Washington: In the wake of increasing attacks on the Hindu Temples in the country, US lawmakers led by Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi have Today written a letter to the US Department of Justice on the status of investigations into the recent vandalism at houses of worship across the US.
Members of Congress of South Asian descent, including Shri Thanedar, Ro Khanna, Pramila Jayapal, and Ami Bera, wrote a letter pointing out that the attacks on the temples have made Hindu Americans feel more anxious as a group.
As per the letter, there has been a concerning rise in vandalism occurrences at places of worship around the nation, particularly Hindu temples. To better understand the current state of law enforcement cooperation between local agencies, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Civil Rights Division, members of Congress of South Asian descent wrote to the Department of Justice requesting a briefing on the status of investigations regarding these crimes.
The letter further mentioned how attacks on temples spanning from New York to California had made Hindu Americans feel more anxious. Leaders in these affected villages have stated that many people live in terror and intimidation because there are, regrettably, no leads on suspects. The Congressmen also voiced their worries about the cooperation between law enforcement in addressing these crimes driven by bigotry.
In this letter, Congressmen expressed their communities’ continued concerns about law enforcement cooperation about these crimes driven by bias and their uncertainty about whether adequate federal monitoring exists to guarantee equal protection under the law.
The letter also raised alarming concerns regarding connections and the motivations behind the incidents by mentioning the number of incidents and how closely they were spaced in time. In a community that has frequently been ignored or marginalized, it only takes a few well-planned acts of hatred to instil fear on a national scale. To combat hate crimes against all racial, ethnic, religious, and cultural minorities in America, they must cooperate.
The letter stated that it is necessary to comprehend the department’s specific strategy for hate crimes committed against Hindus in the United States. Congressmen requested a briefing to be provided by Thursday, April 18, due to the urgency of the issue. On his official website, Raja Krishnamoorthi provided information regarding the development and the letter’s specifics.
The US Representatives Ro Khanna (CA-17), Shri Thanedar (MI-13), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), and Ami Bera (CA-06), along with Raja Krishnamoorthi, led a letter on Friday asking for an update from the Department of Justice regarding the investigations into recent vandalism at houses of worship across the nation, attacks on Mandirs, and the department’s larger plan against hate crimes targeting Hindus in the US.
The US Congressmen’s letter, which the Hindu American Foundation posted, said that numerous attacks included Khalistani slogans and themes intended to intimidate and terrify the Hindu American community. The Congressmen’s letter further stated that the lack of action is concerning and highlights the urgency of this briefing. They discussed this on X as well.
To address the underlying cause of these attacks, the Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA) commended the congressmen for bringing up the matter and requested a national dialogue on Hinduphobia and anti-Hindu hate. Graffiti supporting Khalistani was found on a Hindu temple located in the US state of California. This event occurred a few weeks after anti-Indian graffiti was written at California’s Swaminarayan Mandir.
In a social media post on Friday, the Hindu American Foundation (HAF) provided details regarding the vandalism of California’s Sherawali Temple. The HAF also posted a photo of the vandalism. In California, on December 23 of last year, pro-Khalistani slogans were sprayed on a Hindu temple. Pictures displayed vile phrases written on the temple wall against PM Narendra Modi and India.
