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Hate crimes against Hindus are increasing by the world over and all news about this Anti Hindu sentiment is suppressed.
A thread to discuss the same.
A thread to discuss the same.
Hinduphobia watch (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter why so serious?
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This film "Kaala" has been endorsed by the BritShits as one of the best 25 films in 21st centuray.
Rajinikanth’s Kaala listed among 25 Films of the Century by British Film Institute’s Sight and Sound magazine
Pa Ranjith's Tamil film earns a prestigious spot among cinematic greats including Old Boy and Artificial Intelligence.
indianexpress.com
Britshits awarding & immortalizing anti Hindu propaganda while providing a frame work as to how future films should look like for being considered "great".
It is difficult to fight against such entrenched system.
Counter viewpoints are not even considered.
@Suryavanshi @haldilal
If possible, please rename thread as "Hinduphobia Watch - Local & Global Tracking"
- Joined
- Jul 1, 2024
- Messages
- 1,719
- Likes
- 13,861
This film "Kaala" has been endorsed by the BritShits as one of the best 25 films in 21st centuray.
Rajinikanth’s Kaala listed among 25 Films of the Century by British Film Institute’s Sight and Sound magazine
Pa Ranjith's Tamil film earns a prestigious spot among cinematic greats including Old Boy and Artificial Intelligence.
View attachment 8054
View attachment 8055
Britshits awarding & immortalizing anti Hindu propaganda while providing a frame work as to how future films should look like for being considered "great".
It is difficult to fight against such entrenched system.
Counter viewpoints are not even considered.
@Suryavanshi @haldilal
If possible, please rename thread as "Hinduphobia Watch - Local & Global Tracking"
Hello Admins, @haldilal @Suryavanshi, Is it possible to merge this thread with below ones,
Om Shanti 
NOTE from Admins:
Since Muslims in general have a habit of whitewashing their past activities and totally denying the crimes they committed, this thread will be used as an archive to store the most heinous activities done by Muslims on Hindus.
In the future, we Hindus must extract revenge on the Subcontinental Muslims for this.
And this thread will be locked as we want no chit chat or unnecessary posts. This thread must be so intense that it radicalizes even the most Liberal Hindu regarding the desert, death cult that is Islam.
NOTE from Admins:
Since Muslims in general have a habit of whitewashing their past activities and totally denying the crimes they committed, this thread will be used as an archive to store the most heinous activities done by Muslims on Hindus.
In the future, we Hindus must extract revenge on the Subcontinental Muslims for this.
And this thread will be locked as we want no chit chat or unnecessary posts. This thread must be so intense that it radicalizes even the most Liberal Hindu regarding the desert, death cult that is Islam.
**
HfHR asks London's Mayor to 'cut off all ties' with Hindu institutions in UK that helped organise Diwali event
The anti-Hindu organisation HfHR, which has a history of siding with anti-India elements and terrorist organisations, was miffed since these Hindu institutions had participated in organising the Diwali festival at London's Trafalgar Square on October 27. | OpIndia News
www.opindia.com
Anti-Hindu ‘Hindus For Human Rights’, with ties to Islamists, calls on London’s Mayor to ‘cut off all ties’ with Hindu institutions that helped organise Diwali event
HfHR claimed that these Hindu groups "perform a whitewashing or supportive function for the Hindutva movement in India and the UK."
**
leftists want Lundon mayor to cancel all association with Hindu organization because they "organised Diwali festival".
All these anti Hindu groups are aligned with CIA/deep state.
- Joined
- Jul 1, 2024
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Hello Admins, @haldilal @Suryavanshi, Is it possible to merge this thread with below ones,
Om Shanti
NOTE from Admins:
Since Muslims in general have a habit of whitewashing their past activities and totally denying the crimes they committed, this thread will be used as an archive to store the most heinous activities done by Muslims on Hindus.
In the future, we Hindus must extract revenge on the Subcontinental Muslims for this.
And this thread will be locked as we want no chit chat or unnecessary posts. This thread must be so intense that it radicalizes even the most Liberal Hindu regarding the desert, death cult that is Islam.
**
HfHR asks London's Mayor to 'cut off all ties' with Hindu institutions in UK that helped organise Diwali event
The anti-Hindu organisation HfHR, which has a history of siding with anti-India elements and terrorist organisations, was miffed since these Hindu institutions had participated in organising the Diwali festival at London's Trafalgar Square on October 27. | OpIndia News
Anti-Hindu ‘Hindus For Human Rights’, with ties to Islamists, calls on London’s Mayor to ‘cut off all ties’ with Hindu institutions that helped organise Diwali event
HfHR claimed that these Hindu groups "perform a whitewashing or supportive function for the Hindutva movement in India and the UK."
**
leftists want Lundon mayor to cancel all association with Hindu organization because they "organised Diwali festival".
All these anti Hindu groups are aligned with CIA/deep state.
View attachment 13649
View attachment 13650
Hindus in UK needs to step and form a rejoinder saying that London must cut off all ties with Islamists who engage in hinduphobia and call out Hindus for Human Rights UK as a front for Hinduphobia.
Hindudvesha and UN’s Double Standard
Putting the spotlight on the United Nation’s selective recognition of religious hatred, leaving Hindus out in the cold.
stophindudvesha.org
Part 1
Harvard’s Pakistan Conference: How Academia Whitewashes Terrorism
Elite Western universities, while claiming to uphold free speech and diversity, are increasingly enabling anti-Hindu propaganda and glorifying terror-linked ideologies—turning campuses into breeding grounds for soft radicalism under the guise of academic freedom.
