Category: Media

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.”

February 21, 2023
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

October 29, 2022
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

October 18, 2022
Press Release: HinduPACT Launches HinduVote.Org Website Just in Time for Midterms

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 12, 2022
WASHINGTON, D.C – Following months of research, dedication and perseverance, HinduPACT has officially launched its HinduVote.org website to help voters select Federal candidates based on their support for issues that are important to the Hindu diaspora.
The comprehensive website, the first of its kind in the history of the American Hindu community, consists of location-based listing of candidates for the House of Representatives and U.S. Senate, biographical and social media details of the candidates, responses from the candidates on a Hindu-focused questionnaire, and HinduPACT’s assessment of legislative votes that are deemed of importance by the incumbents and federal candidates.
The website uses the power of crowdsourcing to express the sentiment of the Hindu community by providing the constituents with an opportunity to rate the candidates based on the positions they have taken.
All Federal incumbents and candidates will receive the questionnaires this week. This questionnaire covers the issue of growing haten campaigns against Hindus across the country. It also addresses concerns about U.S. foreign policy that affect Hindu communities across the world.
Rakhi Israni, Director of Legal for HinduPACT, said,
“The American Hindu community is peaceful, affluent and productive. They are, in many ways, the model community in any society in which they reside. They have held massive economic power in their hands for sometime now. This HinduVote initiative is the first step in claiming the political power that they should have been afforded a while ago.”
Convener of HinduPACT, Ajay Shah, said,
“There are six million Hindus in America and an additional six million followers of dharmic traditions (Buddhist, Jain and Sikhs). Conservatively, we estimate that around 5% of the voters are the followers of dharmic traditions. In battleground states, and in close races elsewhere, these voters can decisively impact the outcome. HinduVote.org is a community resource to inform and educate the Hindu community and to ensure a Congress that understands, respects and fulfills the aspirations of the American Hindu community.”
HinduPACT Executive Director Utsav Chakrabarti said,
“As the fastest growing immigrant population in the U.S. amongst all religious groups, American Hindus now constitute one of the most decisive voting groups in at least five states. That means many close Senate races will be decided by the Hindu voter. Because of concentrated voters in many districts, a lot more House seats will be decided by Hindu voters. HinduVote.org will change the way constituents evaluate, engage with and ultimately vote for candidates.”

October 9, 2022
Press Release: New Jersey Democratic State Committee Rebukes Anti-Hindu Elements in Party; Hindu Americans Call for Disbandment of Teaneck Democratic Municipal Committee

HinduPACT joined Hindu organizations coalition in countering the Hindu-hate at the Teaneck New Jersey Democratic Municipal Committee

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Press Contact: Rakhi Israni, pr@sewausa.org, (510) 399-5551, Samir Rawal, syrawal@gmail.com
New Jersey Democratic State Committee Rebukes Anti-Hindu Elements in Party; Hindu Americans Call for Disbandment of Teaneck Democratic Municipal Committee
Teaneck, NJ (October 3, 2022): The New Jersey Democratic State Committee (NJDSC) issued a statement Friday condemning an Anti-Hindu resolution recently passed by the Teaneck Democratic Municipal Committee (TDMC). The statement read, “A foundational goal of the Democratic Party is to bring people together, not to divide them, and the anti-Hindu Teaneck Democratic Committee resolution does not accomplish this important goal. We stand with those who value inclusivity and diversity, and against hate and bigotry in any form.”
The TDMC resolution at issue, passed on September 12, 2022, falsely labeled five major Hindu American organizations as “Hindu Nationalist” with “direct or indirect ties” to an India-based organization simply on the basis that all are Hindu-faith based organizations. All organizations mentioned are independent 501(c)(3) organizations that are governed by their own board and/or management team; none of the organizations are financially or legally controlled, managed, supervised, or directed by any other organization, domestically or abroad.
Community outrage against the TDMC resolution led to a letter signed by a coalition of over 65 organizations, representing over 190,000 residents of Bergen County and surrounding areas. They called for the rescission of the TDMC resolution. In addition, lawmakers across New Jersey and the United States joined the Hindu American community in expressing their outrage over the level of hate and bigotry exhibited in the TDMC resolution. United States Congressman Josh Gottheimer condemned the resolution, saying, “I’m deeply disappointed by the anti-Hindu resolution in Teaneck. Jersey Values are about bringing people together and celebrating diversity, and decrying extremism where we see it.” The Mayor of Teaneck also issued a statement strongly condemning the resolution saying, “…Teaneck now and will always denounce any words or actions which serve to divide us or inaccurately label groups in a derogatory manner as the Teaneck Democratic Municipal Committee has done.”

