Hindu sentiments attacked as iconoclastic video mocking Lord Ram circulated on social media
Bulandshahr, Uttar Pradesh, India 
28 June, 2025
Case Summary
In Bulandshahr, Uttar Pradesh, a youth circulated a controversial video featuring caricatures of Hindu deities, especially Lord Shriram and other prominent Hindu personalities. During the investigation, the individual responsible for sharing the video was identified as Praveen, a resident of Weir. According to the FIR, the video, which was shared widely on social media, contained caricatures of Lord Shri Ram and other prominent Hindu personalities, causing deep hurt to public sentiments. The circulation of the video led to an atmosphere of communal tension and disharmony. Kotwali in-charge Kavish Kumar confirmed that a case was registered based on the written complaint. At the time of writing this report, the case was under investigation.
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. The incident in Bulandshahr, Uttar Pradesh, in which a youth named Praveen circulated a video featuring caricatures of Hindu deities—especially Lord Shri Ram and other revered Hindu figures—is a clear case of a religiously motivated hate crime. 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 or insult any revered Hindu deity is born out of animosity towards Hinduism. In this case, the objectionable video 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. Such acts are considered hate speech because they go beyond criticism or debate and instead seek to denigrate a religious group, in this case, the Hindus, and their revered deities, thereby fostering animosity against the Hindu community. Such instances of denigrating Hindu deities are a result of deep-seated religious animosity towards Hindus and their faith. 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 speech online. This deliberate targeting of revered religious deities firmly establishes this act as a religiously motivated hate speech; 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 anti-Hindu video was uploaded on social media. Therefore, for documentation purposes, we have recorded the date based on when the incident was reported in the media.
Case Status
Complaint filed
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Others
Perpetrators Range
One Person
Perpetrators Gender
male
Sources 
