This is the same as the offence of insulting an entire religious community.

This section is about deliberately wounding one specific person's religious feelings, which is distinct from the offence of insulting a whole class of people's religion under section 299.

Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023

Section 302

Uttering words, etc., with deliberate intent to wound religious feelings of any person

, with deliberate intent to wound religious feelings of any person.— Whoever, with the deliberate intention of wounding the religious feelings of any person, utters any word or makes any sound in the hearing of that person or makes any gesture in the sight of that person or places any object in the sight of that person, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to one year, or with fine, or with both.§

Of theft§

Why this exists

This section punishes personal, targeted insults to an individual's religious sentiments — as distinct from the broader offence in section 299, which covers insults to a class of people's religion generally. It protects individuals from deliberate, direct religious insult in face-to-face or similar situations.

Common misconceptions

Myth: This is the same as the offence of insulting an entire religious community.
Fact: This section is about deliberately wounding one specific person's religious feelings, which is distinct from the offence of insulting a whole class of people's religion under section 299.