Fact-check: USA’s Georgia Didn’t Call Hinduism ‘Best, Most Tolerant Religion’

The resolution pertains to "anti-Hindu bigotry" and does not call Hinduism the most tolerant or the best religion.

Social media users are sharing a claim about Georgia lawmakers calling Hinduism the best and the most tolerant religion.

(Source: Facebook/Altered by The Quint)

Several social media users are sharing text regarding the state of Georgia in the United States having passed a resolution regarding Hinduism.

The text claims that the resolution calls Hinduism the “oldest, most tolerant and the best religion” of the world.

An archive of this claim can be seen here.

(Source: Facebook/Screenshot)

(Archives of more claims can be seen here, here and here.)

Is it true?: While the state of Georgia did pass a resolution related to Hinduism on 27 March, we found that the resolution “condemning Hinduphobia and anti-Hindu bigotry”  in the state. 

• It made no mention of calling Hinduism the “most tolerant” or the “best religion” of the world but called it a religion that preaches values of “acceptance, mutual respect, and peace.”

• The resolution passed by Georgia’s House of Representatives condemned “Hinduphobia, anti-Hindu bigotry, and intolerance” and said they welcomed the diversity that Hindu Americans brought to the country.

How did we find out?: We searched for news reports regarding Hinduism and USA’s Georgia using relevant keywords.

• Here, we found news reports which mentioned that Georgia was the first American state to pass a resolution to condemn Hinduphobia. 

• The resolution reportedly noted that the American Hindu community contributed majorly to various sectors such as medicine, science, engineering, academia, retail trade etc.

• The movement was spearheaded by the Atlanta chapter of the Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA), organising a Hindu Advocacy Day on 22 March.

What does the resolution say?: The Quint accessed the resolution’s document, which was uploaded to the state of Georgia’s website.

• The resolution mentioned that it condemned “Hinduphobia and anti-Hindu bigotry.”

• Calling Hinduism, or Sanatana Dharma, one of the world largest and oldest religions, it said that the religion had “over 1.2 billion adherents” and encompassed the values of “acceptance, mutual respect, and peace.”

The resolution did not call Hinduism the best or the most tolerant religion.

(Source: GeorgiaGeneral Assembly/Screenshot)

• It then described Hinduphobia as a “set of antagonistic, destructive, and derogatory attitudes and behaviours towards Sanatana Dharma (Hinduism) and Hindus that may manifest as prejudice, fear, or hatred.”

• Citing a report released by Rutgers University in July 2022, it mentioned that hate messages on social media had translated into real-life threats for people of the Hindu faith.

• The document further alleged that Hinduphobia had been “exacerbated and institutionalised” by some people in academia who supported “dismantling of Hinduism,” accusing its cultural practices and texts of “violence and oppression.”

• At the end, it declared that the representatives of Forsyth County in the Georgia State Legislature condemned “Hinduphobia, anti-Hindu bigotry, and intolerance.”

Conclusion: A resolution passed by the state of Georgia in the US discusses growing Hinduphobia in the US and does not call Hinduism the "most tolerant or the best religion" in the world.

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