Hindu faith mocked: Derogatory remarks and obscene photos of Hindu deities shared on social media
Balrampur, Uttar Pradesh, India 
21 June, 2025
Case Summary
In Bhathar village, located in Balrampur district, Uttar Pradesh, derogatory remarks and obscene images of Hindu deities were posted on social media by a man named Anil Gautam. According to news reports, the accused, Anil Gautam, worked at the Gram Panchayat. He shared obscene photographs of Hindu gods and goddesses on Facebook, alongside making deeply derogatory comments on the deities. As per the Hindu villagers, the accused had repeatedly engaged in such behaviour. The villagers stated he deliberately did such acts to hurt the religious sentiments of the Hindu community. Disturbed by his actions, the local Hindu residents filed a police complaint at Pachpedwa police station and insisted on a stringent legal action against Anil. The Hindu community stated that any delay in police action could escalate religious tensions in the village. The police recognised the sensitivity of the situation and responded promptly by registering a case and arresting the accused, Anil Gautam. Satyendra Bahadur Singh, the police station in-charge, stated, “The complaint was treated with utmost seriousness. A case has been registered under relevant sections of the IT Act and the BNS. Anil Gautam has been arrested, and further legal proceedings are underway.” He also emphasised that a zero-tolerance approach would be maintained in such sensitive matters.
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. Another relevant primary category selected is- Attack on Hindu religious representations. Within this, the first 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. The second sub-category selected is- Desecration of Hindu religious symbol. 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. This incident constitutes hate speech against Hindus by the perpetrator, Anil, as it involves deliberate and public expressions intended to insult and provoke the religious sentiments of the Hindu community. The derogatory comments made against Hindu deities were designed to undermine and abuse Hindu beliefs, making it a religiously motivated hate speech against Hindus and their faith. Furthermore, the accused also made obscene images of Hindu deities, which shows that the accused deliberately intended to provoke and hurt the religious sentiments of Hindus. Hindu deities are central to the Hindu faith, and they are held in high reverence among the Hindu community. Any attempt to abuse or denigrate them stems from religious animosity towards Hinduism. In this instance, the derogatory comments and the obscene pictures made by the perpetrator were a direct attack on the sanctity of the Hindu faith. The villagers also stated that he had done such acts several times before. This demonstrates that the perpetrator's actions were 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 instances; rather, they are part of a pattern of behaviour aimed at disrespecting 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, seeking instead to 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 comments, memes, images, 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. In this case, the deliberate targeting and denigrating of revered Hindu deities by the perpetrator firmly establishes this act as religiously motivated hate speech, and it is therefore categorised under the hate crime database.
Case Status
Arrested
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Others
Perpetrators Range
One Person
Perpetrators Gender
male
Sources 
