Smears and the Erosion of Trust: Why Factual Journalism Matters for Indian and Hindu American Advocacy

As trust in institutions, including the media, continues to erode, racism, xenophobia, and dehumanizing stereotypes towards Indian Americans have never been more ubiquitous. Indian Americans deserve credible journalism that elevates and informs, not makes the problem worse. Which is why we are especially disappointed to see American Kahani so carelessly amplify baseless smears against the Hindu American Foundation (HAF), including initially and wrongly stating that HAF was “at the center of a federal investigation” (since retracted). Even more troubling is despite American Kahani having direct access to multiple HAF staff members, at no point did they reach out for comment prior to publication. 

Let’s set the record straight. HAF is not, and has never been, an “agent” of the Government of India (GOI). There is no “federal investigation” of HAF. We’ve never taken money from GOI and are in full compliance with all U.S. laws and regulations, including the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA). We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded and led by U.S. citizens, funded by thousands of individual Hindu American donors who support the education and civil rights advocacy work we do on behalf of Hindu Americans in the U.S. 

The source of this manufactured “controversy” is a letter sent to Attorney General Pam Bondi by representatives of the Fremont Gurdwara, an institution known for platforming individuals who openly glorify extremism and violence. They accuse HAF of being a “proxy” of GOI, and suggest, without evidence, that our law enforcement training is part of a GOI plot to target Sikhs in America. 

What their letter (and articles recycling it) ignore is the actual intent and content of that training — educating agencies about a troubling and escalating pattern of temple vandalism, violence, threats, and hate speech involving pro-Khalistan extremists. These attacks are real, spanning Hindu temples throughout the United States, along with Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom. Highlighting community concerns, particularly to agencies responsible for addressing hate crimes, is a standard activity for any nonprofit engaging in civil rights advocacy. 

Laughable Evidence

Also ignored is how laughable the various “evidence” put forth actually are. They include a 2019 mass email about free “Howdy Modi” tickets, something hundreds of community organizations also sent to their lists regarding an event attended by over 50,000 people. In addition, they provide three YouTube videos with under 20 views, a press release dating back to 2014, and a laundry list of their disagreements with HAF. 

While grievances towards GOI and anxiety regarding U.S. federal law enforcement investigations are clearly evident in the letter, the claim that HAF is behind it all is paranoid, defamatory, and nonsensical. 

The smoking gun? A 2023 GOI statement describing communications with HAF as “fiduciary.” Even a quick internet search would reveal that “fiduciary” in an Indian legal and bureaucratic context simply means communication they deem private or confidential. It does not imply a formal obligation to act in the interest of another as it does in the U.S. Based on their logic, every senior citizen showing up to a GOI organized consular camp to renew a passport, or every progressive lawmaker attending an Eid celebration at an Indian Consulate would also be a “foreign agent” – because they too have had a “fiduciary” relationship with GOI. 

Unfounded accusations of dual loyalty or being a “foreign proxy,” as well as weaponizing laws like FARA are common tactics various actors have used to legitimize silencing and excluding Americans of multiple ethnic and religious backgrounds. While grievances towards GOI and anxiety regarding U.S. federal law enforcement investigations are clearly evident in the letter, the claim that HAF is behind it all is paranoid, defamatory, and nonsensical. 

Uncritical Recycling of Allegations

Given the state of journalism today, it’s unsurprising that neither American Kahani nor the other outlets uncritically recycling these allegations are interested in actually informing the public. They have no answer for why GOI needs to “secretly” influence U.S. policy, let alone by “activating” a highly visible U.S. nonprofit whose primary activities aren’t lobbying and have nothing to do with India. They don’t care if they’re making readers even less informed than before. 

This isn’t just an HAF or a Hindu American problem — such dirty tricks are setting a chilling precedent for anyone engaging in public advocacy. We don’t oppose FARA, we oppose weaponizing laws like FARA to incite xenophobia against Americans, especially for exercising their First Amendment rights. If attending diaspora receptions or speaking up about hate crimes is now enough to warrant a FARA investigation, then numerous organizations representing Jewish, Muslim, Latino, and other communities should also be on notice. 

Despite such continued toxicity, we remain committed to open dialogue and collaboration. We’ve stayed true to our values even on issues like California’s SB509, a piece of legislation actively championed by many of our detractors. Instead of spending tens of thousands on a false smear campaign, we reached out to co-sponsors to not just share community concerns and opposition, but also commit to resolving our disagreements by working together to improve SB509 for all Californians. That’s not a story the media wants to tell. 

Raj Rao is HAF’s Managing Director, Operations.