Unanimous vote pushes Hinduphobia resolution toward full Senate
In a historic moment for Minnesota’s Hindu community, the Senate Judiciary and Public Safety Committee on Monday unanimously advanced SF4115, a resolution condemning Hinduphobia and anti-Hindu bigotry and reaffirming the state’s commitment to religious freedom, inclusion, and mutual respect.
The March 16 hearing marked a major bipartisan step forward in the growing effort across the United States to formally recognize anti-Hindu prejudice in public life. Nearly three years after Georgia’s HR 701 was passed on March 27, 2023, Minnesota now stands poised to become the next state to move such a measure forward in a meaningful way.
SF4115 was introduced earlier this month in the Minnesota Senate and referred to the Judiciary and Public Safety Committee[1]. The resolution’s primary author is Sen. Warren Limmer (R), with Sens. Michael Kreun, John Hoffman, and Ron Latz already listed as coauthors. During the hearing, Sen. Bonnie Westlin also expressed her willingness to be added as the fifth author of record, reflecting the measure’s expanding bipartisan support.
The hearing took place before the 10-member committee, chaired by Sen. Ron Latz, and concluded with a unanimous vote, a significant demonstration of support from both sides of the aisle.
Testimony in support of the resolution was delivered on behalf of the Minnesota chapter of CoHNA by its Director, Neha Markanda, and Executive Board member Raj Dash. Their remarks underscored why formal recognition of Hinduphobia matters for a community that has too often experienced bias, ridicule, or erasure without acknowledgment in public institutions. Both spoke passionately about the importance of unequivocally condemning Hinduphobia, anti-Hindu bigotry, and all forms of religious intolerance.
Markanda’s testimony included the powerful reminder that every family deserves to practice its faith “openly, safely, and without fear.” She also invoked the principle of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam — the world is one family — to emphasize that all Minnesotans, irrespective of faith, belong to one larger human family. Markanda stressed that hatred left unnamed often goes unreported and unnoticed, and urged the committee to support the resolution as a matter not of politics, but of human dignity.
Dash captured the emotional core of the issue. “For many, anti-Hindu bigotry and hate may seem vague, foreign, or minor,” he said. “But for Hindu families, it hits home hard. It shows up in jokes, slurs, suspicion, mockery of our traditions, online hostility, and in direct acts against temples and individuals.” He added that such incidents often go unreported because “many in the Hindu community are taught to avoid conflict, keep our heads down, and not burden others.” In one of the most powerful lines of the hearing, Dash said, “Silence is a sign of discomfort, vulnerability, and resignation.”
A third testimony was provided by Ethan Roberts, Deputy Executive Director of the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC). Roberts emphasized the close collaboration between the Hindu and Jewish communities and urged passage of the resolution, highlighting the importance of interfaith solidarity in confronting religious prejudice. His testimony underscored the broader coalition behind the measure and the need to recognize anti-Hindu bias with the same seriousness afforded to other forms of hate.
The hearing was witnessed by about a dozen committed Minnesota Hindus who braved frigid temperatures to be present for what many described as a historic day. But the visible turnout in the committee room was only part of the story.
Behind the scenes, the resolution was powered by an impressive grassroots mobilization. In just three days, despite blizzard conditions over the weekend, nearly 400 Hindus signed a petition in support of the measure. This response exceeded expectations, reflecting both urgency and a deep community commitment.
That support pointed to something larger: a growing willingness among Hindu Americans to move beyond silent endurance and toward civic participation, public testimony, and advocacy. The effort to advance SF4115 was driven not only by the CoHNA chapter leadership team but also by families, volunteers, and community members across Minnesota, with unfettering support from the national CoHNA leadership team.
To the best of my understanding, the committee’s action now sends the resolution to the full Minnesota Senate, where it must be accepted in the committee report, receive a second reading, and be placed on the General Orders calendar. From there, the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration must designate it for Full Senate floor consideration.
The timing of a full Senate vote remains uncertain, particularly given the backlog of bills and resolutions awaiting floor action. Even so, Monday’s unanimous vote was more than a procedural milestone. It was a public recognition that anti-Hindu prejudice deserves to be named and rejected, and that Minnesota’s Hindu community has both a voice and a rightful place in the civic life of the state.
For Minnesota Hindus, the moment was both affirming and energizing. For Hindu Americans across the country, it offered further evidence that efforts to confront Hinduphobia are gaining moral and civic ground. And for the grassroots volunteers, families, and the CoHNA advocates who made the day possible, it was proof that disciplined community effort can transform long-silenced concerns into public recognition.
What happened in Minnesota on Monday was not simply a committee vote. It was a statement that Hindu Americans will not remain invisible in the face of bias, that bipartisan institutions can respond with fairness and clarity, and that grassroots conviction can shape the public record. In that sense, this was not only a milestone for Minnesota but a meaningful step forward for the Hindus in North America’s effort to ensure that anti-Hindu bigotry is acknowledged, condemned, and no longer ignored.
Disclosure: The author, a member of the MN CoHNA Chapter Executive Committee himself, witnessed the Senate proceedings.
Reference:
[1] Minnesota’s Hinduphobia resolution: A grassroots advocacy deserves recognition – Mar 10, 2026, PGurus.com
Note:
1. Text in Blue points to additional data on the topic.
2. The views expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of PGurus.
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Formerly, a researcher in Italy, Japan, and France, he has widely travelled and came to the US in 1978. He was a faculty and academic administrator in several different universities in PA, TX, NJ, MN, WI, and NY, and an Executive Fellow in the White House S&T Policy during the Clinton administration.
