Aaron Gross at the Hindu Advocacy Day event. / X/@CoHNACanada

Aaron Gross, a research fellow at the Network Contagion Research Institute (NCRI), emphasized the alarming rise of Hinduphobia, noting that it is a global threat and not confined to the US. Referring to an NCRI report he said, “Hinduphobia is a global threat, it’s not limited to the United States.”

Gross spoke at the Coalition of Hindus of North America’s (CoHNA) third Hindu Advocacy Day held at Capitol Hill, which aimed to address the concerns Hindus living in the US face.

The event was attended by nearly 25 lawmakers and highlighted the multi-pronged attacks Hindus witness. Over 100 delegates from 15 states participated, and more than 40 core CoHNA volunteers visited over 115 congressional offices to advocate support for H.Res.1131, which condemns Hinduphobia and attacks on temples while celebrating the contributions of the Hindu American community.
 

#BREAKING - CoHNA's 3rd National Hindu Advocacy Day on the Hill brought together over 100 delegates from 15 states and 25 congressional representatives and their staffers. 40 core volunteers visited over 115 congressional offices to discuss issues impacting Hindus and advocate… pic.twitter.com/XDnDC6WFRL

— CoHNA (Coalition of Hindus of North America) (@CoHNAOfficial) June 28, 2024

In his address, Gross stated that in 2023, the NCRI released a report, highlighting the alarming rise of Hinduphobia in North America, driven by the Khalistan extremist movement and attacks on temples, along with the need for law enforcement to tackle online hate before it escalates into further violence.

Khalistani extremist online activities generally lead to real-world attacks on Hindus, occurring not just in the United States but anywhere where these extremists are active, he said. The study observed that many of the online accounts spreading anti-Hindu hate claimed to be of Pakistani origin.

Given the real-world consequences of these online activities, Gross emphasized the importance for lawmakers, law enforcement, and social media platforms to engage with this issue, create legislation against it, and enforce laws to limit such activity.

“It's important for lawmakers, law enforcement, and social media platforms in our recommendation, in our view, to engage with it and try to limit this activity, create legislation against it, and enforce laws against it,” he said.

Some of the core themes of these bot campaigns were also identified in the study. “Number one, the study found that these bot campaigns would generally encourage, celebrate, and take credit for temple vandalism and harassment against Hindus in general,” he said. “Number two, violent extremism. They would promote or call for attacks against Hindus in the form of other bombings, grenade attacks, and threats to critical infrastructure in places around the world, including India as well. And finally, number three, these bots would organize and amplify real-world mobilization in the West to protest or to call for referendums against Hindus,” he added.

Recently, a survey conducted in California focused on hate crimes within the state. The findings revealed that nearly a quarter of hate incidents against religious minorities in California targeted Hindus, Gross said.
 

Community united against Hindu crimes

Highlighting the recent violence against Hindus, CoHNA president Nikunj Trivedi recounted the 2022 attacks on the Tulsi Mandir in Queens, New York. He noted that the Gandhi statue in front of the temple was vandalized with offensive words. However, thanks to the concerted efforts of the community, the crime was prosecuted as a hate crime.

“Thanks to the community, we came together and we made sure that that crime was prosecuted as a hate crime,” Trivedi said. “It's one of the first times that such an event happened, and that was because of the fact that the community worked and advocated properly and ensured that our lawmakers didn't brush it aside.”

Trivedi emphasized that their purpose was not only to express grievances but also to celebrate their community. “We're not only here to cry. We're here to celebrate as well. But with that, we also want to make sure that people understand that we as a community do face Hinduphobia, bias, prejudice, hate, racism, so many things,” he said.

H.Res.1131, introduced by Congressman Shri Thanedar, condemns attacks on Hindu temples and Hinduphobia while celebrating the contributions of Hindu Americans in all walks of life. The resolution calls on congressional members to stand with, support, and celebrate the Hindu community, Trivedi emphasized.
 

American Hindus: transitioning to a proudly integrated identity

Indian-American Sreedhar Nair, an automation enthusiast, emphasized that the transition from an immigrant identity to a fully integrated American identity is long overdue for American Hindus. “The faster the transition into the American identity space ensures a prouder participation from subsequent generations, and especially in faith-centric events and initiatives,” he said.

Nair highlighted the potential for community organizations to collaborate effectively. He emphasized the impact of personal connections with representatives, encouraging individuals to reach out and advocate for resolutions such as H.Res.1131, which celebrates American Hindus' contributions and addresses concerns about recent attacks on places of worship.
 

Celebrating Hindu American contributions

Indian-American Congressman Shri Thanedar spoke at the event, highlighting his significant contributions to the Hindu American community. With 18 months in Congress, he noted his introduction of 22 bills and sponsorship of 400 bills, along with co-sponsoring an additional 400 bills.

Serving approximately 1,600 constituents, he emphasized the effectiveness of his office in assisting people across the US. He expressed pride in establishing the first Hindu caucus in the US Congress, which currently includes about 28 members.

“One of my focuses is to reform our broken immigration system, and access to H-1 visas for technology businesses. We have so many qualified engineers and scientists that our businesses need to grow the American economy,” Thanedar said.

“I'm just grateful and honored to be able to do the service for the people,” he added.
 

Congressman Max Miller calls for unity and support

Congressman Max Miller expressed his pride in supporting legislative efforts and pledged continued opposition to all forms of hate and bigotry across the US.

“As we know right now, things are a little tough. And I believe that we will get through this tough time, as this country always does, very united. And we need to be unified again. And in my opinion, we've got to dial down the rhetoric on every single side and focus really on what matters, which is all of us the American people that we have here, and making sure that our country is strong and our allies are strong so that the world is a more stable place,” he said.

Miller assured ongoing support for the Hindu American community, aligning with his commitment to all communities in his district.

Miller emphasized the role of a representative as being about the people, not oneself, during his remarks. He highlighted the importance of legislators focusing on representing their districts effectively rather than personal interests.

Expressing gratitude for the Hindu community, he said, “What I'll tell you is that we really do keep you all in mind every single day. So just thank you for what you do. Thank you for standing strong. Never back down from your values or convictions.”
 

Urging action on HR 6542 for H1B visas

Congressman Rich McCormick emphasized bipartisan support for action on H1B visas in his statement. He noted that the resolution has gathered 32 co-sponsors, evenly split between Democrats and Republicans, highlighting its potential to pass successfully.

“I want this to be a bipartisan effort to get across the finish line. It has a great chance of passing. So, harass your local congressman, make sure that you're involved, and we will get this done,” he said.

McCormick emphasized the importance of investing in the American dream while maintaining cultural, religious, and traditional values.

“You had two people from the Indian diaspora run for president of the United States this time around. That's phenomenal. If you think about the demographic effect of the most successful demographic in America, the wealthiest, the most industrious, and what that means to the future of politics when you have more people than the Jewish community,” he said.

“Think about the power that you have in your hands in the future of America. You can literally form the future of America just with your involvement and your participation, the way that you engage in politics, the way that you innovate, the way that you create jobs, the way that you form future policy,” he concluded.