The US Justice Department reiterated its commitment to increasing outreaches with Hindu Americans in view of the increased concerns being voiced around Hinduphobia and hate crimes against the community.
Raja Krishnamoorthi, an Indian American congressman, said that during a recent meeting, the Department of Justice assured them that, in respect of this, the 'Samosa Caucus,' comprising himself and fellow congressmen Ami Bera, Ro Khanna, Pramila Jayapal, and Shri Thanedar, were satisfied. The group of politicians met over the vandalization incidents waged against temples across the US.
Krishnamoorthi said that the meeting was a significant starting point, which he states as "Last week's meeting was an important starting point for addressing the threats posed by Hinduphobia as the rate of hate crimes across the nation grows and as American Hindus and their places of worship face harassment, vandalism, and even grave dangers".
He further added that despite the promise he had received from the Department of Justice for extension of engagement with the Hindu American community, such hiccups at such a time stressed the importance of continuous efforts in ensuring that Hindus and all other American communities were protected against such hate crimes.
In January, the Sherawali Temple in Hayward, California, got vandalized. A month later, it was the Swaminarayan Temple in Newark, New Jersey. Both incidents had anti-India graffiti and pro-Khalistan slogans on the California temple.
The parliamentarians also referred to misinformation or fake news being spread on social media targeting the Hindus: "We have seen a worrying surge in cases of vandalism at houses of worship of all denominations across the country, including at Hindu Mandirs."
Last month, the five South Asian-origin lawmakers wrote to the US Department of Justice seeking a briefing on the status of the probe, including answers on how law enforcement is coordinating among local agencies, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Civil Rights Division.
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