In a move that has sparked disappointment among Hindu students and community organisations, the Associated Students of the University of California (ASUC) at UC Berkeley voted against recognising October as Hindu Heritage Month. The decision came even as several other heritage month resolutions were passed this semester. Notably, the Hindu Heritage Month proposal faced unusual opposition over concerns of so-called “Hindu nationalism”, which was not even mentioned in the said resolution.
A resolution rooted in cultural celebration, not politics
The proposed Senate Resolution No 2024/2025-042 was authored by a Caribbean Hindu student. It largely focused on acknowledging the contributions of Hindus to UC Berkeley and American society. The resolution mentioned achievements in fields ranging from science and technology to arts and education, without mentioning India or engaging in political commentary.
Despite this, several student senators expressed reservations and cited fears that the proclamation could be “used to legitimise Hindu nationalist ideology”.
The Coalition of Hindus of North America (CYAN) strongly objected, stating, “Hindu students of Indian and non-Indian origin—many of whom know little about Hindu nationalism—shouldn’t be forced to take political stances on Indian politics to celebrate their heritage.”
CYAN further condemned what it described as “Hinduphobic statements” made by student senators during the public senate meeting on 5 March 2025. The organisation criticised Senator Isha Chander for allegedly politicising an otherwise cultural proclamation and accused other senators of bullying behaviour towards Senator Justin Taylor, who had supported the Hindu community’s representation. CYAN also raised concerns over the temporary removal of the meeting recording from Facebook during student elections, calling for an investigation and an apology to the Hindu community and Senator Taylor.
Concerns raised over inconsistency and representation
A video of the discussion has been shared by CYAN on social media platform X, which revealed awkward exchanges, with one student seen choking himself and gesturing as if he were feeling suffocated.
Some speakers argued that since Hindu Heritage Month has been associated with political movements elsewhere, caution was justified. Others countered that the resolution was apolitical and that conflating it with Indian politics unfairly targeted the Hindu community.
The hypocrisy is glaring. As one speaker correctly pointed out, all three Abrahamic faiths enjoy formal representation in the ASUC, yet Hindus remain sidelined. UC Berkeley prides itself on celebrating Jewish, Muslim, Christian, and Latine identities, but when it comes to Hindus, the ASUC chose to “flush it down the toilet”, to borrow the crude analogy used by one senator.
A debate that remains unresolved
While the ASUC defended its decision as an attempt to prevent unintended political messaging, the outcome has left many Hindu students feeling marginalised. The controversy has reignited discussions on how minority faiths are represented in campus decision-making and whether standards of inclusivity are applied equally to all communities.
