Hate crimes against Hindus: Lawmakers seek briefing
FIVE Indian American lawmakers have called on the US department of justice (DoJ) and the FBI for a briefing regarding a surge in ‘hate crimes targeting Hindus' and vandalism of temples across the country this year.
In a letter addressed to Kristen Clarke of the DoJ's civil rights division, the lawmakers expressed concern about the attacks, noting that ‘attacks at mandirs from New York to California have contributed to increased collective anxiety among Hindu Americans.'
There are five Indian-American lawmakers in the current House of
Representatives, and all of them have come together on an issue on a rare occasion. The lawmakers are Raja Krishnamoorthi, Ro Khanna, Shri Thanedar, Pramila Jayapal, and Ami Bera.
They pointed out there have been a lack of leads on suspects and urged for federal oversight to ensure equal protection under the law.
‘Leaders from these impacted communities have expressed there are unfortunately ‘no leads' on suspects, leaving many to continue to live in fear and intimidation. Our communities remain concerned about law enforcement coordination regarding these bias-motivated crimes, and they are left wondering if there is appropriate federal oversight to ensure equal protection under the law,' the letter stated.
Noting that they have observed an alarming increase in incidents of vandalism in houses of worship across the country, including at
Hindu temples, the elected representatives requested a briefing on the status of investigations concerning these crimes to better understand existing law enforcement coordination between local agencies, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the civil rights division.
‘It takes relatively few coordinated acts of hate to create fear within a community that has often been marginalized or neglected, and we must work collaboratively to combat hate against all religious, ethnic, racial, and cultural minorities in America. We, therefore, request that you provide us with an understanding of what the department's strategy is specifically concerning hate crimes targeting Hindus in the United States,' the lawmakers wrote.