Hyderabad: India recorded 87 reported hate crime incidents targeting religious and caste minorities in June, marking an increase of nearly 15% from the previous month, according to data compiled by Siasat.com.
The documented incidents included mob assaults, lynchings, torture, public threats and other forms of violence. The report also noted a rise in inflammatory and divisive rhetoric by several public figures during the month.
Siasat.com clarified that the figures represent only documented cases and are not exhaustive, noting that many instances of discrimination and intimidation go unreported. It said the actual scale of violence and harassment faced by Muslims, Dalits and Christians is likely much higher.
Among the incidents highlighted, the report pointed to allegations of unequal treatment in Varanasi, where five Hindu men arrested for consuming alcohol and non-vegetarian food on the Ganga were granted bail within 24 hours, drawing comparisons with the treatment of 14 Muslim youths arrested in a similar case earlier this year.
The report also cited inflammatory speeches by some Hindutva leaders following communal clashes in Dehradun, as well as remarks by Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, who rejected claims that Muslims are unsafe in India and said minorities enjoy full constitutional rights.
According to the report, several violent incidents involving Muslims were recorded across states, including the alleged killing of a 71-year-old Trinamool Congress supporter in West Bengal and the murder of a 12-year-old Muslim boy in Bihar.
It further documented multiple demolitions and eviction actions targeting mosques, shrines and other religious structures, particularly in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, where authorities cited illegal construction as the reason.
The report also highlighted statements by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath referring to “love jihad” and “land jihad”, as well as controversial remarks by Telangana BJP MLA T Raja Singh, who was later booked under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) over alleged hate speech.
For Dalits, Siasat.com documented around 12 reported attacks in June, including five deaths. These included a custodial death in Andhra Pradesh, honour killing, caste-based assaults, sexual abuse and incidents of torture.
The report also recorded two attacks on Christians during the month, including the temporary expulsion of a tribal Christian family from a village in Chhattisgarh and an attack on a Christian prayer meeting in West Bengal by alleged VHP members.
It concluded by noting an incident in Uttar Pradesh in which a Hindu youth was allegedly assaulted and forced to chant religious slogans, highlighting that hate-fuelled violence can affect people across communities.
