Hindu sentiments insulted; sacred Hindu songs played inside a bar
Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India 
22 June, 2025
Case Summary
In Dehradun, a bar was playing sacred Hindu songs, and young individuals were dancing to them. Hindu activists submitted a formal complaint at the Jakhan Police Outpost, stating that the use of devotional music—intended for worship and spiritual reflection—in a setting associated with alcohol consumption and late-night revelry constitutes a grave insult to their faith. Police authorities, including Outpost In-Charge Arjun Gusai, confirmed that an investigation was underway. He reported that if it is found that religious sentiments were deliberately hurt or legal norms were violated, appropriate legal action will be initiated. This is not the first time the Circle Bar has come under scrutiny. It had previously been sealed by the district administration for violating regulations and contributing to public nuisance. During an earlier raid, over 100 individuals were found consuming alcohol beyond permitted hours, with loud DJ music playing well past the official closing time. The latest episode is part of a larger pattern of complaints by local residents, who have repeatedly reported the establishment’s activities to authorities. Their concerns include loud music, extended operating hours, and disturbances to the peace of the neighbourhood.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case has been added to the tracker un the primary category of - Hate speech against Hindus. The sub-category selected here 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. The incident at Circle Bar, where Hindu devotional songs were used as background music for dancing in an alcohol-serving environment, constitutes a deliberate act of mockery and denigration of the Hindu faith. Bhajans and other devotional songs are meant for worship, meditation, and reverence, often sung in temples or homes during prayer. Playing them in an environment associated with alcohol, partying, and late-night revelry is not just inappropriate but a deep violation of religious sanctity. For practising Hindus, this amounts to profanation of the divine, reducing what is sacred to mere entertainment. Such usage displays a complete disregard for religious sensitivities, and when done publicly, it sends a message that Hindu beliefs are open to mockery and commercial exploitation. Since this act reflects a targeted insult to Hindu beliefs and sentiments, which is why it is a religiously motivated hate crime, which warrants inclusion in the tracker. Disclaimer: It is important to clarify that the report does not specify the exact date when the incident occurred. Therefore, for documentation purposes, the date has been recorded based on when the incident was reported in the media.
Case Status
Complaint filed
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Unknown
Perpetrators Range
Unknown
Perpetrators Gender
both
Sources 
