FEARS AROUND SAFETY AND HINDU TEMPLE ATTACKS EMERGE AS KEY CONCERNS AT CAPITOL HILL EVENT

CoHNA's 4th Annual Hindu Day of Advocacy brought together lawmakers, researchers, students and constituents

WASHINGTON, July 24, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- A packed room on Capitol Hill saw a cross section of Americans of the Hindu faith come together, for the fourth year, to celebrate the contributions of their community and highlight the problems they face. The event, on the heels of CoHNA's five year anniversary, was attended by more than a 100 Hindu delegates from 17 states across the US who visited close to 150 Congressional offices to raise awareness. It drew more than 25 lawmakers (Congressional representatives and staffers) who joined the event and heard from a variety of speakers—academics, students, human rights leaders and more.

"An overarching theme during the event was around safety and the ability to freely practice one's religion. It was echoed in the thoughts of several lawmakers who were shocked to know how anti-Hindu hate is playing out in the US," said CoHNA president and co-founder Nikunj Trivedi. From multiple temple attacks to Hindu students being bullied and doxxed by peers on elite campuses; from being gaslit by academics and colleagues to facing institutional indifference and inaction when wronged; the Hindu community has been under fire. Hinduphobia is a problem that plays out in many ways—from obnoxious levels of hate and bullying online to more subtle institutional blows like 'caste' laws and policies which seek to profile and target Hindus in America.

Broad Congressional Support

CoHNA's advocacy day received bi-partisan support from Democratic and Republican Congresspersons, united in their encouragement of advocacy, passionate in their defense of religious freedom, and equally dismayed by the attacks on Hindu places of worship.

Welcoming the CoHNA community back to Capitol Hill, Representative Rich McCormick (R-GA) shared insights on why such events matter and reflected on his own long involvement with the community—both professionally and personally. He emphasized our shared values, including a focus on family, faith, and country, on growing the future, and on the importance of nurturing relationships.

Representative Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA) shared how proud he is of his Hindu faith. Speaking of growing up in the tradition that has given so much to the world and influenced American society through yoga, meditation, and ancient philosophy, he said, "I'm happy to see many young Hindus here, championing the cause of Hindus and their rights, both here and abroad. We should not be afraid of being Hindu! The future generation is crucial for our community's voice."

Representative Andrew Clyde (R-GA) shared a laugh with CoHNA board member and vice president Rajeev Menon as he highlighted his appreciation for the shared values he has observed. The congressman congratulated CoHNA for enabling the Hindu community to advocate for their place in American society, emphasizing the critical importance of religious liberty as guaranteed by the US constitution, and its foundational role in ensuring prosperity and innovation.

Representative Sanford Bishop (D-GA), who spoke during the dinner reception, shared stories of his long association with the Hindu community and the impact it has made. He added that he was well aware of the attacks happening on the community, thanks to CoHNA's efforts. "Our country is founded on principles of freedom and equality, and the Hindu community is as much part of it as anyone else. Elected officials have a responsibility to ensure that 'you' (meaning the Hindu community) feel included and safe," he stated.

Representative Thomas Kean Jr (R-NJ) also spoke of his support for the Hindu community and offered encouragement for continued engagement, especially given his involvement with the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the House Foreign Affairs Committee. "CoHNA is doing important grassroots work to promote understanding of Hinduism and to celebrate the community's rich heritage, values, and traditions", he added.

Wrapping up the evening, Representative Shri Thanedar (D-MI) called out the explosion of hate and bigotry across the world, exemplified by the ongoing atrocities in Bangladesh where Hindus are being cleansed from their homeland, where a monk has been arrested on trumped up charges, and where temples have been destroyed. He emphasized the need for action via economic sanctions and more. Rep. Thanedar also called out the growing number of temple attacks in the US—in New York and in California. "These attacks have to stop," he said, promising to continue his fight against such hate. He thanked CoHNA and event attendees for "showing up and standing up in this fight for justice and fairness because if one temple is attacked, all temples are attacked."

Expert Testimony

Delivering the keynote speech, leading scientist Dr Lee Jussim of the Rutgers Social Perceptions Lab, shared highlights and data from an academic study, titled "Instructing Animosity." Released in November 2024, the study conducted on a nationally representative sample of 876 individuals, used a treatment-control approach to probe the impact of caste training on the perceptions of ordinary Americans about Hindus. Of critical note, the study found that exposure to caste discrimination narratives in the workplace and academia results in bias against Hindus as a whole.

Prof. Jussim's presentation showcased results from an experiment where, after reading a short description of 'caste discrimination' from Equality Labs content, participants in the study were much more likely to endorse Hitler's quotes (with the word 'Brahmin' replacing 'Jew'). In another experiment, where a Hindu-sounding college admissions officer rejected a Hindu-sounding candidate, study participants exposed to anti-caste rhetoric were more likely to assume that the admissions officer was upper caste and biased, and feel the decision was unfair—despite no supporting evidence. Alarmingly, many exhibited a willingness to punish the admissions officer, and to view Hindus, in general, as racist!

Drawing on two decades of advocacy and research work, human rights activist and author Richard Benkin emphasized that while Hindus have long been persecuted in Bangladesh, the situation has deteriorated in the past year. "The new Bangladeshi government is now playing an active role in Hindu persecution—particularly through the elimination of Hindu educators and the (mis)use of institutional power," Benkin said. He cautioned that Islamist groups are poised for political power after the 2026 election, and that US inaction risks letting Bangladesh turn into a "Chinese vassal state" like Pakistan. Benkin urged lawmakers to take action before it's too late.

The highlight of the evening reception was a talk by globally acclaimed filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri, whose film 'The Bengal Files' sheds light on the forgotten genocide of Hindus during India's partition in 1947.

An Afternoon Packed with Testimonies and Data

The event began with mantras and a solemn moment of silence in memory of the Hindu civilians killed in the past few months in places as far apart as Pahalgam (Kashmir, India) and Bangladesh. Testimony from Kashmiri community leaders Mohan Sapru and Amit Raina brought home historical and personal context to the recent terror attacks. American Hindus from Bangladesh bore testimony to the deep and continuing persecution the community has faced.

A data driven presentation focused attention on the growing problem of physical attacks against Hindu temples in the United States—six in the past 18 months. Worse, the attacks have drawn little attention or outrage, with no arrests or prosecutions.

When Hindus embrace their Hindu identity, they are targeted with accusations of dual loyalty, ideological labels, and subject to public shaming designed to make them water down their identity. Political leaders like Krystle Kaul and Bhavini Patel, who spoke at the event, shared heartfelt testimony of the harassment and personal targeting they faced for their backgrounds.

A powerful panel of student voices from the University of California, Berkeley, and Rutgers University brought to life the hostility Hindu youth face on campus for simple things like seeking to open Hindu clubs, celebrating Hindu festivals and traditions, and holding peaceful vigils mourning dead Hindus in Bangladesh, Kashmir or elsewhere.

About CoHNA

CoHNA is a grassroots level advocacy and civil rights organization dedicated to improving the understanding of Hinduism in North America by working on matters related to the Hindu community and by educating the public about Hindu heritage and tradition. For more information, please visit https://cohna.org or follow us on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram.

SOURCE Coalition of Hindus of North America