Indian politician maligns Hindus by falsely claiming they vandalised a mosque and tore Quran pages; police expose the lie
Vaishali, Bihar, India 
20 October, 2025
Case Summary
Hindus in Bihar’s Vaishali district were placed under threat after AIMIM candidate Bachha Rai from the Mahua Assembly constituency circulated a false and inflammatory video on social media, claiming that a mosque in Rampur Bhojhar had been vandalised and copies of the Quran were torn. The fabricated video, designed to inflame communal sentiments, quickly went viral, creating tension and fear among Hindu residents who became potential targets of retaliation. Police investigations later revealed that the video was entirely fake and that no such incident had taken place. Officials clarified that the only altercation near the mosque was a minor scuffle between a few boys, which had no religious angle whatsoever. Both parties subsequently resolved the issue in writing, affirming that the dispute was personal and unrelated to religion. According to the Vaishali Police, Bachha Rai had deliberately uploaded the video in a premeditated manner with the intent to incite communal hatred and provoke hostility between the two communities. His attempt to spread misinformation falsely portraying Hindus as aggressors could have easily triggered widespread violence. Acting swiftly, the police and local administration reached the spot to prevent escalation. Vaishali CDPO Sanjeev Kumar confirmed, “Our inquiry revealed that there was no damage inside the mosque, and the claims made in the viral video were completely baseless.” A case has been registered against Bachha Rai under Sections 299, 196(1), 353(2), and 74 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at Gauriganj (Kathara) Police Station. Both Hindu and Muslim community elders later intervened to restore peace, urging residents not to believe or share communal rumors. Authorities have stated that such deliberate attempts to malign Hindus through fabricated claims are deeply dangerous and can destabilise communal harmony. Timely police action prevented what could have turned into another orchestrated flare-up against Hindus based on lies and manufactured outrage.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This incident has been added under the category- Hate speech against Hindus. Under this, the subcategory selected is- Anti-Hindu subversion and prejudice. The tertiary category selected is- Anti-Hindu fake news or Downplaying. Hate speech is defined as any speech, gesture, conduct, writing, or display that is prejudicial against a specific individual and/or group of people, which is leading to or may lead to violence, prejudicial action or hate against that individual and/or group. Media plays a specific and overarching reach in perpetuating prejudicial attitudes towards a community owing to unfair, untrue coverage and/or misrepresentation/misinterpretation, selective coverage and/or omission of facts of/pertaining to issues affecting a specific religious group. This type of bias can dehumanise the victim group, making it easier for others to justify harmful actions against them, which aligns with the objectives of hate speech laws aimed at preventing such harm. It is often observed that the media takes a prejudicial stand against the Hindu community driven by their need to shield the aggressor community which happens to be a numeric minority, however, is the one perpetrating violence against Hindus. For example, the media is often quick to contextualise religiously motivated crimes against Hindus, omit or misrepresent facts that point towards religiously motivated hate crimes, justify and/or downplay religiously motivated hate crimes or simply present fake news to stereotype Hindus. Such media bias leads to the denial of persecution and is often used to dehumanise Hindus, leading to justification for violence against them. For example, the media covered several fake allegations of Hindus targeting Muslims and forcing them to chant Jai Shree Ram. Most of these cases were proved false and fabricated after police investigation. These fake news reports were subsequently never retracted or clarified. Such fake news led to the justification of violence and dehumanisation of Hindus based on the argument that since Hindus targeted Muslims and forced them to chant Jai Shree Ram, the dehumanisation of Hindus and violence against them was par for the course and merely a retaliation. Such media bias leads to prejudicial portrayal of Hindus and offers a justification for violence against them and, therefore, is considered hate speech under this category. This case represents a deliberate act of anti-Hindu subversion through the spread of fabricated communal propaganda. By falsely claiming that Hindus vandalised a mosque and desecrated copies of the Quran, AIMIM candidate Bachha Rai attempted to portray the Hindu community as violent and intolerant, deliberately fueling anger and distrust among Muslims. Such misinformation not only distorts facts but also endangers the lives and safety of Hindus on the ground, who become immediate targets of mob hostility and suspicion. This is a classic example of hate speech masked as “news”, where false narratives are strategically crafted to vilify Hindus, undermine their image, and provoke communal unrest. The intent was not merely political but ideological, seeking to reinforce prejudice against Hindus and portray them as habitual aggressors. By weaponising social media to circulate these lies, the perpetrator contributed to a broader pattern of anti-Hindu propaganda that normalises hatred and hostility toward the Hindu community.
Case Status
Complaint filed
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Others
Perpetrators Range
One Person
Perpetrators Gender
male
Sources 
