80% Hate Speech in BJP-Ruled States; Will Khalistan Become Modi’s Poll Issue, or Will Canada Turn Down the Thermostat?

India-Russia diamond trade suspended, global clinical trials recruiting disproportionately from India, MGNREGA shed 19% workers in FY2022-23, dengue rules Bangladesh, Waheeda Rehman wins Phalke Award

A newsletter from The Wire | Founded by MK Venu, Seema Chishti, Siddharth Varadarajan, Sushant Singh, Sidharth Bhatia and Tanweer Alam | With inputs from Kalrav Joshi and Anirudh SK | Editor: Pratik Kanjilal

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Snapshot of the day

September 26, 2023

Pratik Kanjilal

A report by Hindutva Watch in Washington, which looked at 255 cases of hate speech in India, finds that 80% of incidents occurred in BJP-ruled states. Most incidents were “orchestrated by the ruling BJP and affiliates including the Bajrang Dal, Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Sakal Hindu Samaj. Those groups have ties to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh,” the report states. Rather than using official data, Hindutva Watch relied on verifiable social media and news outlets, reports Bloomberg.

Canadian Defence Minister Bill Blair has expressed concern about the effect of India’s actions against Canada on the diaspora community there. Like his PM, he did not disclose details of an ongoing police probe in Canada, but hoped to be able to “move beyond credible intelligence to strong evidence”, which the two countries could use to address the situation collaboratively.

David Eby, premier of the province of British Columbia, says that he learned of Justin Trudeau’s allegations against India only an hour before the public did.  

At least six men and two vehicles were involved in the killing of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar outside his gurdwara, according to