In a historic decision on April 24, the Rutgers University Student Assembly (RUSA) had handed a decision (No. 1451-XX) to undertake a scholarly definition of Hinduphobia 14 days after the conclusion of ‘Understanding Hinduphobia Conference.’
#BREAKING: Rutgers University turns into the primary U.S college to institutionally acknowledge Hinduphobia via its scholar meeting #UnderstandingHinduphobia2021— Hindu On Campus (@hinduoncampus) April 23, 2021
The choice was a results of collection of Hindu hate incidences noticed on the college. A petition was initiated by a bunch of scholars in March this 12 months asking Rutgers-Newark University to take robust motion in opposition to controversial ‘historian’ and Professor Audrey Truschke for demonising Hinduism.
However, Truschke appears to have stooped to a brand new low by stalking even the dad and mom of the scholars who had participated within the understanding Hinduphobia convention. The identical was dropped at gentle by Rashmi Samant, the ex-president-elect of Oxford University Student Union who was bullied, threatened, ridiculed and compelled to resign from her submit for being a Hindu.
Samant shared the screenshot in a Tweet of a chat with a Rutgers scholar who may be seen informing that Audrey Truschke was now stalking dad and mom of the scholars on skilled networking website LinkedIn.
Screenshot of a chat shared by Rashmi Samant on TwitterSuspecting a scientific hate assault was being deliberate in opposition to Rutgers Hindu college students identical to the one launched in opposition to her by Abhijit Sarkar, a college at Oxford, Samant’s Tweet learn, “A new low. Audrey Truschke is stalking LinkedIn accounts of parents of students who held the recent Hinduphobia conference (which she refused to attend). Is she trying to desperately run a hate campaign like Abhijit Sarkar at Oxford?”
A brand new low. Audrey Truschke is stalking LinkedIn accounts of oldsters of scholars who held the current Hinduphobia convention (which she refused to attend). Is she attempting to desperately run a hate marketing campaign like Abhijit Sarkar at Oxford? @RutgersU @Rutgers_Newark @rudiversity pic.twitter.com/BwBfqaVSgw— Rashmi Samant 🌺 (@Rashmidvs) April 28, 2021
Rutgers Hindu college students get up in opposition to Truschke’s Hinduphobia
An issue had damaged out after a number of Hindu college students of Rutgers University had written a letter to the college in response to ‘historian’ Audrey Truschke’s makes an attempt to promote Hinduphobic fiction within the identify of ‘history’. In its petition, the group of Hindu college students learning at Rutgers-Newark identified that Audrey Truschke tried to trivialize and downplay the Hindu genocide dedicated by the Mughal tyrant Aurangzeb.
In an open letter written to the college authorities, the scholars had stated that they’re “aghast at the bigotry being peddled against Hindus via continued derision of our religion, our deities, and our sacred texts” within the college, which can be a possible menace to their safety, as it could result in “potential attacks, bullying, and backlash, either on campus or via social media, due to our faith”.
Voices in opposition to Hinduphobia gained prominence within the University after a college member of Rutgers defended ‘historian’ Audrey Truschke regardless of her anti-Hindu stance.
Audrey Truschke’s controversial statements in opposition to Hinduism
On March 7, ‘Hindu on Campus’ a student-led group uncovered how Audrey Truschke had made problematic statements in opposition to Hinduism and indulged in informal racism in opposition to Hindus. At the time of US Capitol riots, Truschke tweeted concerning the presence of an Indian flag on the scene to suggest it to be the handiwork of Hindu Right. In one other occasion, Truschke had misinterpreted the sacred Hindu non secular textual content of Bhagavad Gita and accused it of rationalizing mass slaughter. Truschke had additionally equated a gang rape case in India to an incident within the Hindu epic of Mahabharata, basically alluding that Hindu tradition endorses “rape culture” and misogyny.
Several college and professors of Rutgers had been seen monkey-balancing whereas defending Truschke. The episode traumatized each present and potential Hindu college students a lot in order that they’ve determined in opposition to making use of to the University.
Definition of Hinduphobia
The college students presently of the college had determined to conduct a convention on Hinduphobia to unfold consciousness about the identical. A brand new definition of Hinduphobia with sure amendments was given which fits as, “a set of antagonistic, destructive, and derogatory attitudes and behaviours towards Sanatana Dharma (Hinduism) and Hindus that may manifest as fear or hatred.”
Who is Rashmi Samant
Rashmi Samant, a younger girl from Karnataka who had just lately change into the primary feminine Indian elect of Oxford University Student’s Union, relinquished her submit after being abused, bullied and focused for being a Hindu and over her views in opposition to colonization.
In what appeared like a coordinated assault, Rashmi Samant’s outdated social media posts had been dredged up, accusing her of being racist, anti-semitic, Islamophobic, transphobic and even for her Hindu roots. Samant was elected to the celebrated submit on February 11 and inside per week, She tendered her resignation after dealing with a barrage of on-line criticism and abuse.
So a lot in order that Samant needed to return to India and was even hospitalized attributable to intense trauma. After recovering, Samant determined to move again to the college to complete her research respectfully.