Rajasthan has emerged as the second state in the country for instances of delivering hate speech, according to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB). Alongside this concerning trend, incidents of offending religious sentiments are witnessing a rapid rise in the state. The recently concluded Rajasthan Assembly elections have been implicated in contributing to this surge, with politicians’ provocative statements identified as a catalyst, as indicated by the NCRB report. The report reveals a notable escalation in hate speech cases from a mere 22 in 2016 to a significant eightfold increase, reaching 192 cases, positioning Rajasthan as the second-highest in the country, trailing only behind Uttar Pradesh.
Hate speech, also known as provocative speech, targets a particular individual, community, gender, or race. According to the United Nations’ Strategy and Plan of Action, any form of expression that maligns someone’s identity, country, language, customs, caste, religion, or race is considered hate speech. In recent years, there has been a rapid increase in hate speech cases.
2022 recorded the highest number of hate speech cases in the country to date
As per the NCRB report, the year 2022 witnessed a total of 1523 cases concerning hate speech across the country. This indicates a noteworthy increase of 31.25% from the preceding year, 2021, but conversely reflects a decline of 15.57% from the figures reported in 2020. In 2021, India recorded 993 cases related to hate speech, while the corresponding figure in 2020 was 1804. Uttar Pradesh reported the highest number of cases, with 217 instances, followed closely by Rajasthan with 192 cases. Remarkably, the state of Rajasthan experienced a substantial surge compared to the 83 cases registered in 2021. Most cases involve police registering cases based on provocative speeches or statements made by leaders, spread through social media or other mediums. It should be noted that cases that can disturb public peace are registered under sections 153A, 153B, 295A, and 505.
In the year 2022, followed by Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, several states reported significant numbers of cases under IPC section 153A. Maharashtra recorded 178 cases, followed by Tamil Nadu with 146, Telangana with 119, Andhra Pradesh with 109, and Madhya Pradesh with 108 cases, as per the available data.
The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), functioning under the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, is responsible for collecting and analyzing crime data from all states and union territories. The annual report published by the NCRB provides insights into the crime statistics across the country.
Comparing the data, it is worth noting that in 2022, nine states reported more than 100 cases under IPC section 153A. This marks a significant increase compared to 2021 when only two states, Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, had recorded such offences in triple digits. Both Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh reported 108 IPC 153A offences in 2021, as indicated by the data.
In the year 2020, seven states, namely Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and Uttar Pradesh, reported over 100 cases each under IPC section 153A. Among these, Tamil Nadu recorded the highest with 303 cases, according to NCRB data from that year.
Moving to 2022, the number of such offences in Madhya Pradesh almost tripled from 38 in 2021 to 108. The state had reported 73 cases in 2020.
Several states witnessed a significant increase in the number of cases from 2021 to 2022. Uttar Pradesh recorded 217 cases in 2022, up from 108 in the previous year. Similarly, Maharashtra reported 178 cases in 2022, compared to 75 in 2021. Rajasthan recorded 191 cases in 2022, an increase from 83 in 2021, and Gujarat reported 40 cases in 2022, up from 11 in 2021. Assam, which had reported 147 offences under IPC section 153A in 2020, saw a decrease to 75 cases in 2021 and further to 44 cases in 2022.
Delhi, the national capital, reported 26 cases in 2022, 17 in 2021, and 36 in 2020. Jammu and Kashmir reported 16 offences in 2022, 28 in 2021, and 22 in 2020, according to the official data.
Increase in hate speech cases during elections
Data analysis by the NCRB revealed that hate speech cases increase rapidly during elections. In the context of Rajasthan, during the 2018 state assembly elections, there were 87 cases, which were higher than the previous year. After the elections, the following year saw a decrease to 63 cases.
Rajasthan ranks 9th in cases of harming religious sentiments
As per the NCRB report, the country witnessed 1872 cases registered under IPC Section 295, related to hurting religious sentiments. In Rajasthan, these cases have witnessed a notable increase, with 45 cases recorded in 2022 compared to 31 cases in 2021. This marks an almost 30% rise in such cases compared to the previous year. However, it is important to note that the number of cases in this category has decreased in Rajasthan compared to 2017.
In 2022, Maharashtra (355), Madhya Pradesh (308), Karnataka (219), and Uttar Pradesh (220) reported the highest number of cases related to hurting religious sentiments. Rajasthan secured the 9th position in the country for such cases.
Cases registered for spreading fake news
According to the NCRB report, incidents of ‘promoting enmity between various groups’ increased nearly two and a half times in the state in 2022. Cases related to spreading fake news and rumours were registered in six instances.
No cases of sedition
No cases were registered under IPC Section 124A (sedition) in the state, while one case was registered in 2021 and four cases in 2020.
The rapid increase in hate speech cases
According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report, there has been a 31% increase in cases in 2022 compared to 2021. Notably, Uttar Pradesh has reached the top position in such cases. Hate speech cases are filed under IPC Section 153A. According to the NCRB report, over 1500 cases have been registered across India in 2022, which is 31.25% more than in 2021. However, compared to 2020, there is a 15.57% decrease in such cases. Last year, Uttar Pradesh registered the highest number of cases (217). Following this, Rajasthan (192), Maharashtra (178), Tamil Nadu (146), Telangana (119), Andhra Pradesh (109), and Madhya Pradesh (108) follow in hate speech cases.
The surge in hate speech cases in Rajasthan, as highlighted by the NCRB report, underscores a concerning trend that demands attention. The substantial increase in instances of provocative statements and offending religious sentiments, especially during election periods, points to a critical need for measures to curb such behaviour. The data not only sheds light on the rise in hate speech but also reveals the broader landscape of related offences, including those harming religious sentiments and spreading fake news.