Rakesh Tomar, the president of Rudra Sena, is a key figure in Uttarakhand’s growing anti-Muslim extremism, using his platform to incite hate, spread conspiracy theories, and call for economic and social boycotts. 

On July 20, 2024, in Jaunsar-Bawar, Dehradun, he openly boasted about demolishing Muslim shrines and urged landlords to refuse rentals to Muslim tenants. Five days later, in the same region, he led a gathering where he administered a hateful oath against so-called “love jihad” and “land jihad,” reinforcing the baseless narrative of Muslim encroachment.

Tomar has a long history of communal agitation. He played a prominent role in the Purola ‘Love Jihad’ case of 2023, where fabricated claims about Muslim men targeting Hindu women fueled violent anti-Muslim riots in Uttarkashi. The case was later proven to be false in court, but by then, many Muslim families had been forced to flee under threats and mob violence. Tomar celebrated their exodus, declaring that Uttarakhand must remain a “holy land for Hindus” and vowing to prevent it from “becoming an Islamic state.” His involvement in inciting violence did not stop at Purola.

In December 2024, Tomar was one of four men named in a case for orchestrating a relentless vilification campaign against a retired Muslim Army officer in Dehradun. Despite the officer’s service to the nation and even his affiliation with the BJP, Tomar and his associates accused him of having “Pakistani connections,” providing education to “Talibanis,” and being “anti-Hindu.” The targeted harassment included social media attacks, attempts to stir mob violence, and blackmail. The officer had to fight a two-year legal battle just to get an FIR registered, and even after the police finally filed a case under Sections 386, 505, and 506 of the IPC, no action was taken against Tomar or his associates.

A full-time Hindutva activist, Tomar operates under the ideological shadow of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), regularly attending its meetings and aligning his vision with its goal of turning India into a Hindu nation.

His strategies extend beyond violence; he has spearheaded an economic boycott movement where Hindu shopkeepers label their businesses to discourage Hindus from buying from Muslims, branding it as a fight against so-called “trade jihad.”