While the resolution was passed and approved by the TDMC, the press statement for the action was released by the Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC). This led to members of the Hindu American community calling for an investigation into the individuals and/or organizations that may have incited the TDMC to pass this defamatory and hateful resolution. The coalition letter released earlier this week acknowledged that “the TDMC may simply be a pawn in a much larger agenda to malign and denigrate the Hindu American community.”

TDMC chairwoman Alexandra Soriano-Taveras, who signed the anti-Hindu resolution, had also made bigoted comments about the Jewish American community in 2021. The community outrage from those comments resulted in her withdrawal from the contest for a State Assembly seat. At that time, Teaneck Mayor James Dunleavy had said, “Ms. Soriano-Taveras has a history of making inappropriate, impolitic and unprofessional comments. Those comments have been hurtful to different communities in Teaneck and have helped to sow division and distrust among one of the most diverse towns in New Jersey.” Teaneck City Councilmember Ellie Katz, in response to Ms. Soriano-Taveras’ antisemitic comments, stated, “I want to make clear that I have zero tolerance for anti-Semitism or bigotry of any kind”.

Representatives of the Hindu American organizations accused in the TDMC resolution have attempted to reach out to the TDMC multiple times by email and by phone. Their attempts to reach out and discuss were ignored. Instead, in a recent candidate forum event hosted by TDMC, members of the Hindu American community were forcibly removed from the zoom meeting and denied the opportunity to participate in the event.

Given the history of bigotry and hatred exhibited by the TDMC against various communities in the past, the Hindu American community is calling for the revocation of the TDMC charter by the Bergen County Democratic Committee and a disbandment of the organization. “This is a platform being used to spread hate and division in a community in which people have coexisted and thrived. TDMC should not be allowed to continue to sow hatred and division in the community. As the community prepares to celebrate October as Hindu Heritage Month, we hope that responsible leaders in the Democratic Party will take action to revoke the charter for this bigoted committee.,” said Tejal Shah, a resident of Bergen County and the Overall Coordinator for the Hindu Mandhir Executives’ Conference (HMEC), a coalition of over 1100 Hindu temples across the United States.

September 29, 2022
Press Release: New Jersey Hindu Americans Condemn and Demand Rescission of Hateful Resolution by Teaneck Democrats

Press Release by Hindu organizations in New Jersey, including HinduPACT, HMEC and World Hindu Council of America (VHPA)

TEANECK, N.J., Sept. 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Almost fifty-five Hindu American organizations representing more than 155,000 residents of Bergen County, NJ and surrounding areas signed a coalition letter condemning a hateful resolution recently passed by the Teaneck Democratic Municipal Committee (TDMC). The resolution recklessly and falsely labels almost every major Hindu American organization in the United States, including Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh, Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America, Sewa International, and others, as a fascist organization which promotes hate and terrorism without providing any of those organizations the opportunity to be heard. The resolution has outraged Hindu Americans who see this as a vicious, false, and provocative act by Democratic Party activists in Teaneck to demonize the entire Hindu community, their activities, their beliefs, and their political participation in New Jersey. The Hindu American community, considered by many to be a model minority community, has recently experienced numerous instances of hate crimes, including against many Hindu temples in the New Jersey area.
“Just like the ‘Dot-Busters’ gangs in New Jersey in the late 80s that violently targeted Hindu Americans because of their religious beliefs or skin color, the TDMC chose to also make baseless assumptions and operate from a position of ignorance and hate,” said S. Rawal, a New Jerseyresident. Rawal was 7-years-old when the “Dot Busters” announced their campaign in 1987 to eradicate Hindus from New Jersey. “Back then, it was ‘dirty’ Hindu, today it is ‘fascist’ Hindu,” he said.
Civic leaders and officials from the surrounding areas also expressed their support for the Hindu American community while condemning this Hindu hate campaign initiated by the TDMC. New Jersey State Senator Vin Gopal, in a strongly worded statement of support for the Hindu American community condemned the resolution and called for its immediate rescission. In his statement, he said, “It is unfortunate that this committee that purports to support the ideals of the Democratic Party would act in a manner that illustrates the type of bigotry and hatred that we are working hard as a country to eradicate from our society.” Teaneck City Council Members Keith Kaplan and Michael Santiago Pagan also issued a strong statement in response to the resolution in which they said, “Unfortunately, the TDMC resolution at issue… was felt by some to condemn all Hindus, which encompasses many peaceful members of our larger community here in Bergen County and beyond.” They added, “Just as we did on the day we were sworn in, we proclaim: Hate has no home in Teaneck.”
In the recent Teaneck City Council meeting, Hindu American community members called for an investigation into the individuals and organizations that may have incited the TDMC to pass this defamatory and hateful resolution. The coalition letter stated, “We understand that the TDMC may simply be a pawn in a much larger agenda to malign and denigrate the Hindu American community, but we wish to impress upon the TDMC that there are real consequences when one makes misplaced, false, and malicious allegations about a law-abiding and peaceful community.”
Interestingly, Alexandra Soriano-Taveras, the TDMC Chairman who signed off on the hateful resolution, is no stranger to stirring up ethnic and religious animosity. Last year, while campaigning for the open State Assembly seat in the 37th district, she was seen suggesting a boycott of Jewish businesses in Teaneck.
The TDMC resolution should be considered in the context of the extensive community service rendered by the Hindu American community through various organizations; service that has been recognized by government officials at every level. In a recent Congressional Statement, US Congressman Gerald Connolly stated, “Without regard for race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or nationality, Sewa International USA has done tremendous work to ameliorate the effects of some of the world’s greatest disasters.” Hindu American organizations, some of which were demonized by the TDMC resolution, collectively donated over 30 million pounds of food and over $50 million dollars worth of food, supplies, and other essential services during the pandemic to help the elderly or lower-income communities hit hard by the COVID lockdowns. “Our volunteers strive to serve humanity considering that as serving divinity. It is surprising that the TDMC is trying to demonize those that do good in the world with this bigoted and evil resolution that simply promotes Hindu hate. We hope that during this festival season that sanity prevails, and they rescind this awful resolution,” said Rashmita Shanbhag, North Jersey Chapter Coordinator for Sewa International USA.
The letter urged the TDMC to do the right thing by immediately rescinding their hate-filled resolution and apologizing for hurting the sentiments of the Hindu American community and for endangering the security, well-being, and safety of Hindus in New Jersey.

