Hindu militant groups in Goa state demand ban on on halal products

Following the rightwing Uttar Pradesh government’s arbitrary ban on halal-certified products across the state, several Hindu militant organizations in Goa state have demanded a similar ban, baselessly alleging that the halal certification label causes “discrimination” among consumers.

The coalition of militant groups including the Bajrang Dal, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Hindu Janajagruti Samiti, also lauded Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for cracking down on halal products in his state, saying that he had taken a “bold step.”

Rally in India’s capital call for Muslims to be decapitated for cow slaughter

Hindu extremists in New Delhi held a rally calling for people who slaughter cows – a dogwhistle for Muslims – to be killed by decapitation. The rally was held to demand the government to give cows sacred status in India, thereby making cow slaughter punishable by death. 

Meanwhile, Hindu extremists in other states gave similar anti-Muslim hate speeches. At an event in Rohtak, Haryana, Hindu supremacist leader Pravin Togadia used the Israel-Hamas war to stoke fear and hatred against Muslims in India. At another event in Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, Hindu supremacist speaker Kajal Hindustani promoted the anti-Muslim conspiracy theory of “love jihad,” which claims Muslim men have an agenda to seduce and convert Hindu women.

Federal education body to include Hindu epic in curriculums while cutting Mughal history

India’s federal education body is considering including the story of the Hindu deity Ram, as described in the Hindu epic Ramayana, into school curriculums. The body has suggested that the current method of teaching history mostly talks about the time when the British ruled India and doesn’t pay enough attention to India’s ancient and epic history, especially the Vedic age.

These remarks come after the federal education body removed numerous sections from textbooks including parts on the Muslim-ruled Mughal empire, democracy, and popular movements.