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  • Join HMEC and HinduPACT in Requesting Seattle City Council to Reject Caste Ordinance CB 120511

    Join HMEC and HinduPACT in Requesting Seattle City Council to Reject Caste Ordinance CB 120511

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    HinduPACT, Hindu Mandir Executives’ Conference (HMEC) and Other Hindu Organizations’ Request Seattle City Council to Reject of CB 120511

     

    February 20, 2023

    Honorable Council Members,

    We, the undersigned, representing prominent Hindu organizations and temples are deeply concerned about the Council’s recent discussions on the issue of “caste.” We urge the Council members to reject CB 120511 that adds the word “caste” to the protected classes.

     

    Read the complete letter at the bottom of this page

    Please Sign this Letter

    Request Seattle City Council Members to Reject Ordinance CB 120511
    Join Hundreds of Hindu Mandirs represented by Hindu Mandir Executives’ Conference (HMEC), HinduPACT and other mandirs and organizations to ask Seattle City Council to reject Hinduphobic Ordinance CB 120511 deisignating caste as a protected class
    Full text of the letter being sent to the Seattle City Council

    HinduPACT, Hindu Mandir Executives’ Conference (HMEC) and Other Hindu Organizations’ Request Seattle City Council to Reject of CB 120511

     

    February 20, 2023

    Honorable Council Members,

    We, the undersigned, representing prominent Hindu organizations and temples are deeply concerned about the Council’s recent discussions on the issue of “caste.” We urge the Council members to reject CB 120511 that adds the word “caste” to the protected classes.

    The word “caste” is of Portuguese origin (Casta – ‘lineage, race, breed’) was invented as a tool of racial discrimination against the converted Jews. It was seen as a way to maintain racial and genetic purity of the Spanish and Portuguese Christians.   Subsequently, it was used to categorize diverse professional guilds in Asia by European colonial powers in the 18th century, mirroring those that existed in late 16th century Europe.  There is no reference to the concept of “caste” neither in any of the canonical scriptures or in any other religious or philosophical school that originated in the Indian subcontinent.

    We strongly condemn all forms of discrimination that exist in societies around the world. Theologically sanctioned birth-based discriminations are far more endemic in Judeo-Christian and Islamic societies, based on differentiation of believers versus non-believers, slave versus master, etc. Fortunately, the Federal, Washington State and Seattle City laws protect against religious, ethnic, or racial discrimination under the existing categories of national origin and ancestry, both of which have been interpreted as inclusive of the various characteristics that might be associated with what is presented as “caste.”

    The Council’s discussions of “caste” and adoption of caste related policies as part of CB 120511 and designate caste as protected class in Seattle Municipal Code will perpetuate racist European stereotypes and misconceptions about people of Indian Subcontinent.  This will also lead the broader American public and private companies to view all people with origin in the Indian Subcontinent through a divisive lens. It would single out and unfairly target only one community based on its members’ race, ethnicity, ancestry, national origin, and religion, thereby violating their rights to due process and equal protection under both the US Constitution and Washington law. It will leave people of Indian Subcontinent descent or origin vulnerable to bullying in schools and discrimination in hiring and firing and subject to a hostile work environment, in the City Government and in companies based in Seattle.

    There is ample evidence that “Whereas” section of the proposed Ordinance is based on fabrications or irrelevant to Seattle, state of Washington or US and driven by hatred against Hindus.  For example:

    1. A Whereas statement in the Ordinance claims that the caste is based on “birth and descent” whereas another Whereas clause claims that “Dalit” is “self-identification” of caste.
    2. There is no proven evidence that the caste discrimination has manifested in education, employment or housing in Seattle, Washington or US.
    3. A Whereas statement states that “…caste is found in communities of religious practice,” however, no credible evidence is presented.
    4. A Whereas statement quotes a survey by Equality Lab. However, this non-scientific survey has been discredited by findings of the scientific survey, “Social Realities of Indian Americans: Results From the 2020 Indian American Attitudes Survey” by Sumitra Badrinathan,  Devesh Kapur,  Jonathan Kay,  Milan Vaishnav of Carnegie Endowment of International Peace (https://carnegieendowment.org/2021/06/09/social-realities-of-indian-americans-results-from-2020-indian-american-attitudes-survey-pub-84667)
    5. A Whereas statement that “caste is found in many industries and is a grave contributor to workplace discrimination and bias” is presented without any supporting evidence.
    6. A Whereas statement about a criminal in Berkley California is presented as evidence of caste discrimination. However, the criminal conviction or the case did not have any reference to caste
    7. A Whereas statement about the CISCO case is an unproven allegation

