HINDUTVA IN AMERICA
admin@aai.supportThe report titled “Hindutva in America: An Ethnonationalist Threat to Equality and Religious Pluralism” (2025) by the Coalition to Stop RSS (CSRR) offers a comprehensive analysis of how Hindutva—the ethnonationalist ideology rooted in upper-caste supremacy and championed by the RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh)—is operating in the United States.
You can download the report HINDUTVA IN AMERICA: An Ethnonationalist Threat to Equality and Religious Pluralism
Below is a summary focused on its conclusions:
- Hindutva is a Transnational Ideology Threatening Democratic Norms
The report concludes that Hindutva is not merely a domestic issue in India but a global ethnonationalist movement. In the U.S., it undermines pluralism, democratic engagement, and equality, aligning with far-right ideologies such as white supremacy and Zionism. -
Hindutva Groups in the U.S. Advance Casteism, Islamophobia, and Authoritarianism
Organizations affiliated with the Sangh Parivar, including the Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (HSS), Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America (VHPA), and the Hindu American Foundation (HAF), are complicit in promoting caste discrimination, anti-Muslim hate, and political narratives that align with authoritarian governance. -
U.S.-based Hindutva-aligned Organizations Are Politically Active and Funded
These organizations engage in lobbying, litigation, and media campaigns to normalise Hindutva. They often frame critiques of Hindutva as attacks on “Hinduism” to shut down legitimate dissent and anti-caste or anti-fascist discourse. The report criticises their use of non-profit status to support anti-democratic agendas. -
Caste Oppression is Silenced and Institutionalised in Diaspora Spaces
Diaspora institutions, including temples, community organisations, and even tech companies, often reproduce the caste hierarchies found in India. The report stresses the urgency of caste being recognised as a protected category in anti-discrimination legislation across the U.S. -
Urgent Need for Legal and Civic Action Against Hindutva Structures
The report concludes with a strong call for civil society, lawmakers, universities, and religious bodies in the U.S. to:-
Recognise and name Hindutva as a fascist ideology distinct from Hinduism;
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Implement caste protections in employment and education;
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Hold Hindutva-aligned groups accountable for hate speech and misinformation;
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Defund and deplatform organisations promoting Hindutva and caste supremacy;
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Support Dalit, Muslim, Sikh, and Adivasi voices in policy, media, and advocacy spaces.
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Key Recommendations by Stakeholder
1. For U.S. Policymakers and Government Institutions
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Recognise caste as a protected category in anti-discrimination laws at local, state, and federal levels.
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Investigate and regulate non-profit organisations affiliated with the RSS that promote hate speech and caste supremacy under the guise of religion or cultural exchange.
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Ensure that civil rights protections extend to Dalit, Muslim, Sikh, Adivasi, and other minoritised South Asian communities.
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Monitor foreign influence in U.S. elections, advocacy, and community organising by Hindutva-linked organisations.
2. For Civil Society Organisations and Advocacy Groups
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Refuse partnerships or funding from groups with ties to the RSS or Sangh Parivar until they commit to anti-caste, anti-Islamophobic, and anti-supremacist principles.
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Educate the broader public on the difference between Hinduism and Hindutva, and support interfaith, anti-fascist coalitions.
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Promote leadership and narratives from Dalit, Muslim, and Adivasi communities in South Asian organising spaces.
3. For Universities and Academic Institutions
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Implement caste as a protected category in university anti-discrimination policies.
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Deny platforms to organisations or speakers who promote caste-based supremacy, Islamophobia, or Hindutva fascism.
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Support and fund Dalit-led research, student groups, and caste equity initiatives.
4. For Media Outlets and Journalists
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Avoid false equivalences that portray Hindutva as “Hindu advocacy” and recognise it as a political supremacist ideology.
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Platform minoritised voices, especially those resisting caste and religious oppression in South Asian diaspora communities.
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Investigate and expose the political and financial networks connecting Hindutva organisations in the U.S. with their counterparts in India.
5. For Religious and Interfaith Organisations
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Denounce Hindutva as a misappropriation of Hinduism and a threat to religious pluralism.
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Promote inclusive and anti-caste interpretations of Hindu philosophy.
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Create space for dialogue and healing for communities harmed by caste, Islamophobia, and Hindutva.
Closing Appeal
The report urges all stakeholders to break the silence around Hindutva, dismantle caste hierarchies in the diaspora, and actively build inclusive spaces rooted in justice, dignity, and anti-fascism.
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