The Hindu American Foundation (HAF), a leading international advocacy organisation, has formally urged California's State of Hate Commission to acknowledge a documented rise in anti-Hindu hate incidents and ensure that Hindu Americans are not excluded from statewide anti-hate initiatives. The call came through both a public social media post and formal written comments submitted to the Commission on 9 June.

What HAF Submitted to the Commission

In its formal comments to the California State of Hate Commission, the HAF cited data from the state's own Civil Rights Department, pointing to figures from the CA vs Hate hotline showing that anti-Hindu incidents constituted the second most frequent form of religiously motivated hate in California, accounting for 23 per cent of all reported religious bias cases.

'These are not abstract statistics. Our houses of worship — spaces meant for peace and community sanctuary — have faced a systematic pattern of intimidation, desecration, and infrastructure sabotage, often times at the hands of others from the broader South Asian community,' the organisation stated in its submission.

Rise in Digital Racism and Online Hate

Beyond physical incidents, the HAF flagged what it described as an 'alarming and deeply concerning rise' in digital racism and xenophobia targeting both Hindu American and Indian American communities across the United States. The organisation attributed this trend to coordinated online disinformation campaigns and political scapegoating linked to immigration discourse.

'Fuelled by coordinated online disinformation campaigns and political scapegoating regarding immigration, the United States has increasingly become an epicentre for anti-Indian and anti-Hindu hate speech,' the HAF stated. The group further warned that hateful narratives — including ethnic slurs, occupational scapegoating, and overt bigotry against Hindu practices — regularly spill over from online spaces into physical communities.

HAF's Public Appeal on X

On Wednesday, 17 June, the HAF posted on social media platform X, calling on Xavier Becerra and Steve Hilton to ensure Hindu Americans are not overlooked in statewide anti-hate efforts. 'Religious freedom means protecting all communities — including Hindus,' the post read.

Key Demands and What HAF Is Asking For

The HAF called on the Commission and the Civil Rights Department to publicly recognise and condemn the systemic nature of anti-Hindu bias and to prioritise the safety and inclusion of Hindu Californians in all anti-hate frameworks. HAF Managing Director Samir Kalra stated: 'Hindu Americans are an integral, vibrant part of the California tapestry. However, 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 to prioritise the protection, safety, and inclusion of the Hindu American community in statewide anti-hate initiatives.'

The Commission has yet to publicly respond to the HAF's submission. How California's hate-crime framework formally categorises and addresses anti-Hindu bias going forward will be closely watched by advocacy groups and the broader Hindu American community.