Anti-Hindu Indian politician insults Hindu religious saints; praises Prophet Muhammad
Purnia, Bihar, India 
20 May, 2025
Case Summary
Rajesh Ranjan, popularly known as Pappu Yadav, insulted Hindu religious saints such as Dhirendra Shastri and many others during a podcast. In the same podcast, he praised the Prophet of Islam and referred to him as a "real saint." Yadav is a Member of Parliament representing the Purnia constituency in Bihar. A video of his remarks about Hindu religious leaders went viral online. In the video, which is from a YouTube podcast, Yadav is seen comparing Hindu saints to mushrooms that can be discarded as waste. When asked by the podcaster if he was referring specifically to Dhirendra Shastri, Yadav responded that, over the past 11 years (referring to the period of Narendra Modi's rule), many Hindu saints have emerged who are frauds. Further, calling them "chor," meaning thief, he stated, "Hindu saints are not real saints. Real saints are like Hazrat Mohammad (Prophet Mohammad)." Following these comments, many Hindus reacted strongly on social media, describing Yadav's statements as hurtful to their religious sentiments and demanding action against him. This is not the first time Yadav has made anti-Hindu remarks. In March 2016, he referred to all Hindu saints as "anti-national" and urged Hindus to avoid visiting temples to prevent exploitation by them. He also stated there was nothing wrong with burning the Indian flag or chanting anti-India slogans in Jammu and Kashmir.
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 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. In this case, the perpetrator made derogatory remarks about Hindu saints. He did so deliberately, with the malicious intention of maligning and denigrating the Hindu saints who are highly revered amongst Hindus. Such statements passed towards Hindu saints are highly offensive to Hindus. Such statements reinforce anti-Hindu sentiments among the common masses and make Hindu saints vulnerable to violent attacks. Such derogatory remarks are made to undermine Hindu identity and contribute to an anti-Hindu agenda. Such comments stem from deep-seated bias and disdain for the Hindu community. Such statements go beyond criticism and enter the territory of deliberate insult and vilification. Yadav compares Hindu saints to "mushrooms that can be discarded as waste," calling them "frauds" and "thieves," and asserting that "Hindu saints are not real saints." This language is not just critical, but also derogatory and dehumanising. Such remarks target an entire religious group and its revered figures, which can outrage the religious feelings of Hindus and foster hostility or contempt towards them. Furthermore, praising the Islamic prophet as the "real saint" while denigrating Hindu saints creates a direct comparison that elevates Islam while demeans Hinduism. This kind of speech promotes disharmony and communal tensions, which are targeted towards the Hindu community. When a public figure makes such statements, it can amplify social tensions and encourage further disrespect or animosity towards Hindus, their religious figures and leaders. Yadav's remarks are not simply expressions of personal opinion or critique; they are inflammatory statements that insult and demean Hindu religious saints and, by extension, their followers. Also, looking at his past remarks on Hindu saints, calling them 'anti-national', glaringly demonstrates deep-seated bias and prejudice that the perpetrator holds towards Hindus and their faith. As this case highlights entrenched hatred towards Hindus and their saints, it is being added to the hate crime database.
Case Status
Unknown
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Others
Perpetrators Range
One Person
Perpetrators Gender
male
Sources 
