The Hindu American Foundation slammed reports of a plea for an investigation into its connection with the Indian government and said it has been singled out by a ‘pro-Khalistan’ gurdwara, while HAF receives no money, instructions or legal direction from the Indian government. The statement came in response to the Fremont Gurdwara Sahib approaching the Department of Justice to launch a national security investigation to determine whether the non-profit should be required to file as an Indian foreign agent. “The HAF has facilitated meetings between foreign principals and US lawmakers, platformed foreign principals at their own events, and consistently and unequivocally advocated for the interests of the BJP on both domestic and foreign policy matters,” a representative for the Gurdwara wrote in a letter to Pam Bondi, the US attorney general — as repoprted by the Guardian. “If DOJ applied the same logic used in the complaint, many respected diaspora orgs would be forced to register as foreign agents just for hosting cultural events. That’s not law enforcement—it’s selective enforcement,” HAF said. “HAF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Washington, DC, run by US citizens, funded by US donors, and accountable to US law. We have platinum transparency rating as a nonprofit,” it said, adding that participating in diaspora events including those involving foreign leader,s is legal and common; several other organizations also did that. “HAF advocates for civil rights, accurate education, and religious freedom for Hindu Americans. We have stood against violence—whether by Khalistan separatists, Islamists, or Hindu extremists. Our policy positions are public, legal, and rooted in our mission—not directed by any foreign state. We support FARA enforcement when warranted. But smearing US nonprofits based on diaspora engagement is a misuse of the law.“HAF said that the allegations against it that it acts as an unregistered foreign agent is legally unfounded, factually incorrect and dangerous for civil society. “The allegation against HAF was filed by Lex Politica, a right-wing law firm retained by a pro-Khalistan gurudwara in California. Khalistan is a secessionist movement calling for a theocratic Sikh state carved out of India, linked to the worst Canadian terrorist attack in history. Khalistan is opposed by the vast majority of Sikhs globally,” it said.
