A US-based Hindu organisation on Friday released a thought-provoking documentary shedding light on Swastika, which is considered a sacred symbol of peace and well-being by over 200 crore Buddhists, Hindus and Jains worldwide.
Released by the Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA) in partnership with AKTK Media, the documentary titled The Silence of Swastika comes in the wake of recent spikes in hate crimes and the western media increasingly associating the symbol with the barbaric persecution and genocide of millions in Nazi Germany.
"Clearly, there is more than meets the eye in understanding how the narrative was distorted to ensure that Hitler's symbol came to be called the Swastika in the western world," CoHNA president Nikunj Trivedi said.
"We partnered with AKTK to adapt and release their new documentary to shed light on these questions. We hope the documentary can help drive education and conversations on this important topic - as part of an awareness campaign we have been running since 2020. Our effort in no way denies or downplays the horror of the Holocaust or the trauma communities feel even today when faced with reminders of that horrific time," he said.
"The recent spikes in hate crimes have made it even more imperative that we distinguish between sacred symbols and symbols of hate -- much like how the western world has come to differentiate the sacred cross from the burning cross," he said.
According to a media release, The Silence of Swastika was first released in Hindi by AKTK Media in December 2021 to a great reception because it asked some difficult but resounding questions.
"The viewer response to our Hindi version made clear the need to reach global audiences -- hence this adaptation. We thank the CoHNA for the amazing support and team spirit with which they collaborated in making the documentary in English," said Anuj Bharadwaj, director and anchor of the film.
"The film is for every truth seeker and in some way, all of us are seekers of the truth. We hope this film will help people differentiate between the Nazi symbol of Hakenkreuz and the Dharmic symbol of Swastika," Bhardwaj said.