Temple wall defaced with anti-Hindu slur in Shahzadpur, Haryana
Sonipat, Haryana, India 
13 June, 2025
Case Summary
In Shahzadpur, Haryana, a derogatory remark against Hinduism was written on the wall of a temple. Manjeet, a resident of Tihad Kalan village, lodged a complaint with the Sadar police station regarding the matter. In his complaint to the police, Manjeet stated that he is a follower of Hinduism, as were his ancestors. All the residents of his village and nearby areas also follow the Hindu faith. On Saturday, while travelling on the road leading to Shahzadpur, he noticed an objectionable remark written on the wall of a temple. According to Manjeet, the comment was intended to instil an inferiority complex in followers of Hinduism and caused them emotional distress. He mentioned that he himself experienced deep psychological anguish upon seeing the remark. Calling it a legal offence, Manjeet took a photograph of the writing and submitted it along with his complaint to the police. He expressed concern that some anti-national elements are attempting to spread unrest in society. He has demanded that the police investigate the matter and take appropriate action.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case has been added to the tracker under the primary category, which is- Attack on Hindu religious representations. Within this, the subcategory selected is- Attack on Temples. In Hinduism, a temple is the abode of the Deity. The Deity in the Temple is consecrated, thereby, making it a real, breathing entity. Hindus believe that not just the Deity but the temple premises itself are sacred to Hindus since Hindus hold the faith that the entire Temple space is an amalgamation of the divine energy of the deity. Given the central significance of Temples in Hindu Dharma, any attack against a Hindu Temple or its peripheral premises is an attack on the faith itself and is born out of animosity towards the faith, of which, the Temple is a central tenet. Any manner of attack against a Temple and/or its premises would therefore be considered a religiously motivated hate crime. The other sub-category selected is - Desecration of Hindu religious symbols. Icons and symbols or a religious representation of a spiritual ideal are widely revered in Hinduism. 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. Since these Hindu religious symbols hold paramount importance in Hinduism, any desecration of symbols, icons, murtis, religious representations and manifestations, is driven by animosity towards the faith itself which manifests itself through these murtis, icons and symbols. Therefore, any desecration of these Hindu religious symbols and representations is considered religiously motivated hate crimes under this category. The other primary category selected is - Hate Speech against Hindus. The other sub-category 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 Shahzadpur, Haryana, wherein a derogatory remark was inscribed on the wall of a temple, constitutes a clear act of religiously motivated hatred targeted against the Hindu community. In Hinduism, temples are not merely places of worship but are considered divine abodes of consecrated deities. The sanctity of the entire temple complex is intrinsically tied to the presence and spiritual energy of the deity enshrined within. Any deliberate attempt to deface or desecrate such a space, including its walls or surrounding premises, is therefore not a trivial act of vandalism—it is a direct affront to the Hindu faith itself. In this instance, even though no physical damage was done to the deity or the murti inside, the wall of the temple, which is part of the sacred structure, was desecrated with anti-Hindu remarks. As such, the act constitutes desecration of Hindu religious symbols and space. It manifests religious animosity and targets the iconography and physical space that symbolise Hindu faith. Although the exact wording of the slur has not been made public, the complainant's statement makes it clear that the language used was meant to humiliate and belittle Hindus for their religious affiliation. Such remarks are not isolated expressions of personal opinion; they are part of a broader pattern of derogatory rhetoric intended to marginalise, stereotype, and ultimately dehumanise Hindus based on their faith. This type of hate speech seeks to instil fear and inferiority within the targeted group. Given the nature of the location (a temple) and the deliberate choice of language, this case is appropriately categorised as a religiously motivated hate crime. It is also important to mention here that though the last update was that the miscreants were unknown, regardless, the action stemmed from hatred against Hinduism and resulted in the desecration of the sacred temple and would therefore be considered a religiously motivated hate crime.
Case Status
Complaint filed
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Unknown
Perpetrators Range
Unknown
Perpetrators Gender
unknown
Sources 
