Case Summary

In Shivpuri district, Madhya Pradesh, a derogatory video depicting Dr Ambedkar beating Lord Ram was posted on social media by a man named Jawan Singh Jatav, sparking outrage among Hindus. The video was uploaded by the accused on his Facebook account. Jatav is the President of the Buddha Bihar Samta Samaj Sevak Samiti, Kankar. The footage showed Dr Ambedkar violently assaulting Lord Ram. In response, Bajrang Dal members filed a complaint against Jawan Singh Jatav at the Sehore police station. Amidst mounting public anger, Jawan Singh Jatav claimed he was not responsible for the post, stating, "My mobile was on charge, during this time my daughter must have uploaded this video." However, based on the complaint of Hindu organisations, the police registered a case against Jatav under section 299 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and section 67A of the IT Act. The police then launched an investigation into this matter.

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Why it is Hate Crime ?

This case has been added to the Hinduphobia tracker under the primary category of- Attack on Hindu religious representation. The subcategory selected is- Iconoclastic representation of Hindu Gods/Goddesses. An icon is a symbol of someone or something that is revered, or a religious representation of a spiritual ideal. Iconography is of vital significance in the Hindu milieu. It helps connect people’s spiritual beliefs with the real world. Iconography within the Hindu faith takes several shapes and forms. Murtis are of most significance to Hindus, to which daily rituals, prayers and offerings are done. Besides the murtis, there are several other symbols which have deep significance in the Hindu faith – the Om and Swastika for example. Any iconoclastic representation of these symbols, images and murtis is an affront to the religious beliefs and faith of the Hindu community itself since the symbols and icons are deeply religious in nature. In this sub-category of crime, we would record hate crimes and iconoclastic representations, in words, art, or any other form of representations of symbols that hold religious significance for the Hindu community. Since these symbols, icons and murtis are central to the Hindu faith, any iconoclastic representation of these symbols is born out of animosity towards the faith itself, manifesting itself through these symbols and therefore, these representations would be considered religiously motivated hated crimes. Another primary category selected in this case is- Hate Speech against Hindus. 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 has been added to the hate crime database as the accused, an Ambedkarite, deliberately posted the animated video of Lord Ram getting physically assaulted by Dr Ambedkar with the intent to mock Hindu beliefs. Hindu Deities are an integral part of the Hindu religion, and Lord Ram is one of the most revered deities in Hinduism. Any attempt to mock the revered Hindu deity is born out of animosity towards Hinduism. In this case, the objectionable video edit was a direct attack on the sanctity of the Hindu faith. It was, in fact, not a random or misguided act, but a calculated and premeditated effort to attack Hinduism and the larger Hindu society. Another point to focus on is that the accused is an Ambedkarite. Ambedkarism, as a political ideology, often expresses disdain for Hindus and their gods under the guise of 'fighting casteism'. Numerous similar instances have occurred where Ambedkarites have exhibited similar disdain for Hinduism, making it evident that their political ideology is less about uplifting the Dalit community and more about expressing their animosity towards Hindus and their faith. Ambedkarites usually invoke B.R. Ambedkar’s decision to leave Hinduism and use it to actively justify disparaging remarks on Hindu gods. Such instances are not isolated, but rather deliberate attacks launched at Hindu deities and Hinduism, motivated by deep-seated hatred and intolerance for the Hindu community. Jawan Singh Jatav’s excuse—that his daughter must have uploaded the derogatory video while his phone was charging—is both implausible and legally weak. The video was posted from his personal Facebook account, making him accountable for its content unless he provides concrete evidence of misuse, which he has not. Blaming a child is not only ethically problematic but also highly unlikely, especially given the specific and inflammatory nature of the video depicting Ambedkar assaulting Lord Ram. As the president of a Buddhist organisation, Jatav's actions appear ideologically motivated, and this excuse seems like a deliberate attempt to evade responsibility for spreading content that insults Hindu sentiments and potentially incites communal tension. In recent times, social media has increasingly become a platform for anti-Hindu hate, with derogatory memes, videos, and messages targeting Hindu religious symbols, practices, and deities. Such content is recognised as part of a broader pattern of Hinduphobia and religious hate crimes online. This deliberate targeting of revered religious icons firmly establishes this act as a religiously motivated hate crime; therefore, it is being categorised under the hate crime database. Disclaimer: It is important to clarify that the report does not specify the exact date when the video was posted on social media. Therefore, for documentation purposes, we have recorded the date based on when the incident was reported in the media.