The latest episode of the Freedom From Religion Foundation’s “Secular Spotlight” YouTube show dives into the Hindu nationalist movement.
FFRF Communications Director Amitabh Pal speaks with Faria Rehman of Hindus for Human Rights about the Hindu nationalist organization Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and its recent rally at Madison Square Garden in New York City. They discuss the RSS’ influence in the United States, its threat to India’s secular democracy due to its control of the government there currently, and the efforts to counter the RSS by building solidarity around pluralism, religious freedom and human rights.
“The RSS is the furthest-spread fascist organization in the world, and they were, essentially in the most brusque way of speaking it, here to peddle propaganda,” Rehman says. “Essentially, what they’re trying to do is damage control, because they have so much funding, and they realize that Indian Americans are experiencing a lot of upward mobility. And so if they can get Indian Americans on their side, they can get them to say, ‘Hey, this is a way for us to connect to our culture. This is a way for us to feel like we’re connected to our ancestry.’”
You can catch this episode of “Secular Spotlight” on FFRF’s YouTube channel, or on your smart TV after downloading FFRF’s free app, Freethought TV, which also highlights FFRF’s other video programming. Previous episodes include online personality Elizabeth Booker Houston discussing her approach to using humor to make complex legal and political issues accessible to millions, and Secular Student Alliance Executive Director Kevin Bolling discussing the positive impact nonreligious students can have on their schools. Make sure you’re subscribed to FFRF’s YouTube channel for all the latest updates!
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is a U.S.-based nonprofit dedicated to defending the constitutional principle of separation between state and church and educating the public on matters relating to nontheism. With more than 40,000 members across the country, FFRF is the largest association of freethinkers (atheists, agnostics and humanists) in North America. For more information, visit ffrf.org.
