A report has unveiled a disturbing trend in India, revealing that hate is not merely a grassroots issue but rather an enterprise supported by some of the wealthiest individuals and corporations. This complicity underscores significant paradoxes where such organizations support diversity and inclusion yet fund divisive and harmful content.
Elite complicity in hate promotion
According to the Center for the Study of Organized Hate (CSOH) report, financial backing from affluent elites plays a crucial role in fueling hate-driven narratives against religious minorities, particularly Indian Muslims.
This complicity is present and perceivable in several ways, such as in supporting radical content through social networks like Instagram that have rapidly grown into the centres of hate speech and violence propagation.
The report describes the inaction of these ‘neutral’ platforms to remove the accounts inciting violence or even ban them, while they claim to combat hate speech.
The role of corporations
Multinational corporations that claim to be socially responsible are involved in this deception. They often support initiatives that pose as proponents of diversity and inclusion while funding provocative and hostile campaigns. This contradiction raised important questions regarding corporate accountability in an increasingly globalized world, where their influence can shape public discourse.
The report provides an instance of the people watching News18 India, owned by the world’s richest person Mukesh Ambani that presented an hour long programme that contained hate speech and was devoted to an absurd concept called “thook jihad” (Spit Jihad).
The episode named ‘Khane mein thookna, jihad ya jahalat? (Spitting in Food, Jihad or Ignorance) was anchored by Aman Chopra who talked about the myths of Indian Muslims who intentionally spit in the food prepared for Hindus. Not only does this account erase the possibility for narrative invention, but it also perpetuates anti-Muslim bigotry.
The report elaborates on how the Indian mainstream media especially during the term of Prime Minister Narendra Modi tends to replicate the far-right content. Chopra’s show exemplifies this trend, as it utilized misinformation and sensationalism to perpetuate harmful stereotypes against Indian Muslims.
The CSOH, which is a Washington-based organisation, underscored that as globalization intensifies, it is imperative to ensure accountability of such corporations not only for preserving the rights of the affected communities but for the defence and stability of democracy in India as well.
A call to action
The report points out the need to address this hypocrisy and ban the financial support for hate-driven content which is important for fostering a more equitable society.
The report indicates that if unchecked hate is left uncontrolled it will lead to increased violence against minorities and more pressure on democratic values. Therefore, there is an urgent need for collective action from civil society and policymakers to demand transparency from corporations regarding their contributions to the advocacy of hate.
Follow on Twitter | Posted by Sayima Ahmad | 
