Bharat Nayak 
Ghuspaithiyon (infiltrators), ‘those with more children’, katwa (circumcised), terrorist — these are just a few of the many terms which politicians have used in reference to Muslims in India — the first two terms have been used by none other than Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a controversial election campaign speech in April.
This communal rhetoric is not new. In fact, it’s almost expected during campaigning now. However, things seem to have become worse since the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel. That incident has been used to justify a wave of anti-Muslim rhetoric across India, with some right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders conflating support for Palestine with support for Hamas and painting all Muslims as “terrorists” or “terror sympathisers”.
Hate-inciting messages are circulated widely on WhatsApp, with hundreds of messages related to the Israel-Hamas conflict being shared across more than a hundred groups. This reporter has documented hundreds of such WhatsApp messages and observed similar content being circulated on X, shared by right-wing ideologues.
A newspaper article shared on WhatsApp groups stating the kind of violence seen in Gaza would soon be visible in India.
Misinformation and fake news
Reports indicate that a substantial amount of misinformation about the Israel-Palestine conflict has originated from India.
These false narratives often aim to instil fear among the Hindu population. For example, one widely circulated Hindi newspaper article on WhatsApp claimed that American journalist Janet Levy warned of a “Hindu genocide” if Modi is ousted from office. However, upon investigation, it was found that this statement was derived from an old 2015 article published on a propaganda website called ‘American Thinker,’ titled “The Muslim Takeover of West Bengal”. This article was earlier shared by the former governor of West Bengal, Tathagata Roy, in 2015.
Since October 7, there have been several videos in circulation that portray Muslims as barbaric and willing to harm women and children. The message going out is that what happened in Israel — targeting even dead women and babies — could very well happen in India.
An image of children being burned alive in a cage with a warning that it will happen in India within 10-15 years and will be done by those shouting Allah-u-Akbar. Originally the image is an enactment by activists of the macabre scene of a Jordanian pilot burnt alive by ISIS in 2015.
A video of a Muslim man supporting Palestine was shared with the caption: “Their funda is very clear but the worm of doubt is in the minds of Hindus. Their intentions are very dangerous. Those who have not seen traitors should look out for them and recognise them. This is a snake, not trustworthy at all, and if you don’t like keeping snakes in your sleeve then keep them away from yourself.”
This last post above mentions that the lessons of the Israel-Hamas conflict are: “Lesson 1: Hamas had no enmity towards Israeli women and girls. If they had, they would have just shot them but who knows which book teaches them to rape them, parade them naked, mutilate their dead bodies, rape even their dead bodies. Try to know, otherwise you may also be next.
Lesson 2: In the brutality that happened to women and small girls in Palestine, not only the Muslim terrorists of Hamas but also the general public and even the women were involved. This thinking may be growing around you too. Let me tell you the way to know. Mention the events that took place in Palestine to those around you, find out who their sympathies are with and know your future as well.
Lesson 3: There is a Gaza strip in Israel, thousands have been created in India, and you too come under their ambit.
Lesson 4: Today we have learned how the Hindus had to suffer in our country India during the mediaeval period. This is what Mahmud Ghaznavi, Mohammad Bin Qasim, Alauddin Khilji, Aurangzeb and the so-called great Akbar did to Hindus in the mediaeval period, the same thing that Muslim terrorists did in Israel today. It is a different matter that your memory has been formatted in these 70 years.
Lesson 5: These incidents show why Hindu women used to commit Jauhar and since they had no hesitation in raping even the dead bodies of women, Hindu women used to commit Jauhar so that their dead bodies also do not fall into the hands of these beasts.
Lesson 6: We all should thank our elders who protected their religion despite witnessing and facing such brutality for hundreds of years.
Lesson 7: Secularism is a slow poison. In fact, Israel had never seen a major war after the Arab-Israeli war. In these 50 years, a new generation came to Israel which was completely intoxicated with secularism. It is just like your children don’t know how to survive without electricity and water for two or three hours, like if the BJP stays in power for a few more years, then the new generation that will come will forget what kind of orgy used to happen during the Congress era. It is good that now the new generation of Israel has seen everything that even their ancestors would not have seen.
Lesson 8: Only the faces have changed, the country has changed, the name of the Muslim terrorist organisation has changed, rest of the barbaric acts are the same which have been going on for thirteen-fourteen hundred years, nothing has changed.
Lesson 9: If the attention of the country’s government and security agencies is being diverted, then you need to be careful. Let us understand how? How the entire planning was done. The Benjamin Netanyahu government implemented the judicial reform bill a few years ago, initially a few people opposed it. Taking advantage of the situation, people with leftist ideology immediately incited the public and organised protests and strikes and roads were closed for a long time in the whole of Israel, so that the entire attention of the Israeli government remains on these protests and strikes. After that, Muslim terrorists entered Israel by sea and caused havoc. Even the world’s best intelligence agency, Mossad, could not get any clue about this because the entire focus of the government and Mossad was on the protests, anarchy etc. in Israel.
