Resolution tabled in US Cong condemning attacks on Hindu places of worship

Celebrating the contributions of Hindus and Hinduism to the US, a prominent Indian-American Congressman has introduced a resolution in the House of Representatives condemning Hinduphobia, anti-Hindu bigotry, hate and intolerance.

The resolution that was introduced by Congressman Shri Thanedar on Wednesday has been referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability.

The resolution reads that despite their positive contributions to the United States, Hindu Americans face stereotypes and disinformation about their heritage and symbols, and have been the targets of bullying in schools and on college campuses, as well as discrimination, hate speech, and bias-motivated crimes.

According to the FBI's Hate Crimes Statistics Report, anti-Hindu hate crimes targeting mandirs and persons are annually on the rise while in parallel Hinduphobia in American society is unfortunately rising, the resolution said.

Noting that the United States has welcomed more than four million Hindus from all corners of the world since the 1900s, representing diverse racial, linguistic, and ethnic backgrounds, the resolution asserts that the country has greatly benefited from contributions by Hindu Americans in every aspect of the nation's economy and every industry.

About a fortnight ago, Indian-American Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, Ro Khanna, Thanedar, Ami Bera and Pramila Jayapal had written to the Department of Justice to request a briefing from them on the status of investigations concerning an alarming increase in incidents of vandalism at houses of worship across the country including at Hindu temples to better understand existing law enforcement coordination between local agencies, the FBI, and the Civil Rights Division.

"Attacks at mandirs from New York to California have contributed to increased collective anxiety among Hindu Americans. Leaders from these impacted communities have expressed there are unfortunately no leads on suspects, leaving many to continue to live in fear and intimidation. Our communities remain concerned about law enforcement coordination regarding these bias-motivated crimes, and they are left wondering if there is appropriate federal oversight to ensure equal protection under the law," said the letter dated March 29.

The number of incidents and the closeness of the timing of incidents raise troubling questions about linkages and the intent behind them. It takes relatively few coordinated acts of hate to create fear nationally within a community that has often been marginalised or neglected, and we must work collaboratively to combat hate against all religious, ethnic, racial, and cultural minorities in America.

"We therefore request that you provide us with an understanding of what the Department's strategy is specifically concerning hate crimes targeting Hindus in the United States," said the letter.

Khanderao Kand, Chief of Policy and Strategy from the Foundation for India and Indian Diaspora Studies said that in the first quarter of this year, there has been a sudden spike in vandalism as well as thefts in temples in America intimidating devotees.

"On the background of local officials often failing to investigate the cases to find culprits, we thank the Indian-American House of Representatives for asking the FBI and DOJ to investigate. We hope that the FBI/DOJ will investigate to find any campaign or conspiracy that exists behind such attacks to assure peace-loving Indian diaspora / South Asians about their safety and freedom of religion," he said.