Rajasthan Congress Minister Rajendra Singh Guda makes derogatory comments objectifying Sita Mata
Rajasthan, India 
10 July, 2023
Case Summary
As the Rajasthan assembly election nears, Congress leaders have allegedly begun a strategy of denigrating Hindu deities. In a reported video, Rajasthan's Minister of State for Home Guard and Civil Defence, Rajendra Singh Guda, was seen objectifying Mata Sita, claiming that both Bhagwan Ram and Ravan "went mad" over her beauty. Guda equated himself to Mata Sita, implying that both Gehlot and Pilot were vying for his attention. This statement was made during his visit to Gudagaurji CHC for the launch of x-ray machines in Jhunjhunu. Guda's remarks sparked controversy, reminiscent of his previous controversial statement in November 2021, where he compared village roads to the cheeks of actresses Hema Malini and Katrina Kaif. The BJP condemned Guda's comments, labelling him the "true anti-Hindu face of Congress" and demanded his dismissal by the Gehlot government.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
The prime category selected here is- Hate speech against Hindus. Under this, the sub-category chosen 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. Hinduism venerates its deities as sacred and integral to its cultural and spiritual ethos. Mata Sita is one of the most revered deities in Hinduism and any objectification or trivialization of her persona constitutes a direct affront to the religious sentiments of Hindus. Guda's comparison of himself to Mata Sita in a flippant and self-serving manner, as well as his reduction of her significance to superficial attributes, exemplifies a mockery of faith and a distortion of Hindu iconography. This deliberate iconoclastic representation of Hindu deities undermines the sanctity of religious beliefs and contributes to a broader pattern of anti-Hindu rhetoric, making it a clear instance of hate speech rooted in religious prejudice and this is why this case qualifies to be added to the tracker.
Case Status
Unknown
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Others
Perpetrators Range
One Person
Perpetrators Gender
male
Sources 
