Quamar Equbal, TwoCircles.net
New Delhi: Kerala BJP leader Plathottathil Chacko George is under fire for allegedly making inflammatory and hateful comments against the Muslim community during a televised debate. The show, aired on January 5, 2025, on Janam TV, a Malayalam news channel, garnered millions of views. Unapologetic for his remarks, 74-year-old defended himself, claiming that his comments were “misinterpreted”.
“It happened during a show on Janam TV. A panellist from the Muslim League made problematic comments against me. He shouted at me. I simply reacted in my personal capacity. I did not target any community or religion. My comments were misunderstood,” George told TwoCircles.net.
However, he did not stop there only. “India is a secular country. I would never say anything against Muslims in particular. But you see, 100 percent of terrorists are Muslims. This is a problem. If there is an India-Pakistan cricket match and India loses, there are Muslims who celebrate the defeat in full glory. This is what is wrong,” he further said.
A seven-time former MLA from the Poonjar constituency in the Kottayam district, George served in the Kerala Legislative Assembly for 33 years. After 2016 polls, he formed his own party, the Kerala Janapaksham (Secular). Ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, his outfit merged with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The Poonjar seat in Kottayam district is one of the 140 assembly constituencies in Kerala. There are approximately 33,925 Muslim voters in the segment, making up around 19.1 percent of the total electorate there.
The case against George
A case was registered by the Erattupetta police against George over his remarks on the TV news show, based on a complaint by Muhamed Shihab, a Muslim Youth League leader. Shihab alleged that the saffron party leader made remarks capable of inciting religious hatred.
Based on Shihab’s complaint, a First Information Report (FIR) was registered under Section 196(1)(a) (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, etc.) and Section 299 (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), as well as Section 120(o) (penalty for causing nuisance and violation of public order) of the Kerala Police Act.
The complainant alleged that George’s hate speech targeted the Muslim community, allegedly labelling them as terrorists and communalists and saying that Muslims must migrate to Pakistan.
On February 24, the Erattupetta Judicial First-Class Magistrate Court in Kottayam district remanded him to 14 days of judicial custody until March 10. However, he was admitted to the ICU of Kottayam Medical College the same day after an abnormality was detected in his ECG during a routine medical examination conducted before his transfer to Pala Sub-Jail. George later approached the magistrate court, citing complications and irregularities in his ECG. He was granted bail on February 28. He was discharged from the hospital on March 1.
His earlier bail application was dismissed by the Sessions Court in Kottayam on February 6, prompting him to move the High Court. His anticipatory bail application was dismissed by the Kerala High Court on February 21, after which he surrendered before the Erattupetta court.
Dismissing his bail plea, Justice PV Kunhikrishnan of the Kerala HC observed that the tendency of politicians to make statements on religion and caste should be stopped. The court further stated that a politician like PC George, with over 30 years of experience, does not deserve to continue as a political leader if he gets provoked so easily. The court rejected his bail, citing his repeated communal statements against the Muslim community.
George has a history of being embroiled in similar controversies. In April 2022, he was reportedly booked for hate speech following remarks made during the Ananthapuri Hindu Maha Sammelanam. Later that year, the Palarivattom police registered a case against him for delivering a communally sensitive speech at Vennala, Kochi.
The Kottayam Muslim Youth League District President refused to comment on the issue.
Dr. V. Sivadasan, Rajya Sabha MP from the ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist), lashed out at George, saying he tried to spread hatred among the people. “He tried to spread the venom of communalism in our secular society. BJP leaders are using him for their political advancement. We condemn his statements and expect the courts to take strict action. We will oppose the communal activities of the BJP and the RSS,” he told TwoCircles.net.
India’s Islamophobic turn
A study conducted by Washington DC-based research group India Hate Lab found that anti-minority hate speech in India rose by 74.4 percent in 2024 compared to the previous year. According to the study, at least 1,165 instances of hate speech targeting religious minorities, primarily Muslims and Christians, were recorded in 2024. Of these, 98.5 percent targeted Muslims.
Top BJP leaders were named in the study for delivering the highest number of hate speeches. The list included Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
Nearly 80 percent of events where hate speech was recorded took place in states or Union Territories ruled by the saffron party, according to the study.
In at least 110 speeches, Modi reportedly made Islamophobic comments, with particular reference to his April 21, 2024 speech in Banswara, Rajasthan, where he allegedly referred to Muslims as “infiltrators” and “those who have more children”.
What’s driving anti-Muslim hate in India?
Mihir Desai, senior advocate at the Bombay High Court, attributes the alleged surge in hate speeches against Muslims to political motives. “It is done to gain electoral benefits and to push the Hindutva agenda of making India a Hindu Rashtra. Creating an enemy is a crucial element of this strategy, and in this case, Muslims have been targeted nonstop,” he says.
When asked about the failure of law enforcement agencies and the judiciary in taking strict action against those delivering hate speeches, Desai pointed to systemic issues. “The police have no interest in acting on such cases. They have become communal. But I do have hope in the Supreme Court,” he said, citing the top court’s 2023 order directing States to register FIRs on hate speech incidents suo motu and proceed against offenders without waiting for a complaint.
Advocate Mehmood Pracha claims that organizations like the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) use hate speech as a recruitment strategy. “By spreading communal hatred, the RSS gains new cadets. That is why they actively promote hate speech in public rallies, election campaigns and political gatherings,” he said.
Pracha alleged that the rise in hate speech and targeted violence against Muslims is not spontaneous but rather a well-planned conspiracy orchestrated by those in power. “Many influential Muslim religious and social leaders are compromised. The biggest problem is that most of the top Muslim leadership is on the payroll of the RSS. If that was not the case, the situation would not be as terrible as it is today,” he added.
The normalisation of derogatory terms used to vilify Muslims, such as “jihadi”, “love jihad” and “population jihad”, has contributed to communal divisions. Hate speech has had far-reaching consequences, including increased communal tensions, mob violence and growing fear among minority communities.
Senior Advocate Chander Uday Singh believes that courts hesitate to act when such statements come from those in power, noting that anti-Muslim rhetoric often intensifies before elections while the Election Commission of India (ECI) turns a “blind eye”.