View attachment 42114- Top Western universities like Harvard are increasingly glorifying violent ideologies that threaten India’s unity and sovereignty.
- Their deep-rooted Hindu-hate has now evolved into a subtle but dangerous support system for anti-Hindu and anti-India terrorism.
- Harvard’s “Pakistan Conference,” held just days after the Pahalgam terror attack, invited senior Pakistani officials — a move that appeared to whitewash violence against Hindus.
- There are striking similarities between the spread of Hinduphobia and antisemitism on elite Western campuses.
- While the U.S. government has taken strong action against campus antisemitism, Hinduphobia remains ignored and unchecked.
- There are troubling signs that foreign funding to elite U.S. universities may be linked to the academic glorification of terrorism and anti-India narratives.
The book Snakes in the Ganga: Breaking India 2.0 warns about the dangerous role of universities like Harvard in this “Breaking India” agenda. The authors urge the Indian government to investigate Harvard’s activities and prevent it from meddling in India’s internal affairs. The book also explains how Harvard is trying to erase India’s civilizational narrative and replace it with one that undermines Indian sovereignty.[1]
What’s most alarming is how elite Western universities like Harvard are increasingly glorifying violent ideologies that threaten India’s integrity. These institutions are fast turning into terror apologists, offering platforms to those involved in anti-India and anti-Hindu violence to rewrite their crimes as activism. Even worse, these universities are not only exposing students to radical and subversive ideas but also silencing anyone who dares to question them. Harvard’s recent decision to host a Pakistan-focused conference just days after the Pahalgam terror attack shows how far elite academia has gone in whitewashing terrorism.
In the next sections, we examine how the deep-rooted Hindudvesha within these institutions has evolved into a full-fledged, covert doctrine that enables and justifies terror.
Harvard’s Pakistan Conference
In a move that blatantly disregards Hindu sentiments and undermines India’s national security, Harvard University hosted the “Pakistan Conference” on April 27 — just days after the Pahalgam terror attack. Organized by Harvard’s South Asia Institute, which is funded by Lakshmi Mittal and family, the event featured top Pakistani figures, including Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb and Pakistan’s Ambassador to the U.S., Rizwaan Saeed Sheikh.As Indian students voiced strong objections, Harvard attempted to deflect criticism by claiming the event was student-led and that the university had no say in the speakers or agenda — a classic case of diplomatic evasion.[2]
Harvard’s so-called neutrality over the Pakistan Conference exposes the double standards of elite Western universities. They often hide behind the excuse of “academic freedom,” but apply it very selectively. For example, many U.S. universities have openly boycotted Israeli institutions over the Israel-Gaza conflict — a move so extreme that the U.S. National Institutes of Health has now blocked funding to colleges supporting such boycotts.[3] Yet, when it comes to Pakistan’s clear role in sponsoring cross-border terrorism, the same universities stay silent, offering platforms to terror-linked voices while calling it “freedom of expression.” This is nothing but woke virtue signaling that ends up legitimizing terror.
Lakshmi Mittal, the Indian-origin billionaire whose family funds Harvard’s South Asia Institute, faced heavy backlash for indirectly sponsoring the conference. As hashtags like #ShameOnMittal and #BoycottPakistanConference trended on social media, the Mittal family tried to distance itself by claiming they were not consulted — a weak excuse that failed to convince many.[4]
There is a website dedicated to the conference still accessible in the public domain. A cursory look at the agenda sheds ample light on the underlying motivations.[5] It’s no secret that Pakistan’s military elite are deeply embedded in its terror machinery. The country not only trains and shelters terrorists but glorifies them as national heroes. Victims of this ecosystem include not just India, but several Western nations as well. Yet, Harvard chose to host a conference that ignored these realities, painting Pakistan as a democracy on the path to good governance — a narrative that is clearly detached from the truth.
There’s little doubt that the real purpose of this event was to whitewash Pakistan’s long-standing support for radical Islamic extremism. Even if the event was scheduled before the Pahalgam terror attack, the fact that the speakers failed to condemn the violence or express basic sensitivity speaks volumes about the agenda behind the conference — and confirms the concerns raised by the Indian student community.[6]
The event might have gone unnoticed if not for the bold stand taken by two Indian students at Harvard — Surabhi Tomar and Abhishek Chaudhari. They wrote to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, urging him to revoke the visas of the Pakistani officials attending the conference. They also addressed a letter to Harvard’s management, highlighting that several senior Pakistani officials had made indirect threats against India and openly supported Kashmiri insurgents. The letter further noted that the conference featured figures like Pakistan’s Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, just days after the Pakistani Senate passed a resolution endorsing what it called Kashmir’s “freedom struggle.”[7]
Despite strong opposition from Indian students and clear evidence linking some of the invited officials to cross-border terrorism, Harvard went ahead with the conference — a telling reflection of its priorities. When the issue made national headlines, Harvard tried to save face by distancing itself from the event, but the damage was done.
