Home News An​​ojan Sivarasa Case Sparks A Hindu Identity Reawakening Among Tamil Netizens

An​​ojan Sivarasa Case Sparks A Hindu Identity Reawakening Among Tamil Netizens

By
The Commune
-
Sri Lankan Hindu Anojan Sivarasa, Facing Death Sentence In Saudi Arabia, Attacked By Fellow Inmate; Embassy Denied Personal Access

Tamil Twitter or rather Tamil X seems to have woken up from the very deep secularism slumber; thanks to the death sentence doled out to Sri Lankan Hindu Anojan Sivarasa.

The same people who earlier supported Tamil as a separate entity and did not acknowledge their Hindu roots seemed to have taken a 180-degree turn because the posts calling out the fake secularism of Muslims and other leftists and Dravidianists are increasing by the day.

When Anojan Sivarasa was given the death sentence, there was no flutter among the political circles in Tamil Nadu. Was it because the religion involved was Islam? Would it have been different if the religions were reversed?

This silence and more importantly, the justification of a death sentence by Islamists for a Facebook comment that was deleted within minutes and followed by an apology was the final straw.

Additionally, they realised that the Hindu in India was the only one talking about Anojan and it was no one else.

From an Anti-Shiva Jibe to a Death Sentence

In late June 2026, a video circulated online showing a Muslim man kicking a dog as Hindu pilgrims passed. The footage triggered heated exchanges between social media users in Sri Lanka.

During the ensuing argument, a Facebook user identified as Nafeesa M Mafas posted a derogatory comment about Lord Shiva and the Shivalingam in Tamil, mocking Hindu religious worship.

Anojan responded with a comment targeting Prophet Muhammad, stating that if he had the Prophet in his hands, he would have cut off his head.

Image Source: X

He subsequently deleted the comment and reportedly posted an apology video.

However, screenshots of the exchange were circulated and sent to the company where Anojan worked in Saudi Arabia. His employer subsequently alerted Saudi authorities.

According to Anojan’s brother, Hamsidan Sivarasa, individuals in Sri Lanka contacted the company about the post.

“People in Saudi Arabia knew nothing about this matter. It was individuals in Sri Lanka who sent emails to the company where my brother worked. I do not even wish to mention who those people are,” Hamsidan told BBC Sinhala.

Anoj​​an was arrested on 1 July 2026. The Al-Ahsa Criminal Court initially sentenced him to five years in prison and imposed a fine of three million Saudi riyals. On 17 September, following an appeal by prosecutors seeking prosecution under Sharia law rather than cybercrime legislation, the appellate court increased the punishment to death.

Tamils Rediscover Their Hindu Identity

Several handles across social media, especially X, have been commenting on how Tamils had been supporting leftists for years in the name of secularism and in opposition to the BJP. But when a Hindu is facing the death penalty in Saudi Arabia, they felt abandoned as the same leftists shut their mouths to protect their vote bank – primarily Islamists.

Here are some such posts.

From Tamil First To Hindu Identity: A Shift In The Making?

For decades, Dravidianist secessionist politics has encouraged Tamils to see their linguistic identity as separate from their Hindu religious roots, often framing Hindu identity through the lens of caste, Brahminism and the BJP. The Anojan Sivarasa case appears to be challenging that narrative for some Tamil Hindus.

Faced with the silence of Dravidianist, Congress, and Left leaders, alongside Islamist social media accounts celebrating a Hindu man’s death sentence, some are questioning whether the secularism they supported was ever truly reciprocal. Their posts suggest a growing willingness to assert their Hindu identity alongside their Tamil identity, rather than treating the two as incompatible.

Whether this marks a lasting shift or a moment of anger remains to be seen—but the assumption that Tamil identity must stand apart from Hindu identity is clearly being challenged online.

Subscribe to our channels on WhatsApp, Telegram, Instagram and YouTube to get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR