Journalist labels sacred Hindu symbol ‘sindoor’ as patriarchal, mocks its use in honouring Pahalgam victims
India 
7 May, 2025
Case Summary
India carried out ‘Operation Sindoor’, destroying nine terrorist camps in Pakistan in response to the brutal killings in Pahalgam. In that Pahalgam attack, terrorists had singled out Hindu victims by asking their religion, resulting in the deaths of 26 people. The military operation was a firm retaliation aimed at dismantling the terror infrastructure responsible for the Pahalgam massacre. Following the operation, some sections of the Left-leaning media expressed disapproval, particularly with the name given to the mission. Vaishna Roy, editor of Frontline magazine under The Hindu group, stated on X (formerly Twitter) that she found the name of the operation deeply objectionable on ideological grounds. She said, "On principle, I object strongly to the label Operation Sindoor. It reeks of patriarchy, ownership of women, "honour" killings, chastity, sacralising the institution of marriage, and similar Hindutva obsessions." It is noteworthy that the name ‘Operation Sindoor’ was chosen because the terrorists reportedly spared women, telling them, “Go tell Modi.” The symbolism of sindoor, traditionally worn by married Hindu women, was thus invoked in the naming. The Hindu had previously published a false report claiming an Indian fighter jet was downed in Jammu and Kashmir, which was later deleted and followed by an apology.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case has been added to the tracker un the primary category of - Hate Speech against Hindus. The sub-category selected here 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. The name of the operation, chosen because of the symbolic reference to sindoor, traditionally worn by married Hindu women, was linked to the narrative of sparing women during the terrorist attack. However, Vaishna Roy expressed disapproval on ideological grounds, claiming that the term 'Sindoor' evoked themes of patriarchy, ownership over women, and forced notions of purity. This interpretation distorts the cultural and religious significance of sindoor and instead focuses on negative ideological perspectives. The journalist criticised Hindutva. 'Hindutva' is often used as a euphemism to make the targeting of Hindus more palatable. Hindutva is essentially a unifying ideology for Hindus which became imperative for Hindus to find and preserve their cultural identity which was being eroded and attacked due to Islamic invasions, British colonisation, Christian theological impositions and conversions. Hindutva is not a destructive ideology, as some attempt to portray, but one that is used as a unifying edifice for Hindus. Hindutva is also often used as a euphemism to target Hindus on the whole and their religious identity and faith. It is essentially semantic jugglery to confuse Hindus into believing that their own persecution by supremacists is somehow 'justified' because the specific victims espoused an ideology (Hindutva) which deserves the onslaught. The fact that the use of 'Hindutva' is merely to mask animosity towards Hindus was evident from the "Dismantling Global Hindutva" conference held in the USA, where speakers unabashedly spoke about how Hindutva and Hinduism are indistinguishable and therefore, the "dismantle Hindutva" one would have to "dismantle Hinduism". The practices of targeting Hindus and their religious and cultural identity and justifying that victimisation and dehumanisation by using euphemisms like "Hindutva" stems out of inherent animosity and hostility towards Hindus. Roy's statement involves mocking and misrepresenting an important cultural symbol that holds deep religious meaning for many Hindus. The term sindoor is not merely an accessory; it carries profound cultural and spiritual significance. For Hindu women, it is a symbol of marital status, fidelity, and the spiritual bond with their husbands. The use of sindoor is also connected to the notion of auspiciousness and well-being in the married life of a woman, and it is a symbol of respect and devotion. By reducing this sacred symbol to a tool of patriarchal oppression, the critique inadvertently mocks the Hindu faith and its practices. This misuse of the term 'Sindoor' by Roy’s ideological framing is an attack on the religious and cultural identity of Hindus, reinforcing harmful stereotypes and fostering divisiveness. Hence, this case is documented in a hate crime database.
Case Status
Unknown
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Others
Perpetrators Range
One Person
Perpetrators Gender
female
Sources 
