Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA) seeks correction over swastika remark

Washington: The Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA) called on Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, and The Wall Street Journal to issue a correction to a paid advertisement published in the newspaper, saying it contained a "factually inaccurate and deeply offensive" statement about the Swastika.

In a statement, CoHNA said the advertisement, which carried Ye's apology for past antisemitic remarks, wrongly equated the Swastika with a Nazi symbol of hate. The organisation said the language used in the apology insulted nearly two billion Hindus, Buddhists, Jains, and followers of other indigenous faiths worldwide, for whom the Swastika is a sacred symbol. In the apology, Ye said he had "gravitated towards the most destructive symbol I could find, the swastika." CoHNA said the statement mischaracterized a symbol revered for thousands of years in Dharmic traditions.

"For thousands of years, the Swastika has represented auspiciousness, good fortune, and well-being in Dharmic traditions," the organisation said, adding that the symbol "remains central to our religious ceremonies, festivals, and sacred spaces."

CoHNA stressed that Adolf Hitler never referred to the Nazi symbol as a Swastika. "Critically, Adolf Hitler never used the word 'Swastika' to describe his symbol of hate-he called it the Hakenkreuz ('hooked cross' in German)," the statement said. It added that even Western press coverage during the rise of Hitler in the 1920s used the term Hakenkreuz, reflecting the terminology employed by the Nazis themselves.

The organisation said this historical distinction has been formally recognised by lawmakers and public institutions in recent years. It cited state legislation in Virginia and California, as well as action by the Canadian Parliament, "as recently as last month," acknowledging the difference between the sacred Swastika and the Nazi Hakenkreuz.

CoHNA also pointed to support for this distinction from Jewish groups and scholars. It said there has been "a chorus of voices calling for accuracy in using this symbol," including Jewish organisations such as B'nai Brith in Canada and Jewish intellectuals like Steven Heller. The advocacy group said it had previously raised the issue with Ye and others. "In February 2025, when he was selling T-shirts with the Hakenkreuz, we reminded Shopify, the media, and the public that Hitler's symbol is not the Swastika," said Nikunj Trivedi, president of CoHNA. (IANS)

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