    We strongly believe that despite the wordings, this CB 120511 is overwhelmingly Hinduphobic.  The overriding intent of the Ordinance, clearly, is to divide the Hindu community in Seattle, Washington, and in the US.  Hindus have lived in our local communities harmoniously for decades despite political machinations by those who misunderstand or hate Hindus and seek to divide Americans rather than unify them.

    There is ample evidence of Hinduphobia by those who have contributed the “caste narrative” in the US and whose machinations have led to this CB.  For example,

    1. Thenmozhi Soundararajan has accused Yoga of religious abuse and having structural violence at the heart of it:

    1. Anti-Hindu and anti-Indian Pakistani American Huma Dar and her daughter Natasha have been closely associated with Equality Labs:

    1. Equality Labs has close ties with Hinduphobic group Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC):

    1. Equality Labs founder Ms. Soundararajan has held event with Sikhs For Justice, a banned group in India.

    1. Equality Labs has made its Hinduphobia explicit by maligning the most prominent Hindu, Sikh, Jain and Buddhist festival of Holi. This is no different from asking Muslims to not celebrate Eid or Christians to not celebrate Christmas and Jews to not celebrate Hanukah  

     

    1. A cofounder of Equality Labs Sharmin Hossain who is a non-practicing Hindu, much less a Hindu social activist or a scholar, has clearly demonstrated her Hinduphobia in the following tweet:

    We hope that this letter clearly demonstrates that the word “Caste” has been used as a conduit for Hindus in Seattle.  It would be a waste OF hard earned Seattle taxpayers’ money to fund a full-time position to monitor a non-existent issue. 

    We strongly urge the Council to reject CB 120511 which will unfairly target the American Hindu community and the people of Indian descent or origin, subject them to additional discrimination, leave them vulnerable to bullying in schools, deprive them of fundamental civil rights and infringe upon their right to “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”

    As representatives of the Hindu community with substantial presence in Greater Seattle area, we will be glad to engage with the Council and share more information that will ensure that the inclusive, equity based culture of Seattle and Washington are preserved.

    Respectfully,

    Hindu Mandir Executives’ Conference (HMEC) – an umbrella organization representing Hindu temples in the US (over 500 temples have participated in the HMEC Conferences

    Hindu Policy Research and Advocacy Collective (HinduPACT)

    American Hindus Against Defamation (AHAD)

    World Hindu Council of America (VHPA)

    Hindudvesha (an initiative against Hinduphobia)

    We fully support a letter issued by a Coalition of Hindu organizations against CB 120511

  • Press Release: Hindu Organizations Demand Seattle City Council Reject Racist Caste Ordinance

    Press Release: Hindu Organizations Demand Seattle City Council Reject Racist Caste Ordinance

    WASHINGTON, DC – HinduPACT, the Hindu Mandir Executives’ Conference (HMEC), prominent Hindu organizations and over 200 concerned Hindus are calling on the SeattleCity Council to Reject CB 120511. The proposed legislation is Hinduphobic and disproportionately targets Hindus by adding the word “caste” to the protected classes thereby perpetuating racist colonialist stereotypes and misconceptions about people from the Indian Subcontinent. 

    The proposed ordinance’s “Whereas” section falsely states that “…caste is found in communities of religious practice.”  No credible evidence is presented to support this and this statement is based on fabrications driven by hatred against Hindus. There has not been any proven so-called caste-based discrimination reported in the US. The word “caste” (lineage in Portuguese and Spanish) was invented and used as a tool of racial discrimination against converted Jews and to maintain racial and genetic purity of Spanish and Portuguese Christians. There is no reference to the concept of “caste” in any of the religious or philosophical teachings that originated from the Indian subcontinent.

    Another “Whereas” section quotes a non-scientific survey by Equality Labs. This survey has been discredited by a scientific survey conducted by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Equality Labs has received funding from the Open Society Foundation, which is founded by George Soros; a billionaire that has funded many anti-Hindu initiatives and publicly committed $1 billion to dismantle the Government of India which he perceives as pro-Hindu.

