The Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA) brought together over 100 Hindu delegates from 17 states to address growing concerns about safety and religious discrimination during their 4th Annual Hindu Day of Advocacy in Washington D.C. The event highlighted the increasing challenges faced by Hindu Americans, including temple attacks, campus bullying, and systemic bias against the community.
The event saw bi-partisan support from lawmakers who condemned attacks on Hindu places of worship, and testimonies from community members about the persecution of Hindus in Bangladesh, and of Hindu-American students on American campuses. The event drew attention to six temple attacks in the past 18 months, with little public outcry or legal action.
The delegates also walked around Capitol Hill, visiting close to 150 Congress members to raise awareness. Lawmakers like Representatives Sanford Bishop and Shri Thanedar emphasized the importance of protecting religious freedom and standing against hate.
The event also included a presentation of research by Dr. Lee Jussim of Rutgers University, whose findings revealed that exposure to caste discrimination narratives in the workplace and academia results in bias against Hindus. Hindu students from Rutgers University and UC Berkeley also shared the hostilities they face on campus for wanting to start Hindu clubs, celebrating Hindu festivals and traditions, and holding peaceful vigils mourning Hindu victims of violence in Bangladesh, and Kashmir.