A bipartisan resolution has been introduced in the US House of Representatives to commemorate the shared values of democracy, religious diversity, human rights, and the rule of law between the United States and India.
Led by Congressman Tom Suozzi, a Democrat, the resolution has garnered support from 36 lawmakers across both Democratic and Republican parties. The resolution acknowledges the robust and mutually beneficial people-to-people connections between India and the US, highlighting the achievements of the Indian diaspora in the US, which numbers over 4 million.
Notably, 80% of Indian Americans hold college degrees, exemplifying their success in various aspects of American life. The resolution also recognizes India’s long history of religious coexistence, with thriving Hindu, Sikh, Muslim, Christian, Buddhist, and Jain communities, and notes that 80% of Indian immigrants in the US identify as Hindu, contributing to the estimated 1% of the US population that practices Hinduism.
Noting that the partnership between India and the United States stands as one of the most important democratic partnerships in the world, the resolution says that this partnership is based on shared principles of democracy, religious pluralism, human rights, freedom, and the rule of law.
The resolution applauds BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha (“BAPS”) for its role in the US. Pramukh Swami Maharaj (1921-2016), established the first BAPS Hindu mandir in the United States of America on August 4, 1974, in New York City.
Over the last 50 years, BAPS has grown to over 100 mandirs across the United States, it said adding that these mandirs offer a welcoming and spiritual space for thousands of families, as well as worship, fellowship, communal meals, education, and activities for young and old, creating a true home for the faithful.
The resolution recognises and celebrates the countless contributions of BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha and its volunteers over the last 50 years in the United States.
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US House resolution celebrates India’s democracy, religious pluralism & human rights
