Rise in Hate Speech, Communal Targeting, and Misinformation Continues in India and Bangladesh
November saw rising communal tension in India and Bangladesh, with violent hate speech, pressure on minorities, and viral misinformation fueling fear, exclusion, and instability across both countries.
নভেম্বরজুড়ে ভারত ও বাংলাদেশে ঘৃণাসূচক বক্তব্য, সংখ্যালঘুদের ওপর চাপ, সহিংস উস্কানি ও ভুয়া তথ্যের বিস্তার নতুন করে উদ্বেগ তৈরি করেছে। রাজনৈতিক ও ধর্মীয় নেতাদের বিদ্বেষপূর্ণ বক্তব্য থেকে শুরু করে গুজবনির্ভর প্রচারণা, সব মিলিয়ে সাম্প্রদায়িক উত্তেজনা ও বিভ্রান্তি আরও তীব্র হয়েছে।
In November 2025, new cases of hate speech, pressure, communal tension, and misinformation against religious minorities were reported in both India and Bangladesh.
In India, the month saw strong calls for violence from Hindutva leaders, Christians being forced to give up and burn their holy books, the punishment of Muslim religious practices, and tougher actions by the state, including renaming places and filing legal cases. Major political and religious figures, including Tulika Sharma and Yati Narsinghanand, made openly hostile statements encouraging the use of weapons, government power, or even military action against minority communities. There were also cases of mob threats, police action against Muslim clerics, and symbolic moves by the state such as changing the name of Islampur to Ishwarpur that added to fear and exclusion.
In Bangladesh, meanwhile, organized misinformation continued to spread. Viral claims about armed groups and alleged attacks on religious sites were later found to be false. Fact-checks showed that many widely shared videos and reports, including claims about a militia being sent to Dhaka or a temple being burned in Kushtia, were based on wrong or old footage.
This Insighta report presents a total of eleven incidents that show November continued the regional pattern: the use of hate speech, pressure, and misleading information to increase communal tension, confuse the public, and harm peaceful relations between communities in India and Bangladesh.
Hindutva Leader Seeks “Five Minutes” from Center to Turn India into a Hindu Rashtra
November 3: Tulika Sharma, general secretary of the Vishwa Hindu Mahasangh (Bharat) called on the Indian government to grant “five minutes” of free rein to convert the country into a “Hindu Rashtra.”
The remarks were made during a mahayagna organized in Moradabad by the group, which claims to be working toward making India a nation “only for Hindus.”
“We want the government to give us five minutes (of permission to do anything). Each matri-shakti (mother-power) would take on 100 of them,” Sharma declared, in what was seen as a reference to the minority community. She also said that members of the outfit were learning to use weapons, adding, “I am myself learning sword fighting.”
Imam in India’s Uttar Pradesh Booked for Violating Noise Limits with Loudspeaker
November 3: Police in Shamli district, Uttar Pradesh, India have filed a case against Maulana Rafique Khan, the imam of a mosque in Ghumthal village, for allegedly exceeding the permissible volume levels while using a loudspeaker. The case was registered following multiple complaints from local residents regarding noise pollution.
According to the police, Khan had been warned several times to adhere to noise limits after receiving complaints about the mosque’s loudspeaker. However, the exact decibel level of the alleged violation was not disclosed.
India’s Maharashtra Government Renames Islampur to Ishwarpur Following Hindutva Activist’s Demand
November 4: Three months after announcing plans to rename Islampur city in Sangli district, the Maharashtra government issued a notification formalizing the change to “Ishwarpur.” The decision follows a demand by Hindutva activist Sambhaji Bhide, who has been a vocal advocate for the name change, according to a media report.
State Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule defended the renaming, stating that it was carried out in response to the “demands of the people.” He also said that MLA Gopichand Padalkar had repeatedly raised the issue, prompting Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to send a proposal to the Union Home Ministry, which was ultimately approved.
Three Muslim Men Convicted of Cow Slaughter in India’s Gujarat, Sentenced to Life Imprisonment
November 5: A sessions court in Amreli district, Gujarat, India convicted three Muslim men of cow slaughter under the Gujarat Animal Preservation Act, sentencing them to life imprisonment and imposing a collective fine of over ₹18 lakh, reports media.
This marks the first time in Gujarat that three individuals have received life sentences in a single cow-slaughter case.
Special Public Prosecutor Chandresh Mehta confirmed the historic nature of the sentence, highlighting that such a judgment has never been passed in the state before.
In response to the conviction, the Gujarat government issued a statement expressing its strong commitment to cow protection, asserting that the verdict demonstrates the state’s determination to take strict action against those who harm “Gaumata” (the cow mother).
