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Weekly Roundup

IAMC Weekly India Human Rights Monitor (January 23, 2026)

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This Week at a Glance  This week, the names of Muslim voters in Gujarat, Rajasthan and Assam were deleted en masse from electoral rolls under the Special Intensive Revision, raising renewed accusations of targeted disenfranchisement. In Uttar Pradesh, police detained and fined Muslim men for praying inside a private home, while journalists in Kashmir faced intimidation for reporting on police profiling of mosques. An interfaith couple was murdered in Moradabad, a Christian pastor in Odisha was assaulted and humiliated by Hindu militants, and multiple reports flagged police inaction and selective justice in cases involving minorities.   Top Stories Targeted Muslim Voter Deletions in Gujarat, Rajasthan and Assam Hundreds of Muslim voters in Ahmedabad’s Jamalpur have been declared “dead” and removed from the electoral rolls during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process in Gujarat, triggering allegations of targeted voter disenfranchisement. In Jaipur, Rajasthan, testimonies from officials and documents have revealed the role of BJP leaders in mass Muslim Voter deletions. In Assam, an investigation found “forged” forms aimed at deleting thousands of Muslim voters.       12 Muslim men detained, fined in Uttar Pradesh for praying inside a private home The police in Uttar Pradesh’s Bareilly detained and fined 12 Muslim men for offering prayers inside a private house “without permission.” A video of the prayer was made viral online by several Hindu extremist accounts, accompanied by hateful comments targeting Muslims.           Police censor journalists in Kashmir for reporting mosque profiling Police in Jammu and Kashmir have ordered at least three journalists to sign a pledge vowing not to “disturb peace” in the region. The summons were issued after they had reported that police in the region were seeking information from mosques about their funding, management and budgets. A third journalist, an assistant editor with The Indian Express newspaper, was summoned to a police station in Srinagar, but did not sign the pledge. India has imposed several restrictions in the Muslim-majority region after revoking its constitutional autonomy in 2019, including heavy censorship.       Interfaith couple murdered in Uttar Pradesh, Woman’s brothers arrested A Muslim man and a Hindu woman who were in an interfaith relationship for over two years, were brutally murdered by the woman’s brothers in Uttar Pradesh’s Moradabad. Meanwhile, in Jhansi, a Muslim man and a Hindu woman dressed in bridal attire were found dead after allegedly hanging themselves.         Hindu militants assault Pastor, forces him to eat cow dung and chant ‘Jai Sri Ram’ A pastor from Odisha’s Dhenkanal was assaulted, forced to chant Jai Sri Ram, and made to eat cow dung by members of the Hindu militant group Bajrang Dal. The pastor, Bipin Bihari Naik, was attending a prayer meeting along with his wife and a few other Christians, when a mob of around 40 people gathered outside and assaulted him.       Hate crimes and discrimination in India This week, a fact-finding report by the Association of Protection of Civil Rights on recent violence in Uttarakhand documented a pattern of targeted attacks on Muslims, citing police inaction, selective application of the law since late 2023. In Uttar Pradesh, three police officials were held responsible for the custodial torture of a farmer at Agra and judge who had earlier ordered a case against police officials over the 2024 shooting of a Muslim man was transferred by the Allahabad High Court. In Karnataka, a Hindu extremist leader and murder accused Puneeth Kerehalli was released on bail after being detained for trespassing into houses of migrants. In Madhya Pradesh, Hindu rituals were held at the disputed Bhojshala–Kamal Maula Mosque complex in Dhar; and in Maharashtra, Shrikant Pangarkar, an accused in the murder of journalist Gauri Lankesh, won the Municipal Corporation election as an independent candidate.   Resistance & Organizing Bombay High Court Grants Bail to Activists Sagar Gorkhe and Ramesh Gaichor After Four Years The Bombay High Court granted bail to activists Sagar Gorkhe and Ramesh Gaichor in the Elgar Parishad Bhima Koregaon case, more than four years after their arrest. The court said they were entitled to bail on the same grounds as other accused who have already been released. With this order, all accused in the case except lawyer Surendra Gadling have now been granted bail. Jesuit priest and tribal rights activist Father Stan Swamy, who was also an accused, died in custody in July 2021 while awaiting trial.   Defenders of the Week This week, we’re spotlighting Shaik Salauddin, a Hyderabad-based trade union leader who led one of the most consequential labour mobilizations in India’s gig economy. As founder-president of the Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union (TGPWU), Salauddin organised strategic flash strikes in December 2025 that mobilised over 40,000 delivery workers across cities to challenge the “10-minute delivery” model pushed by quick commerce apps. By combining advance strike notices, coordinated work stoppages, and public-facing demands for safer conditions and fair pay, the protests disrupted services and forced national attention on worker safety.   Voices from the Ground  “The lynching of Indian Muslims has become so brutally normalised that the country has learned to live with it. Not just news channels and reporters, but even opposition parties have stopped pretending to care. Worse is, even social media, which is known to outrage on such incidents, now looks away. It is as if mob violence against Indian Muslims has been accepted as routine, something which is not even worth condemning.” – Mohammed Zubair, Co-founder, AltNews IAMC in Action The latest episode of our podcast, Beyond the Taj, features a discussion with Professor Arjun Singh Sethi on the history of Muslim-Sikh solidarity in the diaspora. Watch or stream on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube. What to Watch Next Week Our upcoming episode of Beyond the Taj features a conversation on building Hindu-Muslim unity in the diaspora with Ria Chakrabarty, Senior Policy Director at Hindus for Human Rights. Be sure to subscribe on all streaming platforms so you don’t miss the drop!

Op-Eds

Silence as citizenship: The burden of being a ‘Good Muslim’ in India

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Indian Muslim are expected to be compliant, even as they are denied the ordinary exercise of rights enjoyed by other citizens. By Rasheed Ahmed Indian Muslims are often told that their survival depends on being exceptional. Not exceptional in achievement or contribution, but exceptional in political quietude. Exceptional in studied moderation. Exceptional in silence. Exceptional in proving, again and again, that they are unlike Muslims elsewhere – less demanding, less visible and less assertive in their claims on the state. This idea – it could be called Indian Muslim exceptionalism – has quietly shaped public discourse for decades. It once framed Indian Muslims as culturally refined but politically suspect; spiritually rich but civically conditional. With the rise of aggressive majoritarian politics, even this limited and conditional acceptance has begun to collapse. What remains is the expectation of political compliance without the assurance of cultural tolerance or civic equality. Rasheed Ahmed is the executive director of the Indian American Muslim Council. Read More >> Photo by Anushree Fadnavis, Reuters

Weekly Roundup

IAMC Weekly India Human Rights Monitor (January 16, 2026)

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This Week at a Glance  This week, the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum ranked India among the countries most at risk of mass atrocities, as new data pointed to escalating abuses against religious minorities. Human rights groups documented at least 50 extrajudicial killings of Muslims in 2025, along with more than 1,300 incidents of hate speech targeting Muslims and Christians – both sharp increases from the previous year. Reports also described the forced expulsion of Bengali-speaking Muslims into Bangladesh despite valid citizenship documents, lynchings linked to cattle theft allegations, arson attacks targeting Muslim students, and demolition campaigns carried out without due process in Muslim neighborhoods. The week also saw mob violence and arson in Tripura, allegations of rape and murder in Bihar, explicit threats ordering Muslims to leave villages in Uttar Pradesh, and expanded state surveillance and prosecutions under harsh security laws.   Top Stories India Ranks 4th Among Countries Most at Risk of Mass Atrocities, U.S. Holocaust Museum Warns A new study by the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum warns that India is the world’s fourth most at-risk country for mass violence against civilians over the next two years. The report assessed 168 countries for the likelihood of intrastate mass killings, or the deliberate killing of civilians by either state or nonstate actors within that country. Notably, India ranks first among countries facing this level of risk that are not already experiencing widespread, large-scale violence.     At least 50 extrajudicial killings of Muslims reported in 2025, over half committed by Hindu extremists Data from the South Asia Justice Campaign shows that at least 50 Muslims were killed in extrajudicial killings in India in 2025, with 27 of those victims killed by Hindu extremists. Two children were among the 23 Muslims killed last year in incidents involving police, armed forces, or other state security personnel. The data also looks into arbitrary arrest, large-scale expulsion and refoulement of Bengali-speaking Muslims and other forms of atrocities faced by Muslims in India.       Over 1,300 hate speech incidents against Muslims, Christians in India in 2025 About 1,318 in-person hate speech events targeting religious minorities, primarily Muslims and Christians, were documented in an annual report released by the India Hate Lab (IHL). This represents a 13% increase from 2024, and a 97% increase from 2023. The hate speech included the propagation of conspiracy theories, calls for violence, appeals for social or economic boycotts, demands to seize or destroy places of worship, dehumanizing language, and speeches targeting Rohingya refugees living in India.       Security Forces illegally pushed 14 Bengali-speaking Muslims from Odisha into Bangladesh, Families Allege Fourteen Bengali Muslims from Odisha were pushed into Bangladesh by the security forces after being labelled as Bangladeshi nationals, their families have alleged. All the families possess valid identification documents including Aadhaar cards, voter ID cards, ration cards, and old land records. The victims include four children, five women, and five men.         Muslim man lynched to death over allaged cattle theft, Muslim student suffers arson attack A 45-year-old Muslim man, identified as Pappu Ansari, was beaten to death by a mob after he was accused of stealing cattle in Jharkhand’s Godda. Meanwhile, a 19-year-old Muslim student suffered burn injuries after an arson attack in broad daylight outside a college in Uttar Pradesh’s Moradabad.           Over 20 Structures Demolished in Muslim neighbourhood in Bengaluru In yet another demolition drive that has raised serious questions about legality, due process and state accountability, officials in Karnataka’s Bengaluru razed around 22 structures in a predominantly Muslim neighbourhood. Officials themselves later admitted that “the demolition was carried out without serving notice.” Meanwhile, officials in Uttar Pradesh’s Deoria have begun demolishing an allegedly “illegally” constructed shrine.   Hate crimes and discrimination in India This week, in Tripura’s Fatikroy, Muslim-owned homes, shops, and a mosque were set on fire by Hindu extremist groups despite police personnel being present. In Bihar’s Madhepura, a widowed Muslim woman, Hina Parveen, was abducted, gang raped and murdered. In Uttar Pradesh’s Sikandrabad, a threat note warning all Muslims to vacate the village within 24 hours or be burned alive was left inside the homes of Muslims. Meanwhile, a British doctor, Sangram Patil, was detained for over 15 hours at the Mumbai airport in connection with allegedly derogatory social media posts about the Bharatiya Janata Party and its leaders. The Jammu and Kashmir police have launched a large-scale exercise to collect information on mosques in the Valley, as well as their imams, muezzins, members of their management committees and their charity wings.   Resistance & Organizing Court orders complaint against 12 police officers in Sambhal mosque violence case A court in Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal has ordered police to register a criminal case against 12 police personnel, including senior officers, over their alleged role in a shooting incident during violence near the Shahi Jama Masjid in November 2024. Anuj Chaudhary, a celebrated cop among Hindu supremacist groups, made headlines after the violence for making anti-Muslim remarks.       Court orders $5,000 compensation for Muslim minor jailed for two months The Patna High Court has held the arrest of a Muslim minor student by the Bihar police to be “unlawful” after he was kept in jail for over two months, and ordered the State to pay him over $5,000 as compensation, asserting that it could not remain a “mute spectator”.           Defenders of the Week This week we’re spotlighting Abdul Naeem, a resident of Dhaba village in Madhya Pradesh’s Betul district, who continued pursuing an education project despite being targeted by right-wing elements and administrative action. After investing nearly $22,000 of his personal savings and loans to build a school for tribal children, parts of the school building were demolished following false rumors labeling it an “illegal madrasa.” The demolition took place despite Naeem holding land diversion approval, a no-objection certificate from the panchayat, and having applied to the state’s School Education Department. Naeem has rejected the

Press Release

Half of Supreme Court Judges “Virtually Colonies of Government,” says Senior Advocate on Denial of Bail to Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam

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Washington, D.C. (January 9, 2026) – Prashant Bhushan, Senior Advocate at the Supreme Court of India, slammed “roughly half” of Supreme Court judges as “virtually colonies” of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government, in remarks made at a briefing organized by the Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) on the recent denial of bail to political prisoners Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam.    “Roughly half the judges in the Supreme Court today are virtually colonies of the government. Therefore, they are those judges who are unlikely to do anything or say anything or give any important judgment against the government,” said Bhushan. “This particular case was regarded as a very important case by the government, and therefore, they wanted to convey this message that.. anybody organizing protests against the government will suffer the same fate [as Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam].”   Bhushan further explained that the bench hearing Imam and Khalid’s bail pleas was “absolutely the junior-most bench in the Supreme Court,” adding, “To my mind, it must have been assigned to this bench because the government wanted it to be assigned to this bench.”   “It’s doubly unfortunate that we are losing the independence of the judiciary,” he emphasized. “So many judges… either subscribe to the ideology of the government or in some way or the other are beholden to the government or are not willing to give judgments independently and against the government.   Also speaking at the briefing were John Sifton, Asia Advocacy Director at Human Rights Watch, and Brian Tronic,  Director of the Fred Hiatt Program to Free Political Prisoners at Freedom House.   Sifton emphasized the importance of using diplomacy as a tool to highlight broader trends of anti-terror laws being weaponized to shut down dissent in India.   “We recognize that the government seems to be immune to outside pressure, but the fact of the matter is, both Prime Minister Modi and the BJP… do have an interest in maintaining a good international profile. It does get under their skin when they are viewed as committing human rights abuses, as being overbrought in their prosecutions. And when these cases get raised during foreign visits, it embarrasses them,” he said.    “The fact of the matter is, when there’s no more capacity to criticize and bring your grievances to a government, everything in your nation degrades,” he added. “A healthy nation is one in which the people can bring complaints to the government and have them addressed without fear that they’ll be prosecuted and put in jail for five years without even being convicted.”   “This is a flagrant violation of Articles 9(1) and 9(3) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which enshrine a presumption of bail,” said Tronic. “What these cases highlight is that two men who were speaking out and criticizing their government have been essentially subjected to what seems to be indefinite detention… and this sends a message to anyone in India: criticize the government and you may be held indefinitely five years more without being convicted of a crime.”     

Weekly Roundup

IAMC Weekly India Human Rights Monitor (January 9, 2026)

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This Week at a Glance  This week, five anti-CAA activists were released after more than 2,000 days in jail, but the Supreme Court denied bail to political prisoners Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam. Demolition drives were carried out in Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal, near Delhi’s historic Faiz-e-Elahi Mosque, and in Assam’s Sonitpur, where over 1,200 Bengali Muslim homes were razed. Reports of brutal mob assaults on Muslim men over baseless “beef” and “illegal immigrant” allegations emerged from Rajasthan, Tripura, and Bihar. Opposition parties warned that proposed voter deletions affecting nearly 28 million people in Uttar Pradesh could amount to mass disenfranchisement. On the US front, IAMC held a briefing featuring global interfaith activists to condemn Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s hate crime against a niqabi doctor. This week, we announced a webinar on the crisis of judicial accountability in light of Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam’s extended detention.   Top Stories Five Anti-CAA Activists Walk Out of Jail After Over 2000 days, Sharjeel Imam and Umar Khalid Denied Bail Five activists who protested against an anti-Muslim citizenship law in 2020, Gulfisha Fatima, Shifa Ur Rehman, Mohd Saleem Khan, Meeran Haider, and Shadab Ahmed were granted bail by the Supreme Court of India, after spending over 2,000 days in custody as undertrial prisoners. However, the Supreme Court denied bail to prominent anti-CAA activists Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam.       Demolition Drives Carried Out in Delhi, Assam and Uttar Pradesh Officials in Delhi carried out a demolition drive near the century-old Faiz-e-Elahi Mosque in Delhi’s Turkman Gate area and used tear gas and batons against residents protesting the demolition. Meanwhile in Assam’s Sontipur, around 1,200 homes of Bengali Muslim families were demolished in an eviction drive, and in Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal, government bulldozers flattened a mosque and a madrasa.         Muslim Men Brutally Assaulted by Hindu Extremist Mobs Over Baseless Allegations A group of assailants brutally assaulted an elderly man in Jhalawar, Rajasthan after accusing him of eating beef and branding him a “Rohingya and Bangladeshi infiltrator.” In Agartala, Tripura, a group of assailants assaulted a Muslim rickshaw puller, buried him in sand, and tried to set him on fire in a brutal attempt to kill him. In Madhubani, Bihar, a Muslim labourer was assaulted after being labelled a “Bangladeshi”, leaving him severely injured.     Opposition Flags Mass Disenfranchisement as around 28 Million Voters Face Deletion The publication of the Uttar Pradesh Special Intensive Revision (SIR) draft electoral roll, which proposes the deletion of around 28 million voters – nearly 19 per cent of the state’s electorate. Opposition parties have labeled the move an attempt at large-scale disenfranchisement.     Hate crimes and discrimination in India This week, six Hindu militants from the Bajrang who were arrested for vandalizing Christmas decorations in Chhattisgarh’s Raipur, received a “hero’s welcome” after they were granted bail. The National Medical Commission withdrew approval for a medical institute in Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi to run its MBBS course, weeks after the campus witnessed protests by Hindu extremists triggered by the institute’s admission list, which included an overwhelming number of Muslim students. Police in Jammu and Kashmir initiated an inquiry against a Kashmiri cricketer merely for sporting a Palestinian flag on his helmet during a private cricket tournament. Meanwhile, police across several districts of south and north Kashmir have identified and taken preventive action against individuals found using Virtual Private Network (VPN) services, following prohibitory orders.   Resistance & Organizing Preventive Detention Laws Are ‘Draconian’, Says Madras High Court More than 500 students gathered inside the Jamia Millia Islamia university to commemorate the anniversary of the December 15, 2019 violence, when police and paramilitary forces entered Jamia’s campus, fired tear gas, beat students and vandalised property. The crackdown left several students grievously injured, with at least one losing his eyesight permanently. Students marked December 15 as a “Resistance Day,” emphasising that the memory of the violence continues to shape political consciousness on campus.         Defenders of the Week This week, we’re spotlighting activists Srishthi Khanna and Prashant Pundir for standing their ground after facing coordinated doxxing, rape and death threats, and harassment over a video they shared online. The reel, which critically examined India’s growing political and military ties with Israel and the shrinking space for pro-Palestine solidarity, was deliberately misrepresented by right-wing influencers and portals, triggering a wave of abuse, misinformation, and the leaking of their personal details. However, they have refused to back down and are pursuing legal remedies against the harassment.   Voices from the Ground  “Heartening to see Gul, Meeran bhai, Saleem Khan, and Shifa ur Rehman walk out of jail. We hope Shadab joins them today.   Sharjeel, Umar, Khalid Saifi, Athar, Tahir Hussain, Salim Malik, and Tasleem must also be granted bail. They are not “conspirators.” They are the champions of a movement that stood for dignity, justice, and constitutional values.   The real conspiracy lies in framing them, incarcerating them, and silencing dissent. It is the state that stands accused here.”   –  Aysha Renna N, Anti-CAA activist IAMC in Action In light of the Supreme Court’s denial of bail to prisoners of conscience Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam, IAMC is bringing together a panel of international experts for a webinar on Friday, January 9 at 11am EST on the crisis of judicial accountability in India. Register now here.   In December, we held an online event bringing together activists from the Muslim, Hindu, and Christian communities to speak out against the targeting of Muslim women in India, in light of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s hate crime against a niqabi doctor. You can watch the full briefing here. What to Watch Next Week Our upcoming episode of our podcast, Beyond the Taj, features a discussion with Professor Arjun Singh Sethi on the history of Muslim-Sikh solidarity in the diaspora. It’ll be released next week, so be sure to watch or stream on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.

Press Release

IAMC condemns Indian Supreme Court’s denial of bail to Muslim political prisoners after 5 years without trial

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Washington, D.C. (January 5, 2026) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) today strongly condemned the Indian Supreme Court’s denial of bail to two Muslim prisoners of conscience, Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam. The Court further denied Khalid and Imam the right to seek bail for an additional year, despite the fact that both men have already been imprisoned for five years without trial.    “Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam’s only crime was to declare that Muslims are as Indian as any other group,” said IAMC President Mohammed Jawad. “Five years later, the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi continues to punish them for refusing to denounce the pluralistic values of the Indian constitution. It is a great shame that the Supreme Court is sacrificing its independence and commitment to justice in order to legitimize Modi’s crackdown on civil society.”    Khalid and Imam were arrested in 2020 under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), India’s draconian anti-terror law, following their rise to prominence as student leaders of nationwide protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), a discriminatory law that excludes Muslims from the right to fast-tracked citizenship. The men were accused of inciting an outbreak of violence in Delhi that year, resulting in over 50 deaths, most of them Muslim.    Investigations into the riots, however, showed that the main perpetrators were Hindu supremacist mobs emboldened by the violent rhetoric of elected officials from Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), rather than the speeches of peaceful protesters. Despite this, the Indian judiciary – which human rights defenders have criticized for its eroded independence under the Modi regime – has maintained that Khalid and Imam played a “central and formative role” in the violence.    The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has for years listed Khalid and Imam on the Frank R. Wolf Freedom of Religion or Belief Victims List, which profiles prisoners of conscience arrested either on the basis of their religious identity, or for championing the causes of vulnerable religious minorities.    Khalid in particular is known globally as a prisoner of conscience, with several global human rights organizations calling for his release, including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and the International Committee of Jurists. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani wrote a personal note to Khalid, which was recently shared on social media by Khalid’s partner. Last week, eight members of US Congress, led by Representatives Jim McGovern and Jamie Raskin, sent a letter to Indian ambassador Vinay Kwatra urging Khalid’s release in accordance with international law.    “Umar Khalid has been detained without bail for 5 years under UAPA, which independent human rights experts have warned may contravene international standards of equality before the law, due process and proportionality,” the letter stated. “India must uphold the rights of individuals to receive a trial with reasonable time or to be released and be presumed innocent until proven guilty.”

Press Release

IAMC Welcomes Congressional Call for Bail and Fair Trial for Umar Khalid and Other Jailed Activists

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WASHINGTON, D.C. (January 1, 2026) — The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) today welcomed a powerful letter from eight U.S. Members of Congress to the Indian Ambassador to the United States, Vinay Mohan Kwatra. The letter calls for the immediate granting of bail to Umar Khalid and other Muslim activists who have been languishing in jail for over five years on bogus and politically motivated charges related to the 2020 Delhi riots. The letter, led by Representative James P. McGovern and signed by U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Peter Welch, along with Representatives Jamie Raskin, Pramila Jayapal, Jan Schakowsky, Rashida Tlaib, and Lloyd Doggett, highlights the shocking misuse of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) to suppress peaceful dissent and target religious minorities.  The lawmakers expressed grave concern over the prolonged pre-trial detention of student leaders and activists including Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, Gulfisha Fatima, Khalid Saifi and other, noting that their continued incarceration “may be linked to their religious identity as Muslims and their exercise of protected rights” The letter also mentioned that evidence used to charge Khalid for terrorism is dubious.  The lawmakers’ intervention comes amid growing global concern for Khalid’s case, including a written note of solidarity by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, underscoring the widening international and diaspora-led alarm over his continued detention. “This letter from U.S. lawmakers is a significant step toward international accountability for the grave human rights violations occurring in India,” said Mohammed Jawad, President of IAMC. “Umar Khalid and his fellow activists are not terrorists; they are defenders of India’s constitutional values who have been silenced for daring to protest a discriminatory law. The fact that they have spent five years in jail without a trial is a mockery of justice and a clear indication that the Modi regime is using the legal system as a tool of religious persecution.” “We thank Representative McGovern and his colleagues for standing up for justice and for recognizing that the crackdown on Muslim activists in India is a matter of global concern,” said Safa Ahmed, Associate Director for Media at IAMC.  “Since 2014, the Indian government has systematically weaponized anti-terror laws to criminalize the Muslim community. The increase in attacks on religious minorities over the last decade is directly linked to the culture of impunity that allows activists to be jailed while perpetrators of hate and violence walk free. We urge the Indian government to heed this call and immediately release all political prisoners who have been unjustly detained.” IAMC joins U.S. lawmakers in calling for bail and fair trials for all activists languishing in jail under bogus charges. Furthermore, IAMC reiterates its demand that the U.S. Department of State accept the recommendation of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) to designate India as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC). IAMC also calls for targeted sanctions on the specific groups and leaders involved in the systematic persecution and wrongful imprisonment of activists in India. IAMC remains committed to working with international human rights organizations and democratic leaders to ensure that the voices of the oppressed in India are heard and that the fundamental rights of all citizens, regardless of faith, are protected.

Press Release

IAMC Condemns Anti-Christian Violence in India; Calls on US to Sanction Bajrang Dal and VHP

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WASHINGTON, D.C. (December 29, 2025) — The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) has strongly condemned the unprecedented wave of harassment, vandalism, and physical violence directed at India’s Christian community during the 2025 Christmas season. Reports from across multiple Indian states reveal a harrowing and coordinated effort by Hindu far-right extremist groups to disrupt sacred prayer services, desecrate religious symbols, and strike terror into the hearts of worshippers during their holiest time of the year.  This latest surge in violence is not an isolated phenomenon but the peak of a decade-long trajectory of systematic persecution that has transformed India from a pluralistic democracy into a landscape of fear for its religious minorities. “The systematic targeting of Christians in India is no longer a series of isolated events; it is a clear, state-sanctioned campaign to marginalize religious minorities and achieve a vision of a nation where only one faith is supreme,” said Mohammed Jawad, President of IAMC. The Christmas season of 2025 has been marked by a disturbing level of ritualized intimidation and mob violence. In Raipur, Chhattisgarh, a violent mob affiliated with militant group Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad stormed the Magneto Mall on Christmas Eve, smashing festive decorations and assaulting staff members while demanding to know the religious and caste identities of those present. In the Kanker district of the same state, the situation turned even more macabre earlier in December, when a mob asked for the exhumation of the body of a Christian man, claiming his burial on ancestral land was a violation of local norms. Similar reports have surfaced from the north and south of the country. In Assam, extremists disrupted celebrations at St. Mary’s English School, burning nativity scenes and destroying banners. In Uttar Pradesh, groups gathered outside cathedrals to recite sectarian slogans and perform rival religious rituals to drown out Christmas prayers, all under the pretext of preventing “illegal conversions.” The Quint has documented at least 10 such major incidents across several states, illustrating a national pattern of hostility that is often enabled by the silence or active complicity of local law enforcement. In Kerala, a traditionally inclusive state, even children were not spared; a group of minors participating in a carol procession was attacked, their instruments destroyed by individuals linked to radical groups who then falsely branded the children as a “criminal gang” to justify the assault. The Evangelical Fellowship of India’s Religious Liberty Commission has documented a sharp rise in targeted violence against Christians, from 601 incidents in 2023 to at least 830 in 2024. As of November 2025, the United Christian Forum (UCF) reported 706 incidents targeting Christians in the first eleven months of the year alone. Perhaps most damning is the long-term trend highlighted by the National Christian Convention in November 2025, which reported that incidents of violence against Christians have increased from 139 in 2014 to 834 in 2024, a nearly 500 percent increase over a decade.  Since 2014, the rise of Hindu nationalism has provided a scaffold for this persecution. The “anti-conversion” laws now active in over a dozen Indian states have become the primary weapon for vigilante groups. These laws are frequently used to arrest pastors on baseless charges of “allurement” or “force,” even when the “allurement” is as simple as offering free education or basic healthcare. In reality, these statutes serve to criminalize the very existence of the Christian faith in many parts of rural India. Under this decade of rule, the narrative has been shifted to paint Christians as “foreign elements” or “predators” seeking to destroy Indian culture, a rhetoric that is regularly echoed by high-ranking government officials and amplified by a compliant media. The broader persecution of Christians in India involves not just physical violence but also social and economic boycotts. In many tribal regions, Christian families are denied access to village wells, expelled from their ancestral homes, and barred from burying their dead in public cemeteries. “The violence we see this Christmas is the predictable outcome of a decade where hate speech has been rewarded and the rule of law has been bent to serve a majoritarian agenda. We demand that the Indian government immediately cease its rhetoric of division and uphold its constitutional duty to protect all citizens. The 500 percent rise in attacks over the last ten years is a stain on India’s democratic credentials that cannot be ignored by its international partners,”  said Rasheed Ahmed, Executive Director of IAMC.  IAMC calls upon the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs to ensure the immediate arrest of those responsible for the Christmas 2025 violence and to provide adequate security for Christian institutions. We also urge the international community, including the United States government to accept the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom’s recommendation to designate India as a Country of Particular Concern and to impose sanctions on groups including Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad and leaders involved in the persecution of Christians in the country.

Press Release

Global interfaith advocates: India should hold officials accountable for violating bodily autonomy of Muslim women

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Washington, D.C. (December 23, 2025) – At a Congressional briefing convened in response to a shocking hate crime in India, during which Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar forcibly pulled down the face veil of Muslim doctor Nusrat Parveen during a government event, global interfaith activists condemned the Hindu far right’s escalating attacks on visibly Muslim women under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rule. “Hijab has become a political weapon; it’s political point scoring, especially in the context of India and South Asia,” said Shreen Mahmood, Board Member at World Hijab Day. “Muslim women sit at the intersection of all of this religious hatred, the patriarchy, state control. The same forces that claim to save Muslim women also silence them… Muslim women’s bodies have become a battleground for ideology.” “I think the violence of [Kumar’s action] lies precisely in its apparent casualness. What makes this incident especially revealing… is that it came from a political leader who’s often portrayed as moderate or secular,” said Anuradha Banerji, an activist-researcher from India representing the All India Feminist Alliance – National Alliance of People’s Movements (ALIFA-NAPM). “When somebody who’s seen as moderate or secular does this, and then other ministers come and they defend him, it just confirms how broad the problem has become within Indian society.” Banerji further pointed out that addressing this violation of fundamental rights requires political clarity.      “Public officials must be held accountable for violating bodily autonomy. Civil rights groups must insist on naming these acts as violations [and] resist the framing as a misunderstanding. If Dr. Parveen wants, there has to be some legal redress,” she said. “Most importantly, Muslim women must be centered as political agents and not just as symbols and tokens. This would mean listening to them, defending their choice, and recognizing that dignity is not conditional.” “Muslim women in India have been facing this form of harassment for years, barring them from basic human rights like education, access to medicine, and non-discriminatory treatment in the workforce,” said Safa Ahmed, Associate Media Director of IAMC. “This didn’t begin with Nitish Kumar. He is a symptom of a problem that has been brewing for years under Modi’s Hindu supremacist government.” “Over the past 20 years, Prime Minister Modi and the Hindu nationalist party [Bharatiya Janata Party] have brought hateful, gendered, Hindutva ideology into the mainstream – not just in India, but also in the United States and Europe,” said Reverend Neal Christie, cofounder of The Religious Nationalisms Project. “It puts Muslim women across India and in the diaspora at risk for retaliatory sexual violence for the perceived threat of Muslim masculinity. It has caused the displacement of peoples across India. It has caused the destruction of property. It has legitimated persecution and attacks upon entire communities.” “Those of us who are not Muslim need to support Muslim women’s right to choose how they want to move in the world,” said Ria Chakrabarty, Policy Director for Hindus for Human Rights. “Political parties need to clean house of any politician who is engaged in acts of sexual violence or indecency. And society must be clear here, it should be equally unacceptable to humiliate a woman regardless of her identity.”

