Deliberate insult to Hindu sentiments: Muslim ‘journalist' mocks Brahmins and the sacred shikha on social media
Bengaluru, Karnataka, India 
18 May, 2018
Case Summary
On social media, Alt News co-founder Mohammed Zubair's 2018 post resurfaced, wherein he was seen mocking Brahmins and other Hindus who wear a Shikha and also insulting Chanakya, one of the most well-known historical Hindu figures. Shikha is a traditional tuft of hair left at the crown of the head, worn by Hindu men as a symbol of religious and cultural identity. In the post published in 2018, Zubair had shared a caricature of BJP leader Amit Shah dressed as Chanakya, with his Shikha or choti snapped by a hand with ‘DKS’ written on it. Since Zubair's post resurfaced, there were widespread demands for legal action against Zubair, who is known for mobilising a Muslim mob against Nupur Sharma, a former BJP leader, after she quoted an Islamic scripture in response to insulting remarks about Hindu gods by a Muslim politician, Tasleem Rehmani. Advocate Ashutosh Dubey tweeted a screenshot of Zubair’s post, stating that such content not only hurts religious sentiments but also provokes communal discord. He remarked, “This post by @zoo_bear is a clear attempt to mock and insult the Brahmin community by ridiculing the revered figure of Acharya Chanakya, a symbol of wisdom and strategy in Indian history. Such content not only hurts religious sentiments but also spreads communal provocation.” Hindus on X (formerly Twitter) demanded action against Zubair, who had previously been booked in connection with the attack on Dasna Devi Temple by Muslims. In October 2024, an FIR was filed against Mohammed Zubair following the attack on Dasna Devi Temple in Ghaziabad. According to the complaint, Zubair and two other Muslim leaders, Arshad Madani and Asaduddin Owaisi, attempted to incite Muslims nationwide and encouraged local Muslims to bring in outsiders to destroy the ShivShakti Dham in Dasna. As a result of the widespread outrage over Zubair's tweet mocking Shikha, he deleted his tweet and posted another tweet trying to justify his action. In a post on X, he claimed that he had only shared a political cartoon by an independent cartoonist, which was a commentary on the political scenario of the Karnataka elections at that time. He said the post was taken out of context. He further claimed that the social media outrage was contributing to 'misinformation and communal disharmony', overlooking the fact that the outrage stemmed from deliberate insults to Hindu sentiments, as cutting the Shikha is considered a grave disrespect. Zubair also disabled replies to his X post, preventing people from responding directly. This was not the first time Zubair posted anti-Hindu content. In 2022, a controversy erupted after an old post of Zubair mocking Hindu gods and goddesses went viral. In one tweet, Zubair mocked the Shivling by comparing it to an aerial view of the Vatican City. He stated that this post inspired him to create a parody Facebook page, ‘Unofficial: Subramanian Swamy’, in 2014. In one of the posts on his Facebook page, Zubair mocked actor Arun Govil, known for playing the character of Lord Ram in the Ramayan TV serial, to take a swipe at Lord Ram, suggesting that ISRO should consult him because he would know more about rocketry. Another post on his Facebook page depicted an aeroplane underwater with the caption: “Breaking: Underwater Pushpak Vimana used by Raavan 5000 years ago found in the Indian Ocean.” In addition to mocking Hindu gods, Zubair has also ridiculed Hindu beliefs and Sanskrit, the ancient language foundational to Hindu texts. As a result of the outage in 2022, Zubair deactivated his troll account ‘Unofficial: Subramanian Swamy’ after multiple FIRs were lodged against him for hurting the religious sentiments of the Hindu community.
