A Note to Pro-Palestine Activists Among Hindu American Youth: Follow Dharmic Guide for Resisting Peer Pressure

As a Hindu American youth in college or starting your career, you may feel pressure to adopt ideologies often termed the “woke agenda,” particularly on the Israel/Palestine issue. The experiences of Riddhi Patel, Prahlad Iyengar, and Megha Vemuri show the dangers of engaging in pro-Palestine activism without careful thought. These Hindu Americans faced serious consequences that impacted their futures due to divisive narratives. By staying rooted in dharma—embracing principles like truth (satya), non-violence (ahimsa), discernment (viveka), compassion (karuna), and personal duty (svadharma)—you can express your views while honoring your heritage with respect and integrity

In April 2024, Riddhi Patel, a 28-year-old Indian-American, was arrested in Bakersfield, California, for threatening to “murder” city council members during a pro-Palestine speech, invoking Gandhi and Navratri to justify violence. Her remarks led to 18 felony charges and job loss. In November 2024, Prahlad Iyengar, an MIT Ph.D student, was suspended until January 2026 for a pro-Palestine essay, disrupting his academic career and ending his NSF fellowship. In May 2025, Megha Vemuri, (top photo) MIT’s 2025 class president, was banned from her graduation for a pro-Palestine speech accusing Israel of “genocide,” facing online backlash that forced her to deactivate her LinkedIn profile. These incidents highlight a troubling trend where pro-Palestine activism among Indian-American students and professionals has led to severe legal, academic, and professional repercussions.

Understanding the Pressure to Conform

In college or work settings, you may feel urged to join protests or post online supporting Palestine, often expected to align with the oppressor/oppressed model, framing Palestinians as oppressed and Israel as oppressor. This oversimplifies a complex conflict, creating tension with your dharmic roots. Conformity might seem like a way to fit in, but it risks endorsing unexamined positions.

Resisting peer pressure is vital because succumbing erodes your authenticity. Dharma teaches aligning actions with truth and duty, not crowd approval. You can use dharma to stay true to your values.

Applying Dharmic Principles:

• Seek Satya (Truth): Satya demands evidence over trends. The Israel/Palestine conflict involves complex claims—1917 Balfour Declaration, 1948 UN partition plan, UN Gaza reports, and IDF rocket attack records. Walter Cronkite noted, “In seeking truth, you have to get both sides of a story.” Unlike Vemuri’s one-sided speech, say, “Satya means I check facts. Let’s discuss history.”
• Practice Ahimsa (Non-Violence): Ahimsa promotes peaceful dialogue. Unlike Patel’s threats, support groups like Parents Circle, uniting bereaved families. Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” Say, “Ahimsa seeks peace, not division.”
• Sharpen Viveka (Discernment): Viveka questions simple narratives. The 1993 Oslo Accords faltered due to mutual distrust. Elon Musk said in 2022, “I’d rather be criticized than conform to falsehoods.” say, “Viveka means I explore all sides.”
• Honor Svadharma (Personal Duty): Svadharma prioritizes responsibilities like studying. In 2024, Hindu American Vivek Ramaswamy resisted ideological pressure, saying, “I’m here to speak the truth as I see it” (Fox News, August 23, 2023). say, “My svadharma is my studies—I won’t be pressured.”
• Embody Karuna (Compassion): Karuna empathizes with all—Israeli fears (1,200 killed in Hamas’s 2023 attack) and Palestinian suffering (40,000+ deaths in Gaza, 2024 UN estimates). Oprah Winfrey said, “Compassion is the key to understanding others.” Say, “Karuna drives fair solutions.”

One of the guidelines for Hindu Americans in situations like this (graduation ceremony in the latest incident) is to deliberate if this is the right place . It is called Auchitya (emphasizes appropriateness, propriety, and contextual suitability in expression and action).

Megha’s original speech lacked auchitya—appropriateness—by speaking out of  line with the previously submitted speech (itself a violation of university rules ) and using divisive terms at a unifying event. 

To apply auchitya, Megha’s alternatives must:

• Reflect dharmic values, ensuring empathy (karuna) for Palestinians without vilifying Israelis.
• Suit theaudience and setting, avoiding divisive rhetoric in formal or public contexts, especially speaking as class representative at a graduation ceremony.
• Promote peace (ahimsa) and truth (satya) through evidence-based, balanced arguments.
• Uphold her svadharma as a student leader, prioritizing unity and responsibility

This may require taking guidance from knowledgeable/elders who understand these concepts and our emotions. 

Postscript: Challenge the oppressor/oppressed narrative by asking peers to support Kashmiri Pandits, displaced in 1989, or condemn Hindu mistreatment in Bangladesh/Pakistan. Their response reveals selective outrage.

“Free Palestine” may seem harmless, but “From the river to the sea” often implies destroying Israel, carrying heavy baggage.

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Madhu Hebbar, an engineer, is an IIT graduate, living in the greater Los Angeles area. He is a practicing Hindu, and an avid reader, who is interested in Eastern philosophies and their general application to Western challenges. He is engaged in coaching youngsters interested in Hindu civilizational history, universal values and its modern-day relevance.