NEWYORK (TIP): A cross-section of Hindus is concerned after reports of burning of 40 Hindu religious flags outside a Woodhaven home in Queens, a New York City borough, on Thanksgiving Day. There are also reports of similar incidents around the country in recent times.

According to reports, a Hindu temple was vandalized in Kitchener (Ontario) on November 15. Sign of planned “WinstonSalemHinduTemple” in Clemmons (North Carolina) was hit with over 60 shotgun blasts in July.

A Hindu temple was vandalized in Dallas (Texas) in April. Two Hindu temples in Kent and Bothell (both in Seattle metropolitan area of Washington) were vandalized in February.

A Hindu grandfather was roughed up by police in Madison (Alabama) in February, resulting in partial paralysis. Last year, there was anti-Hindu vandalism in LoudounCounty (Virginia).

Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada, said that it was shocking for the hard-  working, harmonious and peaceful US Hindu community numbering about three million; who had made lot of contributions to the nation and society; to receive such signals of hatred and anger.

Rajan Zed suggested that basics of major world religions should be taught in high schools of the country and first responders should be imparted cultural competency training so that we understood each other better in view of increasing diversity of the country.

Zed urged fellow Hindus to educate Americans about Hinduism, the oldest and third largest religion of the world with about one billion adherents, and try to remove any misconceptions about it.

Zed pointed out that reasons for the success of the US Hindu community in the areas of education, wealth and long-lasting harmonious marriages were because of their continuing with the traditional values of hard work, higher morals, stress on education, sanctity of marriage, etc., in USA amidst so many distractions.