New Delhi: The Hindu American Foundation (HAF) has urged California’s Commission on the State of Hate to formally recognise and address what it describes as a growing wave of anti-Hindu bias, vandalism and violence targeting Hindu Americans across the state.
In comments submitted to the California Civil Rights Department and the Commission on June 9, the organisation called for stronger reporting mechanisms, improved hate-crime data collection, enhanced security for religious institutions and greater public acknowledgement of anti-Hindu discrimination.
“Hindu Americans are an integral, vibrant part of the California tapestry,” said Samir Kalra, HAF’s Managing Director of Policy and Programs. “Freedom of religion and the right to practice without fear of violence are foundational. We respectfully urge this Commission to formally recognise this dangerous spike in anti-Hindu bias and prioritise the protection, safety and inclusion of the Hindu American community.”
The Commission on the State of Hate was established to advise California authorities on trends in hate crimes and discrimination and recommend policy measures.
HAF cited data from California’s CA vs Hate reporting system, which found that anti-Hindu incidents accounted for 23 per cent of reported cases involving religious bias, making them the second most frequently reported category of religious hate in the state.
The organisation pointed to several incidents involving Hindu temples, including vandalism at the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Chino Hills and another BAPS temple in the Sacramento area. Additional cases of anti-Hindu graffiti were reported at temples in Newark and Hayward.
Beyond attacks on places of worship, HAF highlighted cases involving individuals, including alleged assaults on elderly Hindu women in Santa Clara County and an incident in Fremont where a Hindu man was reportedly attacked while anti-Hindu slurs were used.
A major focus of the submission was the rise of anti-Hindu and anti-Indian rhetoric online. HAF cited research suggesting that digital hate campaigns and xenophobic narratives have contributed to the spread of harmful stereotypes, increasing the risk of real-world harassment and violence.
The foundation has called on California authorities to expand multilingual outreach, improve data transparency, provide greater security support to temples and community centres, and publicly condemn anti-Hindu bias as part of broader efforts to combat hate and protect civil rights.
