“Attacks at mandirs from New York to California have contributed to increased collective anxiety among Hindu Americans,” the lawmakers said in a letter addressed to assistant attorney general Kristen Clarke.
Expressing concerns about lack of ‘leads’ on suspects in these attacks, the lawmakers, including Raja Krishnamoorthi, Ro Khanna, Shri Thanedar, Pramila Jayapal, and Ami Bera said, “Leaders from these impacted communities have expressed there are unfortunately ‘no leads’ on suspects, leaving many to continue to live in fear and intimidation.”
“Our communities remain concerned about law enforcement coordination regarding these bias-motivated crimes, and they are left wondering if there is appropriate federal oversight to ensure equal protection under the law,” they added.
Requesting for an urgent briefing, the letter read, “Given the urgency of the situation, we ask that you provide us with a briefing no later than Thursday, April 18th.”
The initiative has been positively received by Indian-American leaders, with Khanderao Kand from the Foundation for India and Indian Diaspora Studies saying, “Against the backdrop of local officials often failing to investigate the cases to find the culprits, we thank the Indian-American House of Representatives for asking the FBI and DOJ to investigate.”
“In Q1 2024, we witnessed a sudden spike in vandalism as well as thefts in temples in America,” Kand said.