What truly stood out was the courage and resolve of the Indian student community at Harvard in calling out anti-India propaganda disguised as academic discourse. Economist Sanjeev Sanyal praised the students for their stand against Pakistan-sponsored terror, especially in the wake of the Pahalgam attack that targeted Hindus based on their faith. “For the first time, perhaps since the Ghadar movement 100 years ago, we’re seeing Indian students at an elite U.S. university stand up for their country,” Sanyal wrote on X. “Usually, students either stay silent or join the India-bashing chorus. Super proud of Surabhi and Abhishek.”[8]
Normalizing Hate
There are striking parallels between the spread of Hinduphobia and antisemitism on elite Western university campuses, including many in the Ivy League. After the October 7 Hamas attacks on Israel, U.S. campuses saw a surge in antisemitism. Jewish students and faculty were harassed, intimidated, and even faced open or veiled threats. What followed was a global academic propaganda campaign that tried to rebrand terrorism as “human rights,” “justice,” and “self-determination.” This carefully packaged narrative aimed to whitewash the actions of terror groups like Hamas and make antisemitism appear acceptable under the guise of opposing Israel — a tactic disturbingly similar to how anti-Hindu narratives are normalized on the same campuses.[9] [10] [11]Pro-Palestine protests in Western universities have been increasingly turning violent. In February, protestors stormed Barnard College’s Milibank Hall, injuring a college employee who tried to stop them from entering the college building, and thus prompting stringent security measures, as per media reports. The protestors repeatedly demanded the reinstatement of two expelled students who had reportedly disrupted a History of Modern Israel class at Columbia University. The masked students entered the classroom, started banging drums, and passed out flyers reading “Crush Zionism”. [12]
Hindu students across elite Western universities are facing a similar pattern of intimidation and discrimination, targeted for their identity, cultural practices, and political views. Meanwhile, these institutions remain silent on the global violence and terror directed at the Hindu community.
A stark example is Rashmi Samant, the first Indian-origin woman elected President of the Oxford University Student Union. She was forced to resign after a vicious smear campaign targeting her Hindu identity and political beliefs. Old social media posts were twisted to brand her “transphobic,” “racist,” and “Islamophobic.” In her book A Hindu in Oxford, Rashmi details how her academic dreams were shattered by racism, bigotry, and institutional apathy — including how her parents were publicly harassed by an Oxford faculty member for their religious views.
More recently, a disturbing case emerged from UC Berkeley, where a Hindu student was allegedly blamed by a professor for the massacre of Hindus in the Pahalgam terror attack. According to the student’s testimony, shared by Hindu on Campus and supported by global Hindu advocacy groups, the professor pressured the student to accept that the violence against Hindus was somehow justified. The incident went unreported in mainstream media.
These cases highlight the double standards of Western academia, which claims to uphold diversity and free speech while turning a blind eye to rising Hinduphobia. [13]
After the 2023 Israel-Palestine conflict, several Ivy League campuses quickly turned into hubs of pro-Palestine — or more accurately, pro-Hamas — activism. In stark contrast, there was complete silence from these same institutions on the Pahalgam terror attack, where Hindus were brutally murdered in front of their families, just because they were Hindu. Instead of condemning such atrocities, Western academia often constructs narratives that portray Hindus as oppressors. As highlighted by StopHindudvesha[14], elite academic circles manipulate frameworks like Critical Race Theory to forcefully equate “caste” with “race,” painting caste as the root of all structural inequality, and Hindus as its primary enforcers.
This distorted narrative serves as intellectual cover for anti-Hindu violence. By casting Hindus as the villains and inflating the caste narrative, Western academia helps whitewash Islamist terrorism against Hindus. At the same time, Islamophobia is condemned with exaggerated fervor, to the point that even Hindu students or scholars who speak out against jihadist violence are branded “Islamophobes.”
While antisemitism is at least acknowledged as a serious issue, Hinduphobia continues to be ignored, even though both spread through similar academic channels. Just as pro-Hamas propaganda is normalized while the Israeli state is demonized and Jewish supporters are vilified, Hinduphobic narratives label any Hindu who condemns Islamist violence as a “Hindutva fascist,” “Hindu fundamentalist,” or even a “Hindu terrorist.”
Part 2
A key feature of Trump’s crackdown on wokeism in U.S. universities has been his firm stand against the glorification of terrorism and support for terror apologists. In May, President Trump issued a stern warning to Harvard University, suggesting it could lose its tax-exempt status if it continued promoting extremist, political, or terror-linked ideologies. “Perhaps Harvard should lose its Tax-Exempt Status and be taxed as a political entity if it keeps pushing political, ideological, and terrorist-inspired/supporting ‘sickness’? Remember, Tax-Exempt Status is totally contingent on acting in the PUBLIC INTEREST!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.[16]
The move came barely weeks after the Trump government froze 2.2. billion USD federal grants over the elite university’s refusal to help stamp out hate and antisemitism on campus.[17] The administration had sent a letter to Harvard calling for a broad range of leadership and government reforms at the university, as well as a change in admission policies. Some of the key demands included:
A study by the AMCHA Initiative has drawn a clear link between rising antisemitic violence on U.S. campuses and the activities of a faculty group called Faculty for Justice in Palestine (FJP). Using quantitative methods, the study found that campuses with FJP chapters experienced more intense and prolonged anti-Israel protests, along with a sharp rise in threats, including death threats, against Jewish students.[19] The study, which analyzed data from over 100 U.S. universities popular among Jewish students and covered the time period between October 7, 2023, and June 30, 2024, revealed a disturbing surge in antisemitic incidents on campus. During this period, physical assaults against Jewish students increased by a staggering 2,500%, while violent threats — including death threats — rose by 900%. The study also found that campuses with Faculty for Justice in Palestine (FJP) chapters were especially unsafe for Jewish students. These campuses saw 7.3 times more physical assaults and were 3.4 times more likely to have death threats and other violent threats compared to campuses without FJP chapters. [20]
These findings are especially relevant when viewed alongside the rising Hinduphobia on U.S. campuses and the frequent gaslighting of radical Islamic extremism targeting Hindus. Unlike antisemitism, which is now being tackled with strong policy measures, Hinduphobia remains largely ignored — both by the media and the administration. Very few incidents involving intimidation, bias, or threats against Hindu students ever receive public attention. Despite clear patterns of anti-Hindu propaganda and glorification of terror under the guise of academic freedom, there has been little institutional pushback.
