Four members of Congress warn that the upcoming event may unfairly target Hindu students and misrepresent the community
Four US lawmakers have written to Rutgers University expressing concern over an upcoming campus event titled “Hindutva in America: A Threat to Equality and Religious Pluralism,” saying it could misrepresent Hinduism and create a hostile environment for Hindu students, reported gujaratsamachar.com.
The letter—signed by Suhas Subramanyam, Shri Thanedar, Rich McCormick, and Sanford Bishop—acknowledged the importance of addressing prejudice but questioned the framing of the October 27, 2025, event. “We are committed to combating hateful forces and promoting freedom of speech,” the lawmakers wrote, “but we are concerned that the report and upcoming event misrepresent a diverse and peaceful religious community.”
In their letter to the university president, the lawmakers said the event and its supporting report risk conflating a peaceful religious community with extremist ideologies, potentially fuelling discrimination against Hindu Americans
The lawmakers highlighted that the report behind the event references specific US-based Hindu organisations, suggesting they align with “foreign political agendas.” The letter cautioned against such generalisations, stating, “We share your concern about nationalist discourse in America, but are concerned about the implications of conflating religious-based organisations with nationalist groups.”
The letter comes amid a rise in hate incidents targeting Hindu temples in the US, including vandalism at the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Indiana and the Sri Sri Radha Krishna Temple in Utah. The lawmakers noted that in this climate, the event’s rhetoric could heighten prejudice and make Hindu students “feel unfairly targeted or unsafe.”
“Hinduism, like many religions, is rooted in pluralism and inclusivity,” the letter stated. “It is vital that academic institutions present fact-based discussions that distinguish extremist ideologies from the beliefs of individuals and missions of religious organisations.”
Following the letter, the Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA) thanked the lawmakers for defending Hindu students, saying, “They spoke up for students who may feel unfairly targeted when powerful professors sponsor one-sided, biased events that paint their faith as extremist.”
