The Associated Students of the University of California ( ASUC) at UC Berkeley voted against a resolution to declare October Hindu Heritage Month, which has sparked outrage from Hindu students, advocacy groups, and civil rights observers. Senate Resolution No. 1- The plan. A Caribbean Hindu student’s book, 2024/2025-042, was exclusively concerned with honoring Hindus ‘ contributions to American culture and the UC Berkeley college. It intentionally avoided making any reference to American politics, Hindu patriotism, or current worldwide events, and highlighted Hindu accomplishments in science, technology, education, and the arts. The decision faced fierce criticism despite its unbiased tone. Even though those phrases are nowhere to be found in the words, some student senators assert that the measure could be used to “legitimize Hindu nationalist ideology.” The decision was defeated, with critics citing ambiguous social issues while allowing related heritage recognitions for other groups to continue without any opposition. The Senate was accused of engaging in” Hinduphobia masked as caution,” according to the Coalition of Hindus of North America ( CoHNA ). The firm criticized what it called harassment at the March 5 community meeting and praised Senator Isha Chander for allegedly directing the conversation toward divisive social rhetoric. CoHNA even expressed condolences to Senator Justin Taylor, who supported the quality but, according to observers, faced animosity and ridicule from coworkers during the discussion. One student makes a choke movement and considerably pretending to drown while the decision was being discussed, a time that many people view as a shocking display of disdain for Hindu concerns. A video of the meeting, which is now widely shared on social media platform X, shows one student making the gesture as the resolution is being discussed. The ASUC briefly removed the picture of the meeting from its Facebook page during scholar elections, adding to the discussion. This action, according to critics, sounded like social censorship intended to avoid investigation. What are they attempting to conceal? The erasure was questioned by CoHNA, who said it was “deeply cautious” and “indicative of administrative bias.” One student speaker said,” All three Abrahamic religions have formal representation at ASUC.” However, Hindus are treated by our society as a threat to our country. The saying” the resolution was flushed down the toilet” was actually used by one lawmaker during the session. Hindu students and supporters claim that the event reflects a deeper issue: the growing trend to combine social event with contentious geopolitics, especially when it involves Hindu personality, while the ASUC defended its decision as a measure to prevent “unintended social implications.” One student remarked,” It’s exhausting. We merely desired to honor our heritage. We were instead instructed to defend a political ideology that we don’t even identify with. Hindu student organizations, alumni, and advocacy groups are now calling for equal respect for all campus communities regardless of the political baggage that others may impose on them.