It’s high time Hindu advocacy groups commission rigorous, data-driven studies — similar to the AMCHA Initiative — to document the scale of Hinduphobia across elite Western universities. Without hard evidence and sustained pressure, these issues will continue to be swept under the rug.
An earlier article by StopHindudvesha explored the troubling connection between overseas funding of elite U.S. universities and the subtle glorification of terrorism within academia. While Saudi Arabia has long been a major donor, Qatar has recently taken center stage. By 2022, Qatar had reportedly become the top foreign funder of U.S. universities, contributing at least $4.7 billion between 2001 and 2021. Qatar also reportedly started donating aggressively to American universities in the aftermath of the September 11 terror attack, “delivering over $200 million on average each year”. [21]
A study by the Network Contagion Research Institute ( NCRI) establishes a direct correlation between foreign funding in US higher education by authoritarian regimes and the erosion of democratic norms and the rise in antisemitic incidents on campus. Most importantly, the report establishes a direct correlation between donations to US universities by Qatar and other Gulf states and the presence of “Students for Justice in Palestine” (SJP) groups on campus. [22]
It’s important to note that Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) chapters were the primary force behind mobilizing students for pro-Palestine and anti-Israel protests across U.S. campuses after the October 7 Hamas terror attack. These groups organized rallies at several universities, where they openly glorified Hamas terrorists as “martyrs,” called for the “globalization” of violent resistance, and even demanded the destruction of the Jewish state of Israel.[23]
Hindu students in these academic spaces face a deeply entrenched narrative machine that operates in two key ways. First, it works to normalize Hinduphobia by misrepresenting Hinduism, India, and related issues within academic curricula and research. Second, it deploys discursive Hindudvesha as a tool to whitewash actual incidents of terrorism against Hindus, often shifting blame away from perpetrators and erasing the identity of victims.
Hindu advocacy organizations in the West should urge their respective governments to enact stringent policies to curb campus Hinduphobia. The Hindu student community and faculty members should also play a proactive role in publicly naming and shaming events/courses/activities whitewashing anti-India and anti-Hindu terror.
Trump’s Crackdown on Wokeism
The Trump administration has taken a number of strong steps to rein in the spread of woke ideology on U.S. university campuses. In a bold move against campus antisemitism, the government adopted a hardline approach, warning top Ivy League universities to comply with specific demands or face funding cuts. In March, the administration froze $400 million in federal grants to Columbia University, demanding the expulsion of certain students and reforms in admissions policies. Columbia eventually complied. Similar actions followed at other elite institutions: Princeton faced a suspension of $210 million in research grants, while Cornell reportedly lost over $1 billion in federal funding, and Northwestern University saw $790 million frozen.[15]A key feature of Trump’s crackdown on wokeism in U.S. universities has been his firm stand against the glorification of terrorism and support for terror apologists. In May, President Trump issued a stern warning to Harvard University, suggesting it could lose its tax-exempt status if it continued promoting extremist, political, or terror-linked ideologies. “Perhaps Harvard should lose its Tax-Exempt Status and be taxed as a political entity if it keeps pushing political, ideological, and terrorist-inspired/supporting ‘sickness’? Remember, Tax-Exempt Status is totally contingent on acting in the PUBLIC INTEREST!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.[16]
The move came barely weeks after the Trump government froze 2.2. billion USD federal grants over the elite university’s refusal to help stamp out hate and antisemitism on campus.[17] The administration had sent a letter to Harvard calling for a broad range of leadership and government reforms at the university, as well as a change in admission policies. Some of the key demands included:
- Banning face masks
- Closure of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Programmes
- Reforming the admission process for international students to screen for students supporting anti-Semitism and terrorism.
- Reporting international students breaking university conduct policies to federal authorities.[18]
A study by the AMCHA Initiative has drawn a clear link between rising antisemitic violence on U.S. campuses and the activities of a faculty group called Faculty for Justice in Palestine (FJP). Using quantitative methods, the study found that campuses with FJP chapters experienced more intense and prolonged anti-Israel protests, along with a sharp rise in threats, including death threats, against Jewish students.[19] The study, which analyzed data from over 100 U.S. universities popular among Jewish students and covered the time period between October 7, 2023, and June 30, 2024, revealed a disturbing surge in antisemitic incidents on campus. During this period, physical assaults against Jewish students increased by a staggering 2,500%, while violent threats — including death threats — rose by 900%. The study also found that campuses with Faculty for Justice in Palestine (FJP) chapters were especially unsafe for Jewish students. These campuses saw 7.3 times more physical assaults and were 3.4 times more likely to have death threats and other violent threats compared to campuses without FJP chapters. [20]
These findings are especially relevant when viewed alongside the rising Hinduphobia on U.S. campuses and the frequent gaslighting of radical Islamic extremism targeting Hindus. Unlike antisemitism, which is now being tackled with strong policy measures, Hinduphobia remains largely ignored — both by the media and the administration. Very few incidents involving intimidation, bias, or threats against Hindu students ever receive public attention. Despite clear patterns of anti-Hindu propaganda and glorification of terror under the guise of academic freedom, there has been little institutional pushback.
