Community Advocates Press Lawmakers In Washington On Anti-Hindu Hate

WASHINGTON, DC-Indian American community leaders and students held dozens of meetings with US lawmakers during the fifth annual Hindu Day of Advocacy, raising concerns over anti-Hindu hate while calling for greater civic participation, stronger representation and deeper engagement in the democratic process.

Organized by the Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA), the day-long program at the US Capitol brought together about 160 participants from 14 states. Organizers said delegates held more than 50 meetings with US senators and members of the House of Representatives and visited about 170 congressional offices to discuss issues affecting Hindu Americans and encourage greater political participation.

Speaking at a reception, India’s Deputy Chief of Mission in Washington, Namgya C. Khampa, highlighted the growing importance of the India-US partnership and the role of the Indian diaspora in strengthening bilateral ties.

“The India, US bilateral relationship is strong. It’s robust, it’s forward looking, and the ambition on that is set by our leadership. Prime Minister Modi and President Trump recently met in France and there’s a lot we have to accomplish together, and there’s a recognition of that,” Khampa said.

“I believe that all of you sitting in this room and beyond are critical partners in that process.”

CoHNA President Nikunj Trivedi said lawmakers from both the Democratic and Republican parties participated in the event and expressed support for the community.

“We had experts, we had congressmen from both sides of the party, Democrats and Republicans who joined us to talk about how they stand in solidarity with us. They actually thanked us for being on Capitol Hill to represent our community because a lot of times our community is very shy. They don’t speak up,” he said.

Trivedi said discussions with lawmakers focused on what organizers described as increasing anti-Hindu rhetoric, attacks on Hindu temples and hostility towards Indian immigrants on social media.

“We also talked about anti-Indian hate, hate on social media against immigrants, hate against Hindus, how we are considered like agents of foreign governments like India. Simply for speaking up about our rights, about attacks on Hindu temples, about attacks on Hindu identity, we are considered agents of the Indian government,” he said.

“So, we wanted to educate our lawmakers that this is how we are being targeted.”

According to Trivedi, the advocacy effort also highlighted the importance of youth participation in public life. The program included a youth summit attended by about 40 young Hindu Americans from across the country and the launch of CoHNA’s leadership incubator to prepare the next generation of community advocates. Organizers said interfaith leaders also joined lawmakers in expressing solidarity with the community and condemning attacks on Hindu temples.

A panel of students from Rutgers University described efforts to organize campus events, engage university administrators and encourage greater civic participation among Hindu students while ensuring their religious identity is accurately represented in academic and public spaces. (IANS)