Congress politician uses derogatory language against Lord Ram, calls Ayodhya diety 'doll in a tent'
Bengaluru, Karnataka, India 
15 January, 2024
Case Summary
During the Pre-Pran Pratishtha rituals at Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, Karnataka Cooperation Minister KN Rajanna from Congress mocked the Ram Lalla idol and devotees, comparing it to "dolls in a tent" during an event in Bengaluru on January 16, 2024. He accused the BJP of deceiving people in Lord Ram's name, claiming the Ayodhya Ram Mandir lacked spiritual significance, unlike other ancient temples. Although Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah expressed support for the temple, his ministers made controversial remarks. Former Karnataka minister H Anjaneya equated Siddaramaiah with Lord Ram, asserting there was no need for him to attend the consecration event in Ayodhya.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case has been added to the hate tracker under the prime category- Hate speech against Hindus. Further, as per case details, the sub-category selected under the above-mentioned category 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 remarks made by Karnataka Cooperation Minister KN Rajanna during the pre-Pran Pratishtha rituals at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya reflect a deeper animosity toward the Hindu faith. By comparing the revered idol of Ram Lalla to "dolls in a tent," Rajanna not only trivialized the sanctity of the Ram Mandir but also insulted the faith of millions of Hindus who view the temple as a symbol of deep spiritual significance. His claim that the Ram Mandir lacked spiritual importance, in contrast to ancient temples, further reveals a disregard for the beliefs and traditions of Hindus. Such comments, particularly in the context of revered Hindu Gods like Lord Ram, are seen as an outright mockery of Hindu sentiments. These acts are part of a broader pattern of using anti-Hindu slurs to belittle the religious practices and beliefs of Hindus. This tendency to mock the sacred aspects of the Hindu faith, as seen in similar instances, stems from a profound contempt for the Hindu religion, which is why this case deserves to be recorded in this hate tracker.
Case Status
Unknown
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
State and Establishment
Perpetrators Range
One Person
Perpetrators Gender
male
Sources 
