Hindus for Human Rights (HFHR) is a left-of-center nonprofit organization that advocates for separation of the Hindu religion and the state in India and for a religious minority rights focus in U.S.-India relations. ¹ It is critical of Hindu nationalism and critics of its advocacy argue that it is anti-Hindu. ²

Following the second election of Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election, HFHR published a blog post that accused President-elect Trump of promoting racism, being “anti-immigrant,” and promoting violence against Haitians. It also advocates in support of eliminating restrictions on abortions and in opposition of border security policies. ³

Background

Hindus for Human Rights is a charitable Hindu advocacy organization that was founded in 2019. It is critical of the government of India under Prime Minister Narendra Modi for advancing Hindu nationalism or Hindutva. Hindus for Human Rights claims that Hindu nationalism upholds the Indian caste system and discriminates against non-Hindus. ¹

HFHR advocates that India separate Hindu beliefs and practices from its government and for the United States Department of State to designate India as a “‘Country of Particular Concern’ for ‘engaging in systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom.’” ¹ HFHR campaigns in support of having U.S. officials “publicly and forcefully condemn” India in public statements and in its meeting with Indian officials for the government’s alleged Hindu nationalism. ⁴

In addition to opposing Hindu nationalism in India, HFHR advocates for Hindu issues globally and for social and economic policies that address issues pertaining to minority groups. ⁵

Advocacy

Opposition to President Trump

Following former President Donald Trump winning the 2024 presidential election, Hindus for Human Rights published a blog post condemning Trump, warning of human rights violations by the second Trump administration, and accusing President-elect Trump of empowering “dictators” globally. It also accuses him of having espoused “racist” and “anti-immigrant” language and for “invoking blood libel against Haitians.”  The post further advocated eliminating abortion restrictions while criticizing Trump for appointing Supreme Court justices who voted to overturn Roe v. Wade. ³

Dismantling Global Hindutva Conference

In October 2021, Hindus for Human Rights wrote a letter to the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights in support of the University of Pennsylvania’s Dismantling Global Hindutva Conference that took place earlier in the year. Critics filed Title VI civil rights complaints against it. ^{6 7} The complaint accused the event holders of hosting speakers that “promoted negative stereotypes, slurs, and distorted facts” about Hindus and denied the existence of anti-Hinduism. It also accused the event of targeting Hindu students to be censored and marginalized. ⁸

HFHR’s letter in support of the event argued that the allegedly defamatory language was taken out of context and that it was ultimately “false” that the event “intended to marginalize or stigmatize Hindus.” ⁷ It also expressed support for the event’s promotion of the idea that when the Indian government adopted Hindu values, it resulted in the oppression and discrimination of ethnic minorities and perpetuated India’s caste system. ⁷

Israel-Hamas Conflict

Hindus for Human Rights states that its stance on the Israel-Hamas conflict aligns with its “anti-Zionist Jewish siblings,” describing supporters of Israel as “far-right” nationalists and as hateful. It promotes the saying, “From the river to the sea,” a phrase that critics claim is used to oppose the existence of Israel as a Jewish state or to promote the genocide of Jewish people in Israel. HFHR also equates Israel being a Jewish state to India being a Hindu state, expressing opposition to “all forms of ethnic or religious nationalism.” ^{2 9}

In September 2024, HFHR executive director Sunita Viswanath published a blog post describing going on an interfaith “pilgrimage” to the Palestinian territories alongside Rabbis for Ceasefire and Christians for Ceasefire, advocating on behalf of HFHR for Palestinian people in the Israel-Hamas conflict. She accused Israel of committing genocide and ethnic cleansing of Palestinian people throughout the history of the Israel-Palestinian conflict and condemns Israel for what she described as “colonizing” the disputed Palestinian territories. ¹⁰

Immigration Policy

Hindus for Human Rights is critical of Indian government policies that would require residents to produce documentation to prove their citizenship. It advocates that the United States and India to end policies that result in the detaining immigrants and advocates for allowing all working residents to be eligible for citizenship. ⁵

Partner Organizations

HFHR is a partner organization of Coalition Against Fascism in India, Dalit Solidarity Forum, GreenFaith, Indian American Muslim Council, India Civil Watch International, Poor People’s Campaign, and Students Against Hindutva Ideology. ⁴

Financials

In 2022, Hindus for Human Rights reported $570,812 in total revenue and $403,386 in total expenses, including $108,402 in salaries and compensation of employees. ¹¹

Leadership

Sunita Viswanath is the executive director of Hindus for Human Rights and is a board member of UnFreeze Afghanistan. Viswanath is also a co-founder and former board chair of Women for Afghan Women. ¹²

1. Hindus for human rights. “USCIRF Statement for the Record.” United States Commission on International Religious Freedom. Accessed December 2, 2024. https://www.uscirf.gov/sites/default/files/USCIRF%20Statement%20for%20the%20Record%E2%80%94Hindus%20for%20Human%20Rights.pdf.
2. “FAQs.” Hindus for Human Rights. Accessed December 2, 2024. https://www.hindusforhumanrights.org/en/faq?rq=faq#CASTE
3. Kalal, David. “India’s 2024 Election: A Call for Justice and Inclusive Democracy: Hindus for Human Rights.” Hindus for Human Rights, November 8, 2024. https://www.hindusforhumanrights.org/en/blog/election2024message.
4. “Our Mission, Values, Priorities, Partners.” Hindus for Human Rights. Accessed December 2, 2024. https://www.hindusforhumanrights.org/en/our-vision.
5. “FAQs.” Hindus for Human Rights. Accessed December 2, 2024. https://www.hindusforhumanrights.org/en/faq?rq=faq#CASTE.
6. ^[1] Viswanath, Sunita, and Raju Rajagopal. “Hindus for Human Rights: In Support of the Dismantling Global Hindutva Conference.” The Daily Pennsylvanian, December 11, 2021. https://www.thedp.com/article/2021/12/upenn-hindtuva-conference-hindus-for-human-rights
7. “Letter to U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights in Support of Academic Freedom.” Hindus for Human Rights, December 1, 2023. https://www.hindusforhumanrights.org/en/blog/letter-to-us-department-of-educations-office-for-civil-rights-in-support-of-academic-freedom.
8. Letter to Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Suzanne Goldberg and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Enforcement Randolph Wills. “Title VI Complaint University of Pennsylvania.” Hindu American Foundation, October 6, 2021. https://www.hinduamerican.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Title-VI-Complaint.University-of-Pennsylvania.100621.pdf.
9. “‘From the River to the Sea.’” American Jewish Committee, November 26, 2024. https://www.ajc.org/translatehate/From-the-River-to-the-Sea.
10. Viswanath, Sunita. “An Interfaith Dispatch from the West Bank.” The Nation, September 4, 2024. https://www.thenation.com/article/activism/peace-delegation-palestine-rabbis-ceasefire-hindus-human-rights/.
11. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Hindus for Human Rights Inc. 2022.
12. Viswanath, Sunita. “An Interfaith Dispatch from the West Bank.” The Nation, September 4, 2024. https://www.thenation.com/article/activism/peace-delegation-palestine-rabbis-ceasefire-hindus-human-rights/.