Islamophobic Remarks :
Poet and lyricist Manoj Muntashir Shukla writes music. He composes the music for Bollywood movies. His patriotic songs haven’t received much attention lately. For his lyrics in the Saina movie, which is based on the life of badminton player Saina Nehwal, Shukla received the National Film Award.
Shukla works full-time spreading far-right Hindu propaganda. He frequently stirs up anti-Muslim feeling and incites it through his YouTube videos and public speeches.
His dedication to the idea of Hindutva (an ideology or movement striving to transform India into a Hindu nation) has earned him the support of both the governing BJP and the ecosystem of Hindu supremacists. His journey from a lyricist who has previously been accused of plagiarism to a well-known lyricist speaks for itself.
Shukla, a caste supremacist, identifies as a proud Sanatani Hindu and a Brahman, the highest caste in Hinduism.
He posted a video named “Mai Brahmana Hun” (I Am Brahmana) on his YouTube page in which he proclaimed his higher caste. He declared, “We have two choices: first, we may disregard the writing on the wall, and second, we can establish our identity. The walls of Jawaharlal Nehru University invited Brahmans to leave India. It won’t take long for Delhi to turn into Kashmir if I ignore them like we did in Kashmir. I’m proud and honored to be a Brahman, a Nationalist, and a Sanatani Hindu. He continued by outlining the illustrious ancestry of Brahmins.
In a series of his videos titled, ‘Aap kiske vanshaj hain?’ (whose offspring are you?) Shukla suggests that Mughals are the progenitor of Indian Muslims, while calling them ‘glorified dacoits,’ he questioned the legitimacy of Muslims in India.
He twists history and tells embellished tales of Hindu bravery and triumph in an effort to instill Hindu pride and anti-Muslim prejudice. These false stories are prevalent on his YouTube channel.
Shukla despises secularism and declares, “I freely say that I am a Hindu, a nationalist, and an Indian. I’m proud of these three things and I tell the truth about them, so I don’t feel any guilt about them. I am not religious. The word “secular,” in my opinion, is the most frequently used and misapplied. You are informed that you are a really awful person if you are not secular. I’m not secular, and I’m not because that’s what the government does.
In addition, he has advocated for the renaming of Indian towns and proposed that Lucknow be renamed Lakhshmanpur in honor of the Hindu deity Lakhshman. Since the BJP took office, Indian cities with names that appear to be Muslim are being changed quickly.
His social media accounts are stuffed with disinformation and propaganda videos.