Mahant Raju Das, a self-styled priest from Ayodhya, is a provocative figure known for spreading hate against religious minorities. He regularly makes headlines for his hateful  remarks. Calling himself a protector of Sanatan Dharma and Hinduism, he says, “If anyone attacks our religion, I won’t stay quiet. I’ll fight back.” In July 2022, he threatened filmmaker Leena Manimekalai over the poster of her movie Kaali, which showed the Hindu Goddess Kaali smoking a cigarette. Das accused Manimekalai of insulting Sanatan Dharma and warned, “Do you want to insult Sanatan Dharma? What do you want, should your head be severed from your body?”

Raju Das was a member of the student wing of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). He is a functionary of Bajrang Dal and was actively involved in the violent movement that resulted in the demolition of  Babri Masjid in 1992.

Raju Das who is also a supporter of the Hindu nationalist government Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) never misses a chance to threaten anyone anywhere, since he works with impunity. In December 2022, Mahant Raju Das offered a cash reward for anyone who would “behead” Congress leader Salman Khurshid. This came after Khurshid’s comments referencing the Hindu god Ram sparked outrage among Hindutva groups. Das questioned why Salman Khurshid didn’t compare Rahul Gandhi to the Prophet, Mahant Raju Das claimed that if Khurshid had done so, people from his community would have beheaded him.

According to Newslaundry, Raju Das is also focused on fighting Westernization. He told Newslaundry that he and his group once set out to stop Valentine’s Day celebrations in the town on February 14. “I was arrested and spent three days in jail,” he recalled. “But that’s how I moved up in the organization.” Now, he’s a Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) member.

In 2022, Raju Das, leader of the Hindu Suraksha Seva Trust, stated that the organization’s goal is to safeguard and preserve the Hindu religion.

Raju Das doesn’t miss any chance to be in the headlines. This hate monger in December 2022 made headlines for urging people to burn down theatres showing Shah Rukh Khan’s film Pathaan. “I appeal to people to set those theatres on fire where Pathaan will be screened”. This demand from Raju Das came after the BJP Madhya Pradesh Home Minister called for a ban on the movie, citing ‘objectionable content’ and the use of saffron costumes.

Raju Das is openly hostile toward minorities in India, frequently expressing his disdain for Muslims and Christians. His “sermons” attract hundreds of followers. On September 7, during a speech in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, he spread hate and fear, claiming that the Hindu population is declining, conversions are happening, and Hindus are being killed. He also made false and inflammatory remarks, saying, “Muslim and Christian populations are increasing, Muslims marry three times and have 70 children.”

In another speech, he delivered a hate-filled address in Domariyaganj, Uttar Pradesh, where he targeted Muslims and promoted several anti-Muslim conspiracy theories. He spoke about “love jihad” and “land jihad,” falsely claiming that Muslims are involved in these efforts. He also spread false rumors about Rohingya refugees, alleging that they give birth to 20-25 children. He also falsely stated that India is home to 9 crore Rohingya immigrants from Bangladesh, a claim that has no basis.

He made misleading statements about Ayodhya, claiming that 20-25 years ago, the town was only home to mosques and falsely asserting that Muslims believe Ayodhya is a sacred land of God. He also claimed that by invoking Allah’s name, one can directly communicate with God.

Additionally, he made the false claim that Muslims intend to build a replica of Mecca in India. In a further attempt to incite fear, he warned that if Hindus are not vigilant, they would disappear from India within 50 years.

He posts videos on his X (formerly Twitter) platform to incite hatred against Muslims. In one such tweet, he called Islam a terrorist religion, saying, “Islam is a terrorist organization. A clear example of this is the 57 countries where not a single follower of Jainism, Buddhism, Zoroastrianism, Sikhism, Hinduism, or Christianity can live peacefully. There is open genocide in Bangladesh; that’s why Islam is a terrorist organization.”

Since he is regular with his hate speeches, in another one, he said that all those who follow Islam are terrorists. He also said that Muslims are uneducated, and have multiple wives, and 70 kids. His remarks were met with applause from the audience present at the event.

In November 2024, he was in Lucknow, where he delivered another hate-filled speech. During his address, he said that “pig’s kids live in Jammu and Kashmir.” He didn’t stop there—he went on to clarify, “By pig’s children, I meant those who follow Islam.” His vile comments were met with applause.

He further claimed that Islam preaches beheading and insulted Allah by calling Him a “rapist” and a “thief,” continuing to mock Allah with different names throughout his speech. Despite the offensive remarks and the applause that followed, Raju Das continues to make such statements without facing any legal consequences.

Raju Das engaged in yet another round of dog-whistling at the Sanatan Hindu Ekta Padyatra, where he targeted Muslims with veiled attacks calling them “Humayun’s and Babar’s children”, demanding the creation of a Hindu Rashtra and pushed the conspiracy theory of “love jihad.”

During the Sanatan Hindu Ekta Padyatra, Raju Das demanded the reclamation of 30,000 temples instead of just a few. He also pledged to remove symbols of “invaders,” specifically targeting mosques and historical figures like Babar, Aurangzeb, and Ghazni.

At the Sanatan Dharma Sansad held in November, Raju Das vilified Muslims, calling them “Mohammad ka bacha.” He accused them of supporting Palestine while refusing to chant ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai,’ claiming this was a rejection of the Indian Constitution. He further pushed several conspiracy theories, including “love jihad,” “land jihad,” “spit jihad,” “vote jihad,” “economic jihad,” and “conversion jihad.”

In another post, he targeted Christians and those who wish to celebrate Christmas, saying, “If you want to celebrate Christmas, come to me. I’m ready with a hammer and nails, and I will turn you into Jesus Christ,” referencing the crucifixion of Jesus.

There are numerous videos and speeches of Raju Das targeting Muslims and Christians. He is widely regarded as one of the most dangerous figures, known for inciting violence against minorities and spreading misinformation, all while enjoying support from both the government and the public.