The Wire Staff 
New Delhi: Hindutva Watch, a website documenting hate crimes in India, has been awarded the esteemed Eva Lassman “Take Action Against Hate” Award. The recognition comes amid ongoing legal proceedings in India, where Hindutva Watch is challenging the Union government’s ban on its website and social media accounts.
The award, presented by Gonzaga University’s Centre for the Study of Hate, recognises individuals and organisations working to combat hate and promote positive change.
Hindutva Watch, founded by Kashmiri journalist Raqib Hameed Naik, has recorded over 4,000 cases of hate crimes against marginalised communities in India. The website’s work has been praised by Aaron Danowski, chairman of the awards committee, who highlighted its significant impact in combating hate.
On January 16, the Union ministry of electronics and information technology had withheld the X account of @HindutvaWatchIn, under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act.
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“Hindutva Watch is this year’s recipient of Gonzaga University’s Eva Lassman Take Action Against Hate Award. Early next month, the Delhi high court will hear our petition challenging the illegal and unlawful govt ban on Hindutva Watch, and we hope that the Court will overturn it,” Naik wrote on X, adding images from the award ceremony.
Hindutva Watch shares the award with Landon Turlock, a Canadian social worker recognised for his efforts in combating hate in Canada. While the award ceremony was held in December, the announcement was made earlier this October.