Georgia in the United States has reportedly become the first state in the country to introduce to introduce a bill to formally recognise Hinduphobia and anti-Hindu discrimination.
The bill, if enacted into law, would amend Georgia's penal code to define Hinduphobia explicitly and instruct law enforcement agencies to take appropriate action in crimes involving hate crimes against Hindus in the US.
Republican Senators Shawn Still and Clint Dixon, along with Democratic Senators Jason Esteves and Emanuel D Jones, have jointly backed the legislation, NDTV reported.
The development is crucial as Indian-origin lawmakers have been flagging rising cases of Hindu-hatred in the US.
Senate Bill 375, dated April 4, was introduced in the Georgia General Assembly. It seeks to introduce a new section to the Georgia state government code that defines “Hinduphobia" as a “set of antagonistic, destructive, and derogatory attitudes and behaviours towards Hinduism."
"Georgia becomes the first state to introduce such a bill, and if passed, will make history once again," the Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA) said in a statement. "We are proud to work closely with Senator Shawn Still on this important bill and thank him along with Senator Emanuel Jones, Senator Jason Esteves, and Senator Clint Dixon for supporting the needs of the Hindu community in Georgia and the United States."
This move builds on the groundwork laid in April 2023, when Georgia passed a resolution condemning Hinduphobia and anti-Hindu bigotry. That resolution also acknowledged Hinduism as one of the world's oldest religions, with more than 1.2 billion adherents across more than 100 countries.
The resolution was led by Republican Representatives Lauren McDonald and Todd Jones, representing Forsyth County - home to one of Georgia's largest Hindu and Indian-American communities. The resolution, widely welcomed by Hindu advocacy groups and religious leaders, aimed to both celebrate Hindu contributions to American society and condemn incidents of hate speech and violence targeting Hindus.
According to the 2023-2024 Pew Research Center Religious Landscape Study, there are approximately 2.5 million Hindus in the United States - comprising about 0.9 per cent of the national population - with over 40,000 residing in Georgia, primarily in the Atlanta metropolitan area.
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