    Deepak Tickoo, HinduPACT Seattle said, “As a concerned Hindu from the Seattle area, I am concerned about the effect this ordinance will have on Hindus working and living in my community. The funding request for a FTE using my tax dollars will be wasted in a solution looking for a problem that has not been demonstrated to exist in Seattle.” 

    “The proposed ordinance is overwhelmingly Hinduphobic and seeks to perpetuate negative stereotypes about Hindus,” said Ajay Shah, Convenor of HinduPACT. “It unfairly targets the Hindu community and leaves people of Indian Subcontinent descent vulnerable to bullying in schools and subjecting them to a hostile work environment.”

    “This ordinance is driven by hatred against Hindus,” said Tejal Shah, Convenor of the Hindu Mandir Executives’ Conference (HMEC) and Jt. General Secretary of the World Hindu Council of America (VHPA). “Hindus have lived in local communities harmoniously for decades, and the intent of this ordinance is to divide Americans in Seattle. Passage of this ordinance will promote further vandalism of Mandirs which we are already witnessing in several countries.”

    Rakhi Israni, HinduPACT Executive Director, Legal said, “Federal, Washington and Seattle laws protect against religious, ethnic, or racial discrimination under the existing categories of national origin and ancestry, both of which have been interpreted as inclusive of the various characteristics that might be associated with what is presented as ‘caste’.”

    Deepti Mahajan, Executive Director of CHINGARI said, “Seattle city council will be rubbing salt on age old wounds of the Hindu community because caste has been imposed and shaped by centuries of colonial rule and exploitation. This ordinance only fuels Hinduphobia.”

  • Letter from HinduPACT, Hindu Mandir Executives’ Conference (HMEC) and Other Hindu Organizations’ Request Seattle City Council to Reject of CB 120511

    Letter from HinduPACT, Hindu Mandir Executives’ Conference (HMEC) and Other Hindu Organizations’ Request Seattle City Council to Reject of CB 120511

    February 20, 2023

    Honorable Council Members,

    We, the undersigned, representing prominent Hindu organizations and temples are deeply concerned about the Council’s recent discussions on the issue of “caste.” We urge the Council members to reject CB 120511 that adds the word “caste” to the protected classes.

    The word “caste” is of Portuguese origin (Casta – ‘lineage, race, breed’) was invented as a tool of racial discrimination against the converted Jews. It was seen as a way to maintain racial and genetic purity of the Spanish and Portuguese Christians.   Subsequently, it was used to categorize diverse professional guilds in Asia by European colonial powers in the 18th century, mirroring those that existed in late 16th century Europe.  There is no reference to the concept of “caste” neither in any of the canonical scriptures or in any other religious or philosophical school that originated in the Indian subcontinent.

    We strongly condemn all forms of discrimination that exist in societies around the world. Theologically sanctioned birth-based discriminations are far more endemic in Judeo-Christian and Islamic societies, based on differentiation of believers versus non-believers, slave versus master, etc. Fortunately, the Federal, Washington State and Seattle City laws protect against religious, ethnic, or racial discrimination under the existing categories of national origin and ancestry, both of which have been interpreted as inclusive of the various characteristics that might be associated with what is presented as “caste.”

    The Council’s discussions of “caste” and adoption of caste related policies as part of CB 120511 and designate caste as protected class in Seattle Municipal Code will perpetuate racist European stereotypes and misconceptions about people of Indian Subcontinent.  This will also lead the broader American public and private companies to view all people with origin in the Indian Subcontinent through a divisive lens. It would single out and unfairly target only one community based on its members’ race, ethnicity, ancestry, national origin, and religion, thereby violating their rights to due process and equal protection under both the US Constitution and Washington law. It will leave people of Indian Subcontinent descent or origin vulnerable to bullying in schools and discrimination in hiring and firing and subject to a hostile work environment, in the City Government and in companies based in Seattle.

