An average of four hate speech events targeting religious minorities occurred every day in India in 2025, according to the India Hate Lab report 2025. Hate speech targeting religious minorities rose to their highest level yet last year , extending an upward trend seen since 2023.
The India Hate Lab (IHL) documented 1,318 such events across 21 states, one Union Territory, and the National Capital Territory of Delhi, marking a 13% rise from 2024, when 1,165 incidents were recorded, and a 97% increase from 2023, which saw 668 incidents.
The report said that the surge reflects the deep entrenchment of sectarian rhetoric in India’s political and social landscape. High-stakes state elections in Delhi and Bihar, along with local body polls, emerged as key drivers. Electoral campaigns provided repeated platforms for exclusionary and fear-based narratives.
At the same time, state-level responses such as the proposed Karnataka Hate Speech and Hate Crimes (Prevention) Bill, 2025, pointed to a growing but uneven recognition of the scale of the problem, even as hate speech continued at the national level.