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Rep.Thanedar clarifies reason for forming HBSJ caucus
This comes after a few civil rights organizations said they doubted the “inclusivity” of the caucus
Shri Thanedar officially launched the Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, and Jain congressional caucus on September 29 / Image: X
Rep. Shri Thanedar who recently launched the Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh, and Jain (HBSJ) Caucus clarified that the caucus was founded to advocate for religious freedom and promote the understanding of the dharmic religious faiths.
This comes after a few civil rights groups denounced the formation of the caucus and said they doubted its inclusivity. They accused Thanedar of launching the caucus “without input from the full spectrum of Hindu American civil society, including Dalit and linguistic community organizations.”
Emphasizing the reason behind the caucus’ formation, Thanedar said, “The HBSJ Caucus was founded with the primary objective of championing religious freedom for all, specifically promoting understanding and peace for the dharmic religious communities.”
“Our formation documents submitted to the United States Congress and our public mission statement stand as a testament to our positive and inclusive vision. We have not, and will not, condemn or speak against any religious group. It's our aspiration that in the future, other caucuses will emerge, each representing and supporting the diverse religious communities in our nation, be it Christianity, Islam, or any other faith,” he added.
Since the caucus’ formation comes amid an ongoing debate in the United States on caste discrimination in the South Asian community, Thanedar reiterated that the caucus does not align with all the views that any of its supporting organizations may have.
“We express deep gratitude for the myriad of support we’ve received from various organizations in our endeavors. However, it’s paramount to clarify that this support does not necessarily indicate a complete alignment with their views or goals. Each collaboration is rooted in mutual respect and understanding, but it does not signify an endorsement of every viewpoint or objective of these organization,” he maintained.
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