WASHINGTON, DC: An American Hindu advocacy organisation has demanded the immediate dismissal of Peter Navarro from his government position, condemning his public remarks as an act of “weaponised Hindu phobia.” HinduPACT’s American Hindus Against Defamation (AHAD) called on the President to remove the Director of the Office of Trade and Manufacturing Policy over comments and actions targeting the Hindu community.
The group specifically criticised Navarro for accusing Brahmins of profiting at the expense of the Indian people, a statement it labelled a "recycled colonial-era trope meant to divide Hindu society.” Ajay Shah, Executive Chair of HinduPACT, stated emphatically that such rhetoric is not diplomacy, but a malicious attempt to divide communities. The organisation also condemned Navarro for circulating a mocked-up image of India’s Prime Minister meditating in saffron robes, a colour considered sacred in Hinduism.
Deepti Mahajan, President of HinduPACT, called the act an undermining of both diplomacy and religious respect, emphasising, “Saffron is sacred. Prayer is not propaganda.” AHAD warned that such high-profile ridicule has serious real-world consequences for the five million Hindus in the United States. Deepa Karthik, General Secretary, highlighted that Navarro's comments give rise to bullying and unfair profiling, stating, “When someone uses caste to shame India, it lands on Hindus here.” The group stressed that tolerating this behaviour in US policy circles sends a dangerous message and urged the President to take action to protect religious dignity and preserve the vital relationship between the world's two largest democracies.