South Asians in Congress issue call to action to Justice Dept

Five elected South Asian Americans in Congress are requesting that the Justice Department meet with them to discuss recent attacks on Muslim houses of worship.

The letter from Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) together with Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA), Shri Thanedar (D-MI), Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), and Ami Bera (D-CA) asked for a briefing on the investigations into multiple attacks on houses of worship in recent months.

The letter did not mention specifically any particular attacks.

“Attacks at mandirs from New York to California have contributed to increased collective anxiety among
Hindu Americans.1 Leaders from these impacted communities have expressed there are unfortunately “no leads” on suspects, leaving many to continue to live in fear and intimidation,” the letter read.

Last month in Chicago, a man shouted “all Muslims must die” as worshippers entered the Downtown Islamic Center. He then kicked opened the front door and shattered glass with an object.

This past November, a fire at the Masjid al-Rahma in Minneapolis broke out at the same mandir that was the scene of an arson fire earlier in the year.

Muslim leaders in New York called for increase security after a vandal caused some damage and also urinated in front of the a Willowbrook mosque in Staten Island on Sept. 11.

 “It takes relatively few coordinated acts of hate to create fear   within a community that has often been marginalized or neglected, and we must work collaboratively to combat hate against all religious, ethnic, racial, and cultural minorities in America,” the letter went on to say.

On Tuesday, April 2, the Council on American Islamic Relations will release its report on anti-Muslim bigotry nationwide. The report will be titled Fatal: The Resurgence of Anti-Muslim Hate.