Swords, slogans and Hindu Rashtra: The ‘mahant’ calling for a ‘religious war’ against minorities |
Despite a 2023 Supreme Court order directing all states to take suo motu action against hate speech, such incidents have only surged in recent years. According to a 2025 report by the Centre for the Study of Organised Hate (CSOH), the number of hate speech incidents reached 1,318, surpassing the 1,165 recorded in 2024.
Amongst this network of hate-speech actors is a so-called ‘Mahant’ or ‘monk’ named Madhuram Sharan Shiva, the founder of the Shiv Shakti Akhada in Kanpur. Earlier this month, at a ‘Virat Hindu Sammelan’, Shiva accused Muslims of stealing jobs and harassing Hindus at festivals, urging Hindus to........