    There is ample evidence that “Whereas” section of the proposed Ordinance is based on fabrications or irrelevant to Seattle, state of Washington or US and driven by hatred against Hindus.  For example:

    1. A Whereas statement in the Ordinance claims that the caste is based on “birth and descent” whereas another Whereas clause claims that “Dalit” is “self-identification” of caste. 
    2. There is no proven evidence that the caste discrimination has manifested in education, employment or housing in Seattle, Washington or US.
    3. A Whereas statement states that “…caste is found in communities of religious practice,” however, no credible evidence is presented.
    4. A Whereas statement quotes a survey by Equality Lab.  However, this non-scientific survey has been discredited by findings of the scientific survey, “Social Realities of Indian Americans: Results From the 2020 Indian American Attitudes Survey” by Sumitra Badrinathan,  Devesh Kapur,  Jonathan Kay,  Milan Vaishnav of Carnegie Endowment of International Peace (https://carnegieendowment.org/2021/06/09/social-realities-of-indian-americans-results-from-2020-indian-american-attitudes-survey-pub-84667)
    5. A Whereas statement that “caste is found in many industries and is a grave contributor to workplace discrimination and bias” is presented without any supporting evidence.
    6. A Whereas statement about a criminal in Berkley California is presented as evidence of caste discrimination.  However, the criminal conviction or the case did not have any reference to caste
    7. A Whereas statement about the CISCO case is an unproven allegation

    We strongly believe that despite the wordings, this CB 120511 is overwhelmingly Hinduphobic.  The overriding intent of the Ordinance, clearly, is to divide the Hindu community in Seattle, Washington, and in the US.  Hindus have lived in our local communities harmoniously for decades despite political machinations by those who misunderstand or hate Hindus and seek to divide Americans rather than unify them.

    There is ample evidence of Hinduphobia by those who have contributed the “caste narrative” in the US and whose machinations have led to this CB.  For example,

    • Thenmozhi Soundararajan has accused Yoga of religious abuse and having structural violence at the heart of it:

      

    • Anti-Hindu and anti-Indian Pakistani American Huma Dar and her daughter Natasha have been closely associated with Equality Labs:

     

    • Equality Labs has close ties with Hinduphobic group Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC):

     

    • Equality Labs founder Ms. Soundararajan has held event with Sikhs For Justice, a banned group in India.

     

    • Equality Labs has made its Hinduphobia explicit by maligning the most prominent Hindu, Sikh, Jain and Buddhist festival of Holi.  This is no different from asking Muslims to not celebrate Eid or Christians to not celebrate Christmas and Jews to not celebrate Hanukah 

     

     

    • A cofounder of Equality Labs Sharmin Hossain who is a non-practicing Hindu, much less a Hindu social activist or a scholar, has clearly demonstrated her Hinduphobia in the following tweet:

    We hope that this letter clearly demonstrates that the word “Caste” has been used as a conduit for Hindus in Seattle.  It would be a waste of hard earned Seattle taxpayers’ money to fund a full-time position to monitor a non-existent issue. 

    We strongly urge the Council to reject CB 120511 which will unfairly target the American Hindu community and the people of Indian descent or origin, subject them to additional discrimination, leave them vulnerable to bullying in schools, deprive them of fundamental civil rights and infringe upon their right to “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”

    As representatives of the Hindu community with substantial presence in Greater Seattle area, we will be glad to engage with the Council and share more information that will ensure that the inclusive, equity-based culture of Seattle and Washington are preserved.

    Respectfully,

    Ajay Shah

    Convenor, HinduPACT on behalf of:

    Organizations:

    1. Hindu Mandir Executives’ Conference (HMEC) – an umbrella organization representing Hindu temples in the US (over 500 temples have participated in the HMEC Conferences
    2. Hindu Policy Research and Advocacy Collective (HinduPACT)
    3. American Hindus Against Defamation (AHAD)
    4. World Hindu Council of America (VHPA)
    5. Hindudvesha (an initiative against Hinduphobia)
    6. Jersey City Asian Merchants’ Association
    7. Be Sanskriti Legacy
    8. Hindu Temple of Colorado
    9. Siddhi Vinayak Temple
    10. BAPS Swaminarayan Temple
    11. Hindu Temple of Florida
    12. We fully support a letter issued by a Coalition of Hindu organizations against CB 120511

    Individuals:

    [names redacted]

  • Press Release: Bangladeshi Diaspora Holds Press Conference in D.C., Bangladesh Consul General Attends

