By Toi World Desk
The controversy over an academic event at Rutgers University has turned into a flashpoint for America’s Hindu community — and triggered an unusual bipartisan intervention from Capitol Hill.
The Story
Four members of the US Congress — Democrats Suhas Subramanyam, Shri Thanedar, Sanford Bishop, and Republican Dr. Rich McCormick — have written to Rutgers University expressing concern over an upcoming event titled “Hindutva in America: A Threat to Equality and Religious Pluralism.”Their letter warns that the event, hosted by Rutgers’ Center for Security, Race and Rights (CSRR), could stigmatise Hindu students by conflating Hinduism, a religion, with “Hindutva,” a political ideology.The issue has become a rallying point for Hindu-American advocacy groups, who say it reflects a broader pattern of bias and misunderstanding in US academia.
What the lawmakers’ letter says
In their bipartisan letter to Rutgers president William F. Tate IV, the four Congressmen said universities must “distinguish between extremist ideologies and the beliefs of ordinary practitioners.”They urged Rutgers to ensure that “students of any faith feel safe to express their identity,” warning that events like this could make Hindu students “feel targeted or unsafe.”
The lawmakers stopped short of calling for the event’s cancellation but asked Rutgers to “disassociate its institutional branding” from the conference to send a message of neutrality.Their intervention follows a campaign by Hindu-American organisations that say the event’s framing is prejudiced and could fuel hostility against Hindu students.
This story was originally published in timesofindia.indiatimes.com. Read the full story here.
