HinduPACT

Tag: Teaneck NJ

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

    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.       



  • Press Release: New Jersey Hindu Americans Condemn and Demand Rescission of Hateful Resolution by Teaneck Democrats

    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.