Weekly Roundup

IAMC Weekly India Human Rights Monitor (December 19, 2025)

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This Week at a Glance  This week, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar drew condemnation after forcibly pulling at a Muslim woman doctor’s niqab during a public event, while a Uttar Pradesh court handed a death sentence and multiple life terms to Muslim men following communal violence in Bahraich. In Bihar’s Nawada, a Muslim man died after a brutal, targeted mob assault. Concerns over  targeted disenfranchisement deepened as draft electoral rolls revealed the deletion of more than 10 million voters. Across states, hate crimes continued, from attacks on pregnant Muslim women and disruptions of Friday prayers to mosque-related provocations – while Jamia Millia Islamia students marked six years since the 2019 police crackdown, reaffirming resistance to state violence. On the US front, IAMC condemned a disturbing act of hate in which Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar pulled down the face veil of a Muslim doctor, and co-hosted an event for South Asians looking to address rising hate in the United States.   Top Stories Bihar Chief Minister Pulls Down Niqab of Muslim Woman During Ceremony Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has sparked nationwide outrage after yanking at the face veil (niqab) of a Muslim doctor during a government event, exposing her nose and chin. In a video of the incident, people in the background can be seen laughing. Civil society and opposition leaders have called for Kumar’s resignation.             SIR draft rolls reveal over 10 million voter deletions across states The draft electoral rolls after the completion of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in West Bengal, Rajasthan, Goa, Lakshadweep and Puducherry reveal a significant contraction in the electorate, with more than 10 million names removed from voter rolls. India’s opposition leaders have alleged the SIR is being used by the ruling Bharatiya Janata party (BJP) as an underhand “citizenship survey.” State leaders have claimed it is being used to disenfranchise poor and minority voters, particularly Muslims, and manipulate the electoral roll to benefit the Modi government.   Muslim Man Tortured, Lynched by Hindu Extremists in Bihar In Nawada, Bihar, 40-year-old Mohammad Athar Hussain died after undergoing treatment for injuries sustained during a Hindu extremist mob attack. His assailants opened his pants to check his religious identity, beat him with iron rods and sticks, broke his fingers, trampled him on the chest, and even poured petrol over his body in an attempt to burn him. Hussain recounted that the attackers used pliers to crush his feet, fingers, and ears, and struck him with bricks.             Court Sentences Muslim Man to Death in October 2024 Violence, Nine Others Get Life Imprisonment A local court sentenced 10 Muslims in the 2024 killing of Ram Gopal Mishra, which occurred during a procession linked to a Hindu procession in Uttar Pradesh’s Bahraich. The court awarded the death penalty to the first accused and life imprisonment to nine others. Mishra was shot dead moments after he was seen on the rooftop of a Muslim house, vandalising the property and removing the green flag to wave the saffron one in front of a cheering mob. The fatal escalation led to mob violence against Muslim properties. Several Muslims were beaten and detained in midnight raids by police, searching for the accused in the murder.   Pregnant Muslim woman kicked in stomach by Hindu hospital staff A pregnant Muslim woman was kicked in the stomach by a Hindu staff member, Rohit Yadav, when she was at a hospital for a routine check-up. Yadav accused the woman’s husband of chewing betel and demanded that he pay a fine. When the man refused, Yadav assaulted him and then his wife, causing her to collapse.   Hate crimes and discrimination in India This week, a group of Hindu extremists stopped Muslim worshippers from offering Friday prayers in Uttarakhand’s Dehradun and threatened them while police personnel watched. In Shimla, a far-right Hindu group held a press conference claiming that three mosques were built on government land and demanded that the administration take immediate action against the structures. Meanwhile, West Bengal Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari celebrated three men accused of assaulting Muslim vendors for selling non-vegetarian food.   Resistance & Organizing JMI students gather to mark six years since police violence on anti-CAA protesters More than 500 students gathered inside the Jamia Millia Islamia university to commemorate the anniversary of the December 15, 2019 violence, when police and paramilitary forces entered Jamia’s campus, fired tear gas, beat students and vandalised property. The crackdown left several students grievously injured, with at least one losing his eyesight permanently. Students marked December 15 as a “Resistance Day,” emphasising that the memory of the violence continues to shape political consciousness on campus.     Defender of the Week This week, we’re spotlighting Sabiha Khanam, the mother of political prisoner Umar Khalid. In the five years since his arrest and detention under India’s draconian anti-terror law, the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), Khanam and her husband, Syed Qasim Rasool Ilyas, have never stopped raising awareness about the plight of their son – or any of the sons and daughters jailed by the Modi regime for calling for a better India.   Voices from the Ground  “This act was an assault on this woman’s dignity, autonomy, and identity. When a public official forcibly pulls down a woman’s hijab, it sends a message to the general public that this behavior is acceptable.  No one has the right to police a woman’s faith or clothing. Such actions deepen fear, normalize discrimination, and erode the very foundations of equality and freedom of religion. This violation demands unequivocal condemnation and accountability. Urgent steps must be taken to ensure that no woman is subjected to such degrading treatment.” –  Aakar Patel, Chair of Board at Amnesty International India   IAMC in Action IAMC released a statement condemning Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s hate crime against a niqabi Muslim doctor. You can read the statement here.  IAMC partnered with a number of our partners in Atlanta

Press Release

IAMC condemns Bihar CM Nitish Kumar’s public humiliation of niqabi woman

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Washington, D.C. (December 18, 2025) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) strongly condemned a hateful incident in which Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar yanked down the face veil (niqab) of a Muslim doctor during a government event, exposing her nose and chin. A video of the incident shows people in the background laughing. In the aftermath of the incident, the victim’s brother told reporters that she was so greatly impacted by the incident that she decided not to join government service.  “To remove the face veil of a Muslim woman – an article of clothing she deems essential – is nothing short of a hate crime and sexual harassment,” said IAMC President Mohammed Jawad. “Kumar’s actions can only be blamed on his own bigotry, and he has sent a dangerous message to Hindu extremists across India: that he and his Bharatiya Janata Party condone the humiliation and harassment of Muslim women.” Kumar’s actions have been met with nationwide backlash, including calls for his resignation. However, the harassment of hijab and niqab-wearing Muslim women has long been normalized throughout India, escalating in 2022 with the decision of several schools in Karnataka to ban the hijab on campus and the state High Court’s decision to uphold the discrimination. Similar hijab bans were subsequently announced by school administrators in states like Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan. Hijabi and niqabi women have reported being banned from entering examination halls, facing harassment and assault at medical facilities, and being denied jobs for refusing to take off their veils.  “India’s prolonged campaign of hatred against hijabi women did not begin with Nitish Kumar, and it certainly will not end with only holding him accountable,” said Jawad. “This is the outcome of a decade of anti-Muslim hate normalized by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government. There must be collective push by Indian opposition leaders and civil society to enforce consequences for anti-Muslim hate at all levels of society.”

Weekly Roundup

IAMC Weekly India Human Rights Monitor (December 12, 2025)

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(The Wire) Sheikh Riyazul, who has been selling vegetarian and non-vegetarian patties for over 22 years, said he was attacked immediately after he revealed his name.  IAMC Weekly India Human Rights Monitor (IHRM) A weekly digest of persecution, resistance, and the fight for justice in India and the diaspora. This Week at a Glance  This week, a new map released by the Caravan Magazine reveals just how massive the RSS’s network of affiliated groups is, documenting 2,500 organizations globally. In India, an Islamophobic social media campaign by the BJP depicted Muslims as pests and “infiltrators” under the guise of voter-roll revisions. In Uttar Pradesh, a muezzin was assaulted by police outside his mosque despite having legal permission for loudspeakers. Waqf Boards struggled to meet the controversial UMEED portal’s registration deadline, with only 27% of properties recorded, while a BJP lawmaker moved a Bill to delete “secular” and “socialist” from the Constitution’s Preamble. Meanwhile, Muslim vendors were attacked in Kolkata, a Muslim doctor was booked over a video about the demolition of the Babri Masjid, and Hindu extremists groups staked claim on a well inside a mosque. On the US front, IAMC released a statement on the 33rd anniversary of the Babri Masjid demolition.   Top Stories Over 2,500 RSS-affiliated groups documented globally in new map by Caravan Magazine A new map released by the Caravan Magazine reveals the staggering number of global organizations that are linked to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the largest paramilitary group in the world and the driving force behind Hindu supremacy worldwide. The interactive dataset documents over 2,500 RSS-affiliated groups located on nearly every continent.  “Many of the organisations we traced seem unremarkable,” the Caravan stated in an X post. “But, taken together, they form a vivid and revealing picture. The interstitial space between them—the very thing the Sangh seeks to hide—makes clear that the RSS is a single networked entity rather than a loose archipelago.”   Delhi BJP runs Islamophobic campaign, dehumanising Muslims as pests, invaders The Delhi state committee of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has escalated a barrage of Islamophobic memes, videos, and graphics across its social media platforms, using the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls to depict Muslims as “infiltrators” and enemies of the nation. The content ranges from caricatures of Muslims in skull caps and burqas to animal imagery equating them with rats, pigs, and mosquitoes,The SIR, an exercise to update voter lists, has been aggressively marketed by BJP leaders as a crackdown on “illegal” migrants.   With deadline over, only 27% of waqf properties registered on UMEED portal Only 216,000 of India’s 800,000 Waqf properties, nearly 27 %, have been registered on the UMEED (Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency and Development) portal. Waqf Board officials now expect to file extension requests with their respective tribunals. Launched under the provisions of the contentious Waqf (Amendment) Act, the UMEED portal aims to create a centralised, geo-tagged digital database of Waqf properties.     BJP Lawmaker Moves Bill to Remove ‘Secular’ and ‘Socialist’ From Constitution A lawmaker of the ruling BJP, Bhim Singh, has said that the words “secular” and “socialist” are not needed in the Preamble of the Indian Constitution and alleged that they were added in an undemocratic way during the Emergency. Singh has introduced a private member’s Bill in Parliament to remove these words, arguing that they were not part of the original Constitution.   Hindu supremacists stake claim on mosque well This week, Lora Santhakumar, a Dalit Christian assistant professor at a Chennai university, was dismissed from her job for expressing anti-war views during India’s Operation Sindoor. She was dismissed on the grounds of “grave misconduct,” a charge that reflects the widespread normalization of punishing and censoring critics of the Modi government.   Hate crimes and discrimination in India Two Muslim street vendors who were selling non-vegetarian patties were assaulted by Hindu extremists in Kolkata. A dispute surfaced in Uttar Pradesh’s Shahjahanpur after Hindu extremist groups claimed that a well inside a mosque belongs to them. A Muslim woman doctor in Uttar Pradesh was booked for posting what police described as an objectionable video about the December 6 demolition of the Babri mosque in Ayodhya. A week after a 57-year-old Muslim taxi driver from Agra was harassed and allegedly assaulted for refusing to chant Jai Sri Ram, the main accused, Rohit Thakur, has been arrested. His Facebook page carries similar videos where he is seen harassing Muslim men, forcing them to chant Jai Sri Ram or using Islamophobic slurs.   Resistance & Organizing TV channels apprehended for promoting “love jihad” conspiracy over school textbook letter The News Broadcasting & Digital Standards Authority pulled up five national and regional television news channels for airing eight broadcasts that promoted the “love jihad” conspiracy theory based on a fictional letter printed in an NCERT Class 3 environmental science textbook. The channels had turned a schoolbook excerpt, a letter written by a girl named Reena to a boy named Ahmad, into communalized programming, accusing NCERT of promoting “love jihad.”     Legal experts slam CJI Surya Kant’s remarks on Rohingyas as “unconscionable, dehumanising” A coalition of former judges, senior advocates, scholars and civil rights activists has written an open letter to Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, objecting to what they describe as “unconscionable remarks” made by a Supreme Court bench on 2 December 2025 during a hearing concerning the alleged custodial disappearance of Rohingya refugees.       Multi-faith delegation seeks action after Muslim students harassed for praying A multi-faith delegation of social activists, educationists and lawyers met administrators and representatives of Kalyan College in Maharashtra and submitted a memorandum calling for filing a first information report (FIR) against those who intimidated and publicly humiliated Muslim students who were performing prayers in an empty classroom, with prior permission.     Defender of the Week This week, we’re spotlighting Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi, a prominent Kashmiri leader and Member of Parliament. Mehdi recently refused to sing the patriotic song

Press Release

Threat to Historic Mosques Grows Since Babri Verdict, say Indian-Americans

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Press contact: media.info@iamc.com Washington, D.C. (December 6, 2025) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) today marks the anniversary of the illegal demolition of the Babri Masjid in 1992 as a moment of solemn remembrance, not only for the destruction of a centuries-old mosque, but for the profound erosion of India’s constitutional and secular foundations. The 2019 Supreme Court judgment, which recognized the destruction of the mosque as an “egregious criminal act” yet ultimately handed the land over for the construction of a temple, represents a catastrophic failure of justice. This decision, in effect, legalized the fruits of a criminal act and has been widely criticized by constitutional experts as being illegal, anti-constitutional, and prioritizing political faith over facts and law. This verdict did not resolve a dispute but set a dangerous precedent. By validating a title claim rooted in religious majoritarian fervor and historical grievances rather than in documented legal precedent, the Supreme Court has provided a perilous blueprint for the aggressive targeting of thousands of other historical mosques and Islamic heritage sites across India. The most immediate and chilling consequence of the Babri Masjid judgment is the dramatic renewal of attacks on two other major historic sites: the Gyanvapi Mosque in Varanasi and the Shahi Idgah Mosque in Mathura. The legal and political campaigns against these mosques, demanding surveys, historical re-examinations, and ultimately, transfer of the land for temple construction, mirror the same manufactured historical grievances and legal maneuvering that culminated in the demolition and eventual judicial handover of the Babri Masjid site. These renewed flashpoints expose the systematic intent to rewrite history and marginalize the Muslim community. It is essential that the Indian government and courts uphold the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991, in both letter and spirit and immediately halt all legal challenges against the Gyanvapi Mosque, the Shahi Idgah Mosque, and all other historical Islamic structures. IAMC also reiterates the urgent need for full criminal accountability for every individual involved in the demolition of the Babri Masjid, regardless of political position or influence. The fate of India’s constitutional democracy hangs in the balance. The targeting of these historic sites is a direct attack on the identity, security, and equal citizenship of India’s 200 million Muslims. The world must not remain silent as a dangerous majoritarian campaign systematically seeks to dismantle India’s secular republic, one historic mosque at a time.

Weekly Roundup

IAMC Weekly India Human Rights Monitor (December 5, 2025)

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This Week at a Glance  This week, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) labeled the motives of the BJP and the RSS as “intertwined.” In Delhi, a 14-year-old Muslim boy was shot dead by an officer for picking up money tossed at a wedding procession, while in Ayodhya, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hoisted a saffron flag – often used as a symbol of Hindu supremacy – at the Ram Temple, framing it as the beginning of a new “Ram Rajya.” Reporters Without Borders (RSF) named both the Adani Group and Hindutva propaganda outlet OpIndia in its global list of “Press Freedom Predators.” A new investigation exposed an armed militant-monk network in Uttar Pradesh, where weapon-bearing rallies openly incite violence against Muslims and Christians. On the US front, IAMC and the Religious Nationalisms Project held a series of events in the Bay Area explaining Hindu supremacy for diverse audiences, presented at the American Association of Religion annual conference in Boston, and launched the first episode of our new podcast, Beyond the Taj. Top Stories USCIRF calls RSS, BJP’s objectives “intertwined” in new report The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) released its 2025 Issue Update on systematic religious persecution in India, naming the relationship between the Hindu supremacist paramilitary group Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as the driving force behind the weaponization of India’s legal framework and criminal justice system against Muslims, Christians, and other minorities.     Adani Group, Propaganda News Website OpIndia  in RSF’s ‘Press Freedom Predators’ List Reporters Without Borders (RSF), has identified the Gautam Adani-run conglomerate Adani Group and the Hindu supremacist propaganda website OpIndia as “press freedom predators.” RSF notes that Adani is the country’s second richest man and close ally of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The “predators” list comprises people, organizations, corporations and governments who “kill, censor, imprison and assault journalists, throttle news media, denigrate journalism, or use its codes to manipulate information for propaganda purposes.”     CISF officer shoots 14-year-old Muslim boy dead for picking up thrown money at wedding A 14-year-old Muslim boy, Saahil, was shot dead in East Delhi after he picked up money tossed during a wedding procession. Police have arrested the accused, identified as CISF officer Madan Gopal Tiwari, for killing the child.         PM Modi hoists saffron flag atop Ram temple, marks construction completion on demolished Babri Masjid site Last week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hoisted a saffron flag at the Ram temple in Ajodhya, marking the completion of its construction on the site where the historic Babri Masjid was demolished by Hindutva organizations in 1992, and where he was among the leaders of the Hindutva mob that carried out the demolition. He added that an India inspired by a “Ram Rajya”, or the utopian reign of Ram, must be created. Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath were also present at the ceremony.     Armed Monk Network Mobilizing Hindus for Violence in Uttar Pradesh A new investigation has revealed the rapid rise of an armed militant-monk movement in Uttar Pradesh led by Madhuram Sharan Shiva, a former RSS and VHP functionary. Since October 2024, he has organized more than 170 rallies across 11 districts, where armed monks parade weapons and deliver open calls for violence against Muslims and Christians, including to children, despite being held in the presence of police, raising serious alarm about state-enabled radicalization. Rights groups warn this organized mobilization, amplified through his large social media following, signals an escalating risk of mass violence against minorities in the state. Hate crimes and discrimination in India This week, in Assam’s Nagaon district, authorities launched a massive eviction drive against over 1,500 Bengali-speaking Muslim families, while the Uttar Pradesh government announced a sweeping crackdown on “illegal Bangladeshi and Rohingya migrants,” raising fears of profiling and arbitrary targeting. Tensions escalated in Meerut after Hindu groups protested a lawful property sale to a Muslim buyer, reciting the Hanuman Chalisa and demanding the transaction be cancelled. A Muslim lawmaker in Assam finally won relief after the Gauhati High Court quashed his six-month detention over political remarks, and a Christian officer lost his Supreme Court appeal after being dismissed for refusing to participate in Hindu religious rituals in the armed forces. Meanwhile, a 25-year-old Dalit man in Bengaluru died after alleged custodial assault, prompting a police investigation. Resistance & Organizing Hate crimes and discrimination in India Delhi University professor Hany Babu granted bail after 1,955 days in jail The Bombay High Court granted bail to Delhi University professor and noted academic Dr. Hany Babu, who was arrested in 2020 in connection with the Bhima Koregaon case and charged under the draconian Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). On 28 July, 2020, the National Investigation Agency arrested Babu, an anti-caste activist and a staunch proponent of social justice. Babu was charged alongside several other prominent Dalit and Adivasi rights activists.     Rajasthan withdraws order to observe Babri demolition day as ‘Shaurya Diwas’ in schools A controversial order directing all schools in Rajasthan to observe December 6,  the day the Babri Masjid was demolished in 1992,  as “Shaurya Diwas” was withdrawn by the state government after sharp criticism from the opposition and Muslim groups. The withdrawn circular, had stated that Babri Demolition Day was to be observed as Shaurya Divas and instructed government and private schools to organise activities to “instill patriotism” among students and staff.   Hindu neighbours step in to donate land as Jammu journalist’s home demolished in alleged “targeted, punitive” action The Jammu Development Authority (JDA) demolished the house of local journalist Afraz Dang, with his family alleging that the action was “targeted and punitive,” intended to silence him for speaking against those in power,  prompting his Hindu neighbour to donate land to help rebuild the home. The family that donated land on Friday said, “If they break his 10-marla plot, we will give him 20.” Defender of the

Weekly Roundup

IAMC Weekly India Human Rights Monitor (November 21, 2025)

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This Week at a Glance  This week, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom once again urged sanctions against India, citing systematic persecution of Muslims, Christians, and other minorities. In Jammu and Kashmir, officials raided the Kashmir Times office and filed a case against editor Anuradha Bhasin. In Delhi, police labelled long-imprisoned anti-CAA activists as “intellectuals-turned-terrorists.” Assam moved to enforce the 1950 Immigrants Act for the first time, ordering five Bengali-speaking Muslims to leave India within 24 hours. Meanwhile, the Allahabad High Court acquitted a Muslim man after 28 years in prison, due to lack of evidence. A Kashmiri father self-immolated after being denied access to his detained son, Muslim properties were vandalised over fake rumors, and a Muslim teen committed suicide after a cow-vigilante assault. On the US front, IAMC and the Religious Nationalisms Project held the first in a series of events in the Bay Area explaining Hindu supremacy for diverse audiences. Top Stories USCIRF says RSS, BJP’s objectives “intertwined” in new report The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, in its November 2025 issue update, named the relationship between the Hindu supremacist paramilitary group Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as the driving force behind the weaponization of India’s legal framework and criminal justice system against Muslims, Christians, and other minorities.  “While Modi has attempted to publicly distance himself from the RSS, BJP policies reflect the RSS’s Hindutva-oriented objectives, and the two organizations remain intertwined,” the report stated.    Kashmir Times office raided, Case Filed Against Editor Anuradha Bhasin The State Investigation Agency (SIA) of the Jammu and Kashmir Police raided the office of independent news organisation Kashmir Times, and registered a case against the newspaper and its editor, prominent journalist Anuradha Bhasin. The Editors of Kashmir Times condemned the raids on its office and said allegations that the newspaper was involved in activities “inimical to the state” were baseless and aimed at silencing independent journalism in the region. Delhi Police calls anti-CAA activists “intellectuals-turned-terrorists,” “anti-nationals” While opposing the bail pleas of Muslim activists who protested against an anti-Muslim citizenship law in 2020, the Additional Solicitor General (ASG) labelled them “anti-nationals donning the facade of intellectuals.” The prolonged incarceration of these activists, now exceeding five years, has drawn serious criticism, as the activists continue to languish in jail under the draconian anti-terror laws without trial or bail. Assam foreigners tribunal orders five “declared foreigners” to leave India in 24 hours In the first known use of the Immigrants (Expulsion from Assam) Act, 1950, since the Assam cabinet approved its implementation earlier this year, the government has issued orders directing five persons, “declared foreigners” by a tribunal in 2024, to “remove” themselves from India within 24 hours. Rights groups allege that the BJP-led government is disproportionately targeting Bengali-speaking Muslims under the pretext of deporting undocumented immigrants. 28 years behind bars, zero evidence: Court acquits Muslim man in 1996 blast case Nearly three decades after he was thrown into prison for a blast that killed 18 people, the Allahabad High Court has acquitted Mohammad Ilyas in the 1996 Ghaziabad bus bombing, ruling that the State had failed to prove even the basic charges against him. The bench ruled that the trial court had committed a “great legal error” by relying on a police-recorded audio cassette claimed to contain Ilyas’s confession, a statement that is categorically inadmissible. Hate crimes and discrimination in India This week, in south Kashmir, Bilal Ahmad Wani, who set himself ablaze after police refused to let him meet his detained son, has died from severe burns. In Assam, 44 Kashmiri workers were detained by locals at a railway station after being labelled “suspicious,” while in Jammu, Hindu groups protested the hiring of Muslim doctors at a hospital. In Uttarakhand’s Haldwani, Hindu extremists vandalised a Muslim-owned restaurant over a rumour later disproven by CCTV footage, and in Maharashtra, a 17-year-old Dalit Muslim boy died by suicide after a violent cow-vigilante assault and ongoing online harassment. Resistance & Organizing Indian Union Muslim League move Supreme Court to halt SIR in Kerala The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) and Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee have approached the Supreme Court seeking an immediate halt to the Special Interim Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls currently underway in Kerala. Tamil Nadu’s ruling DMK had also moved the Supreme Court earlier challenging the SIR in that state, calling it “constitutional overreach” that could lead to large-scale disenfranchisement. Defender of the Week This week, we’re spotlighting Anuradha Bhasin, a prominent journalist and author, who is currently the executive editor of Kashmir Times. She was a fellow under the Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan for the year of 2016, and a John S Knight fellow at Stanford University, California for 2022–2023. She was instrumental in the filing of a writ at the Supreme Court of India, which resulted in partial restoration of communication services during the 2019–2020 Jammu and Kashmir lockdown. Following the litigation, the offices of the newspaper were shut down by authorities and her housing presented with an immediate eviction notice. Voices from the Ground  “Criticising the government is not the same as being inimical to the state. In fact, it is the very opposite. A robust, questioning press is essential to a healthy democracy… Since 1954, the Kashmir Times has stood as a pillar of independent journalism. We have chronicled the region’s triumphs and failures with equal rigour. We have given voice to communities that would otherwise go unheard. We have asked difficult questions when others remained silent. We are being targeted precisely because we continue to do this work. In an era when critical voices are increasingly scarce, we remain one of the few independent outlets willing to speak truth to power.” – The Kashmir Times Editors IAMC in Action IAMC and The Religious Nationalisms Project are hosting a series of events across the Bay Area on Hindu supremacy. Join us at any of the following locations for an informational discussion and a meal: November

Press Release

IAMC welcomes USCIRF’s report on RSS, BJP’s “intertwined” objectives in systematic religious persecution in India

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Washington, D.C. (November 20, 2025) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) today welcomed the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom’s (USCIRF) 2025 Issue Update on systematic religious persecution in India, which names the relationship between the Hindu supremacist paramilitary group Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as the driving force behind the weaponization of India’s legal framework and criminal justice system against Muslims, Christians, and other minorities.        The report opened with an examination of the links between key BJP officials, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, and the RSS, which USCIRF labeled as a “Hindu nationalist organization” whose “primary mission” is to turn India into a Hindu state, and has been “involved in acts of extreme violence and intolerance against members of minority groups for decades.” “While Modi has attempted to publicly distance himself from the RSS, BJP policies reflect the RSS’s Hindutva-oriented objectives, and the two organizations remain intertwined,” the report stated.  These objectives, USCIRF stated, include “eliminating the special status of Kashmir, constructing a Hindu temple in Ayodhya, and establishing a uniform civil code to nullify existing personal laws for each religious group, all of which the BJP has implemented under Modi’s leadership in addition to other policies that disenfranchise religious minorities.”  The report named the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA), the 1967 Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), the 2019 Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), the National Register of Citizens (NRC), the 2025 Waqf Bill, the 2025 Immigration and Foreigners Bill, anti-conversion and cow slaughter laws, and Article 295A of the Penal Code, which “functions as a blasphemy law,” as “discriminatory laws that target and directly impact religious minority communities.”  Enforcement of these laws, the report added, are left to state governments, “creating a system lacking means of accountability for state-perpetrated violations of human rights,” and resulting in a backlogged criminal justice system in which “a disproportionate share of non-convicts is composed of religious minorities, with a large overrepresentation of Muslims and Sikhs.” “With a recent investigation by Prism revealing that the RSS is now working with US lobbyists to whitewash its image, USCIRF’s report on this violent supremacist group’s role in destroying protections for religious minorities is more relevant than ever,” said IAMC President Mohammed Jawad. “We reiterate USCIRF’s call for the US State Department to designate India as a Country of Particular Concern and enforce sanctions on individuals and groups responsible for enabling these systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom.”

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Press Release

Indian Americans Mourn 45 Pilgrims Killed in Tragic Saudi Bus Accident

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Washington, DC (November 17, 2025) —  The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) is deeply saddened by the tragic accident near Medina, Saudi Arabia, that claimed the lives of forty-five Indian pilgrims traveling from Mecca. According to officials, most of the victims were from Hyderabad, Telangana, and one survivor remains in critical condition in intensive care. Our hearts go out to the families and loved ones of all who perished in this devastating incident. For many of these pilgrims, the journey was an act of profound faith and devotion. News of this immense loss has reverberated across the global Indian Muslim community, bringing shock, grief, and an overwhelming sense of sorrow. We pray for the swift and complete recovery of the injured survivor. We urge the Government of India, the Telangana state authorities, and Saudi officials to provide the families of all victims with timely support, assistance, and transparent communication during this extraordinarily difficult time. “We also call for a comprehensive and transparent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the accident. Understanding what went wrong is essential to ensuring accountability and preventing such tragedies from occurring in the future,” said IAMC President Mohammed Jawad. As we stand with our community in mourning and solidarity, we pray that the Almighty grants patience, strength, and healing to the bereaved families, and bestows mercy upon every soul lost in this heartbreaking tragedy.

Weekly Roundup

IAMC Weekly India Human Rights Monitor (November 14, 2025)

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This Week at a Glance  This week, the Indian state responded to a car explosion in Delhi with intensified Islamophobia and repression. At Kolkata’s Indian Statistical Institute, walls were vandalized with the phrase “Muslims and dogs should not enter,” while Gurugram police ordered housing societies to list Kashmiri and foreign residents. In Lucknow, the family of Dr. Shaheen Shahid, a young Muslim doctor arrested under terror charges, claimed she was falsely implicated amid a wave of mass detentions across Jammu and Kashmir and Assam. The Supreme Court drew criticism for denying bail to a Muslim man under UAPA, even as hate preacher Yati Narsinghanand openly called for bombing Muslim universities. In Gujarat, protests against the demolition of a Muslim shrine led to 13 arrests, and a local court handed three men life sentences for cow slaughter. On the US front, IAMC called for justice for victims of the Delhi blast and urged an impartial investigation. IAMC also appeared on two panels this week – one on bridging divides created by Hindutva in the diaspora, and another hosted by Rutgers Law School’s Center for Security, Race, and Rights (CSRR) on Hindutva in America. Top Stories RSS hired U.S. lobbyists for congressional influence campaign, investigation finds An investigation by the independent news outlet Prism found that India’s largest Hindu supremacist paramilitary group, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), hired one of the United States’ top lobbying firms for a congressional influence campaign in early 2025. The investigation discovered that Squire Patton Boggs registered as a lobbyist for the RSS in January, and received $330,000 to lobby officials in the Senate and House of Representatives on the paramilitary group’s behalf – marking the first time the RSS has hired American lobbyists. Experts interviewed by Prism stated that “the focus on relations between the two countries strongly suggests that the firm’s activities should be registered under FARA,” or the Foreign Agents Registration Act. Graffiti saying “Muslims and dogs should not enter” found at university A day after a car explosion in Delhi, anti-Muslim graffiti reading “Muslims and dogs should not enter the premises” and “No dogs and Muslims” surfaced on the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) campus in Kolkata. In Jammu and Kashmir, police carried out raids across Kulgam, Sopore, and Shopian, targeting over 200 locations, and questioning around 500 individuals, many of whom have been detained. Meanwhile, in Assam, police detained a Muslim school principal and five others over social media remarks about the blast, while in Gurugram, police have directed all residential societies in the city to submit lists of residents from Jammu and Kashmir and foreign nationals living there. Supreme Court Denies Bail to Muslim Man, Hatemonger Calls for Blowing Up Muslim Colleges The Supreme Court denied bail to a Muslim man accused under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), observing that it was the “best morning to send a message.” The remark came a day after the Red Fort blast in Delhi, a completely unrelated incident. Meanwhile, Yati Narsinghanand, a serial hatemonger, called for Al-Falah University, Jamia Millia Islamia, Aligarh Muslim University and Darul Uloom Deoband to be “blown up with cannons.” 13 Arrested Over Protesting Against Officials Demolishing Muslim Shrine At least 13 people have been arrested after violent clashes erupted in Gujarat’s Somnath, when nearly 100 women and children gathered to protest the destruction of the boundary wall of a Muslim shrine. In Assam’s Goalpara district, the government has deployed bulldozers, excavators, and more than 900 personnel, including police, paramilitary forces, and forest guards, to clear what it calls encroachments. Gujarat Court Sentences Three Men to Life for Cow Slaughter, Imposes $20,000 Fine A court in Amreli, Gujarat, sentenced three men to life imprisonment for cow slaughter under the Gujarat Animal Preservation Act. Special Public Prosecutor Chandresh Mehta said this was the first case in Gujarat where three people were convicted and given life sentences in a single cow slaughter case. Hate crimes and discrimination in India This week, the Delhi High Court dismissed a petition seeking a fair probe into FIRs against Muslims for displaying “I Love Muhammad” posters, while reports from Varanasi detailed continued bulldozer demolitions targeting Muslim neighbourhoods despite court orders. In Saharanpur, nearly 300 Muslim families, including beneficiaries of a federal housing scheme, have been given three days to vacate their homes. In Delhi, a Muslim woman in a burqa was denied entry to Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital despite valid identification, prompting outrage over Islamophobia in public institutions. Meanwhile, in Uttar Pradesh’s Gonda district, a 36-year-old Dalit man died in Railway Protection Force custody, his family accusing custodial torture. Resistance & Organizing New Documentary Revisits the Human Cost of False Terror Charges After 2006 Mumbai Blasts Where My Freedom Lies, a new documentary produced by Millat Times and directed by award-winning journalist Meer Faisal, will premiere on November 18. The film explores the long shadow of the 2006 Mumbai train bombings, and tells the story of 13 men who were arrested and branded as terrorists in the aftermath of the attacks. Through their personal accounts, it exposes how they were tortured into giving false confessions and spent years behind bars before being acquitted by the courts. Watch the trailer here. Defender of the Week This week, we’re spotlighting Afrozbanu Sipai, who at just 22 years old, overcame legal challenges and persistent intimidation from right-wing groups to reclaim her rightful role as the elected sarpanch of Gujarat’s Gilosan village. Declared winner in June, she faced immediate disqualification attempts triggered by a clerical error in her birth date and hostility from local Hindu extremists, who threatened her father with a repeat of the 2002 Godhra violence. Undeterred, Afrozbanu took her case to the Gujarat High Court, which on October 19 quashed the disqualification for lacking due process, reinstating her despite the delays. Voices from the Ground  “Almost all reporting is profiling Muslims. The internet is full of anti-Muslim vitriol and hatred. The last two days have shown how a grieving and shocked nation is manipulated by the

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Indian Americans Express Solidarity with Victims of Delhi Car Blast, Urge Impartial Investigation and Justice

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Washington, D.C. (November 10, 2025) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) today expressed deep sorrow and grave concern over the deadly car explosion near Delhi’s historic Red Fort, which claimed at least eight lives and left more than thirty people injured. IAMC leaders extended heartfelt solidarity to the victims and their families and called for an impartial investigation into the tragic incident.  “We are horrified by the devastating blast that killed at least eight innocent people and injured many more,” said Mohammed Jawad, President of IAMC. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families, and we urge the authorities to ensure justice for those whose lives have been cruelly cut short.” The explosion occurred near a metro station adjacent to the Red Fort, one of Delhi’s most visited landmarks, prompting heightened security measures across government buildings, airports, railway stations, and heritage sites nationwide. A physician at Lok Nayak Hospital, where many of the injured were admitted, reported that several victims remain in critical condition. Eyewitnesses described harrowing scenes in the aftermath of the blast. According to The Indian Express, vendor Prem Sharma recounted that the explosion overturned his stalls and severely burned his employee’s hand. Another witness, Dilshad Alam, said the explosion felt like a “cylinder blast,” noting that several children were among those wounded. Multiple vehicles reportedly caught fire, with debris scattered across the area. The cause of the explosion remains under investigation. Delhi Police have detained a resident of Gurugram under whose name the car was registered and are working to trace the current owner. “While we await answers in this painful moment, we hope for a fair, impartial, and thorough investigation into the incident, and we call for those responsible to be held accountable,” said Jawad.

