'They Live In Fear, It's Time To...': US Congressman on Resolution Over Attacks on Hindus

Washington: Indian-American Congressman Shri Thanedar on Monday held a brief discussion with the Hindu community members and spoke about the concerns sorrounding substantial increase in attacks on Hindus in America which led to significant fear among the community.  

He also highlighted the law enforcement inaction to probe the recent attacks on Hindu temples in the US. 

It comes after he introduced a resoulution in the US House of Representatives slamming Hinduphobia, hate, anti-Hindu bigotry and intolerance on April 10. It has now been referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability for further analysis. 

When asked about the reason behind bringing such resolution, he said, “We've seen a lot of attacks happening on Hindu temples across the United States and we've seen a lot more in more recent times. And it's time for us to seek support. There's a fear. Many Hindu communities are under fear. And what we've seen is that local law enforcement hasn't taken enough action. We have not seen any suspects, any arrests, or any resolution to these issues.” 

"That (attack incident) has created a lot of fear among the Indian American community, among the Hindu community, and a lot of misinformation has been spread. And so the purpose of this resolution is to bring that to the attention of Congress and to the Biden administration," he added.

Congressman Thanedar also said that he expects bipartisan support in Congress as it reflects American values, adding that he will continue to fight against racism.

About the Resolution 

The Indian-American Democrat Congressman brought the ground-breaking resolution, H.Res.1131, slamming the rise of Hinduphobia and underlining the increase of anti-Hindu bigotry.

He highlighted that Indian-Americans, especially from the Hindu community, have become victims of hate speech, discrimination and assault at public spaces. 

“…the House of Representatives— (1)celebrates the contributions of Hindus and Hinduism to the United States of America; (2)declares the United States as a place that welcomes the diversity brought by Hindu Americans; (3)condemns Hinduphobia, anti-Hindu bigotry and hate, and intolerance; and (4)makes appropriate copies of this resolution available for distribution to the public and the press,” the resolution reads. 

Attacks on Hindus in US

In recent times, there have been surge in attacks on Hindu temples and community, with cases being registered with law enforcement agencies. 

According to news agency ANI, the Hindu American Foundation (HAF) shared information about the vandalisation of California's Sherawali Temple in a social media post on Friday. 

A photo of the defacement was also shared by the HAF.

In December 2023, a Hindu temple was vandalised with pro-Khalistani slogans in California's Newark city. The HAF shared pictures of the incident on ‘X’, showing slogans scribbled on the walls of the Swaminarayan Mandir Vasana Sanstha. 

The pictures showed hate speech against India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi written on the temple wall.