September 27, 2022
Press Release: BAPS Toronto Mandir Vandalism: HinduPACT Calls for Authorities to Stop Pakistan-Backed Khalistani Targeting of Hindus Across North America

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 16, 2022
WASHINGTON, D.C – A series of strategically targeted attacks against Hindus across North America, several of which were carried out by Pakistan-backed Khalistani extremists, is raising questions about whether enough is being done to address the alarming rise in anti-Hindu attacks by law enforcement.
On Wednesday evening, Khalistani extremists vandalized and defaced the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Toronto spray painting saffron-colored profanities on the temple’s entrance including “Hindustan murdabad” which translates to “death to India” and “Khalistan zindabad” which translates to “long live Khalistan.” Khalistan is a made up name for a non-existent nation idealized by Pakistani-backed Sikh obscurantists who wish to separate a part of Northern India into a nation by that name. It is important to note that the Khalistani narrative finds little to no support among Sikhs in India and elsewhere.
This incident follows a similar one last month where a Khalistani nationalist began berating a Hindu man in a California Taco Bell based on his dietary preferences and his choice of attire.
Tejal Shah, Director of the VHPA’s Hindu Mandir Executive Conference (HMEC), said
“HMEC strongly condemns the defacing and vandalization of the BAPS mandir or any mandir. This is a shameful act of Hinduphobia, a hate crime and blatantly anti-India activity. We are looking for full scrutiny and strict actions from the government of Canada and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in addressing this unacceptable crime. This weekend, leaders of dozens of Hindu mandirs are gathering in Cincinnati, OH to discuss the safety and security of Hindu temples in North America and how mandirs can actively engage the local communities and law enforcement to provide enhanced security to mandirs and prevent such attacks in future.”
The Hudson Institute recently published a study on Kashmir and Khalistani movements in the United States titled, “Pakistan’s Destabilization Playbook: Khalistan Separatist Activism Within the US.”
Highlighting the Hudson Institute study, HinduPACT’s Executive Director Utsav Chakrabarti said,
“This hate campaign is similar to the kind of hate that emerged in Khalistanis in the early 80s. It took very little time for the Khalistanis to go from hate speech to terrorist attacks. One such attack in 1985 led to the murder of 351 innocent people, the largest terror attack in Canadian history. It is important that the Justice Department and anti-terror agencies in Canada and the US realize this,” he added.
Ajay Shah, President of World Hindu Council of America and Convenor of HinduPACT while codeming this attack on the Hindu Mandir said,
“This incident comes just a few weeks after the vandalism at the Mandir in Queens, NY where a statue of Gandhi was twice vandalized. We strongly believe that these increased incidents of vandalism are directly correlated with the vitriol unleashed by Hindu-hating groups such as Hindus for Human Rights that have specifically targeted BAPS. It is disappointing to see that in addition to increased attacks on Mandirs, systemic Hinduphobia is growing in every sphere of North American Hindu life and is well documented.” Shah further added, “In Canada, we have seen the Prime Minister denigrate the sacred Hindu symbol the Swastika, giving Hindu haters more ammunitIon to attack them. On the other side of the border, in America, President Joe Biden and the White House failed to invite even one Hindu representative to their interfaith meeting titled “United We Stand” which was held on September 15.”

