IAMC Weekly India Human Rights Monitor (December 5, 2025)

This Week at a Glance 

This week, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) labeled the motives of the BJP and the RSS as “intertwined.” In Delhi, a 14-year-old Muslim boy was shot dead by an officer for picking up money tossed at a wedding procession, while in Ayodhya, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hoisted a saffron flag – often used as a symbol of Hindu supremacy – at the Ram Temple, framing it as the beginning of a new “Ram Rajya.” Reporters Without Borders (RSF) named both the Adani Group and Hindutva propaganda outlet OpIndia in its global list of “Press Freedom Predators.” A new investigation exposed an armed militant-monk network in Uttar Pradesh, where weapon-bearing rallies openly incite violence against Muslims and Christians. On the US front, IAMC and the Religious Nationalisms Project held a series of events in the Bay Area explaining Hindu supremacy for diverse audiences, presented at the American Association of Religion annual conference in Boston, and launched the first episode of our new podcast, Beyond the Taj.

Top Stories

USCIRF calls RSS, BJP’s objectives “intertwined” in new report

The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) released its 2025 Issue Update on systematic religious persecution in India, naming the relationship between the Hindu supremacist paramilitary group Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as the driving force behind the weaponization of India’s legal framework and criminal justice system against Muslims, Christians, and other minorities.

Adani Group, Propaganda News Website OpIndia  in RSF’s ‘Press Freedom Predators’ List

Reporters Without Borders (RSF), has identified the Gautam Adani-run conglomerate Adani Group and the Hindu supremacist propaganda website OpIndia as “press freedom predators.” RSF notes that Adani is the country’s second richest man and close ally of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The “predators” list comprises people, organizations, corporations and governments who “kill, censor, imprison and assault journalists, throttle news media, denigrate journalism, or use its codes to manipulate information for propaganda purposes.”

CISF officer shoots 14-year-old Muslim boy dead for picking up thrown money at wedding

A 14-year-old Muslim boy, Saahil, was shot dead in East Delhi after he picked up money tossed during a wedding procession. Police have arrested the accused, identified as CISF officer Madan Gopal Tiwari, for killing the child.

PM Modi hoists saffron flag atop Ram temple, marks construction completion on demolished Babri Masjid site

Last week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hoisted a saffron flag at the Ram temple in Ajodhya, marking the completion of its construction on the site where the historic Babri Masjid was demolished by Hindutva organizations in 1992, and where he was among the leaders of the Hindutva mob that carried out the demolition. He added that an India inspired by a “Ram Rajya”, or the utopian reign of Ram, must be created. Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath were also present at the ceremony.

Armed Monk Network Mobilizing Hindus for Violence in Uttar Pradesh

A new investigation has revealed the rapid rise of an armed militant-monk movement in Uttar Pradesh led by Madhuram Sharan Shiva, a former RSS and VHP functionary. Since October 2024, he has organized more than 170 rallies across 11 districts, where armed monks parade weapons and deliver open calls for violence against Muslims and Christians, including to children, despite being held in the presence of police, raising serious alarm about state-enabled radicalization. Rights groups warn this organized mobilization, amplified through his large social media following, signals an escalating risk of mass violence against minorities in the state.

Hate crimes and discrimination in India

This week, in Assam’s Nagaon district, authorities launched a massive eviction drive against over 1,500 Bengali-speaking Muslim families, while the Uttar Pradesh government announced a sweeping crackdown on “illegal Bangladeshi and Rohingya migrants,” raising fears of profiling and arbitrary targeting. Tensions escalated in Meerut after Hindu groups protested a lawful property sale to a Muslim buyer, reciting the Hanuman Chalisa and demanding the transaction be cancelled. A Muslim lawmaker in Assam finally won relief after the Gauhati High Court quashed his six-month detention over political remarks, and a Christian officer lost his Supreme Court appeal after being dismissed for refusing to participate in Hindu religious rituals in the armed forces. Meanwhile, a 25-year-old Dalit man in Bengaluru died after alleged custodial assault, prompting a police investigation.

Resistance & Organizing

Delhi University professor Hany Babu granted bail after 1,955 days in jail

The Bombay High Court granted bail to Delhi University professor and noted academic Dr. Hany Babu, who was arrested in 2020 in connection with the Bhima Koregaon case and charged under the draconian Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). On 28 July, 2020, the National Investigation Agency arrested Babu, an anti-caste activist and a staunch proponent of social justice. Babu was charged alongside several other prominent Dalit and Adivasi rights activists.

Rajasthan withdraws order to observe Babri demolition day as ‘Shaurya Diwas’ in schools

A controversial order directing all schools in Rajasthan to observe December 6,  the day the Babri Masjid was demolished in 1992,  as “Shaurya Diwas” was withdrawn by the state government after sharp criticism from the opposition and Muslim groups. The withdrawn circular, had stated that Babri Demolition Day was to be observed as Shaurya Divas and instructed government and private schools to organise activities to “instill patriotism” among students and staff.

Hindu neighbours step in to donate land as Jammu journalist’s home demolished in alleged “targeted, punitive” action

The Jammu Development Authority (JDA) demolished the house of local journalist Afraz Dang, with his family alleging that the action was “targeted and punitive,” intended to silence him for speaking against those in power,  prompting his Hindu neighbour to donate land to help rebuild the home. The family that donated land on Friday said, “If they break his 10-marla plot, we will give him 20.”

Defender of the Week

This week, we’re spotlighting Imam Maulana Abdul Basit, a Muslim cleric in Assam’s Sribhumi district. Abdul Basit proved himself an unexpected hero after a car plunged into a pond at dawn, trapping seven sleeping passengers underwater. Hearing the crash, the imam immediately used the mosque loudspeaker to raise an alarm, urging villagers to rush to the scene. His swift call mobilised a rapid community rescue, with locals pulling all seven occupants out of the sinking vehicle. He added that his actions were driven purely by humanity: “We did not think about religion. Saving lives was all that mattered.”

Voices from the Ground 

“I am happy but also angry and sad that an innocent professor (Dr. Hany Babu) was made to spend five years and four months in jail without even a trial, just for being socially conscious and working for the good of the university where he was employed”

–  Jenny Rowena, Delhi University professor and wife of Dr. Hany Babu

IAMC in Action

• We’re excited to announce the launch of our new podcast, Beyond the Taj, which explores Indian Muslim culture, history, and current affairs. Our first episode features historian Ram Puniyani, who speaks on Indian identity, secularism, and the far-right assault on pluralism. Watch or stream on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.  
• IAMC and The Religious Nationalisms Project hosted a series of events across Northern California on Hindu supremacy, addressing audiences of Christians, Sikhs, and Muslims throughout the Bay Area. 
• Our Associate Media Director, Safa Ahmed, was featured on a panel titled “The Rise of South Asian Conservatisms in the US” at the American Association of Religion (AAR) annual conference in Boston.

What to Watch Next Week

• The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has issued a new interim final rule that bars broad categories of immigrants who are lawfully present in the U.S. and authorized to work from getting and maintaining their commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) and commercial learner’s permits. As a result of the rule, 194,000 drivers are expected to lose their licenses – and their livelihoods – over the next two years as their licenses come up for renewal. Stand up for immigrants’ rights by submitting a public comment opposing the rule, using Sikh Coalition’s template comment for members of the public. 
• Diaspora Indians for Liberation is a new national network for young Indian Americans interested in community organizing. Learn more about their mission by reading their zine here, fill out their interest form here, and follow them on Instagram @wearedil.