CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, August 18, 2023 (RNS): It has been over a century since Swami Vivekananda introduced the tenets of Hinduism to a Western audience for the very first time. Vivekananda’s speech at the first Parliament of the World’s Religions — part of the 1893 Columbian Exposition in Chicago — was a message of tolerance, mutual respect and universal acceptance. The parliament, often referred to as the birth of the modern interfaith movement, held its ninth-ever conference this week at the McCormick Place convention center, with Hindus of all stripes present among diverse faith groups from across the world.

But some say Vivekananda’s legacy of inclusiveness is far from what they enjoyed at the parliament. Instead, Hindu organizations say they were uniquely singled out for their views on the contentious Indian political atmosphere, leaving some Hindus wondering why they must be tied to the politics of India at an event centered on cultivating harmony between the world’s religious communities. Nivedita Bhide, part of the Indian organization Vivekananda Kendra, was set to be a featured luminary in the parliament’s plenary. But days before the conference, Bhide’s speaking engagement was dropped due to activists sounding the alarm on her allegedly Islamophobic statements on social media and ties to Hindu nationalist ideology. The far-right nationalist ideology that Bhide was accused of following has been embraced by supporters of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The parliament is presently concluding its convening in Chicago with more than 7,000 attendees. Parliament leaders did not address specific concerns from Hindu groups about Bhide’s cancellation.

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https://religionnews.com/2023/08/18/the-india-problem-under-the-surface-at-the-parliament-of-worlds-religions/

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