To: President Jonathan Holloway, Chancellor Nancy Cantor and SVP of Equity Anna Branch

As an alumnus of Rutgers University, I join others to add my voice and support to the concerns of current Rutgers Hindu students; specifically regarding Dr. Audrey Truschke’s actions and comments about Hinduism and Hindus. We also urge Rutgers to stay committed to its values of Respect, Fairness, and Diversity and be attentive to the impacts of Dr. Truschke’s actions and teachings on its Hindu student body. We vehemently condemn the threats that Hindu students have received along with threats to Dr. Truschke. 

Hindus are a religious minority in the U.S and have faced persecution on the basis of our faith. Too often, we see many Hindu voices being dismissed and invalidated with the slurs of “Hindu Nationalists.” However, most Hindu students are Americans and not actors of some foreign government. Not to mention, many are not even of Indian heritage. In the spirit of Respect, Fairness, and Diversity, I implore you to take action against the continued bigotry and disrespect of Hinduism peddled by Dr. Truschke and the effect on Hindu students of all ethnicities and nationalities.

New Jersey has the largest Hindu population of any state, and Rutgers has the largest Hindu student population in the US. Nevertheless, Hindus in New Jersey have historically been victims of many hate crimes and hateful organizations, including the Dotbusters. Amidst the rise of Anti-Asian hate crimes, we are especially concerned about the well-being of Hindu and other Asian students at Rutgers University. And, while Rutgers has affirmed its commitment to the Asian student community, it must go beyond and address bigotry by those in power - especially when such individuals peddle bigotry and fan hatred under the guise of “scholarship.” We fail to understand and cannot accept how - using words such as “pig” to describe Hindu deities and asserting that Hindu scriptures encourage mass murder or rape - can be categorized or defended as “scholarship.” This is especially true when it comes from social media platforms. Would similar comments about other religions and their sacred texts and figures be acceptable or brushed aside in the name of “scholarship”? Rutgers must apply the same standards of equal treatment and representation for Hindu students.

Let me also remind you - Rutgers has one of the largest Hindu alumni networks with a wide global reach. Rutgers Hindu alumni contribute to all aspects of our great nation - from politics to medicine, science, technology, business, law, teaching, etc. We carry our Rutgers pride wherever we go! However, recent events have sowed seeds of doubt within us and shaken our confidence in Rutgers’ ability to provide equal treatment and representation to its Hindu campus population. 

As an alumnus and a well-wisher of Rutgers, I therefore urge you to take action against Dr. Truschke and address the bigotry and Hinduphobia on campus. I stand in solidarity with the Hindu students and hope that Rutgers can assure them that the university is a safe space for Hindu students.

Dear President Holloway, I am calling as a Rutgers alum and a well-wisher of our university today to express my serious concerns about the continued actions of Professor Audrey Truschke, who has made bigoted and Hinduphobic comments about Hindu deities and sacred texts. I am concerned about the impact of such action on the safety and well-being of the Rutgers Hindu students, who are being subjected to harassment and attacks for standing up and challenging such comments. Their genuine concerns are being dismissed as fake or the work of a foreign government. Would Rutgers allow such treatment of students from other minority religious communities? Such actions also have a very negative impact on the reputation of our great institution and may deter future Hindu students from consider Rutgers as a place to pursue their education and dreams.

We stand in solidarity with the students and the larger Hindu community at Rutgers and against all forms of bigotry, violence and threats of violence and urge you to act.