Weekly Roundup

IAMC Weekly India Human Rights Monitor (November 7, 2025)

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This Week at a Glance  This week, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accused the Election Commission and BJP of orchestrating large-scale voter fraud in Haryana, claiming over 2.5 million votes were “stolen.” The Committee to Protect Journalists urged immediate protection for journalist Rana Ayyub after she received death threats from an overseas caller, while Christian rights groups reported a 500% rise in anti-Christian attacks since 2014. In Kashmir, a new government order demanding journalists’ personal and financial details has intensified fears of surveillance and harassment. Meanwhile, hate crimes continued across the country, from fake encounter killings and mosque confiscations to caste violence. On the US front, IAMC and our coalition partners announced the second event in our two-part webinar series on addressing divisions created by Hindu supremacy within the diaspora. Top Stories Opposition Leader Rahul Gandhi claims 2.5 million votes manipulated in Haryana Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi has accused the Election Commission of India (ECI) and the BJP of “stealing” votes during the Haryana Assembly elections, to ensure the BJP’s victory. According to Gandhi, over 2.5 million votes were stolen in Haryana, including 521,000 duplicate voters, 93,174 invalid voters, and 1.9 million bulk voters. Fact-Finding Team Reports Police Torture of Family in Custodial Death Case This week, a fact-finding team presented evidence suggesting that police in Nizamabad staged the killing of a Muslim man, 24-year-old Sheikh Riyaz, as a fake encounter to cover up a custodial death. The team also provided horrifying testimonies from Riyaz’s family, who reported that they were harassed and sexually tortured by police. Attacks Against Christians Increased by 500% Since 2014: Report Christian rights activists released a report stating that there’s been a 500% rise in the number of hate crimes targeting Christians since Prime Minister Narrendra Modi came to power in 2014. “Between 2014 and 2024,” the statement notes, “incidents of violence against Christians increased from 139 to 834 incidents – a 500% surge over just ten years. The total number of documented incidents across this 12-year period reached 4,959 cases, affecting Christian individuals, families, and institutions nationwide.” Fear amongst journalists in Kashmir as new order sought background details, salary slips The recent directive where the Department of Information, Jammu and Kashmir, in various districts, have sought details on the background of journalists, including salary slips for the last six months, has raised criticism from many journalists in the Valley. They alleged this is a new harassment technique in the crackdown on journalists. In Kashmir, journalists are already facing massive censorship, with many alleging they were forced to stop writing to keep their families safe. Hate crimes and discrimination in India In Uttar Pradesh, police arrested four Hindu men for attempting to incite anti-Muslim sentiment by writing “I love Muhammad” on temple walls. Across Varanasi, six mosques have received confiscation notices over alleged tax dues, while right-wing groups in Agra stoked outrage over a man offering namaz near the Taj Mahal. Meanwhile, in Himachal Pradesh, three teachers were charged for assaulting a Dalit boy and putting a live scorpion in his pants. Resistance & Organizing Global activists at Bangkok event stand with Kashmiri rights defender Khurram Parvez At the 16th International Civil Society Week (ICSW) taking place in Bangkok, where over a thousand civil society activists have gathered, the inaugural plenary session expressed solidarity with Kashmiri human rights defender Khurram Parvez, who has been imprisoned since November 2021 under India’s draconian anti-terror law, the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). Tamil Nadu’s Ruling Party moves Supreme Court against SIR, calls it “constitutional overreach” Tamil Nadu’s ruling party, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), has moved the Supreme Court against the Election Commission of India’s decision to conduct a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the state, calling it an act of “constitutional overreach” that could result in large-scale disenfranchisement. The petition warns that the burden of producing documents will disproportionately impact marginalized groups, who are least likely to possess the prescribed proofs. Muslim Entrepreneur Rebuilds Temple Worth Over $100,000 in Karnataka Syed Ullah Sakhaf, a Muslim businessman from Karnataka’s Channapatna, fully financed the building of a Hindu temple, costing over $100,000. Sakhaf, who heads the SK Group, has also previously funded various Hindu temple and Muslim shrine constructions. Speaking at the inauguration, he said his goal was to set an example of brotherhood for the younger generation. Defender of the Week This week, we’re spotlighting Urzeeba Qayoom Bhat, who has fought a lonely battle for over 15 years for justice for her brother, Umer Qayoom, a 17-year-old killed in police custody during the 2010 Kashmir protests. Refusing to let his story be buried by state silence, Urzeeba has turned digital spaces into tools of remembrance and resistance, running social media pages that document court proceedings, expose official apathy, and keep Umer’s memory alive. Voices from the Ground  “Umer’s case is not just about my brother; it reflects what so many families in Kashmir have gone through. In 2010 alone, more than 120 people were killed by security forces. Families like those of Tufail Mattoo, Wamiq Farooq, and many others are still waiting for justice, just like us. Each of these stories shows the same pattern: excessive force, no FIRs, no accountability, and endless court delays. By keeping Umer’s story alive, I aim to keep the truth of Kashmir’s human rights crisis alive.” – Urzeeba Qayoom Bhat IAMC in Action IAMC is proud to join our coalition partners at Savera for a two-part webinar series addressing the rise of anti-Indian racism, as well as the urgent need for bridge-building in a diaspora that has long been under attack from Hindu supremacists. Our first webinar will be on Tuesday, November 4, at 7:00 pm EST; our second will be on Tuesday, November 11, at 7:00 pm EST. You can register for both events here.  What to Watch Next Week On November 9, 2025 IAMC will co-host a NJ Premier of Saffron Kingdom at Teaneck theater, Sunday, Nov, 9th at 3:00 pm. The film explores the Kashmir conflict

Weekly Roundup

IAMC Weekly India Human Rights Monitor (October 31, 2025)

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This Week at a Glance  This week in India, a Muslim youth in Delhi and a Dalit man in Madhya Pradesh were brutally killed, highlighting ongoing targeted assaults. Academic freedom is under severe strain, with Scholars at Risk ranking India among the world’s ten “completely restricted” countries for student expression. BJP leaders intensified anti-Muslim rhetoric, linking sanitation workers to “infiltration” and halal certification to terrorism, while thousands in Jalgaon protested the Waqf (Amendment) Act through a mass “Jail Bharo” campaign. Across the country, Muslims faced incidents of hate, discrimination, and exclusion, from assaults, dismissals of Muslim teachers, and housing denial to attacks on restaurants. On the US front, IAMC joined a coalition in signing a letter raising concerns over an event glorifying an RSS leader at a Texas university, and published an op-ed and letter to the editor on the dangers of Governor Gavin Newsom’s veto of SB509. Top Stories Event glorifying RSS founder hosted at University of Texas at Dallas A student event hosted at the University of Texas at Dallas (UTD) featured the author of a biography on K.B. Hedgewar, a prominent Hindu supremacist figure and the founder of the paramilitary group Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). The book paints a sympathetic view of Hedgewar, calling him only a “controversial, yet extraordinary man” and advertising a “nuanced perspective” on a group that modeled its ideological project off the Nazis.   A letter signed by a coalition of student groups and national civil rights organizations warned that “Presenting such a view of a fascist group in a university setting, one that is supposed to be safe and inclusive for all students, implicitly validates a worldview that denies equal dignity to minority communities and has incited real-world violence.” Muslim man Dies After Brutal Assault on Diwali Night in Delhi A 22-year-old Muslim youth named Salman died after being brutally assaulted in Delhi on Diwali night. Residents in the area believe Salman may have been targeted because of his faith. Meanwhile, in Madhya Pradesh’s Bhind, a 35-year-old Dalit man, Rudra Pratap Singh Jatav, was beaten to death by his neighbours after a dispute turned violent. Academic Freedom Under Siege In India, Global Report Warns Academic freedom is deteriorating sharply in India, where new university rules curbing student expression, politically driven censorship, and rising campus intimidation have placed the country among ten nations rated “completely restricted”, according to a new global report by Scholars at Risk (SAR). In India, SAR records an alarming rise in restrictions on student speech and political expression, often at the direction of authorities aligned with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. BJP Lawmaker calls sanitation workers “terrorists”, Yogi Adityanath Links Halal Certification to Terrorism A day after uploading a video showing himself stopping five sanitation workers on a road in Lucknow and accusing them of being “Bangladeshi infiltrators”, BJP lawmaker Brij Lal referred to them as “terrorists” and demanded their deportation. Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath defended his government’s recent ban on Halal certification, claiming that the funds generated through such labels were being “misused for terrorism, love jihad, and religious conversions.” Thousands join ‘Jail Bharo’ protest in Jalgaon against Waqf Act Thousands gathered in Maharashtra’s Jalgaon to protest the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, a law Muslim groups across India have condemned as a “black law” and a direct assault on community autonomy. The demonstration was held under the banner of a “Jail Bharo Andolan,” a mass voluntary arrest campaign modelled on the All India Muslim Personal Law Board’s (AIMPLB) nationwide roadmap. Hate crimes and discrimination in India In Ghaziabad, a 17-year-old Muslim girl and her mother were assaulted by Hindu extremists after she spoke about cow slaughter in a YouTube interview. In Madhya Pradesh, a schoolteacher was suspended after Hindu extremists accused him of making students do poses resembling Muslim prayers during yoga, while in Jammu and Kashmir, two Muslim teachers were dismissed over alleged “anti-national” activities. Kashmiri youth in Kanpur reported being denied housing because they were Muslims, highlighting deepening social exclusion. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court refused to quash a criminal case against a Muslim man for posting that the Babri Masjid “will one day be rebuilt.” In Hyderabad, Hindu militants attacked a restaurant for serving beef, and in Bihar’s Madhubani, priests conducted a “purification” ceremony after a Muslim political candidate visited a temple. Former BJP lawmaker Raghvendra Pratap Singh provoked outrage by promising jobs to Hindu men who “bring” Muslim girls. Resistance & Organizing Sikhs, Hindus and Muslims Unite to Restore Abandoned Mosque in Amritsar Village In a remarkable demonstration of religious tolerance and communal harmony, villagers in Raizada, in Punjab’s Amritsar, have handed over a long-abandoned mosque to the local Muslim community. The restoration also pays tribute to two Muslim volunteers, Shamshad Bhagwanpuri from Uttarakhand and Zakriya Mewati from Rajasthan, who lost their lives while distributing aid during the devastating 2025 floods. Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan slams SIR as “an affront to democracy,” says state firmly opposes it Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has strongly criticized the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) decision to conduct a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Kerala, calling it “an affront to our democratic process.” Vijayan said that basing the exercise on “outdated lists” and rushing it ahead of local elections raises “serious concerns.” At Azim Premji University convocation, students protest Wipro’s ties with Israel During the convocation ceremony, graduating students of Azim Premji University wore stickers calling for an “end to the ties between Wipro and Tel Aviv,” expressing solidarity with the Palestinian people and protesting Israel’s ongoing genocidal war in Gaza. Azim Premji, the founder and chairman of Wipro, is also the founder of the university. Defender of the Week This week, we’re spotlighting Dr. Anand Teltumbde, a human rights defender, an internationally renowned scholar, and a leading public intellectual in India. He has written extensively on Dalit rights and the anti-caste movement in India. He is currently a Senior Professor and Chair of Big Data Analytics at the Goa Institute of Management

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Press Release

Student orgs, civil rights groups raises concern over UT Dallas event whitewashing Hindu militant group founder

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Washington D.C., (October 29, 2025) — The Indian American Muslim Council today joined a diverse coalition of student organizations and civil rights groups in raising alarm over a scheduled book talk at the University of Texas at Dallas on a recently-published biography of Keshav Baliram Hedgewar, founder of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a fascist paramilitary organization widely documented as the ideological backbone of Hindu nationalism in India.  In a letter to UTD’s administration, the coalition wrote, “Hedgewar founded the RSS in 1925 with an ideological mission to transform India into a Hindu-majoritarian state. Under his leadership and its successors, this movement contributed to  and continues to fuel discrimination, hate speech, and mob violence against India’s minorities… [Affiliated] groups have been tied to anti-Christian violence, anti-Muslim pogroms, church attacks, and political intimidation and violence.” The legacy of the RSS has no ambiguity; renowned human rights groups and government bodies globally, including the United Nations, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, have identified the RSS’s Hindu supremacist ideology as the driving force behind the mainstreaming of anti-minority violence and discrimination in India.  However, the biography’s blurb glosses over the RSS’s bloody history and Hedgewar’s own reputation as a deeply bigoted figure, calling him only a “controversial, yet extraordinary man” and advertising a “nuanced perspective” on a group that modeled its ideological project off the Nazis.  Meanwhile, the book’s author, Sachin Nandha – who is not a historian, but a “self-described philosopher” – has compared Hedgewar to Jesus, claiming that he was “not a bigot”, but a “complex and subtle thinker”, and has made light of Muslims being “frightened that their identity will be subsumed” by Hedgewar’s brand of nationalism, falsely characterizing these sentiments as an opposition to “idolatry”.  The marketing for the event also fails to recognize Hedgewar’s ideology as unambiguously Hindu supremacist, instead including the misleading tagline “Why Hedgewar’s cultural nationalism matters today?”  “Presenting such a view of a fascist group in a university setting, one that is supposed to be safe and inclusive for all students, implicitly validates a worldview that denies equal dignity to minority communities and has incited real-world violence,” the letter stated. “For these reasons, we request that the University be mindful of the harmful rhetoric such an event might perpetuate, and how that rhetoric will affect Muslim, Sikh, Dalit, and progressive Hindu students. We request that the University also evaluate whether hosting a celebration of a paramilitary ideological founder aligns with its stated values of diversity, safety, and nondiscrimination.” Despite these views, Nandha has been invited to events at Purdue University, University of Pittsburgh, and University of California, Davis, with one more event upcoming at the University of Texas at Austin. His event at UC Davis was cancelled due to opposition from a coalition of student organizations.  The letter was signed by the Indian American Muslim Council, Hindus for Human Rights, Ambedkarite Buddhist Association of Texas, Dallas Peace and Justice Center, South Asian Pre-Law Student Association (SALSA) at the University of Texas at Dallas, Red Rose Collective UTD, Rainbow Guard UTD, and Environmental Conservation Organization UTD.   The full text of the letter can be found below: Dr. Prabhas V. Moghe President Dr. Inga Musselman Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Dr. Amanda Smith Associate Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students Dr. Nils Roemer Dean of the Harry W. Bass Jr. School of the Arts, Humanities, and Technology University of Texas at Dallas 800 W. Campbell Rd Richardson, TX 75080   Dear Drs. Moghe, Musselman, Smith, and Roemer, We are writing on behalf of a coalition of civil rights and interfaith organizations to raise urgent and serious concern regarding an event scheduled for Thursday, October 30, 2025, hosted by the UTD chapter of Hindu YUVA. This event, as publicly advertised, is a book event on a recently-published biography of Keshav Baliram Hedgewar, founder of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a fascist paramilitary organization widely documented as the ideological backbone of Hindu nationalism in India and responsible for a long, violent legacy of bigotry and persecution targeting religious and caste-marginalized communities.  The book’s blurb, however, glosses over the RSS’s bloody history and Hedgewar’s own reputation as a deeply bigoted figure, calling him only a “controversial, yet extraordinary man” and advertising a “nuanced perspective” on a group that modeled its ideological project off the Nazis.   Hindu YUVA is the US campus chapter of the Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (HSS), the American wing of the RSS. Despite presenting itself as a cultural student group, HSS YUVA or Hindu YUVA has been repeatedly linked to organized campaigns targeting scholars and student groups who speak critically about Hindu nationalism, Hindutva ideology, or Hindu supremacy on US campuses. Allowing an event that celebrates the founder of a movement with such a history of organized violence sends a deeply harmful signal to Christian, Muslim, Sikh, Dalit, and other caste-oppressed South Asian students at UTD, many of whom have families directly impacted by RSS-aligned violence in India. The presence of this event has already caused significant fear, discomfort, and distress among vulnerable students on campus who feel unsafe knowing their peers are publicly venerating someone responsible for their community’s persecution. Hedgewar founded the RSS in 1925 with an ideological mission to transform India into a Hindu-majoritarian state. Under his leadership and its successors, this movement contributed to  and continues to fuel discrimination, hate speech, and mob violence against India’s minorities.  The Bridge Initiative at Georgetown University notes that RSS’s militant arms include the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal, both designated for years in the CIA World Factbook as “militant religious organizations.” These groups have been tied to anti-Christian violence, anti-Muslim pogroms, church attacks, and political intimidation and violence. VHP is also accused of orchestrating the violence during the 2002 anti-Muslim pogroms in Gujarat state, killing over 2,000 Muslims. A UK government inquiry into the pogroms found that the violence was pre-planned and that “the VHP and its allies acted with

Op-Eds

CAL MATTERS: California missed a chance to make people of Indian descent safer from foreign aggressors

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By Mohammed Jawad Gov. Gavin Newsom recently vetoed what would have been landmark legislation aimed at protecting Californians from transnational repression, when foreign governments target diaspora communities and expatriates living in other countries. Newsom’s decision is a missed opportunity to help Californians feel safer, especially the state’s sizable South Asian community, which for years has faced intimidation and violenceorchestrated by India’s Hindu nationalist government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The FBI defines transnational repression as when foreign governments “reach beyond their borders to … harm members of their diaspora and exile communities in the United States.” It can include stalking, harassment, abusive legal practices, online disinformation campaigns, assault and even assassinations. A quarter of the world’s governments use repressive tactics to silence critics living outside their borders, according to the human rights group Freedom House. While countries such as Saudi Arabia, Iran and China are notable culprits, India is becoming notorious as one of the only democracies engaging in acts of aggression against Indian expats. Read More >> Photo by Semantha Norris, CalMatters

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Press Release

IAMC calls for protection of Rutgers’ right to hold academic event criticizing Hindu supremacist ideology

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Washington D.C., (October 27, 2025) — The Indian American Muslim Council today called for the protection of all organizers, academics, and students involved in Rutgers University’s October 27 event “Hindutva in America: A Threat to Equality and Religious Pluralism”, an academic discussion of a recent report released by Rutgers Center for Security, Race, and Rights (CSRR) that documents the multifaceted harms perpetuated by supporters of Hindutva, or Hindu supremacy, in the US. These harms include rising anti-Muslim and anti-Sikh hate, defenses of caste hierarchy, and intimidation of critics of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). IAMC also expressed its alarm over the violent hate speech being directed towards this event and its organizers. Dr. Audrey Truschke, a professor of South Asian history at Rutgers and vocal critic of Hindu supremacy, posted on X that she and her co-panelists had received death threats over their participation in the event, including one call to “burn the speakers alive”.  “It is a fact, not an opinion, that Hinduism as a religion is entirely separate from the violent supremacist ideology of Hindutva, which has not only led to the ongoing collapse of democracy in India, but has also allied itself with far-right supremacist movements here in the United States,” said IAMC President Mohammed Jawad. “Raising awareness about Hindu supremacists’ growing influence in the US is not only protected free speech, but it is necessary to protect the many American minorities who are impacted by their hatred, harassment, bigotry and violence.” Amplifying the bad-faith criticism of the event and further conflating Hinduism with Hindu supremacy, Congressmen Stanford Bishop, Suhas Subramanyam, Rich McCormick and Shri Thanedar released a joint statement claiming that the report “conflat[ed] religious based organizations with nationalist groups” and might “single out and target Hindu American individuals and organizations”, instead calling for Rutgers to “celebrate… diverse perspectives.” Similar outcry against academic discussions of Hindutva was weaponized against the 2021 Dismantling Global Hindutva Conference, which was co-sponsored by 53 universities across the world. As a result, speakers were the target of a vicious online hate campaign that was encouraged by Hindu supremacists in the United States and India alike, including death threats, rape threats, and slur-filled messages.  The sentiment expressed by these members of Congress have been roundly criticized by academics and activists, including many Hindu Americans, who recognize that the conflation of Hinduism with Hindu supremacy is a far-right tactic aimed at silencing Hindutva’s critics. Additionally, academic institutions and human rights organizations globally – including the Southern Poverty Law Center and Georgetown University’s Bridge Initiative – have noted the well-documented links between prominent far-right Hindu American organizations and violent militant groups in India, as well as American groups’ facilitation or support of transnational repression by the Indian government against other minorities.  “For four members of Congress to call on Rutgers to treat this bigotry as a mere difference in opinion only serves to further silences those affected by Hindu supremacist violence – including Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Dalits, and progressive Hindus – as well as embolden Hindu supremacists who are sending horrific death threats to the organizers of such events,” Jawad said. “We call on American civil society to stand by Rutgers University and the right to free speech and academic integrity.”

Weekly Roundup

IAMC Weekly India Human Rights Monitor (October 24, 2025)

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This Week at a Glance  This week, a report by Aid to the Church in Need warned that Hindu nationalist policies under the BJP are eroding constitutional protections, with 834 attacks on Christians recorded in 2024 alone. Prime Minister Modi and Chief Ministers Himanta Biswa Sarma and Pushkar Singh Dhami linked religious festivals to anti-Muslim rhetoric, boasting of demolitions, sealing madrasas, and deporting “Bangladeshis.” Communal boycotts marred Diwali celebrations in Chhattisgarh, while Dalits in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh faced brutal caste-based assaults. Across states, anti-minority hate speech and selective demolitions continued unchecked, as BJP leaders openly incited discrimination and violence. On the US front, IAMC and our coalition partners announced a two-part webinar series on tackling anti-Indian racism as well as addressing internal divisions created by Hindu supremacy. We also expressed grave concern over New Jersey Republican gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli’s decision to share a stage with Devkinandan Thakur, a Hindu supremacist monk notorious for spreading hate and inciting violence against India’s religious minorities. Top Stories BJP’s Hindu nationalist policies have eroded constitutional protections: Report The international organization Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) noted in its Religious Freedom in the World Report 2025 published that “Hindu nationalist policies under the Bharatiya Janata Party have steadily eroded constitutional protections” in India, with “Christians suffering 834 attacks in 2024 alone.” The report has warned that religious freedom across Asia has deteriorated sharply amid intensifying authoritarian control, ethno-religious nationalism, and extremist violence. Modi, BJP leaders continue anti-Muslim hate speech and discrimination Diwali was marked by a number of cases of BJP leaders making anti-Muslim hate speeches. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced the deportation of Bangladeshi nationals from the state by saying, “Diwali is really the time when the good defeats the evil.” At another event, Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended Diwali greetings while linking the festival to India’s “Operation Sindoor” and the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. Meanwhile, BJP lawmaker Medha Kulkarni led a “purification” ceremony in Pune after Muslim women prayed at a heritage site. Hindu extremists in Chhattisgarh target Muslim traders during Diwali Diwali celebrations in Durg, Chhattisgarh, were overshadowed this year by a disturbing display of communal hostility. Hindu extremists from the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal organised a rally under the banner “Our Festival, Our Business,” during which they urged Hindus to boycott Muslim-owned shops. BJP Minister Boasts About Demolishing Muslim-Owned Structures, Sealing 250 Madrasas Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami referred to Muslims as “land jihadis” in a speech, during which he boasted about shutting down Muslim-owned schools and demolishing other Muslim-owned properties. Dhami said, “More than 9,000 acres of land has been freed from ‘land jihadis’, 250 illegal madrasas have been sealed, and over 500 illegal structures have been demolished. The work is still continuing.” Dalits Humiliated, Assaulted by Upper-Caste Men in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh In Uttar Pradesh’s Hamirpur, a Dalit youth was assaulted and forced to lick the shoes of a group of upper-caste men, who later beat him so badly that one of his hands was fractured. Near Lucknow, a 65-year-old Dalit man was forced to drink his own urine and assaulted inside a temple. In Madhya Pradesh’s Bhind, a Dalit driver was abducted, beaten, forced to drink liquor, and compelled to consume urine before being dumped on the roadside in a semi-conscious condition, by three upper-caste men. Hate crimes and discrimination in India This week, in Uttar Pradesh’s Jaunpur district, authorities demolished the home of Muslim village head Sadiq Ahmed, prompting residents to allege selective targeting. Senior BJP leaders continued to fan anti-Muslim sentiment, with Union Minister Giriraj Singh calling Muslims “betrayers” whose votes he did not want, and former MP Pragya Thakur urging parents to “break the legs” of daughters visiting non-Hindu homes. In Gorakhpur, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath denounced Halal certification as “an attack on Sanatan Dharma,” claiming it funds terrorism and conversions, while police in Bareilly arrested three people, including a pastor, over baseless accusations of forced conversions. Meanwhile, filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma drew outrage for mocking Gaza’s suffering, and Bajrang Dal members raided a meat shop in Maharashtra’s Akola, claiming beef sales. Resistance & Organizing Karnataka Cabinet Moves to Regulate RSS Activities in Public and Government Spaces Karnataka’s Congress government has decided to frame rules to regulate activities of private organisations, including the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), in public places and government premises, potentially making it the first state to take such a step. The cabinet’s move comes amid ongoing concerns that RSS shakhas influence children and youth with “negative ideas,” according to Minister Priyank Kharge. Allahabad Court Orders Immediate Release of Interfaith Couple Shane Ali and Rashmi The Allahabad High Court ordered the immediate release of an interfaith couple, criticizing the Uttar Pradesh Police for their “illegal detention” without any lawful direction. The judges said that the police had no authority to detain the girl, and that the act violated her constitutional rights. The couple, Shane Ali and Rashmi, had been taken into custody after leaving the court premises on October 15. Supreme Court Grants Relief to 400-Year-Old Mancha Masjid The Supreme Court  granted relief in the case concerning the 400-year-old Mancha Masjid in Ahmedabad, disposing of the special leave petition challenging its partial demolition. The Court said that the main structure of the mosque will not be demolished. Only a small open area and platform which includes a staircase, plants, and the outer wall, will be acquired for the development project. Defender of the Week This week, we’re spotlighting the brave Muslim men, women, and children who are defying the Indian government’s crackdown on one of the most basic expressions of the Islamic faith – saying “I Love Muhammad.” Muslims across India have been arrested or booked for taking part in this campaign to defend their right to profess their beliefs publicly. Voices from the Ground  “Police are registering cases against Muslims across the nation to suppress their legitimate protests … The BJP government wants to instill fear so Muslims

Press Release

Indian Americans Express Disappointment Over GOP Gubernatorial Candidate Jack Ciattarelli Sharing Stage with Hindu Supremacist Monk

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Washington, D.C. (October 21, 2025) — The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States, expresses deep disappointment and grave concern over New Jersey Republican gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli’s decision to share a stage with Devkinandan Thakur, a Hindu supremacist monk notorious for spreading hate and inciting violence against India’s religious minorities. The event, held in late August in New Jersey, featured Ciattarelli speaking alongside Thakur. Videos and photographs that recently came to our attention show the two sharing the same platform, an act that risks legitimizing one of the most dangerous proponents of religious hate and violence emerging from India. “It is deeply troubling that a political candidate in the US would appear alongside a figure who has built his reputation on demonizing minorities and glorifying violence. Platforming extremists like Thakur undermine the values of pluralism and democracy that define this country and alienate Indian American communities who reject hate in all its forms,” said IAMC President Mohammed Jawad. Thakur is among India’s most influential religious extremists, leading campaigns to destroy historic Muslim places of worship such as the Shahi Idgah Mosque in Mathura and the Gyanvapi Mosque in Varanasi, India. He has openly called for repeating the violent destruction of the Babri Mosque, whose demolition in 1992 triggered nationwide riots that killed more than 2,000 people, most of them Muslims. In January 2025, Thakur organized the Sanatan Dharm Sansad in India’s Uttar Pradesh state, where multiple extremist leaders delivered dehumanizing speeches advocating violence against Muslims. Speakers at the event called for “filling traitors with bullets,” and urged Hindus to arm themselves. Another extremist leader, T. Raja Singh, glorified Dara Singh, a convicted killer and member of the militant Hindu nationalist group Bajrang Dal, which the CIA World Factbook designated as a “militant religious organization” in 2018. Dara Singh was found guilty of leading a mob that burned alive Australian Christian missionary Graham Staines and his two young sons in Odisha in 1999. He was also convicted for the brutal murders of Muslim trader Shaikh Rehman and Christian priest Father Arul Das. These gatherings are part of a broader campaign to turn India into a Hindu-only nation, erasing the existence and rights of its 200 million Muslims and Christian minorities. Thakur’s US-registered 501(c)(3) charity, Vishwa Shanti Sewa Charitable Mission, fundraises domestically and channels money to projects in India that promote sectarian hate. He has repeatedly propagated the debunked “love jihad” conspiracy theory, which falsely accuses Muslim men of luring Hindu women into marriage for religious conversion, a lie that has fueled mob violence, wrongful imprisonment, and widespread persecution. Thakur has also demanded the death penalty for alleged “love jihadis” and called for a boycott of companies selling Halal-certified products. IAMC calls on NJ Gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli to immediately clarify his position and issue a public statement distancing himself from Thakur’s hate-filled ideology. Sharing a stage with an extremist who promotes violence and bigotry sends a dangerous message, that religious persecution in India is acceptable political expression in America. IAMC further urges Ciattarelli to meet with a diverse coalition of Indian American organizations representing Muslim, Hindu, Sikh, and caste-oppressed communities to better understand the dangers of Hindu supremacist ideology and its manifestations within the diaspora.  For press inquiry, contact: media.info@iamc.com

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Press Release

IAMC Urges UN Special Rapporteur to Act on India’s Escalating Attacks on Human Rights Defenders

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New York City, NY (October 17, 2025 ) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) has urged the attention of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, Mary Lawlor, to the growing repression and criminalization of human rights defenders (HRDs) in India, who continue to face false prosecutions, harassment, intimidation, and imprisonment for their peaceful work. IAMC’s Advocacy Director, Ajit Sahi, met with Ms. Lawlor at the Permanent Mission of Ireland to the United Nations in New York City this week to convey the organization’s concerns and submit recommendations on the situation of HRDs in India. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the ongoing session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), where Ms. Lawlor is attending to present her latest report. During the meeting, IAMC commended Ms. Lawlor’s courageous work in bringing global attention to the Indian government’s escalating attacks on activists, journalists, and civil society organizations. The discussion focused on several pressing issues, including the persecution of human rights defenders in India’s eastern state of Chhattisgarh, who have been unfairly targeted by law enforcement agencies under the pretext of countering Maoist insurgency. Mr. Sahi also raised the cases of Umar Khalid and other activists who have been imprisoned for over five years in New Delhi without trial under false charges of inciting anti-Muslim violence in the nation’s capital. Sahi described their continued detention as a severe miscarriage of justice and a violation of international human rights obligations. He further highlighted the Indian government’s transnational repression operations targeting Indian critics and human rights advocates abroad, including in the United States. Mr. Sahi cited the ongoing criminal prosecution in New York City of an Indian national who has been charged by the US Government of carrying out a murder-for-hire plot against a Sikh American lawyer critical of the Indian government. Ms. Lawlor assured that her office is fully cognizant of these issues and is taking appropriate steps to address these violations through the mechanisms available under the UN system. The Indian American Muslim Council reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the global community of human rights defenders and to working with international bodies to hold the Indian government accountable for systematic violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms.

Weekly Roundup

IAMC Weekly India Human Rights Monitor (October 17, 2025)

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This Week at a Glance  This week, in Gujarat, over 180 Muslim homes and shops were bulldozed after communal clashes, while in Maharashtra, seven Muslim cattle traders were beaten by Hindu vigilantes despite carrying valid documents. The Bombay High Court granted bail to three accused in the 2015 murder of CPI leader Govind Pansare, including a Hindu extremist linked to the killing of rationalist Narendra Dabholkar. On the US front, IAMC and our coalition partners all expressed alarm over California Governor Gavin Newsom’s decision to veto a bill that would combat transnational repression, which affects Indian Americans throughout the state. Top Stories California Governor Gavin Newsom vetoes bill aimed at combating transnational repression California Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed SB509, a bill aimed at protecting communities from transnational repression (TNR) from foreign governments, including from far-right authoritarian regimes such as that of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.  California has the nation’s largest population of Indian Americans, and has seen multiple reports of TNR by the Indian government, including assassination attempts on Sikhs in Fremont and smear campaigns directed at anti-caste activists using Indian government-produced propaganda. Anti-conversion bill, denial of burial rights hit Christians across Chhattisgarh Over 400 villagers from 22 villages across Chhattisgarh state’s Kanker resolved to deny burial rights to Christians. These attacks on Christians’ basic rights have been deepened by the BJP-led government’s introduction of a “stringent” anti-conversion bill, which would criminalize conversions from Hinduism, and further legitimize anti-Christian persecution at the interpersonal level. Muslims lose homes, shops to bulldozers after communal tensions in Gujarat Nearly 180 houses and shops, overwhelmingly belonging to Muslims, were reduced to rubble by bulldozers in Bahiyal village in Gujarat, leaving scores of families without shelter days after communal tensions in the area. This incident is being viewed as yet another instance of collective punishment against Muslims, following a nationwide crackdown on Muslims linked to the “I Love Muhammad” campaign. Seven Muslims injured as cow vigilantes assault cattle transporters in Maharashtra A group of Hindu extremist cow vigilantes allegedly assaulted seven Muslim men, including a 62-year-old man, who were transporting cattle from a weekly market. Despite the victims’ explanation that the animals were meant for agricultural purposes and that they had valid purchase documents, the attackers allegedly beat them with sticks and logs. Hindu extremists accused in Govind Pansare murder case granted bail The Bombay High Court granted bail to three prime accused in the 2015 murder of Govind Pansare, a leader of the Communist Party of India. The accused included Virendra Tawade, a Hindu extremist leader, who was also named as the “key conspirator” in the murder of writer and rationalist Narendra Dabholkar. Hindu extremists shot Pansare near his house in February 2015, and he succumbed to his injuries five days later. Hate crimes and discrimination in India In Mumbai, police stormed the Tata Institute of Social Sciences campus and detained several students for holding a peaceful memorial for late human rights defender G.N. Saibaba. In Odisha’s Cuttack, around 6,000 Hindutva men wielding bamboo sticks attacked a Muslim-majority market, vandalizing shops and vehicles. In Uttar Pradesh, authorities invoked the National Security Act against a Muslim cleric accused of “instigating” last year’s Sambhal mosque-linked violence, while in Haryana’s Mewat, a 50-year-old Muslim man died after being assaulted and allegedly tortured in police custody. The week also saw Kerala’s Congress leadership demand accountability over the death of an RSS volunteer whose suicide note accused senior members of sexual abuse, and the Allahabad High Court granted bail to a Muslim youth falsely implicated in an alleged Al-Qaeda case, citing lack of evidence. Resistance & Organizing Nine years on, JNU students march demanding answers over Najeeb Ahmed’s disappearance As October 15 marks nine years since the forced disappearance of JNU student Najeeb Ahmed, various student groups held a “Justice for Najeeb” march, raising their collective voice against impunity. Najeeb Ahmed, a student, was allegedly abducted and disappeared from outside his hostel at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in Delhi by members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the student wing of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Civil society groups in Karnataka launch campaign against Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision More than 100 representatives from civil society organisations, political parties, trade unions, women’s groups and student unions met in Bengaluru to oppose the Election Commission’s decision to implement the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Karnataka. The participants adopted a resolution to launch a state-wide campaign titled “My Vote, My Right” to resist what they called an “NRC-like” process that could disenfranchise marginalized voters. Opposition Minister urges ban on RSS activities in Karnataka’s public institutions In a letter addressed to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Karnataka minister and Congress leader Priyank Kharge urged a ban on all RSS activities in government institutions and public premises across the state, stating that such actions are contrary to India’s unity and the spirit of the Constitution. Defender of the Week This week, we’re spotlighting Iqra Hasan, a Member of Parliament associated with the Samajwadi Party. This week, after being subjected to abusive slogans and called a “terrorist” during her visit to Saharanpur’s Chapaur village following temple vandalism protests, Iqra stood her ground, condemning the language of hate and reaffirming her commitment to inclusive politics. In Parliament, Iqra has been a strong critic of discriminatory education policies and the erasure of minority history. Voices from the Ground  BJP workers lynch a Dalit man to death in Rae Bareli A man who subscribes to the RSS ideology hurls a shoe at CJI BR Gavai The suicide of Dalit IPS Officer Puran Kumar ji in BJP-ruled Haryana because he was fed up of caste-based discrimination All 3 incidents in the last week alone. – KC Venugopal MP, General Secretary, Congress IAMC in Action IAMC has expressed our alarm over California Governor Gavin Newsom’s veto of SB509. You can read our full statement here. We’re continuing to catalogue daily hate crimes against Muslims and other minorities in India on our social media. Follow us

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Press Release

IAMC alarmed by Gov. Gavin Newsom’s veto of bill aimed at protecting Californians from transnational repression

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Media Inquires: Safa Ahmed, media.info@iamc.com  Washington D.C., (October 14, 2025) — The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) today expressed deep concern over California Governor Gavin Newsom’s decision to veto SB509, a bill aimed at protecting communities from transnational repression (TNR) from foreign governments, including from far-right authoritarian regimes such as that of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The veto was announced despite the bill passing both the California Senate and Assembly with support from a broad coalition of Indian Americans – including Sikhs, Muslims, Hindus, Dalits, and other communities. “We are concerned and alarmed to see that Governor Newsom failed to act on concerns raised by Indian Americans – particularly Sikh Americans – regarding well-documented threats of violence and assassination directed against our community by the Indian government,” said IAMC President Mohammed Jawad. “This is a dangerous decision that leaves all Californians, from activists to everyday community members, vulnerable to repression, intimidation, and violence by foreign actors.” The bill was introduced by Senator Anna Caballero and co-authored by Assembly members Jasmeet Bains and Esmeralda Soria, describing TNR as human rights violations by foreign governments that “stifle dissent and enhance control over exile, activist, emigrant, and diaspora communities”. These harms include extrajudicial killings, physical assaults, stalking, intimidation, targeted surveillance, and online harassment, and coercion of family members. The Indian government has used several of these tactics against individuals in the United States and Canada over the past few years, including through the assassination of Canadian Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in 2023, the attempted assassination of Sikh American activist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun that same year, and numerous attempted assassinations of Sikh Americans living in Fremont, CA. In a report released earlier this year, IAMC documented several testimonies of Kashmiri and Muslim activists whose families have been threatened by Indian authorities. IAMC also documented the ways in which Indian consulates play a key role in perpetrating TNR, serving as the long arm of the Indian government by infiltrating diaspora communities with undercover agents, undermining routine citizenship processes, denying Indian Americans their constitutional rights, and collaborating with US-based hate groups to intimidate minorities within the diaspora. Despite these well-documented harms, the bill was strongly opposed by far-right Hindu American groups, which are affiliated with the extremist Hindu supremacist movement in India. These same groups also opposed the passage of another bill vetoed by Newsom in 2023, SB403, which would have banned caste-based discrimination. “IAMC remains in solidarity with the diverse coalition of Indian Americans who all raised their voices in support of this bill,” said Jawad. “We will continue to advocate alongside our allies for the safety and security of all Americans from transnational repression.”

