Hindutva groups in India are intensifying efforts to stoke anti-Muslim sentiments by disseminating false and misleading reports about attacks on minorities in Bangladesh.

According to a Kashmir Media Service report on Tuesday, this surge in misinformation comes in the wake of significant political turmoil in Bangladesh, where Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, a pro-India leader, was forced to resign following mass protests and violence across the country.

The protests began in early July against a quota system that reserved over half of all government jobs for certain groups. The unrest later escalated into wider calls for the resignation of Hasina. Millions of Bangladeshis flooded the streets of the capital Dhaka to celebrate Hasina’s resignation.

In a bid to exploit the situation, these Hindutva groups have been circulating unrelated videos and fabricated stories of violence, including allegations of rape, attacks, and arson, falsely attributing them to the ongoing unrest in Bangladesh. The misinformation campaign has included provocative claims against Muslims and Islam.

BJP MLA Nitesh Rane from Maharashtra made inflammatory remarks against Bangladeshis in India, using the phrase ‘chun chunk kay marenge.’ He later deleted the post after significant backlash.