Are the Greens a Hinduphobic Party?
The Australian Greens party has faced accusations of Hinduphobia from various members of the Hindu community in Australia, with specific incidents and rhetoric contributing to these claims:
The relationship between the Greens and religious communities, including Muslims and Hindus, is complex and varies across contexts. Here are the key points based on the search results:
Pro-Islam Perspective
– The Greens have been vocal about combating Islamophobia, with leaders like Senator Mehreen Faruqi actively advocating against racism targeting Muslims, Arabs, and Palestinians[4].
– The Greens have supported Muslim communities in various contexts, including opposing political narratives fueling Islamophobia and addressing issues like the Christchurch mosque massacre[4].
– The Greens have gained support among Muslims due to their positions on human rights issues in Gaza, Yemen, Sudan, and Kashmir[1].
Anti-Hindu Allegations
– Australian Hindus have accused the Greens of promoting anti-Hindu sentiment. Criticism includes alleged smears against Hindu leaders and organisations, as well as accusations of dual loyalty for Indian Australian Hindus[2][6][8].
– The Greens’ perceived bias in favour of pro-Palestinian narratives has also alienated parts of the Hindu community, especially given Hindu opposition to antisemitism [3][6].
– The Hindu Council of Australia has expressed disappointment with the Greens, citing divisive rhetoric and actions that undermine trust within the Hindu community[6][8].
Broader Observations
– While the Greens advocate for universal human rights and oppose racism broadly, they face criticism for inconsistencies in addressing faith-based discrimination. For example, Islamophobia is often discussed more prominently than anti-Hindu prejudice[1][2].
– The party’s stance on international conflicts (e.g., Israel-Palestine, Kashmir) further complicates its relationships with religious groups. Their refusal to condemn persecution of minorities in Pakistan and Bangladesh, as well as support for movements like BDS, has drawn criticism from Jewish communities as well[3].
In summary, while the Greens actively oppose Islamophobia and engage with Muslim communities, they have faced accusations of anti-Hindu bias from certain quarters. These dynamics reflect broader challenges in balancing advocacy for diverse religious groups.
These controversies have led to growing mistrust between sections of the Hindu community and the Australian Greens, with calls for more inclusive and respectful political discourse.
Citations:
[1]https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/are-greens-speaking-out-against-islamophobia/
[2]https://www.theaustraliatoday.com.au/growing-anti-hindu-smears-by-greens-must-be-condemned-by-liberal-and-labor/
[3]https://fathomjournal.org/progressive-except-for-jews-pejs-the-australian-greens-and-the-7-october-hamas-death-squad-massacre/
[4]https://greens.org.au/news/media-release/combat-rising-islamophobia-not-community-bearing-its-brunt
[5]https://www.reddit.com/r/australian/comments/17p0sdw/why_are_the_greens_so_invested_in_the_free/
[6]https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/australian-hindus-lose-faith-in-divisive-greens/news-story/e49be0216ac69eccc3e60fa289ee7eeb
[7]https://www.eurekastreet.com.au/the-greens-the-church-and-freedom-of-religion
[8]https://hinducouncil.com.au/hindus-losing-faith-in-the-greens-political-party/
Ask Your Local Greens MP to Condemn Hinduphobia & Anti-Semitism
Fact: Following the tragic events of October 7, the Greens were the only Australian political party that refused to support a federal parliamentary motion condemning the Hamas massacre. [3]
Similarly, the Australian Greens have neither taken specific nor documented actions directly addressing concerns about Hinduphobia in their own ranks.
So are the Greens Progressive Except for Jews and Hindus? (PEJH) Here are 3 questions you can ask your local Greens MP to find out.
Question 1: Do the Greens Endorse the National Anti-Racism Framework, including AntiSemitism and Hinduphobia?:
Background: The Greens have called for the implementation of a National Anti-Racism Framework, which includes measures to tackle systemic racism and hate crimes. This framework emphasises intersectional and community-driven approaches to combating racism, which would encompass addressing Hinduphobia and Anti-Semitism – if only the Greens did. [1].
Question 2: Do the Greens acknowledge and condemn the persecution of Hindus in Kashmir, Pakistan and Bangladesh?
Background: Commitment to Protecting Anti-Discrimination Laws: The Greens have opposed weakening Section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act, which protects against hate speech. Their commitment to maintaining strong anti-discrimination laws aligns with their broader anti-racist agenda[2]. However, like they have refused to condemn the massacre of Jews by Hamas, the Greens refuse to condemn the genocide of Hindus (and other non-Muslim minorities) in Kashmir, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
Question 3: Do the Greens endorse the National Hate Crime Data Collection to include incidents of Hinduphobia?
Background: – Advocacy for Hate Crime Data Collection: The Greens party supports the establishment of a national hate crimes database to improve data collection on racism and engage communities with lived experiences of discrimination in designing solutions. This initiative could help document and address incidents of Hinduphobia as part of broader antiracism efforts. [1].
- Citations:
[1]https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Legal_and_Constitutional_Affairs/RWExtremists23/Report/Australian_Greens_additional_comments - [2]https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Joint/Human_Rights_inquiries/FreedomspeechAustralia/Report/d02
- [3]https://fathomjournal.org/progressive-except-for-jews-pejs-the-australian-greens-andthe-7-october-hamas-death-squad-massacre/
- [4]https://greens.org.au/vic/achievements
- [5]https://greens.org.au/policies
- [6]https://greens.org.au
- [7]https://greens.org.au/portfolios/environment