Weekly Roundup

IAMC Weekly India Human Rights Monitor (October 3, 2025)

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This Week at a Glance  This week, in Uttar Pradesh, police shot a community leader, arrested clerics, and demolished homes over a campaign by Muslims to display “I Love Muhammad” signs, with over 1,300 Muslims facing cases nationwide. In the shadow of the opposition’s accusations of vote theft by the BJP, a probe uncovered attempts to strike 80,000 Muslims off Bihar’s voter rolls. A Washington-based think tank discovered that Hindu nationalist networks are using AI to mass-produce anti-Muslim hate online, adding a dangerous new dimension to the global Islamophobia industry. Modi fueled outrage by honoring the RSS with a stamp and coin, while authorities in Varanasi razed hockey legend Mohammad Shahid’s ancestral home. Human rights groups documented 141 hate crimes and 102 hate-speech cases in just three months, from lynchings to mosque attacks. On the US front, IAMC and our coalition partners released a letter demanding justice for Dalit workers who faced exploitation by BAPS temple authorities in New Jersey. Top Stories India Cracks Down on ‘I Love Muhammad’ Campaign, Muslims Arrested in Uttar Pradesh A wave of protests in India over benign banners reading “I Love Muhammad” has spiraled into a nationwide crackdown, with 21 cases filed against more than 1,300 Muslims and at least 38 arrests, according to civil rights groups. The crackdown began in Uttar Pradesh, when Hindu groups objected to the posters and sparked demonstrations across multiple states. In Bareilly, police shot a Muslim leader in the leg, arrested a prominent cleric and his aides, demolished homes, and suspended internet services, intensifying concerns of religious discrimination and heavy-handed policing under Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s government.  Study Finds Generative AI Fuelling Anti-Muslim Hate Campaigns in India An investigation by The Reporters’ Collective has revealed attempts to delete nearly 80,000 Muslim voters from Bihar’s Dhaka constituency by falsely branding them as non-citizens, including submissions filed on BJP letterhead and in the name of a local lawmaker’s aide. Despite the scale of the alleged disenfranchisement, election officials took no action against those responsible, raising fears of systematic voter roll manipulation ahead of upcoming polls. Image: Nitin Sethi Study Finds Generative AI Fuelling Anti-Muslim Hate Campaigns in India A study by Washington-based think tank Center for the Study of Organized Hate has exposed the large-scale weaponization of generative AI to spread anti-Muslim hate across Indian social media platforms. Tracking 297 Hindu nationalist accounts between May 2023 and May 2025, researchers identified 1,326 AI-generated posts featuring sexualized depictions of Muslim women, conspiracy theories such as “Love Jihad” and “Population Jihad,” and stylized violence. Instagram emerged as the biggest amplifier, driving 1.8 million interactions. Modi Honours Violent Hindu Paramilitary Group RSS with Stamp and Coin Prime Minister Narendra Modi released a postage stamp and ₹100 coin to honor the Hindu supremacist paramilitary group Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh’s (RSS) centenary, hailing the group’s “100-year journey.” The move drew sharp backlash from opposition parties, who said honouring the RSS, long accused of collaborating with colonial rulers and involvement in anti-minority violence, was a “dark day” that insults India’s freedom struggle and secular Constitution.  Hockey Legend Mohammad Shahid’s Ancestral Home Demolished in Uttar Pradesh Authorities in Uttar Pradesh’s Varanasi demolished 13 houses as part of a road expansion project, including the ancestral home of hockey player and Padma Shri awardee Mohammad Shahid. Shahid, a 1980 Olympic gold medalist and one of India’s most celebrated players, grew up in the home, which had become a local landmark.  Hate crimes and discrimination in India Between June and August 2025, India witnessed 141 incidents of hate crimes and 102 cases of hate speech, according to the Association for the Protection of Civil Rights, with Muslims and Christians disproportionately targeted. Uttar Pradesh recorded the highest number of cases, while attacks ranged from intimidation to seven reported lynchings and 19 incidents of vandalism against mosques and churches. This week, a BJP lawmaker’s son Eklavya Singh Gaur called for a “jihadi-free market” in Indore, Hindu extremist leader Pragya Singh Thakur urged Hindu women to “cut Muslims in half,” and Muslim parents in Kanpur were barred from a school meeting for wearing burqas. In Kashmir, football spectators faced detention for not standing during the national anthem. Resistance & Organizing Calcutta Court Quashes Wrongful Deportation, Orders Pregnant Woman’s Return from Bangladesh The Calcutta High Court quashed the deportation of 23-year-old Sunali Khatun who is eight months pregnant, along with her husband and child, declaring it a violation of their fundamental rights. The court ordered the government to bring the Birbhum family back from Bangladesh within four weeks, slamming officials for bypassing constitutional safeguards and ignoring due process. Civil Society Unites Against Rajasthan’s “Draconian” Anti-Conversion Law Civil society groups, religious organizations, and opposition parties in Rajasthan have launched a strong campaign against the state’s newly passed anti-conversion law, calling it unconstitutional and discriminatory. They argue the law emboldens vigilante groups, violates fundamental rights under the Constitution, and creates a “two-class system” by exempting Hindu reconversions. Palestine Solidarity Protests in Bengaluru, Kochi Despite Restrictions Despite the arbitrary ban on Palestinian flags and “slogans that could affect international relations” by Bengaluru police, the city witnessed a powerful show of solidarity as hundreds gathered to protest Israel’s ongoing genocide of Palestinians in Gaza. In Kerala’s Kochi, thousands attended the Indian Union Muslim League’s (IUML) Gaza Solidarity Conference, voicing a strong condemnation of Israel’s ongoing atrocities.  Image: Shirin A./Maktoob Defender of the Week This week, we’re spotlighting Adivasi activist Suneeta Pottam, who has been imprisoned since May for her fearless work to push back against illegal security camps in Bastar, extrajudicial killings, and sexual violence by Indian security forces. Read more about Suneeta’s story here. Voices from the Ground  “If someone makes an offensive remark, it can be understood, but when someone says something good about their own faith, like ‘I Love Muhammad’, it is said for the Prophet who always spoke of peace and brotherhood, and who has followers across the world. Such authoritarian actions will not stop them. The government should reflect that if every religion

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Press Release

IAMC Marks Gandhi Jayanti, Commends Voices of the Republic Conference for Reviving Gandhian and Nehruvian Legacies

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Washington, DC (October 2, 2025) – On the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti, the Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), the largest organization of Indian Muslims in the US, joins millions around the world in honoring the life and vision of Mahatma Gandhi, whose commitment to truth, nonviolence, and justice remains a guiding light for humanity.  Gandhi’s principles of pluralism, inclusivity, and moral courage are urgently needed in today’s India, where democracy and secular values face unprecedented assault by the Hindu nationalist regime of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. IAMC is proud to commend the “Voices of the Republic” conference held in Washington, D.C. on October 1 and 2, which brought together scholars, activists, and policymakers to reflect on the enduring legacies of Gandhi and India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru. The conference underscored how the Gandhian and Nehruvian traditions of nonviolence, secularism, and social justice remain critical to renewing Indian democracy. “At a time when India’s pluralistic fabric is under assault, Gandhi’s teachings remind us that peace and justice can never be separated, and that the measure of a nation lies in how it treats its most vulnerable,” said IAMC President Mohammed Jawad.  IAMC reaffirms its commitment to upholding the values of Gandhi and Nehru in the ongoing struggle for equality, justice, and communal harmony. On this Gandhi Jayanti, we call on people of conscience everywhere to recommit to the timeless principles of nonviolence, truth, and justice.

Weekly Roundup

IAMC Weekly India Human Rights Monitor (September 26, 2025)

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This Week at a Glance  This week, Hindu extremist violence left Muslims lynched, beaten, and humiliated across India, from a fatal cow vigilante attack in Rajasthan to a mob assault on an imam in Uttar Pradesh. Abroad, the Hindu Council of Australia faces a human rights probe for anti-Muslim rhetoric, while a new report links Indian corporations, including that of billionaire Gautam Adani, to Israel’s war economy in Gaza. Across India, police have booked over 1,300 Muslims for displaying “I Love Muhammad” banners, while assaults on students, mosque demolitions, and the prolonged jailing of Muslim leaders and activists underscored deepening repression. On the US front, IAMC condemned the crackdown on Muslims expressing love for their Prophet, and concluded our National Retreat in Chicago, during which chapter representatives from across the country met to brainstorm and build. Top Stories Muslim Man Lynched by Hindu Extremist Cow Vigilantes In Rajasthan’s Bhilwara, a 32-year-old Muslim man succumbed to his injuries after he was horrifically beaten by cow vigilantes who falsely accused him of cattle smuggling. In Uttar Pradesh, a Hindu mob beat an imam, pulled his skullcap off, and forced him to chant “Jai Sri Ram.” In Kushinagar, a Muslim man was tied with ropes and thrashed over a parking dispute, and in Bihar, a 21-year-old was dragged out of a mosque and assaulted by a mob after he requested that blaring DJ music be turned down during prayers.  Hindu Council of Australia Under Investigation for Anti-Muslim Hate The Australian Human Rights Commission is probing a complaint against the Hindu Council of Australia and its leaders over Islamophobic posts and statements targeting South Asian Muslims. The complaint, filed by the Alliance against Islamophobia, cites reposts from far-right figures and claims Muslims were portrayed as “inherently criminal and dangerous.” It seeks a public apology, removal of the content, and compensation for harm caused. Report Links Indian Firms to Israel’s Genocide in Gaza A new report by the Centre for Financial Accountability accuses Indian corporations and state-owned enterprises of sustaining Israel’s war economy through defence, surveillance, agriculture, and infrastructure partnerships. The study highlights joint ventures like Adani-Elbit’s drone production, Adani Ports’ control of Haifa port, and tech giants tied to controversial surveillance projects. Rights groups warn these ties make India complicit in what UN investigators have classified as genocide in Gaza, in which over 65,000 people, including 20,000 children, have been killed. 1,300 Muslims Booked Over ‘I Love Muhammad’ Banners Across India Police across India have registered 21 complaints and booked 1,324 Muslims, including 38 arrests, for displaying “I Love Muhammad” banners during processions. Uttar Pradesh accounts for the majority of cases, with mass bookings also reported in Uttarakhand, Gujarat, and Maharashtra. Rights groups have condemned the crackdown as a criminalization of peaceful religious expression. Ex-Chief Justice Calls Babri Masjid’s Construction an ‘Act of Desecration’ Former Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud has triggered outrage after describing the Mughal construction of the Babri Masjid as a “fundamental act of desecration” in a recent interview, echoing the ahistorical reasoning behind the Hindu supremacist demolition of the mosque and the building of a Ram Temple over its ruins. Critics, including senior lawyers and rights advocates, accused him of legitimizing Hindu nationalist propaganda and undermining secular principles. Hate crimes and discrimination in India This week, in Delhi, Jamia Millia Islamia students reported that they were physically assaulted by police while traveling in a bus, assuming they had participated in a protest march on the anniversary of the 2008 Batla House encounter case. In Gujarat, the High Court cleared partial demolition of the 400-year-old Mansa Masjid, while a mosque in Uttarakhand’s Rajaji Tiger Reserve was sealed on court orders. Meanwhile, over 40 Muslim leaders linked to the banned Popular Front of India have completed three years in jail without trial, and in Jharkhand, Bajrang Dal members falsely accused a Catholic nun and 19 Adivasi minors of forced conversions, leading to hours of detention before authorities dismissed the claims. Resistance & Organizing Gujarat Minority Group Challenges Custodial Abuse The Minority Coordination Committee (MCC) Gujarat has served legal notices to top state officials over the alleged custodial torture and public humiliation of Muslim youths in Vadodara. They have demanded disciplinary and criminal proceedings against police officers, citing violations of constitutional protections and Supreme Court guidelines.  Indore Traders Unite Against Anti-Muslim Hate Campaign In Indore, both Muslim and Hindu shopkeepers staged a silent march after BJP lawmaker Malini Gaur’s son called for the dismissal of Muslim employees. Partners like Balwant Singh Rathore and Mohd Haroon stressed that markets and livelihoods depend on cooperation, not division, while clerics and civil society leaders warned against the economic and social fallout of hate politics.  Defender of the Week This week, we’re spotlighting Kashmiri human rights defender Khurram Parvez, who has now spent over 1,400 days in detention under draconian anti-terror laws, drawing renewed calls for his release. Internationally acclaimed for documenting abuses through the Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society, Parvez’s imprisonment has been condemned as a deliberate attempt to silence dissent and cripple civil society in Kashmir with international organizations like the United Nations and Amnesty International repeatedly calling for his immediate release. Voices from the Ground  “They are the future leaders, they are educated, they have a voice, and yes, they are Muslims. That is why the government is afraid of them.” – Indian actor Prakash Raj on incarcerated Muslim activists  IAMC in Action IAMC strongly condemned the alarming wave of police crackdowns across India targeting Muslims for peacefully expressing their reverence for Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Read our full press release here.  IAMC is continuing to accept submissions for the 2025 HRRF Journalism Grant Program. The program offers grants to independent journalists pursuing in-depth stories that highlight urgent human rights and religious freedom issues in India and across its global diaspora. Apply now here.  We’re continuing to catalogue daily hate crimes against Muslims and other minorities in India on our social media. Follow us on X and Instagram to keep up to

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Press Release

Indian Americans Condemn Mass Crackdown on Muslims in India for Peaceful Expression of Faith

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Washington, D.C. (September 25) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) today strongly condemned the alarming wave of police crackdowns across India targeting Muslims for peacefully expressing their reverence for Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). According to the Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR), at least 21 FIRs have been registered, 1,324 people booked, and 38 arrested as of September 23, 2025. These shocking figures reflect the criminalization of peaceful religious expression and a blatant violation of fundamental rights and religious freedoms. The crackdown began after police in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, booked multiple individuals for carrying a signboard reading “I Love Muhammad” during a Barawafat procession, absurdly accusing them of disturbing communal harmony. The phrase, which embodies devotion and faith has since sparked a growing campaign across India, with Muslims displaying banners, posters, and social media messages reiterating their reverence for the Prophet. Instead of respecting this peaceful expression, authorities in multiple states have responded with intimidation, arrests, and violence. In Gujarat state, police publicly paraded Muslim youths and allegedly beat one young man at a station for posting a reel with the slogan. In Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh and Mumbai, peaceful gatherings have been met with police scrutiny and harassment. “Since when has expressing love for Prophet Muhammad become a crime?” asked IAMC President Mohammad Jawad. “The Indian government’s persecution of Muslims for affirming a fundamental aspect of their faith exposes the deep hostility and discrimination institutionalized under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rule and its Hindu nationalist allies. This is nothing less than an assault on freedom of religion and expression.” IAMC joins Indian rights groups in demanding the immediate withdrawal of all FIRs, the release of those arbitrarily arrested, and an end to the persecution of Muslims for their peaceful religious practices. The Indian government must stop weaponizing the law against its own citizens and instead uphold its duty to protect the rights of all communities.

Weekly Roundup

IAMC Weekly India Human Rights Monitor (September 18, 2025)

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This Week at a Glance  This week, Prime Minister Modi stoked fears of “infiltrators” in Bihar, Bengal, and Assam—a dog whistle for Bengali-speaking Muslims already facing evictions and detentions. In Assam, outrage followed the BJP’s use of an AI video portraying scenes of everyday Muslims as threatening to Hindus. Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi accused authorities of “organized voter deletions” targeting Muslims, Dalits, and tribals. A 56-year-old Muslim man died in an Assam detention centre after being declared a “foreigner” despite decades-old records proving his citizenship; a Muslim teen in Gujarat died by suicide after relentless Hindu supremacist harassment; and a vendor in Bihar was beaten to death. Across India, Muslims faced assaults, mass police cases, and fresh demolitions. At JNU, students and families of jailed Muslim activists marched to mark five years since Umar Khalid’s arrest, demanding their release. On the US front, IAMC is hosting our National Retreat in Chicago this weekend, open to our volunteers across the country.  Top Stories Prime Minister Narendra Modi Uses Anti-Muslim Dogwhistle in Speech Prime Minister Narendra Modi claimed that “infiltrators” are a demographic threat in Bihar, West Bengal, and Assam. The term, long used by the BJP, is widely understood as a dogwhistle for Bengali-speaking Muslims, particularly those branded as “illegal immigrants” from Bangladesh. Modi also claimed that “infiltrators” also endanger women’s safety and vowed to “free the country” from them.  Outrage as BJP Assam Posts Islamophobic AI Video An AI-generated video posted by the BJP’s Assam unit on X has sparked condemnation for vilifying Muslims as “illegal immigrants” seizing land. Critics, including journalists and rights groups, called the video inflammatory and dangerous, warning it normalizes hate speech and communal targeting ahead of elections. Opposition parties have demanded urgent removal of the video and accountability for the ruling party’s use of AI propaganda to incite division. Opposition Leader Alleges ‘Organized Voter Deletion’ to Benefit Ruling BJP India’s opposition leader Rahul Gandhi accused the ruling BJP and Election Commission of colluding in a “systematic theft of democracy” by deleting voters from marginalized communities in key states. Presenting evidence of mass deletions in Karnataka and Bihar, Gandhi claimed Dalits, Muslims and Tribals were disproportionately targeted, warning that millions risk disenfranchisement and even loss of citizenship.  Muslim Man Dies in Assam Detention Centre After ‘Foreigners’ Crackdown A 56-year-old Muslim man, Amzad Ali, died in custody in Assam after being arrested in May under the state’s crackdown on undocumented persons, migrants, and Bengali-speaking Muslims. Declared a foreigner by a tribunal in 2021 despite possessing decades-old family records in India, Ali was held at a detention centre until he died from cancer.  Muslim Teen Commits Suicide over Harassment by Hindu Neighbors; Muslim Vendor Beaten to Death A 15-year-old Muslim girl in Ahmedabad died by suicide after months of harassment from her Hindu supremacist neighbors. In Bihar’s Jehanabad, a 60-year-old Muslim vegetable vendor was beaten to death in a dispute over 5 rupees with a market fee collector. Hate crimes and discrimination in India This week, in Uttarakhand, a 7-year-old Muslim boy was brutally assaulted by his principal and teacher for missing a day of school, while in Uttar Pradesh’s Pilibhit, two Muslim men were beaten and jailed on false charges of cow smuggling. In Shahjahanpur, nearly 200 Muslims face police cases for protesting a derogatory post about Prophet Muhammad, while in Kanpur, over two dozen were booked for putting up “I Love Mohammad” boards. Meanwhile, a Muslim woman witness in the 2023 train killings testified that the accused forced her to chant a Hindu religious slogan at gunpoint. In Madhya Pradesh, authorities bulldozed the home of a Muslim man accused of holding Christian prayers, and in Assam, leaders from Kerala’s Solidarity Youth Movement were detained while meeting families displaced by demolitions. Resistance & Organizing (Muhammed Shahamath/Maktoob) Families Of Imprisoned Muslim Activists March With Students Demanding Release  The Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) Students’ Union held a march in solidarity with Muslim activists who have been imprisoned under draconian anti-terror laws, following the Delhi High Court’s recent dismissal of their bail appeals. The march, held on the day marking activist Umar Khalid’s five years in jail, was attended by the families of the jailed activists, from the young daughter of Tasleem Khan to the elderly parents of Gulfisha Fatima and Shadab Ahmed. (AIMPLB) Muslim Leaders in India Mobilize to Protect Waqf Properties After Court Ruling The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) has vowed to intensify its Save Waqf Campaign after the Supreme Court granted partial relief against controversial provisions of the Waqf (Amendment) Act 2025. While welcoming the court’s decision to safeguard waqf property rights and curb arbitrary state powers, AIMPLB leaders said they will continue pressing for a full repeal of the law, which they fear undermines community trusts. Nationwide solidarity protests for Palestine held across India Protest gatherings in solidarity with Palestine and in support of the Global Sumud Flotilla have been taking place in various Indian cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Pune, Chandigarh, Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada and Kolkata.  Defender of the Week This week, we’re spotlighting Kerala’s 98-year-old award-winning author and literary critic M. Leelavathi, who dedicated her birthday to the starving children of Gaza, sparking online abuse from right-wing groups. She refused any celebration, saying, “How could rice slip down my throat when children in Gaza sit with plates, waiting for food?” Leelavathi, a recipient of the Padma Shri, Sahitya Akademi Award, and Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award, has long been celebrated as one of Kerala’s foremost literary voices. Voices from the Ground  “[These activists’] bail pleas have been rejected, and even in the Supreme Court, the excuse was that there wasn’t enough time to read the documents. This shows how the Indian judiciary is completely controlled by the BJP-RSS state… Through this march, we are saying they are not alone; this is a collective struggle. We are marching to save the spirit of the Constitution.” – Nitesh, JNU Students’ Union President IAMC in Action IAMC is holding our National Retreat this weekend in

Weekly Roundup

IAMC Weekly India Human Rights Monitor (September 12, 2025)

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This Week at a Glance  This week, the UN and USCIRF condemned India’s mass expulsions of Rohingya and Bengali-speaking Muslims. Assam expanded powers to expel “suspected foreigners” without tribunal review, while mass demolitions in the state displaced nearly 700 Muslim families. Rajasthan passed a sweeping anti-conversion law after BJP lawmakers urged Muslims to “return” to Hinduism. A horrific story has also emerged from Gujarat, where a 17-year-old Muslim boy is in critical condition after several days of custodial torture and sexual violence. In Delhi, Muslims returning from Umrah were forced to bow inside a temple; in Uttar Pradesh, migrant hawkers were detained and youths arrested during the holiday Milad-un-Nabi; in Odisha, cow vigilantes beat four Muslim dairy farmers; and in Kerala, police booked 30 women for pro-Palestine slogans. On the US front, IAMC announced our upcoming National Retreat in Chicago, open to our volunteers across the country.  Top Stories   Image: Reuters UN, US Panel Condemn India’s Illegal Deportation of Rohingya and Bengali-Speaking Muslims The United Nations and the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) have raised alarm over India’s deportations of Rohingya refugees and Bengali-speaking Muslims, warning the expulsions violate international law and religious freedom. Since May, Indian authorities have deported at least 192 UN-registered Rohingya and more than 1,500 Muslims, forcing some across the Bangladesh border and others over the sides of boats into waters near Myanmar. Assam Grants Officials Power to Deport ‘Illegal Migrants’ Without Tribunal Review The Assam government approved a new procedure allowing officials to give “suspected foreigners” just 10 days to prove Indian citizenship before issuing deportation orders, bypassing the state’s Foreigners Tribunals. Human rights groups warn the policy disproportionately targets Bengali-speaking Muslims and strips people of due process. Rajasthan Passes Draconian Anti-Conversion Law Amid Calls for Muslims to ‘Return’ to Hinduism The Rajasthan assembly has passed a sweeping anti-conversion bill prescribing prison terms of up to life imprisonment for “illegal” religious conversions. During the debate, a BJP lawmaker urged two Muslim lawmakers to “return to their original religion,” sparking outrage and warnings from the opposition that the law will be used to harass minorities. Mass Demolitions Displace 667 Muslim Families in Assam In Assam, authorities demolished nearly 700 homes belonging to Bengali-speaking Muslims with only two days’ notice, leaving thousands homeless and at least three dead, according to a fact-finding delegation from the Socialist Party of India. Families say they possessed valid documents proving residence, but their homes and businesses were still destroyed. Gujarat Muslim Teen in Critical Condition After 9 Days of Police Torture In a horrific case of police violence, a Muslim minor from Botad, Gujarat, is in critical condition with kidney failure after being tortured and sexually abused for nine days in police custody. The teenager was detained on theft charges and, following the abuse, is now unconscious and on dialysis. Activists accuse police of violating India’s Supreme Court guidelines on custodial rights and demand immediate action against the officers involved. Hate crimes and discrimination in India This week, in Delhi, Muslims returning from Umrah were harassed by a Hindu extremist group, forced to bow inside a temple, and had their skull caps snatched. In Uttar Pradesh, authorities demolished parts of a Muslim-majority housing project in Meerut, detained 18 migrant hawkers from West Bengal after branding them “illegal Bangladeshis,” and arrested 33 youths in Firozabad during an Eid Milad-un-Nabi procession. An engineer in Assam alleged a job offer was withdrawn after he revealed his Muslim faith; four dairy farmers were beaten by cow vigilantes in Odisha; and arrests in Maharashtra’s Jalna followed communal tensions over an alleged cow slaughter. Meanwhile, Kerala police booked the Girls Islamic Organisation and 30 of its members for raising pro-Palestine slogans, flags, and banners. Resistance & Organizing Muslim Youth League’s ‘Save Democracy March’ Rallies Youth in Delhi  Hundreds of young activists gathered at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar for the Muslim Youth League’s Save Democracy March, vowing to resist voter disenfranchisement and mass evictions targeting marginalized communities. The march drew cross-party youth voices and calls for electoral justice, with leaders pledging nationwide protests to defend the rights of the vulnerable. Indian Filmmaker Anuparna Roy Wins Venice Best Director, Expresses Solidarity with Palestine  At the 82nd Venice International Film Festival, Anuparna Roy made history as the first Indian filmmaker to win Best Director in the Orizzonti section for her debut feature Songs of Forgotten Trees. In her speech, Roy expressed solidarity with Palestinian children “enduring war and occupation.”  “I might upset my country, but it doesn’t matter to me anymore,” she said in reference to the Modi regime’s staunchly pro-Israel stance.  Defender of the Week This week, we’re spotlighting Gauri Lankesh, an award-winning Indian journalist and activist who was assassinated outside her home on September 5, 2017 by Hindu militants. Through her work, she exposed right-wing Hindu extremism, corruption, and caste oppression, and stood firmly with Dalits, Adivasis, and minorities. Lankesh remains a global symbol of courage in journalism and an enduring inspiration for those resisting authoritarianism and communal hate. Voices from the Ground  “Today, brilliant minds, honest souls, and courageous hearts languish in prison …They are mocked, humiliated, and silenced by a judiciary that was meant to protect them, meant to deliver justice, not serve as a handmaiden to power. And so, we must ask ourselves: where did we, as a people, go wrong? And more hauntingly — is it too late to turn back? Today marks seven years of Sanjiv’s unlawful incarceration …. Seven years stolen from a man whose only ‘crime’ was to speak truth to power. Seven years during which the machinery of injustice has worked tirelessly to break his spirit. Seven years in which rapists, murderers, and lynchers walk free, while a man of conscience languishes in jail — his courage the only crime that keeps him there.” – Shweta Sanjiv Bhatt, wife of jailed former IPS officer and whistleblower Sanjiv Bhatt IAMC in Action IAMC will be holding our National Retreat next weekend in Chicago, during which our volunteers, leaders,

Weekly Roundup

IAMC Weekly India Human Rights Monitor (September 5, 2025)

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This Week at a Glance  This week, the Delhi High Court denied bail to nine Muslim activists, including Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam, after more than five years without trial under draconian anti-terror laws. Human Rights Watch accused India of expelling nearly 200 Rohingya refugees to Bangladesh and forcing others into Myanmar. The Home Ministry moved to protect non-Muslim refugees while excluding Muslims, even as courts questioned petitions targeting Muslim shrines and migrants. Bulldozers razed Muslim homes and shrines in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, and hate crimes continued with clerics assaulted, families forced into hiding, and attacks tied to cow protection and “love jihad” claims. On the US front, IAMC announced that the Human Rights & Religious Freedom Journalism Grant 2025 is now open for applications from courageous journalists covering stories affecting the vulnerable and marginalized in India. We also put out a statement decrying the denial of bail to Umar Khalid and other activists. Top Stories Image: Maktoob India Denies Bail to Muslim Activists After Five Years Without Trial The Delhi High Court has refused bail to nine activists, including Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam, who have spent more than five years in jail under India’s sweeping anti-terror law for their role in peaceful protests against the anti-Muslim Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). Human rights groups condemned the decision as a “grave miscarriage of justice,” warning it exemplifies the government’s weaponization of the judicial system to silence dissent. India Expels Rohingya Refugees to Bangladesh and Myanmar, Says HRW Human Rights Watch has accused India of violating international law by deporting nearly 200 Rohingya refugees to Bangladesh and forcing dozens more into Myanmar waters since May. The human rights group documented beatings, confiscation of documents, and the assault of children during these inhumane deportations. India Allows Non-Muslim Refugees to Stay Without Passports, Excludes Muslims India’s Home Ministry announced that Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, and Christians fleeing persecution in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan will be allowed to remain in the country without passports if they arrived before December 31, 2024. The order, issued under the new Immigration and Foreigners Act, pointedly excludes Muslims, deepening concerns over India’s discriminatory citizenship and refugee policies. Indian Courts Question Targeting of Muslims in Encroachment and Deportation Cases The Delhi High Court questioned a Hindu supremacist-aligned NGO for repeatedly singling out Muslim shrines and places of worship as “encroachments,” while the Supreme Court demanded answers on the detention and deportation of Bengali-speaking Muslim migrants. Judges stressed that selective petitions against Muslim sites and blanket presumptions of citizenship based on language reflect bias. Bulldozer Crackdown Targets Muslims in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand Authorities in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand demolished Muslim homes and shrines in a series of actions critics say reflect selective “bulldozer justice.” In Jalaun, the house of a Muslim man accused in local violence was razed before trial, while shrines in Dehradun and Sitapur were torn down along with homes and shops, leaving families homeless without warning. Hate crimes and discrimination in India This week, in Uttar Pradesh’s Gonda, a Muslim cleric was assaulted, his beard pulled, and skull cap snatched, while being forced to chant Hindu slogans. In Haryana’s Nuh, a Dalit family that converted to Islam has gone into hiding after Hindu groups accused them of “systematic conversions,” sparking tension and police action. Meanwhile, Hindu extremists perpetrated violence linked to cow protection and “love jihad” claims, with trucks torched in Uttarakhand, drivers harassed in Rajasthan, and a Muslim man beaten before being handed to police. Authorities in Lakhimpur Kheri, Uttar Pradesh, have also booked seven people for hoisting a Palestinian flag on a school. Resistance & Organizing Odisha NGO Takes on Big Tech Over Silencing of Social Justice Voices In a landmark move, the Sadaqat Welfare Foundation in Odisha has launched legal action against LinkedIn and Microsoft, accusing them of arbitrarily restricting the account of its founder, Manoj Kumar Das, who advocates for Dalit, Adivasi, migrant, and minority rights. The NGO says the case isn’t just about one account but about safeguarding digital rights for India’s marginalized communities, pledging to set a precedent against Big Tech’s unchecked power. Bank Employees in Kerala Defy Beef Ban with Protest Lunch In Kerala’s Kochi, Canara Bank employees staged a spirited protest against a manager’s attempt to ban beef in the office canteen by serving beef outside the branch. Organized by the Bank Employees Federation of India, the action highlighted both workplace harassment and the right to food choice. Image: Seyid Fahri Hundreds rally against Gaza genocide, targeting of press Over 700 protestors rallied at a solidarity gathering in support of Palestine in Kerala’s Kannur, as part of the Student Islamic Organization’S (SIO) month-long campaign Tahya Filasteen (“Long Live Palestine”). In Mumbai, journalists, media workers, and activists gathered for a solidarity meet and mourned the “unprecedented killing” of media professionals in Gaza, condemned the targeting of press workers, and pledged solidarity with Palestinian reporters.  Defender of the Week Image: Maktoob This week, we’re spotlighting Former Planning Commission member and human rights activist Syeda Hameed who has come under attack from right-wing groups and the Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP), which filed police complaints demanding her arrest over remarks made during a civil society visit to Assam. Hameed, alongside Harsh Mander, Wajahat Habibullah, Prashant Bhushan, and others, highlighted the precarious plight of Bengali-speaking Muslims facing evictions, detentions, and statelessness under the Himanta Biswa Sarma government’s policies. Voices from the Ground  “We strongly believe that this judgment (denial of bail to anti-CAA activists) will have a chilling effect on peaceful protest and free speech, particularly impacting minority voices and student activists. The real perpetrators of the riots are still at large, while those who protested peacefully languish in prison. This is not justice.” – Malik Moatasim Khan, Vice President, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH) IAMC in Action IAMC is pleased to announce that submissions are now open for the 2025 HRRF Journalism Grant Program. The program offers grants to independent journalists pursuing in-depth stories that highlight urgent human rights and religious

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Press Release

Indian Americans decry denial of bail to Umar Khalid, other activists as a grave miscarriage of justice

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Media contact: Safa Ahmed, media.info@iamc.com  Washington DC, (September 3, 2025) — The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) is deeply alarmed by the latest Delhi High Court’s decision to deny bail to Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, and seven other activists falsely implicated in the February 2020 Delhi violence. These activists have now spent five years in prison without trial, a reality that underscores the profound erosion of due process and democratic freedoms in India under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s decade long rule. “This ruling represents a grave miscarriage of justice,” said IAMC President Mohammad Jawaad. “It perpetuates a pattern in which the Indian state weaponizes laws such as the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) to punish dissent and silence voices of Muslim students, activists, and community leaders. The denial of bail after half a decade of incarceration without trial is not only inconsistent with India’s constitutional guarantees of liberty and fair trial, it also violates the most basic principles of international human rights law,” he added. This decision is not an isolated judicial act but part of a broader and troubling pattern. Instead of protecting the constitutional rights of citizens to speak, assemble, and protest, the state has transformed the judicial process into a tool of punishment, keeping activists behind bars on tenuous conspiracy allegations that have yet to be tested in court. The individuals named in this case were central figures in the peaceful protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), a law that itself has been widely criticized for discriminating against Muslims. To conflate their activism with a “larger conspiracy” to incite riots is to rewrite history and vilify a democratic movement.  After five years of incarceration without trial, the presumption of innocence has been hollowed out, and pre-trial detention has become punishment by another name. Such prolonged imprisonment, without the opportunity to defend oneself in a court of law, violates not only India’s constitutional guarantees but also its obligations under international human rights law, including the right to liberty, freedom of expression, and a fair and speedy trial. The denial of bail at this juncture further erodes public trust in the independence of India’s judiciary.  “Justice delayed is justice denied, and in this case, justice has been deliberately obstructed. The targeting of Muslim activists under the guise of maintaining law and order serves only to deepen communal divides, criminalize dissent, and delegitimize democratic participation,” said IAMC Executive Director Rasheed Ahmed. We call upon the Supreme Court of India to urgently intervene and correct this grave wrong. The Court must grant bail to those who have been unjustly imprisoned, ensure that trials proceed without further delay, and reaffirm the fundamental principle that no individual should be deprived of liberty indefinitely without conviction. The Supreme Court must also send an unambiguous signal that India’s legal system cannot be used to harass and silence dissenting voices, and that peaceful protest remains a protected and essential cornerstone of democracy.