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- Mocking/denigrating Hindu leaders. Hate speech is defined as any speech, gesture, conduct, writing, or display that is prejudicial against a specific individual and/or group of people, which is leading to or may lead to violence, prejudicial action or hate against that individual and/or group. Religious leaders are often seen as representatives of the community, especially, the community’s religious faith and beliefs. Mocking or denigrating a religious leader specifically owing to his religious identity and/or the religious rituals he observes can be considered hate speech because the motivating factor of the speech is animosity and/or dislike for what he represents – the religious beliefs and faith of the community. It is important to note that mere insulting words against an individual do not constitute hate speech. It is entirely possible that insulting words are used for an individual, however, the specific speech is not the result of religious hate and/or animosity towards the professed faith of the religious leader, but the individual himself. For the speech to be considered hate speech, the speech itself or the motivating factor behind the speech has to be religious in nature. Such speech which denigrates Hindu religious leaders specifically owing to animosity towards the faith they profess and the community faith they represent will be treated as hate speech under this category. The other 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. In this case, Zubair’s 2018 tweet, which resurfaced and went viral in 2025, featured a caricature of BJP leader Amit Shah depicted as Chanakya, with his shikha, a traditional tuft of hair worn by Hindu men, being cut off. The shikha is a significant Hindu religious symbol, especially among Brahmins, representing spiritual discipline and a deep connection to the Hindu tradition. Depicting its desecration in a mocking context is a direct insult not only to an individual but to the entire Hindu community for whom the shikha is sacred. The act of cutting the shikha has historically been carried out by Islamic invaders to forcibly convert Hindus to Islam. Zubair’s post is a deliberate attempt to provoke and ridicule Hindu customs. This is not mere satire or criticism; it strikes at the very core of Hindu religious identity. Posts mocking Hindu religious symbols are a direct affront to Hindu sentiments and are profoundly offensive. Such actions stem from deep-rooted animosity and hatred towards Hindus. Furthermore, Zubair’s tweet also mocked Chanakya, a figure deeply venerated among Hindus. For the Hindu community, Chanakya is a symbol of wisdom, strategic acumen, and ethical governance. His teachings, encapsulated in works such as Chanakya Neeti and the Arthashastra, continue to provide invaluable insights into leadership, morality, and statecraft, remaining relevant even today. Chanakya embodies the ideals of intellect, discipline, and national unity, and his life and work are integral to the cultural and spiritual heritage of Hindus. Zubair’s tweet mocking Chanakya, especially in a manner involving the desecration and insult of sacred symbols like the shikha, goes far beyond political satire. It is a direct affront to a revered Hindu figure who holds immense spiritual and cultural importance. Such mockery is clearly intended to belittle and denigrate revered Hindu figures and to attack the religious and cultural sentiments of the Hindu community. A further point that must be highlighted is the glaring hypocrisy in Zubair’s approach to religious sensitivity. He played a prominent role in amplifying outrage against Nupur Sharma, a former BJP spokesperson, after she quoted an Islamic scripture in response to insults directed at Hindu deities by a Muslim politician, Tasleem Rehmani, during a televised debate. This incident led to widespread protests in India. Nupur Sharma was also subjected to thousands of death, rape, and beheading threats from Muslims who perceived her quoting Islamic scripture as an act of ‘blasphemy’. Zubair’s actions in that case were framed as a defence of his religious sentiments and a call for accountability. However, when faced with backlash over his own posts mocking Hindu figures, traditions, and gods, Zubair dismissed the criticism as being “taken out of context”. This selective outrage, defending one community’s sentiments while repeatedly mocking those of Hindus, exposes the bias and prejudice that Zubair harbours towards Hindus and Hinduism. His actions are a clear attempt to normalise the denigration of Hindu beliefs while demanding protection for the beliefs of his own faith. Such actions demonstrate the deep-seated bias, prejudice, and religious animosity that Muslims like Zubair hold towards Hindus. Zubair is also known for provoking a Muslim mob attack on the Dasna Devi temple. His repeated targeting of Hindu beliefs, through both online mockery and incitement to violence, demonstrates a clear pattern of Hinduphobia. His actions not only provoke communal tensions but also foster an environment of fear and insecurity among Hindus, making them feel unsafe in expressing their faith and traditions. This ongoing campaign of denigration and incitement stands as a stark example of hate speech and anti-Hindu bias of Muslim 'journalists' like Mohammad Zubair. Moreover, Zubair’s online activity also reveals repeated instances of mocking Hindu symbols and traditions. For example, he compared the Shivling, a sacred symbol of Lord Shiva, to an aerial view of the Vatican City, and created parody social media pages ridiculing Hindu beliefs and figures. These are not isolated jokes but form a consistent pattern of targeting symbols central to Hindu religious practice and identity. Another instance includes Zubair’s parody account, where he mocked Lord Ram by suggesting that ISRO should consult the actor who played Ram on television for expertise in rocketry, and posted images ridiculing the Pushpak Vimana. These actions are not simply criticism or isolated cases; they represent a systematic attempt to undermine the legitimacy and sanctity of Hindu traditions, denigrate Hindu gods, and hurt the sentiments of the Hindu community. Such repeated denigration of Hinduism and its deities and symbols creates an environment where Hindus feel targeted and unsafe expressing their faith and Hindu identity. These persistent attacks on Hinduism are the result of deep-seated hatred, bias, and contempt for Hindus and their beliefs. This sort of targeting Hindu traditions, gods, and Hindu symbols is a clear hallmark of hate speech, as it is intended to incite hatred, contempt, and ridicule of the Hindu community and their faith. Given the clear attacks on Hindu beliefs, traditions, and revered figures in this case, it warrants its inclusion in the hate crime database.
Case Status
Unknown
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Muslim Extremists
Perpetrators Range
One Person
Perpetrators Gender
male
Sources 
