As hate spirals in India, Hindu extremists turn to Christian targets
Al Jazeera • • world
Key Points:
- On Christmas Eve 2025, Hindu hardline groups affiliated with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s BJP called a shutdown in Raipur over allegations of forced Christian conversions, leading to violent attacks on Christmas celebrations and vandalism of decorations in multiple Indian states.
- A report by India Hate Lab found a significant rise in hate speech events in India in 2025, with 1,318 incidents recorded—marking a 97% increase since 2023—and a sharp rise in anti-Christian rhetoric alongside continued targeting of Muslims.
- The BJP and its ideological mentor, the RSS, have been linked to promoting Hindu majoritarianism and conspiracy theories about religious minorities, fueling hate speech and violence against Christians and Muslims, often invoking narratives like “forced conversions”
