Islamophobic Remarks :
Self-described Dalit nationalist scholar Dr. Kundan Chakrawat is currently employed by the Hindu extreme Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) as the Prachar Prasar Pramukh (publicity and advertising) for the Malwa district in central Madhya Pradesh.
Chakrawat is a doctorate holder who specializes in the study of the paramilitary Hindu supremacist Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Associated with the Hindu extremist-nationalist milieu, he has spearheaded and actively engaged in demonstrations propagating anti-Muslim propaganda, especially in the VHP, where he serves as Prachar Prasar Pramukh for the Malwa region.
Chakrawat gave a controversial remark in March 2017 at an RSS gathering in Madhya Pradesh’s Malwa branch. In reaction to the first accusation that Muslims were responsible for the train fire that killed 56 Hindus in Godhra, he celebrated the slaughter of 2000 Muslims in Gujarat during his speech. This speech brought up memories of the massacres that took place in Gujarat in 2002 when Narendra Modi was the state’s chief minister. Furthermore, he publicly announced that anyone who would kill Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan would receive a prize of one crore rupees.
He used Facebook Live to accuse the Sikh-led farmer protests in February 2021 of being started and supported by “offshore Jihadis and Khalistanis” with the intention of defaming and weakening India.
He posted a video of a speech he gave at a Mandir Nirman Samiti event in February 2021, in which he claimed that Muslim kings like Akbar and Aurangzeb slaughtered millions of Hindus and demolished their places of worship. The speech was historically manufactured. He also disparaged Muslims with derogatory remarks.
When Chakrawat streamed live on Facebook once more in March 2021, he declared that all Muslims in Kashmir were terrorists and ISIS agents. He attacked the 70 years of Congress party dominance in the film, saying it did not benefit Hindus and that it placated minorities, particularly Muslims.
At a Bajrang Dal function in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, in December 2021, Chakrawat gave a speech that used derogatory and divisive rhetoric regarding the constitution. “Only those who will speak in the interest of Hindus will rule the country,” he declared as he wrapped off his remarks.
In a Facebook post from April 2022, Chakrawat described communal conflicts in Khargone, Madhya Pradesh, calling Muslims “Kattarpanthi” (extremists) and encouraging Hindus to take violent “revenge.”
He threatened to “vanish anyone who dares disturb the course towards Akhand Bharat within 15 years,” posting the following remark on his Facebook accounts that same month. A Hindu nationalist idea known as “Akhand Bharat” calls for the union of many South Asian states into India to create a superstate.
Chakrawat posted a picture of a Shivling, an abstract depiction of the god Shiva, on Facebook in May 2022. The post also included a picture of Muslims washing their hands ritualistically before prayer. Full of insults, the post asserted that Muslims “pollute the water” where Shivlings are located. The post made reference to extreme Hindu assertions that ancient mosques, including the Gyanvapi mosque in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, have ablution fountains that are actually Shivlings, which is “proof” that the mosques were formerly temples.
He posted a poster for the propaganda movie “The Kerala Story” in April 2023 and made the statement that, as the movie suggests, Muslims are to blame for India “sitting on a bomb.”
In a video posted to his Facebook page in July 2023, Chakrawat called Muslims “Jihadis” and claimed they were targeting and tainting Hindu holy processions. In addition, he called on Hindus present to band together against Muslims, saying that the latter would not think twice about harming Hindus.
Chakrawat warned Muslims in an August 2023 address that Hindus will not stand for any alleged Muslim advances on Hindu women, business, or temples. In addition, he urged Hindus to obtain two or more firearms with permits.
In a similar vein, he vowed to “tear [Muslims’] chests apart” if they obstructed the creation of a Hindu homeland in a speech that was posted on his Facebook page in August 2023.
False information concerning a spate of violence in Haryana caused by Hindu mobs was spread by Chakrawat in August 2023. He accused Muslims of raping Hindu women, killing a huge number of Hindus, and damaging Hindu-owned property. He urged Hindus from all social classes to band together in opposition to these alleged threats.
In the same month, he supported two people, Bittu Bajrangi and Monu Manesar, who were connected to anti-Muslim riots in Haryana, using his social media platform. According to Chakrawat, these people were unfairly singled out for crimes done by Muslims. Following the violence, Manesar and Bajrangi were both taken into custody, and they currently face several cases in various states of the nation.
Chakrawat began spreading conspiracy ideas in September 2023, including those about demographic change and love jihad. He made up the story that Muslims had kidnapped Hindu women and were the reason behind the riots in Haryana.