FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Movement For Black Lives, Jewish Voice for Peace, and Grassroots Asians Rising among 100+ organizations to declare Hindu supremacy a matter of “acute concern” in the US
The declaration expresses that “the Hindu supremacist movement is not only harmful to Indian, South Asian and Muslim Americans, but runs deeply counter to our values of collective liberation.”
Press Contact: David Kalal, Communications Director, Hindus for Human Rights
March 25, 2024 – BREAKING: over 100 civil society groups have signed onto a declaration expressing “acute concern about the alarming rise of Hindu supremacy, also known as Hindutva or Hindu nationalism, in the United States.” The declaration, released on Monday by Savera – an interfaith, multiracial, anti-caste coalition of Indian American and partner civil rights groups – warned that the Hindu supremacist movement “now finds itself in a deepening alliance with various facets of the American far-right,” and pledged to take action to combat its spread in the United States. (The text of the declaration, along with a full list of signatories, can be found below.)
The declaration’s signatories represent the breadth of American civil society, including organizations such as the Movement for Black Lives, Jewish Voice for Peace, the Muslim Public Affairs Council, and the National Lawyers’ Guild. The statement followed Savera’s recent report, titled “The Global VHP’s Trail of Violence,” which comprehensively outlined the deleterious impact of the US-based Hindu supremacist movement, highlighting its deep connections with both the American far-right and violent supremacist actors in India.
“Hindu supremacy has become a key axis of the US far-right and a threat to US democracy,” said Prachi Patankar of India Civil Watch International. “While Hindu supremacy affects our communities most directly, it is a broader threat that portends the danger of a multi-racial far right. This overwhelming show of solidarity points to how we must combat these converging authoritarian threats: together.”
“Ethnonationalism is on the rise worldwide as economic collapse, the climate crisis, and war irreparably destroy communities and displace millions,” said Sophie Ellman-Golan of Jews for Racial and Economic Justice. “We’re all up against a global alliance of supremacist, authoritarian political movements and leaders — from India and Israel, to Russia, Hungary, the United States, and beyond. More than ever, we need to build multiracial, interfaith solidarity powerful enough to fight back. Jews For Racial & Economic Justice is proud to be part of the essential coalition Savera is building.”
“Savera is giving voice to the majority of the Indian diaspora that stands opposed to Hindu supremacy. However, safeguarding our democracy from the far-right is a much broader fight, and it is equally critical that other communities take a stand against Hindu supremacy too,” said Roja Singh, President of Dalit Solidarity Forum in the USA.
Text of the Declaration
We, the undersigned organizations and individuals, express our acute concern about the alarming rise of Hindu supremacy, also known as Hindutva or Hindu nationalism, in the United States. This political ideology, which was first articulated in the early 20th century with direct inspiration from Nazism, Fascism and other ideologies of racial subjugation, now finds itself in a deepening alliance with various facets of the American far-right. Hindu supremacy poses a growing threat to our core values of democracy, pluralism and justice, both in India and here in the United States.
We stand steadfast in solidarity with Savera, a new united front that represents the true Indian-American majority, and that has brought together an interfaith, multiracial, anti-caste coalition of organizations and activists to resist supremacist politics of all kinds.
Hindu supremacist organizations may hide behind a facade of multiculturalism and diversity, but in practice they have worked to break bonds of solidarity between communities and legitimize far-right politics within communities of color—including by attacking civil rights groups; collaborating with far-right demagogues; spreading anti-Muslim disinformation; opposing affirmative action and caste protections for marginalized communities; and working to curb free speech and academic freedom.
The deeply anti-Muslim project of Hindu supremacy began and continues to function as a dominant caste project, and its history is littered with examples of violence against Muslims and other religious minorities, caste-oppressed groups and indigenous peoples. The Hindu supremacist movement is not only harmful to Indian, South Asian and Muslim Americans, but runs deeply counter to our values of collective liberation. It is our shared responsibility to stand in solidarity with those who are bravely opposing supremacist politics and fighting for a true multiracial democracy. Hindu supremacy deeply concerns us all, and we are committed to combating it.
