Hate speech targeting Hindu beliefs: Christian politician makes derogatory remark against Lord Krishna
Kerala, India 
19 September, 2025
Case Summary
In Kerala, a derogatory remark was made against the Hindu deity, Lord Krishna, by a Christian politician, Dr Jinto John, who is the spokesperson of the Congress Party. During a TV news discussion, while addressing an issue concerning cyberbullying directed at K J Shine, leader of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), and Unnikrishnan, an MLA (Member of Legislative Assembly), Jinto made an offensive remark stating: “In Kerala, Unnikrishnan (meaning: Little Krishna) is the name given to people who indulge in adultery.” This inflammatory comment provoked a significant backlash from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). One of the BJP leaders, B Gopalakrishnan, condemned Jinto’s words, stressing that the name ‘Unnikrishnan’ held deep sentimental and devotional value for Hindus, symbolising reverence and love. He warned, “It is natural for people who lead an immoral life to think of such activities when they hear the word Unnikrishnan. Hindus will not remain silent if anyone defames their deity.” Gopalakrishnan demanded a public apology from both Jinto and the Congress Party. The remark triggered a political storm in the state. Facing mounting criticism, Jinto expressed regret, claiming that his comments were a slip of the tongue during a heated exchange with the channel anchor. Meanwhile, Sunny Joseph, president of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC), stated that he had not yet been approached regarding possible disciplinary action. Separately, Jinto’s defamatory social media post against K J Shine had already led Communist Party leaders to boycott his participation in television debates. Discontent was also evident within the Congress Party, as several Youth Congress leaders faced criticism for actions that placed the leadership in a difficult position. One such controversy involved Youth Congress leader Nemom Shajeer, who escorted MLA Rahul Mamkootathil into the assembly session despite being suspended from the party’s core membership. The leadership had not taken any action in this matter, leading a KPCC leader to remark, “There is no control over the youth leaders who are on a rampage in Kerala politics.”
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case has been added to the tracker under the primary category- Hate Speech against Hindus. Within this, 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 incident was a clear case of hate speech directed against Hindus by abusing one of the most revered Hindu deities, Lord Krishna. If Dr Jinto John wished to respond to the Communist Party leaders during the TV debate, he had ample opportunity to address them directly. Instead, he deliberately attacked Hindu sentiments by targeting the sacred name “Unnikrishnan” and abusing Lord Krishna. By equating that name with adultery, Jinto resorted to a well-known method of denigrating and degrading Hindu gods, an act deeply disrespectful to Hindu beliefs and practices. For Hindus, Lord Krishna holds a place of supreme reverence. He is worshipped as the eighth incarnation of Lord Vishnu, the preserver in the Hindu trinity, and is revered as the embodiment of divine love, wisdom, and dharma. His life—celebrated through texts like the Bhagavad Gita and Srimad Bhagavata Purana—has inspired millions across generations with values of righteousness, compassion, and devotion. Any attempt to malign or desecrate his name is felt by Hindus as not just an insult to a religious figure, but as an attack on their very identity and faith. The act of denigrating Lord Krishna in this vile and abusive manner showcases deep-seated animosity towards Hindus and Hinduism. Although Jinto later attempted to pass off his comments as a “slip of the tongue,” in truth, the very nature of the remark revealed deep-rooted prejudice. Such words cannot be dismissed as accidental. They reflected a conscious attempt to vilify Hindu traditions by turning a name associated with one of Hinduism’s most beloved deities into a slur. This indicated more than personal carelessness; it highlighted an ingrained hostility towards the Hindu community and their belief system. Given that this incident directly attacked a revered Hindu deity in a derogatory manner, mimicking a pattern of religiously motivated hate, it is being classified as a case of Hinduphobic hate speech and has been duly added to the hate crime database in the Hinduphobia Tracker. Disclaimer: Media reports did not specify the exact date when the accused made these derogatory statements. However, based on the available information, the video of the incident was posted by the BJP Kerala’s official Twitter handle on 20th September 2025. Therefore, this date is being taken as the indicative date of the incident. The media reported the case on 21st September 2025. In the Hinduphobia Tracker, the record is maintained as per the date when the hate speech was made, rather than the subsequent date of media reporting.
Case Status
Unknown
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Christian Extremists
Perpetrators Range
One Person
Perpetrators Gender
male
Sources 
