Connecting Global Threads of Faith Newsletter # 2 May
- GHTN Admin
- 4 days ago
- 4 min read
Editor’s Note
When a civilisation must constantly defend its right to exist, every temple, every prayer, and every act of remembrance becomes an act of resistance…
May Newsletter – 2
(May 15 – May 31)
"In a connected world, Hindu struggles and resilience amid violence often remain unseen. This fortnightly report sheds light on these overlooked realities, offering a global overview of incidents affecting Hindus and celebrating our heritage, advocating for Hindu rights and religious freedom worldwide.
North America
United States of America
Following a series of temple attacks in California, CoHNA organized a “Suraksha” safety forum bringing together Hindu community members, police officials, and prosecutors to discuss hate crime reporting, community safety, and legal protections.
The event highlighted growing concerns over anti-Hindu hate incidents and emphasized stronger coordination between law enforcement and the Hindu community to improve trust, awareness, and safety.
The council meetings of Frisco have increasingly become a platform for anti-Indian rhetoric, with the latest controversy involving Edward Jacob Lang during a city council meeting held on May 19. Speaking against proposals related to a mosque, a Hindu temple and a Jain temple, Lang claimed that “Hindus and Muslims are teaming up to take over Texas” and accused them of attempting to “eradicate Christians” and “drive us out of our homeland.”
In a historic first, Utah’s Lake Point City Council will open its session with Hindu prayers from ancient Sanskrit scriptures led by distinguished Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, reflecting the growing visibility of Hindu traditions in American public life.
Asia
Bangladesh
Three Hindu men in Bangladesh, Mithu Mandal, Gouranga Sarkar, and Shaon Chandra Das were reportedly targeted with alleged false blasphemy accusations, leading to forced resignations, arrest, and the vandalism of a Hindu family home amid continuing concerns over anti-Hindu persecution in the country.
The incidents have intensified fears among Bangladesh’s Hindu minority over the misuse of blasphemy allegations for intimidation, social targeting, and displacement from jobs and ancestral properties.
The Human Rights Congress for Bangladesh Minorities (HRCBM) has documented 505 incidents of violence against minorities in Bangladesh in the first four months of 2026, including killings, temple attacks, sexual violence, land grabbing, and mob intimidation across 62 districts.
The report warns of a continuing pattern of persecution, institutional failure, and lack of protection for Hindu and other minority communities in the country.
Nepal
India gifted over 40 kg of special sandalwood, sent by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, to Nepal’s revered Pashupatinath Temple for sacred Shree Yantra worship, highlighting the deep civilizational and religious ties between the two nations.
India
A school student, Surya Pratap, was stabbed to death in Ghaziabad’s Khoda area in Uttar Pradesh, with witnesses claiming the attackers made a chilling remark referencing Bakrid before the assault. The incident sparked tensions in the locality, prompting heavy police deployment and the arrest of multiple accused as investigations continue.
Following the Madhya Pradesh High Court’s ruling declaring Bhojshala a Saraswati temple, the ASI has granted Hindus unrestricted access to the Bhojshala complex in Dhar for worship and traditional learning practices.
The court also quashed the 2003 ASI order permitting Friday namaz at the ASI-protected monument and suggested separate land allocation for a mosque.
Devotees visiting the historic Sri Rathnagiriswarar Temple at Ayyarmalai in Tamil Nadu have expressed distress over poor maintenance, lack of drinking water and sanitation facilities, garbage-filled pathways, and limited rope car access despite the difficult 1,017-step climb to the hilltop shrine.
An ancient Buddha idol was found resting on a raised platform in the Pidari Amman temple complex at Umbalacheri village, near Vedaranyam in Tamilnadu. Carved from wheat-brown stone, it depicts the Buddha in a serene meditative posture seated in ardhapadmasana, with elongated ears and a sculpted halo framing the head.
The ASI has unearthed a buried Vijayanagara-era temple near the Hazara Rama Temple in Hampi, Karnataka, revealing rare elephant sculptures and a brick-built shikhara believed to date back to the glory days of the Vijayanagar Empire.
UPSC Secretary Shashi Ranjan Kumar said the decline of Hindu civilisation was caused by both political subjugation and internal shortcomings, including the weakening of critical inquiry and strategic thinking traditions.
Speaking in Bengaluru on his book The Decline of Hindu Civilization: Lessons from the Past, he stressed the need to revive civilisational consciousness, intellectual rigor, and a culture of excellence.
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