Indian-American lawmakers write letter to DOJ over hate crimes against Hindus in US
Led by Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, members of the Samosa Caucus wrote a letter to the Department of Justice seeking clarification about its strategy on hate crimes against Hindus. In the letter dated March 29, the Indian-American lawmakers urged the department to provide a briefing by Thursday, April 18. The signatories of the letter include members of the Congress- Ro Khanna, Parmila Jayapal, Ami Bera, M.D., and Shri Thanedar.
Indian-American Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi and other members of the Samosa Caucus write a letter to the DOJ seeking clarification about its strategy on hate crimes against Hindus in the US
Indian-American lawmakers demand briefing from DOJ over hate crimes against Hindus in US
The letter addressed to Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke highlights the “alarming increase in incidents of vandalism at houses of worship across the country, including at Hindu mandirs (“temples”).”
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The letter continues, “We, the undersigned Members of Congress of South Asian descent, write to request a briefing from the Department of Justice on the status of investigations concerning these crimes to better understand existing law enforcement coordination between local agencies, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Civil Rights Division.”
It goes on to highlight that “attacks at mandirs from New York to California have contributed to increased collective anxiety among Hindu Americans.” “Leaders from these impacted communities have expressed there are unfortunately “no leads” on suspects, leaving many to continue to live in fear and intimidation,” the letter continues.
“Our communities remain concerned about law enforcement coordination regarding these bias-motivated crimes, and they are left wondering if there is appropriate federal oversight to ensure equal protection under the law,” it adds.
The letter further adds, “The number of incidents and the closeness of the timing of incidents raise troubling questions about linkages and the intent behind them. It takes relatively few coordinated acts of hate to create fear nationally within a community that has often been marginalized or neglected, and we must work collaboratively to combat hate against all religious, ethnic, racial, and cultural minorities in America.”
“We therefore request that you provide us with an understanding of what the Department’s strategy is specifically concerning hate crimes targeting Hindus in the United States. Given the urgency of the situation, we ask that you provide us with a briefing no later than Thursday, April 18th,” it concludes.
