Hindus on Campus, a group that fights the persecution of Hindus, Hinduphobia and toxic environment for Hindus prevalent in college campuses, today took to Twitter to respond to the statement put out by Rutgers Newark over the concerns raised over the anti-Hindu bias of controversial historian Audrey Truschke.
In a string of tweets, the Hindu group championing the cause of Hindu students in universities abroad, expressed their disapproval of the rationalisation of Audrey Truschke by the Rutgers Newark University.
We are deeply hurt by the response of Rutgers Newark. In response to a petition signed by a large number of Hindu students and our allies. Rutgers – a university that claims to pride itself on diversity and inclusion – continues to signal that Hindu student voices do not matter.
— Hindu On Campus (@hinduoncampus) March 9, 2021
“We are deeply hurt by the response of Rutgers Newark. In response to a petition signed by a large number of Hindu students and our allies. Rutgers – a university that claims to pride itself on diversity and inclusion – continues to signal that Hindu student voices do not matter,” the group tweeted.
The group said academic freedom and pursuit of scholarship can’t be used as a front to peddle anti-Hindu bigotry. It said professors like Truschke, who has a history of insulting Hindu gods, calling them ‘misogynistic pigs’, claiming that Hindu texts endorsed rapes and Hindu organisations supported the assault on US Capitol are not welcomed.
The group also stated that the statement issued by Rutgers demonstrated their lack of commitment to Hindu students while defending Audrey Truschke’s spurious claims under the banner of “freedom of speech”.
Ironically, the Rutgers statement unintentionally demonstrates their lack of commitment to Hindu students. They defend Truschke’s claims under the banner of “free speech”, & take the stance to protect her from Twitter trolls that send “vile messages and threats”.
— Hindu On Campus (@hinduoncampus) March 9, 2021
Though Rutgers University has shown an unmatched zeal in defending Truschke’s right and taken a stance to protect her from trolls, the same treatment is not extended to Hindu students, who are at the receiving end of the vile and threatening messages by people enabled by Truschke, the group argued.
“As Hindu students, we cannot study and live in an environment in which we feel unsafe. How are we supposed to feel safe, when a Professor can block us (a student-run handle) with no prior engagement – yet can continue to tweet at us & energize her followers who call us “dotheads”,” the group tweeted.
As Hindu students, we cannot study and live in an environment in which we feel unsafe. How are we supposed to feel safe, when a Professor can block us (a student-run handle) with no prior engagement – yet can continue to tweet at us & energize her followers who call us “dotheads”
— Hindu On Campus (@hinduoncampus) March 9, 2021
Rutgers Newark comes out in defence of Audrey Truschke after Hindus raise concerns over her anti-Hindu prejudice
The group claims Rutgers refers to “rigorous” scholarship, but turns a blind eye to non-academic OpEd’s and Twitter posts where Audrey Truschke spews venom against Hindus.
“Why won’t Rutgers take a stand against the countless examples of bigoted and dangerous insinuations that Truschke makes online, where she enables danger towards Hindu students?” The Hindu group asked.
The response from the Hindu group came after Rutgers Newark heeded to concerns raised by the Hindu students over its association with Hinduphobic ‘historian’ Audrey Truschke.
— Rutgers-Newark (@Rutgers_Newark) March 9, 2021
Defending Truschke, the statement said, “Rutgers emphatically supports Professor Truschke’s academic freedom in pursuing her scholarship, abhors the vile messages and threats being directed at her, and calls for an immediate end to them.”
“Scholarship is sometimes controversial, perhaps especially when it is at the interface of history and religion, but the freedom to pursue such scholarship, as Professor Truschke does rigorously, is at the heart of the enterprise,” the statement further said in defence of the controversial historian’s pursuit of scholarship at the Rutgers.
‘Hindu on Campus’ Group calls out Truschke’s religious bigotry directed towards Hindus and Hindu scriptures
Earlier on Sunday, the Hindu group who goes by Twitter handle @hinduoncampus had posted another thread on the microblogging platform, enlisting various instances when Audrey Truschke had made problematic statements against Hinduism and indulged in casual racism against Hindus.
At the time of US Capitol riots, Truschke tweeted about the presence of an Indian flag at the scene to imply it to be the handiwork of Hindu Right.
In another instance, Truschke had misinterpreted the sacred Hindu religious text of Bhagwad Gita and accused it of rationalising mass slaughter.
2/ Accused the Bhagavad Gita, one of the most famous and sacred Hindu texts as “Rationalizes mass slaughter”
— Hindu On Campus (@hinduoncampus) March 6, 2021
The Gita was the basis for Mahatma Gandhi’s non-violence movement, even inspiring Nelson Mandela and MLK himself.
Source: https://t.co/fA3WopSe0C pic.twitter.com/qordYIO9Ly
The Hindu group also shed light on an instance when Truschke had equated a gangrape case in India to an incident in the Hindu epic of Mahabharata, essentially alluding that Hindu culture endorses “rape culture” and misogyny.
Truschke had even called Hindu Gods “misogynistic pigs”. When confronted for her deeply bigoted remark, she passed the buck on the professor whom she claimed had orginally stated so and she had just translated his version. However, the professor later clarified that Truschke’s words had got nothing to do with his translation and commented that her words were “highly inappropriate” and “quite shocking”.
4/ Called Hindu Gods “Misogynistic Pig”(s) on Twitter. Prof Robert Goldman, has himself clarified that Truschke’s words have “nothing to do with our translation,” that her language was “highly inappropriate,” and that the whole saga was “extremely disturbing” & “quite shocking.” pic.twitter.com/tFEtk5WloK
— Hindu On Campus (@hinduoncampus) March 6, 2021
The group also accused Truschke of endorsing controversial burning of sacred Hindu religious texts, portraying Hindu Society as “Sex Obsessed” and “lustful”.
And last but not the least, the group also highlighted how Audrey Truschke continues to remain smitten with the Mughal ruler Aurangzeb and in being so, she has brushed under the carpet the trauma inflicted by the bigoted ruler on the people of India, contending that his persecution of Hindus is often exaggerated.
Her deep-rooted prejudice against the Hindus and continued misinterpretation of sacred Hindu texts and religious figures are becoming increasingly manifest in her statements and the use of her authority to project Hindus as oppressors, violent and bigoted.
— Hindu On Campus (@hinduoncampus) March 6, 2021
“Her deep-rooted prejudice against the Hindus and continued misinterpretation of sacred Hindu texts and religious figures are becoming increasingly manifest in her statements and the use of her authority to project Hindus as oppressors, violent and bigoted,” the group tweeted.
