legrandangle-lgm

The Hindu American Foundation (HAF) has accused two major US media outlets – The New York Times (NYT) and Bloomberg – of suppressing a study showing how Hindus face discrimination over caste-based diversity, equality and inclusivity. DEI) training programs in the US. The study was conducted by the Network Contagion Research Institute (NCRI) in collaboration with Rutgers University and specifically examined Equality Labs’ anti-caste training. This showed that such programs exacerbate anti-Hindu discrimination and hatred.

Equality Labs is a South Asian Dalit organization and a self-described American “civil rights group” focused on addressing caste discrimination.

The Hindu American Foundation (HAF) pointed out that instead of combating discrimination, the DEI program actually promoted bias.

“Shockingly, the study revealed that when the term ‘Jew’ was replaced with ‘Brahmin,’ participants exposed to the Equality Labs training materials were significantly more likely to adopt dehumanizing rhetoric against Brahmins, including mentioning ‘ parasites’, ‘virus’. , or ‘devil personified’,” according to the HAF.

According to the HAF, the findings of the investigation are very disturbing. “A groundbreaking study from @ncri_io @RutgersU shows that DEI #caste training for corporations and universities, offered by @EqualityLabs, does the exact opposite of what they would do: instead of reducing discrimination, they worsen anti- Hindu discrimination and hatred,” the Hindu-American organization said. wrote on X.

In a subsequent post, the HAF explained: “Study participants were offered training developed by Equality Labs, and a control population received neutral academic education on varna/jati. The Equality Labs training group was more than 30% more likely to bias and harm where none existed.”

“The evidence is clear: rather than combating prejudice, caste DEI training offered by caste activists like Equality Labs exacerbates racial suspicion and anti-Hindu hatred, and can lead to ‘punitive retaliation,’” HAF warned .

The HAF further alleged that The New York Times initially planned to publish a story about the investigation and even set a publication date, but the article was abruptly shelved without explanation. Similarly, Bloomberg has reportedly decided not to cover the study, that too without giving any reasons.

Colin Wright, an evolutionary biologist, published a detailed expose on the NCRI and Rutgers study, and the two media giants’ tightening of the report.

Wright related how The New York Times cited the NCRI’s research in more than twenty previous articles without asking for a peer review. However, in the case of the caste-based study, the editors demanded peer review as an excuse to block its publication.

Bloomberg broke the story, reportedly influenced by editors sympathetic to DEI programs.

The alleged suppression of research by these major media outlets has raised concerns about the media’s role in promoting transparency and accountability in diversity and inclusion efforts. The HAF called on both The New York Times and Bloomberg to release the findings.

“Refusing to report on this case-control study is censoring critical information that has enormous implications for the #Hindu-American community,” HAF said.

There are two shocking points here. First, a caste-based anti-discrimination program breeds anti-Hindu prejudice. Secondly, two major media houses refuse to publish the report on a prestigious university.