Stop denigration of Hinduism

The ongoing attempts to denigrate Hindu caste system are racist attempts denigrating Hinduism and aimed at breaking up a nation of over one billion people. Organizations which indulge in racism and tacitly approve racism with supremacist claims or imperialist or colonialist agendas should stop leveling trumped up charges to falsely label Hinduism as racist.

Many Hindu organizations have been doing exemplary work to reject foreign interference in Indias domestic affairs -- a device to re-colonize. Over a billion Hindus all over the world have to voice their opposition to i) attempts being made to break up a united India, ii) organizations abetting violence among Hindu communities, and iii) Christian missionary entities, in particular, indulging in violation of Hindu human rights through forced attempts at conversion and saving the 'souls' of the 'blinded heathen'.

While discrimination in society, on ANY basis whether on grounds of race, gender, jaati, kula, or varna must be denounced, we reject and seek to counter the selective attacks on the natural and healthy system of Varna and Kula, and pluralistic system of Jaati described in Hindu sacred texts for human progress and harmonious social practices. Perceived inequities in what are organic social institutions are aberrations and real perversions caused by time. These can and are being removed in time by wise Hindus who know and live dharma. Hindu society is the most open of all societies and therefore dynamic in character and therefore changes readily to adapt to kaala dharma (ethic of the times).

Millennial-old Hindu civilization is strong enough to cope with any social inequities without any interference from outsiders. India where the majority of Hindus reside is a sovereign, democratic, republic governed by the rule of law; social organizations and state apparatus in Independent India strive to undo social inequities. We also reject efforts being made to interfere with such efforts.

Time has come to expose not only the activities of an axis of anti-Hindu splinter groups but to correct ill-informed, self-serving Hindu advocacy groups producing half-baked reports on the Hindu caste system. A recent example is the Hindu American Foundation (HAF) report released on 21 July 2011 containing the very same phrase used in the anti-Hindu groups such as IDN/DFN who portray Hindu society as cast in caste. HAF report tries to subtitle their report Not cast in caste, while echoing the false propaganda of such anti-Hindu groups. By producing such reports, HAF is falling into the trap of entities like IDN/DFN; it will be a shame indeed if Hindu advocacy groups are seen to be endorsing the anti-Hindu dalit bandwagon.

UN Committee on Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) has planned its 79th session in August 2011 in Geneva. Attempting to highlight caste system in India as an issue of racial discrimination organizations like the International Dalit Solidarity Network (IDSN) and Dalit Solidarity Network (DSN-UK and other countries) are readying their reports to focus specifically on the so-called issue of caste discrimination stereotyping Hinduism into a falsely, maliciously portrayed straight-jacket raising the bogie of rights.

IDN/DFN network, the Lutheran Church, and specific individuals like Angana Chatterjee (named in the recent arrest of Ghulam Nabi Fai by the FBI) have been known to indulge in Hindu-bashing and presenting distorted, biased and motivated reports on Hindu caste system.

It is unfortunate that some Hindu groups like HAF are also seen to be partners in such a nefarious attempt by issuing a half-baked report on caste system in India, little realizing that HAF is failing in its responsibility as an advocacy group for Hindu Americans to counter the internationally orchestrated nefarious propaganda to take the topic of a mythical dalit discrimination into international forums like the UNs CERD.

It is unfortunate that the HAF report appears to adopt the mendacious strategy of international evangelist corporate bodies and ignores the sea change that has been legislated in independent India to favor disadvantaged castes. The HAF report also fails to register the significance of the political empowerment of those labeled as dalits and other backward classes (OBCs) across contemporary India. Major studies also repudiate the idea that supposedly privileged castes can be viewed in a singular frame across India and it is a canard to depict them all as oppressors and many are themselves neither well off nor politically represented.

This petition denounces HAF and seeks unconditional withdrawal of their July 2011 report which has not been endorsed by the Hindu society and social-religious leaders. The financial sponsors of HAF should rethink and introspect on the damage caused to the Hindu cause by promoting such bogus advocacy briefs drafting mendacious reports on Caste. Should HAF be allowed to play to the tunes of Christian evangelists? Would HAF like to see its name as an endorser of a UNHCR resolution condemning caste as racism? Should Hindu community allow such blatant meddling in domestic Hindu issues in India? Hindus should oppose through all forums any attempts being made to legislate on caste indirectly as a proposed UK legislation attempts to do.

Furthermore, the writings by Swami Dayananda Saraswati categorizing conversions as violence, recent books like Rajiv Malhotra and Aravindan Neelakandans Breaking India (BI), Sandhya Jains book on religious conversion, and Adi Deo Arya Devata, Radha Rajans Vigil books on NGOs, Eclipse of the Hindu Nation should be a wake-up call to all Hindus everywhere to say enough is enough and express their outrage at concerted efforts by motivated proselytizing and evangelizing missions. The entire 70 page bibliography of writings published in Rajiv Malhotra and Aravindan Neelakandan's BI and the factual situation brought out in the writings of Swami Dayananda Saraswati, Convener of Hindu Dharma Acharya Sabha (http://www.acharyasabha.org/), Sandhya Jain and Radha Rajan should be read to gain a fair understanding of the reality of Hinduism.

This petition is addressed to UNHRC (UN Human Rights Council), UNs CERD, US White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships, USCIRF (US Commission on International Religious Freedom), lawmakers of USA, UK and other European countries. These entities should learn about the universality of Hindu dharma and get a fair account about the caste system from Hindu deliberations such as the one organized as an international conference by World Association of Vedic Studies, Gayatri Parivar and Sanatana Dharma Foundation between July 29 to 31, 2011 in New Jersey. (www.wavesinternational.net)