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Rep.Thanedar says Hindus in US under attack, seeks action from authorities
Congressman Shri Thanedar blamed law enforcement for its inefficacy in nabbing the suspects destroying Hindu places of worship
Congressman Shri Thanedar at the HinduAction press conference /
Indian American Congressman Shri Thanedar brought attention to the growing attacks against Hindus in the United States while speaking at a press conference organized by HinduAction.
“Today I am seeing in the U.S. a substantial increase of attacks on Hindus. A lot of misinformation is circulated online or otherwise and having practiced Hinduism, having grown up in a Hindu household, I know what Hinduism is,” Thanedar said.
“It is a very peaceful religion…It is not a religion that attacks others, it is not a religion that is aggressive against others. It is a very inclusive religion, it is a very inclusive community. However, this community continues to be misunderstood, misrepresented, and sometimes deliberately so,” he asserted.
Recalling his childhood in India, Thanedar shared that his mother exposed him to the values of the Sanatan dharma while growing up in poverty and those values helped him grow out of it as well.
The Congressman highlighted the rise in hate crimes against the Hindu community in the U.S. in recent times and expressed disappointment at the investigations in these instances leading no results.
To address the issue, he recently introduced legislation that condemns Hinduphobia and misrepresentation of the Hindu community in the country. The legislation notes that despite significant contributions to the country across fields, the community continues to experience bullying with their places of worship being targeted.
According to the FBI report released on October 16, 2023, there were 25 occurrences of anti-Hindu hate crimes. The number grew more than double in the year 2022 compared to the previous year.
Responding to a media query on the instances of hate against the community, the Congressman stated, “We have pictures and videos of graffiti destroying places of worship. We have an Indian embassy being attempted to burn in California. What more proof do you need?”
“There are plenty of instances and those who still close their eyes..we will be happy to give dozens of instances that have happened recently and in the past,” Thanedar maintained.
He along with four other Indian American lawmakers – Ro Khanna, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Pramila Jayapal, and Ami Bera – submitted a letter to the Department of Justice seeking an investigation into the rising attacks on Hindu temples and places of worship.
“It appears to be a well-coordinated effort to attack these places of worship which has created a lot of fear in the community,” Thanedar said at the conference. “It leaves the community feeling like they have nobody who cares about them…and that means the community continues to live in fear…with essentially no help from law enforcement.”
Thanedar noted that his resolution and the joint letter was to pressure the administration to ensure that the Hindu community has the right to live peacefully without hate and attacks.
“This is just the beginning against a very coordinated attempt against this community and the community must stand together. The time has come and I will stand with you,” he said assuring the Hindu Americans at the event.
Chairperson of HinduAction, Renu Gupta who was present at the event thanked Thanedar for his efforts against Hinduphobia in the U.S.
“Today is a historic day for our community, this event represents an important step in reassuring the safety and well-being of future Hindu generations in America. I really feel my grandkids and greater grandkids will be safe now,” she said.
“On behalf of the entire HinduAction team, I want to thank Congressman Shri Thanedar and Shashi (Thanedar) for their leadership and initiative of bringing such a groundbreaking resolution.”
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