Georgia is the first American state to condemn ‘anti-Hindu bigotry.’
New Delhi: The Georgia assembly has passed a resolution condemning “Hinduphobia”.
Georgia is the first American state to condemn “anti-Hindu bigotry” in its resolution that claims that with more than 1.2 billion believers in over 100 countries, Hinduism is home to diverse traditions and belief systems.
Deccan Herald reported that the resolution was introduced by representatives Lauren McDonald and Todd Jones from Forsyth County in the suburbs of Atlanta. Atlanta in Georgia is home to one of the largest Indian-American diaspora communities in the US.
The resolution said that the American-Hindu community has contributed greatly to the fields of medicine, science and engineering, information technology, hospitality, finance, academia, manufacturing among others. It also said that with their contribution in art, music, food, and yoga, the American-Hindu community has enriched the cultural fabric and enhanced the lives of millions in the US.
Claiming that documented evidence of Hinduphobia has been recorded over the last few decades, the resolution particularly hit out at a section of academia which has been allegedly attempting to “dismantle Hinduism and accuse its sacred texts and practices of violence and oppression.”
The resolution comes on the heels of the first-ever ‘Hindu Advocacy Day’ held on March 22 at the Georgia state Capitol. It was organised by the Atlanta chapter of the Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA). The event saw the participation of around 25 lawmakers – both Republicans and Democrats – who pledged to include Hindu voices in decision making processes of the state and protect the Hindu community against any form of discrimination.
“It was a true honor to work with Rep McDonald and Rep Jones as well as other lawmakers who guided us through the whole process of getting this County Resolution passed,” said Rajeev Menon, CoHNA vice- president.
“We also heard that all the lawmakers had been working really long hours given the amount of legislative items on the agenda, but still decided to join us at the Advocacy Day to show how much they value the Hindu community,” he said.
CoHNA general secretary Shobha Swamy said “The issues faced by Hindu Americans in Georgia and the rest of the country via false, Hinduphobic narratives are negatively impacting a community that has been hardworking, law-abiding and enriching the fabric of America.”
We urged for their help in combating such bigotry which advances hatred and creates the idea that Hindus and people of Indian-origin need special laws and monitoring due to allegations around some inherent propensity to discriminate,” she said.
Source: thewire
