Genocide Watch warns of precursory signs of genocide in India

NEW DELHI, India (MNTV) — Genocide Watch, a Washington-based nonprofit that monitors warning signs of mass atrocities, says India is exhibiting indicators consistent with what it calls the “preparation” stage of genocide, citing escalating anti-Muslim rhetoric, armed training camps linked to Hindu nationalist groups and recurring violence during religious processions.

In a new installment of its “Ten Stages of Genocide” analysis focused on India, the organization argues that preparation is the phase in which leaders and extremist actors begin planning potential mass violence, often using coded language such as “self-defense” or “counterterrorism” to justify mobilization. The group says such stages typically involve arming militias and normalizing hostile narratives against targeted communities.

Founded in 1999 by genocide scholar Gregory Stanton, Genocide Watch campaigns globally to identify and prevent patterns that historically precede mass killings. Its latest report contends that similar patterns are emerging in India, particularly in rhetoric and street-level mobilization directed at the country’s Muslim minority, which numbers more than 200 million people.

The report names organizations such as Bajrang Dal, a Hindu extremist outfit, alleging that “self-defense camps” have trained young Hindu men in weapons use. 

It also references public events in which trishuls — sharpened tridents associated with Hindu religious symbolism — are distributed to participants who take pledges to defend Hindu society. The organization says such actions reflect structured preparation for targeted violence.

Genocide Watch further highlights inflammatory speeches by political and religious figures. It cites remarks attributed to Hindutva hardliner T Raja Singh, a lawmaker previously affiliated with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, who threatened Muslim men while invoking the widely circulated “Love Jihad” conspiracy theory — a claim that Muslim men deliberately marry Hindu women to convert them to Islam. Researchers and civil rights advocates have described the narrative as unfounded and a driver of communal hostility.

The report also points to violence during Ram Navami processions in recent years. In 2023, when the Hindu festival coincided with the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, clashes were reported in multiple states after armed processions passed through Muslim neighborhoods. 

There were reports of property damage, mosque vandalism and injuries to civilians and police. The group alleges that in some instances, law enforcement action disproportionately affected Muslim residents.

Beyond street violence, the organization flags what it describes as a surge in online hate speech. It references social media content that circulated after a 2025 attack in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir that killed 25 tourists and a local guide, saying some posts called for revenge against Muslims and garnered significant engagement.

Genocide Watch has urged Indian authorities to dismantle what it characterizes as militant training camps and to hold public officials accountable for incitement. It also called on social media companies to remove hate speech and asked international bodies, including the U.S. Congress and the European Parliament, to raise concerns.