New Delhi:The state of Georgia has introduced a bill to propose the formal recognition of Hinduphobia and anti-Hindu bigotry. The bill, if enacted into law, would amend Georgia’s penal code to define Hinduphobia explicitly and instruct law enforcement agencies to take appropriate action in crimes involving hate crimes against Hindus in the US.
Republican Senators Shawn Still and Clint Dixon, along with Democratic Senators Jason Esteves and Emanuel D Jones, have jointly backed the legislation.
Senate Bill 375 seeks to insert a new provision in the Georgia code that defines “Hinduphobia” as a “set of antagonistic, destructive, and derogatory attitudes and behaviours towards Hinduism.” It would mandate state and local enforcement agencies to factor Hinduphobia into the implementation of existing anti-discrimination laws.
“Georgia becomes the first state to introduce such a bill, and if passed, will make history once again,” the Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA) sid in a statement. “We are proud to work closely with Senator Shawn Still on this important bill and thank him along with Senator Emanuel Jones, Senator Jason Esteves, and Senator Clint Dixon for supporting the needs of the Hindu community in Georgia and the United States.”
This move builds on the groundwork laid in April 2023, when Georgia passed a resolution condemning Hinduphobia and anti-Hindu bigotry. That resolution also acknowledged Hinduism as one of the world’s oldest religions, with more than 1.2 billion adherents across more than 100 countries.
The resolution was led by Republican Representatives Lauren McDonald and Todd Jones, representing Forsyth County – home to one of Georgia’s largest Hindu and Indian-American communities. The resolution, widely welcomed by Hindu advocacy groups and religious leaders, aimed to both celebrate Hindu contributions to American society and condemn incidents of hate speech and violence targeting Hindus.
“Senator Still has always been a staunch supporter of the Hindu community and has stood with us during the tough times we faced in the US as well as in places like Bangladesh. His commitment to fighting Hinduphobia has been a beacon of hope and change for all Hindus across the US. We are extremely thankful to him for his relentless pursuit of justice and equality,” said Mr Rajeev Menon, founder of the Hindus of Georgia PAC.
“Huge shout outs to Senator Shawn Still and to all the members and supporters of the Hindus of Georgia PAC whose tireless efforts over the years to defend and protect the civil rights of the Hindu community led to this bill,” said Mr. Dhiru Shah, a senior community leader and board member of the PAC.
According to the 2023-2024 Pew Research Center Religious Landscape Study, there are approximately 2.5 million Hindus in the United States – comprising about 0.9 per cent of the national population – with over 40,000 residing in Georgia, primarily in the Atlanta metropolitan area.