Sadhvi Rithambara known for hate speech receives Padma Bhushan

In her speeches, Sadhvi Rithambara equated minorities to "lemon in milk" and compared them to flies.

A right-wing religious leader, Sadhvi Rithambara well known for controversial speeches against religious minorities has been awarded the prestigious Padma Bhushan in the category of social work on Sunday, January 26.

She was awarded by the President of India on the occasion of the 76th Republic Day celebrations. She is among the 19 Padma Bhushan winners this year.

Who is Sadhvi Rithambara?

Rithambara is the founder-chairperson of Durga Vahini, the women’s wing of the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP).

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In the late 1980s, she came into the limelight after her extensive campaigning in the Jan Jagran Abhiyangan where she advocated for the demolition of Babri Masjid in 1992.

Rithambara was present during the Babri Masjid demolition, cheering the crowd from the mosque’s terrace. Three days later, she was arrested for inciting communal tensions.

The Liberhan Commission which was formed after the demolition of the Babri Masjid arrested Rithambara and 68 others culpable for pushing the nation to the brink of communal discord through their role in the mosque’s destruction on December 6, 1992. Criminal charges were filed against her in May 2017.

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However, on September 30, 2020, Sadhvi Rithambara and 32 others were acquitted in the Babri Masjid Demolition Case by a CBI special court.

Sadhvi Rithambara and her hate infused speeches

In her speeches, Sadhvi Rithambara equated Muslims to “lemon in milk” and compared them to flies, alleging they were mass-breeding to outnumber Hindus. She also served as a star campaigner for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) during the 1989 and 1991 Lok Sabha elections, as well as in several state legislative polls.

In April 1995, she was arrested in Indore for inciting communal tensions after referring to Mother Teresa as a “magician” and delivering hate-filled remarks against Christian missionaries. Her speech led to riots and arson, resulting in the arrest of 169 individuals.

In September 2022, a fundraising event featuring Sadhvi Rithambara in New Jersey, USA was cancelled following widespread backlash and protests from Indian American groups.

Organizations like the Indian American Muslim Council and Hindus for Human Rights urged the event’s cancellation launching a letter-writing campaign titled “Reject hate, say no to Hindu Nationalism in New Jersey.”

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