It’s high time Hindu advocacy groups commission rigorous, data-driven studies — similar to the AMCHA Initiative — to document the scale of Hinduphobia across elite Western universities. Without hard evidence and sustained pressure, these issues will continue to be swept under the rug.
Foreign Funding Fuels Academic Radicalization
In Snakes in the Ganga 2.0, Rajiv Malhotra and Vijaya Viswanathan expose how Chinese billionaires strategically fund Harvard to advance China’s geopolitical interests and push pro-China narratives within Western academia. In stark contrast, Indian billionaires — whether out of ignorance or misplaced prestige — often end up funding institutions that promote aggressively anti-India and anti-Hindu research.An earlier article by StopHindudvesha explored the troubling connection between overseas funding of elite U.S. universities and the subtle glorification of terrorism within academia. While Saudi Arabia has long been a major donor, Qatar has recently taken center stage. By 2022, Qatar had reportedly become the top foreign funder of U.S. universities, contributing at least $4.7 billion between 2001 and 2021. Qatar also reportedly started donating aggressively to American universities in the aftermath of the September 11 terror attack, “delivering over $200 million on average each year”. [21]
A study by the Network Contagion Research Institute ( NCRI) establishes a direct correlation between foreign funding in US higher education by authoritarian regimes and the erosion of democratic norms and the rise in antisemitic incidents on campus. Most importantly, the report establishes a direct correlation between donations to US universities by Qatar and other Gulf states and the presence of “Students for Justice in Palestine” (SJP) groups on campus. [22]
It’s important to note that Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) chapters were the primary force behind mobilizing students for pro-Palestine and anti-Israel protests across U.S. campuses after the October 7 Hamas terror attack. These groups organized rallies at several universities, where they openly glorified Hamas terrorists as “martyrs,” called for the “globalization” of violent resistance, and even demanded the destruction of the Jewish state of Israel.[23]
Wrapping Up
While there is substantial research exploring how funding drives the spread of antisemitism on Western university campuses, similar investigations into the alarming rise of Hinduphobia remain largely absent.Hindu students in these academic spaces face a deeply entrenched narrative machine that operates in two key ways. First, it works to normalize Hinduphobia by misrepresenting Hinduism, India, and related issues within academic curricula and research. Second, it deploys discursive Hindudvesha as a tool to whitewash actual incidents of terrorism against Hindus, often shifting blame away from perpetrators and erasing the identity of victims.
Hindu advocacy organizations in the West should urge their respective governments to enact stringent policies to curb campus Hinduphobia. The Hindu student community and faculty members should also play a proactive role in publicly naming and shaming events/courses/activities whitewashing anti-India and anti-Hindu terror.
Harvard distances itself from event that hosted Pak officials after J&K attack
A recent Pakistan conference at Harvard's South Asia Institute drew backlash from Indian students after top Pakistani officials attended just days after the Pahalgam terror attack. Harvard later removed event details online.
Harvard distances itself from event that hosted Pak officials after J&K attack
A recent Pakistan conference at Harvard's South Asia Institute drew backlash from Indian students after top Pakistani officials attended just days after the Pahalgam terror attack. Harvard later removed event details online.
recent event on Pakistan held at Harvard University’s South Asia Institute, which is funded by Lakshmi Mittal and family, has sparked criticism from Indian students. Top Pakistani officials, like Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb and Pakistan’s Ambassador to the US Rizwan Saeed Sheikh attended the conference, which took place shortly after the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam.
Following the backlash, Harvard distanced itself from the controversy, removing the event details online.
The April 22 attack in Pahalgam claimed 26 lives, which was initially claimed by The Resistance Front, an offshoot of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). However, days later the outfit denied responsibility for the attack. After the incident, anger poured among Indian students, who felt that Harvard should not have hosted officials from a country that supports terrorism.
According to reports, two Indian students, Surabhi Tomar and Abhishek Chaudhuri, wrote letters to Harvard’s leadership and to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. In their letters, they said the university was wrong to provide a platform to Pakistani government representatives.
"Welcoming representatives of a government that enables or justifies terrorism risks Harvard being complicit," the students wrote. They also demanded that Harvard publicly condemn the Pahalgam attack.
"The United States must not host representatives of a state that protects and promotes organisations targeting civilians based on faith," their letter to Rubio read.
UNIVERSITY DISTANCES ITSELF AS ONLINE CONTENT DISAPPEARS
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The event was reportedly organised by Pakistani students at Harvard.
India Today World Desk
New Delhi,UPDATED: Apr 30, 2025 17:53 IST
Written By: Satyam Singh
In Short
- Harvard hosted event featuring top Pakistani officials
- Event followed terror attack in J&K's Pahalgam on April 22
- Indian students wrote to Harvard and Marco Rubio condemning event
Following the backlash, Harvard distanced itself from the controversy, removing the event details online.
