Washington, DC
Dozens of Indian Americans gathered at Lafayette Square, the park in front of the White House, to protest against the visit of Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, to the US.
Chanting slogans and holding placards that read “Save India from fascism”, the protesters castigated Modi over human rights violations, persecution of Muslims and other minorities, new farm laws, and Indian brutalities in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
A number of people from Sikh community also staged a demonstration demanded freedom of east Punjab and creation of Khalistan.
The protesters called upon the US President to keep to his campaign promise of making human rights a central feature of the American foreign policy.
Last year, during the presidential election campaign, Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris strongly condemned New Delhi’s crackdown in IIOJK, the implementation of a controversial citizens list (National Register of Citizens) in Assam state, and the passage of an anti-Muslim citizenship law that triggered nationwide protests and deadly riots in New Delhi.
Dozens of Muslim activists and students were thrown into jail for protesting against the 2019 citizenship law that the United Nations called “fundamentally discriminatory” as it blocks naturalisation for Muslims.
Victor Begg, a 74-year-old community leader and activist, said he travelled all the way from Florida state to register his protest against Biden’s meeting with the Hindu nationalist leader.
“What Modi represents is totally against American values. By allowing him into the United States and hosting him in the White House compromises our democracy as well,” Begg told Al Jazeera.
The activists raised the recent surge in the attacks and killings of religious minorities, especially Muslims and Christians, by the members of Hindu right-wing groups in various parts of India.
“Right now, we are witnessing a slow genocide of minorities. The lives of India’s 200 million Muslims are at stake, and the Biden administration can no longer afford to stay silent.
This is the right time to send a stern message to India,” Syed Ali, the president of an advocacy group, the Indian American Muslim Council, said.—INP
