In the wake of the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, a disturbing trend has emerged on social media platforms in India. The right-wing extremist groups and online trolls have leveraged the conflict to perpetuate Islamophobic narratives and spread hatred against Muslims.
The fresh Israel-Hamas conflict, a long-standing and deeply complex geopolitical issue, has evoked strong emotions worldwide. While many individuals and nations advocate for peace and a diplomatic solution, some segments of India’s right-wing have chosen to exploit the situation for their own divisive agenda.
‘Digital champions’
These right-wing trolls, often operating under the guise of ‘patriotism,’ have flooded social media with inflammatory and offensive posts targeting Muslims.
According to the latest reports, over 650 Israelis have been killed in Hamas attack, and 320 Palestinians have been killed in retaliatory Israeli airstrikes on Gaza.
Meanwhile, the Hindutva right-wing is increasingly positioning itself as a self-proclaimed ‘digital champion’ of Israel. Emulating pro-Israel groups like AIPAC, they have actively cultivated alliances grounded in Islamophobic rhetoric.
Polarizing tactics
Hindutva trolls, including members of the ruling saffron party’s IT cells, have successfully orchestrated several online campaigns promoting hatred, particularly targeting Indian Muslims. These campaigns have involved the dissemination of misinformation, manipulated imagery, and falsified videos. Now, these same actors are fervently endorsing Israel on social media through trending hashtags such as #IndiaStandsWithIsrael, #IStandWithIsrael, and #IsraeliLivesMatter.
This strategic alignment with Israel in the digital realm underscores the Hindutva right-wing’s affinity for divisive narratives and Islamophobia. “It’s a concerning development that amplifies the polarizing tactics employed by these groups, which can have severe implications for communal harmony and national unity,” said a former professor of sociology based in Hyderabad, requesting anonymity.
“It is imperative for responsible citizens to recognize the dangers of such online campaigns and reject the spread of hatred. Promoting tolerance, dialogue, and empathy should be the collective goal to foster harmony within India’s diverse society, rather than engaging in divisive rhetoric and promoting foreign conflicts for domestic political gain,” he added.
Old videos refresh hate
Along with hashtags and fake posts, the right-wing troll army is using the foreign conflict as an opportunity to target the entire Muslim community. Posting memes, misinformation, and old unrelated videos has become their new full-time online task to pamper their Islamophobic ecosystem and show their solidarity with Israel.
Amid the ongoing conflict, neither Hamas nor the Israeli authorities revealed any incidents of rape. However, a right-leaning X user, named BALA, has announced ‘number of rapes by Hamas’, while targeting Indian Muslims.
While sharing a scene from a movie he wrote, “Many Muslims in India continue to support Hamas terrorists, despite witnessing the destruction, murders, and rapes associated with their actions (sic).”
In another post, he expressed his anger against Indian Muslims for “supporting Palestinians,” calling them terrorists.
Mr Sinha, another Hindutva sympathiser, who usually shared anti-Muslim posts, shared an old video clip of ISIS terrorists beheaded a person in Syria, trying to pass it off as a recent action by Hamas. In his post, he tagged “secular liberals” and used derogatory terms for Muslims and their faith.
Meanwhile, News24 has shared an old video of the Israel strike and connected it with fresh clashes.
“The implications of this behavior are deeply troubling,” the professor said.
It not only stirs hatred and fear but also threatens the unity and social fabric of India. Promoting hostility towards any religious or ethnic group is not only morally reprehensible but also contrary to the principles of secularism enshrined in the Indian constitution.
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