September 16, 2022
Press Release: HinduPACT Commends Bravery of US Military Mom for Confronting Pakistan Ambassador Over Violations Against Religious Minority Women

Press Release: HinduPACT Commends Bravery of US Military Mom for Confronting Pakistan Ambassador Over Violations Against Religious Minority Women

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 9, 2022
WASHINGTON, D.C – On Friday, former Congressional candidate Manga Anantmula, the mother of US Navy commander, confronted Pakistani Ambassador Masood Khan during a Q&A sessions at the National Press Club and requested he address the issue of forced conversions and the rape of hundreds of women who identify as religious minorities in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
“Manga’s bravery today deserves praise and recognition,” said Deepti Mahajan, CHINGARI Project Lead. “She stood up and presented a voice for the voiceless girls and women who are forcibly converted to Islam in Pakistan and married off to much older men without having a say in the matter.”
HinduPACT Executive Director Utsav Chakrabarti added:
“The Biden administration needs to address the issue of discrimination against religious minorities in Pakistan and the continued corruption in their armed forces before they provide any further military and economic assistance to Pakistan’s leadership.”
Ambassador Khan’s appearance at the National Press Club was focused on fundraising and relief efforts for the flood-ridden country which has affected 33 million people. The US government has already pledged $300 million in relief to Pakistan to help offset the damages the nation has sustained as a result of what is seen as the worst flooding in the nation’s recent history.
Commenting on Ambassador Khan’s request for American and International aid for floods, Ajay Shah, President of World Hindu Council of America and Convenor of HinduPACT said:
“As Americans, we have a right to demand that any American aid be tied to the protection of minority girls and women from systematic state-sponsored brutality.” Shah added, “For the Hindu minority, and especially Hindu women, there is an ominous added dimension to the crisis. There are reports of Hindu girls lured for food and gang raped. Reports suggest that an eight-year-old girl was raped and her eyes gouged out in the Sindh province of Pakistan.”
Despite Ambassador Khan’s consistent attempts to blame damage caused by the flooding on climate change, the true issue is Pakistan’s poorly maintained infrastructure and reckless defense spending. Pakistan remains one of the most corrupt, militarized, and poorly sustained countries in the developing world.

September 10, 2022
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.”

August 27, 2022
Press Release: HinduPACT Calls on Biden Administration to Take Immediate Action to Stop Forced Conversions of Religious Minorities in Pakistan

HinduPACT Calls on Biden Administration to Take Immediate Action to Stop Forced Conversions of Religious Minorities in Pakistan
HinduPACT makes statement following admission by ousted Prime Minister Imran Khan
WASHINGTON, D.C – Following decades of denial, Pakistan has finally admitted to the egregious kidnapping and forced conversion of girls of religious minority communities. HinduPACT calls on the Biden administration to immediately address this issue.
Ousted Prime Minister Imran Khan (2018-2022) has admitted to the forced conversion of non-Muslim girls in Pakistan saying, “There is an ayat (verse) in the Holy Quran [that] there is no coercion in Islam. This is Allah’s commandment. Whoever forcefully converts a non-Muslim is disobeying Allah.” In quoting the Ayat from the Quran, Imran Khan claimed that conversions are “Allah’s commandment.”
Utsav Chakrabarti, Executive Director of HinduPACT, said,
“Hindus are the indegenous communities of present-day Pakistan who have lived there for thousands of years. For the first time we are seeing a former prime minister admitting to a crime that has been going on for 75 years in his country. We ask President Joe Biden to take swift action and employ the help of our allied nations to put an end to this unacceptable practice.”

Deepti Mahajan, Director, HinduPACT’s CHINGARI Project, said,
“This is a ray of hope for the minority girls with Mr. Imran Khan’s statement acknowledging abuse of minority girls in Pakistan. The widespread abuse has been brushed aside for decades and the world needs to pay attention to these voiceless girls who need our help to lead fear-free lives.”
Rakhi Israni, Executive Director of Legal for HinduPACT, said,
“Former PM Imran Khan’s admission that young girls of minority religions are snatched from their parents and forcibly converted is simply further evidence of how ingrained the abuse of Hindus and those of other minority religions is in the entire Pakistani institution. International governments have a duty to intervene and stop this ‘human rights catastrophe’”

On November 26, 2021, a report by the UK’s All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Pakistani Minorities – an informal, cross-party groups formed by MPs and Members of the House of Lords – found that around 1,000 girls between the ages of 12-25 who are not Muslim are forcibly converted to Islam in Pakistan every year and married to their abductors.

August 15, 2022