A collection of Hindu human rights advocates, religious leaders, and other cause-oriented groups released a statement on April 22, 2022, condemning the worsening religious freedom in India.
The statement was initially released by Hindus for Human Rights (HHR), a US-based group that advocates for pluralism and civil and human rights in South Asia and North America. HHR called on religious leaders and other groups to sign the statement published in multiple languages.
HHR's statement comes during declining religious freedom and the increasing systemic violence against religious minorities. This abuse gravitates heavily onto India's Muslim population.
The statement, published in the IndianExpress on April 23 and The Wire on April 28, denounces the Hindutva ideology.
"We are dismayed to see Hindu leaders in India and abroad openly embracing Hindutva—a century-old political ideology that sees citizens of other faiths as inherently foreign and not qualified to enjoy the full benefits of Indian citizenship," the statement said.
The statement also calls for Hindus worldwide to break their "collective silence and speak out against this hate that violates the deepest teachings of our tradition."
HHR's statement has become a rallying point for most Hindus in India and abroad.
The statement comes amidst the increasingly worsening religious freedom situation in India.
The statement also followed the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom's (USCIRF) 2022 report, which labeled India as a country of particular concern (CPC) for the third year. USCIRF called religious freedom in India a significantly worsening situation and has accused Narendra Modi's government of complacency.
The USCIRF's report also recommended imposing "targeted sanctions on individuals and entities" directly involved in the violations of religious freedom.
HHR's statement calls for religious leaders and other rights groups to sign the statement.
As of the writing of this article, HHR has not reported the number of signatures the statement has gathered. The Wire said that since the statement was published, "several Hindu organizations and leaders have signed on to express solidarity."
