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Date: February 4, 2006
SACRAMENTO, CA - Approximately
one month after the Hindu American Foundation (HAF) retained
the law firm of Olson, Hagel and Fishburn, LLP of Sacramento,
California to represent the Foundation in its interactions
with the California State Board of Education (SBE), HAF today
gave a progress report to its membership. The group also launched
the “HAF Legal Defense and Education Fund Drive”
as the foundation sought to prepare in advance of a potentially
extended legal process.
HAF retained the firm when it became clear
that the California State Board of Education was changing
criteria and improvising its process in dealing with the recommended
Hindu edits. The Vedic Foundation (VF) and Hindu Education
Foundation (HEF) originally proposed these edits while certain
individuals, known for their unflattering views of ancient
Hindu civilization, attempted to undermine the procedures
to force their own perspective. The SBE has announced that
a new committee will review the relevant issues and make a
final recommendation some time in March 2006.
“We are pleased that our firm has established
communication at numerous levels of the SBE to ensure that
the process afforded to Hindu groups to provide recommended
edits is not compromised by motivated sectarian and partisan
political groups,” said Suhag Shukla, Esq., legal counsel
of HAF.
Conceding that the legal options will require
extensive financial resources, Shukla hoped that the Hindu
American community will support HAF’s work in this area
through the fund drive. “We know that the community
is closely following the developments in California as it
touches the life of every one of our children and generations
to come. We will announce the final outcome as soon as we
know, but I believe it is prudent to not publicly detail our
legal progress at this sensitive juncture to allow our attorneys
to complete their critical work.”
Over the last month, HAF garnered letters
supporting the proposed changes from several educators of
Hinduism studies, Hindu spiritual leaders, temple boards and
practicing Hindus. Numerous major news outlets, including
the Wall Street Journal, covered the issue in prominent articles
over the last week.
Casting a political light on the controversy
were far left, non-Hindu groups such as Friends of South Asia
(FOSA) and Christian evangelical groups such as the Dalit
Freedom Network. Both groups have not otherwise been active
in U.S. based issues. These, and ideologically similar groups
have demanded that the sixth grade textbook coverage of Hinduism
and ancient India be based on the controversial Aryan invasion
theory; that the social evil of caste discrimination be presented
as a part of the Hindu religion; that Hinduism be presented
as polytheistic only; and that women be presented as inferior
to men.
“It is truly unfortunate that groups
that are avowedly non-Hindu, or worse yet, seeking converts
from Hinduism, have turned an honest attempt by Hindu parents
to improve textbooks into a political drama,” said Mihir
Meghani, M.D., president of HAF. “But Hindu Americans
will simply no longer tolerate Hinduism being depicted as
nothing more than caste and cows and continue to suffer the
physical and psychological abuse these stereotypes perpetuate.”
HAF leaders remain optimistic that the final
recommendation will be favorable to Hindu Americans based
on the outpouring of support they have received. Still the
group asked members to continue to write to the California
SBE and created a link on its web site to simplify the process.
“The Hindu community must not let this
moment pass without its voice being heard and HAF will continue
to work with other groups that ensure that it is heard loud
and clear,” said Shukla. “But if the California
SBE fails to follow its own process and guidelines in this
matter, we are preparing for a lengthy legal process. For
this we need the support of all Hindu Americans."
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