Report Reveals Hindu American Foundation’s Ties to Far-Right Extremism

Featured & Cover Report Reveals Hindu American Foundation's Ties to Far Right Extremism

A recent report published by Political Research Associates (PRA) and the Savera: United Against Supremacy coalition exposes the Hindu American Foundation’s (HAF) connections to far-right groups and its role in promoting a divisive agenda. The report highlights HAF’s strategy of using civil rights language to disguise its alliances with Hindu supremacists and other far-right entities, raising concerns about its influence on Indian American communities and broader civil society in the U.S.

On October 16, 2024, PRA and the Savera coalition jointly released the report, “HAF Way to Supremacy: How the Hindu American Foundation Rebrands Bigotry as Minority Rights.” The findings outline how HAF has aligned itself with far-right actors, spreading harmful narratives such as Islamophobia and casteism within the Indian American community. The report suggests that HAF’s ultimate goal is to undermine solidarity among communities of color, steering Hindu Americans toward an increasingly multiracial far-right in the United States.

The document emphasizes that HAF’s agenda is based on a zero-sum approach to civil rights, where the rights of Hindu Americans are portrayed as being in opposition to other minority groups. “The civil rights and religious freedoms of Hindus are framed in opposition to, and at the expense of, those of other communities,” the report states. By attacking the extension of civil rights protections to caste-oppressed groups, spreading negative stereotypes about Muslims, and shielding the Indian government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi from international scrutiny, HAF has found common ground with other far-right elements.

Far from being a recent development, HAF’s far-right affiliations date back to its origins. The organization was founded by a younger generation of Hindutva activists who had previously been involved with overtly bigoted Hindu supremacist groups. HAF was designed to provide a more acceptable face for Hindutva ideology, enabling it to gain legitimacy in mainstream American discourse. However, its deep-rooted connections with extremist organizations like the Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (HSS) and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America (VHP-A) have remained largely hidden from public view.

HAF has sought to exploit the general lack of understanding about Hindu nationalism and far-right Hindu movements in the Indian diaspora, positioning itself as a representative of Hindu American civil rights. This strategy allowed the organization to gain acceptance in American civil society, where it became involved in interfaith and multicultural coalitions. These groups welcomed HAF, assuming it represented the views of Hindu Americans. However, as its far-right associations have become more apparent, HAF has distanced itself from these inclusive spaces, focusing instead on exclusionary tactics and lobbying efforts. The report underscores that HAF’s growing influence poses a serious threat to the creation of a genuinely multiracial democracy in the U.S.

HAF’s Role in Far-Right Movements

The report highlights how HAF has consistently worked to propagate far-right ideology under the guise of defending Hindu rights. It details how HAF has blocked efforts to extend civil rights protections to caste-oppressed groups, thus maintaining the status quo of caste-based discrimination within the Hindu community. Furthermore, HAF has played a significant role in spreading Islamophobic narratives, positioning Hindus as victims in a supposed civilizational clash with Muslims, a view promoted by Hindu supremacists in India.

This alignment with far-right ideology is also evident in HAF’s attempts to shield India’s Modi-led government from international criticism. Modi’s government has faced widespread allegations of promoting policies that target religious minorities, particularly Muslims. HAF’s defense of these policies aligns it with the far-right globally, not just in the U.S., creating transnational connections between Hindu supremacists and other far-right movements.

Expert Reactions

Tarso Luís Ramos, Executive Director of Political Research Associates, noted that the report unveils the role HAF plays in promoting Hindutva in the U.S. under the banner of civil rights. “The Hindu supremacist movement is a dangerous and increasingly influential force within an emergent multiracial Far Right in the United States,” he said. Ramos further highlighted how HAF has capitalized on the lack of awareness about Hindu supremacism in America to present itself as a legitimate civil rights organization. “This report sets the record straight: HAF is a stalking horse for Hindutva and must be understood as an extension of the Indian Far Right,” Ramos added.

Sunita Viswanath, Cofounder and Executive Director of Hindus for Human Rights, emphasized the importance of the report in exposing the far-reaching impact of HAF’s activities. “With this report, our third on the Hindu supremacist ecosystem in the United States, we have presented the most comprehensive treatment of how diasporic far-right networks are also a key part of the authoritarian movement in the U.S. This report is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand what the far-right is shaping up to be,” she said. Viswanath’s statement underscores the report’s broader relevance to understanding the development of far-right alliances, particularly as they relate to minority communities.

Chaitanya Diwadkar, representing the Ambedkar King Study Circle, pointed out that HAF’s efforts to deny caste discrimination in the U.S. form part of its broader supremacist agenda. “The report clearly illustrates how HAF has facilitated hate-mongering and supremacist politics,” Diwadkar stated. He warned of the danger posed by Hindu supremacist movements to democracy, both in India and the U.S., emphasizing the need for immediate action to address the issue.

Rasheed Ahmed, Executive Director of the Indian American Muslim Council, provided additional insights into HAF’s involvement in xenophobic campaigns. He criticized HAF for rejecting protections for caste-oppressed groups and supporting efforts by the Modi government to target Sikh minorities. “Savera’s new report compiles evidence of what many South Asian and Muslim civil rights groups have known for a long time: that HAF rejects protections for caste-oppressed groups, aligns with a foreign regime’s efforts to target our Sikh siblings, and joins in the xenophobic demonization of Muslims,” Ahmed said. His remarks reflect the growing concerns of civil rights groups over HAF’s role in spreading hateful ideologies within Indian American communities.

A Call to Action

The report concludes by urging U.S. civil society to recognize the danger posed by HAF’s far-right connections. As the multiracial far-right continues to grow in the U.S., it is critical to understand how organizations like HAF contribute to this movement, using minority rights language as a cover for advancing supremacist goals. The authors argue that HAF’s far-right record must be confronted if a truly inclusive and multiracial democracy is to be built.

By exposing the depth of HAF’s alliances with Hindu supremacists and its broader impact on civil rights in the U.S., the report serves as a wake-up call for policymakers, activists, and civil society groups. The challenge lies in dismantling the deceptive narratives promoted by HAF and ensuring that the fight for civil rights includes all marginalized communities, particularly those affected by casteism, Islamophobia, and other forms of bigotry.

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