Why American Anti-Caste Measures Aren’t Really About Uplifting Dalits

Hindu Americans combat caste discrimination, defend religious freedom, and support persecuted counterparts worldwide.

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Caste narrative in the US is racialized, labeling Hindu Americans as "white supremacists" and caste victims as akin to Black Americans.

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Forces pushing caste narratives rely on the association between Hinduism and caste in American consciousness.

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Push for "caste equity" assumes Dalits are inherently oppressed regardless of location or wealth, despite evidence to the contrary.

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Caste bills lack clarity, assigning American notions of privilege and oppression to religious communities, harming Hindu Americans.

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American anti-caste movement targets Hinduism, overlooks Dalit persecution in Pakistan and Bangladesh, mostly impacting Hindu Dalits.

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In 2011, I joined the Hindu American Foundation's DC Advocacy Day to address forced conversions of Hindu girls in Pakistan.

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Dalit Hindus in Pakistan face persecution, including forced conversions and rape used as a means of pressure.

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