Hate speech targeting Hindus: Pakistani Muslim politician denigrates Hindutva, calls it 'global threat'
New York City, New York, United States 
25 September, 2025
Case Summary
At the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), in New York City, United States, a hate speech targeting Hindus was made by Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The accused denigrated Hindutva, a political movement fighting for the rights and protection of Hindus. According to media reports, the accused, Shehbaz Sharif, stated that India’s “Hindutva extremism” posed a serious threat to the world, while highlighting Pakistan’s false victimhood regarding terrorism. He also described the Hindutva movement as a “hate-driven movement”. However, the irony lies in the fact that Pakistan has the highest number of its nationals listed as terrorists on the United Nations international terror list. Furthermore, the accused supported United States President Donald Trump’s former stance on the India-Pakistan ceasefire during Operation Sindoor, an Indian army operation launched following the anti-Hindu Pahalgam terror attack committed by Pakistan-backed Islamic terrorists. Sharif stated that the ceasefire was facilitated by the US President and described Trump as a man of peace. Shehbaz Sharif’s speech targeted India’s policies and political ideology, raising global concerns. His remarks against Hindutva and India were seen as a strong warning against India’s domestic politics. Indian diplomats strongly rejected his claims as baseless and false. They called the speech propaganda and dismissed it outright.
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 case is a clear instance of anti-Hindu hate speech. It is crucial to emphasise that Hindutva is not a destructive ideology; rather, it is a movement dedicated to protecting Hindus and their interests. The term 'Hindutva' is often misused as a euphemism to make the targeting of Hindus more acceptable. In reality, Hindutva serves as a unifying ideology for Hindus, born out of the urgent need to preserve cultural identity that faced erosion and attacks due to historical Islamic invasions, British colonisation, Christian theological impositions, and conversions. Hindutva is far from the destructive force some portray it to be; it is fundamentally a unifying pillar for Hindus. Yet, it is frequently exploited as a euphemism to target Hindus broadly, their religious identity, and their faith. This semantic manipulation confuses Hindus into believing that persecution against them is justified because the targeted community espouses Hindutva. The underlying reality, as exposed in the "Dismantling Global Hindutva" conference held in the United States, is that Hindutva and Hinduism are inseparable—targeting one means targeting the other. The deliberate practice of attacking Hindu religious and cultural identity and justifying such victimisation by using terms like 'Hindutva' stems directly from inherent hostility and animosity towards Hindus. In this case, targeting Hindutva by branding it a danger to the world constitutes a religiously motivated crime. Labelling Hindutva as a threat reveals deep-rooted religious animus towards both Hindus and the political movement striving to protect their community and faith from continuous assaults by non-Hindu faiths and left-wing factions. Such rhetoric fosters harmful stereotypes against Hindus and Hinduism, clearly amounting to an act of hate. Furthermore, by denouncing Hindutva as a hate-filled ideology, the accused slandered a legitimate political movement committed to safeguarding the Hindu community and preserving their faith. This defamatory characterisation is motivated by religious animosity and seeks to undermine Hindu efforts to protect themselves. This dangerous narrative risks inciting discrimination, violence, and hatred against Hindus worldwide. It underpins potential attacks on Hindus, their temples, homes, and properties. The ongoing hostility fuels various forms of discrimination and stigma surrounding Hinduism and its community, constituting a religiously motivated crime. Given that this case meets the criteria of a religiously motivated crime, it has been added to the hate crime database of the Hinduphobia Tracker, recognising the gravity of the offence and its wider societal implications.
Case Status
Unknown
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
State and Establishment
Perpetrators Range
One Person
Perpetrators Gender
male
Sources 
