good fortune, and through Goddess Kali, who represents the destruction of evil forces. Diwali unites Hindu families and communities in prayer, celebration, and renewal, encouraging spiritual cleansing, positive beginnings, and harmony. During the Diwali celebrations in October 2025, several prominent American politicians, including President Donald Trump, Senator Tulsi Gabbard, and Governor Greg Abbott, publicly extended greetings and participated in Diwali events across the country. Their gestures reflected growing recognition of Hindu festivals and cultural inclusivity within the United States. In reaction to this, the accused, who has 841.9k followers on X (formerly Twitter), made an offensive remark directed at Hinduism and Diwali celebrations. On 21st October 2025, he wrote on X: "Thank you to all our politicians wishing us a happy day to celebrate a demon religion….Diwali….Nothing is better than having our elected and appointed officials celebrate demonic anti-Christian culture….This is what our founding fathers wanted….That’s why they died for us."

Case Images

Why it is Hate Crime ?

This case has been added to the tracker under the primary category- 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. In this case, the remarks made by Elijah Schaffer constitute a clear case of anti-Hindu hate speech. The accused called Hinduism a “demon religion,” directly attacking the faith of millions of Hindus across the world. Hinduism is one of the oldest living religions, deeply intertwined with the identity, culture, and spirituality of its followers. It is a path that guides its adherents towards peace, well-being, and ultimately liberation (moksha). To millions of Hindus, their religion is not merely a belief system but an integral part of who they are. The accused’s decision to brand this ancient and peaceful faith as a “demon religion” revealed deep-seated religious hostility towards the Hindu community. Such hateful rhetoric dehumanises Hindus, creating dangerous stereotypes that can lead to prejudice, social discrimination, and, in extreme circumstances, violence against the Hindu community. It represented a deliberate attempt to insult and malign an entire religious group, making it a clear instance of religiously motivated hate speech. The accused also abused the celebration of Diwali by referring to it as a “demonic anti-Christian culture.” Diwali, one of the most sacred and joyous festivals in Hinduism, holds immense religious and cultural significance as it celebrates the victory of light over darkness and good over evil. By using derogatory language to insult this revered festival, the accused not only disrespected a central aspect of Hindu faith but also targeted the community’s spiritual and cultural expressions. Such statements reflect deep-rooted animosity against Hindus and their religious practices, making this a clear instance of religiously motivated hate speech and an attack on the dignity of Hindus. Such hateful actions stem from indoctrination within Christian theology that promotes hostility towards non-Christian faiths. This worldview positions Christianity as the sole true religion while portraying other faiths as demonic or inferior. Such doctrinal animosity dehumanises non-Christian believers and fosters intolerance towards peaceful religions like Hinduism. The remarks made by the accused reflect precisely this prejudice and represent a deliberate attempt to vilify Hindus on religious grounds. Consequently, this case is recorded in the hate crime database of the Hinduphobia Tracker as an instance of anti-Hindu hate speech.