Muslim teacher tells minor students that Lord Ram, Hanuman were originally Namaz-offering Muslims
Begusarai, Bihar, India 
7 October, 2024
Case Summary
In Begusarai, Bihar, on October 8, 2024, during a regular class, Mohammad Ziauddin, a teacher from Utkramit Madhya Vidyalaya Kadarabad told seventh-grade students that Lord Ram and Hanuman were originally Muslims and used to offer Namaz. The teacher claimed that Hanuman was the first Hindu to read Namaz, following Lord Ram’s instructions. This sparked immediate outrage among the students, who relayed the incident to their parents, igniting protests from local villagers. A large group of villagers gathered at Ziauddin’s house to confront him about the remarks. Despite his initial apology, the villagers remained unsatisfied, feeling that such comments disrespected Hindu religious sentiments. The following day, on October 9 when the school reopened, even more people, including parents, teachers, and local community members, arrived at the school demanding the teacher’s immediate removal. Ziauddin publicly apologised, admitting that his statements were a "mistake" and promising it wouldn’t happen again. However, many stated that an apology was not enough, considering the sensitive nature of the statements, which had deeply hurt religious sentiments. Union Minister Giriraj Singh took cognisance of the matter, calling upon the Chief Minister of Bihar to take strict and immediate action against the teacher.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case is being added to 3 primary and one secondary categories each. The first primary category that this case is being added to is 'Predatory Proselytisation'. The secondary category chosen is 'converting/attempt to convert by denigrating Hinduism'. In several cases, Hindus are converted or an attempt is made to convert Hindus by denigrating their faith, Hinduism. In such cases, the Hindus associate with the non-Hindu perpetrators often by choice and then, the attempt to convert them by insulting their faith, showing the faith down etc begins. An example of this would be a non-Hindu gathering where the Hindus are attending the gathering of their own free will. However, once they attend the gathering, there is an explicit attempt to convert them by abusing their faith and hailing the faith of the perpetrator. The denigration of the Hindu faith is often based on misrepresentation of the Hindu faith, its doctrine and scriptures and insult to espoused traditions if not blatant lies about Hindu beliefs and ways. Such conversions or attempts at conversions are driven by animosity towards the Hindu faith and are therefore documented as religiously motivated hate crimes. In this case, the teacher was specifically denigrating Hindu Gods and Goddesses to minor Hindu children. The nature of denigration itself is an indication that the aim of subversion was to brainwash the children into accepting the superiority of Islam and therefore, attempt to convert the children to Islam. The speech by the Muslim perpetrator was specifically about attempting to brainwash the children into believing that their own Gods - Lord Ram and Lord Hanuman - were Muslims. The teacher intended to impress upon the children that the very Gods they revere were, themselves, Muslims, and therefore, the children should follow Islam instead of Hinduism. Because the aim of the hate speech was predatory proselytisation of children by brainwashing them, this case is also being added to the sub-category 'Proselytisation by grooming, brainwashing, manipulation or subtle indoctrination'. Religious brainwashing essentially means the often subtle and forcible indoctrination to induce someone to give up their religious beliefs to accept contrasting regimented ideas. Religious grooming or brainwashing also involves propaganda and manipulation. It involves the systematic effort, driven by religious malice and indoctrination, to persuade “non-believers’ to accept allegiance, command, or doctrine to and of a contrasting faith. Cases of such grooming or brainwashing are far more nuanced than direct threats, coercion, inducement and violence. In such cases, it is often seen that there is repeated, subtle and continual manipulation of the victim to induce disaffection towards their own faith and acceptance of the contrasting faith of the perpetrator. While subtle indoctrination is widely acknowledged as predatory, an element which is often understated in such conversions or the attempts of such conversion is the role of loyalty and trust which might develop between the perpetrator and the victim. Fiduciary relationships are often abused to affect such religious conversion. For example, an educator transmitting religious doctrine of a competing faith to a Hindu student. The Hindu student is likely to accept what the teacher is transmitting owing to existence of the fiduciary relationship. The exploitation of the fiduciary relationship to religiously indoctrinate victims would also be included in this category. Since the underlying animosity towards the victim’s faith forms the basis of predatory proselytization, such cases are considered religiously motivated hate crimes. Further, this case is also being added to the primary category 'hate speech' under the sub-category 'subversion of scriptures'. Subverting the religious scriptures of Hindus has particularly devastating consequences. Subversion of the scriptures of Hindus is often done to justify or promote hatred, discrimination, or violence against specific individuals or groups of Hindus. Religious scriptures are often nuanced and those who harbour religious animosity towards Hindus often misquote or misrepresent the scripture to legitimise their animosity and hate towards the faith and its adherents. Any such misquoting of scriptures or subversion to justify hate, violence and discrimination against Hindus owing to religious animosity is hate speech and is categorised as such. In this case, there was a subversion of scripture by the Muslim perpetrator in order to brainwash the children into accepting the superiority of Islam. This case is therefore being added to the hate crime database.
Case Status
Complaint filed
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Muslim Extremists
Perpetrators Range
One Person
Perpetrators Gender
male
Sources 
