The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today welcomed findings from a new community survey from the Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) in partnership with ReThink Media on the ‘detrimental effects’ of Hindutva nationalism on Indian American Muslim communities.
SEE: Survey: Detrimental Effects of Hindu Nationalism on Indian American Muslims
“These findings confirm that Hindutva-inspired Islamophobia has long impacted not only communities in India and abroad but Muslim communities right here in the United States,” said CAIR Research and Advocacy Coordinator Farah Afify. “We urge advocates and policymakers to take heed of the survey’s recommendations and work to ensure that Indian American Muslim communities are protected.”
The community survey, which asked 950 Indian American Muslims to assess their perceptions of Hindutva nationalism and its impact on their lives in the United States, found:
- A significant majority of respondents reported experiencing harassment, discrimination, or prejudice from Hindu friends or social contacts over the past decade.
- 80% of respondents stated they feel less comfortable in Indian American spaces since the rise of India’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
- 48% of respondents reported harassment on social media, including Facebook, WhatsApp, and LinkedIn.
- 94% of respondents strongly agreed that Hindutva nationalism poses a threat to religious minorities, particularly Muslims and Christians, in both India and the U.S.
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CONTACT: CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, e-Mitchell@cair.com; CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-742-6448, rmccaw@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Manager Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, iallison@cair.com