The state of Georgia in the United States has introduced a bill to formally recognise Hinduphobia and anti-Hindu prejudice, becoming the first state to do so. If it becomes law, the penal code in Georgia will be updated and consequently enable law enforcement agencies to consider Hinduphobia and take appropriate action.
The development is crucial as Indian-origin lawmakers have been flagging rising cases of Hindu-hatred in the U.S.

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The bill, SB 375, dated April 4, was introduced in the Georgia General Assembly, the state legislature, and its sponsors include both Democrats and Republicans.
Georgia State Senate members Shawn Still and Clint Dixon, both Republicans, and Jason Esteves and Emanuel Jones, both Democrats, were the four sponsors.

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“Over the past few years, we have seen a marked increase in hate crimes against Hindus across the country,” said Shawn Still, who introduced the bill.

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The bill seeks to introduce a new section to the Georgia state government code that defines ‘Hinduphobia’ as a ‘set of antagonistic, destructive, and derogatory attitudes and behaviours towards Hinduism.’
It would require state and local law enforcement agencies to enforce anti-discrimination laws while investigating potential discrimination cases.

“Senator Still has always been a staunch supporter of the Hindu community and has stood with us during the tough times we faced. His commitment has been a beacon of hope for all the Hindus across the US. We are extremely thankful to him for his relentless pursuit of justice and equality,” said Rajeev Menon, founder of the Hindus of Georgia PAC. 

Huge shoutouts to Senator Shawn Still and all the members and supporters of the Hindus of Georgia PAC, whose tireless efforts over the years to defend and protect the civil rights of the Hindu community led to this bill, said Dhiru Shah, a senior community leader and a board member of the PAC.

“We are proud to work closely with Senator Shawn Still on this important bill and thank him, along with Senator Emanuel D. Jones, Senator Jason Esteves, and Senator Clint Dixon, for supporting the needs of the Hindu community in Georgia and the United States,” said the Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA), an advocacy organisation.

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CoHNA said the bill builds upon the important work that we started in April 2023 when the Georgia General Assembly passed a resolution condemning Hinduphobia.

The resolution stated that Hinduism is one of the largest and oldest religions in the world, with over 1.2 billion adherents in over 100 countries, and embodies diverse traditions and beliefs with values of peace, mutual respect, and acceptance.

According to the 2023–24 Pew Research Center Religious Landscape Study, there are about 2.5 million Hindus in the US. Indian-American leaders have been raising concerns about the rise in Hinduphobia in the US.

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“Georgia becomes the first state in introducing such a bill, and if passed, will make history once again. We look forward to advocating for this bill once the Georgia legislative session reopens. Stay tuned for more updates,!” said CoHNA in a post on X.

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