Hindutva Watch gets US award for tracking crimes against minorities in India
Washington: Hindutva Watch (HW), a Washington-based organization dedicated to tracking hate crimes against minorities in India, has been awarded the prestigious Eva Lassman “Take Action Against Hate” Award.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the recognition comes amidst the organization’s ongoing legal battle against the Indian government over the blocking of its website and social media accounts. On January 16, the Indian Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology invoked Section 69A of the Information Technology Act to withhold Hindutva Watch’s X (formerly Twitter) account, @HindutvaWatchIn.
The award, presented by Gonzaga University’s Center for the Study of Hate, honors individuals and organizations actively combating hate and fostering positive societal change. Hindutva Watch, founded in 2021 by Kashmiri journalist Raqib Hameed Naik, has documented over 4,000 hate crimes targeting marginalized communities in India.
“Hindutva Watch is this year’s recipient of Gonzaga University’s Eva Lassman Take Action Against Hate Award,” Naik announced on X, sharing images from the award ceremony. He further noted that the Delhi High Court is set to hear their petition challenging the “illegal and unlawful” government ban early next month. The award includes a $500 honorarium and recognition at the Spokane Human Rights Champions Gala, organized by Human Rights Spokane.
The university praised Hindutva Watch’s significant role in documenting hate crimes and hate speech aimed at India’s religious minorities, particularly Muslims and Christians. “Hindutva Watch provides India’s most comprehensive real-time dataset of hate crimes,” stated Gonzaga University, adding that the platform has been instrumental in drawing global attention to Hindu nationalism’s dangerous impact.
survivor Eva Lassman, who dedicated her life to raising awareness about the consequences of hate. The awards committee highlighted Hindutva Watch’s global impact and its alignment with Lassman’s legacy of anti-hate advocacy. “Hindutva refers to the ideological movement aimed at transforming India into a Hindu nation, closely tied to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” the university noted. Naik, his family, and volunteers have faced political repression for their efforts to expose the rise of Hindutva extremism.
