Daijiworld Media Network - New Jersey

New Jersey, Oct 25: Four members of the US Congress have written to Rutgers University expressing concern over an upcoming event titled “Hindutva in America: A Threat to Equality and Religious Pluralism”, scheduled for October 27, 2025.

The lawmakers — Suhas Subramanyam, Rich McCormick, Shri Thanedar, and Sanford Bishop — warned that the event and the report it is based on could unfairly target Hindu students and organisations in the United States. In their letter to Rutgers President William F. Tate IV, they urged the university to support free speech while ensuring Hindu Americans are not singled out or misrepresented.

The letter highlighted that Hinduism is a pluralistic and inclusive faith and emphasized that universities must distinguish between extremist ideologies and the beliefs of ordinary practitioners. It also cited recent vandalism incidents at BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Indiana and the Sri Sri Radha Krishna Temple in Utah, cautioning that the rhetoric of the report could fuel prejudice against Hindu students.

The Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA) thanked the Congress members, calling the report “half-baked” and insensitive, particularly at a time when Hindu Americans face online hate.

Earlier, the Hindu American Foundation (HAF) criticized the report for wrongly linking its organisation to the RSS and for equating Hindutva with fascism. HAF urged Rutgers to remove its official logos from the event and clarify that the university does not endorse the views being presented.

HAF Director Suhag Shukla said, “As we gather with our families for Diwali, many students and community members feel shocked and threatened by a conference that targets Hindu American institutions.”