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Shortly after the killing of Iran's Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei by US-Israel strike, crowds of Indian Muslims took to streets in Delhi, Kashmir, Lucknow, Punjab, Bhopal and other cities. The visuals that you see of Muslims on the streets represent the Shia way of mourning to mark their protest and grief. But the Hindutva brigade online and offline, is attacking Muslims left, right and centre for doing so.
For some more context, Khamenei was not just the head of the state for Iran, but he was also considered one of the most influential leaders, philosophers for Shias. To have killed Khamenei, an 86 year-old man in his home in the holy month of Ramzan made him a 'shaheed' and sent a message reinforcing his long-held stance against the US and Israel. However, many Sunni Muslims also joined in the processions protesting his assassination.
The ripple effect of his death has been felt all over the country, especially India. While many acknowledge the discontent and protests by many Iranians against the Supreme leader's regime, his killing has made him a martyr which would explain why Muslims have taken to the streets.
But the Hindu right-wing has so far, been unable to understand this and has spread hate against every Muslim mourning on the streets.
Hindu Raksha Dal Celebrates Khamenei's Killing
Case in point: Pinky Chaudhary, known for spreading hate against Muslims has amped up his hate speech. He said, "Khamenei is enjoying with 72 hoorains now."
"To mark the death of terrorist, jihadi Khamenei, Hindu Raksha Dal is celebrating Holi from two days before. By putting on Saffron tilak, we want to give a message to everyone that there will only be saffron in this world. Khamenei is enjoying with 72 hoorains, but Jihadis here are beating their chest that he's dead. He's with 72 hoorains, why are you disturbing him? Those who are beating their chest, should also go to him," said Chaudhary.
In another video, he had also made similar comments where he put tilak on his workers one by one.
"To celebrate Khamenei's death, we are putting saffron tilak at Hindu Raksha Dal office. Jai Sri Ram! In this way, we have to saffronise this word and we'll do whatever we have to do for it...against Jihadi intentions...Inn mullao ki toh...(inaudible)."
He also posted a video on his Instagram, wherein he offered sweets to his workers to celebrate Khamenei's death. They congratulated each other and chanted "Jai Sri Ram."
'The Poison Is Deep'
The marches taken out by Muslims have called out the illegal killing of Khamenei for multiple reasons. Many Muslims believe he was the last Muslim who stood against Israel, the genocide in Gaza and always showed unwavering support to Palestinians and their cause.
What Hindu right-wing groups, even liberals often misunderstand online that Shias are mourning him becoming a martyr and resistance by martyrdom is the very foundation that Shia sect is rooted in.
However, accounts online have taken this opportunity to misconstrue as portray Indian Muslims as either aggressive or questioning their 'loyalty' to the country.
Megh Updates — account which has been called out for spreading misinformation and hate — posted a clip of Muslim children being questioned by a reporter.
The children stated that they want to "destroy Israel" as they killed Khamenei, they added that PM Modi has been supporting Israel, questioned his recent visit, linking to Khamenei's death allegedly.
But Megh Updates wrote, "The poison is deep! Who's feeding them this? Indoctrination or upbringing?"
PM Modi's recent visit has been questioned by the Opposition too. Congress called his recent visit "ill-timed" and "shameful."
A 'trader,' 'investor' and a self- proclaimed 'Sanatani Hindu,' Anubhav Gupta has been openly mocking the deaths of Iranian kids.
Once again, he posted a quote by Khamenei which talked about standing with the people of Kashmir, Yemen and Bahrain and rejecting oppressors.
But Gupta wrote, "Indian Muslims protesting for this guy. Then say: 'Don't question our loyalty for Nation saar.'"
Another right-wing account 'Team Hindu United' said "Muslims in Bihar openly crying for their Iranian daddy."
"It does not just feel like with Khamenei's death we have lost a martyr but it feels like a father figure has left us. We will not tolerate this injustice. We want to send a message to everyone. They will face the consequences of their actions and be wiped out ," one of the Shia Muslims said, breaking down.
But 'Team Hindu United' wrote, "Strange how loyalty travels across borders so easily — but when it comes to Bharat, suddenly the silence gets louder." The remark also erases the fact that solidarity and grief can be transnational when felt by a community that has presence all over the world.
The same account again posted mocking Muslims for mourning Khamenei's killing and alleging that some people (i.e. Muslims) "laughed" at tragedies like the Pahalgam terrorist attack and the helicopter crash that killed General Bipin Rawat.
There is no proof or evidence for these claims.
But the handle follows, "Where does their loyalty really lie?"
Zionism-Hindutva 'Bhai-Bhai'
These hateful attacks against Indian Muslims whenever Israel is in the picture is not new. In fact, in the past 2-3 years, as the genocide in Gaza came to be more documented on social media, Hindu right-wing embraced Israel's war crimes and made their support known online.
Indian X (formerly Twitter) is often flushed with pro-Israel status updates, images and hashtags, especially when there is bombing by Israel in West Asia or Gaza. The posts even go back to 2021. This is when a post by Anshul Saxena, one of the more popular right-wing handles comes up.
Saxena wrote, “We Indians are with Israel in fight against terrorism. It's time to #StandWithIsrael." This was posted when the IDF (Israeli Defence Forces) bombed Gaza in response to series of rocket attacks by Hamas and after Israel forces stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque and forcibly evicted families in East Jerusalem.
In January this year, Hindu Network Foundation which is "a bold movement to awaken and empower Dharma," as per its own website, had questioned Ladakh's protest for Khamenei and against foreign intervention in Iran.
However, the Foundation wrote on X, "When allegiance to a global religious-political order is openly displayed, national loyalty is inevitably tested."
These right-wing groups have previously also doxed journalist Rana Ayyub's photo to make a meme, mocking Khamenei and even Muslim women.