Weekly Roundup

IAMC Weekly India Human Rights Monitor (August 29, 2025)

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This Week at a Glance  A fact-finding tribunal has exposed systemic targeting of Bengali Muslims in Assam, warning of an escalating human rights crisis as families are arbitrarily evicted and detained. In Uttar Pradesh, three Muslim youths were brutally assaulted and forced to chant Hindu supremacist slogans, while yet another journalist was booked by Assam police for criticizing the state government. India’s Supreme Court declined to halt the government’s mandatory waqf registration portal, raising fears for religious autonomy. Meanwhile, explosives were discovered outside an RSS-run school in Kerala. On the US front, IAMC put out a statement categorically rejecting a disinformation-filled “research report” released by HinduPACT, the advocacy arm of the Hindu supremacist group Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America (VHPA), which baselessly labels IAMC and our coalition partners as “anti-Hindu” and “anti-India”. Top Stories Image: Heena Fatima/ The Print Hindu Extremists Attack Public Tribunal on Human Rights Crisis in Assam A Hindu supremacist mob attacked a public tribunal hosted by senior jurists, activists, and civil society groups, during which they released a report documenting how the BJP-led government in Assam is arbitrarily evicting and detaining Muslims. The report warns of a deepening human rights crisis as families with decades-old records are rendered homeless. Journalists Booked for Criticizing Assam Chief Minister Journalist and YouTuber Abhisar Sharma was booked after he made a video criticizing the Indian government and Himanta Biswa Sarma, Assam’s Hindu supremacist Chief Minister, during which he declared that the Assam government “survives only on Hindu-Muslim polarization”. This case comes just weeks after two senior journalists, Siddharth Vardarajan and Karan Thapar, were issued summons by Assam police’s crime branch for sedition.  Image: Getty India’s Top Court Declines Urgent Plea to Halt Mandatory Waqf Registration Portal India’s Supreme Court has refused to hear an urgent challenge to the federal government’s new “Umeed Portal”, which requires all waqf properties, including historic mosques and graveyards, to be digitally registered within six months. Critics say the move, which is tied to the contentious Waqf (Amendment) Act 2025, threatens Muslim religious autonomy and risks disenfranchising centuries-old community institutions. Explosives Found Outside Hindu Paramilitary Group RSS-Run School in Kerala An explosion outside a school affiliated with the Hindu paramilitary group Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in Kerala’s Palakkad injured a child and an elderly woman, after a student accidentally triggered one of several hidden devices. The discovery of explosives has ignited a discussion around the RSS using schools to radicalize young children and train them as volunteers for the militant group.  Three Muslim Men Attacked in Uttar Pradesh, forced to chant “Jai Shri Ram” Three Muslim men were attacked in Uttar Pradesh’s Hapur district when a group of Hindu extremist men stopped them on the road, asked their names, and then beat them with iron rods and sticks while forcing them to chant the Hindu supremacist warcry “Jai Sri Ram.” One of the victims, Wasim, was critically injured in the attack and has been hospitalized. Hate crimes and discrimination in India This week, Assam’s Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma faced backlash after threatening to deport Muslim cleric Mahmood Madani to Bangladesh. In Dehradun, authorities demolished a Muslim shrine, branding it an encroachment. In Indore, officials imposed bans on meat sales during certain Hindu festivals, disproportionately impacting Muslim livelihoods. Meanwhile, Hyderabad police uncovered a case where a Hindu man allegedly posed as Muslim to exploit Muslim women. Resistance & Organizing Sharjeel Imam to Contest Bihar Polls, Says Entering Politics is “Duty as an Educated Muslim” Muslim activist Sharjeel Imam has announced his candidacy from prison in Bihar’s upcoming Assembly elections. In a handwritten interview from prison, Imam said his campaign will center on proportional representation, minority rights, and development for neglected regions like Seemanchal, stressing that his years of study and sacrifice obligate him to take up political leadership. Image: Mohammad Shahamath/Maktoob Thousands rally against Gaza genocide, urge India not to side with Israel Thousands of citizens gathered at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, condemning the Gaza genocide. The mass demonstration echoed with slogans of solidarity for Palestine and demanded that India must not be complicit in Israel’s genocidal war. Hundreds also participated in a demonstration of solidarity with the people of Gaza, in Telangana’s Hyderabad. Qureshi Community’s Strike Sparks Pushback Against Vigilantism in Maharashtra Maharashtra’s Qureshi community and farmers have launched a state-wide strike to demand safety and dignity in cattle trading. Their protest has not only spotlighted the economic toll of cow vigilantism, but has also compelled authorities to issue orders curbing violent activities by cow vigilantes.  Defender of the Week This week, we’re spotlighting the courageous individuals who organized the public tribunal on the “blood-curdling cruelty” being inflicted on Muslims by the right-wing government of Assam. From activists to academics to politicians, all the speakers at the tribunal minced no words in calling for the end of Himanta Biswa Sarma’s inhumane and illegal assault on Muslims.  Voices from the Ground  “Did you (Narendra Modi) come into power for the third time to work for the people, or to work against the Muslim minorities in the country?”    – Vijay, actor, founder of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam IAMC in Action IAMC released a statement categorically rejecting a disinformation-filled “research report” released by HinduPACT, the advocacy arm of the Hindu supremacist group Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America (VHPA), which baselessly labels IAMC and our coalition partners as “anti-Hindu” and “anti-India” for speaking out against the very real and dangerous issue of transnational repression by the Indian government. You can read our full statement debunking HinduPACT’s dangerous smears and disinformation here.  We’re continuing to catalogue daily hate crimes against Muslims and other minorities in India on our social media. Follow us on X and Instagram to keep up to date on the situation. What to Watch Next Week Our friends at Hindus for Human Rights are hosting a webinar on September 3 titled “From Texas to Bihar: How Elections are Being Manipulated for Autocratic Control”, which  will explore the similarities and differences in how Texan and Bihari politicians have

Indian deportees
Press Release

IAMC condemns VHPA’s propaganda report as a dangerous attempt to smear critics and enable India’s transnational repression

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Washington, D.C. (August 25, 2025) — The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) categorically rejects the so-called “research report” released by HinduPACT, the advocacy arm of the Hindu supremacist group Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America (VHPA). The report baselessly labels IAMC and our coalition partners as “anti-Hindu,” “anti-India,” and “pro-Pakistan,” in a deliberate attempt to smear human rights defenders and silence criticism of India’s ruling Hindu supremacist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). This report is nothing more than a propaganda exercise designed to vilify diaspora organizations that have documented the Modi government’s campaign of transnational repression impacting American citizens. By falsely branding peaceful dissenters as enemies of Hindus and India, HinduPACT is placing a dangerous target on the backs of critics and their families, exposing them to harassment and violence. Equally troubling, the HinduPACT report dismisses the lived realities of journalists, academics, activists, and civil society members who have been harassed, surveilled, threatened, and punished as part of India’s years-long campaign of transnational repression. Their testimonies and experiences have been well documented by the mainstream media, government agencies and respected bodies such as the Freedom House, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, and various other international bodies. By whitewashing such documentation and vilifying those who bring it to light, groups like VHPA in fact aid and abet this ongoing cycle of repression against American critics of the Indian government. HinduPACT’s report is part of a broader disinformation effort aligned with the Modi government. As the Washington Post reported in December 2023, HinduPACT has been tied to amplifying disinformation campaigns run by Disinfo Lab, an entity connected to Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), the foreign intelligence agency of India. Even the US Department of State cited this operation in its Human Rights Practices Report, noting that,  “In December 2023, The Washington Post reported that an organization called Disinfo Lab was allegedly being run by an Indian intelligence officer to research and discredit foreign critics of the government. The article noted the Disinfo Lab combined fact-based research with unsubstantiated claims to paint individuals, including Indian American rights activists, as part of a “conspiracy” against the country.” HinduPACT’s latest publication follows the same dangerous playbook. The VHPA itself has a troubling record. According to the Bridge Initiative at Georgetown University, VPHA is a Hindu far-right organization and the US offshoot of India’s Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), designated as a “militant religious organization” by the Central Intelligence Agency’s (CIA) World Factbook for a number of years. VHP also accused of orchestrating the violence during the 2002 anti-Muslim pogroms in Gujarat state, killing over 1,000 Muslims. A UK government inquiry into the pogroms found that the violence was pre-planned and that “the VHP and its allies acted with the support of the state Government.” In recent years, VHP leaders have been advocating for the genocide of the country’s Muslim citizens. VHPA’s leaders have a history of making anti-Muslim remarks, it has platformed far-right Hindu nationalists and recently has targeted American Muslim politicians and rights organizations who call attention to the persecution of Muslims and rising Hindu nationalism in India.  The group also actively collaborates with Global Hindu Heritage Foundation (GHHF), that publishes discriminatory, inflammatory, and intolerant content about Christianity including claims that Christianity spread “through deception, force, killings, rapes, torture, stoning, insulting other faiths, attacking other religious God images and Places of worship” and that Jesus created “division, enmity and hatred” and was a “vicious, detestable, despicable, angry, wrathful, hateful, and a killer.” In 2023, HinduPACT Executive Director Utsav Chakrabarti was caught filming protesters of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s U.S. visit, mirroring the intimidation tactics used by Chinese and Iranian operatives against dissidents abroad. The baseless accusations against IAMC follow a well-worn Hindu supremacist strategy: portraying Indian Muslims as having “dual loyalty” to Pakistan. This Islamophobic trope not only delegitimizes Indian Muslims as “real” Indians, but also fuels calls for their ethnic cleansing and genocide. IAMC categorically affirms that it is an independent American human rights organization with no ties to the government of Pakistan or any Pakistani groups. The organization receives no foreign funding; all of its support comes from American donors. Its credibility has been established through years of engagement with U.S. government institutions. IAMC has been cited in official reports, including those of the U.S. Department of State. Advocating for the rights of Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Dalits, and other marginalized groups is not “anti-Hindu” or “anti-India.” It is a defense of democracy, pluralism, and human rights. HinduPACT and VHPA’s attempts to dismiss this work as “anti-India” are a distraction from the very real oppression and violence unleashed by Hindu nationalist policies in India. IAMC calls on the U.S. Department of Justice and the FBI to investigate VHPA’s connections with the Indian government and its role in enabling transnational repression and disinformation campaigns against American citizens — actions that infringe on First Amendment freedoms and place diaspora communities at risk.

Weekly Roundup

IAMC Weekly India Human Rights Monitor (August 22, 2025)

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This Week at a Glance  India’s 79th Independence Day was overshadowed by Indian opposition parties producing what they say is extensive evidence that the BJP and Election Commission of India (ECI) systematically deleting minorities from voter rolls and manipulating elections. Authorities deported a pregnant woman to Bangladesh, separating her from her 4-year-old daughter, while anti-Muslim violence, including assaults, discriminatory school plays, and attacks on migrant workers were reported across the country. Courts acquitted Muslim men in flawed terror and riot cases, even as hate crimes and religious discrimination continue across multiple states. On the US front, IAMC hosted a Congressional Briefing featuring Congress Party spokesperson Pawan Khera and senior Supreme Court advocate Sanjay Hegde, who spoke on the shocking accusations of vote theft in Indian elections, as well as on the illegal deportations of Bengali-speaking Muslims from Assam.  Top Stories Image: PTI India’s Opposition Accuses BJP and ECI of “Organized Deletion” of Minority Voters, Election Manipulation At a U.S.-based Congressional briefing, India’s opposition Congress Party alleged that the ruling BJP is colluding with the Election Commission to carry out “organized deletion” of Muslims, Dalits, and other marginalized voters, effectively stealing votes and subverting Indian democracy. The accusations come amid the discovery of mass voter roll irregularities in Bihar and Karnataka, with Congress leaders warning that millions face disenfranchisement, loss of rights, and even citizenship due to such manipulations. Image: Shaheen Abdulla/ Maktoob Pregnant Indian Muslim Woman and Family Deported to Bangladesh, Separates Parents from 4-Year-Old Child Indian authorities deported two Muslim families to Bangladesh despite their claims of Indian citizenship. Eight-months pregnant Sunali Bibi, her husband, and her children were all deported – except for one 4-year-old daughter, who was left behind in West Bengal. Rights groups say the expulsions reflect a growing pattern of arbitrary detentions and deportations targeting Bengali-speaking Muslims.  India’s Independence Day Marred by Anti-Muslim Hate Crimes and Islamophobia On India’s 79th Independence Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised the Hindu militant group RSS for “100 years of service”, while BJP Chief Ministers Himanta Biswa Sarma and Pushkar Singh Dhami invoked tropes of “infiltrators,” “love jihad,” and “land jihad” in their speeches. Meanwhile, Muslims across the country faced humiliation and violence. In Uttarakhand, a Muslim railway worker was beaten and forced to chant Hindu slogans; in Gujarat, a school staged an Independence Day play depicting burqa-clad girls as terrorists; and in Surat, a Muslim migrant worker was brutally attacked and later denied urgent hospital admission.  Mumbai Mosque’s Shops Demolished Amid Claims of Political Pressure Authorities in Mumbai demolished 13 shops belonging to the Noor Elahi Mosque, despite local opposition and intervention from a lawmaker, with officials citing “pressure from above.” The trustees allege the demolition, carried out under heavy police presence, is part of a broader campaign to target Muslim-owned properties. Muslim Flood-Relief Efforts Branded as “Biryani Jihad” in Uttar Pradesh In Uttar Pradesh’s Farrukhabad, Hindu extremist groups labeled food aid by village head Mohammad Shami as “biryani jihad,” leading to arrests of his family members. Locals say the charges are politically motivated, targeting a leader known for aiding flood-hit communities. Hate crimes and discrimination in India This week, in Hyderabad, Hindu extremists staged a protest outside the 400-year-old Masjid-e-Hussaini, demanding the shutdown of the madrasa operating inside. In Madhya Pradesh’s Rewa, the historic Ghazi Miyan Shrine was vandalized. In Jharkhand, a Hindu man was caught impersonating a Muslim woman in a burqa during a Hindu event in Ranchi, allegedly to stoke discord. In Rajasthan’s Tonk, a Muslim medical intern was publicly asked to remove her hijab by a senior doctor, sparking outrage over religious discrimination in professional spaces. Resistance & Organizing Image: Meer Faisal Protest Organized in Mumbai in Solidarity with Gaza Around 250 citizens, political leaders, activists, and artists gathered in Mumbai’s Azad Maidan to condemn violence against Palestinians and advocate for humanitarian accountability. Organizers and speakers emphasized the importance of global solidarity, press freedom, and protection of civilians.  Image: Mohammad Shahamath/Maktoob Fatima Nafees Vows to Keep Fighting for Justice for Son Najeeb At a public meeting organized by JNUSU, Fatima Nafees, mother of missing JNU student Najeeb Ahmed, delivered a powerful address, pledging to continue her fight despite poor health. Eight years after Najeeb’s disappearance following an assault by Hindu extremists, she reaffirmed her commitment to challenge the closure report in court and urged students to carry the struggle forward. Kerala Student Activist Marks 100 Days in Jail, Support Rallies Grow Friends, family, and human rights advocates are calling for the release of 26-year-old Rejaz M. Sydeek, a student activist and independent journalist from Kerala, who has been at the forefront of documenting caste injustice and state repression. It has been over 100 days since he was arrested and charged under the draconian Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for making social media posts that criticized India’s Operation Sindoor.  Defender of the Week   This week, we’re spotlighting Talha Mannan, a PhD scholar and former student leader at the renowned Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), who was booked for raising pro-Palestine slogans during protests against fee hikes and in support of restoring the Students’ Union. Despite facing criminal charges, Mannan continues to embody the spirit of student resistance, standing for both marginalized voices on campus and global solidarity. Voices from the Ground  “The witchhunt and media trail of student leader Talha Mannan for raising slogans in support of Palestine shows the moral collapse of Indian society at large and especially how the law enforcement has become an instrument of political vendetta…Criminalizing solidarity while remaining silent on war crimes exposes the state’s complicity and its attack on free speech.”   – Afreen Fatima, Muslim student activist, researcher IAMC in Action IAMC and coalition partners held a Congressional Briefing on August 18th, during which Congress Party Spokesperson Pawan Khera accused the BJP and ECI of “organized deletion” of minorities from voter rolls, in what he called “[collusion] in subverting the elections of India.” Also speaking was senior Supreme Court advocate Sanjay Hegde, who slammed authorities in BJP-ruled Assam

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Press Release

BJP and Election Commission of India Colluding on “Organized Deletion” of Marginalized Voters, “Subverting the Elections of India”: Indian Opposition

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August 20, 2025 (Washington, DC) – India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is colluding with the Election Commission of India (ECI) to illegally manipulate voter rolls in a way that would keep minorities from threatening the BJP’s vote share, thereby “subverting the elections of India”, India’s main opposition party, the Congress, has said. “[If] I am a BJP candidate, I don’t want Muslim voters. I don’t want backward class voters and backward caste voters and… Dalit [voters],” Indian National Congress Party spokesperson Pawan Khera said at a virtual Congressional Briefing hosted today by a coalition of civil and human rights groups. “What is being done in Bihar… [and] in the rest of the country is organized deletion, legitimized by the Election Commission of India. [BJP candidates’ voter lists are] being purged by the Election Commission of India in collusion with the BJP.”  Khera was speaking days after opposition leader in Indian Parliament, Rahul Gandhi, alleged over 100,000 manipulated entries in the voter list for a single suburb of Bangalore city. Gandhi further alleged that, based on these and other irregularities in the ECI’s election data, the Congress Party had lost at least 48 seats in the 2024 general elections. “[This] evidence was taken from the Election Commission of India,” Khera said. “So we presented that data. The Election Commission responded by asking Mr. Gandhi to give an affidavit. How can the Election Commission not trust the papers supplied to us by the Election Commission?” “The Election Commission is absolutely cornered,” he continued. “The ruling party is cornered. The Chief Election Commissioner held a press conference … where not a single query of ours, not a single charge that we’ve leveled against them was responded to.” The allegations of vote theft were raised just weeks after the ECI carried out an unconstitutional directive, which mandated nearly 80 million voters in Bihar state to re-register by July 26 or risk being stripped of their right to vote and reported as “suspected foreign nationals.” The exercise places millions of people at risk of disenfranchisement, exclusion, and potential loss of citizenship and deportation.  Khera elaborated on this threat, saying, “It’s not just an attack on [citizens’] votes. It starts from there. It then goes on to your rights as a citizen to become beneficiaries of government schemes, ration, free ration, pensions, housing, and of course, later, citizenship also, your identity.”  He added, “If a ruling party… is so confident [as to say] ‘whether you vote for me or not, I’ll still win,’ then [they’re] not answerable anymore, [they’re] not accountable anymore, [they’re] not afraid anymore. That’s where we stand today.” Khera also condemned the arrest of dozens of opposition leaders who protested the ECI in Delhi, saying, “There was no reason to arrest them. They should have been allowed to march up to the Election Commission of India, give their representation. Why should the doors of the mighty Election Commission be shut to the very people’s representatives who are fighting for the rights of people to vote?” Echoing Rahul Gandhi’s recent warning to the BJP and its collaborators, Khera added, “When we come to power… we would owe it to our democracy, owe it to the people of India to take action against all those people who have colluded in subverting the elections of India.” The briefing was co-sponsored by the Indian American Muslim Council, Hindus for Human Rights, World Against Genocide, New York State Council of Churches, Genocide Watch, The Religious Nationalism Project, The Humanism Project (Australia), Diaspora in Action for Human Rights and Democracy, Center for Pluralism, and Association of Indian Muslims of America, Washington DC.

Op-Eds

RELIGION NEWS: An ethnic cleansing of Muslims is happening right now in India’s Assam state

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By Mohammed Jawad In India’s northeastern state of Assam, a brutal campaign of displacement is underway. Thousands of families, mostly Bengali-origin Muslims, have been stripped of their homes, their communities and their place in the only country they have ever known. Yet, the dire humanitarian crisis has barely received attention beyond India’s borders. Since early June, the state government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party has forcibly evicted nearly 6,000 Bengali-origin Muslim families, displacing men, women and children. Bulldozers have flattened homes, mosques and small businesses. Entire neighborhoods have been reduced to rubble, leaving tens of thousands homeless and huddled under tarpaulin sheets in the monsoon rains. On July 17, during an eviction drive, local police opened fire on protesters, killing a 19-year-old Muslim youth and injuring several others. These evictions and demolitions violate both Indian and international human rights law. They are creating a new class of internally displaced people who are stateless in practice if not yet in law within India’s borders. These evictions and demolitions serve two purposes: to punish a minority population and to send a message, broadcast through social media and news footage of shattered homes and families sleeping under open skies, that Bengali Muslims in Assam can never be secure, no matter how many generations they’ve lived there. Read More >>

Indian Minorities
Weekly Roundup

IAMC Weekly India Human Rights Monitor (August 15, 2025)

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This Week at a Glance  This week, opposition leaders accused the Election Commission of India (ECI) of enabling vote theft in the 2024 general election, leading the Supreme Court to order the ECI to explain why 650 thousand names were deleted off the voter roll in Bihar. Bengali-speaking Muslims in Assam continue to have their homes and families attacked by Hindu supremacists. A wrongfully deported Muslim teen returned from Bangladesh after weeks in detention; Hindu supremacists lynched two Muslim men to death in Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra; and civic officials have called for closure of meat shops on Independence Day. On the US front, IAMC released an Action Alert calling on people to contact their elected officials and make it known that Indian Americans are against the ethnic cleansing of Bengali-speaking Muslims in Assam. We are standing in solidarity with the Sikh community following a horrific attack on 70-year-old Harpal Singh in North Hollywood, California. And we’re commemorating Indian Independence Day by reminding everyone that Indian Muslims are proud of who we are, no matter where we are in the world.  Top Stories 1. Election Commission of India Accused of Vote Theft in 2024 Elections Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has accused the Election Commission of India (ECI) of enabling large-scale voter list manipulation to help the ruling BJP “steal” the 2024 general elections, citing over 100,000 fake or invalid entries in a single Karnataka constituency. Hundreds of opposition party members marched in protest against the ECI in Delhi, and dozens were arrested.  Image: ANI 2. Supreme Court Orders ECI to Explain Deletion of 650k Voters in Bihar  In a shocking move just days after Gandhi’s accusations of vote theft, India’s top court has directed the ECI to publish a list of 6.5 million electors excluded from Bihar’s draft voter roll, along with specific reasons for each removal. The order, which includes public display of names both online and offline, follows growing concerns over the ECI’s alleged partiality towards the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). 3. Muslim Men Lynched to Death in Mob Attacks in Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra A Muslim truck driver in Uttar Pradesh’s Shahjahanpur was beaten to death by Hindu pilgrims over false suspicions of carrying cattle remains. In Maharashtra’s Jamner, 21-year-old Suleman Rahim Khan was abducted by a Hindu mob after being accused of “love jihad.” The extremists tortured Khan across multiple locations, and dumped his lifeless body outside his family home. 4. Muslim Properties Targeted in Assam Following Complaints by Ethno-Nationalists Muslims continue to be targeted across BJP-ruled Assam. In Tinsukia, officials razed a madrasa and the boundary wall of a mosque after the nationalist group Bir Lachit Sena claimed they were illegally built. In Jorhat, municipal authorities demolished legally leased properties of a Muslim contractor in June, after the Sena’s leader falsely accused him of being a Bangladeshi immigrant.  5. Wrongfully Deported Indian Muslim Teen Returns from Bangladesh As nationwide anti-Bangladeshi sentiment spikes, fifteen-year-old Amir Sheikh from West Bengal was detained in Rajasthan, held without charge, and reportedly pushed across the border by Indian authorities in June. He spent over a month in detention in Bangladesh before being released. His family accuses police and the Border Security Force of targeting Bengali-speaking migrants under a wider anti-immigration campaign in BJP-ruled states. Image: Maktoob 6. Hate crimes and discrimination in India This week, multiple cities ordered meat shops and slaughterhouses shut on Independence Day, sparking outrage. In Karnataka, BJP lawmaker Basanagouda Patil Yatnal announced a cash reward scheme for Hindu men marrying Muslim women, while in Uttar Pradesh, controversial officer Anuj Chaudhary, criticized for anti-Muslim actions, was promoted to Additional Superintendent of Police. In Thane, Muslim leaders protested politically motivated calls to remove mosque loudspeakers, and in Chhattisgarh’s Kanker district, a mob assaulted 36 members of eight Christian families after Sunday prayers. Resistance & Organizing “You Are Never Alone”: Umar Khalid’s Fifth Birthday in Prison Met with Wave of Solidarity Prisoner of Conscience and human rights defender Umar Khalid turned 38 this week, marking his fifth birthday behind bars following his wrongful arrest under India’s draconian anti-terror laws. From Arundhati Roy to Swara Bhasker and Prakash Raj, public figures and supporters flooded social media with messages hailing his courage and resilience, vowing to continue the fight for his release. Civil society groups joined in, reaffirming Khalid’s place as a symbol of hope and resistance. Assam Women’s Forum to Challenge Government’s Arms Licence Policy Assam’s Nari Nagarik Manch launched a campaign against Hindu supremacist Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s plan to arm “indigenous” residents in Muslim-majority districts. The women’s collective warns the move will “undo decades of peace-building,” escalate communal tensions, and fuel gender-based violence. The group plans to petition top authorities and, if necessary, file a court case to stop the policy. Defender of the Week   Image: Adnan Abidi / Reuters This week, we’re spotlighting the hundreds of Indian opposition leaders who held a protest march in Delhi against the Election Commission of India, demanding that the body release voter data for an independent audit. Several opposition leaders attempted to cross police barricades, as seen above, and dozens were arrested.  Voices from the Ground  “This fight is not political but for saving the constitution. The truth is before the entire country.” – Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi, in a quote given to reporters before being detained for protesting the ECI IAMC in Action In response to the Assam government’s ruthless campaign of demolitions and forced evictions targeting Bengali-origin Muslims, IAMC is calling on our base to contact your representatives and tell them to take a stand against this campaign of ethnic cleansing. Take action here.  IAMC is appalled and saddened by the horrific attack on a Sikh elder, 70-year-old Harpal Singh, in California. We stand by our Sikh friends and allies in calling on authorities to investigate hate as a potential motive in this crime. Read our statement of solidarity here.  We’ve released new articles for the Indian Muslim Story on Akbar, the Mughal king known

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Press Release

Indian American Muslim Council Statement on India’s 79th Independence Day

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Washington, D.C., August 15, 2025 —The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) extends heartfelt congratulations to all Indians, at home and abroad, on the 79th anniversary of India’s independence. Today, we honor the vision, courage, and sacrifice of our freedom fighters, who dreamed of a sovereign nation rooted in justice, equality, and pluralism. However, as we celebrate this historic day, we must also reflect on the state of our democracy. Over the last 11 years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s authoritarian rule has weakened the very pillars of our republic.  Religious minorities face relentless persecution, the free press is under attack, civil society is harassed, and dissent is met with repression. Bulldozer demolitions of Muslim homes and livelihoods, often carried out without due process, have become tools of collective punishment. In Assam, the ongoing displacement of tens of thousands of Bengali-origin Muslim families is a humanitarian tragedy that shames the principles of our Constitution. These actions mirror the injustices our forefathers fought against during colonial rule. “Our independence was not won to exchange one form of oppression for another. This Independence Day must be a call to action, a reminder that India needs a new freedom struggle, one to liberate itself from the chains of authoritarianism, hate, and religious persecution,” said IAMC President Mohammed Jawad. IAMC stands united with all Indians committed to restoring democracy, safeguarding human rights, and building a future worthy of the sacrifices that gave birth to our nation.

