The Australian Human Rights Commission is investigating a complaint filed against the Hindu Council of Australia for alleged repeated instances of Islamophobia.
The complaint alleges that the council, its president Sai Paravastu and head of media Neelima Paravastu, made Islamophobic posts on X and Instagram, and comments in public, between May 2024 and July 2025.
The Alliance against Islamophobia complaint, seen by Guardian Australia, contains copies of the social media posts, which included sharing posts by Charlie Kirk and far-right UK figure Tommy Robinson.
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Other posts referenced in the complaint specifically impugned Indian, Bangladeshi and Rohingya Muslims, it is alleged.
The imputations from several of the posts, the complaint alleges, were that Muslims were “inherently criminal, dangerous, violent or evil by nature”, “prey upon children, the aged and the vulnerable” and “homogeneously pose a powerful threat or menace”.
The commission cannot comment on complaints it is investigating, but it is believed to have accepted the matter on 16 September. The council and the Paravastus were contacted for comment.
Guardian Australia reported on Monday about the increase in Islamophobia since the 7 October 2023 attacks, which also sparked an increase in reports of antisemitism.
The alliance’s complaint seeks a formal public apology, the immediate removal of the allegedly offending material from all platforms, an enforceable undertaking to cease further vilifying conduct and compensation “for the harm and distress caused”.
The complaint includes a copy of an X post from Robinson, which was reposted by Neelima Paravastu, that included the words: “I’ve been warning America of the problems Islam brings for many years, hoping they’re not blind-sided like we in Europe were.”
The publications also include posts criticising the burqa and New York mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani.
But most of the complaint focuses on posts said to impugn Muslims with south Asian backgrounds, and includes several posts in Hindi.
It also included copies of several news articles which referenced comments Sai Paravastu allegedly made calling for the removal of Muslim prayer rooms in schools.
The complaint alleges contraventions of section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act, and unlawful discrimination within the meaning of the Australian Human Rights Commission Act.
Section 18C makes acts that are reasonably likely to offend, insult, humiliate or intimidate someone because of their race or ethnicity unlawful.
