Hindu Religious leader abused by Muslim man

Case ID : f664750 | Location : Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, India | Date of Incident : Wed, 26 February, 2025

Case ID : f664750

Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, India

26 February, 2025

Hindu Religious leader abused by Muslim man

Hate speech against Hindus

Mocking/denigrating Hindu leaders

Case Summary

Hindu religious leader Dhirendra Shastri, chief of the Bageshwar Dham, was abused in vulgar language by a Muslim man named Adil Hussain. The accused youth posted a video on social media abusing Pandit Dhirendra Shastri and using foul language. This video was uploaded from a Facebook page named Adil Hussain. Hindu organizations claimed that the youth was a resident of the Panihar area of Gwalior. After this video surfaced, Hindu organizations filed an FIR against the accused youth and demanded his immediate arrest. The Gwalior Additional Superintendent of Police (Rural) Niranjan Sharma said, "A video has come to notice in which the youth is using abusive and filthy language against the head priest of Bageshwar Dham, Pandit Dhirendra Shastri. The youth is said to be a resident of the Panihar area. An investigation is being conducted through the Panihar police station in-charge. Action will be taken in the case based on the facts of the investigation." On the 27th of February, Adil Hussain was arrested by the police after a manhunt. The police said that Hussain had furnished false information. He had claimed on his profiles that he was a resident of California city, but was actually from Panihar village. Police registered an FIR against Adil under section 353 (2) of BNS.

Why it is Hate Crime ?

This case is being added to the primary category 'hate speech against Hindus' under the sub-category '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.