Therefore, together, we pledge:
- To reject all forms of hatred and supremacist politics, including Hindu supremacy; and to educate ourselves about the ideology and global presence of the Hindu supremacist movement, and its intersections with the broader far-right;
- To stand in firm solidarity with the global struggle to dismantle Islamophobia and annihilate caste, and in particular to support movements to combat anti-Muslim hate and ban caste discrimination in the United States;
- To support calls for the United States government to center human rights and democracy in its engagement with the Modi regime; and
- To stand with activists and organizations working to articulate a diverse, inclusive, and liberatory vision of Indian American identity.
List of Signatories:
- 18 Million Rising
- AAPI Equity Alliance
- About Face: Veterans Against the War
- Action Center on Race & the Economy (ACRE)
- Adalah Justice Project
- Afghans for a Better Tomorrow
- Alliance for South Asian Progressives in Pittsburgh (ASAPP)
- Alternatives International
- Ambedkar International Center
- Ambedkar King Study Circle
- American Friends Service Committee
- American Muslim Empowerment Network (AMEN)
- American Muslim Institution, Washington, D.C.
- American Sikh Council
- Americans For Kashmir
- APEX Express
- Arab Resource and Organizing Center (AROC)
- ASATA – The Alliance of South Asians Taking Action
- Asian American Advocacy Fund
- Asian American Midwest Progressives
- Asian Americans Advancing Justice | Chicago
- Asian Children’s Educational Fellowship
- Asian Law Alliance
- Asian Prisoner Support Committee
- Asian Refugees United
- Association of Indian Muslims of America, Washington DC
- Aurora Commons LLC
- Bangladeshi Americans for Political Progress (BAPP)
- Bhim International Foundation USA
- Boston South Asian Coalition
- Boston Study Group
- CAAAV: Organizing Asian Communities
- Canadian Forum for Human Rights and Democracy in India (CFHRDI)
- Center for Pluralism
- CERAS (Centre sur l’asie du sud)
- Chicago Coalition for Human Rights in India
- Coalition of Seattle Indian Americans
- Code Pink: Women for Peace
- Dalit Solidarity Forum in the USA
- Daraja Press
- Design Action Collective
- Detention Watch Network
- Diaspora Alliance
- DRUM – Desis Rising Up & Moving
- Ensaaf
- Faith in Public Life
- Federation of Indian American Christians in North America (FIACONA)
- Federation of Tamil Sangams of North America
- Forces of Renewal Southeast Asia (FORSEA)
- Friends Committee on National Legislation
- Friends of India Texas
- GABRIELA Oakland
- Grassroots Asians Rising
- Grassroots Global Justice Alliance
- Great Truth
- GreenFaith
- Global Project Against Hate and Extremism (GPAHE)
- Highlander Research & Education Center
- Hindus for Human Rights
- Human Agenda
- The Humanism Project
- IfNotNow
- India Civil Watch International
- India Coalition
- Indian American Muslim Council
- The Interfaith Center of New York
- International Commission for Dalit Rights
- International Society for Peace and Justice
- Jewish Voice for Peace
- Jews For Racial & Economic Justice (JFREJ)
- Justice for All
- Kairos Center for Religions, Rights and Social Justice
- Lavender Phoenix
- Lyallpur Forum
- Maynmai
- Movement for Black Lives (M4BL)
- Muslim Civic Coalition
- Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC)
- Muslims for Just Futures
- Muslims for Progressive Values
- Muslim Voices Coalition
- NAACP of San Jose and Silicon Valley
- National Lawyers’ Guild
- New York State Council of Churches
- NGO Federation of Nepal
- NoHindutvaMD
- North American Manipur Tribal Association
- The People’s Forum
- Poetic Justice Foundation
- Political Research Associates
- Progressive Technology Project
- Project ANAR
- Project South
- Race Forward
- Rangoli Pittsburgh
- Religions for Peace USA
- Right To The City Alliance
- SACRED (South Asian American Coalition to Renew Democracy)
- Sadhana: Coalition of Progressive Hindus
- Sakhi for South Asian Women
- San Jose Peace and Justice Center
- Showing up for Racial Justice (SURJ)
- Sikh Council for Interfaith Relations
- South Asian SOAR
- The Subcontinent Project, Northwestern University
- The United Methodist Church General Board of Church and Society
- Twin Cities South Asia Solidarity Collective
- World Without Genocide
- Xicanx Institute for Teaching and Organizing
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For further comments, interview requests, or to obtain additional information, please contact: David Kalal,