U.S. Representative Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI) speaks after being awarded a Frontier Award during a ceremony at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
U.S. Representative Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI) speaks after being awarded a Frontier Award during a ceremony at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

WASHINGTON (Diya TV) — Tulsi Gabbard, the first and only Hindu elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, has issued a plea to the California State Board of Education, saying the board must give Hinduism its due respect in student’s textbooks and not describe it inaccurately as “religions of ancient India.”

The board of education are in its final stages of revising and updating California’s K-12 History-Social Science Framework for public schools. For an in-depth analysis on the California Textbook Controversy & a follow up on various groups of scholars that have been involved.

In a letter Gabbard sent the board ahead of their final July 14 meeting, she urged the board to preserve the fabric of Hindu history and identity by restoring all references to “Hinduism” that were removed or replaced inaccurate phrases. Hinduism should be paid the same respect Christianity, Judaism, Islam and Buddhism are — each religion has its own distinct and separate space for discussion in the state’s educational framework, she said.

“Replacing Hinduism with the term ‘religions of Ancient India, including but not limited to early Hinduism’ is not only inaccurate, but it will cause confusion for students and teachers alike,” Gabbard writes in her letter.

She also stressed the positive roles played by women in Ancient Indian and Hindu society, something she hopes the board will consider in their decision making process.

“While it is important to discuss the existence of patriarchies in ancient civilizations, it is also critical to discuss the positive contributions and unique roles played by women in those societies,” she wrote.

“In the context of Ancient India, Hindu women were able to perform their own religious rites and also authored the Vedas, Hinduism’s sacred texts,” she added. “The framework should thus acknowledge these historical facts when describing the roles of women in ancient Indian society.”

She also asks the board to accurately represent the caste-system in the framework by not depicting it as a defining feature or a foundational religious belief of Hinduism.

“While caste-based discrimination is a reality that must be dealt with, it goes against the essence of Hindu teachings and scriptures, which posit that divinity is inherent in all beings,” she said.

Here Gabbard is seen speaking about her experience on being the first ever Hindu member of Congress.