Lesson 10: Remember, whatever happened in Israel today, something similar will happen in our country someday. If you don’t believe me, let me tell you that it has happened many times in the past like it happened on Jinnah’s announcement of Direct Action Day. It happened in Kashmir. It happened in France. And it has happened in who knows how many countries.
Lesson 11: This is the main weapon of these Jihadi tribal armies, rape of women and girls whereas this is not the case in any other religion of the world, war also has rules. This is not a war between Hamas and Israel, this is Jihad — the same 1400 year old methods are being used.
Lesson 12: Now that Israel has declared war, a particular community in India will shout Save Gaza, Save Gaza. You just have to recognise that thinking around you, and be alert.”
Notably, these messages which are being circulated on social media and WhatsApp suggest that Indian Muslims endorse the actions of Hamas and they are supporters of violence against Israeli civilians and imply that similar acts could be directed towards Indian women and children. WhatsApp forwards claim that a growing Muslim population is a threat to the Hindu majority, with the underlying narrative that what Hamas did in Israel could be mirrored by Muslims in India.
An image being forwarded on WhatsApp which says that ‘Jinn of Ummah’ came out across India on Friday: Slogans of ‘Allahu Akbar’ raised in support of Hamas-Palestine on the streets in protest against Israel.
A screenshot of a WhatsApp message stating the Hamas attacks on Israel is a message for all Hindus. If you vote for a party that supports them, the outcome for Hindus will be the same.
Whether this problem will escalate or remain a footnote in history is uncertain. Naim Sawar, a fact-checker, says, “I don’t think this will stop anytime soon. However, I must say, [in the last part of April] the hate rhetoric seems to have reduced a bit compared to a few weeks ago. But I fear it’s just temporary. I don’t know what is in store for us in the future, but this is how it is now.”
Mental health of Muslims impacted by hate speech
This glorification of war, mocking of Palestinian suffering and calls for replicating Israel’s militant stance against Muslims in India have profoundly impacted the mental health of Indian Muslims, leaving them alienated and fearful of violence exacerbated by the normalisation of such content on social media platforms. Arshi (38), a homemaker from Uttar Pradesh’s Kushinagar, expressed her fear and dismay over the anti-Muslim propaganda circulating on WhatsApp, explaining, “It’s affecting our sense of safety and belonging in our own country.”
“Societal discrimination against Muslims takes various forms, including biases in academia and the workplace. This discriminatory attitude across all levels of education and employment leads to feelings of alienation, frustration, and insecurity among community members,’’ says Dr. Syed Sajid Husain Kazmi, a clinical psychologist and assistant professor at Amity University, Lucknow.
Unfortunately, given the economic conditions of many Muslims in India, they are often unable to afford professional help for mental health issues. And it is only during therapy that several insecurities come to light, says Kazmi, adding that “negative stereotypes and discriminatory actions foster fear and distrust, contributing to a hostile environment that erodes the sense of belonging. This can lead to feelings of helplessness and powerlessness, resulting in increased levels of anxiety, depression, and stress within the community.”
Even when Muslims are able to afford mental health help, they do not seek help because the therapist does not belong to their community or refuses to accept their lived reality. Psychotherapist Hena Faqurudheen says: “I have heard from a number of clients I have worked with who say that the previous therapist they saw didn’t share their identity but kept telling them this is their individual problem. That is also a form of harm in the mental health field where you are denying someone’s lived reality.’’
“They (Muslim patients) express a desire to work with someone who shares their identity, as they believe it facilitates better understanding, particularly regarding experiences of marginalisation due to that identity. People often come in to talk about what’s going on politically, how it personally makes them feel and how they see it playing out in their lives,” she adds.
Further, Faqurudheen highlighted that the prevalence of anti-Muslim rhetoric in public discourse has deeply affected many individuals and their families, leading to heightened awareness of danger and increased social isolation. “I’ve been on the receiving end of such rhetoric as well, and it does affect you deeply,’’ she says. ‘’It’s no wonder that many from the Muslim community find themselves constantly on the edge.”
Discrimination against Muslims getting normalised
Faqurudheen says that many of her patients discuss their deep disappointment with friends endorsing Islamophobic narratives without considering the consequences. “A lot of people I work with, they talk about the rise in anti-Muslim rhetoric, how scared they are and how they didn’t expect their friends to agree with the rhetoric. A breakdown of relationships is happening.’’ Some patients reported experiences of discrimination within their social circles, where Muslim friends or partners are excluded from family gatherings or events due to prejudiced beliefs. Faqurudheen emphasised that this exclusion isn’t new and reflects a long history of stereotyping and discrimination.
Similarly, Amity University’s Kazmi says: “Another frequently reported issue in psychotherapeutic sessions involves Muslim job seekers being rejected for various pretexts despite having the necessary qualifications. This growing trend among unemployed youths highlights the structural and societal inequalities that block equal access to jobs and employment opportunities, perpetuating a vicious cycle of marginalisation and disenfranchisement. Restricted access to employment contributes to financial hardship and psychological distress.”
