Richmond, VA: On July 1, 2025, Virginia’s House Bill 2783 goes into effect, criminalizing the display of Nazi symbols while also actively distinguishing Hitler’s Hakenkreuz (Hooked Cross) from the sacred Swastika. This is a nuanced but critical distinction. The Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA) commends the legislation’s use of the historically accurate term, ‘Hakenkreuz’. This is a major step toward accurate representation and equitable treatment of the state’s diverse minority groups, since the Swastika is an ancient and sacred symbol used by nearly two billion Buddhists, Hindus, Jains, and other communities across the world and in Virginia.
The pioneering language of this Bill is the result of a concerted grassroots advocacy effort, led by CoHNA and various organizations. “We are pleased to see how Virginia is tackling growing hate while being sensitive to minority groups that revere the Swastika”, said Nikunj Trivedi, President of CoHNA.
“Now the need of the hour is for the media, law enforcement, and educational institutions in Virginia to update their language to reflect this critical nuance and ensure fair treatment for all,” he added.
In its original form, HB2783 had a critical cultural blind spot: conflating the Swastika with Nazi iconography. Crucial to note Hitler did not use the term ‘Swastika’; he referred to his symbol of hate as ‘Hakenkreuz’, the German word for ‘Hooked Cross’. The Bill also incorrectly implied that the Nazi emblem was “commonly known as the Swastika”—a wording that risks harm by implying that there is a ‘good swastika’ and a ‘bad swastika’. Yet, despite this worrisome language, HB2783 had managed to unanimously sail through the Virginia House of Delegates (97-0).
This is when CoHNA sprang into action. Over one hectic weekend, CoHNA launched an education campaign, and motivated over 1,000 individuals to reach out to Virginia lawmakers with emails and calls. It partnered with community leaders, legal experts and interfaith allies to push for urgent amendments, even as the Bill reached the Senate with momentum stacked against change.
The efforts of the community paid off with a significant rewrite in the weeks that followed. The Bill even got sent back by Governor Glenn Youngkin, who asked for inclusion of more important changes requested by the community, before signing it into the law.
CoHNA extends heartfelt gratitude to Senator Kannan Srinivasan and other key legislators whose swift support ensured that historical accuracy and religious respect prevailed. “By explicitly delineating the legal status of the Swastika, the statute not only condemns and prohibits its misuse as a symbol of hatred, but also affirms and honors its sacred meaning within Hinduism and other Dharmic traditions. In doing so, the Commonwealth of Virginia sets a precedent for a more informed, respectful, and inclusive civic discourse”, said Srilekha Palle who is on the Board of Directors at the American Hindu Coalition.
Without community intervention, this Bill would have further erased the true meaning of the Swastika. We thank Hindu leaders like Rajiv Sharma of Americans4Hindus (A4H) and many others who worked in unity to secure these changes. As Virginia community leader and legal advisor for CoHNA Atchuthan Sriskandarajah said, “This legislation is a crucial step in combating hate without infringing on the religious rights of Hindus, Buddhists, and Jains. It is a powerful example of how our community can come together to ensure our heritage is accurately represented and protected in the eyes of the law.”
