Washington Post exposes Hindu rightwing disinformation campaign

An exposé published by the Washington Post details how a group posing as a research organization, the Disinfo Lab, works to discredit foreign critics of the Modi government by using a combination of “fact-based research and unsubstantiated claims.” The group is run by an Indian intelligence officer.

“The Disinfo Lab… [paints] U.S. government figures, researchers, humanitarian groups and Indian American rights activists as part of a conspiracy, purportedly led by global Islamic groups and billionaire George Soros, to undermine India,” reported journalists Gerry Shih, Clara Ence Morse and Pranshu Verma. 

The disinformation produced by the Disinfo Lab is “among the most widely circulated by right-wing Indians and Hindu nationalists,” frequently regurgitated by elected officials from the far-right Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Hindu extremist social media influencers, and mainstream news channels.  

Hindu militant cow vigilantes open fire on truck transporting cattle

Hindu militant cow vigilantes filmed themselves opening fire on a truck transporting cattle, as well as using spike strips to stop the vehicle in its tracks. The extremists then assaulted at least one Muslim passenger in the truck.

Hindu militants rally to demand meat and barber shops be closed 

Members of the violent Hindu militant group Bajrang Dal members rallied in the streets of Augustmuni, Uttarakhand, demanding that meat and barber shops be closed in the city for Hindu religious reasons. Meat shop closures primarily impact Muslim vendors.