There is a sharp increase in open racism against Indian immigrants and Indian Americans in the United States. This became clear a few weeks ago when FBI Director Kash Patel shared a Diwali greeting on social media.
Far right users replied with hateful messages telling him to leave the country and mocking his religion. Other Indian American leaders such as Nikki Haley and Vivek Ramaswamy faced the same hostile replies. Even Diwali posts from the White House and state governors attracted racist attacks.
Some Indian American conservatives were shocked. They had long believed that the political right cared only about character, not skin color or faith. Now they see racist messages coming from people who claim to be on their side.
Researchers explain that this hatred is not new. It has only become louder with the rise of extremist voices and reduced moderation on major platforms. Thousands of racist posts against Indians now appear each month.
A major source of anger is the H-1B visa program. Indian nationals are the largest group of workers who receive these visas. Far right groups often claim that Indians take jobs from Americans and cheat the system.
They also spread stereotypes about Indians being unclean or culturally backward. Slurs that started on fringe forums are now common on social media.
Whenever India or Indian Americans appear in the news, fresh waves of hate appear. This includes political appointments, trade disputes or even crimes involving someone of Indian origin.
Some white nationalist figures promote stories that portray Indian immigrants as a danger to Western society.
Indian Americans are targeted partly because many have succeeded in fields like technology, business, health care and education. This success fuels jealousy among people who already distrust immigrants.
Yet the community is very diverse with many different backgrounds and income levels. Still racist groups treat all Indians as one single wealthy group.
This hostility is now spreading offline. A council member in Florida insulted Indians and called for deportations. Protesters in Texas held signs saying Indians should leave. Many Indian Americans report being harassed at work, in restaurants or near temples.
Experts warn that this rising hate is leading to violence. Already an Indian was beheaded by a supposed racist in Dallas a few weeks ago and couple of other killings are also mentioned.
In fact it is a warning bell for all Indian communities living in the USA to stay low profile and avoid too much public display such as large gatherings, religious events or film related processions because these may attract racist attention.