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The April 22 attack in Pahalgam claimed 26 lives, which was initially claimed by The Resistance Front, an offshoot of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). However, days later the outfit denied responsibility for the attack. After the incident, anger poured among Indian students, who felt that Harvard should not have hosted officials from a country that supports terrorism.
According to reports, two Indian students, Surabhi Tomar and Abhishek Chaudhuri, wrote letters to Harvard’s leadership and to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. In their letters, they said the university was wrong to provide a platform to Pakistani government representatives.
"Welcoming representatives of a government that enables or justifies terrorism risks Harvard being complicit," the students wrote. They also demanded that Harvard publicly condemn the Pahalgam attack.
"The United States must not host representatives of a state that protects and promotes organisations targeting civilians based on faith," their letter to Rubio read.
UNIVERSITY DISTANCES ITSELF AS ONLINE CONTENT DISAPPEARS
https://vdo.ai/contact?utm_medium=video&utm_term=indiatoday.in&utm_source=vdoai_logo
The event was reportedly organised by Pakistani students at Harvard. Reports confirmed that the institute's involvement was restricted to offering logistical assistance.
(Image Credit:X/@halleyji)
Meanwhile, controversy erupted after it was found that the institute's Executive Director Hitesh Hathi had participated in a panel discussion with Pakistani-American historian Ayesha Jalal.
The session, titled "The Enlightened Muslim: Examining the intersection of religion, modernity, and state formation in Pakistan," was one of several event details later removed from the institute’s website. Harvard has not officially commented on the removal, but the deleted web pages clearly indicate that the university wants to distance itself from the issue.
HARVARD ISSUES STATEMENT
In a statement, Harvard said the students, along with their faculty adviser, independently determined the topics and the speakers."Following our principles of operation, we did not consult any benefactor of the Institute about this conference. The students, along with their faculty advisor, independently determined the topics and speakers presenting," the statement said.
Harvard said during the India Conference also, held on February 15-16, the topics and speakers were "independently" determined by the students.
The university condoled the loss of lives in the Pahalgam attack. "Please know that we share the grief and anguish with our friends, colleagues, and loved ones in India who have been affected by the attack in Pahalgam, and we offer our heartfelt condolences," the statement further said.
Mittal family says it was not consulted on Harvard's Pakistan conference by Institute they funded - Times of India
US News: The Mittal family is facing backlash from Indian activists for a \"Pakistan conference\" at Harvard, funded by their $25 million donation to the South A
timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Students condemn Harvard for hosting 'Pakistan Conference' following Pahalgam attack - The Economic Times
Harvard University's South Asia Institute faced student backlash over its "Pakistan Conference" following the Pahalgam attack in Jammu and Kashmir. Students criticized the event for potentially legitimizing state-backed terror narratives, urging condemnation of the violence and visa denials for...
‘Take stance against Hinduphobia’: Why Harvard University is under fire days after Pahalgam terror attack
Indian students at Harvard University in the United States objected to the visit of Pakistani delegates, including the country’s Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, for the Pakistan Conference 2025. This came just days after the Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 26 people in Jammu and...
'First time in 100 years': Sanjeev Sanyal lauds Indians students at Harvard for calling out Pak backed terror - BusinessToday
Indian students called on Harvard to issue a public statement condemning the Pahalgam terror attacks, review Pakistani officials' participation in light of their government’s ideological support for LeT
Hindu on the Forty Acres – navigating challenges and seeking equality
Contributor Anirudh Karunakaran discusses the unique challenges of Hinduism at UT, a religion seeking recognition, representation, and equal footing in the diverse tapestry of faiths on UT’s campus.
thedailytexan.com
Hindu on the Forty Acres – navigating challenges and seeking equality
Editor’s note: This column was submitted to the Texan by a member of the UT community.
In the West, the intricate tapestry of religions and faiths often overlooks Hinduism, relegating it to the periphery of religious discussions. Overshadowed by more prominent religious traditions, Hinduism is frequently shrouded in obscurity, obscured by stereotypes perpetuated by Western media. This distance from the spotlight perpetuates misinformation, leaving Hinduism vulnerable to misunderstanding and misrepresentation. As Hindus, we often find ourselves on the defensive, combating the pervasive stereotypes of “cow, caste, chakra” Hinduism. These stereotypes have their roots in a colonial legacy, a remnant of British attempts to tarnish Hinduism’s image by portraying it as barbaric, backward and illogical, marred by superstition and social evils. These misrepresentations continue to cast a long shadow over the West’s perception of Hinduism.
While UT is a secular institution that allows freedom to practice Hinduism, there is a noticeable gap in the presence of Hinduism on campus compared to other religious groups despite our significant population. A striking example of this disparity is the absence of dedicated places of worship for Hindus on or near campus. Past initiatives, like the Vivekananda House, lacked sufficient campus support, standing in stark contrast to other religious communities that enjoy dedicated spaces for worship service and practice. Even the available “spaces” on campus often have strict rules against open flames, restricting Hindu worship that requires lighting lamps, candles and incense. Furthermore, the education and information people receive about Hinduism seldom come from the Hindu perspective but rather are sourced from a colonial understanding driven by Eurocentric values. Hinduism is not on the same playing field as other religions but is, at best, lumped together with Buddhism and other “foreign Eastern beliefs,” and at worst, categorized among religious systems of dead civilizations ready to be dissected and inspected under a microscope by those lacking sensitivity or respect for the tradition.