Faqurudheen underlined that when relationships “break down” one gets “more and more isolated”. “You don’t feel like you can reach out to others, you can’t trust others, you are more paranoid about whether this person can be trustworthy or not. What happens is that there is already a drift happening and then the drift widens, people become more and more insular. Ghettos are physical. structural and systemic manifestations of the same. A lot of young folks I worked with have left the country. It is about privilege as well, but many have taken opportunities that perhaps they wouldn’t have taken if they saw the future in the country, that also is a brain drain of sorts.’’
‘The brotherhood is lost’
On September 21, BJP MP Ramesh Bidhuri abused his parliamentarian colleague Danish Ali, calling him a terrorist, bharwa (pimp), and katwa (circumcised). Some 1200 km away from parliament, in a Jharkhand village WhatsApp group, a Hindu villager shared the offensive video, expressing support for the derogatory remarks. Some Muslim members of the WhatsApp group felt that they were being labelled terrorists merely due to their faith, whilst others felt their loyalty towards the country was being challenged.
Taiyab Hussain (34) is one of the members of that WhatsApp group. “These times are especially taxing for hard-working and honest Muslims,” he says. The slurs apart, the lack of opposition to these derogatory comments is making him reconsider his relationships with his Hindu friends.
Naim Sawar (33), a friend of Taiyab, adds that Bhaduri’s video which was being forwarded is just one of the many WhatsApp posts that spread hate against his religion and community. “People have already been brainwashed, the brotherhood is now lost forever. In some aspects it exists but not as deep as before,” he says.
Faqurudheen points out that digital platforms like WhatsApp and Facebook facilitate the spread of hate speech and prejudice. “The hate was always there, simmering beneath the surface but social media and tools like WhatsApp have made it far easier to spread. Now, a Muslim posting on social media can be met with horrific comments like ‘kill this person’ or ‘rape her.’ These threats are not just seen by the person who posted, but by a wider Muslim audience, creating a pervasive sense of fear and insecurity, even for those who weren’t directly targeted,’’ she says.
Anant Kamath, author and social scientist, and assistant professor at the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS) in Bengaluru, says that platforms like WhatsApp amplify the impact of Islamophobic messages through sheer repetition. “If you receive one Islamophobic message, you might think it’s just one opinion. But when five or ten people forward the same message to you, the sheer speed and volume can make that hateful notion stick, regardless of your intelligence or education,” Kamath explains, adding, “This repetition from multiple sources can give the information a false sense of legitimacy, leading people to believe there’s a grain of truth in the hateful rhetoric.’’
Further, Kamath underlined the role of AI and technology in spreading hateful content. He pointed out that the quality of propaganda contributes to its impact. “Some propaganda posts are meticulously crafted with high-quality audio-visual elements, which makes them attractive and believable. This psychological effect is heightened by our tendency to trust the printed word, especially when presented in a polished manner,” Kamath notes. “The combination of visual creativity and strategic misinterpretation of facts can significantly bolster hateful narratives. For example, photos of ruined temples might be due to weather, but the narrative might suggest they were destroyed by invaders.’’
Supportive communities are needed
The crucial question is: how does an individual manage the psychological distress caused by exposure to such narratives?
“Being visibly Muslim in public has led to heightened vigilance among the members of the community, resulting in a constant state of alertness and psychological strain. This perpetual hypervigilance keeps the body in a state of heightened nervousness, often leading to isolation. While there’s no immediate solution to these challenges, one effective approach to mitigate their impact is seeking out supportive communities. Surrounding oneself with individuals who offer a sense of safety can help alleviate some of the psychological burden. While therapy can be beneficial, the ongoing work of building supportive relationships within a community is essential for sustained well-being. Community interventions play a vital role in providing a sense of belonging and support in navigating the psychological challenges faced by individuals affected by such narratives,” says Faqurudheen.
Kamath suggests a counter-movement to hate speech. “We need a campaign that creates engaging content with creativity and merit, but in accessible language, to challenge disinformation on social media.”
On a more immediate basis, the need is to counter the spread of disinformation. And that is being done by fact-checking organisations. Mohd. Nadeem Siddique, a fact-checker with a media organisation, believes the disinformation campaign related to the Israel-Hamas war is designed to create a specific narrative. He explains, “Often, videos from the Russia-Ukraine conflict are shared as though they were from the Israel-Hamas war. We can usually identify this through careful content analysis, but the habit of sharing without verification persists. This practice undermines the fight against disinformation. Even fact-checkers can sometimes overlook double-checking in their rush to publish a story.”
Siddique recommends adopting a sceptical approach to online content and suggests cross-verification to prevent the spread of misinformation. He states, “I make it a rule not to accept everything I receive on social media as true. Just as we lock all the doors before driving, we should verify information before sharing it. This careful strategy helps reduce the risk of spreading misinformation.”
Bharat Nayak is a freelance journalist, researcher and fact-checker. He writes on disinformation, political polarisation and hate speech.