Daijiworld Media Network - New York

New York, Oct 27: A bipartisan group of U.S. Congress members has expressed concern that an upcoming event at Rutgers University could exacerbate prejudice against Hindus, especially as Hindu temples across the country have recently faced attacks.

In a letter to Rutgers President William Tate, the lawmakers highlighted that the event, scheduled for Monday and titled “Hindutva in America: A Threat to Equality and Religious Pluralism”, misrepresents a peaceful and diverse religious community and could negatively affect Hindu students nationwide.

The letter was signed by Democrats Sanford Bishop (Georgia), Shri Thanedar (Illinois), Suhas Subramanyam (Virginia), and Republican Rich McCormick (Georgia). The event is based on a report with the same name and will feature Audrey Truschke, a history professor, with Sahar Aziz, a law professor, as moderator. Truschke is known for defending Mughal ruler Aurangzeb, who historically persecuted Hindus and Sikhs.

While the Congress members did not call for the event to be canceled, they urged Rutgers to ensure that programming promotes freedom of expression without targeting Hindu American individuals or organisations. The letter referenced recent attacks on Hindu temples, including the Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Indiana and the Shri Radha Krishna Temple in Utah, warning that the event’s rhetoric could make Hindu students feel unsafe or unfairly singled out.

The lawmakers also expressed concern over the report’s targeting of specific Hindu organisations, including the Hindu American Foundation (HAF) and Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA), which conflates religious-based groups with nationalist movements. The report suggested that law enforcement, politicians, and civil society groups should avoid partnerships with US-based Hindu nationalist organisations.

HAF, in a letter to Rutgers, clarified that it does not seek to ban the event but requested the university publicly dissociate from the views of the invited speakers and clarify that the opinions expressed are those of the organisers. CoHNA noted that students have recently reported feeling vulnerable, fearing discrimination simply for practicing Hinduism on campus.

The Congress members’ intervention reflects a growing concern over religious intolerance on US campuses, particularly towards Hindu students, amid a broader debate on balancing free speech and safeguarding minority communities.