Indian-American community engages US lawmakers on anti-Hindu hate, civic Participation

Washington, July 1 (IANS) Indian American community leaders and students held dozens of meetings with US lawmakers during the fifth annual Hindu Day of Advocacy, raising concerns over anti-Hindu hate while calling for greater civic participation, stronger representation and deeper engagement in the democratic process.

Organised by the Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA), the day-long programme at the US Capitol brought together about 160 participants from 14 states. Organisers said delegates held more than 50 meetings with senators and members of the House of Representatives and visited about 170 congressional offices to discuss issues affecting Hindu Americans and encourage greater political participation.

In her remarks at a reception, India’s Deputy Chief of Mission in Washington, Namgya C. Khampa, underlined the growing importance of the India-US partnership and the role of the Indian diaspora in strengthening bilateral ties.

“The India, US bilateral relationship is strong. It’s robust, it’s forward looking, and the ambition on that is set by our leadership. Prime Minister Modi and President Trump recently met in France and there’s a lot we have to accomplish together, and there’s a recognition of that,” Khampa said.

“I believe that all of you sitting in this room and beyond are critical partners in that process.”

CoHNA President Nikunj Trivedi said lawmakers from both the Democratic and Republican parties participated in the event and expressed support for the community.

“We had experts, we had congressmen from both sides of the party, Democrats and Republicans who joined us to talk about how they stand in solidarity with us. They actually thanked us for being on Capitol Hill to represent our community because a lot of times our community is very shy. They don’t speak up,” he said.

Trivedi said discussions with lawmakers focused on what organisers described as increasing anti-Hindu rhetoric, attacks on Hindu temples and hostility towards Indian immigrants on social media.

“We also talked about anti-Indian hate, hate on social media against immigrants, hate against Hindus, how we are considered like agents of foreign governments like India. Simply for speaking up about our rights, about attacks on Hindu temples, about attacks on Hindu identity, we are considered agents of the Indian government,” he said.

“So we wanted to educate our lawmakers that this is how we are being targeted.”

According to Trivedi, the advocacy effort also highlighted the importance of youth participation in public life. The programme included a youth summit attended by about 40 young Hindu Americans from across the country and the launch of CoHNA’s leadership incubator aimed at preparing the next generation of community advocates. Organisers said interfaith leaders also joined lawmakers in expressing solidarity with the community and condemning attacks on Hindu temples.

A panel of students from Rutgers University described efforts to organise campus events, engage university administrators and encourage greater civic participation among Hindu students. The students said they wanted more young Hindu Americans to become active in public life while ensuring that their religious identity was represented accurately in academic and public spaces.

The event formed part of a broader effort by Hindu American organisations to build sustained engagement with elected representatives and encourage greater participation in the US democratic process. Over the past decade, Indian Americans have emerged as one of the fastest-growing and most politically active immigrant communities in the United States, with increasing representation in public office, business, academia and civil society.

The advocacy gathering also coincided with celebrations marking the 250th anniversary of the United States. Organisers repeatedly linked civic participation with the contributions of Hindu Americans to American society, reflecting the community’s growing confidence and visibility as India-US ties continue to deepen across strategic, economic and people-to-people sectors.

–IANS

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