Anti-Hindu Event at Rutgers Sparks Outrage

Poonam Sharma 
A controversial event at Rutgers University entitled “Hindutva in America: A Threat to Equality and Religious Pluralism” has ignited a nationwide backlash that cut across Hindu organizations, students, and several members of the U.S. Congress. An event that was touted as an academic discussion has now been criticized for facilitating anti-Hindu sentiment behind a veneer of intellectual inquiry.

False Claims and Anti-Hindu Rhetoric

The panel discussion reportedly made sweeping and unverified claims about Hinduism and its followers in the United States. The panelists have been accused of spreading misinformation and perpetuating stereotypes against the Hindu communities while excluding any practicing Hindu scholarly voices or community representatives.

The speakers then went on to allegedly compare the Hindu Swastika, an ancient and sacred symbol for peace and prosperity, with the Nazi Hakenkreuz, representative of hate and genocide. According to numerous observers, this false equivalence has shown deep insensitivity to Hindu faith and culture.

Adding to the outrage, the panelists reportedly went on to deny the existence of Hinduphobia, despite several documented incidents of hate crimes and vandalism targeting Hindu temples in the U.S. In recent months alone, at least seven temples across the country have been vandalized, but such realities were completely ignored by the event organizers.

The speakers further stated that a number of Hindu organizations in the U.S. receive undisclosed payments from the BJP-led Indian government, insinuating they act as “agents of India.” These unsubstantiated allegations have further angered the Hindu diaspora, who view such remarks as attempts to stigmatize an entire community.

Student Protest and Intimidation

While the event unfolded on campus, a small group of Hindu students gathered outside the venue for a peaceful silent protest. Their protest meant to assert dignity and voice dissent was met with hostility from a supporter of the panelists, who allegedly attempted to dox or publicize the identities of protesting students.

Several participants reacted with fear for their safety and privacy in light of the confrontation. They reiterated that even bringing a Hindu perspective into the academic sphere increasingly seems to be very unsafe. As one student noted, “We only stood silently with placards asking for respect for our faith, yet we were treated as extremists. It’s ironic that an event claiming to support pluralism tried to silence us.”

The incident has brought into light a growing concern among Hindu students in American universities, who say they often feel marginalized in discussions involving their faith and identity.

Congressional Response and Official Concern

The controversy soon caught the attention of the U.S. Congress. Four lawmakers representing both major parties – Rep. Suhas Subramanyam, VA-10; Rep. Rich McCormick, GA-7; Rep. Shri Thanedar, MI-13; and Rep. Sanford Bishop Jr., GA-2 – have sent a joint letter to the administration at Rutgers University over the event.

The letter cautioned that event content might “fuel further prejudice” and risk the safety of Hindu students on campus. The lawmakers reminded the university to meet the basic principles of upholding academic integrity, inclusivity, and the physical and emotional well-being of all students, irrespective of their background.

Their joint intervention represents a rare bipartisan show of support for the Hindu-American community, with increasing recognition in higher echelons of U.S. governance of concerns around rising Hinduphobia.

Community Reaction and Calls for Accountability

The Coalition of Hindus of North America, one of the most active Hindu advocacy organizations in the U.S., came out strongly against the Rutgers event. CoHNA, in a detailed statement, accused the university of allowing an “academically dishonest and biased event” that demonized Hinduism while excluding Hindu voices.

The CoHNA repeated its support for free speech and open dialogue but made it clear that such institutions have equal responsibility to balance “intellectual balance, responsibility, and viewpoint diversity.” They also warned that in allowing the spread of hate or misinformation, an institution can create hostile environments for minority students attending the same institution.

According to CoHNA, the Rutgers administration disregarded more than 10,000 emails from students, parents, and community members calling for the university to rescind its invitation to host the event. Furthermore, CoHNA volunteers sent 4,000 e-mails to lawmakers and made over 120 calls to New Jersey officials in an attempt to try to block or reshape the panel discussion to be more inclusive-but to no avail.

“It is very disappointing that Rutgers chose to ignore valid concerns of the Hindu community,” CoHNA said in the statement. “This event is a symptom of a deeper problem in academia, wherein Hindu perspectives are systematically excluded and maligned.”

A Pattern of Selective Activism

Analysts further note that the Rutgers controversy fits into a troubling pattern across many Western universities of framing discussions about Hinduism or Indian politics in colonial or partisan perspectives. Panels on “Hindutva,” “caste,” or “minority rights in India” often exclude Hindu voices and promote narratives of guilt and oppression detached from cultural or historical accuracy.

To many Hindu Americans, this was not an isolated academic discussion but a mirror of systemic bias against their faith in elite educational spaces. The lack of accountability has only exacerbated this alienation among Hindu students.

Conclusion:

A Wake-up Call for Academic Fairness It has become a rallying point through which the Hindu diaspora has collectively voiced its demands for fairness, inclusion, and respect within academic spaces. The protests, letters, and community mobilization make quite emphatically clear that Hindus will no longer be silent spectators when their faith and identity are misrepresented. As American universities continue to host discussions about global religions and cultures, the Rutgers controversy is a reminder that pluralism cannot exist without fairness—and that academic freedom loses its meaning when one community is consistently demonized.