The Rutgers report / Rutgers website

As India undergoes a remarkable transformation, a coordinated effort by select U.S.-based academics and institutions seeks to undermine Hinduism and delegitimize Hindu American civic participation. A key example is the anonymously authored and alarmingly titled report, “Hindutva in America: A Threat to Equality and Religious Pluralism,” published by the Center for Security, Race and Rights (CSRR) at Rutgers University.

Despite the absence of named authors, the report is institutionally backed by CSRR under the leadership of Professor Sahar Aziz. The report’s tone is inflammatory, framing Hindu identity and political participation as threats to democracy, while obscuring who is responsible for its creation. This piece is the first of a series of articles, exposing the ideological forces behind the report, starting with three critical questions (part 1): Who is Sahar Aziz? What is CSRR’s agenda? And who is funding these narratives?

Who Is Sahar Aziz?

Sahar Aziz, a tenured law professor of Egyptian origin, specializes in post-9/11 Islamophobia, national security, and civil rights—fields far removed from Indian politics, Hinduism, or South Asian studies. Her academic CV, 32 pages long, includes numerous scholarly publications, presentations, and 250 media appearances. However, it contains no engagement with Hindu scholars, no work on Hinduism or India, and no travel to the country itself. Her expertise on Hindu civilization, Indian democracy, or the complexities of Hindutva is nonexistent.

Yet, under her directorship, CSRR positions itself as an authority on these very topics—without any subject-matter grounding. In one of her publications, Islam on Trial (2017), she critiques the criminalization of Muslim identity in the U.S.; ironically, this report seems to mirror that approach by putting “Hinduism on trial.”

Aziz’s Link to Soros

Aziz was a Soros Equality Fellow from 2021–2023, receiving a $143,000 grant from the Open Society Foundations (OSF), founded by George Soros. OSF has long funded initiatives critical of Indian nationalism, the Modi government, and Hindu identity under the banner of human rights and “democratic values.” Soros has publicly opposed Prime Minister Modi, accusing him of promoting authoritarianism, while ignoring India’s electoral integrity, independent judiciary, and global leadership.

Aziz’s alignment with Soros raises legitimate concerns about ideological influence and funding bias, especially when such affiliations underpin CSRR’s output. While academic critique is vital, selectively targeting Hindu Americans under the guise of racial justice, by those with no cultural or scholarly link to Hinduism, demands scrutiny.

Anonymous Authorship and a Likely “AC”

The report’s refusal to name its authors in academic settings is unusual and telling. Instead, it vaguely attributes authorship to scholars from Columbia, Rutgers, and the University of Denver, while thanking an unnamed “AC” for use of “her” research (page 56 of the report). The lack of transparency begs the question: Why are these academics distancing themselves from their own work? Are they avoiding legitimate criticism and scrutiny, and perhaps lack scholarship on Hinduism like Aziz herself.

The likely “AC” is Audrey C. Truschke, a Rutgers professor of South Asian history known for her deeply controversial takes on Hinduism and Hindutva. Her involvement would explain both the report’s ideological tilt and the anonymity—she has long drawn criticism for inflammatory remarks and historical distortions. A future article will delve deeper into her role and highly controversial narratives/scholarship under the guise of academic freedom.

What Is CSRR?

Founded in 2018, CSRR claims to advocate for civil and human rights, especially for Muslim, Arab, and South Asian communities. In practice, its programming repeatedly reflects a pattern of politicized activism, offering a platform to groups hostile to India, Israel, and “majoritarian democracies.”

The Hindutva in America report continues this trend by portraying Hindu Americans, one of the most peaceful, civically engaged, and pluralistic communities in the U.S., as inherently connected to global authoritarianism and bigotry. Such claims are not only unfounded but dangerous in their reductive framing.

Funding and Institutional Capture

CSRR has not publicly disclosed its funding sources in detail. However, its leadership’s connections to Soros-linked initiatives—and its frequent collaborations with groups like IAMC (Indian American Muslim Council) and HfHR (Hindus for Human Rights)—point to a well-coordinated network that blurs the lines between scholarship and activism.

These groups routinely lobby against India and Hindu political identity, often relying on academic institutions to launder political agendas as objective research. This ecosystem reinforces itself, using the credibility of universities to give cover to ideologically charged campaigns.

In 2019, the U.S. Department of Education investigated Rutgers (and Cornell) for failure to disclose foreign funding, including from China and Qatar. More recently, in February 2024, the Senate Judiciary Committee questioned whether CSRR receives foreign or taxpayer funding. Rutgers has not provided full public transparency in response, deepening concerns about foreign influence and institutional integrity.

Conclusion

Is Rutgers, a publicly funded ‘The State University of New Jersey,’ enabling anti-Hindu and anti-India narratives through CSRR? The evidence strongly suggests so. When a legal scholar with no expertise in India or Hinduism—yet with ideological and financial ties to anti-India funders—leads a center producing anonymous, inflammatory content, the issue extends beyond academic freedom. It raises urgent questions about academic ethics, ideological capture, and the misuse of public resources.

At a minimum, full transparency around funding, authorship, and academic review must be demanded. Until then, Rutgers risks allowing CSRR and faculty like Aziz to undermine not just Hindu Americans—but the credibility of American higher education itself.

NOTE: The author acknowledges the use of ChatGPT in researching topics and meaningful improvement of content.

(The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of New India Abroad)