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Time of India
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
US Senator Adam Schiff condemns 'brutal act of terrorism' in Pahalgam attack
US Senator Adam Schiff has issued a powerful letter denouncing the 'brutal act of terrorism' in Pahalgam where 26 civilians were killed. In a response to the Hindu American Foundation 's action alert, Senator Schiff expressed solidarity with the victims and the Indian-American community, while urging the US State Department to push for calm between India and Pakistan following the deadly incident. 'I condemn this brutal act of terrorism in the strongest possible terms,' Schiff wrote. 'My heart goes out to the victims, their families, and to the people of India. I stand in solidarity with the entire Indian-American community that has been affected by this senseless violence.' Senator Schiff's letter, sent to constituents and published by the Hindu American Foundation, acknowledged the religious nature of the killings and the threat such acts pose to global peace. 'All people deserve to live free from fear that they will be targeted based on their religion, ethnicity, or culture,' he wrote. 'The United States must help all nations prevent and combat acts of terrorism, such as the attack that took place in Pahalgam, Kashmir. ' He added that the US must also work toward promoting religious freedom worldwide 'to uphold basic human rights and in the interest of global stability.' Schiff's comments come amid heightened tensions between India and Pakistan. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 끝없는 강호를 여행하며 무림 고수를 만나라.검 하나로 운명을 바꿔라! 무신전설 ApesGame 가입하기 Undo After the Pahalgam massacre, India launched precision strikes on terror infrastructure located in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on May 7. India responded with force before both sides agreed to de-escalate following talk. In his letter, Schiff urged the State Department to play a diplomatic role in the region. 'It is critical that the Department of State urge calm on both sides and push for de-escalation,' he said. 'I hope that those responsible for this brutal attack will be found and held accountable, along with anyone that provided them with support or aid.' The Hindu American Foundation, which helped bring attention to the attack, welcomed Schiff's intervention. 'Thank you, Senator, for recognizing the targeted nature of the violence and standing in solidarity with victims and their families,' the group posted. 'This important response comes following an action alert from the Hindu American Foundation, and we are grateful for your leadership in calling for accountability, de-escalation, and global religious freedom. '
Time of India
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
'Message was sent in error': California senator rectifies Pahalgam statement, says he represents largest Hindu-American population in US
California senator Alex Padilla issued a fresh statement, condemning the Pahalgam terror attack. California senator Alex Padilla who was slammed by the Hindu American Foundation for not condemning the Pahalgam attack in India has rectified his earlier statement and said it was issued in error. The Hindu American Foundation launched a voter voice campaign over the Pahalgam attack in which 26. The foundation has written to several US politicians seeking their support, but Democrat senator Padilla, in his earlier statement, lectured about religious freedom in India, which upset the Hindu American Foundation. "You may have previously received a message from me regarding religious freedom in India. That message was sent in error, and I understand your frustration," the senator wrote, condemning the violence against Hindu civilians in Pahalgam. "As a United States Senator from California, it is my honor to represent the largest population of Hindu Americans in the country. I also deeply value the US-India relationship, and I remain committed to strengthening the relationship and to recognizing the important contributions of Indian Americans in our communities," Padillia wrote. "As you know, 26 civilians, primarily Hindu tourists, were killed in a militant attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like If you have a mouse, you have to play this game. Navy Quest Game Undo The eyewitness accounts of the slaughter are horrific, and I sincerely hope the authorities will bring the perpetrators to justice. In response, India launched retaliatory airstrikes targeting Pakistani targets. The conflict continued with cross-border shelling, tragically claiming civilian lives on both sides. I wholeheartedly align with my colleagues across the political spectrum in supporting the current ceasefire and ensuring that those responsible for the April 22 attack are held accountable for the despicable act of violence. Hindu American Foundation earlier expressed their disappointment as the senator did not condemn the attack and instead peddled some biased narratives of India's religious persecution. "California is home to one of the largest Indian and Hindu American communities. When constituents reach out about terrorism, they deserve moral clarity and respect, not dismissive rhetoric that shifts blame onto the victims," the foundation earlier wrote before the senator issued a rectified statement.
Time of India
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Hindu American Foundation slams California senator for his statement after Pahalgam attack: Don't give us dismissive rhetoric
Hindu American Foundation slammed Senator Alex Padilla for his response after Pahalgam attack. Hindu American Foundation slammed California senator Democrat Alex Padilla for his response statement after the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 Indians were killed. The foundation said in his statement, the senator ignored the attack entirely and recycled some talking points attacking India's domestic policies. "This response failed to mention decades of Pakistan-backed terror, choosing instead to echo USCIRF's biased narratives – a body known for excluding Hindus and erasing Hindu victims of religious persecution." — HinduAmerican (@HinduAmerican) "California is home to one of the largest Indian and Hindu American communities. When constituents reach out about terrorism, they deserve moral clarity and respect, not dismissive rhetoric that shifts blame onto the victims." The senator, in his reply to the Hindu American Foundation, spoke about religious freedom, human rights in India and cited some figures without referring to the latest happenings in the region. In contrast to California senator's response, the foundation posted the statement of Republican senator of North Carolina, Thom Tillis and appreciated his clarity on the issue " We are grateful for your steadfast support and for honouring the US-India partnership in the fight against terror. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like AI guru Andrew Ng recommends: Read These 5 Books And Turn Your Life Around in 2025 Blinkist: Andrew Ng's Reading List Undo Thank you for standing on the right side of history," the foundation wrote for Tillis. Thom Tillis in his response to the Hindu America Foundation condemned the "targeting and butchering" of Indian citizens and tourists on April 22. "I share your concerns about the continued threat that radical Islamic terrorism poses at home and abroad," he wrote. "India has been a vital ally to the United States in the War Against Terror, and we must support our allies just as they have stood with us over the years," Tilis wrote.
