Hindu religious sentiments mocked: Derogatory slurs hurled at Lord Ram on social media
Budaun, Uttar Pradesh, India 
22 June, 2025
Case Summary
In Budaun, Uttar Pradesh, several derogatory comments targeting Lord Ram were made on social media by a man named Karan Jatav. This act provoked outrage among Hindu activists, who viewed it as a direct attack on their religious sentiments. Media reports indicate that Karan Jatav, son of Megh Singh, made several indecent comments about Lord Ram through his Instagram account. His actions deeply offended the Hindu community, for whom Lord Shri Ram is held in the highest reverence. In response to his offensive comments, Hindu organisations approached the police station and lodged a formal complaint regarding the incident. The police promptly registered a case against Karan Jatav and initiated an investigation. Upon verifying the facts and confirming the offence, the authorities began searching for the accused in order to apprehend him and ensure accountability for this deliberate insult to Hindu religious beliefs.
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 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. This incident constitutes hate speech against Hindus by the accused, as it involves deliberate and public expressions intended to insult and provoke the religious sentiments of the Hindu community. The derogatory comments made against Lord Ram were designed to abuse and hurt the Hindus and their core Hindu beliefs. Hindu deities are central to the Hindu religion, and Lord Ram is one of the most revered figures in Hinduism. Any attempt to mock or insult any Hindu deity stems from religious animosity towards Hinduism. In this instance, the derogatory comment was a direct attack on the sanctity of the Hindu faith. It was not a random or misguided act, but a calculated and premeditated effort to undermine Hinduism and the broader Hindu society. Such actions are not isolated incidents; they are part of a pattern of behaviour aimed at disrespecting and diminishing the Hindu faith, motivated by deep-rooted hostility and disdain for Hindus and their beliefs. Acts like this are considered hate speech because they go beyond the realm of criticism or debates; instead, they denigrate a religious group and its revered deities. Instances of denigrating and abusing Hindu deities arise from entrenched 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 forms part of a broader pattern of Hinduphobia and religious hate speech online. The deliberate targeting of revered deity, Lord Ram, in this manner firmly establishes this act as religiously motivated hate speech, and it is therefore categorised under the hate crime database.
Case Status
Complaint registered
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Others
Perpetrators Range
One Person
Perpetrators Gender
male
Sources 
