Everything About Hinduphobia

What is HinduPhobia?

A Hinduphobic attitude or behavior is an antagonistic and derogatory attitude or behavior toward Sanatana Dharma and Hindus and is manifested as prejudice, fear, or hatred towards them. The Hinduphobic rhetoric slants the entire system of Sanatana Dharma into a rigid, oppressive, and regressive tradition. Hindus are disproportionately portrayed as violent in this discourse, which actively erases and denies their persecution. 

From microaggressions to genocide, Hinduphobia has a wide spectrum of manifestations. In addition to the destruction and desecration of Hindu sacred spaces, Hinduphobic projects often involve forced proselytization, targeted violence, ethnic cleansing, and genocide against Hindu people and their community institutions. In his definition, Jeffrey D. Long states that Hinduphobia, or a dislike of Hinduism, is irrational. The University of San Francisco Professor of Media Studies, Vamsee Juluri, takes a similar view.

Hinduphobia Today: How Does it Manifest Itself?

Hinduphobia manifests in a variety of ways. Hindu traditions are viewed negatively by adherents of other religions, and some seek to convert Hindus, often by making accusations, such as that Hindu deities are demonic, that meditation will cause one to become demonically possessed, or that all Hindus are doomed to hell. Harassment can result from this. Furthermore, there are violent political movements whose opponents hate Hinduism and Hindus. Many incidents of such violence have been witnessed in Indian history, for example, the persecution of Hindus in Bangladesh or the fate of Kashmiri Pandits.

As a matter of concern, India has voiced concerns about the rise of anti-Hindu, anti-Buddhist, and anti-Sikh sentiments at the United Nations. For this reason, India called on the UN and other member states to address this threat urgently.

India Raised the Issue of Hinduphobia at the UN:

In his address at the International Counter-Terrorism Conference 2022 on Wednesday night, India's Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador TS Tirumurti, asserted that only by acknowledging "religiophobia" can the topic be discussed in a balanced manner. Some of these have been highlighted over the years by the UN, namely those centered around the three Abrahamic religions - Islam, Christianity, and Judaism. The Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy mentions each of these three as well. Similarly, Trimurti noted that we must also acknowledge and address new phobias, hatreds, and biases against other major religions.

In the current environment, the rise of current forms of religiophobia, such as anti-Hindu, anti-Buddhist, and anti-Sikh sentiments are serious threats that demand the attention of the United Nations and all member states. Several UN members have been attempting to categorize terrorism according to its religious roots due to their political, religious, and other motivations. According to him, it could racially motivate violent extremism which would bring the world back to the days of 9/11, when they were called "your terrorists" and "my terrorists". Speaking against Hindu hatred at the UN, Tirumurti noted that his comments do not represent those of the CTC chairman, but rather as the Indian ambassador.

As a matter of concern, India has voiced concerns about the rise of anti-Hindu, anti-Buddhist, and anti-Sikh sentiments at the United Nations. For this reason, India called on the UN and other member states to address this threat urgently. In his address at the International Counter-Terrorism Conference 2022 on Wednesday night, India's Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador TS Tirumurti, asserted that only by acknowledging "religiophobia" can the topic be discussed in a balanced manner.

Some of these have been highlighted over the years by the UN, namely those centered around the three Abrahamic religions - Islam, Christianity, and Judaism. The Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy mentions each of these three as well. Similarly, Trimurti noted that we must also acknowledge and address new phobias, hatreds, and biases against other major religions. In the current environment, the rise of current forms of religiophobia, such as anti-Hindu, anti-Buddhist, and anti-Sikh sentiments are serious threats that demand the attention of the United Nations and all member states.

Several UN members have been attempting to categorize terrorism according to its religious roots due to their political, religious, and other motivations. According to him, it could racially motivate violent extremism which would bring the world back to the days of 9/11, when they were called "your terrorists" and "my terrorists". Speaking against Hindu hatred at the UN, Tirumurti noted that his comments do not represent those of the CTC chairman, but rather as the Indian ambassador.

Examples of Hinduphobia:

• Forcible conversion and kidnapping of Hindu women and children.
• On the basis of its inherent irredeemability, Hinduism is to be destroyed and dissolved. Invoking violent, oppressive political agendas to accuse those who organize around or speak out against Hinduphobia (including the persecution of Hindus).
• Exaggerating and distorting their historical and contemporary positions in Hindu life by caricaturing Hindu scriptures, including their unrepresentative curation and misinterpretation/mistranslation. Caricatures like these are falsely presented as representing Sanatana Dharma as a whole.
• Specifically, the erasure of the Hindu civilizational imprint, including the denial of Hindu contribution to specific histories, knowledge systems, geographical areas, and culture, as well as imposing the norms of Western civilization.