Time of India
24-04-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Pahalgam terror attack: Hindu America Foundation slams Western media for 'whitewashing terror attack' on Hindus
The Hindu American Foundation (HAF) has sharply condemned what it calls a 'shameful and deliberate erasure' by major Western media outlets in the aftermath of the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam , Kashmir, where 26 Hindu tourists were executed in cold blood by terrorists affiliated with The Resistance Front—a Lashkar-e-Taiba proxy backed by Pakistan. 'Let's get this straight,' said Suhag Shukla , Executive Director of the Hindu American Foundation, in a scathing rebuke of international media coverage following the April 22, 2025, terror attack in Pahalgam. 'Terrorists from the Resistance Front , a Lashkar-e-Taiba offshoot, took credit for storming a meadow in Pahalgam and murdering at least 26 tourists, seeking out Hindus with chilling precision, in the worst civilian massacre in Kashmir since 2008.' — HinduAmerican (@HinduAmerican) by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trade Bitcoin & Ethereum – No Wallet Needed! IC Markets Start Now Undo According to Shukla, the headlines should have written themselves: Hindus massacred in Kashmir by Islamists in a terror attack claimed by a Pakistan-backed group. But instead, Western media outlets like The New York Times, Washington Post, CNN, BBC, Reuters, and AP delivered 'another masterclass in whitewashing, gaslighting, false equivalencies, and revisionist history.' 'Across the board, you'll see patronising sneer quotes around 'terror attack' and sanitised references to the killers as militants,' she said. 'Some even have the gall to call them rebels. For the record: a rebel fights authority, a militant targets the state, and a terrorist deliberately targets and kills civilians to spread fear for ideological or religious aims.' Shukla citing survivor accounts to highlight the ideological nature of the killings. 'Terrorists demanded victims identify their religion—forcing them to show IDs or recite the Kalma—and murdered them if they were Hindu. They deliberately spared their wives and children to report the message of hate.' What especially enraged Shukla was the BBC's description of the victims as 'non-Muslims.' 'The intent here is as clear as it is old: target, murder, and terrorise Hindus for an ideological and religious war. Please spare us the neutral terms and erasure.' For Shukla, the Pahalgam massacre fits into a broader pattern of anti-Hindu violence in Kashmir—one that media outlets routinely downplay or ignore. 'Attacks on Hindus in Kashmir by Pakistan-sponsored terrorists are neither rare nor random,' she said, referencing the ethnic cleansing of over 350,000 Kashmiri Pandits in the late '80s and '90s and the deaths of Hindu pilgrims at sites like Amarnath and Vaishno Devi since 2000. Shukla also pointed out the legal discrimination Kashmiri Hindus faced before Article 370 was revoked in 2019. 'Before then, indigenous Hindu Pandits—already ethnically cleansed—were legally barred from reclaiming property. Kashmiri women couldn't pass property to their children if they married outsiders. Indians from outside the region couldn't settle there. And yet AP and Reuters describe those seeking to return as 'outsiders'? Would they call a Californian moving to Pennsylvania an immigrant?' Citing the operational ties between Lashkar-e-Taiba and The Resistance Front, she reminded audiences that this was not rogue violence. 'Pakistan's intelligence agency bankrolls, trains and directs them. TRF's Falcon Squad is trained in L.E.T. camps in Pakistan. Their propaganda machine runs on L.E.T. networks—all to push Islamabad's anti-Indian, anti-Hindu agenda.' Shukla pointed out in a final indictment, 'Legacy media's whitewashing and spin don't just insult the victims. It enables the very forces behind these atrocities. If you can't call out terror for what it is, maybe you shouldn't be reporting on it at all.' Global Reactions International condemnation poured in after the April 22, 2025, massacre in Pahalgam, where 26 Hindu tourists were executed by terrorists from The Resistance Front. Leaders across the globe strongly denounced the attack, with many expressing solidarity with India and the victims' families. US President Donald Trump called the incident 'an act of savage hatred' and declared, 'The United States stands strong with India against terrorism. Prime Minister Modi, and the people of India, have our full support and deepest sympathies.' US Vice President JD Vance, who was in India at the time of the attack, issued a somber statement describing the massacre as 'an unspeakable atrocity.' He added that the terrorists' deliberate targeting of Hindus was 'a reminder that religious persecution remains one of the gravest threats to global peace.' From Capitol Hill, members of the Congressional Hindu Caucus condemned both the attack and the lack of clarity in international media reporting. Representative Tulsi Kapoor stated, 'This isn't just a terror attack—it's an anti-Hindu hate crime. The world must call it by its name.' The House Foreign Affairs Committee Majority took direct aim at Western media coverage, particularly The New York Times, saying: 'Hey, @nytimes, we fixed it for you. This was a TERRORIST ATTACK, plain and simple. Whether it's India or Israel, when it comes to TERRORISM, the NYT is removed from reality.' In an unexpected move, even the Taliban condemned the