    Press Release: Bangladeshi Diaspora Holds Press Conference in D.C., Bangladesh Consul General Attends

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                         PRESS CONTACT

    October 29, 2022                                                           info@HinduPACT.org

    Bangladeshi Diaspora Holds Press Conference in D.C., Bangladesh Consul General Attends

    H.Res. 1430 calls for Action Under International Law Against Pakistan Armed Forces and War Criminals

    Washington, D.C. – On Friday, The Human Rights Congress for Bangladesh Minorities (HRCBM) and HinduPACT held a press conference at the National Press Club which was attended by members of the media, human rights activists, academics, entrepreneurs, members of the Bangladeshi diaspora community and Bangladesh’s consul general to Florida, to discuss the recent introduction of the bipartisan H.Res. 1430 by Congressman Steve Chabot, Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee’s Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific, and Co-Chair of the Bangladesh Caucus and co-sponsored by Congressman Ro Khanna (D-CA) and Congresswoman Katie Porter (D-CA).  

    In 1971, the Pakistani army and its allies brutally raped more than 200,000 women and girls and slaughtered approximately 3 million people. Ten million people were displaced and had to seek asylum in neighboring India. The Pakistani military and its allies also carried out the targeted assassination of more than 1,100 Bengali intellectuals and professionals, including journalists, professors, physicians, attorneys, and writers, in order to create an intellectual vacuum in the country. In Bangladesh, 1,942 mass graves were discovered. 

    The Bangladesh government started to prosecute war criminals who collaborated with the Pakistan army and the Government of Bangladesh formed the International Crimes Tribunal of Bangladesh. Since then, it has tried 49 war criminals. More than 500 instances are currently under investigation, while 36 cases are ongoing in court.

    Speakers discussed and answered questions about the impact of this historic resolution on the geopolitics of the Indo-Pacific and on radical groups originating from Bangladesh and Pakistan. 

    Dr. Sachi G. Dastidar, distinguished professor emeritus at SUNY, recalled his family’s personal experience as victims of genocide and destitution. 

    Dwijen Bhattacharjya, a lecturer at Columbia University and General Secretary of the Bangladeshi Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council in the United States, complimented both Congressmen for presenting this resolution and departing from the 1971 United States policy on the genocide in Bangladesh.

    Mr. S.M. Alam, Consul General of Bangladesh at the Miami consulate, thanked Congressman Steve Chabote and Congressman Ro Khanna for introducing this resolution and invited the Bangladeshi community to engage with additional congressmen to pass it. He urged community leaders to unite as Bangladeshis to bring out the best outcome for this historic effort.

    Saleem Samad, Gen. Sec. of the Forum for Freedom of Expression and who also serves as the Bangladesh Correspondent for Reporters sans Frontieres, asserted that the Pakistani Army and radical islamists from Jamaat-e-Islami, Al-Badr, Al-Sams, and Rajaker employed rape as a method of war and ultimately extermination. He decried this horrible crime against humanity and urged everyone to recruit additional co-sponsors for the resolution. He recalled that the Pakistani military and their Bangladeshi collaborators did not target Christians and Buddhists in the same manner as they did Hindus.

    President of ISPAD and community leader Dilip Debnath expressed appreciation to the two lawmakers for proposing this resolution in the United States Congress. He urged community members to take action to adopt this Resolution. 

    Razzak Baloch, Organizer, Baloch Human Rights, condemned the Pakistani Army for its genocide in Bangladesh in 1971. He said that the failure of the global community to hold the Pakistan Army accountable after 1971, led to violence against Baloch communities that continues even today. 

    Mr. Munawar “Sufi” Laghari, the Executive Director of Sindhi Foundation, echoed Razzak’s views and promised to work with the Bangladeshi community to get the resolution passed. 

    The press conference was moderated by Adelle Nazarian, Media Fellow at the Gold Institute for International Strategy (GIIS) and Communication and Legislative Director at HinduPACT. She expressed appreciation for the participants’ insightful comments and urged all humanitarians, and the Bangladeshi diaspora in the United States in particular, to work with their local representatives and requested that they support the resolution. Additionally, she requested all journalists to cover this resolution as she understands the importance of the media following her own successful career in broadcast and online journalism.

