Hindus For Human Rights (HFHR), a US-based peace organisation of eminent Hindu-American citizens, mostly of Indian origin, has urged their fellow citizens to stay inclusive citing how the the world’s two largest democracies are going through unprecedented challenges in these times. HFHR said that it is absolutely vital that those who care for democracy, keep themselves informed about where our two countries are headed.
Co-founder Raju Rajagopal put up a detailed video, ahead of the US elections, to educate other Indian origin Americans on how right-wing ideologies threaten harmony. “The world must recognize and acknowledge facism before it is too late,” the presentation begins with a timely warning. Rajagopal goes on to give Indian-Americans, many of whom openly attend fan-fests for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and are big donors to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) even though they do not vote for him in India. The same groups also support Donald Trump and draw parallels between the two politicians.
Rajagopal’s presentation gives a refresher course in the history of common ideologies practiced by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh’s (RSS) idea of ‘nationalism’ and that of similar regimes in Europe. Quoting VD Savarkar’s words that drew parallels of Hindu Nationalism and America’s ‘White Nationalism’. The difference says the organisation is “that while White nationalists have been associated with violence here, Hindu nationalists from the U.S. fund and/or cheer on their compatriots in India who are indulging in large-scale violence.”
He speaks about the Hindu Nationalism and Trump Nationalism that was strengthened in the 2019 Modi-Trump gala and warns that there are candidates in the current US elections who have been backed by Hindutva outfits. “It is particularly important at this juncture that Americans, including our lawmakers, get a sense of how dire the ground situation in India is, especially for the minorities, as compared to where we are,” he states in an opening note.
Hindus for Human Rights (HfHR) is a U.S.-based advocacy organisation that works on issues of multi-religious pluralism in the United States. They state their vision as “lokasangraha (universal common good)” and state they support an egalitarian and inclusive Hinduism and prioritise dialogue as a means of understanding and community-building, and advocacy. “We educate elected officials and people’s movements in the U.S. about the situation in India, as well as adding a Hindu voice of resistance to human rights violations occurring across the globe,” it states.
The latest 45-minute video methodically reviews the recent socio-political developments in India “through the prism of fascism in Europe. It concludes that the Modi/Shah government scores 100% on all early signs of fascism, as enumerated by Lawrence Britt and as seen at the Holocaust Museum in Washington D.C.”
The advocacy organisation has also talked about the Citizenship Amendment Act, and how it is being showcased incorrectly to US lawmakers. The video tutorial has appealed “to all Americans to call on their lawmakers in D.C. to reject Hindu nationalist politics in this country, just as we would urge them to reject White nationalism.” It has appealed to the Democratic Party “not to provide a home for Indian-American or other lawmakers who are being supported by Hindu nationalists from the U.S. or from India.”
The Video may be viewed here:
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