Harris can honour her roots by opposing Hindu 'nationalism': Diaspora rights group

By Our Representative

USA’s Indian diaspora group, Hindus for Human Rights (HfHR), even as celebrating the victory of Joe Biden as president and Kamala Harris vice-president, has said that the best way Harris can “honour her Indian and Hindu roots would be to oppose Hindu nationalism and promote policies and positions which favour human rights in India.”
Noting that many Indians are celebrating that someone with Indian roots is about to be the vice president of US, HfHR said, it is “looking forward to working with the new administration on the issues closest to our heart: addressing the terrible atrocities taking place in India under Hindu nationalist rule, and the growing presence of Hindu nationalism in US politics.”
In a statement, HfHR said, “The American people have condemned racism, sexism, xenophobia, and authoritarianism and have chosen to embrace diversity, science, rule of law, and democracy. The election of Biden and Harris hopefully means not only a return to civility among people and in politics and responsible stewardship of our planet, but also the start of a new age of humane immigration policies and economic policies which benefit the poorest in our country.”
Noting that today the US is a divided nation, “perhaps even more polarized than we were in 2016”, and insisting that it is imperative that “we all take seriously the task of bridging the many divides among us, lest we backslide over the next four years”, HfHR said, “May all countries in the world-- including India – which are suffering under ethno-nationalist or religious nationalist authoritarian rule be inspired to similarly change course.”
It quoted Ken Roth, executive director of the Human Rights Watch, as stating that “many close allies have lost faith in US because of the radical departure from international human rights standards and the institutions for their defense that seems to come with certain administrations.”
Roth added, “The challenge for President-elect Biden is not simply to adopt a better human rights policy but also to introduce human rights principles as a genuine guide. Only an affirmation and entrenchment of those principles has a chance of persuading allies and adversaries alike that Washington’s commitment to human rights is more than the passing preference of a given president."

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