    For additional information and media inquiries, please contact info@HRCBM.org

  • Press Release: Historic Bi-Partisan Resolution Recognizing 1971 Bangladesh Genocide Introduced on Capitol Hill

    Press Release: Historic Bi-Partisan Resolution Recognizing 1971 Bangladesh Genocide Introduced on Capitol Hill

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE       

    October 15, 2022                                                              

    WASHINGTON, D.C –

    October 14, 2022 will be remembered as a historic day.  On this day the bipartisan H. Res. 1430, seeking formal recognition of of the 1971 Bangladesh genocide, was introduced by Congressional representatives, Steve Chabot and Ro Khanna. For more than a year, the Ohio chapter of HinduPACT led the campaign with the support of members of the Bangladeshi community from across the US.

    The resolution calls for punishment under international law, against war criminals in the Pakistan Army and their allied Islamists, who were responsible for the murder of 3 million people in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) over the course of 9 months.  An overwhelming majority of the victims were Hindus as they were specifically targeted for extermination.

    Renu Gupta, HinduPACT’s chapter Lead in Cincinnati, said,

    “Today, Cincinnati has made history. Congressman Steve Chabot has been kind enough to understand our concerns and taking up the resolution to recognize Pakistan’s crimes in 1971 as genocide. I thank our friend, Deputy Mayor of Blue Ash, Pramod Jhaveri, for sensitizing Congressman Chabot about the issue. I want to thank all the volunteers in Cincinnati for making it possible.”

    Amulya Tyagi, a HinduPACT member from Cincinnati, said,

    “From the bottom of our heart we thank Congressman Steve Chabot for showing the conviction and courage to introduce this resolution. A special mention must be made of the Congressman’s Foreign Policy Advisor, Mark Erste, for leading this effort and working with the HinduPACT team in bringing HR 1430 to reality. Mark’s team also worked with Congressman Ro Khanna’s staff resulting in the Congressman co-sponsoring the resolution. We sincerely thank Congressman Ro Khanna and his staff for this.”

    Vinod Sudhakar, President of the Hindu Temple of Greater Cincinnati, said,

    “As a Cincinnatian, I am extremely proud of Congressman Steve Chabot for showing great courage and resolve in recognizing the state sponsored massacre of millions in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) in 1971 as a genocide.  On behalf of the Hindus in Cincinnati and every person that cares for and values human life we applaud Congressman Chabot for setting an example for all political leaders in this country to choose justice and resolute action versus political convenience and inaction.”

    Ajay Shah, Convenor of HinduPACT, said,

    “Hindus have suffered countless genocides over past 1000 years.  The world has ignored these genocides and textbooks have remained silent. We thank Rep. Chabot and Rep. Khanna for  proposing this resolution. We hope that this resolution passes unanimously.”

    About HinduPACT

    HinduPACT brings Hindu ethos and values of unity in diversity, plurality, compassion and mutual respect amongst religions to policy and advocacy for human rights, environmental protection, racial and gender equality. HinduPACT activities include hinduvote.org

  • Press Release: HinduPACT Condemns Growing Hate Against Hindu Communities Across America

    Press Release: HinduPACT Condemns Growing Hate Against Hindu Communities Across America

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    August 26, 2022

    HinduPACT Condemns Growing Hate Against Hindu Communities Across America 

    WASHINGTON, D.C – A recent slew of anti-Hindu attacks across America have resulted in a renewed focus on the targeting of American Hindus on the basis of their race, religious and national origin. HinduPACT condemns this growing hate and vitriol against a thriving and flourishing diaspora community that is proudly part of America’s civil society and fabric. 

    These latest slew of attacks follow two hateful incidents in New York where a Hindu temple was twice attacked and a statue of Mahatma Gandhi was defaced and destroyed. 

    Rakhi Israni, Executive Director, Legal, HinduPACT, said:

    “Along with the irrational hate being directed at Asian Americans in general, hate crimes against Hindu Americans and Indian Americans are on the rise nationwide. From the recent vicious incident at a Taco Bell in Fremont, California, to the attack on the four Indian American women in Plano, Texas, it is unfortunately becoming too common in our daily society to verbally or, even worse, physically assault another person because of their skin color, religion, or national origin. We urge the law enforcement in these cities to aggressively pursue these acts as hate crimes as a deterrent to others who choose to act on their irrational hatred for other people who differ from them in any way.”

