Thread on Hinduphobia and intolerance towards Hindu students at @txfastate@CCISD via Item 22 on the TFA Fall 2020 Legislative Docket. Link to our letter urging both to remove the topic from the docket. cohna.org/tfa-letter/ 1/n
The debate topic "Curbing Hindu Nationalism" promotes hostility towards Hindu students, by presenting that their faith is 'ultra-right-wing' and hateful towards those who are not Hindus. The debate topic is framed as a derogatory description of Hinduism. 2/n
There is already widespread #Hinduphobia and lack of understanding of #Hinduism in schools. Positioning of Hinduism as intolerant via such ill-informed and factually inaccurate debates is certain to make matters worse. 3/n
Not to mention, the debate topic is also filled with factual errors, and violates the Texas RVAA 25.152(a)(2), which requires that public forums in schools be based on neutral criteria. 5/n
For example, on line 1 of resolution, the RSS is declared a political party and a paramilitary organization, which it is not. 6/n
Similarly, and contrary to what is claimed on lines 3-4, there is no evidence to show that there is a systematic effort to preach violence against those who do not subscribe to Hinduism. 7/n
Finally, there is blatant misinformation (line 6) about the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), an asylum act passed by the government of India. 8/n
The act does not discriminate against Muslims any more than the Lautenberg Amendment of the US discriminates against everyone who is not of Soviet or Southeast Asian origin, and which mainly benefited Jews and Christian minorities escaping persecution. nytimes.com/2017/08/26/us/… 9/n
The amendment was further extended in 2004 (via the Specter Amendment) to include persecuted minorities from Iran. 10/n
In 07/2020, 20 Senators wrote a letter @mikepompeo urging him to grant emergency refugee status to persecuted Hindu and Sikh minorities in Afghanistan, via the FY20 US Refugee Admission Program, through P1 and P2 embassy referrals. cohna.org/cohna-applauds… 11/n
Furthermore, an analysis of previous similar debate topics in @txfastate shows disparate treatment of Hinduism in this resolution/debate topic. 12/n
Past debates never targeted a religion. E.g. A 2016 Resolution on Boko Haram didn't mention Islam or Sharia, both of which are central to the group's philosophy. cnn.com/2014/06/09/wor… 13/n
Why then, does a resolution on India, focus on "Hindu Nationalism," if not to denigrate Hinduism? 14/n
The words ‘ultra-right-wing’ have a specific context and meaning to everyone in the US. They refer to white supremacist groups who have not hesitated to use mass violence towards all in the past. adl.org/resources/glos… 15/n
It is deeply traumatizing for a child in the Hindu faith to be told that their faith is the same as that of the Neo-Nazis, for example, who are indeed the ‘ultra-right-wing’ in the US. 16/n
It is outrageous that such a charge could be brought against Hinduism, which has welcomed persecuted people of all faiths – Parsis, Jews, Syrian Christians and Muslims – with open arms and without infringing on their right to practice their religion. Links below. 17/n
We are fully supportive of the freedom of expression and understand that debate essentially involves unpopular positions. But when the positions are based on gross misinformation and are worded in such a way to cause harassment and trauma... 19/n
...to a particular group of students based purely on their religion, it crosses the line dividing advocacy from phobia and hate speech. 20/n
We therefore urge the @txfastate and the WB Ray High School (@CCISD) to remove this topic from the legislative docket. We are happy to set up a dialog with the TFA and WB Ray High School to find neutral ways of debating the situation in India as well as the CAA. 21/n
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The selection of Sen. Vance on the Republican ticket and the #Hindu background of his wife #UshaChilukuri, has triggered a torrent of hate & abuse. Vile tropes, graphic imagery, and slurs from haters on the right & the left. 1/n
#JDVance #JD
As pointed out by the 2022 @ncri_io report, there's widespread use of imagery to associate #Hinduism with dirt, filth and violence + coded anti-Hindu slurs like #pajeet.
Also as expected, we see heavy overlap between those pushing #antisemitism and those targeting Hindus. 2/n
For years, we've fought “caste” laws/policies in US & Canada, which come cleverly masked in the language of #humanrights or #socialjustice (Calif #Sb403, Canada #M128)
Folks ask-why?
Because caste identity is forced on (even diaspora) Hindus-no matter their own preference. 3/n
For #Hindus living in America, life changed a year ago as we woke up to the horror of #SB403. On March 22, @SenAishaWahab changed an innocuous ancestry bill to one that weaponized #caste, selectively singling out and profiling #Hinduism. 1/n
Ironically, we learnt about the changed bill from its #Hinduphobic co-sponsor #EqualityLabs. They shared the news in a press interview, BEFORE changes were even tabled in the #California Senate! Can there be stronger evidence of the #privilege & access this group enjoys? 2/n
Soon we'd see their raw hate for #Hinduism in an explosive @hinduoncampus video. The SB403 co-sponsor minced no words & spared nothing - #Yoga, #BhagavadGita, #Namaste, #Upanishads -nothing was safe. And California & @SenAishaWahab were ok with this 3/n
It's deeply disturbing to #HinduCanadians that publicly funded universities like @usask and @UofT would provide a platform to an openly #Hinduphobic individual, Mohammad Hijab. 1/n
As per @ncri_io's report on the Hinduphobic riots in Leicester, UK last year, Mohammad Hijab made derogatory comments about Hindus, saying: "If they (Hindus) believe in reincarnation, what a humiliation of them to be reincarnated into some pathetic, weak, cowardly people like that…I’d rather be reincarnated as a grasshopper." 2/n
He posted a photo on his Instagram, on the same day, where he was leading a mob; the photo was captioned: “Muslim patrol in Leicester”. 3/n
Delighted to see sanity prevail in #California. Thank you @GavinNewsom for vetoing #SB403. A victory for common sense, for American laws and a win for those who fought for #justice.” 1/n
Today is dedicated to the spirit of #MilindMakwana who will live on in our hearts for his dharma & sacrifice. 2/n
“This is a culmination of the efforts of the entire #HinduAmerican community, and the hundreds of organizations, temples, businesses, and allies that fought against #profiling. We rose above the lies, the insinuations, and the wild accusations - and we prevailed. Thank you! 🙏🏾3/n
Remember the case against @BAPS Hindu temple in 2021 that alleged "caste discrimination"?
#JUSTIN: A dozen artisans claim coercion, promise of US citizenship and large sums of money to testify against BAPS, are withdrawing the case.
In May 2021, a @nytimes article by @anniecorreal claimed "Hindu Sect Is Accused of Using Forced Labor to Build N.J. Temple" and that @BAPS "had exploited possibly hundreds of low-caste men in the yearslong construction project."
Two years later, this turned out to be a complete fabrication of events & attempt to defame the Hindu community.
In a letter filed July 13 in the Rajasthan High Court, the artisans stated that they were "pressured to join as plaintiffs in a civil complain in New Jersey court."
#BREAKING: 🧵A day of mixed emotions for the CoHNA family today. We are disappointed that CA lawmakers passed up a chance to #SayNoToHate and voted for a bill that still contains the #Hinduphobic word “caste.” Yet, we are also proud of the tireless grassroots work of our...1/n
...volunteers, other Hindu orgs and allies, which resulted in the CA Assembly Judiciary Committee voting on a bill that has been stripped of much of the outright xenophobic language of the original version. UNFORTUNATELY, the final nail in the coffin still remains...2/n
...and we intend to fully fight this all the way to the courts. No one said that this was going to be easy. 😀. BUT, let’s review how far we have come. 3/n