LONG SHADOW OF RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION: HINDUS, JEWS, AND THE GLOBAL STRUGGLE FOR CULTURAL SURVIVAL

The history of human civilization is marred by episodes of conquest, cultural erasure, and religious persecution.

- GOPAL GOSWAMI

Among the groups that have faced centuries of oppression are Hindus and Jews, whose resilience in the face of systemic violence and marginalization speaks to both their endurance and the persistent challenges they face.

Recent events, such as the tragic terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, on April 22, 2025, where 26 people, predominantly Hindu tourists, were killed, have reignited discussions about targeted violence against religious communities. Jewish people were abducted and many of them are feared to be killed by the Islamist hardliners in Gaza & killings of two Jewish people in New York on May 22, 2025. The broader narrative of persecution against these groups, alongside others like the Maya, Inca, Egyptians, Romans, Greeks, Africans, Native Americans, and Asians, underscores a troubling pattern of cultural destruction driven by religious ambitions.

Here is my attempt to explore these historical and contemporary dynamics, examining the impact of Christian and Islamic imposition on native cultures and the ongoing struggles for identity and survival of the same.

HISTORICAL CONTEXT: A LEGACY OF CULTURAL ERASURE

The histories of Hindus and Jews are intertwined with cycles of oppression that stretch back centuries. Hindus, whose civilization in the Indian subcontinent dates back over thousands of years (5000 years of documented history), faced waves of invasions that reshaped their cultural and religious landscape.

From the 8th century onward, Islamic invasions into India, beginning with the conquest of Sindh in 712 CE, brought destruction to Mandirs, libraries, and entire cities. Some estimates suggest millions of Hindus were killed or displaced over centuries of Islamic rule, with iconic centers like the Somnath Temple and Nalanda & Takshashila University razed by invaders such as Mahmud of Ghazni and Alauddin Khilji.