HT Hate Tracker: A national database on crimes in the name of religion, caste, race | Latest News India - Hindustan Times
close_game
close_game

HT Hate Tracker: A national database on crimes in the name of religion, caste, race

Hindustan Times | By
Jul 28, 2017 02:11 PM IST

Hate Tracker will be a crowd-sourced database of hate crimes in India since September 2015.

When a mob lynches a Muslim man on the suspicion of possessing beef, it is recorded as a murder. When a North-Eastern or African student is verbally abused, it is recorded as an obscene act. When a gay man is beaten because of the way he looks and acts, it is recorded as an assault.

In all these situations, violence or abuse may be punished, but bigotry is not. Part of the problem is lack of laws dealing with hate crimes. The closest thing in the Indian legal system is The Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, which criminalises a range of activities prejudicial to Dalits and members of scheduled tribes.

Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now.

As a result, there is a dearth of information about the power and influence of hate. That makes it impossible to know the extent of the problem. There is no national database of hate crimes.

Hindustan Times intends to fill this void. Today we are launching a webpage that will track acts of violence, threats of violence, and incitements to violence based on religion, caste, race, ethnicity, region of origin, gender identity and sexual orientation.

Our project relies on international standards to determine what counts as a hate crime. These criteria include, for example, the victim’s religion, appearance and the offender’s possible use of slurs. The figures and descriptions of the list on this page are drawn from news stories in the English-language press and reports from civil society organizations. But these sources are not adequate on their own.

We’re asking you, our reader, to send us pieces you spot in news, to share your own stories, and to give us more details of cases we’ve already listed. To make our database comprehensive, and to understand the scope of hate, we need your help.

Click on the Hate Tracker to visit the database and get involved.

To read stories and watch videos in our #LetsTalkAboutHate series, click here.

Unveiling 'Elections 2024: The Big Picture', a fresh segment in HT's talk show 'The Interview with Kumkum Chadha', where leaders across the political spectrum discuss the upcoming general elections. Watch now!

Get Current Updates on India News, Haryana CM News live, CAA India Live along with Latest News and Top Headlines from India and around the world.
SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Share this article
  • ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    author-default-90x90

    Niha Masih is a national affairs writer covering right wing politics, social justice and identity-based hate attacks.

SHARE
Story Saved
Live Score
OPEN APP
Saved Articles
Following
My Reads
Sign out
New Delhi 0C
Wednesday, March 13, 2024
Start 14 Days Free Trial Subscribe Now
Follow Us On