The Ohio chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Ohio), a chapter of the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today expressed its support for the right of Mathura Sridharan, recently appointed as Ohio’s Solicitor General, to wear a traditional religious and cultural symbol—a bindi—following a wave of xenophobic and racist attacks online.
Sridharan faced those xenophobic and racist attacks online in response to her national origin and an image of her with the bindi.
In a statement, CAIR-Ohio Columbus and Cincinnati Executive Director Khalid Turaani said:
“We are deeply disturbed by the online attacks directed at Solicitor General Mathura Sridharan. Wearing a bindi is a constitutionally-protected expression of faith and culture, and no public servant should be targeted for embracing their heritage.
“Religious and cultural symbols—whether a hijab, yarmulke, turban, cross, or bindi—reflect the diversity that strengthens our democracy. We unequivocally support Ms. Sridharan’s right to express her identity and condemn the racism and xenophobia directed at her.
“We urge public leaders and institutions to continue defending religious freedom and the dignity of every individual.”
He said CAIR and the American Muslim community stand in solidarity with all those challenging antisemitism, systemic anti-Black racism, xenophobia, Islamophobia, white supremacy, and all other forms of bigotry.
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CONTACT: Khalid Turaani, CAIR-Ohio Executive Director, Kturaani@cair.com, 614-401-6692