Weekly Roundup

IAMC Weekly India Human Rights Monitor (August 8, 2025)

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This Week at a Glance  A disturbing new report revealed a sharp rise in hate speech and violence against Bengali-speaking Muslims in Assam as the state moves to drop citizenship cases against non-Muslim groups under the Citizenship Amendment Act. Another newly-released report documents 334 anti-Christian incidents in just six months. Across India, hate crimes against Muslims continue unabated, from police brutality in Bihar to communal provocations in West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh. In Karnataka, a Hindu supremacist leader has been arrested for reportedly poisoning schoolchildren to target a Muslim headmaster, while in Kashmir, the government has banned books by prominent authors, raising fresh alarms over censorship. Meanwhile, the propaganda film The Kerala Story won national awards despite scathing criticism for its anti-Muslim content and disinformation. On the US front, IAMC released a statement condemning the ongoing humanitarian crisis and mass displacement of Bengali-origin Muslims in Assam. We also released multiple new articles on the Indian Muslim story, courtesy of our talented interns.  Top Stories 1. Escalating Hate Against Bengali-Speaking Muslims in Assam  A new report by Washington-based research group India Hate Lab reveals a troubling surge in hate speech, harassment, and violence against Bengali-speaking Muslims in Assam, directly implicating Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma in legitimizing the campaign. The report documents 18 hate-filled rallies and nine violent incidents in July alone, many glorifying evictions and state-led demolitions targeting Muslim communities. 2. Assam to Drop Citizenship Cases Against Non-Muslims Citing Controversial CAA In a blatant invocation of the discriminatory Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-ruled Assam government has ordered the withdrawal of Foreigners Tribunal cases against Hindus, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, and Parsis who entered India before December 31, 2014. Critics say the move institutionalises religious discrimination, as Muslims – excluded from the CAA – continue to face prosecution and exclusion under the same tribunals. 3. Hindu Extremist Leader Arrested for Poisoning Schoolchildren to Oust Muslim Headmaster Police in Karnataka’s Belagavi arrested a local leader of the Hindu nationalist group Sri Ram Sene for allegedly orchestrating the poisoning of a school water tank to target a Muslim headmaster. At least 11 children fell ill after ingesting the pesticide-laced water, in what authorities say was a deliberate attempt to get the headmaster transferred. 4. Hindu Extremist Propaganda Film ‘The Kerala Story’ Wins National Awards The Kerala Story, a film widely condemned for spreading Islamophobic conspiracy theories, has won Best Director and Best Cinematographer at the 2023 National Film Awards. Critics, including Kerala’s Chief Minister and senior opposition leaders, slammed the decision for legitimising Hindu supremacist propaganda and fueling communal hatred under the guise of cinema. 5. Jammu & Kashmir Government Bans Books by Prominent Authors The Jammu and Kashmir administration has banned 25 books, alleging they promote secessionism and glorify terrorism, in a move that critics say targets dissent. Among the banned titles are works by some of India’s most respected intellectuals and authors, including Arundhati Roy, A.G. Noorani, and Sumantra Bose, raising alarm over deepening censorship. 6. 334 Anti-Christian Incidents Documented in India in First Half of 2025: Report A new report by the Evangelical Fellowship of India’s Religious Liberty Commission has recorded 334 verified cases of systematic targeting of Christians across 22 Indian states from January to July 2025. Over half of the incidents occurred in BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, with widespread reports of violence, jailings, forced conversions and denial of burial rights. 7. Hate crimes and discrimination in India This week, in Bihar, 20-year-old Faiz Anwar died in police custody under suspicious circumstances, with his family alleging custodial torture. In Pune, Hindu extremists planted a saffron flag atop a mosque, triggering communal unrest. Muslim cattle traders in West Bengal were tied up and humiliated by BJP members despite having valid documents. In Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, Muslim men were assaulted over false “love jihad” and beef-selling allegations, while Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath linked the buying of foreign products to terrorism and conversions. Resistance & Organizing Image: Maktoob JNU Students Mark 2,015 Days of Sharjeel Imam’s Incarceration  At Jawaharlal Nehru University, students, activists, and scholars gathered to mark over 2,000 days since the arrest of Muslim scholar Sharjeel Imam. Through powerful speeches and discussions, participants condemned the use of draconian laws like UAPA to silence dissent and called on the student community to resist marginalization and remember that, in the words of one speaker, “Sab ayenge” — they will all return. Image: Fathima Salwa/ Maktoob Bengaluru Collective Urges Lawmakers to Act Against Companies Aiding Israeli Arms Industry In an act of solidarity with Palestine, Bengaluru for Justice and Peace has written to members of Parliament, demanding action against nine Bengaluru-based firms tied to Israel’s top arms manufacturers. The letter calls for an arms embargo and warns that India’s legacy of anti-colonial solidarity is being betrayed by complicity in Israel’s ongoing war on Gaza. Defender of the Week This week we’re spotlighting Kerala-based human rights activist Baburaj Bhagavathy following the suspension of his Facebook account, reportedly at the request of Kerala Law Enforcement. A co-founder of the Islamophobia Research Collective and co-author of Islamophobia Padanangal, Bhagavathy has played a pivotal role in documenting anti-Muslim hate and state repression in Kerala through his writings in Maruvakku magazine and the widely circulated Kerala Islamophobia Report 2024. Voices from the Ground  “These Hindus are Indians but do not have papers to qualify for NRC, like Muslims. They never say that they are from Bangladesh or Pakistan, but the government wants to use CAA to give relief to them. And go on prosecuting Muslims.”    Professor Apoorvanand IAMC in Action In response to the Assam government’s ruthless campaign of demolitions and forced evictions targeting Bengali-origin Muslims, IAMC issued a strong condemnation. Read the full statement here. We’ve released new articles for the Indian Muslim story on Razia Sultana, Mumtaz Mahal, and Shah Jahan. All articles were written by our talented interns.  We’re continuing to catalogue daily hate crimes against Muslims and other minorities in India

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Press Release

IAMC expresses concern over reports of widespread voter fraud in 2024 Indian Elections; calls for audit of ECI data

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Media Inquires: Safa Ahmed, media.info@iamc.com  Washington D.C., (August 13, 2025) — The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) today expressed deep concern over reports of vote theft against the Election Commission of India (ECI) by leaders of the opposition Congress Party, citing what they say is evidence of “widespread voter manipulation” in favor of the ruling far-right Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) during the 2024 general elections.  According to the BBC, opposition leader Rahul Gandhi alleged over 100,000 manipulated entries in the voter list for a single suburb of Bangalore city, “including duplicate voters, invalid addresses, and bulk registrations of votes at single locations”. Gandhi further alleged that, based on these and other irregularities in the ECI’s election data, the Congress Party had lost at least 48 seats in the election. “The scale and severity of these allegations strike at the very heart of India’s democracy. The Election Commission’s partisan conduct and failure to act on documented evidence of voter suppression, intimidation, and manipulation raises grave questions about its credibility. India’s citizens deserve answers,” said IAMC President Mohammed Jawad. “We call for a judicial, Supreme Court–monitored, and time-bound probe into these allegations, as well as a transparent audit of the Election Commission’s data. Anything less will be a betrayal of the democratic values India claims to uphold.” The allegations of vote theft were raised just weeks after the ECI carried out an unconstitutional directive, which mandated nearly 80 million voters in Bihar state to re-register by July 26 or risk being stripped of their right to vote and reported as “suspected foreign nationals.” The exercise places millions of people at risk of disenfranchisement, exclusion, and potential loss of citizenship and deportation.  Accusations of interference and voter suppression in BJP-ruled states were also widespread throughout the election in 2024, with Muslim voters in particular reporting being deleted off voter rolls, intimidated by BJP candidates when casting their votes, and even being threatened at gunpoint and beaten by police officers at or en route to polling stations. BJP candidates and elected officials alike, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself, regularly broke Indian law by engaging in hate speeches targeting Muslims and Christian minorities. In all cases, the ECI did nothing to intervene or hold perpetrators accountable. 

Weekly Roundup

IAMC Weekly India Human Rights Monitor (August 1, 2025)

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This Week at a Glance  This week, the Election Commission of India Over 2,000 Bengali-origin Muslim families were targeted in mass evictions in Assam, while a special court acquitted all Hindu supremacists accused in a terrorist attack – the 2008 Malegaon blasts – including BJP lawmaker Pragya Thakur. A Muslim student was lynched in Uttar Pradesh, another was killed in a suspected fake encounter in Jammu, and a disabled man’s postmortem confirmed brutal lynching injuries in Mangaluru. Christians, too, reported growing attacks and police apathy. Amid all this, jailed activist Sharjeel Imam announced his bid to contest elections from prison. On the US front, IAMC won a massive victory after our outreach pushed Rhode Island Lieutenant Governor Sabina Matos to condemn the inflammatory and Islamophobic rhetoric of Indian Hindu supremacist leader Kajal Hindustani. Top Stories 1. All Accused Including Hindu Extremist BJP Leader Acquitted in 2008 Blast Case A special court acquitted all seven accused in the 2008 Malegaon bombings, including Hindu extremist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lawmaker Pragya Singh Thakur, citing lack of cogent evidence after a 17-year-long trial. The blasts, which killed six and injured over 100 during Ramadan in a Muslim locality, were initially investigated as a Hindutva terror conspiracy. Image: Maktoob Media 2. India’s Voter Roll Review in Bihar Sparks Fears of Mass Disenfranchisement A government effort to verify voters in Bihar is forcing millions, mostly poor, Muslim, and landless citizens, to prove their citizenship or risk losing the right to vote. Rights groups say the process mirrors a previous citizenship drive in Assam that left nearly two million people stateless. Image: Maktoob Media 3. Assam Targets Over 2,000 Bengali Muslim Families in Massive Eviction Drive The Assam government has launched a mass eviction drive in Golaghat district, targeting over 2,000 Bengali-origin Muslim families to clear 4,900 acres of land. Framed by officials as an anti-encroachment effort, the move is part of a series of recent evictions across Assam that have displaced thousands, drawing criticism for disproportionately targeting Muslims. Image: Maktoob Media 4. Bengali-Speaking Muslim Migrants Flee Gurugram Amid Police Crackdown  Thousands of Bengali-speaking migrants, mostly Muslims from Assam and West Bengal, are fleeing Gurugram as police intensify a sweeping crackdown, accusing them of being “illegal Bangladeshi nationals.” Meanwhile in Pune, Maharashtra, a mob of Hindu extremists stormed the home of a Muslim family accusing them of being “Bangladeshis” despite the fact that the family included two Indian Army veterans. 5. Two Young Muslim Men Killed in Separate Incidents in India A 21-year-old Muslim man, Mohammad Parvez, was shot dead by police in Jammu during a raid his family alleges was a fake encounter. In another incident, 17-year-old Arish Khan was beaten to death with rods outside his school in Uttar Pradesh, with videos showing supporters of the accused celebrating the killing. 6. Hate crimes and discrimination in India This week, in Mangaluru, the postmortem report of Ashraf, a mentally disabled Muslim man lynched by a Hindutva mob, revealed over 35 external injuries that cumulatively caused his death. In Uttar Pradesh’s Balrampur, officials demolished the home of a Muslim man’s relative linked to an alleged conversion case. Just days ago in Kamrup, Assamese residents attacked Bengali-speaking Muslim workers, declaring that no “Miya” — a slur for Muslims of Bengali origin — would be allowed to live in the city. The Catholic Bishops Conference of India has warned of escalating violence against Christians following a BJP lawmaker’s call for attacks on priests and the recent arrest of two Catholic nuns in Chhattisgarh. Resistance & Organizing Image: Renan Khan Prisoner of Conscience Sharjeel Imam to Contest Bihar Elections from Jail Sharjeel Imam, a Muslim activist and scholar jailed since 2020 over his role in the protesting against a discriminatory and anti-Muslim citizenship law, has announced his intention to contest the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections as an independent candidate. Imam, widely credited as the architect of the iconic Shaheen Bagh sit-in, remains incarcerated under draconian anti-terror laws despite securing bail in most related cases. Image: Observer Post Delhi Workshop Trains Young Journalists to Build Stronger Alternative Media In a bid to empower emerging voices, the Cogito Media Foundation hosted a national workshop in Delhi, training dozens of young journalists in ethical, independent digital media practices. Held in collaboration with Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind and the All India Muslim Development Council, the event featured experts from The Quint, Al Jazeera, and Times Group on skills like fact-checking, video editing, and AI in journalism.  Defender of the Week This week marks five years since Delhi University professor and anti-caste academic Dr. Hany Babu was jailed under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in the Bhima Koregaon case. A vocal advocate for Dalit and Adivasi rights, Babu has been imprisoned without trial, accused of inciting violence and Maoist links—allegations rooted in contested digital evidence. Despite his deteriorating health and multiple bail attempts, he remains in Navi Mumbai’s Taloja Jail, even as several co-accused have been granted bail.  Voices from the Ground  “I have witnessed so many people getting acquitted after a long period of incarceration, sometimes after close to a decade or sometimes even more. Hapless prisoners spending months or even years in prison even after being granted bail as they are unable to meet the bail conditions.” Dr. Hany Babu, prisoner of conscience  IAMC in Action IAMC won a massive victory after our outreach pushed Rhode Island Lieutenant Governor Sabina Matos to condemn the inflammatory and Islamophobic rhetoric of Indian Hindu supremacist leader Kajal Hindustani, after initially issuing a ceremonial citation recognizing Hindustani. You can read our statement on the issue here.  We’re continuing to catalogue daily hate crimes against Muslims and other minorities in India on our social media. Follow us on X and Instagram to keep up to date on the situation.  What to Watch Next Week Our friends at Sikh Coalition are holding a teach-in on August 7 titled “Challenging the Darkness: A Teach-In on the Life and Legacy of Bhai Jaswant Singh Khalra,” which will discuss issues of human

Press Release

Rhode Island Lt. Governor Condemns Kajal Hindustani’s Islamophobia and Bigotry, Launches Internal Review of Citation Process

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Media contact: Safa Ahmed, media.info@iamc.com Washington DC, (July 28, 2025) — In response to a letter from a coalition of 13 civil rights and interfaith organizations, Rhode Island Lieutenant Governor Sabina Matos has issued a strong condemnation of the inflammatory and Islamophobic rhetoric of Indian Hindu supremacist leader Kajal Hindustani. On July 21, the Lieutenant Governor’s office issued a ceremonial citation recognizing Hindustani at the request of the Foundation of Indian Americans of New England (FIA-NE), a Hindu nationalist group. FIA-NE falsely portrayed Hindustani as an advocate for women’s rights, concealing her documented history of hate speech and calls for violence against religious minorities. In a written response to the Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), the Lt. Governor’s office stated that it was unaware of Hindustani’s public record at the time the citation was issued.  “The Office of the Lieutenant Governor regularly provides ceremonial citations to community organizations upon request. These citations are symbolic acknowledgments, often recognizing cultural celebrations, local accomplishments, or community service. They carry no legal or official weight and do not constitute an endorsement by the Lieutenant Governor or the State of Rhode Island. To my knowledge, we have never declined to provide a citation on request. In this case, the Foundation of Indian Americans of New England (FIA-NE) requested several citations ahead of their Indian Independence Day events. Among them was a citation for Kajal Hindustani (AKA Kajal Singhala), described in the request as an advocate they wanted to recognize for service to abused and assaulted women. The citation was prepared accordingly, as part of a batch of ceremonial materials issued this month,” the Lt. Governor’s office explained.   “We were not aware of Ms. Hindustani’s public statements or affiliations at the time the citation was issued. In light of the concerns raised, and having reviewed credible reporting about her inflammatory and discriminatory rhetoric, we unequivocally condemn the bigotry and Islamophobia she has expressed. The Lieutenant Governor stands firmly against all forms of bigotry and discrimination, including religious intolerance, and condemns in the strongest possible terms Ms. Hindustani’s hateful rhetoric,” the office added. The office also expressed regret for the confusion and concern caused by the citation and confirmed that it is currently reviewing its internal processes for issuing such ceremonial acknowledgments. The coalition had earlier called on the Lieutenant Governor’s office to rescind the citation, publicly disavow Hindustani’s hateful ideology, and commit to greater awareness of the rising Hindu supremacist movement in the diaspora.

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Press Release

Civil Rights and Interfaith Groups Urge Rhode Island Lt. Governor to Rescind Recognition of Hindu Supremacist Leader Kajal Hindustani

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Washington, DC (July 28, 2025) – A coalition of 13 civil rights and interfaith organizations has sent a letter to Rhode Island Lieutenant Governor Sabina Matos urging her office to rescind a certificate of recognition issued to Indian Hindu supremacist figure Kajal Hindustani. The certificate, issued on July 21, praises Hindustani for her purported work in “advancing public awareness, protecting women, standing against injustice,” and promoting “social harmony.” These statements are in stark contradiction to Hindustani’s well-documented public record, which includes a pattern of hate speech and inflammatory rhetoric in targeting religious minorities. In India, Hindustani has been charged for inciting violence at Hindu nationalist rallies. In the United States, her appearances have sparked concern and condemnation from civil rights and interfaith groups. During a July 2025 event in New York City, she made remarks that, according to reporting by The Gothamist, included a call for Indian American Hindus to vote against New York State Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani, a mayoral candidate. As a foreign national, her public electioneering constitutes a violation of federal election law, which prohibits non-citizens from participating in any political activity involving U.S. elections. Even more disturbingly, Hindustani’s remarks suggested a call for Mamdani’s assassination, labeling him a “demon” and declaring that “demons should not be alive.” In response to her scheduled appearance at that same event, New York City Mayor Eric Adams had earlier withdrawn his participation. In other instances, such as a Dallas gathering, Hindustani has called for the economic boycott of Muslims, prompting formal complaints to local law enforcement from community leaders. The coalition is calling on Lieutenant Governor Matos to immediately revoke the certificate of recognition issued to Kajal Hindustani and publicly announce this decision. They are also urging her to denounce Hindustani’s record of hate speech and affirm that such extremist ideologies have no place in Rhode Island. The groups are asking the Lt. Governor’s office to issue an apology to Rhode Island’s Indian Muslim, Christian, Sikh, and Dalit communities for this serious lapse in judgment, and to commit to training on Hindu supremacy and its growing presence in the U.S. diaspora. Here is the full letter.   [pdf-embedder url="http://test.iamc.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Letter-to-Lieutenant-Governor-Sabina-Matoss-Office.pdf" title="Letter to Lieutenant Governor Sabina Matos's Office"] Click Here to Download

Op-Eds

THE DIPLOMAT: The US Must Treat India’s Transnational Repression as a National Security Threat

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By Rasheed Ahmed Russia, China, and North Korea have faced extensive scrutiny for attempting to control critics on U.S. soil. It’s time India faced consequences for engaging in the same oppressive behavior. In November 2023, U.S. federal prosecutors in New York announced a stunning allegation that agents tied to the Indian government had conspired to assassinate a Sikh activist on American soil. This followed the June killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada, an assassination Canadian intelligence has directly linked to India. These were not rogue operations but part of a broader, disturbing trend of the Indian government exporting its repression of dissent to democracies abroad, including the United States. A new report by the Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) reveals just how extensive this campaign has become. India’s ruling Hindu nationalist government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is using its diplomatic corps, intelligence services, and diaspora-linked proxies to surveil, intimidate, and silence U.S. citizens and residents who dare to criticize the Modi government’s policies or advocate for the rights of religious minorities in the homeland. Read More >> Image: Depositphotos

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Press Release

IAMC Urges Rhode Island Lt. Gov. to Rescind Recognition of Hindu Supremacist Leader Kajal Hindustani

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Press Contact: Safa Ahmed, media.info@iamc.com WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 25, 2025) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) expresses grave concern over the issuance of an official certificate of recognition from the Office of Rhode Island Lieutenant Governor Sabina Matos to Kajal Hindustani, a known Hindu supremacist figure with a documented record of hate speech and calls for violence against Muslims and Christians.   This public honor, granted by a U.S. elected official, marks a deeply troubling moment for Indian American and South-Asian communities across the country. Kajal Hindustani, also known as Kajal Shingala, has amassed a record of extreme rhetoric, including open calls for religious violence, social and economic boycotts of Muslims and Christians, and conspiratorial hate narratives. Her speeches have drawn condemnation from Indian civil society and international human rights groups and have led to criminal charges for incitement in India. “It is appalling that a U.S. office would extend recognition to someone with a known track record of hate speech and extremist propaganda,” said IAMC President Mohammed Jawad. “Recognitions from public offices carry symbolic power. When used carelessly, they risk legitimizing hate and undermining the safety of the very constituents the office of lieutenant governor is meant to protect,” Jawad added.  Kajal Hindustani’s public record is well-documented by prominent media outlets and research groups. In India, she has been booked for inciting violence at Hindu nationalist rallies. In the United States, her appearances have prompted backlash from interfaith and civil rights groups. Recently, New York City Mayor Eric Adams canceled his appearance at an event after learning he would share the stage with Hindustani. In Dallas, she advocated an economic boycott of Muslims, prompting community leaders to file a complaint with law enforcement. IAMC calls on the Lieutenant Governor’s office to immediately rescind this certificate of recognition and issue a public statement distancing itself from the hate speech and supremacist ideology that Kajal Hindustani promotes. IAMC further urges elected officials across the country to exercise greater due diligence before extending honors to individuals whose supremacist ideologies contradict the values of human rights, religious freedom, and justice.

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Press Release

IAMC condemns Indian government’s move placing millions at risk of disenfranchisement in backdoor route to implement NRC  

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WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 22, 2025) — The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) today strongly condemned the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) inhumane and deeply troubling directive, which raises serious legal and constitutional concerns. The ECI has mandated nearly 80 million voters in Bihar state to re-register by July 26 or risk being stripped of their right to vote and reported as “suspected foreign nationals.” The move is part of the ECI’s “Special Intensive Revision” (SIR) of electoral rolls in election-bound Bihar. The ECI has listed 11 acceptable documents for submission, ranging from birth certificates to passports, but has notably excluded Aadhaar, India’s national ID. The exercise places millions of people at risk of disenfranchisement, exclusion and potential loss of citizenship and deportation, in what critics have slammed as a “backdoor route” to implement the similarly draconian National Register of Citizens (NRC). The NRC, which requires individuals to provide decades-old documentation to prove citizenship, disproportionately impacts India’s poor and marginalized. It is often paired with the explicitly discriminatory Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), which excludes Muslims and is widely seen as an effort to render them stateless. “This sudden and draconian move by the ECI is a clear and dangerous attempt to disenfranchise millions in India’s poorest state, and to particularly target Muslims in a sinister callback to the goals of the CAA-NRC. This is state-sponsored discrimination disguised as electoral reform, and it must be unequivocally condemned,” said IAMC President Mohammad Jawad.  IAMC calls on the Indian government and the Supreme Court to immediately halt this draconian move by the ECI, which is a brazen attempt to strip citizens of their voting rights. IAMC also calls on the United States government and international community to publicly condemn this, hold the Indian government accountable for its escalating human rights violations, and demand protections for India’s Christian and Muslim minorities and other marginalized communities. 

Weekly Roundup

IAMC Weekly India Human Rights Monitor (July 20, 2025)

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This Week at a Glance  This week, Assam police killed two Muslim men during an eviction drive, while 444 migrant workers were detained in Odisha. In New York, Mayor Adams pulled out of an event with Hindu nationalist Kajal Shingala. The UCC condemned violence against minorities in India, and an Australian study revealed links between diaspora Hindu groups and India’s far-right. India also deployed 20,000 more troops to Kashmir and revised textbooks to demonize Muslim rulers and promote Hindu texts. On the US front, IAMC held a Congressional Briefing featuring two representatives from the United Nations on Capitol Hill, gathered key civil society and interfaith groups in North Carolina to condemn hate speaker Kajal Singhala’s visit to North Carolina in an open letter, and signed off on a statement slamming NYC Mayor Eric Adams for accepting an invitation to join an event with Singhala in New York. Top Stories United Church of Christ Passes Unanimous Resolution Condemning Violence Against Minorities in India In a powerful expression of solidarity, the Thirty-Fifth General Synod of the United Church of Christ (UCC), representing thousands of churches, has passed a landmark resolution condemning the escalating violence and persecution faced by religious minorities in India. The resolution highlights growing concerns over the deteriorating conditions for India’s Christians, Muslims, and indigenous groups. UN Special Rapporteurs, Freedom House, USCIRF Call on US to Designate India as Country of Particular Concern Senior officials from the United Nations and United States, along with leading human rights experts, urged the US government to designate India as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) over serious and ongoing violations of human rights and religious freedoms. The call was made during a Congressional Briefing on Capitol Hill on Thursday, July 17, attended by over 100 congressional staffers. Australia Study Exposes Hidden Network of Diasporic Hindu Far-Right A new study finds that diaspora groups in Australia such as the Vishwa Hindu Parishad of Australia and Hindu Council of Australia, are linked to India’s Hindu nationalist network, led by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. While presenting themselves as cultural and community organisations, they quietly support the global spread of Hindutva, raising concerns over public funding and unchecked far-right influence in liberal democracies. Two Muslims Killed as Police Open Fire During Assam Eviction Drive Two Muslim men were killed and several others injured after police opened fire during a violent eviction drive in Assam’s Goalpara district. The clash broke out as authorities attempted to clear over 140 hectares of land in the Paikan Reserve Forest, displacing long-settled Bengali-origin Muslim families. At least five eviction drives across four Assam districts in the past month have displaced nearly 3,500 families. (Indian Army/ Meta) India to Deploy 20,000 More Military Troops to Kashmir The Indian government has approved the deployment of over 20,000 additional Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel in Jammu and Kashmir, authorizing the creation of 20 new battalions, citing counterterror needs. The move raises concerns as Kashmir remains the most heavily militarized zone in the world, with estimates ranging from 500,000 to 700,000 Indian troops stationed in the region. Textbook Revision Demonizes Muslim Emperors, Adds Hindu Epics to Curriculum A newly revised textbook by India’s federal education agency inaccurately paints the Delhi Sultanate and Mughal era as periods of “religious intolerance,” describing Babur as “brutal” and Aurangzeb as a destroyer of temples and gurdwaras. Additionally, the Uttarakhand government has introduced Hindu religious scriptures like the Bhagavad Gita and Ramayana into the school curriculum, signalling a major ideological shift in education. Hate crimes and discrimination in India This week, an investigation revealed how cow protection groups in Uttar Pradesh and Haryana violently attack mostly Muslim truck drivers, often with apparent police complicity and political backing. In Chhattisgarh, nine Muslim migrant workers from Bengal were detained without explanation and opposition leaders have called it a case of “state-sponsored kidnapping.” In Maharashtra, hundreds of churches in tribal areas face demolition after being deemed “unauthorised,” while in Bihar, a journalist, Ajit Anjum, was booked for reporting on electoral irregularities, highlighting growing threats to press freedom. Resistance & Organizing (Office of the Mayor) NYC Mayor Withdraws from Event Featuring Hindu Nationalist Orator After facing pressure from American civil society groups – including IAMC, Hindus for Human Rights, Sikh Coalition, and several others – New York City Mayor Eric Adams pulled out of an event honoring Kajal Shingala, a far-right Hindu activist known for anti-Muslim hate speech. Shingala, who is touring the U.S., has advocated violence and economic boycotts against Muslims, raising alarm among interfaith and civil rights groups. Muslim Women Lead Mass Protest Against Waqf Amendment in Kerala Muslim women’s groups under the All India Muslim Personal Law Board held a large rally in Ernakulam demanding repeal of the Waqf Amendment Act, calling it a threat to minority rights and constitutional autonomy. Lawmaker Iqra Hasan warned the law hands sweeping powers to the central government, undermining community-run welfare systems and setting a dangerous precedent. Families of Mumbai Train Blast Accused Speak Out on 19th Anniversary At an event titled “Behind Bars and Beyond” in Mumbai, families of the men convicted in the 2006 train blasts shared their ongoing struggles, maintaining their loved ones were wrongfully imprisoned after a biased investigation. Organized by the Innocence Network, the gathering honoured both the victims of the blasts and the lives upended by what advocates say is a deeply flawed and communal prosecution. Pro-Palestine Protest Targets McDonald’s in Delhi Indian People in Solidarity with Palestine (IPSP) held a protest outside McDonald’s in Delhi as part of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) campaign, accusing the chain of supporting the Israeli military. Protesters distributed pamphlets, displayed artworks, and called on Indians to reject companies complicit in the Gaza genocide. Defender of the Week   This week, we’re spotlighting Father Stan Swamy (1937–2021) on the fourth anniversary of his death in custody. Father Stan Swamy was a Jesuit priest and tribal rights activist who for decades, stood with India’s most marginalized—Dalits, Adivasis, and the incarcerated—until his arrest

Press Release

UN Special Rapporteurs, Freedom House, USCIRF Call on US to Designate India as Country of Particular Concern

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Washington, D.C. (July 17, 2025) — Senior officials from the United Nations and United States, along with leading human rights experts, urged the US government to designate India as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) over serious and ongoing violations of human rights and religious freedoms. The call was made during a Congressional Briefing on Capitol Hill on Thursday, July 17, attended by over 100 congressional staffers. Speakers included Professor Nicolas Levrat, UN Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues; Ed O’Donovan, Senior Adviser to the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders; Dr. Asif Mahmood, Vice Chair of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF); Freedom House President Annie Boyajian; and Ria Chakrabarty, Senior Policy Director at Hindus for Human Rights (HFHR). Watch the full livestream here:  Professor Levrat stated that while India portrays itself as the world’s largest democracy, it is “currently not living up to this appellation, as it  fails to protect the most fundamental human rights of  millions of its citizens.” “India is falling short, very short of its legal obligations. Its current government is not only failing to protect persons belonging to minorities, but creates and actively promotes conditions that deliberately targets persons belonging to minorities, putting them at risk, not only as regards their way of life, but also as regards their very life,” said Professor Levrat. “Not only is India failing its responsibility to protect its own citizens, especially those belonging to minorities, but the authorities are actually creating conditions for extremists groups or local authorities to maintain and even increase insecurity for Muslims and other religious minorities in India,” Professor Levrat added. “This leads not only to violation of their freedoms, but also to killings. Governments should guarantee respect for human rights for all, including persons belonging to minorities.” Professor Levrat further noted that he and two other UN Special Rapporteurs wrote to the Indian Government in 2024, asking for measures to be taken to guarantee the safety of minorities and to avoid hate speech by government officials. In this letter, Special Rapporteurs flagged concerns about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s use of hate speech during Indian elections, as well as the reported refusal of state police and the Electoral Commission to acknowledge complaints made regarding such speeches and failing to conduct formal investigations.  “Unfortunately, and despite its commitment as a Member  State of the UN, the Indian Government never answered this  allegation letter,” he said.    The Special Rapporteur called on elected representatives to pressure governments, including the government of India, to guarantee respect for human rights for all. Freedom House President Annie Boyajian expressed serious concerns about declining freedoms in India, targeting of the political opposition and spoke extensively on reasons behind downgrading India from “Free” to “Partly Free.” “We have unfortunately seen 19 consecutive years of decline in freedom around the world, including in India. India’s score has declined in the last decade, and it has lost 15 points since 2014, and this is fairly significant due to discriminatory policies and a rise in persecution,” Boyajian said in her remarks. “In our most recent edition, which came out in February, India’s score dropped by 3 points because of challenges to the political opposition during Parliamentary elections in the spring,” she added.   On transnational repression, she said that “India is the only democracy we have tracked that is involved in transnational repression. Since 2014, we have documented 14 incidents perpetrated by India.” Boyajian called on the Indian government to review and restructure the anti-conversion laws, build legal and societal protections for victims of religious violence, strengthen police accountability and field-level response, protect religious spaces and ensure the prosecution of perpetrators and prevent impunity. She also called on the US Department of State to designate India as a Country of Particular Concern, [and] impose sanctions on individuals and entities. Ed O’Donovan, Senior Adviser to UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders, Mary Lawlor called the treatment of human rights defenders in India as “wanton cruelty” and said that the overall environment continues to grow more hostile by the day. “Counter terrorism measures have been weaponized to crush dissent, limit access to resources and spread disinformation, where human rights defenders are labelled as “anti state” or “terrorists”. Those most impacted are activists from oppressed communities and religious ethnic minorities,” O’Donovan said in his remarks.   He raised concerns about the judicial harassment and arbitrary detention of activists working on a range of issues including defenders of Dalit, Adivasi and Muslim rights. “Indian authorities have perverted the concept of due process and turned it into punishment,” he said. He also spoke about arrests of activists, academics and lawyers in the Bhima Koregaon case, shuttering of thousands of NGOs by revoking their Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) licenses “to stifle dissent and restrict civil society space.” He also raised concerns about the crackdown on civil society in Jammu and Kashmir including arrest of activist Khurram Parvez and journalist Irfan Meraj, both of which remain languished behind bars under the draconian anti-terror law UAPA since 2021 and 2023 respectively. According to O’Donovan, the office of UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders has sent 40 letters to the Indian government since 2020 making it the country which received the third highest numbers of allegation letters from the mandate. The Indian government has only responded to 20 percent of these letters. He called on the International community, including the UN and the elected representatives to call out the Indian government for its violations against human rights defenders and called for congressional visit focusing on the legal framework for civil society and human rights defender and designating India as Country of Particular Concern and inducing human rights clauses to weapons sales to India. Dr. Asif Mahmood, Vice Chair of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), who submitted pre-recorded remarks, emphasized that USCIRF has been recommending that India be designated as a CPC since 2020. The State Department has yet to make this designation. 