    HinduPACT Executive Director Utsav Chakrabarti said of the attack by Khalistani in Fremont, California:

    “The Khalistanis are totally divorced from Sikh theology and history. The Sikh diaspora is being rapidly digested by the Pakistani and Islamist diaspora.” Chakrabarti added, “This kind of hate-mongering that is rapidly rising across the country is an outcome of growing identity politics and narrative building by special interest groups.”

    Ajay Shah, Convenor of HinduPACT and American Hindus Against Defamation (AHAD), speaking on behalf of AHAD said:

    “The physical assault on Hindu women in Plano, Texas, and verbal assault against a Hindu customer in Fremont, California, are a continuation of Indiaphobia, Hinduphobia and Asian hate in our society. It would be easy to blame these incidents on the envy of success of the immigrant Hindu community or even their skin color. Undoubtedly, these factors play a significant role.” Shah continued, “However, we would be remiss if we overlooked the role of Hindu hating organizations such as Hindus for Human Rights, Equality Labs, Indian American Muslim Council, Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) and Dismantle Global Hindutva. Their ilk fosters and enables for an environment where such incidents are able to take place. We call upon the Hindu community to be extra vigilant in countering hate as we continue to positively reinforce the image of Hindus in America through movements like Hindu Heritage Month in October.”

  • Press Release: HinduPACT Responds to Attack on Hindu Temple in Queen, New York

    Press Release: HinduPACT Responds to Attack on Hindu Temple in Queen, New York

    August 12, 2022

    HinduPACT Responds to Attack on Hindu Temple in Queen, New York

    WASHINGTON, D.C – HinduPACT condemns the vandalization of a statue of Mahatma Gandhi outside the Shri Tulsi Mandir temple in Queens, New York last Wednesday. An unidentified individual knocked the statue over and left it face down on the ground with its arm cracked and hand broken into pieces. 

    Utsav Chakrabarti, Executive Director of HinduPACT, said,

    “This is the fourth attempt at destroying a Gandhi statue across North America and the fifth attack on a Hindu temple in the past year. There is a concerted campaign at spreading anti-Hindu hate in major urban centers across the country. The rise in anti-Hindu attacks over the last few years has been carried out by the same groups and individuals that target Jews and spread anti-Semitism.”

    Ajay Shah, the President of World Hindu Council of America and Convenor of HinduPACT and American Hindus Against Defamation (AHAD) said,

    “This represents not just a hate crime against American Hindus but also a deep rooted insecurity of hate mongers. We believe that the targeting of the Hindu mandir and specifically vandalism of Mahatma Gandhi’s statue is an act against the core Hindu ideals of peace, coexistence, respect for diverse religious beliefs and the promotion of diversity and equality among all human beings.”  

    Tejal Amit Shah, Convener of Hindu Mandir Executives’ Conference (HMEC), said,

    “This act of vandalism took place during the holy month of Shravan (9th month of Hindu Calendar), when Hindus are engaged in traditional worships, fasting, and, religious and spiritual practices.” She added, “This is very upsetting for the Hindu community in general. It is a sign of hate crime and Hinduphobia. We strongly condemn this. HMEC thanks NY State Assemblywoman Jennifer Rajkumar for holding the press conference and providing support to the local community. HMEC also appeals to law enforcement to get to the root cause and bring a lawful close to this unfortunate incident.”

  • Press Release: HinduPACT Calls Out Biden Administration’s Hypocritical Views on Religious Freedom

    Press Release: HinduPACT Calls Out Biden Administration’s Hypocritical Views on Religious Freedom

    Press Release: HinduPACT Calls Out Biden Administration’s Hypocritical Views on Religious Freedom

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    June 4, 2022

    WASHINGTON, D.C – HinduPACT criticizes the 2021 Report on International Religious Freedom released by Secretary of State Anthony Blinken on Jun 2, 2022 for its hypocritical position on India.

    The views on International Religious Freedom expressed by the Biden Administration in the Report on International Religious Freedom disproportionately attacks India and turns a blind eye to the egregious religious rights violations being carried out by other countries in the region.

