Four members of the US Congress have written to Rutgers University expressing concerns about an upcoming event by the Rutgers Centre, titled “Hindutva in America: A Threat to Equality and Religious Pluralism”.The event, scheduled for October 27, 2025, is based on a report that labels Hindutva as an “ethnonationalist threat” to equality and religious pluralism.
The lawmakers, representatives Suhas Subramanyam, Rich McCormick, Shri Thanedar, and Sanford Bishop warned that the event and the report could unfairly target Hindu students and organisations in the United States.
Bipartisan letter asks uni to distance from controversial event
On Friday, the Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA) thanked the members of Congress for their support, pointing out how insensitive it is to use “half baked” reports to target a community that is already facing online hate in recent days. In their letter to Rutgers President William F. Tate IV, the lawmakers wrote: “We are concerned that the report and upcoming event misrepresent a diverse and peaceful religious community and will have impacts on Hindus on college campuses and around the country. This report suggests that certain US-based Hindu organisations are aligned with foreign political agendas or seek to suppress opposing voices. We are concerned about the implications of conflating religious-based organisations with nationalist groups.”
The letter added that Hinduism is a “pluralistic and inclusive faith” and that “universities should clearly distinguish between extremist ideologies and the beliefs of ordinary practitioners.”
The Congressmen in their letter mentioned that the report comes at a time when Hindu Americans, like other minority communities, are facing threats and violence in the country. “This year alone, Hindu temples such as the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Indiana and the Sri Sri Radha Krishna Temple in Utah have been vandalized,” the letter stated. “In this climate, we are concerned that the rhetoric of the report may fuel further prejudice, particularly impacting Hindu students on college campuses who may feel unfairly targeted or unsafe.”
The letter urged the university to ensure that its event supports freedom of speech and expression, but does not single out or target Hindu American individuals or organizations. “Instead, universities should celebrate diverse perspectives and foster a welcoming learning environment for students of all backgrounds,” the lawmakers said.
BREAKING: In a bipartisan show of support, FOUR Members of Congress have sent a letter to @RutgersU, raising concerns about the upcoming event “Hindutva in America: A Threat to Equality and Religious Pluralism, hosted by @RUCSRR.
— CoHNA (Coalition of Hindus of North America) (@CoHNAOfficial) October 24, 2025
Our sincere thanks to @RepSuhas,… pic.twitter.com/1stCwt4avj
The letter from the Congressmen comes after the Rutgers report behind the upcoming event had earlier described Hindutva as a “political ideology and not the same as Hinduism.” In the US, the report says, some supporters of Hindutva try to silence Indian Americans who disagree with them, influence policies in favour of India’s Hindu nationalist parties, and control how South Asia’s diverse history is taught. The letter to Rutgers stressed, “Hindutva is not Hinduism. While Hinduism adds to America’s diversity, Hindu nationalism spreads ideas that go against these values and can lead to discrimination, especially against non-Hindu South Asians.”
Community concerns and safety Issues
Earlier, the Hindu American Foundation (HAF) spoke out against the event, calling the report baseless. HAF said it wrongly connects their organisation to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and unfairly compares Hindutva to fascism or white supremacy. The foundation asked Rutgers to remove its official logos from the event and clarify that the university does not endorse the views being presented.
HAF Director Suhag Shukla said, “As we gather with our families for Diwali, we are hearing from many students and community members who feel shocked and threatened by a conference that targets Hindu American institutions, including HAF.”