For instance, this semester, the Religious Studies department offers only two courses that focus on Asiatic religions, neither of which concentrate on Hinduism specifically. This is further highlighted by the upper-level division Sanskrit course taught on Dharmashastras or Hindu jurisprudence, which isn’t taught via the traditional dictated practices required of content this significant. Hinduism, its sacred texts and the Sanskrit language are not just subjects of academic study; they are considered sacred and divine, with established traditions of procedures and practices. These traditions emphasize the importance of respect, initiation by an expert and faithful adherence to practices preserved for millennia. Unfortunately, this respect for tradition is often lacking on the Forty Acres. Hinduism is treated as an artifact to be dissected rather than a living tradition to be understood and respected.
All we want is equal treatment, a level of dignity and the same care and respect for our practices and traditions afforded to other mainstream religions. In moving forward, we must advocate for a more inclusive and nuanced understanding of Hinduism in academic settings and the UT community. This should go beyond mere tolerance and include implementing inclusive policies, fostering open dialogue, raising awareness and encouraging cultural sensitivity on our campus. Change is gradual, and we do not expect these systems to be modified overnight. However, together, we can work towards a future where Hinduism is celebrated for its diversity and depth rather than marginalized by stereotypes and misconceptions. Let us ensure that Hinduism, often the wallflower of our campus’s religious landscape, gets its rightful position of understanding and respect at UT.
Karunakaran is a accounting sophomore from Houston, TX
Anti-Hindu propaganda in a US university course “Intro to South Asia”
September 15, 2021
Web Desk
I, an Indian-American, and my girlfriend are engineering students at a big US university. We need to take a culture class as part of the degree, so decided to punish ourselves with “Intro to South Asia.” Let me share what the college is teaching unaware ABCDs (American Born Confused Desis) about Bharat (India).
The first red flag is that it is called ‘intro’ to “South Asia” but I guess we just have to live with that term now.
Second red flag is that the professor is a “proud JNU graduate,” and the teaching assistant (TA) is a British (Hindu) Indian who went back to Bharat to be a social activist against Islamophobia from 2014-2019. Who says Modi isn’t making jobs! Surprising thing is they are both originally from Hindi belt. Professor is a Rajasthani, TA is from MP.
In the first actual lesson, he brings up Aryan Invasion Theory as irrefutable fact, and then introduces Out of India Theory as a “Hindu nationalist gimmick”
Prof. said that Bharat was first unified as a country by the British, then one student had the audacity to ask “what about the Mughal empire?”
At least the professor accepted that Islam was a colonizing force in the subcontinent and I was genuinely surprised to hear that. This man has mentioned “Hindu nationalism” over 5 times in one class. It is like Hindus live in their heads rent-free.
The second lesson has me actually heated. He started talking about Kashmir, and to be fair he mentioned that Pakistan invaded first which caused the king to accede to Bharat.
But there was no mention of terrorism in the region nor any mention of the Kashmiri Pandit exodus. And when my friend brought up the exodus, he waived it off as “communal riots that scared off a minority in the region”. Of course these were communal riots, but Delhi was a ‘pogrom’.
The TA has me crying when he said, “The Mahabharata and Ramayana were written after Buddhism and Jainism started, to combat conversion out of Hindu.”
In the Caste lessons, he said that “Caste hierarchy may have started with the Hindu varna system, but birth-based discrimination is now seen in all religions in South Asia, even those who preach equality.” One of his more sensible takes though*.
In the third class about language origins, he said that, “Sanskrit was developed outside of the subcontinent and brought to South Asia by the Aryans” and “Dravidian languages are older than Sanskrit and were native and widely spoken in South Asia before the Aryans came.”
“Pakistan adopted Urdu as an official language because the strongest support for an Islamic country came from the Muslims of North India”. Well, at least he got one thing right.
A strange thing about the class is that there is no textbook. The professor assembled a bunch of different sources into a 200 page “reading packet.” I know if it happens in the other classes too, but I have still always found it strange. Not that official textbooks are much better anyway.
This was a glimpse from the first week of class while there is an entire semester left.
(This article has been compiled from the tweet thread of @BihariAmerican with light edits to improve readability
(Featured image: Representative only)
*HinduPost Note
The notion that Hindu varna system mandates birth-based discrimination aka ‘caste system’ is wrong. The varna system never talks about a hierarchy where some groups dominate others. It talks about organization of society and duties of each social group to create an efficient and harmonious whole. Those who lived outside the varna system, such as vanvasis (forest-dwellers), were never persecuted but co-existed following their own unique Dharmic belief systems and practises.
When a civilization spread over a vast area exists for millennia, and especially when it faces the stress of repeated invasions, there will be periods in specific regions when one group exploits the others. Certain practices get distorted, and people stray from the path of Dharma. This happens across all human societies. Like any other society, Hindu society is not always perfect in praxis but its ideals are egalitarian and common for all humanity.
Hindu Dharma says all living beings have a divine spark within, all humans should follow the 4 purusharthas, and all humans are capable of attaining moksha (liberation) through good karmas (actions) and by following the path of bhakti/gyan (devotional worship / knowledge and meditation). On the other hand, some exclusivist religions which claim to preach equality actually dehumanize unbelievers (those who doesn’t believe in their religion) and condemn them to eternal hellfire.
