On June 2, armed white supremacists showed up outside the city hall in Frisco, Texas, decrying what they called the “Indian invasion” of their community. Digital signs on a parked truck displayed messages reading “Stop the Hindu Takeover in Texas” and “Deport 100 Million: Save America,” complete with a cartoon of brown men in turbans screaming on top of a plane taking flight, while the protesters chanted “You will not replace us.” In a moment that has now gone viral, one protester ripped apart an Indian flag.The recent escalation happened in a wider context of xenophobia in Texas, United States, particularly targeting South Asians. For the last several months, far-right activists have been spreading anti-immigrant vitriol at Frisco city council meetings, accusing Indian H-1B visa holders of fraud. Hate groups have also demonstrated outside temples and mosques. Meanwhile, the state of Texas has put its institutional weight behind the racist agenda, prohibiting state institutions from hiring people through H-1B visas, stopping Muslims from using the state’s voucher program for Islamic schools and pushing for the state curriculum to include mandatory Bible reading.Notably, Hindus and Muslims are being targeted by the same rhetoric of white Christian nationalism. At a Frisco city council meeting in May, several community members gave public testimonies opposing proposed mosque and temple projects that had already cleared zoning requirements. At the meeting, far-right January 6-rioter – a term used to describe protesters who had stormed Capitol Hill after Donald Trump lost the 2020 elections – Jake Lang, claimed that Hindu and Muslim culture was “pedophilia” and that the communities were trying to replace white, Christian Texans.“The Hindus and the Muslims are teaming up to take over Texas,” said Lang. “This is not Muslims versus Hindus here; they are here to eradicate the Christians.” The recent rise in racist incidents exemplified what several South Asian American activists have been saying for decades: White Christian nationalism poses a threat to both communities equally, with the safety of South Asian diaspora being inextricably linked, regardless of religion.In the early 2000s, South Asians came together to defend the community against pervasive hate, violence and surveillance that came out of the 9/11 attack. This required people to traverse religious divides and fight for each other. Regardless of whether an individual is Indian or Pakistani and no matter what religion they profess, white Christian nationalists see South Asians as ‘brown, heathen others’ to be eradicated. Unfortunately, many groups and individuals are weaponising this rhetoric to divide South Asians.The divide-and-rule trapThe ongoing Frisco mayoral election has two candidates competing in a runoff: Mark Hill, a moderate Republican running on a platform to unite Frisco and Rod Vilhauer, a conservative Republican who has previously referred to Islam as a ‘terrorist group.’ During a podcast posted on March 23, Vilhauer said that immigrants were “coming in and out of here like rats.” In April, although he offered an apology, his statement selectively targeted comments antagonising Hindus. “I was unfiltered and words were used towards Hindu-American people that weren’t right…for this, I apologise. It was a mistake,” he said. Touting meetings with hundreds of Indian American residents, Vilhauer said, “I’ve asked them all to forgive me.” However, he has continued to disparage Frisco’s Muslims.“We know that Sharia law is here,” Vilhauer said in a mayoral forum. “We know what they’re coming to do. So I have great concern for my family, especially my grandchildren. What is this place going to look like 20 years from now?”Americans4Hindus, an organisation whose goals include getting “pro-Hindu candidates elected at local, state and federal levels,” endorsed Vilhauer in the mayoral race. Hindu city councilman Burt Thakur also extended his support to Vilhauer. Falling into the divide-and-rule trap has historically resulted in destruction for South Asian communities. Despite this, multiple people chose to support a candidate who was willing to grudgingly welcome Hindus, while demonising Muslims.Media’s response to widespread racismAfter last week’s white supremacist rally, NDTV ran a story titled “How Pakistani Felon Tricked US Locals Into Hating Indians.” The piece claimed a provocative Facebook post calling for a “Rally Against Rednecks,” put out by Pakistani American Zul Mohamed, triggered the aggressive counterprotest. The story blamed Mohamed for purposely triggering racist attacks on “innocent Indians,” suggesting that he was responsible for racism against Indians, a practice prevalent long before Mohamed’s post. The Indian media, in particular, has failed to recognise that South Asians in Texas, regardless of their national background, are experiencing a shared hatred on the basis of race and religion from which no community is exempt. White nationalists collectively view the South Asian community as brown people who do not belong.In response, several people are organising to defeat this persisting hatred. South Asian American Voter Empowerment of Texas (SAAVETX) is one of the organisations taking a lead role in ensuring the community makes its voice heard. Both Hindu and Muslim members have attended city council meetings to call out the ongoing racist campaign and garner support for places of worship. This moment evidences that the fight for inclusion and the fight against Christian nationalist encroachment must be borne and fought by all. One community is safe only when the other is as well and the only way to ensure collective safety is to stand up for each other.Sravya Tadepalli is the deputy executive director of Hindus for Human Rights. She also volunteers with Hindus for Human Rights Action.