(Trigger Warning: This piece contains information that details calls for hate and violence).
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In the aftermath of the ghastly Pahalgam terror attack, there has been a proliferation of hate speeches and content calling for mass violence against Muslims. This is happening both online and offline.
A Hindu outfit in Uttarakhand has called for the eviction of all Kashmiri Muslims from the state. News channels are calling for a "final solution" or "Gaza-like" mass killings. Social media posts saying "terrorism's only religion is Islam" have been going viral on social media.
These inflammatory anti-Muslim remarks have been made by several social media personalities, leveraging their vast reach, framing the attack in communal terms and stoking fears of a “Muslim threat.”
Viral social media posts could be spotted drawing parallels to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s hardline policies against Palestinians, urging India to adopt similar measures.
In this report, The Quint gets you a glimpse into how the Pahalgam attack, a seemingly calculated act of terror, has been exploited to incite hate against Muslims.
'Jab Tak Islam Rahega...': Hindu Raksha Dal's Ultimatum
Several cases of threats and attacks against Kashmiri Muslims were reported in places like Prayagraj, Dehradun, Chandigarh, among others. A more alarming reaction has come from the Hindu Raksha Dal in Uttarakhand.
First, Lalit Sharma of Hindu Raksha Dal ordered Kashmiri Muslims to leave Uttarakhand by morning of 24 April. Then he threatened that his teams will go on "rounds" to check and if they find Kashmiris, they will deal with them "in their own way".
The same Hindutva outfit was seen taking to the streets, supposedly to protest "against the atrocities against Hindus," one group member said: "We'll visit every University, beat up Kashmiri Muslims and drive them out. This will be done by the Hindu community in the state."
Adding to this, Sharma said, "We have only one fight. Till the time we have Islam in this country, these incidents will continue to happen. Where Muslims are strong like in Kashmir, they do this. Where they are weak, they do not do such things. Wherever you find that something has been funded by Jihadis or terrorists, don't go there." He said this as a police official passed by.
Members of this outfit also took out a march and chanted provocative slogans like, "“Kashmiri mullo, go back."
Dehradun police posted a video and said, "What has been said is wrong...Students come here to study and ours also go to study in other states like Kashmir. If anyone misbehaves against Kashmiri Muslim students, we'll look into it."
Meanwhile, a video has surfaced from Jodhpur which shows that an attempt was made to intentionally fuel communal violence in front of a police post at Jalori Gate chowk.
Slogans like these can be heard: 'Aatankwaad ka ek hi naam, Islam Dharam....Katiye katayenge jaayenge, Ram Ram chillayenge, ghar mein ghus ke maarnenge' (Terrorism has only one name: Islam. Muslims will be killed, Ram Ram will be shouted, will enter their homes and beat them).
Call for ‘Final Solution’ & ‘Israel’ Parallels
Apart from these Hindutva outfits, the mainstream media's selective portrayal of the Pahalgam attack has also been divisive. Reputed news anchor on Republic TV, Arnab Goswami, also sparked controversy with allleged comments.
Goswami reportedly said in one of his TV debates, that there needs to be a "final solution," writer Suchitra Vijayan alleged on X.
Suresh Chavhanke, editor-in-chief of Sudarshan News and a known figure for communal rhetoric, further escalated tensions with a post on X on 23 April 2025.
He wrote, “They kill by asking names! ‘Can’t you also avoid buying goods by asking names?’ #EconomicBoycott #BindasBol #PahalgamTerroristAttack,” accompanied by a video clip.
These remarks, viewed by millions, were shared extensively on Instagram and X. Many users interpreted the words as a call to vilify Muslims. This came at a time when tags like like #MuslimTerror and #HinduVictims were tending on social media.
A disturbing trend on X and Instagram were accounts recommending an Israel-type solution in Kashmir.
On Instagram, several posts emerged which purportedly called for India to take "lessons" from Israel, alleging that Muslims, much like Palestinians, "always cause trouble, and hence should be subjected to violence such as the what Israel is doing.
These parallels not only misinterpret the attack's context but also seek to legitimise the genocidal threats to Muslims.
DMs the journalist received on Instagram.
(Photo: Meer Faisal/Instagram)
The focus at the moment should be on the gut-wrenching nature of the attack against the tourists and the questions we must ask in its aftermath.
Calls should be made for asking for accountability of the leaders and security forces as to how such a massive Intelligence failure could take place. But, instead, much of the focus has been shifted towards spreading hate and misinformation against Muslims.
Hate in DMs, X Spaces
Meer Faisal, a journalist and founder of The Observer Post posted about the hateful and graphic messages he has been receiving since the terror attack.
These ranged from abuses to threats, to somehow blaming Indian Muslims for the attack.
In another instance, a video of one of the discussions on X spaces also came to light, wherein a direct call by a man named Gopal Shukla Hindu was given to "access a gun and kill Muslims in his area."
Evidently, social media has turned into a cesspit of hate and Islamophobia, with posts and comments ranging from creating Ghibli images to blaming Muslims. The internet was flooded with ‘wake-up’ calls to Hindus to seek revenge.
Reddit featured posts like “This is an attack on all hindus. Saw news that before killing they unzipped pant of men to check if they're hindu or not. This is so gruesome, if this time hindu community doesn't retaliate then we should just die in shame.”
Another post on X even went ahead and stated that "now it has been proven that Islam is the Red terrorism."
While such calls have further vitiated the atmosphere and have the potential to divide Muslims and Hindus, Kashmiris and most Muslims have been vocally condemning the attack since it took place.
And yet, a peaceful candle march that was held in Kashmir has been wrongly misconstrued as Muslims smiling at the incident, celebrating with candles.
Certain posts outrightly called to kill all the Muslims on X, instilling fear among the members of the community who have themselves been mourning the incident.
Another case in point was when RJ Sayema posted about the Pahalgam terror attack and condemned it, she received a flood of hateful responses on X.
For what it's worth, it must also be noted that there are several people on social media who have called out the targeted vitriol against Muslims and called for peace and unity, not genocide.