9th place — 2024 BIPOC essay contest: Krishna Verma
FFRF awarded Krishna $400.
By Krishna Verma
My name is Krishna, the Hindu deity for love, and growing up in New Delhi, India, the Hindu religion was amalgamated into our society and families. From daily prayers at the Mandir (Hindu temple) to school projects on Diwali, Hinduism was always a part of my routine. From an early age, I saw faith being used as a mechanism to perpetuate and justify derogatory rhetoric toward different faiths, sexual orientations and races.
A large reason why Pakistanis and Indians have historically held such violent relations is because of their religious differences — Islam and Hinduism being their primary religions respectively. I would often hear the phrase “it is wrong to be different,” as a means to alienate anyone who did not exhibit the same religion, customs or values that my family would. Ideas of social, racial and political equality are taboo in a country with millions of misinformed Hindus who see other religions and races as a perpetual threat to peace.
I immigrated to Canada in 2013, where multiculturalism would be the central focus of my community. I saw people of all different backgrounds within my neighborhood. However, the conversations within my family still exhibited the same prejudices as before. I would turn on the news from India, only to see politicians proclaiming statements like “Muslims ruined our country.” Festivals I would attend at Mandirs would still display an air of Hindu superiority by claiming anyone who is different as “lost.” In a Christian-majority country like Canada, immigrants who were once a part of the religious majority find themselves being the often persecuted minority. In school, I was told to go back to my country. Because of people’s ignorance, I was called a terrorist and became the victim of Islamophobic taunts despite being Hindu.
Instead of our discriminatory experiences teaching us to be more accepting and open-minded to everyone, many immigrants become more resentful of diversity to avoid introspection and exploring what it can mean to be a part of a highly religious community.
Everywhere around the world, there are marginalized communities that celebrate faiths different from the majority. Religion’s rigid views often present a tool in which marginalized communities’ discrimination worsens and the consequences are presented as natural and correct.
These rigid societal views are one of the reasons why discrimination and historical conflicts still persist in today’s world. Collectively, religion is supposed to represent love, like my name, to spread onto the world. Unfortunately, it is used as a tool to spread fear and keep different communities divided. We do not have to all agree religiously to spread love. What we need is acceptance of each other despite our differences. Diversity is one of the biggest assets to our world, and should not be neglected. Differences make us who we are. Embracing our differences would allow us to overcome racial inequality and present a better future with everyone in mind.
Krishna, 19, is from Surrey, British Columbia, Canada, and attends Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, B.C., majoring in biological sciences. He writes: “I have a passion for helping people in need, so I often volunteer and run my respective charities. As the founder of the Wellness Initiative, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of impoverished people in Vancouver, I have been responsible for providing a wide range of services to support vulnerable members of our community. Our organization works in conjunction with many other youth-led initiatives across British Columbia, to create a more inclusive and supportive community for all. Growing up, I developed an immense passion for debate, which has continued to shape my life. In February 2023, I served as the Secretary-General for the largest free Model United Nations conference in Canada, the Johnston Heights Model UN.”
