Australian Human Rights Commission Investigates Hindu Council Islamophobia Complaint

The Hindu Council of Australia and its leaders, Sai Paravastu and Neelima Paravastu, face a formal complaint lodged by the Alliance Against Islamophobia alleging repeated Islamophobic conduct between May 2024 and July 2025. The complaint, accepted by the Australian Human Rights Commission, accuses the council of sharing social media posts that portray South Asian Muslims as inherently criminal, dangerous, and threatening, including content from far-right figures like Charlie Kirk and Tommy Robinson. This conduct is said to have violated Section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act by offending, insulting, humiliating, and intimidating Muslim communities, contradicting the council’s stated mission of interfaith harmony. The complaint demands a public apology, removal of offending material, legally binding assurances against further vilification, and compensation for harm caused. The case arises amid a significant rise in anti-Muslim incidents in Australia following the 2023 Gaza conflict, with increased physical and online Islamophobic acts disproportionately affecting Muslim women. The Paravastus deactivated their social media accounts following media inquiries.