So to say that birth-based discrimination is seen in all religions in the Bharatiya subcontinent (aka South Asia) due to the Hindu varna system is erroneous at best and malicious anti-Hindu propaganda at worst. As still largely agrarian societies, subcontinental countries are still grappling with feudal hierarchies. And birth-based discrimination against the ‘other’ is far worse in regions like Middle East – for eg. how Arabs treat black and south Asian Muslims, or Sunnis treat Shia and vice versa.
Houston University's Lived Hindu Religion course sparks big row in US
The University of Houston's Lived Hindu Religion course has sparked a controversy after a student accused it of distorting Hinduism and promoting "Hinduphobia". A lecture video even calls Indian PM Narendra Modi a "Hindu fundamentalist". The US university told India Today Digital that the concerns were being reviewed.
The content of a course on Hindu religion offered by the University of Houston has sparked a controversy, with an Indian-American student and activist accusing it of being "Hinduphobic" and "distorting India’s political landscape". The American university has said it was "reviewing the concerns raised" by the student. University of Houston sent a detailed response to India Today Digital on March 29, defending the course.
Only on Wednesday, India strongly rejected a report by the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) that said "attacks and discrimination against religious minorities continued to rise".
It is this kind of longstanding academic discourse that ultimately leads to such a false narrative and branding of India.
The controversy is over the University of Houston's Lived Hindu Religion course, which is offered to students online. The video lectures are delivered by Professor Aaron Michael Ullrey weekly.
Vasant Bhatt, a political science major at the University of Houston and Hindu-American activist, has complained to the dean of the university's College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences under which the course -- Lived Hindu Religion -- is offered.
"Hinduism, according to Professor Ullrey, was not an ancient, lived tradition but a colonial construct, a political tool weaponised by Hindu nationalists, and a system of oppression against minorities," Bhatt told India Today Digital
Bhatt shared a quote from the syllabus which says, "The word 'Hindu' is recent, not found in scriptures. Hindutva, or 'Hindu-ness', is a term that Hindu nationalists, those who believe Hinduism should be the official religion of India, use to designate their religion and denigrate others, namely Islam".
In his recorded lecture on "political Hinduism", Professor Ullrey refers to India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a “Hindu fundamentalist”.
"The professor repeatedly implies that India is a Hindu nationalist state actively oppressing minorities," said Bhatt.
Sharing Bhatt's experience, Hindu on Campus, a student-led platform for diaspora Hindus fighting Hinduphobia, said: "Political disagreements are welcomed but fabricating extremism under the basis of Hindu identity is not".
Reacting to the incident, Indian-Americans said Hinduphobia has been in existence in the US for decades.
"Welcome to the world of Hinduphobia I uncovered in the 1990s when nobody believed me and declared me 'controversial'," said New Jersey-based author and speaker Rajiv Malhotra.
Bhatt said he wrote to the dean complaining about the course material but the response from the religious studies department didn't address his grievance.
"The department attempted to deflect from the core issue by questioning my process and discrediting my valid concern — rather than investigating the substance of the complaint," said Bhatt.
India Today Digital wrote to the office of Daniel P O'Connor, the dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences at the University of Houston, with a set of questions seeking clarity on the course and the controversy.
Shawn Lindsey, Senior Associate Vice President for Strategic Communications, University Marketing and Communications, University of Houston, responded, saying the concerns were being reviewed.
"The University of Houston upholds academic freedom and does not typically oversee specific faculty lectures. We do maintain curriculum oversight to ensure courses meet academic and pedagogical standards," said Lindsey.
"We also take concerns about the validity of course content seriously. We are reviewing the concerns raised and will address the issue as needed," Lindsey added.
On March 29, the University of Houston sent a detailed response to India Today Digital, stating its position, and shared the course syllabus too. The response included an explanation from Professor Ullrey on his statement on fundamentalism.
"Yes, I have designated President Modi as a Hindu fundamentalist, but fundamentalism is an analytical category from Religious Studies, and it is by no means a political statement or judgment, and the term is definitely not any kind of slur," he explained.
Bhatt says that the problematic content of the Lived Hindu Religion class "wasn't an isolated case and a widespread and deeply ingrained problem in universities".
Such content ends up spreading misinformation about the Hindu religion amid a rise in Hinduphobia in the US.
Indian-American Congressman Shri Thanedar had last year flagged the rise in hate crimes against Hindus in the US.
"Due to misinformation about Hindu beliefs and practices, Hindu American students can face bullying and harassment from other students in schools," according to the Hindu American Foundation, an advocacy group.
The controversy over the University of Houston course on Hindu religion comes even as Indians in the US face increasing attacks from MAGA over H-1B visas and immigration. Such controversial content might add to the overall problem in a highly charged environment.
Houston University's Lived Hindu Religion course sparks big row in US
The University of Houston's Lived Hindu Religion course has sparked a controversy after a student accused it of distorting Hinduism and promoting "Hinduphobia". A lecture video even calls Indian PM Narendra Modi a "Hindu fundamentalist". The US university told India Today Digital that the...
US university responds after India Today report on row over 'Hinduphobic' course
A student and Hindu-American activist raised concerns about the University of Houston's Lived Hindu Religion course. Vasant Bhatt told India Today Digital that he complained to the university about the course being "Hinduphobic" and distorting "India's political landscape". The university, in a...
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