Congressman Sanford Bishop (D-Ga.) condemned bigotry and praised his home state for leading national efforts to combat anti-Hindu sentiment as he addressed the community at a recent event celebrating the growing political and civic influence of the Indian American diaspora.
“We must stand against Hinduphobia,” Congressman Bishop said. “My state of Georgia became the first US state to pass a resolution condemning anti-Hindu hate.”
The resolution referred to here was passed by the Georgia General Assembly after it was promoted by the Atlanta chapter of the Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA). The measure officially defined Hinduphobia as “a set of antagonistic, destructive, and derogatory attitudes and behaviors towards Sanatana Dharma (Hinduism) and Hindus.”
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The resolution targets documented instances of hate crimes and the institutionalized bias faced by Hindu Americans, especially in academic and digital spaces.
Congressman Bishop said in his address that the fight against Hinduphobia goes hand-in-hand with recognizing the immense value the diaspora brings to the United States. The resolution explicitly details the community’s impact across critical sectors including medicine, engineering, information technology, hospitality, and finance. It also credits Hindu traditions, such as yoga, ayurveda, meditation, and the arts.
Following the resolution, Governor Brian Kemp officially proclaimed October as Hindu Heritage Month. State lawmakers have also reportedly introduced bipartisan legislation, such as Senate Bill 375, to formally account for anti-Hindu bias within state penal codes.
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This comes during a time of rising tensions over visas, immigration, and racism. Recently, the Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA) — the same organization that pushed the resolution in Georgia — partnered with the San Jose Police Department (SJPD) and the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office hosts a community safety event called “Suraksha” in San Jose, California. The event focused on educating the Hindu community about hate crime reporting, public safety and law enforcement resources amid concerns about rising Hinduphobia.
Organizers said the event was created to strengthen communication between law enforcement agencies and the Hindu community. The program addressed issues such as hate crimes, hate-motivated incidents, victim support and community safety awareness. Officials emphasized the importance of reporting incidents, even when they appear minor. This reportedly took place following several reported attacks on Hindu temples in California.
“Suraksha,” a Sanskrit word meaning “protection,” is CoHNA’s ongoing community outreach initiative. Similar events have been held in New York City, Toronto, Calgary and other North American cities.