Indian Media’s Claim of 9,000-Member Private Militia for Deployment in Dhaka Found False
November 8: India-based outlet Northeast News reported that a 9,000-member private militia led by adviser Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan was being prepared for deployment in Dhaka between November 10 and 13, allegedly to counter the Awami League’s planned “Dhaka Lockdown” program.
However, verification by The Dissent, an investigative media, shows that the report by Northeast News is false.
The interim government has, however, introduced a self-defense and firearms training program for 9,000 youths, training has not yet begun; a BKSP notice states it will start on November 22. Adviser Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan also clarified that the initiative is a pilot training project and that participants will not be armed or recruited into any force after completion.
Christians in Haryana Allegedly Forced to Burn Sacred Books by Mob in India’s Rohtak District
November 9: A viral video circulating on social media appears to show a group of Christian villagers in Rohtak district, Haryana, India being allegedly terrorised and coerced by a mob identifying with Hindutva groups. In the footage, members of the Christian community are seen surrounded by a crowd that reportedly abused them and pressured them to denounce their faith, reports media.
According to what is visible in the video, one individual in the mob can be heard calling the Christians “traitors” and describing their holy books as “dirt.” The group of villagers was allegedly compelled to verbally and in writing renounce their religion, with some stating under duress that they did not believe in the Bible or the Quran and would not permit anyone to keep such texts.
The video further shows a Christian man being handed a bottle of petrol and forced to set a Bible on fire, while members of the mob shouted slogans including “Jai Shri Ram” and “Bharat Mata Ki Jai.” Authorities, however, have not yet issued an official statement on the incident, and verification of the circumstances surrounding the video is still pending.
Indian Priest Calls for Military Attack on Muslim Institutions in Hate Speech Video
November 13: Yati Narsinghanand Giri, the head priest (Mahant) of the Dasna Devi Temple in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh has issued a fresh inflammatory statement demanding military action against several Muslim educational institutions, including Al-Falah University, Jamia Millia Islamia, Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), and Darul Uloom Deoband, reports media.
In a video statement, Narsinghanand declared, “Terrorist dens like Al-Falah University, AMU, Jamia Millia, Darul Uloom Deoband should be blown up with cannons by sending in the army.”
Man Arrested for Hate Speech in Karnataka, India
November 15: A 49-year-old man, Ratnakar Ameen, was arrested in Moodanidambur village (Udupi taluk) after allegedly giving a provocative, communal speech during a protest organized by Hindu Jagarana Vedike.
Charges include “promoting enmity between groups” under relevant penal provisions.
According to Mangalore Today, he was arrested at Mangaluru Central railway station by a special police team.
Viral Claim of Temple Arson in Bangladesh’s Kushtia Found to Be False
November 17: A video circulating on social media claims that a mob of “Touhidi Janata” set fire to a temple in Kushtia over allegations of religious insult. Fact check shows the footage is not recent and does not show any temple. It is actually from a fire that occurred on 19 October 2025 at Alipur Badamtala Bazar in Satkhira.
A reverse image search links the viral clip to a Jamuna TV report published the same day, which matches the footage exactly. According to Jamuna Television, a fire broke out in several shops around 3:30 PM and was later brought under control by the Fire Service. Other national outlets also covered the incident.
Chhattisgarh High Court Rejects Plea Over Hate Speech
November 21: The Chhattisgarh High Court dismissed a writ petition seeking immediate arrest and court-monitored investigation into multiple alleged hate speech cases against Amit Baghel, president of the Johar Chhattisgarh Party (JCP).
The petition sought more aggressive action, but the court declined, pointing to judicial limits / lack of immediate cause for such extraordinary directives.
Bangladesh Defends Google Takedown Requests, Citing Misinformation and Communal Threats
November 28: the Bangladeshi government clarified (via a public statement) that many of its content takedown requests to Google were not for purely political criticism, but specifically for misinformation, “propaganda-based character assassination,” and content that threatened communal harmony.
The government stated that there was a “highly undesirable level of misinformation campaigns” in early to mid-2025, from inside and outside the country.
The statement linked some of these misinformation campaigns to efforts to target “religious, racial, and ethnic groups online and offline,” underlining a concern about communal targeting.
About the Author
Mohammed Raihan is a staff contributor to The Insighta. He writes on history, culture, language, economy and geopolitics, uncovering untold narratives that connect the past and present. He can be reached at mohammed_raihan@theinsighta.com
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect The Insighta’s editorial stance. However, any errors in the stated facts or figures may be corrected if supported by verifiable evidence. | A guest post by
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