Georgia Moves From Symbolism To Statute
By Gajanan Khergamker
In an unprecedented and historic move, Georgia has taken a bold step towards recognising and countering a form of hate that has, for too long, gone unnamed in the American legal landscape. Senate Bill 375 (SB 375), introduced in April 2024, proposes to make Georgia the first U.S. state to explicitly criminalise Hinduphobia by including it under its hate crime laws.
The legislative effort, brought forth by Senator Shawn Still, was introduced on April 4, co-sponsored by Senators Emanuel Jones, Jason Esteves, and Clint Dixon—a rare demonstration of bipartisan unity. While Senators Still and Dixon belong to the Republican Party, Senators Jones and Esteves represent the Democratic Party, underscoring a collective resolve to uphold civil rights regardless of political lines.
 |
| Image for representational purpose only |
“This bipartisan support reflects a growing commitment to protect the rights and freedoms of all Americans, including those of the Hindu faith,” said CoHNA.
If passed, the bill would amend the existing Georgia Code — O.C.G.A. § 17-10-17 — to include anti-Hindu bias as a prosecutable hate crime, ensuring that discrimination and violence against Hindus are treated with the same gravity as offenses motivated by other forms of religious bigotry.
The bill’s significance lies not just in the protection it proposes, but in the clarity it brings.
For decades, Hindu Americans have faced subtle and overt forms of discrimination — misrepresentation in media, cultural stereotyping, workplace bias, and school bullying.
Their temples have been defaced, their customs mocked, and their identity misunderstood, often caricatured in academic and pop-cultural narratives. More recently, the surge in online hate targeting Hindu beliefs has been alarming, with a 2023 report from Rutgers University's Network Contagion Research Institute spotlighting the rapid rise of anti-Hindu disinformation on social media platforms.
Despite this, legal recognition of Hinduphobia has been minimal, leaving law enforcement and judicial systems without the framework to appropriately respond to such crimes.
SB 375 is the legislative response to this vacuum. Introduced by Republican Senator Shawn Still and supported by a bipartisan coalition including Democrats Emanuel Jones and Jason Esteves, and Republican Clint Dixon, the bill is both a political and moral statement. It affirms that protecting religious freedom means extending it to all communities — not only the majority, not only Abrahamic faiths, but also those from the Dharmic tradition.
It builds upon a precedent Georgia already set in 2023 when it passed a County House Resolution condemning Hinduphobia — a first in the nation — and now seeks to move from words to action, from symbolism to statute.
The bill would also require law enforcement agencies to track and report Hinduphobic incidents, ensuring that the problem is no longer swept under the rug or dismissed as an anomaly.
For Hindu Americans who’ve often had to explain, justify, and defend their faith in the face of ignorance or hostility, this move offers long-overdue acknowledgment. It says, simply and powerfully: we see you, we hear you, and we will protect you.
Community organisations have responded with a sense of vindication and urgency. The Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA), which has been instrumental in lobbying for the bill, hailed SB 375 as a landmark moment in the Hindu civil rights movement.
Alongside the Hindus of Georgia PAC, whose grassroots work helped build momentum for the bill, CoHNA has urged the broader Hindu community to support the legislation and ensure its passage when it returns for consideration in January 2025.
Senator Still, in introducing the bill, spoke to the heart of the matter: “Freedom of religion is a core American value. No one should face violence or discrimination because of their faith. This bill ensures that anti-Hindu hate is treated as seriously as other forms of bigotry.”
As the bill awaits review by the Senate Judiciary Committee, Georgia stands at the cusp of making history again — not just for Hindu Americans, but for the nation’s commitment to pluralism. If passed, SB 375 will not only protect one community but signal to every minority faith in America that their rights, beliefs, and identities matter.
It will encourage other states to follow suit and establish a much-needed legal framework to address Hinduphobia nationwide. But more than anything, it will mark a shift — from silence to recognition, from isolation to solidarity, from fear to dignity.
This isn’t just about passing a law. It’s about sending a message. A message that hate has no home here. A message that in Georgia, and perhaps soon across the country, being Hindu will never again mean being invisible in the eyes of justice.
To receive regular updates and notifications, follow The Draft News:
