South Queens, NY – I spoke to District Attorney Melinda Katz and am pleased to report that one of the alleged perpetrators of the anti-Hindu hate crime at Tulsi Mandir has been arrested and charged. I thank District Attorney Katz, the NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force, Captain Jerome Bacchi of the 106th Precinct, Mayor Eric Adams, our County Leader Congressman Gregory Meeks and all our partners who came together to stand up against hate. What began as a conversation between me and local Hindu leaders at the mandir last month became a global discussion that even drew support from the White House with President Biden condemning this hate-fueled attack.

This kind of interfaith and global unity is exactly what we need right now to defeat the forces of hate. Incidents of anti-Hindu hate have been increasing, with a study by Rutgers University finding that anti-Hindu sentiments are on the rise. The FBI’s hate-crime data explorer has also recorded several incidents of “anti-Hindu bias” around the country.

As the first Hindu-American elected to office in New York State, I am guided by the Hindu principles taught at Tulsi Mandir and adopted by Gandhi himself. Those teachings include mutual respect for all faiths, satyagraha (soul force), and ahimsa (nonviolence), the same principles that famously inspired civil rights hero Martin Luther King, Jr. We have realized Gandhi’s dream here in Richmond Hill, where Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians and Jews live together in harmony, often on the same block. We will not let any hate-fueled perpetrators stand in the way of that peace.

Today, I do not call for harsh punishment against the perpetrator apprehended, for Gandhi himself believed that an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind. In keeping with this spirit, I call for all those involved in this act of hate to educate themselves about the mutual respect and inclusivity taught by Gandhi, and adopt love in their hearts towards all. Myself and the Hindu community are ready to embrace them with open arms. I invite the perpetrators to drop the sledgehammer and join with us in the cause of peace.