Georgia makes history: Bill is introduced to recognize Hinduphobia | Today news

In a groundbreaking step, the state of Georgia became the first in the United States to enact legislation aimed at recognizing the recognition of Hinduphobia and discrimination against Hindo. This historical bill, the Senate Bill 375, is an important step towards the rising cases of Hindu-Hated in the country. The legislation, supported by both Republican and Democratic Senators, seeks to update Georgia’s Criminal Law to explicitly define Hinduphobia and empower law enforcement agencies to take appropriate steps against hate crimes that target Hindus. Background and importance The introduction of this bill comes on the heels of a clear increase in hate crimes against Hindus in the United States. Indian origin lawmakers said about the need for such legislation, which emphasizes the importance of protecting the rights of the Hindu community. In 2023, Georgia drew up a precedent by becoming the first state who accepted a resolution of the province that condemned back roads, addressing his commitment to addressing discrimination against Hindu. Important provisions of the Senate Bill 375 Senate Bill 375 are designed to integrate Hinduphobia into existing laws against discrimination, and to ensure that state and local maintenance agencies consider this form of prejudice when regulations related to race, color, religion or national origin. The bill defines Hinduphobia as “a set of antagonistic, destructive and derogatory attitudes and behavior towards Hinduism.” This definition will lead law enforcement in identifying and addressing hate crimes against Hindus, which allows prosecutors to consider HinduPhobia when determining whether the improvement of hate crime fines is justified. Security and constitutional protection to ensure that the legislation does not infringe on constitutional rights includes the Senate Bill 375 provisions that protect free speech protection. It makes it clear that the bill does not limit individuals to practice legally protected speech, including expressions related to US foreign policy or international matters. In addition, it confirms that the legislation is not contrary to the existing federal, state or local discrimination laws. If part of the bill is found unconstitutional, the entire law will be automatically revoked, ensuring that it is issued as a whole and not in parts. Support and implications The coalition of Hindus of North America (Cohna) expressed its support for the bill, praising the dual attempt by Senators Shawn Still, Clint Dixon, Jason Esteves and Emanuel D. Jones. The transition from this bill would not only rely on Georgia to formally address Hinduphobia, but also set a precedent for other states to follow. This underlines the growing recognition of the need to protect minority communities from hate crimes and discrimination. First published: 12 Apr 2025, 07:42 PM IST