ADVERTISEMENTs
UC Berkeley rejects Hindu Heritage Month resolution
The decision has sparked controversy and allegations of bias.
-
Malvika Choudhary - Wed, 14, May 2025
- 16:25 EDT
- 186
Associated Students of the University of California, Berkeley / X
The Associated Students of the University of California, Berkeley (ASUC) voted against a proposal to recognize October as Hindu Heritage Month on campus.
ASUC Senator Isha Chandar, who led the opposition, argued that the proposal could be interpreted as supporting Hindu nationalism. The decision has sparked controversy and allegations of bias with Hindu student groups accusing the student government of conflating cultural identity with political ideology.
Also Read: Georgia bill seeks to penalize Hinduphobia
The resolution, authored by a Caribbean Hindu student, sought to honor the contributions of the global Hindu community and the Hindu Student community on campus. However, during an April ASUC meeting—video of which was posted by the advocacy group Hindu on Campus—the measure was voted down following heated debate.
ALERT: @UCBerkeley has voted AGAINST "Hindu Heritage Month" under the pretext of "Hindu Nationalism"
— Hindu On Campus (@hinduoncampus) May 13, 2025
Absolutely INSANE - WHY would you deny ANY community a heritage month?! https://t.co/sFL3qGJzDR pic.twitter.com/WOJg94PFvT
Chandar suggested an alternative resolution celebrating broader South Asian and Middle Eastern religious diversity, emphasizing the need to avoid “internationalist ideology.” She also claimed that Hindu Americans hold systemic privilege relative to other South Asian communities, raising concerns about exclusivity.
Supporters of the proposal, including Senator Justin Taylor, strongly disagreed with the argument that the bill was politically motivated. Taylor criticized the senate’s decision to connect it with Hindu nationalist sentiment emphasizing that the bill’s author had no connection to Indian politics. He also condemned the personal attacks directed at him during the debate, calling the experience “deeply troubling.”
Hindu on Campus, which shared a seven-minute video of the ASUC meeting on X, condemned the outcome. “@UCBerkeley has voted AGAINST ‘Hindu Heritage Month’ under the pretext of ‘Hindu Nationalism’... Absolutely INSANE – WHY would you deny ANY community a heritage month?!”
The Coalition of Young American Hindus (CYAN) also criticized the decision. “Despite passing several other heritage month resolutions this semester, student senators chose to politicize Hindu Heritage to push Hinduphobic talking points, including the accusation of ‘Hindu Nationalism,’” the group said in a statement on Instagram.
“Let us be clear. Hindu students of Indian and non-Indian origin—many of whom know little about Hindu nationalism—shouldn’t be forced to take political stances on domestic Indian politics to celebrate their heritage,” CYAN added.
“The accusation of ‘Hindu nationalism’ is harmful to our community because it conflates Hinduism with politics in India,” CYAN asserted. “This bill was inspired by a Caribbean Hindu student with no ties to India.”
While other heritage month resolutions were approved without similar scrutiny, the rejection of the Hindu Heritage Month measure has raised questions about inconsistency and inclusivity in student governance.
The episode follows other recent flashpoints involving Hindu identity at UC Berkeley. In March, Indian Supreme Court advocate J Sai Deepak’s lecture on campus drew protests from students who accused him of promoting Hindutva ideology. His supporters argued he was addressing Hinduphobia and the decolonization of Hindu thought in a global context.
Related
.jpeg)
.JPG)
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
E Paper
ADVERTISEMENT
.jpg)
Video
Comments
Start the conversation
Become a member of New India Abroad to start commenting.
Sign Up Now
Already have an account? Login