The Leicester sectarian confrontation in September 2022 further exemplified the transnational reach of Hindutva ideology, featuring Hindu nationalist slogans and violence against Muslim communities. During this time, a mix of hate speech and fake news flooded social media, with pro-Hindu and anti-Muslim posts often using the hashtag #HindusUnderAttack. Analysis revealed that over half of the 200,000 tweets about Leicester originated from India, particularly anti-Muslim website called Opindia, Despite being far from the scene, Opindia’s editor-in-chief, Nupur Sharma has perpetuated hate speech and propaganda against Muslims in not only Leicester in 2022 but also extended to Udaipur, Bangladesh, and Kashmir. SRI LANKA Religious fundamentalist actors, such as the Bodhu Bala Sena (BBS)184 and similar Buddhist monk-led groups, are a significant political force and a source of anti-minority violence in Sri Lanka, often given tacit or explicit support, protection and impunity by the Rajapakses and other allied ruling elite.185 IN MARCH 2013, FAR-RIGHT BUDDHIST FACTIONS PROTESTED AGAINST FAMILY PLANNING, CITING THEIR CONCERNS ABOUT THE ‘DIMINISHING SINHALA RACE.’ In March 2013, far-right Buddhist factions protested against family planning, citing their concerns about the ‘diminishing Sinhala race.’ In response, the Ministry of Health issued a directive banning all irreversible birth control methods in government hospitals and private institutions and prohibiting NGOs from providing sterilization services.186 A preoccupation with restricting reproductive rights is one of the main concerns of these groups. For example, in 2017, when the thengovernment proposed reforms to Sri Lanka’s highly restrictive abortion Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/oct/11/britain-india-hindus-muslims-leicester-bjp 184 Keenan, A. (2021). “One Country, One Law”: The Sri Lankan State’s Hostility toward Muslims Grows Deeper. International Crisis Group. https://www.crisisgroup.org/asia/south-asia/sri-lanka/%E2%80%9Cone-country-onelaw%E2%80%9D-sri-lankan-states-hostility-toward-muslims-grows-deeper 185 Haniffa, F. (2021). What is behind the anti-Muslim measures in Sri Lanka? Al Jazeera. https://www.aljazeera.com/ opinions/2021/4/12/what-is-behind-the-anti-muslim-measures-in-sri-lanka 186 Groundviews. (2014). Good Women and Bad Women of the Post-War Nation. https://groundviews. org/2014/05/22/good-women-and-bad-women-of-the-post-war-nation/ 53

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