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Press Release

United Church of Christ General Synod Passes Resolution Condemning Violence Against Minorities in India

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Kansas City, Missouri (July 15, 2025) – In a powerful expression of solidarity, the Thirty-Fifth General Synod of the United Church of Christ (UCC) has passed a landmark resolution condemning the escalating violence and persecution faced by religious minorities in India.  The resolution, titled “A Response to Violence Against Religious Minorities in India,” underscores the church’s ongoing commitment to justice, human rights, and religious freedom around the world.  The General Synod is held every two years and brings together thousands of UCC members from across the country. The resolution highlights growing concerns over the deteriorating conditions for India’s Christians, Muslims, and indigenous groups, particularly since the rise of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to power in 2014. The UCC cited the role of Prime Minister Narednra Modi’s Hindu nationalist ideology, anti-conversion laws, inflammatory rhetoric by political leaders, and widespread impunity as key drivers of this violence. Specific reference was made to the devastating ethnic and religious violence in Manipur, where over 70,000 people have been displaced and dozens of churches destroyed. “Religious minorities such as Christians and Muslims live under constant fear and threat in India, the largest democracy in the world. Supported by the National and State governments, the Hindu Nationalist movement commits egregious religious rights violations in India,” reads the resolution. The resolution calls on the US State Department to designate India as a “country of particular concern” for systematic and egregious violations of religious freedom. It also urges U.S. officials to condemn these abuses, to engage India diplomatically in defense of human rights, and to support religious organizations and human rights groups facing persecution. The UCC is also encouraging its members to contact their congressional representatives to raise concerns about India’s discriminatory laws, including the Citizenship Amendment Act and state-level anti-conversion legislation.  This resolution brings the United Church of Christ into alignment with other major U.S. Christian bodies, including the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA (NCC) and the United Methodist Church, both of which passed similar resolutions in 2024 condemning violence against Indian religious minorities. Read the FULL RESOLUTION below [pdf-embedder url="http://test.iamc.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Post-Plenary_7-India-motion.pdf%22]

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Press Release

North Carolina Interfaith Groups Condemn Event Featuring Hindu Supremacist Leader

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Morrisville, NC (July 11, 2025) — A diverse coalition of religious and civil rights organizations — including Muslim, Christian, Hindu, and Sikh groups — has issued a powerful joint letter calling for the cancellation of an event featuring Kajal Singhala (also known as Kajal Hindustani), a Hindu nationalist figure notorious for her violent, anti-minority rhetoric. The statement, signed by the Triangle Interfaith Alliance, Hindus for Human Rights, the Council for American Islamic Relations (CAIR) NC chapter, Indian American Muslim Council, the Sikh Coalition, and Muslims for Social Justice, was sent to Morrisville Mayor TJ Cawley and members of the town council ahead of the event scheduled for Friday, July 11. Singhala spoke at an event co-organized by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America (VHPA), which has a long history of spreading anti-Muslim and anti-Christian hate, and also operates as the American wing of a violent Indian militant group. The letter’s signatories warn that hosting Singhala in Morrisville would legitimize her extremist ideology and endanger local communities, particularly Indian American Muslims and Christians. “Allowing Singhala a platform in the United States — especially in an area like the Triangle, which prides itself on our diversity and our love for community — sends a dangerous message: that calls for violence and religious persecution abroad are acceptable forms of speech here at home,” the letter states. The full text of the letter and list of signatories can be found below: We, the undersigned representatives of Muslim, Hindu, and Sikh groups in North Carolina and beyond, strongly condemn and urge the cancellation of an upcoming event in Morrisville featuring Kajal Singhala, also known as Kajal Hindustani, a prominent Hindu extremist figure with a history of inciting violence with her hateful and harmful rhetoric. As people of faith and advocates for the rights of all, we believe this type of hate speech has no place in our communities. The event, scheduled for July 11, 2025, is being co-organized by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America, which is designated as anti-Muslim and anti-Christian hate group, and is the American wing of an Indian militant group with an extensive history of anti-minority violence. The group, like Singhala, seeks to promote Hindu nationalism (Hindutva), described by Rutgers’ Center for Security, Race, and Rights as “a far-right political ideology distinct from the religion of Hindusim… that perpetua[tes] supremacist ideas and discriminatory conduct, especially against non-Hindu South Asians.” Singhala was hosted at a similar event on June 29 in Dallas, Texas, which was condemned by over 70 civil society groups and 30 Christian faith leaders for promoting anti-minority hatred. A press release posted by one of the Dallas event’s cosponsoring organizations details how Singhala described Muslims as “jihadis”, ordered Hindus to economically boycott minorities, and called on her audience to associate with known Hindu militant groups that operate in India, including the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the Bajrang Dal. Described by The Quint as a symbol of “hate politics,” Singhala is known for delivering hateful speeches targeting Indian Christians and Muslims, frequently using slurs and calling for violence, economic boycotts, and social and exclusion of religious minorities. She was arrested in April 2023 for a particularly vitriolic hate speech that sparked anti-Muslim violence in Gujarat state. She regularly calls for boycotts against religious minorities, and has been quoted praising violence, telling her followers, “Non-violence is a delusion. It is a trap by our enemies.” One D.C.-based research organization, India Hate Lab, found that she gave more hate speeches in 2023 than any other Hindu nationalist figure. Out of her 35 total speeches, nine explicitly incited violence against Christians and Muslims. This is who is being invited to speak in Morrisville. We, the undersigned, say no to this platforming of hatred in the name of the Hindu faith. Allowing Singhala a platform in the United States — especially in an area like the Triangle, which prides itself on our diversity and our love for community — sends a dangerous message: that calls for violence and religious persecution abroad are acceptable forms of speech here at home. This event not only undermines American values of pluralism and tolerance, but also poses a threat to the safety and wellbeing of Indian American Muslim and Christian communities. We call on event organizers and venue hosts to immediately cancel this event. We also urge elected officials, interfaith groups, and community leaders to show up, speak out, and take a stand against hate. By doing so, the Triangle can send a clear and united message: there is no place in our city for those who promote violence, bigotry, and division. Signed, Safa Ahmed, Associate Media Director, Indian American Muslim Council Henry Jarrett, President, Triangle Interfaith Alliance Ria Chakrabarty, Senior Policy Director, Hindus for Human Rights Al Rieder, Manager, Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) NC Mannirmal Kaur, Senior Federal Policy Manager, The Sikh Coalition Manzoor Cheema, Organizer, Muslims for Social Justice

Waqf properties
Press Release

IAMC, CAIR-Texas Condemn Hindu Extremist’s Call for Muslim Boycott at Dallas Event

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Dallas, Texas (July 4, 2025) — The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), the nation’s largest Indian-American Muslim advocacy organization and Council on American–Islamic Relations (CAIR-Texas) today strongly condemned the calls for an economic boycott of Dallas Muslims made by an Hindu extremist leader at a local event. The hateful remarks were delivered by Kajal Singhala, also known as Kajal Hindustani, an India-based Hindu extremist with a long and well-documented record of inciting violence and hate against Christians and Muslims. She spoke on June 29 at an event organized by the Global Hindu Heritage Foundation (GHHF) and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America (VHPA)—two U.S.-based Hindu nationalist nonprofits known for spreading anti-Muslim and anti-Christian hate. According to a statement published on GHHF’s website summarizing Singhala’s speech, she repeatedly referred to Muslims as “jihadis” (a slur used to demonize and dehumanize the Muslim community) and called on attendees to boycott Muslim-owned businesses in Dallas.  “She [Kajal Hindustani] also stressed the importance of supporting Hindu carpenters, milkmen, plumbers, electricians, and others, and not giving business to jihadis [slur for Muslims] to save a few rupees, because that money could be used to harm your fathers and brothers,” the GHHF statement reads. On July 3, an interfaith coalition of local Muslims and Christians filed a police complaint urging authorities to investigate the event as a bias-motivated hate incident. “Kajal Singhala’s speech was hateful, dangerous and a direct incitement to economically marginalize an entire community based on their religion. This is the same dangerous rhetoric that has fueled violence in India, and it has no place in a city like Dallas. We call on our elected officials, law enforcement, and federal agencies to take this threat seriously and act before such imported extremism causes real harm here in our country,” said IAMC President Mohammad Jawad. “The Dallas/Ft. Worth Chapter of the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR-TX, DFW) has long condemned and repudiated hate speech in all of its forms, whether by a person, an organization or a State.  We continue to condemn it as new messengers of hate emerge,” said Mustafaa Carroll, Executive Director CAIR-TX, DFW. Last week, IAMC had publicly urged the event’s organizers to cancel Singhala’s appearance, warning that she was likely to incite Islamophobic hatred. Despite this, the event went forward and Singhala did exactly as predicted. According to research organization India Hate Lab, Kajal Singhala is among the most prolific hate speakers in India today. In 2023 alone, she delivered 35 in-person hate speeches, nine of which included explicit calls for violence. In 2024, she gave 23 hate speeches, including four that directly called for violence and 10 that advocated economic boycotts against Muslims. This is not the first time VHPA and its affiliates have provided a platform to extremists. In 2021, VHPA invited Yati Narsinghanand, a Hindu monk who has openly called for genocide against Muslims, an event canceled only after widespread backlash. In 2022, GHHF organized a fundraiser to support the demolition of churches in India. We urge elected officials in Dallas and across Texas to publicly condemn these dangerous and divisive calls and reaffirm that hate has no place in our communities. We also call on the US Department of State to revoke Kajal Singhala’s visa and initiate immediate steps for her removal from the United States. In addition, IAMC calls on the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to open an investigation into the tax-exempt 501(c)(3) status of VHPA and GHHF, and urges the Department of Justice to examine their financial ties to the Indian government and Hindu nationalist groups, including potential violations of the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA).

Weekly Roundup

IAMC Weekly India Human Rights Monitor (July 4, 2025)

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This Week at a Glance  This week, India was ranked a “high risk” country for torture in a new global index, with experts highlighting systemic abuses and targeting of minorities. A senior RSS leader called for removing “secular” and “socialist” from the Constitution, while states like Assam and Uttar Pradesh ramped up arrests and demolitions targeting Muslim communities under the guise of cattle laws and illegal construction. Meanwhile, a massive rally in Patna demanded the repeal of the Waqf Amendment, while a Sikh temple in the US accused the Hindu American Foundation of acting as an unregistered foreign agent for the Indian government. Also on the US front, IAMC led a coalition effort in collecting over 50 signatures from Muslim, Christian, and Hindu organizations denouncing a Dallas event featuring prominent Hindu supremacist hatemonger Kajal Hindustani. IAMC is also preparing to deliver star performances at a series of panels at ICNA West and in Chicago. Feature Image: The Indian Awaaz Top Stories Danil Shamkin/NurPhoto/Getty Hindu American Foundation Faces Foreign Agent Allegations Linked to Indian Embassy A Sikh temple in California has filed a legal complaint accusing the Hindu American Foundation (HAF) of operating as an unregistered foreign agent on behalf of India’s BJP-led government. The group allegedly maintains a “fiduciary” relationship with the Indian embassy in Washington, prompting calls for a U.S. Justice Department investigation under the Foreign Agent Registration Act (FARA). India ranked ‘high risk’ for torture in global index A new Global Torture Index by the World Organization Against Torture has ranked India among the world’s “high risk” countries, citing rampant custodial deaths, forced confessions, and widespread impunity under the Modi government. Assam Police Arrest Nearly 200 in Beef Crackdown  In a sweeping statewide raid, Assam Police arrested 196 people and seized over 1,000 kg of suspected beef under the controversial Cattle Preservation Act. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma praised the action with communal overtones, linking the arrests to Eid and echoing his routine anti-Muslim rhetoric. (Muslim Mirror) Harassment in Wake of Hindu Supremacist Processions Religious processions held by Hindu supremacists in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh have resulted in the harassment and humiliation of innocents. In Uttar Pradesh, a procession of around 5,000 extremists forced food service workers to strip to check their religious identity. In Madhya Pradesh, a Hindu supremacist threw a slipper at a mosque during a procession, sparking protests from local Muslims.   Demolitions Target Muslim Properties and Shrines Across BJP-Ruled States In a fresh wave of demolitions, authorities in Uttar Pradesh and Haryana razed a Muslim man’s home in Bareilly and two mazars in Sambhal and Panchkula. While officials cited “illegal construction,” the actions followed complaints from Hindu extremist groups and accusations of “cow smuggling” and “mazar jihad,” raising concerns of targeted anti-Muslim crackdowns under the guise of law enforcement. Hate crimes and discrimination in India This week, in Haridwar, a 22-year-old Muslim man was brutally beaten by a mob after being identified as Muslim. In Uttar Pradesh’s Raebareli, police raided a Christian prayer meeting and arrested a couple under anti-conversion laws, while in Haryana’s Palwal, cow vigilantes chased and assaulted two Muslim men transporting cattle.  Resistance & Organizing ANI Mass Rally in Patna Demands Repeal of Controversial Waqf Law Tens of thousands gathered at Gandhi Maidan in Patna for a historic “Waqf Bachao, Samvidhan Bachao” rally, demanding the repeal of recent amendments to the Waqf Act. Organized by Muslim civil society groups and backed by opposition voices, the peaceful protest called out government overreach into religious institution. Once Wrongfully Imprisoned, Abdul Wahid Shaikh Earns PhD on Prison Literature Abdul Wahid Shaikh—once jailed for nearly nine years on false terror charges—has earned a PhD for his research on literature authored by political prisoners across the Indian subcontinent. Now a noted prison rights activist and teacher, Shaikh’s work highlights the hidden intellectual and poetic contributions of incarcerated voices. MANUU Alumni Call for Muslim Deputy CM and 40 Assembly Tickets in Bihar In a bold push for political representation, former student leaders from Maulana Azad National Urdu University (MANUU) have demanded that Bihar’s Muslim community—17% of the population—be given real leadership stakes. They are calling for a Muslim Deputy Chief Minister and at least 40 assembly tickets in the upcoming elections. Defender of the Week Maktoob This week, we are spotlighting Fatima Nafis, the mother of missing JNU student Najeeb Ahmed. For nine years, Fatima has tirelessly sought justice for her son, who disappeared after an altercation with members of a student group linked with the largest Hindu supremacist paramilitary group in India, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Despite repeated failures by investigative agencies, she announced this week her decision to move the Supreme Court. Fatima’s resilience has made her a powerful symbol of courage and civil resistance. Voices from the Ground  “Now, why are we in jail? And what has been achieved? The fascist regime will attempt to crush people like us. After all, when all the constitutional democratic and procedural doors have been shut for Muslims and other minorities of India, the only way left is for the masses to make their presence felt. Masses, the millions, are the real democratic force… People’s mass mobilization is not opposed to democracy but rather it’s the test of its integrity. A nation belongs to the people and if the systems in place and the people in power do not ensure a dignified existence of its diverse communities, it is the democratic duty of the people to rise.” –  Sharjeel Imam IAMC in Action Prominent hate monger Kajal Hindustani visited Dallas last weekend, so we worked with our coalition partners to collect over 50 signatures from Muslim, Christian, and Hindu civil society groups and religious leaders to condemn the event. See the press release on it here.  We’re continuing to receive applications for the Indian American Youth Council (IAMYC), a new platform for young leaders who are passionate about minority rights, the reclaiming of Indian Muslim pride, and the fight against Hindu supremacist ideology in India and

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Press Release

Christian Leaders, Churches Condemn Hindu Fundamentalist Hate Speech Event in Texas

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Joint release from the New York State Council of Churches & The Religious Nationalisms Project Washington, D.C. / Albany, NY (June 28, 2025) – Over 30 church and Christian leaders from across the United States and India signed a joint statement by the New York State Council of Churches and The Religious Nationalism Project, condemning an upcoming Hindu supremacist event in Dallas featuring Kajal Singhala, also known as Kajal Hindustani. Singhala is a prominent figure in India’s Hindu nationalist movement and has repeatedly called for violence and exclusion against Christians and Muslims. The Dallas event, organized by extremist groups with a history of anti-Christian and anti-Muslim rhetoric, threatens not only the safety of religious minorities, but also undermines the American values of religious freedom and dignity. As the statement outlines, Hindutva ideology has fueled attacks on churches, the criminalization of religious conversion, and the persecution of clergy across India. Allowing its proponents a platform in the U.S. sends a chilling message of tolerance for religious hatred. The statement reflects a rising number of Christian organizations, spanning denominations, races, and regions, who are speaking out against the issue of Hindu supremacy in the United States and India.  “Within 24 hours we have gathered well over 30 signatures of support from a broad-based and ecumenical group of Christian laity and clergy who agree that hate speech, especially when disguised in the form of religion, is antithetical to the gospel of Christ,” said Rev. Neal Christie, Principal of the Religious Nationalisms Project. “We represent Congregational, Lutheran, Presbyterian, Baptist, United Methodist, Anglican, Evangelical expressions of the body of Christ. We know that mutual respect, collaboration and investment in the common good cannot coexist with any hate speech perpetrated by any person.” The text of the full letter is below: We, the undersigned coalition of multiracial Christian organizations across denominations, strongly condemn and urge the cancellation of an upcoming Dallas event organized by Hindu supremacist groups featuring Kajal Singhala, also known as Kajal Hindustani, a prominent Hindu extremist figure with a history of inciting violence against our Christian and Muslim brothers and sisters in India.  Singhala’s ideology has been strongly condemned in the past by a number of prominent Christian organizations and churches, including the National Council of the Churches of Christ (NCC), the United Methodist Church, the United Church of Christ (NY), and over 300 hundred prominent American Christian leaders, including Protestant, Catholic, Orthodox, Evangelical leaders.    Described by Indian publication The Quint as a symbol of “hate politics,” Singhala is a hardline supporter of Hindu nationalism, also known as Hindutva. This hateful ideology, which has been mainstreamed over the past decade by the Indian government, proclaims that India should be a Hindu theocratic ethnostate, where minorities – especially Muslims and Christians – should be reduced to second-class citizens and subjected to mass violence. Under this ideology, Christians in India have been relentlessly targeted: churches attacked, prayer gatherings violently disrupted, conversion to Christianity effectively criminalized, and clergy arrested on false allegations of forced conversions. In many parts of India, simply practicing Christianity has become dangerous. Under the current Indian government, the NCC said in its statement, “Churches have been burned and mosques destroyed; Muslims have been beaten in public; Christians have been subject to sexual violence; and Sikh leaders have been assassinated, all of this justified by Hindu nationalism… We call upon individuals to contact their elected officials to bring awareness of the human rights atrocities in India and the fundraising that takes place in local US communities to support such acts of hate and terror.” In line with this ideology, Singhala is known for delivering hateful speeches targeting Indian Christians and Muslims, frequently using slurs and calling for violence, economic boycotts, and social exclusion of religious minorities. According to the research group India Hate Lab, Singhala gave more hate speeches in 2023 than any other Hindu supremacist figure, frequently using anti-Christian slurs and calling for violence against the vulnerable minority group. In one instance, she explicitly called on Hindus to take up arms against Christians and Muslims—a statement made even more alarming by her April 2023 arrest for a hate speech that incited anti-Muslim violence in Gujarat. The event, scheduled for June 29, 2025, is being organized by the Global Hindu Heritage Foundation (GHHF) and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America, both of which are designated as anti-Christian and anti-Muslim hate groups. In particular, GHHF has a long track record of anti-Christian activity, including a 2022 fundraiser that sought to finance the demolition of churches in India. As people of faith, we maintain that hosting Singhala on U.S. soil—particularly in a city as diverse and faith-rich as Dallas—sends a dangerous signal that religious hatred and violent rhetoric are welcome here. This is not only a betrayal of American values like religious freedom and equal dignity—it also endangers the safety of Indian American Christian and Muslim communities. We call on the venue and event organizers to cancel this event without delay. We also urge elected officials, interfaith coalitions, and community leaders to speak out forcefully and clearly: hate has no home in Dallas. Together, we must draw a firm line against religious bigotry and violence—at home and abroad. Signed, The Rev. Neal Christie, Principal, The Religious Nationalisms Project The Rev. Peter Cook, Executive Director, New York State Council of Churches and Principal, The Religious Nationalisms Project Mr. Martin Padeti, Director, Texas Indian Christian Coalition Mr. Daniel Mutyala, Director, Bible Believers Fellowship of Dallas Mr. Jensen John, Chairman, Church of The Way Frisco Mrs. Emmanuella Okeke, MorningStar Ministries Dr. Tarunjit Singh Butalia, Executive Director, Religions for Peace The Rev. Cece Jones-Davis, The Prophetic Convening The Rev. Fr. Dr. Joseph Varghese, Executive Director: Institute For Religious Freedom and Tolerance (IRFT), USA. Mr. Jorge Parrott, President, CMM.world Mr. Andy Swarna, President, Great Truth Pastor MDaimai, World Road Church Pastor Paul Sunkari, Indian Christian Church of Sacramento The Most Rev. Dr. Christopher Bryant, The International Covenant of Pentecostal-Orthodox Churches Mrs. Elizabeth Mangalwadi, RevelationMovement.com Mr. Ravi Ragbir, Executive Director, New

HRRFJ Awards 2025
Press Release

Call For Submissions: Human Rights & Religious Freedom Journalism Awards 2025

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June 27, 2025, Washington, DC- The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) is proud to announce the call for submissions for the fourth  annual Human Rights & Religious Freedom (HRRF) Journalism Awards 2025, a  recognition of bold, courageous, and impactful journalism that sheds light on some of the most urgent human rights and religious freedom issues in India today. As India faces escalating threats to its pluralistic traditions, independent journalism has become one of the last lines of defense in holding the powerful accountable and amplifying the voices of vulnerable communities. IAMC remains committed to recognizing journalists who, often at great personal and professional risk, expose truths that are censored, ignored, or distorted by state-influenced media ecosystems. The HRRF Journalism Awards were launched in 2022 to honor such reporting, stories that challenge impunity, uncover violations of fundamental rights, and counteract misinformation, especially in defense of India’s most marginalized populations. Now entering its third season, the initiative has become a platform for highlighting exemplary journalism.  Submissions for the 2025 awards must be received by 11 PM IST on July 25, 2025. An international panel of judges will evaluate the entries, giving priority to stories that expose under-reported or unreported issues, bring fresh perspectives to familiar topics, and challenge dominant misconceptions or harmful stereotypes. All entries must have been published between June 30, 2024, and June 30, 2025. In recognition of India’s linguistic diversity and the importance of regional media, this year’s awards introduce two new language categories: Best Reporting in Hindi and Urdu. These additions reflect IAMC’s commitment to uplifting the voices of regional journalists working on the front lines of human rights reporting in their own communities. This year’s categories are as follows: Best Text Reporting on Human Rights & Religious Freedom (English) This category honors the best text reportage (1000 words or longer) in English that sheds light on unreported or under-reported human rights and religious freedom issues in India. This award includes a cash prize of INR 50,000 and a plaque. Best Text Reporting on Human Rights & Religious Freedom (Hindi) This category honors the best text reportage (1000 words or longer) in Hindi that sheds light on unreported or under-reported human rights and religious freedom issues in India. This award includes a cash prize of INR 50,000 and a plaque. Best Text Reporting on Human Rights & Religious Freedom (Urdu)  This category honors the best text reportage (1000 words or longer) in Urdu that sheds light on unreported or under-reported human rights and religious freedom issues in India. This award includes a cash prize of INR 50,000 and a plaque. Best Video Story on Human Rights and Religious Freedom This category is for the best video report on human rights and religious freedom issues in India. The video story must be of 4 minutes to 25 minutes in duration. This award carries a cash prize of INR 50,000 and a plaque. Best Story on Human Solidarity  This award honors a powerful piece of journalism that captures acts of unity, solidarity and compassion across religious, ethnic, or cultural divides. It recognizes storytelling that uplifts shared humanity and promotes hope in the face of injustice or adversity. This award carries a cash prize of INR 50,000 and a plaque. HRRF Young Journalist of the Year Award 2025 The Human Rights & Religious Freedom Young Journalist of the Year Award recognizes a young journalist (30 years of age or under as of July 1, 2025) in any medium (text, photo, video, or multimedia) who has made a substantial contribution to Indian journalism during 2024 in defense of human rights and religious freedom. Journalists can submit three to five best stories. All media formats are acceptable. This award carries a cash prize of INR 50,000 and a plaque. The 2025 award winners will be honored at a ceremony in Chicago, United States, in August 2025. Final dates will be announced in the last week of July.  For more information, visit: www.hrrfjawards.com To enter the awards, visit: https://hrrfjawards.com/submission/ For any queries or questions, write to us at contact@hrrfjawards.com

Weekly Roundup

IAMC Weekly India Human Rights Monitor (June 26, 2025)

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This Week at a Glance  Hate crimes surged across India in the past year, with a new report documenting 947 incidents, most of which targeted Muslims and Christians. United Nations experts called for an end to targeted demolitions that disproportionately affect minorities, while Gujarat’s crackdown on migrants has raised concerns over arbitrary deportations. Meanwhile, in a disturbing surge of cow vigilantism, Hindu extremist groups attacked Muslims and Dalits across six states. With the judiciary under scrutiny, an impeachment move against an Islamophobic judge gained traction, and the Supreme Court criticized Uttar Pradesh for delay in bail for a Muslim man detained under anti-conversion laws. On the US front, IAMC is taking the lead in condemning and calling for the cancellation of a Dallas event featuring prominent Hindu supremacist Kajal Hindustani. We’re also gearing up to be featured at the ICNA West conference in the Bay Area, and the Socialism Conference in Chicago. Top Stories Reuters Nearly 602 Hate Crimes  Documented in Modi’s Third Term A new report tracking hate crimes during Prime Minister Modi’s third term has recorded 602 incidents in just one year—most targeting Muslims and Christians. Jointly compiled by the Association for Protection of Civil Rights and the Quill Foundation, the report links the surge to BJP-led political rhetoric and institutional complicity, warning of growing impunity and normalization of hate. Kazi Sharowar Hussain/ Maktoob UN Expert Says India Leading the World in Illegal Demolitions UN human rights experts have called on India to halt arbitrary demolitions disproportionately impacting Muslims, migrants, and low-income communities, saying that India is “leading the world in illegal home demolitions.”  JCB Prize for Literature Discontinued Amid Backlash Over Demolitions The JCB Prize for Literature, India’s most high-paying literary award, has been discontinued following the cancellation of its foundation’s licence. The move comes months after protests over JCB’s role in demolition drives in India and Palestine. Gujarat Detains 200 Migrants Amid Fears of Arbitrary Deportations Over 200 alleged Bangladeshi migrants have been detained in Gujarat as part of a sweeping crackdown. Rights groups warn the state’s aggressive deportation drive risks violating due process, with many workers facing expulsion despite years of residence and economic vulnerability.  Instagram Censors Satirical Meme Page Critical of Indian Government The popular meme account The Savala Vada has been withheld in India after gaining attention for its sharp satire of the Modi government. Run by a group of university students, the page’s disappearance sparked online outrage over growing censorship of political humour and dissent. Amit Dave/ Reuters Cow vigilantes assault Muslims and Dalits in coordinated attacks across six states In a spate of cow-related vigilantism, Hindu nationalist groups violently attacked cattle transporters in Assam, Haryana, Odisha, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan. Victims were publicly beaten, shaved, paraded, and forced to drink sewage water.  Hate crimes and discrimination in India In Madhya Pradesh, a Muslim businessman was killed in a suspected Hindu extremist attack, while in Delhi, Hindu nationalists evicted a Muslim woman tenant after falsely accusing her of hiding her identity and being Bangladeshi. Separately, 30 protesters were detained at a Palestine solidarity protest outside the Israel Embassy, with one woman hospitalized due to police brutality. Christians also faced escalating violence, especially in Chhattisgarh and Odisha. In Malkangiri, a mob armed with axes attacked Christians returning from church. In Kanker, a Christian family was displaced for refusing to convert to Hinduism. In Raipur and Rajkot, Hindu militants stormed prayer meetings, harassed women, and accused attendees of illegal conversions. In Indore, Hindu extremists detained eight American Christians and a local pastor, later naming the pastor as an accused. Two more pastors were jailed in Balrampur following a similar crackdown.  Resistance & Organizing Impeachment Move Against Islamophobic Judge Clears Signature Threshold An impeachment motion against Justice Shekhar Yadav of the Allahabad High Court has secured the required 50 valid signatures from members of India’s upper house of Parliament. The move follows public outrage over Yadav’s speech at a Hindu nationalist event, where he made openly Islamophobic remarks.  India’s Top Court Slams State Over Bail Delay, Orders Compensation for Muslim Man India’s Supreme Court has rebuked the Uttar Pradesh government for holding a Muslim man in jail for nearly a month after bail was granted, calling the delay “unacceptable” and awarding $6,000 in compensation. The man, arrested under the state’s controversial anti-conversion law, remained behind bars due to a clerical error in the bail order. Kashmiri Youth Once Targeted for Detention, Clears Top Medical Exam Zubair-ul-Islam Bhat, a young man from Jammu and Kashmir’s Kupwara, has passed the country’s top medical entrance exam just a year after narrowly avoiding preventive detention under India’s draconian Public Safety Act.  Defender of the Week This week, we’re spotlighting NYC mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, who is of Gujarati Muslim heritage and has consistently spoken out against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Hindu supremacy. From calling Modi a “war criminal” for his role in the 2002 Gujarat pogrom, to slamming the construction of the Ram Temple on the grounds of the demolished Babri Masjid, Mamdani has been a consistent anti-Hindutva voice in the diaspora.  Voices from the Ground  “India is leading the world in illegal home demolitions, especially affecting minorities and vulnerable groups. This is a national scandal – a gross violation of India’s own laws and international law and cannot continue.” –  Balakrishnan Rajagopal, UN Special Rapporteur  IAMC in Action Prominent hate monger Kajal Hindustani is coming to Dallas, and we’re summoning a coalition of multifaith allies to push back. Read our full statement on the situation here.  We’re continuing to update the Indian Muslim Story with new articles – one profiling revolutionary Indian Muslim journalist Pir Muhammad Munis, and the other on the life and love story of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan.  We’re continuing to receive applications for the Indian American Youth Council (IAMYC), a new platform for young leaders who are passionate about minority rights, the reclaiming of Indian Muslim pride, and the fight against Hindu supremacist ideology in India and globally. We’re starting off with open

Waqf properties
Press Release

IAMC calls for immediate cancellation of Dallas event featuring Hindu extremist leader

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Washington D.C. (June 26, 2025) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) has strongly condemned the upcoming event in Dallas, Texas featuring Kajal Singhala, also known as Kajal Hindustani, a Hindu extremist leader from Indian state of Gujarat with a long and well-documented history of delivering speeches inciting hate and violence against Christians and Muslims. Scheduled to speak on June 29, at Bhartiya Nivas, the event is being organized by the Global Hindu Heritage Foundation (GHHF) and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America (VHPA), two American Hindu nationalist groups that have a long history of promoting anti-Muslim and anti-Christian hate. IAMC calls on the event organizers to immediately cancel this platforming of hate, and urges the wider Dallas community, including elected officials, interfaith leaders, and civil society organizations to speak out against it. Kajal Singhala has been described by the Indian news outlet The Quint as a symbol of “hate politics,” and research from India Hate Lab confirms her as one of the most prolific hate speakers in India in recent years. In 2023 alone, she delivered 35 in-person hate speeches, nine of which included explicit calls for violence. She has incited Hindus to pick up arms against Muslims and Christians and called for their economic and social boycotts. In 2024, Singhala gave 23 hate speeches, including 4 with direct calls to violence, and 10 advocating for the economic boycott of Muslims, according to the recent India Hate Lab report. This is not the first time VHPA and its affiliates have invited extremist figures from India. In 2021, VHPA had planned to host Yati Narsinghanand, a Hindu monk who had publicly called for genocide against Muslims. That event was cancelled following widespread outcry from civil society and human rights organizations.  Allowing Kajal Singhala to speak in Dallas or any other city in the United States sends a dangerous signal that hate speech, incitement to violence, and religious bigotry are acceptable in American public life. Singhala has been arrested in India for speeches that directly led to sectarian violence. She continues to spread Islamophobic and anti-Christian conspiracy theories that enable demonization, dehumanization, discrimination and mob violence against the vulnerable minority communities.  “We cannot allow the language of hate and violence to find a home in American communities. Inviting someone like Kajal, who has repeatedly incited violence and called for the exclusion of entire religious communities is dangerous. This is a textbook example of the transnational export of extremism, where ideologies rooted in hate and division are being brought into our neighborhoods under the guise of culture or community. We must be clear that there is no place for bigotry, incitement, or religious hatred in our city,” said IAMC President Mohammad Jawad. IAMC urges all elected officials, interfaith organizations and community leaders to stand united in rejecting hate, and to send a clear message that there is no place in Dallas for those who call for violence, discrimination, and division.   Media Contact Safa Ahmed media.info@iamc.com

Reports

APCR: Mapping First Year of Modi’s Third Government

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A total of 947 hate crime incidents took place in the first year of Modi’s third regime. Of these 947 hate crimes, 345 were hate speeches and 602 were hate crimes. Out of the 602 hate crimes, 173 involved physical violence targeted at minorities. In 25 of these, the victim died. All victims were Muslims. The incidents of the year also affected 25 Hindu individuals. While not the main victims or targets of the hate crime, their presence at the scene resulted in direct harm to their person or property. Here, Hindu women were more affected than Hindu men. Out of the 345 hate speeches made in the year, 178 were made by individuals associated with the BJP. BJP-ruled states are more prone to incidents of hate crime. So are the states where election campaigns are ongoing. Earlier data had limited the assumption of this occurring only during elections for the parliament and the legislative assembly. But this report reveals that local elections could also become the loci of hate crime incidents, particularly hate speeches, as was revealed during the election for the Local Councillor in Uttarakhand. [pdf-embedder url="http://3.145.57.38/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/HCT-Jun-2024-Jun-2025.pdf" title="HCT Jun 2024 – Jun 2025"]   Click Here to Download

Weekly Roundup

IAMC Weekly India Human Rights Monitor (June 20, 2025)

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This Week at a Glance  This week, in Madhya Pradesh, horrific videos of a mob lynching by cow vigilantes sparked outrage, while over 600 families were evicted without aid in Assam. Four Muslim men were brought back to India after being wrongfully deported, highlighting the dangers of the country’s bigoted push to drive out immigrants and refugees. In Uttar Pradesh, a young Muslim man who was jailed at 16 under “love jihad” laws was finally acquitted, while attacks on Christians and mass job terminations of Muslim workers pointed to widening communal targeting. Meanwhile, Muslim leaders and civil society groups stepped up legal and political resistance against hate speech, judicial bigotry, and the Waqf Amendment Act. On the US front, IAMC released a new report on India’s transnational repression (TNR), hosted a panel of experts and activists to speak on the human impact of TNR, and gave a powerful testimony on the impact of Hindutva on Muslim Americans at a panel hosted by Rutgers Law Center for Security, Race, and Rights. Top Stories IAMC Releases New Report on Modi Government’s Transnational Repression in US IAMC released a shocking new report titled “Transnational Repression: The Modi Regime’s Targeting of Critics in the United States,” documenting how Indian consulates and state-aligned actors have deployed at least 9 of the 11 forms of TNR tactics recognized by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Read the full report here, and watch our panel event detailing the report and TNR here. 24-Year-Old Muslim Man Lynched in Cow Vigilante Attack  Horrifying videos of yet another mob lynching have sparked nationwide outrage. In the videos, Hindu extremist cow vigilantes attack and lynch 24-year-old Junaid Khan, who was transporting cattle for his dairy business in Madhya Pradesh’s Raisen district. His cousin Arman, who was also attacked, remains in critical condition. Despite clear signs of a mob lynching, police have not invoked organised crime charges. Hundreds of Muslim Families Evicted in Assam, Left Homeless Without Aid Over 660 homes in Assam’s Goalpara district were illegally demolished by civic officials, displacing mostly Muslim daily wage families. Now shelterless in extreme heat and rain, many fear for their safety, their children’s education, and lack of basic facilities.  Muslim Men Wrongfully Deported to Bangladesh Return After Indian Citizenship Verified Four Muslim men from West Bengal who were wrongfully deported to Bangladesh as “illegal immigrants” were brought back to India after local police produced proof of their citizenship. The incident underscores growing fears around arbitrary deportations, with more than 2,000 people deported since the launch of Operation Sindoor. “Love Jihad” Laws Exposed as Baseless as Muslim Youth Acquitted in Landmark Case Mohammad Saqib, who was jailed at only 16 years old under Uttar Pradesh’s draconian anti-conversion law, was acquitted of “love jihad” charges after four years and 70 court hearings. With hundreds still under trial, critics say these laws are being weaponized to criminalize interfaith love and target Muslim men. Hate crimes and discrimination in India This week, in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, authorities demolished Muslim homes and madrasas following accusations of cow slaughter and encroachment. In Maharashtra, 114 Muslim employees were abruptly terminated by a prominent temple trust, allegedly under pressure from right-wing groups. Far-right vigilantes carried out violent assaults in Solapur, Indore, and Jodhpur, targeting Muslim men over cattle transport and interfaith relationships, while police made no arrests. In Assam, the number of people jailed over social media posts since April has risen to 92, as crackdowns continue. Meanwhile, West Bengal saw communal clashes in Kolkata’s outskirts, resulting in mass arrests. Resistance & Organizing Muslim Leaders Demand Repeal of Controversial Waqf Amendment Bill Members of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) have publicly opposed the newly introduced Waqf Amendment Act 2025, calling it discriminatory and unconstitutional. Declaring their intent to continue peaceful protests until the law is repealed, AIMPLB leaders say the community will not stay silent as efforts to undermine religious autonomy intensify. Muslim Opposition Leader Proposes Law to Tackle Religious Hate An opposition leader from the Samajwadi Party, Abu Asim Azmi, has introduced a private member bill in the Maharashtra Assembly seeking to criminalize hate speech and religious insults. The proposed Prevention of Hatred and Insult to Religion Act, 2025, aims to curb rising anti-Muslim rhetoric, particularly on social media.  Lawyers’ Group Demands Action Against Judge for Islamophobic Remarks The All India Lawyers’ Association for Justice (AILAJ) has strongly condemned the Supreme Court’s inaction against a sitting High Court judge accused of hate speech at a Hindu nationalist event. Calling the delay a “threat to judicial credibility”, AILAJ demanded an independent inquiry and immediate withdrawal of the Justice Shekhar Kumar Yadav’s responsibilities, stating that bigotry has no place in India’s judiciary. Defender of the Week This week, we’re spotlighting Harsh Mander— a writer, former civil servant, and human rights advocate whose work has consistently challenged state-sponsored hate and communal violence in India. As founder of Karwan-e-Mohabbat, Mander has travelled across the country to visit victims of lynching, hate crimes, and police violence, offering solidarity, legal aid, and public testimony. Despite facing intimidation, legal harassment, and public vilification, he continues to speak truth to power and defend India’s secular and constitutional values. Voices from the Ground  “It is shameful and disappointing that our government has chosen to abstain on the UN motion for the protection of civilians and upholding legal and humanitarian obligations in Gaza. 60,000 people, mostly women and children have been killed already, an entire population is being confined and starved to death, and we are refusing to take a stand…How can we, as a nation, just abandon the principles of our constitution, and the values of our freedom struggle that led the way for an international arena based on peace and humanity?” – , Opposition leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra IAMC in Action IAMC is profoundly saddened by the devastating Ahmedabad plane crash, and we share in the grief, shock, and concern felt by the people of Gujarat and the entire nation. Read our full

