Case Summary

In Gujarat, an anti-Hindu remark was made by a former Christian professor named Dr Madhusudan Raj. The accused was working at Surat-based Veer Narmad South Gujarat University (VNSGU). He showed support for a Hinduphobic tweet on X (formerly Twitter) that called for the desecration of an idol of Lord Hanuman in the United States. The Hinduphobia Tracker previously reported this incident. A Christian American user named @basedspinach, also known as ‘Spinachbrah’, mocked Lord Hanuman by calling him a ‘demon monkey’. The accused also urged the US government to desecrate the Hanuman idol. On 20th September 2025, the user posted on X: "Now that we are kicking out all of the H1B Indians, it shouldn’t be too hard to get the government to take down this Hindu demon monkey (referring to Lord Hanuman) statue in Fort Bend County, Texas." Dr Madhusudan Raj expressed his support by stating, “Smash it.” Several users on X circulated screenshots of the professor’s tweet, demanding strict action and tagging the Gujarat Police. Many people began tagging VNSGU, stating that Dr Raj was still serving as an assistant professor. The university responded by stating through its Human Resources department that he resigned in 2021 and had no association with them since. The university said it was reviewing the matter and would issue a statement. They emphasised that VNSGU did not support his personal views or current activities. Reports confirmed that Dr Raj began living abroad. His X profile described him as a “born again Christian.” The controversy escalated because this was not the first time his posts attracted attention. He had previously made several remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Hindus, and Gujaratis. In past posts, he called the Prime Minister a “clown” and compared India’s condition under him to a dictatorship. He also ridiculed Hindu religious practices, temples, and faith. Given the seriousness of these repeated anti-Hindu posts, the VNSGU stated that legal options were under consideration, while again stressing that Dr Raj was no longer part of their faculty.

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Why it is Hate Crime ?

This case has been added to the tracker under the primary category- Hate Speech targeting 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 case clearly exemplifies anti-Hindu hate speech, centred on supporting the desecration of an idol of Lord Hanuman, one of the most revered deities in Hinduism. Lord Hanuman embodies strength, devotion, courage, and selfless service, and holds profound spiritual and cultural significance for millions of Hindus worldwide. He symbolises hope, protection, and righteousness. To Hindus, idols are not mere statues or decorations; they represent the living presence of the divine, serving as sacred focal points for worship, prayer, and spiritual connection. These idols are treated with utmost respect and reverence, reflecting the community’s deep devotion and faith. The call to desecrate such a sacred idol constitutes a religiously motivated crime, revealing a deep-rooted hostility towards Hinduism and its followers. The professor’s public support for the destruction of the Hanuman statue highlights entrenched animosity and disrespect for Hindu beliefs and culture. His actions were not isolated expressions but part of a sustained, deliberate pattern of contempt and hatred for Hinduism. Adding to this is the accused professor’s history of hateful posts targeting India’s Prime Minister, the Hindu religion, and the broader Hindu community, which further cements this as a repeated offence of anti-Hindu hate speech. This was a premeditated, calculated campaign to insult and undermine Hindu identity, beliefs, and political figures. Such targeted hostility against Hinduism, especially when it involves calls to desecrate sacred symbols and continual disparagement, clearly constitutes religiously motivated hate speech. Therefore, this case is being added to the hate crime database of the Hinduphobia Tracker. Disclaimer: Media reports do not specify the current country where the accused is living abroad. Therefore, for documentation, we have considered his previous place of residence, which was Surat, Gujarat, India. He served as a professor at Veer Narmad South Gujarat University (VNSGU) in Surat, Gujarat, before leaving in 2021.