    India has a robust and independent judiciary and an independent media. It is very capable of addressing its human rights issues. The State Department should better focus its attention on causes and reasons for religious extremism in the region and look to history to help recognize the same dangerous patterns which are currently repeating themselves. 

    “It is unfortunate that Secretary Blinken did not mention the forced conversion of young girls from religious minority communities in Pakistan,” said HinduPACT Executive Director Utsav Chakrabarti. “We have provided the State Department with ample information and evidence regarding this.”

    On average, everyday three girls – many of them minors – are forcibly converted away from their faiths to Islam and often married to men who are far older than them.

    “The State Department must recognize that India has been defending its geographical and civilizational values from radicalized Islamists for generations,” said Utsav Chakrabarti. “It is one of the longest struggles in our world’s history. It is important that fellow democracies like the United States stand with its ally India as it deals with efforts by Taliban-like extremist organizations working to spread their tentacles within the country.”

    Ajay Shah, President of World Hindu Council of America and the Convenor of HinduPACT and American Hindus Against Defamation (AHAD) said,

    “Plurality and freedom to practice religion in any form is a fundamental tenet of Hindu dharma. Despite massive amounts of foreign money flowing into India for radicalization and conversion, India has retained its character as a multi-faith society true to its Hindu civilizational ethos. As with any country with over 1.4 billion people there are bound to be isolated incidents of unrest. These incidents should not be ascribed to the systemic shortcomings of the society or the government.”  He further stated that, “The mention of Indian American Muslim Council in the report is clearly meant for President Biden’s domestic vote bank in the upcoming mid-term elections and diminishes the credibility of the report.”

     

  • WATCH: HinduPACT USCIRF Position Featured on Prominent TV Shows

    WATCH: HinduPACT USCIRF Position Featured on Prominent TV Shows

    Utsav Chakrabarti Presents HinduPACT View on USCIRF Report on CNN/IBN News18

    NewsX Show Features HinduPACT Position on USCIRF Report

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  • Press Release: HinduPACT Demands USCIRF Stop Outsourcing its Research on India to the “Islamist Lobby”

    Press Release: HinduPACT Demands USCIRF Stop Outsourcing its Research on India to the “Islamist Lobby”

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    April 27, 2022

    WASHINGTON, D.C – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has again recommended placing India on the “blacklist” as a “Country of Particular Concern (CPC), a practice that began in 2020. HinduPACT condemns the continued outsourcing of the USCIRF report and recommendations on India, comparing it to propaganda narratives provided by Jamaat-e-Islami linked groups.”

    Utsav Chakrabarti, Executive Director of HinduPACT said,

    “This year’s report follows a pattern of reports that have appeared in previous years. Based on publicly available information on topics like Citizen’s Amendment Act (CAA) and Kashmir, the USCIRF report is a ‘copy-and-paste’ of talking points peddled by an agglomeration of Islamist groups working with radical Islamist-linked group “Justice for All”, on whose platform USCIRF commissioners are known to appear regularly.” 

    Ironically, the USCIRF report chose to use images of Sikh victims of Islamist terror, and Muslim Afghan women – living peacefully in India – who fled their nation at the onset of the Taliban’s takeover, protesting with signs in English and Pashto (in October 2021) to demand better rights for women in Afghanistan, on its cover page.

    Ajay Shah, President of World Hindu Council of America (VHPA) and Convenor of HinduPACT, sharply criticized the report and said,

    “It is now obvious that the USCIRF has been taken over by the Indophobic and Hinduphobic members. Many of these members have attended India and Hindu bashing events. It is no surprise that their selective observations are meant to promote a political agenda and further their electoral reach in selected communities.” He further asked: “If for example, Sikhs were discriminated against in India, why did the Afghan Sikhs fleeing the Taliban seek refuge in India taking advantage of preferential immigration that USCIRF criticizes? Why would the report ignore the violence against Hindus in West Bengal, Rajasthan, or Kerala? And why would they report on a purely internal economic issue of India such as ‘Farm Bills’?” Shah concluded, “We are confident that the State Department will reject this religious fundamentalist driven, corrupt NGO-promoted report on India.”

    We hope that USCIRF will regain some of its credibility in future reports, if it refrains from becoming an instrument of propaganda promotion targeting democratically elected leaders in diverse, peaceful multi-ethnic countries around the world.