killings. A spokesperson called the attack on civilians 'un-Islamic' and said that deliberately targeting innocent tourists based on religion was 'not permissible under any circumstance.' Around the world, leaders echoed similar sentiments. French President Emmanuel Macron labelled it a 'heinous act of terror.' British Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the killings as 'an attack on humanity.' German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called it a 'cowardly act,' while Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said, 'Terrorism that targets faith has no place in our world.' Leaders from China, Australia, Nepal, and the European Union also issued statements condemning the massacre, with many affirming their commitment to counter-terrorism cooperation with India. India's Response In India, the attack has triggered both national mourning and geopolitical consequences. Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemned the massacre as 'a crime against humanity' and vowed a 'strong and measured response.' The Ministry of External Affairs summoned Pakistan's envoy and suspended cooperation under the Indus Waters Treaty—India's most significant diplomatic weapon against Islamabad short of war. Home Minister Amit Shah chaired an emergency security review and pledged to intensify counter-terror operations in Kashmir. Read: Must-read stories from TOI A Trail of Horror: Eyewitness Accounts The attack in the picturesque meadow of Baisaran, 5km from Pahalgam, has become one of the bloodiest civilian massacres in Jammu & Kashmir in over a decade. Survivor testimonies reveal a grim pattern: names, religious symbols, and even dietary choices became markers for death. Florida-based techie Bitan Adhikary was gunned down in front of his family when he couldn't "prove" he was Muslim. His widow, Sohini Adhikary, said their vacation turned into a nightmare of gunfire and screams. Another victim, Bengaluru techie Bharath Bhushan, was executed after simply stating his name. 'My name is Bharath,' he told the attackers. That was enough. Assam professor Debasish Bhattacharya, whose academic fluency in Islamic scripture saved his life, recalled: 'Overwhelmed by fear, I began chanting the kalma. After a few moments, the gunman lowered his weapon and we escaped through the forest.' In other cases, sheer chance played saviour. A Kerala family delayed their trip due to a salty lunch and missed the ambush entirely. Landslides, horse delays, and missed flights spared dozens of others. One couple, newly married and denied a Swiss visa, chose Kashmir for their honeymoon—only for Himanshi to return alone, dazed and bloodied beside the corpse of her husband Lt Vinay Narwal.
Yahoo
10-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
California's largest Hindu temple defaced with graffiti containing political messages
The Brief The BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir was defaced with vulgar messages against India's prime minister. Authorities estimate repair costs exceed $15,000. The Hindu American Foundation urged federal authorities to investigate. CHINO HILLS, Calif. - An investigation is underway in Chino Halls after the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, the largest Hindu temple in California, was vandalized with graffiti containing political messages. What we know Deputies responded to the temple located at 15100 Fairfield Ranch Road just after 9 a.m. to investigate a report of vandalism. Photos published on X by the Hindu American Foundation show the entrance to the temple covered with spray-painted graffiti containing vulgar messages against Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. According to the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department, the cost of repairing the damage exceeds $15,000. What we don't know No video surveillance was released, and no suspects have been identified. The investigation is ongoing, and authorities are seeking information from the public. What Is BAPS? Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha is a socio-spiritual Hindu faith established by Bhagwan Swaminarayan in the early 20th century, according to the faith's website. The faith has over 5,000 centers worldwide and over 100 centers in the U.S. What they're saying The Hindu American Foundation called on federal authorities to investigate the defacement in its post. BAPS Public Affairs account posted on X that the Hindu community would stand "steadfast against hate." "Together with the community in Chino Hills and Southern California, we will never let hate take root. Our common humanity and faith will ensure that peace and compassion prevail," the post read. Condemning the incident, the Coalition of Hindus in North America (CoHNA) said that it was "just another day in a world where media and academics will insist there is no anti-Hindu hate and that Hinduphobia is just a construct of our imagination". While calling for an investigation, the advocacy group listed 10 temples across the U.S. that have been vandalised or burglarised since 2022. What's next Deputies have notified Chino Hills Code Enforcement about the incident. The Chino Hills Police Department is encouraging anyone with information to come forward. Anonymous tips can be reported via the We-Tip Hotline at 1-800-78CRIME (27463) or online at The Source Information for this story is from the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department and the Hindu America Foundation.
