Hindu supremacist news editor calls for repeat of Rohingya genocide in India
In an open call for an anti-Muslim genocide, Suresh Chavhanke, a powerful Hindu supremacist and editor-in-chief of the rightwing Indian channel Sudarshan TV, made a disturbing 9-minute-long speech spewing hatred against minorities, during which he called on Indians to “learn something from Buddhists of Myanmar.”
“They kicked out and chased away the Rohingyas from their country. They said your Jihad will not work in our country,” he said, making a blatant call for mass slaughter against Muslims.
Throughout his speech, Chavhanke baselessly accused Muslims of crimes and terrorism, referring to them as “pigs” who commit “love jihad” by marrying Hindu women.
“It is taught in these mosques how to tie kalava [Hindu religious thread], how to keep fake identity, they are given motorcycles. This is an organized crime. They are big dacoits and terrorists,” Chavhanke claimed.
“Christianity has ruined our intellect. In your area as well, Christians are carrying out religious conversions… The Christians and Muslims conspired against us,” he said. “Back then who got scared, today they are Muslims. Today who lives in fear will tomorrow become Muslim.”
He also threatened Muslim women who marry Hindu men and made claims that Muslims are trying to violently “capture India,” despite making up a fraction of the population and being pushed to the margins.
Chavhanke further spread hatred against Christians, claiming that Christians were “imposing” Christmas celebrations on Hindus and forcibly converting people in large numbers.
“This situation could get out of control. Hence I am warning those converted to Christianity, those who have become secular, I am urging them also to become real Hindus,” said Chavhanke.
Chavhanke, who has openly voiced his hatred of secularism and has pledged to turn India into a Hindu nation, was speaking at a Hindu supremacist event held in Maharashtra state. He is currently under trial in a hate speech case, something he openly acknowledged and dismissed during the event.
Hindu militant organization arms over 300 members with tridents
In a move to weaponize Hindu extremist mobs and encourage violence against Muslims, the Bajrang Dal, a dangerous and powerful Hindu supremacist group, distributed tridents to over 300 Hindu extremists during an event in Rajasthan state. The group’s leaders then led attendees in a public oath, during which the extremists swore to use their weapons to “protect” Hinduism and the “Hindu nation.”
Hindu supremacist organizations have been offering violent training sessions across the nation as calls for a genocide of Muslims grow increasingly common. Oath-taking events, during which Hindu extremists swear to fight for a Hindu state, have also grown commonplace.
In 2021 in Uttar Pradesh, Hindu youth were indoctrinated into the Hindu supremacist ideology through multiple oath-taking events. In an event reminiscent of the Hitler Youth, schoolchildren swore “to turn India into a Hindu Rashtra (nation).”
Similar events have also occurred in Nagpur and Delhi. Suresh Chavhanke, editor-in-chief of a prominent Indian news channel, posted a video of himself administering an oath to a group of people, using genocidal phrases: “We will fight for this, die for this, and if required, kill for this.”
Muslim graveyard vandalized, over 100 tombstones razed in BJP-ruled Karnataka
In a highly disturbing anti-Muslim hate crime, Hindu supremacist vandals destroyed more than 100 graves were razed by Hindu supremacists in Karnataka state.
On December 25, unidentified Hindu extremists entered the graveyard with a bulldozer and defaced over 100 tombstones. Muslims have been burying their dead in this graveyard since 1974.
A complaint was filed by Muslim leaders, and a police inquiry has begun. However, it is unlikely that Hindu extremists will be adequately punished in Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-ruled Karnataka, where authorities largely bow to the will of powerful Hindu supremacist groups.
Church vandalized by Hindu supremacists in Chhattisgarh state
Amid rising hate crimes against Indian Christians, nearly 300-400 Hindu supremacists vandalized a church during an attack on tribal Christian families in Chhattisgarh state.
The incident comes weeks after Hindu supremacists in Chhattisgarh state forcibly converted around a thousand Christians from the marginalized tribal community to Hinduism throughout December in what a new fact-finding report called “a coordinated campaign” against Christians.
Hindu extremists used violent coercion methods, including physical assault with rods and rubber tires and threats of displacement and death, to force Christians to convert to Hinduism.
The report, which was compiled by researchers from Indian civil society groups, found that, from December 9 to 18, there were a series of attacks in about 30 villages, displacing about 1,000 Christian tribals.
Christians in Chattisgarh are facing a series of ongoing and coordinated attacks by Hindu supremacists – including mob beatings, evictions, molestation, sexual harassment, church vandalism, and property theft.
Christians have organized mass protests in the state over authorities’ complete lack of action against any of the Hindu supremacists responsible for the hate crimes.
