America comes together against hate crimes on Indian Americans

Coalition of Indian American Organizations of the USA has held a protest outside the White House and submitted a memorandum to the President Donald Trump and urged him to speak up against hate crimes, punish culprits under federal hate crimes law.

The Indian Diaspora is protesting and fighting back against the hate crimes in America. Several states, are trying to help and safeguard minority communities by passing laws to curb bigotry and racially-tinged attacks. Indian Americans had spoken against any form of discrimination and appealed to lodge a complaint with the appropriate authorities. It would help to create further awareness and prevent hateful incidents from happening in future.

“Hindus have been recently affected and victimized as a result of Islamophobia. It does affect our community as well,” Vindhya Adapa, a 27-year-old corporate lawyer based in Virginia said at the White House protest.

Sheshadri, a young Indian American doctor said. “We are here today to raise awareness against hate crimes particularly against people of Indian origin. This is not necessarily a protest against the Trump Administration. We are here to seek bipartisan support against the hate crimes that has been happening recently against Indian Americans.”

Indian American lawmakers on Capitol Hill have spoken in one voice against the rising hate crimes and denounced it. Sen. Kamala Harris and the four House of Representative members, Ami Bera, Ro Khanna, Pramila Jayapal and Raja Krishnamoorthi has held a joint meet to condole and condemn the shooting death of Srinivas Kuchibhotla in Kansas.

Tulsi Gabbard, the Hindu Congresswoman from Hawaii, has urged the Justice Department to investigate all violent acts motivated by bigotry and pleaded to promote a pluralistic society in America.

Gov. Sam Brownback of Kansas is applauded for being the first one out of the blocks to express his anguish at hate crimes against Indians. He had sent a personal letter to the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi following the murder of Kuchibhotla and condoled his death and assured that Indians are welcome to his state.

In Illinois, Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner supports several measures, such as a bill that boosts penalties for vandalism against religious institutions.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has created a state police unit to investigate hate-crime reports.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D. Conn.) has recently introduced a federal bill that aims to improve hate-crime reporting and allow victims to pursue civil actions against offenders.

The Oregon legislature considers a bill that adds ethnicity and gender as protected classes under the state’s hate-crime law.

Florida, legislators are weighing whether to include gender and gender identity as protected statuses.

Kentucky became the second state after Louisiana to enact a law making it a hate crime to attack police.

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