Press Release

IAMC Report: Modi Regime Using Transnational Repression Tactics Against Critics in the US

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Washington, D.C. – A new report released today by the Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) has revealed alarming evidence that the Indian government is using transnational repression (TNR) tactics within the United States to silence critics of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Hindu nationalist government, with Indian consulates playing a key role in that repression. The report, titled “Transnational Repression: The Modi Regime’s Targeting of Critics in the United States,” documents how Indian consulates and state-aligned actors have deployed at least 9 of the 11 forms of TNR tactics recognized by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). These include direct surveillance, harassment, threats to family members in India, and denial of consular services—all aimed at intimidating diaspora activists, journalists, scholars, and human rights defenders. According to the report, these tactics have created a “chilling climate of fear” among Indian Americans, leading to widespread self-censorship and undermining the First Amendment freedoms of speech and association. In particular, the report found that Indian consulates play a key role in perpetrating transnational repression from abroad by “serving as the long arm of the Indian government within the United States, infiltrating diaspora communities with undercover agents, undermining routine citizenship processes, and denying Indian Americans their constitutional rights.” Additionally, the report found that transnational repression committed by the Indian government in the United States represents an extension of the Modi regime’s authoritarian and Hindu nationalist domestic policy.  The report also features previously unpublished testimonies from activists, journalists, and academics who say they have faced intimidation, surveillance, harassment, or monitoring of their activities in the U.S. by Indian agents. Some report being denied routine consular services or having family members in India threatened. IAMC’s report also draws connections between these repressive tactics in the United States and broader global trends. These operations, the report argues, are not isolated but part of a larger transnational strategy to suppress dissent beyond India’s borders. To mark the release of the report, IAMC hosted a panel discussion titled “Silencing Dissent: Modi Regime’s Transnational Repression in the U.S.” The event brought together scholars, policy experts, and human rights advocates to discuss the implications of the report’s findings. “What I found in compiling the report was that the well-publicized assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada and the attempted assassination of Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in New York were really just the tip of the iceberg,” said report author and journalist Morley Musick, who authored the report. “The Modi-led Indian government actually uses a much wider array of tactics to suppress dissidents and religious minorities living abroad. We found that at least nine out of the eleven forms of transnational repression identified by the FBI were deployed here in the U.S.” Yana Gorokhovskaia, Research Director at Freedom House and an authority on transnational repression, framed India’s actions within a global trend of autocratic regimes targeting exiled dissidents. “[Our] database now contains 1,219 incidents of transnational repression perpetrated by 48 governments, which is about a quarter of the world’s governments,” said Gorokhovskaia. “India is one of the countries that we [see] in terms of the perpetrator state.” Among these countries, Gorokhovskaia stated that “what makes India unique is that there are credible allegations that the Indian government has targeted people living in democracies, including in Canada and the United States and the United Kingdom.”  She added, “This notion of using access to consular services, using access to passports and visas and other statuses to deter people from expressing dissent or using their freedom of expression rights, is one of the other unique features of the transnational repression perpetrated by the Indian government.” Dr. Ather Zia, a Kashmiri anthropologist and author, spoke to the implications of TNR in the context of Kashmir.   “In 2019, we saw this re-internationalization of the Kashmir issue in the global community, especially here in the US [in] 2019… There was a lot of conversation around autonomy being unilaterally, militarily being taken away by India. And slowly and steadily now, we do not hear the voices anymore,” said Dr. Zia. “And I think that for all of us who are watching Kashmir and the Kashmiri diaspora, it should be a moment of reflection… Where are those voices? Why are people so quiet?” “There are less voices wanting to talk about what’s happening inside Kashmir when they know that the repercussions are not only going to be felt back there, but are going to be felt here as well,” she added. “The persecution [in Kashmir] is not just [that] someone will be detained. The persecution is also demolition of properties. They slap different laws on people which call them terrorists, and suddenly they become killable. You can demolish homes, you can put them in jails, you can confiscate their property, and you can appropriate their lands.” “The transnational repression that happens every day, that happens in silent ways… it’s the repression of family members back there, it is taking away the documentation that allows you to move freely across the globe and also exist within India itself,” said Dr. Zia. “The other insidious side of that is that people do not talk about it. The cases that [the report] specifies are some of the people… who have gone public because they had no other option.” Mannirmal Kaur, Senior Federal Policy Manager at the Sikh Coalition, highlighted how Sikh Americans have long experienced threats and surveillance related to their political views. “We have long been aware, even as a domestic civil rights organization, that there are members of our community that have long suspected that the Indian government reaches beyond its own borders to attempt to silence or harass members of the Sikh community and others,” said Kaur.  Kaur also emphasized the importance of intercommunity solidarity when raising awareness about TNR.  “It’s one thing when a member of Congress office is hearing from the Sikh community that the government of India is engaged in this transnational targeting… But I think it’s really important that these folks are not just hearing that

Featured, Reports

IAMC Report: Transnational Repression: Modi Regime’s Targeting of Critics in the United States

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The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) has released a new report exposing how the Indian government has weaponized transnational repression (TNR) to silence critics in the United States. The report documents how Indian consulates and state-aligned actors have employed at least 9 of the 11 tactics recognized by the FBI as forms of TNR—including harassment, intimidation, surveillance, and threats to family members back home. These tactics have created a chilling climate of fear that undermines the First Amendment rights of Indian Americans, journalists, academics, and human rights defenders, pushing many into silence or self-censorship. From the shocking testimonies of Kashmiri journalists like Masrat Zahra to the intimidation of Sikh, Muslim, and Christian diaspora communities, this report presents previously unpublished evidence of how the Modi regime is extending its authoritarian reach beyond India’s borders. It reveals how the Indian state’s campaign of silencing dissent at home has now become a global threat to democracy, civil liberties, and community safety—even within the United States.  Read the full report to understand how U.S. institutions must respond to this escalating crisis. [pdf-embedder url="http://3.145.57.38/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/TNR-Report-Final-4.pdf" title="TNR Report Final 4"]   Click Here to Download

Weekly Roundup

IAMC Weekly India Human Rights Monitor (June 13, 2025)

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This Week at a Glance  Eid al-Adha celebrations were strained by a series of mob attacks, prayer restrictions, arrests, threats, and other forms of violence. Indian authorities demolished Muslim homes and centuries-old shrines in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, and ramped up deportations of Bengali-speaking Muslims in Assam. In Kolkata, a Muslim man was arrested for reporting hate speech, while a comedian faced legal threats for criticising government policies. This week, we also remember activist Umar Khalid, now approaching five years in jail for speaking out against the CAA. On the US front, IAMC announced an upcoming report on transnational repression, as well as a panel event to celebrate the release of the report. We also hosted a panel event titled “Increased Attacks on Muslims after Pahalgam,” featuring a United Nations Special Rapporteur, and will be featured on a panel hosted by Rutgers Law Center for Security, Race, and Rights next week. Top Stories (Freedom House) IAMC Announces Upcoming Report on India’s Transnational Repression IAMC announced the upcoming release of a new report on transnational repression by the Modi government against people of Indian origin and Kashmiris living in the US,, including the abuse of activists, journalists, and academics. The report will be released on June 18. You can register for the event here. United Nations Special Rapporteur Says India Breaching Commitment to Int’l Law At an event hosted by IAMC on the surge of anti-Muslim violence following the Pahalgam attack, United Nations special rapporteur Nicolas Levrat stated that India is “very obviously” not living up to its commitment to protect its minorities as a signatory to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).  Eid al-Adha Marred by Anti-Muslim Violence  This year’s Eid al-Adha was marred by a wave of hate crimes targeting Muslims in multiple Indian states. In Assam, 16 people were arrested under the state’s cattle slaughter law, while in Tripura, the home of a Muslim opposition leader was attacked after he criticized police inaction. In Hyderabad and Telangana, Muslims were assaulted by armed mobs chanting Hindu religious slogans, and incidents of mob violence, theft, and arson were reported around Eid-related cattle transport.  (Biju Boro / AFP) India Expels Dozens Amid Growing Fears of Arbitrary Deportations Indian authorities in Assam have deported at least 19 people to Bangladesh this week, with state officials announcing more will follow—regardless of individuals’ prior registration or legal status. Rights advocates warn the expulsions bypass due process and disproportionately target Muslims, while families report loved ones being taken without notice or recourse. (EPA) Muslim Man Who Filed Complaint Against Influencer’s Anti-Muslim Remarks Arrested Wajahat Khan Qadri, a Muslim man who reported influencer Sharmishta Panoli for insulting Prophet Mohammad on social media, was arrested in Kolkata. His arrest, days after Panoli’s release, has sparked concern over targeting those who challenge Hindu supremacist figures rather than hate offenders themselves. Hate crimes and discrimination in India This week, in Jharkhand, three Muslim labourers were brutally assaulted by a mob, while in Hyderabad, self-proclaimed cow vigilantes attacked a cattle transporter, sparking communal violence. In Uttarakhand, Hindu extremists threatened Muslims not to hold Eid prayers, forcing them to flee despite police presence. In Pune, officials shut a public garden to block Eid celebrations following a BJP lawmaker’s complaint. Meanwhile, Kerala police booked a pastor after a Pakistan flag, among flags of other nations, was displayed at a Christian event and in Delhi, student activists were detained for protesting Israel’s blockade of Gaza. Resistance & Organizing Activists Push Back Against Cow Vigilantism in Bengaluru Civil society groups in Karnataka’s Bengaluru filed formal complaints and launched a public campaign demanding preventive action against rising cow vigilante attacks targeting Muslims during Eid. The activists succeeded in prompting a suo motu report against a prominent vigilante. (The News Minute) Court Grants Bail to Professor Targeted for Criticizing Government The Allahabad High Court has granted interim anticipatory bail to Dr Madri Kakoti, a University professor and political commentator known online as ‘Dr Medusa’, after she was charged with sedition for posts condemning government inaction and anti-Muslim violence.  Defender of the Week (The Quint) This week, we’re spotlighting Umar Khalid, a Muslim activist and political prisoner, who has now spent nearly five years in prison under India’s draconian anti-terror law, for his courageous activism against the discriminatory Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has designated him as a Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) Victim. Voices from the Ground  “Five years have passed, almost. Half a decade. That’s time enough for people to complete their PhDs and look for jobs, time enough to fall in love, marry and have a baby, time enough for one’s kids to grow beyond recognition, time enough for the world to normalise the genocide in Gaza, time enough for our parents to grow old and feeble. Is it time enough for our release?” – Umar Khalid, in a new letter penned from Tihar Jail IAMC in Action IAMC hosted UN Special Rapporteur Nicolas Levrat, Senior Advocate Prashant Bhushan, Professor Apoorvanand, and writer & advocate Suchitra Vijayan for a panel event on rising anti-Muslim violence in the aftermath of Pahalgam. Watch the full briefing here, and check out our press release on the event here.  We’re continuing to receive applications for the Indian American Youth Council (IAMYC), a new platform for young leaders who are passionate about minority rights, the reclaiming of Indian Muslim pride, and the fight against Hindu supremacist ideology in India and globally. We’re starting off with open applications for Chair and Vice Chair positions in the Bay Area, Los Angeles, Texas, and New York. IAMYC is open to college students and young professionals – apply now here, and email youthcouncil@iamc.com with any questions.  We’re continuing to catalogue daily hate crimes against Muslims and other minorities in India on our social media. Follow us on X and Instagram to keep up to date on the situation.  What to Watch Next Week We’re gearing up to release our

Indian deportees
Press Release

Statement from the Indian American Muslim Council on Tragic Ahmedabad Plane Crash

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The Indian American Muslim Council extends its deepest condolences to the families affected by the tragic plane crash in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. We are profoundly saddened by this devastating event and share in the grief, shock, and concern felt by the people of Gujarat and the entire nation. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner, carrying 242 people, crashed shortly after takeoff. Tragically, at least 204 lives were lost, and 41 others were injured. A heartbreaking detail is that the aircraft struck the dining hall and a hostel at B.J. Medical College, killing at least five medical students and injuring many others on the ground. The thoughts of Indian-American Muslims are with the victims and their loved ones. We stand in solidarity with our fellow Indians during this time of immense sorrow, praying for the recovery of the injured and offering our heartfelt support to all those suffering in the aftermath. IAMC calls upon aviation and safety regulators, airlines, and government bodies to conduct a thorough, transparent, and independent investigation into the crash. It is vital that we understand exactly what went wrong to ensure such a tragedy never happens again.

Prof. Nicolas Levrat
Press Release

UN Official Slams India’s Failure to Protect Muslims After Terror Attack, Cites “Incendiary Narratives at Highest Level”

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WASHINGTON, DC | June 11, 2025 — India “very obviously” failed to live up to its international obligations to protect Muslims from a wave of hate crimes following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, United Nations Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues, Prof. Nicolas Levrat, said at a Congressional Briefing today. “There is a concrete duty which bears upon India as a signatory state, as a party to this Convention, to make sure that no coercion happens against the exercise of freedom of religion,” Levrat said at the Briefing, referring to Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which India has ratified. “As far as we can see, there are incendiary narratives being brought up by the authorities even at the highest level. This is very problematic.” The Briefing, titled “Increased Attacks on Muslims After Pahalgam,” was organized by a coalition of 18 global rights-based organizations. According to the Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR), a prominent Indian legal aid group, 184 anti-Muslim hate incidents occurred across 19 Indian states within six days of the terror attack in Kashmir. These included murders, arson, and physical assaults. “There is a concrete duty which bears upon India as a signatory state, as a party to this Convention, to make sure that no coercion happens,” Levrat said, joining the Briefing from his base in Geneva. “And again, very obviously the State is not properly protecting Muslims in India. And as far as we can see, there are incendiary narratives being brought up by the authorities even at the highest level. And this is very problematic.” He continued: “It seems obvious in this specific situation that India is not living up to its international commitment.” Levrat also emphasized that while international mechanisms such as the UN Human Rights Council offer monitoring and accountability, the primary responsibility for protecting religious minorities lies with India’s national institutions. “The main protection should come from the national legal system which should implement these principles which are to be found in international treaties to which India, as many other countries, is committed,” he said. “Naturally the law should protect the individual…. The authorities have to be held accountable, but first and foremost in front of national jurisdiction, where victims or family of victims can bring their claim.” Levrat noted efforts to engage with India’s diplomatic mission in Geneva had proven unproductive. “India is a very difficult country to work with,” he said. “Diplomatic channels exist, but they are not producing meaningful outcomes. It’s not working, I’m sorry to say.” Prashant Bhushan, Senior Advocate at the Supreme Court of India, accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist government and his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of weaponizing the Pahalgam terror attack to stoke anti-Muslim sentiment ahead of domestic elections. “The BJP has been using the Hindu-Muslim issue in India, as well as the India-Pakistan issue, for their domestic politics to try and polarize public opinion in India on Hindu Muslim lines,” Bhushan said. “Almost all the instances of hate crimes in India are in BJP-ruled states.” Bhushan said India’s government made “no serious attempt” to identify the terrorists. “There was no attempt to explain the security failure or the intelligence failure which led to the attacks. But immediately the focus was shifted to bashing Pakistan and bashing Indian Muslims.” Suchitra Vijayan, Executive Director of The Polis Project, and Chair, International Human Rights Committee of the New York City Bar Association, said India’s anti-Muslims violence was not spontaneous but orchestrated. “It’s a system that is coordinated, it is state-tolerated and enabled,” she said. “We are seeing laboratories of violence perfected and created in various places across the country.” Elected officials and religious leaders were “openly calling for the arming of Hindus, expelling, targeting Muslims, and often this very proud rhetorical demand to replicate what Israel is doing in Palestine, to be replicated not only in Kashmir, but against Indian Muslims,” she added. Apoorvanand, a noted academic and columnist in India, warned that Indian Muslims were not just attacked but also silenced: “They [Muslims] don’t have a right to express their opinion. It leads to a chilling effect, affecting especially Muslim scholars and Muslim young men and women.” He cited the arrest of Ali Khan Mahmudabad, a Muslim academic, last month who was jailed for criticizing India’s war rhetoric. “This sets a dangerous precedent,” Apoorvanand said. “Muslims speaking or thinking Muslims become a very dangerous thing in present-day India.” The Congressional briefing brought together human rights experts, legal scholars, and policymakers to spotlight the escalating repression of Muslims in India and the urgent need for international attention and accountability. The event was co-sponsored by: Indian American Muslim Council, Genocide Watch, World Without Genocide, Hindus for Human Rights, New York State Council of Churches, The Polis Project, The Religious Nationalisms Project, Muslim Public Affairs Council, American Muslim Institution, The London Story, Association of Indian Muslims of America, India Labour Solidarity, South Asian Diaspora Action Collective (Canada), CAIR, 12 Ummah, NRI Affairs, The Humanism Project, and Center for Pluralism. Media Contact: Safa Ahmed Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) 📧media.info@iamc.com

Weekly Roundup

IAMC Weekly India Human Rights Monitor (June 6, 2025)

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This Week at a Glance  Calls are growing for the US State Department to designate India as a Country of Particular Concern for egregious religious freedom violations after more than 8,500 Muslim-owned homes were demolished in Ahmedabad. In Assam, the number of people arrested for “anti-national” social media posts rose to 81 following the Pahalgam attack, while an independent news outlet was slapped with a 90-day YouTube ban for posting criticism of India’s treatment of Rohingya refugees. Ahead of Eid al-Adha, Muslims across the country are facing harassment, including from elected officials from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Amid mounting hate speech and state discrimination, Mumbai witnessed a citizens’ rally for unity, and Muslim leaders launched a campaign to defend madrasas from targeted closures. On the US front, IAMC lauded the release of Rutgers’ new report on Hindutva in America, hosted veteran Indian lawyer Prashant Bhushan for an event in New Jersey, and geared up for even more events over the next few weeks. Top Stories Rutgers University Releases New Report on Hindutva in America The Rutgers Law Center for Security, Race, and Rights released a new report titled “Hindutva in America: A Threat to Equality and Religious Pluralism.” The report examines Hindu supremacists’ role in furthering bigotry against Muslims, Sikhs, and other minorities.  8,500 Muslim-owned homes demolished in Ahmedabad Over 8,500 Muslim-owned homes were demolished in Ahmedabad while Hindu properties were spared. In light of this incident, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) urged the US State Department to designate India as a Country of Particular Concern – a label reserved for the world’s worst violators of religious freedoms. 81 Arrested in Assam Over Pahalgam-Related Social Media Posts  In Assam, arrests over “anti-national” posts have risen to 81 since the Pahalgam attack. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma boasted of the arrests on X, saying, “Eighty-one anti-nationals are now behind bars for sympathising with Pakistan.” YouTube Bans Independent Outlet for Criticizing Treatment of Rohingya YouTube imposed a 90-day ban on independent outlet Journo Mirror after it posted a video of advocate Prashant Bhushan criticizing India’s treatment of Rohingya refugees. Muslims Face Threats Ahead of Eid Ahead of Eid al-Adha, Muslims face nationwide harassment and bigotry – including from BJP lawmaker Nanda Kishore Gurjar, who threatened to shoot Muslim meat sellers in Uttar Pradesh ahead of the holiday. Hate crimes and discrimination in India This week, a Muslim school principal was suspended over fake news alleging she changed a school signboard to Urdu. Authorities in Uttar Pradesh razed an under-construction mosque without notice, while in Madhya Pradesh, a four-story building belonging to a Muslim doctor was demolished using explosives. Meanwhile, BJP lawmaker Alok Sharma supported calls to ban Muslim trainers from gyms in Bhopal, and Hindu militants held a march in Kanpur after arms training, calling for the boycott of Muslim businesses. Resistance & Organizing Citizens March in Mumbai Against Hate, Reaffirm Commitment to Unity Hundreds gathered in Mumbai this week for a peace rally organized by a coalition of activists, students, workers, and civil society groups. The march called for an end to rising hate and communal violence, while affirming a collective commitment to constitutional values, environmental justice, and solidarity across religious and caste lines. Son Files Supreme Court Petition to Stop Mother’s Illegal Deportation A 27-year-old man in Assam has taken his mother’s case to India’s Supreme Court after she was detained without due process and faces imminent deportation. His habeas corpus petition challenges the unlawful “push back” of declared foreigners and asserts her right to remain in India while her appeal is still pending. Muslim leaders Hold Conference to Defend Madrasas from Targeted Demolitions At a gathering in Uttar Pradesh, Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind launched a campaign against arbitrary demolition and closure notices served to madrasas across multiple states. Leaders denounced the targeting of Islamic institutions as unconstitutional, vowing to defend religious and educational freedoms through the courts and public mobilization. Defender of the Week This week, we’re spotlighting Senior Advocate for the Supreme Court of India Prashant Bhushan, a veteran Indian lawyer who uses public interest litigation to push back against corruption and civil rights violations. Mr. Bhushan is known for his sharp criticism of the Modi government, the weakening of the Indian judiciary, and the corrosion of Indian democracy. Voices from the Ground  “What is worthy of note is that when BJP leaders and right-wing trollers rail against undocumented immigrant – who they variously described as infiltrators, [intruders], ‘Bangladeshis’, Rohingyas, insects and parasites – what they really are doing is dog-whistling against Indian Muslims.” – Harsh Mander, Indian author and social activist IAMC in Action IAMC hosted Senior Advocate Prashant Bhushan and veteran lawyer Ashok Arora for an event in New Jersey titled “The State of Democracy in India.” Stay tuned for our press release on the event. We’re continuing to receive applications for the Indian American Youth Council (IAMYC), a new platform for young leaders who are passionate about minority rights, the reclaiming of Indian Muslim pride, and the fight against Hindu supremacist ideology in India and globally. We’re starting off with open applications for Chair and Vice Chair positions in the Bay Area, Los Angeles, Texas, and New York. IAMYC is open to college students and young professionals – apply now here, and email youthcouncil@iamc.com with any questions.  We’re continuing to catalogue daily hate crimes against Muslims and other minorities in India on our social media. Follow us on X and Instagram to keep up to date on the situation.  What to Watch Next Week Anti-Muslim violence has soared across India in wake of the Pahalgam terror attack, and we need to talk about it. IAMC’s online event on June 11 at 12 pm EST will feature expert academics and notable advocates in a discussion of how Indian Muslims and Kashmiris have been affected post-Pahalgam. Stay tuned for more details. IAMC will be joining Rutgers Law Center for Security, Race, and Rights for an online panel event discussing the report on June 16th at 12pm

Prashant Bhushan
Press Release

India’s Enforcement Agencies Blackmailing S.C. Judges With Secret Dossier, Threatening to Jail Their Children: Prashant Bhushan in the U.S.

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‘Minority and Independent Judges Not Appointed. Judges Are Fearful.’ Fords, New Jersey (June 5, 2025) — Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government is running a clandestine campaign of surveillance and coercion targeting India’s top judges at the Supreme Court in order to blackmail them, globally renowned Indian civil rights attorney Prashant Bhushan said during a public meeting on his U.S. tour. Delivering the Keynote Address titled “The State of Democracy in India” at an event hosted by the Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) in New Jersey, a U.S.-based nonprofit, Bhushan said: “The most sinister manner of suborning the independence of the judiciary which this government has devised is to create dossiers. They ask all the agencies – the Enforcement Directorate, the Central Bureau of Investigation, the Income Tax Department, the National Investigation Agency, and local police – to create dossiers against every important judge, every judge who is likely to become Chief Justice. And if they find anything … they use that to blackmail those judges.” He added that judges were told, “If you do not toe our line on this issue [then] we will have to expose you or put your children in jail.” Bhushan, who has spent over four decades holding governments and courts accountable, stated: “This is not a rumor. This is happening.” He warned that this covert strategy was deliberately dismantling India’s judicial independence, using fear, inducements, and obstruction to bend the courts. He accused the Supreme Court of failing to defend its own authority, even as the Modi government routinely violates legal norms around judicial appointments. “Unfortunately, the Supreme Court and its judges just do not have the guts to haul them up for contempt,” he said. As a result the government was able to “stifle the selection of some independent judges” chosen by the Court’s own collegium. Bhushan alleged that “especially judges belonging to the minority communities” were being passed over, even when the collegium reiterated their names. He compared the judiciary’s current state to its capitulation during the 1975–77 Emergency, when the Supreme Court infamously held that the right to life could be suspended. Modi’s “strong fascist government,” Bhushan said, had made many honest judges fearful. “There is a fear” so pervasive that judges were unwilling to challenge the government, even when constitutional rights were openly violated. State Capture Beyond the judiciary, Bhushan described a dangerous consolidation of authoritarian power in India as democratic institutions—from constitutional watchdogs to the media—had been systematically undermined and stripped of independence. “By and large, in the last 10 years… the Election Commission has ceased to be an independent body. It is seen as a yes-man body which just toes the line of the government,” he said. He accused the government of manipulating the appointment process to ensure loyalty, pointing to how the Chief Justice of India was removed from the selection committee for election commissioners. Bhushan said the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) had “stopped auditing the accounts of governments run by the ruling party. Those audits have come down to less than one-fourth of what they used to be.” On investigative agencies, he stated that the ED, CBI, IT, NIA, and police have all “become largely tools of this government.” He cited an Indian Express investigation to say “more than 90% of the cases under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act… were against opposition politicians,” and added that “if they joined the BJP… the cases against them were immediately dropped.” Bhushan described the mainstream media as being overwhelmingly compromised: “Most of the mainstream media has become lapdog media.” Electoral Corruption Bhushan argued that India’s electoral system had been overtaken by corporate money and quid pro quo arrangements between business interests and political parties, particularly under the now-defunct electoral bonds scheme. “It became clear that the BJP had received more than half of all the electoral bonds that had been purchased. So out of the ₹16,000 crores worth of electoral bonds which had been purchased, the BJP alone had got more than ₹8,000 crores.” He said investigative journalists had uncovered cases where companies donated electoral bonds and then received government contracts in return. “This company which gave this electoral bond to this party received this contract from the government being run by that party… or this kind of favor was received by this company from the government which was being run by the party to whom they had given those electoral bonds.” He criticized the broader electoral system as one in which money determines both visibility and electability: “Our whole system of representative democracy or elections have largely become a game of money. And if you look at the amount of money today… this whole system of democracy in this country has become a game of from money to power and then using that power to make more money.” Needed: A Truth Army Calling for civic resistance to the ruling party’s propaganda machinery, Bhushan urged civil society to create a counterforce: “A truth army… a volunteer army of people which spread the truth instead of falsehoods, which spread love instead of hate.” Such a network would operate like the BJP’s IT cell but would be committed to “doing the opposite of what they are doing.” Media Contact: Safa Ahmed media.info@iamc.com

Weekly Roundup

IAMC Weekly India Human Rights Monitor (May 31, 2025)

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This Week at a Glance  In Uttar Pradesh, over 180 Muslim families face eviction and a 185-year-old mosque was demolished, while in Assam, Indian forces allegedly pushed 14 Bengali-speaking Muslims into Bangladesh, raising fears of mass illegal deportations. Communal violence in Karnataka left one Muslim man dead and another critically injured. The Supreme Court refused to stop Rohingya deportations despite eyewitness accounts of refugees being dumped at sea. This week also saw a surge in anti-Muslim hate crimes across India, from a fatal stabbing in Haryana to forced shop closures, student suspensions, and looming evictions in New Delhi’s Okhla.  Top Stories Muslim Families Face Eviction, Historic Mosque Demolished in Uttar Pradesh Over 180 Muslim families in Bahraich, Uttar Pradesh, face eviction after forest officials served notices alleging illegal settlement on government land. Part of the 185-year-old Noori Masjid was also demolished, despite the mosque dating back to 1839. Assam Muslims Allegedly Forced Into Bangladesh by Indian Security Officials Fourteen Bengali-speaking Muslims from Assam—declared “foreigners” by controversial tribunals—were allegedly beaten and pushed across the border into Bangladesh by India’s Border Security Force. Eyewitnesses and video evidence suggest the individuals were forcibly expelled despite ongoing court cases and legal residence. The incident has intensified fears of a larger campaign of illegal deportations targeting Muslims in the northeastern parts of India. Muslim Man Killed and Another Critically Injured in Communal Attack in Karnataka In Dakshina Kannada’s Bantwal taluk, two Muslim men were brutally attacked by unidentified assailants with swords, leaving 42-year-old Imtiyaz dead and Abdul Rahim critically injured. The assault follows a string of communal violence in the region, heightening fears of targeted attacks amid rising tensions. Supreme Court Declines to Halt Rohingya Deportations Despite Eyewitness Accounts The Supreme Court refused to intervene after 40 Rohingya refugees were allegedly forced into the sea near the Myanmar border by Indian authorities, citing lack of “material evidence” despite survivor testimony and UN condemnation. With at least 700 more Rohingyas facing detention and deportation, advocates warn that returning them to Myanmar is a potential death sentence. Hate crimes and discrimination in India This week, India witnessed another week of brutal anti-Muslim incidents. In Haryana’s Panipat, 24-year-old Firdaus Alam was fatally stabbed after being taunted for wearing a skullcap. In Ghaziabad, a Muslim man was arrested and his shop vandalised after news of his interfaith marriage surfaced, despite legal protections. In Tamil Nadu, three Muslim students were suspended just before final exams over alleged “Free Palestine” and “Jai Bhim” graffiti, in what students call targeted harassment. In Delhi’s Okhla, eviction notices have left hundreds of Muslim families fearing displacement from homes they’ve lived in for decades.  Resistance & Organizing Muslim Journalist Sarah Aziz Wins British Press Award for Reporting on Rohingya Abuse Sarah Aziz, a 23-year-old Muslim journalist from Kolkata and current Columbia University student, has won second prize for “Young Journalist of the Year” at the UK’s prestigious Press Awards. Recognized for her investigative reporting on Rohingya refugees and state violence in India, Aziz’s work has been published in The Guardian, The Telegraph, and Voice of America. AMU Students Visit Aligarh Mob Assault Victims, Offer Legal Support Members of the Muslim Students Federation at Aligarh Muslim University visited victims of a Hindu extremist mob assault in Aligarh, offering solidarity and coordinating legal aid through a local Muslim lawmaker.  Bombay High Court Frees Muslim Student Jailed for Instagram Post  The Bombay High Court ordered the immediate release of a 19-year-old Muslim student arrested and rusticated for resharing an Instagram post critical of India’s recent military operation, calling her treatment “absolutely shocking.”  Defender of the Week This week, we spotlight Mohak Mangal, a YouTuber and independent journalist who publicly challenged Asian News International (ANI), a propaganda news agency with ties to the ruling BJP. In a now-viral video, Mohak alleged that ANI weaponized YouTube’s copyright system to demand around $46,000  in exchange for not striking his channel—an accusation that many fellow creators say reflects broader intimidation tactics against critical voices. Voices from the Ground  “Padma Bhushan awarded to Sadhvi Ritambara, perhaps the most strident anti-Muslim female voice in India in run up to Babri demolition- compared Muslims to lemon in milk, cluster of flies. India hangs its head in shame.” – Mahua Moitra, an opposition leader, on India’s third-highest civilian award being conferred to Sadhvi Ritambara, a Hindu extremist. IAMC in Action IAMC has officially opened applications for the Indian American Youth Council (IAMYC), a new platform for young leaders who are passionate about minority rights, the reclaiming of Indian Muslim pride, and the fight against Hindu supremacist ideology in India and globally. We’re starting off with open applications for Chair and Vice Chair positions in the Bay Area, Los Angeles, Texas, and New York. IAMYC is open to college students and young professionals – apply now here, and email youthcouncil@iamc.com with any questions.  We released a joint statement calling on the Indian government and judiciary to immediately drop all charges against Professor Ali Khan Mahmudabad. Ajit Sahi, Advocacy Director at IAMC, met with officials at the U.S. State Department to brief them on the ongoing persecution of religious minorities in India. We’re continuing to catalogue daily hate crimes against Muslims and other minorities in India on our social media. Follow us on X and Instagram to keep up to date on the situation.  Watch Associate Media Director Safa Ahmed’s talk on Hindutva in Tech. What to Watch Next Week IAMC is co-sponsoring an in-person event at Roosevelt University’s Schaumburg campus, featuring Rutgers University professor Audrey Truschke, Anantanand Rambachan, Professor Emeritus of Religion at Saint Olaf College, and R. David Coolidge, Research Faculty at Bayan Islamic Graduate School. The discussion will explore how India’s past continues to shape its present and future. Registration is required. More details here. Indian Supreme Court lawyer and renowned human rights defender Prashant Bhushan will deliver a keynote address on “The State of Democracy in India” at an event hosted by IAMC New Jersey on June 4, 2025, at Royal Albert’s Palace,

Weekly Roundup

IAMC Weekly India Human Rights Monitor (May 23, 2025)

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This Week at a Glance  The Indian government continued to repress its critics through the shocking arrest of political scientist Ali Khan Mahmudabad over social media posts, and also through the cancellation of Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) status for UK-based academic Nitasha Kaul. In Gujarat, the illegal demolitions left over 7,000 Muslims homeless, while in Bihar, two Muslim men were killed, sparking wider concerns of anti-Muslim sentiment among law enforcement. Amid this rampant brutality, the Supreme Court granted bail to a former Popular Front of India (PFI) member; over 10,000 protested against the Waqf Amendment Act in Telangana; and the United Nations gave India a deadline to address the systemic abuse of Bengali-speaking Muslims in Assam. On the US front, IAMC officially launched applications for our national Youth Council, onboarded 15 courageous young leaders as interns, and concluded our week-long series of events in the Bay Area with a bang, hitting over 10k views on Associate Media Director Safa Ahmed’s talk on Hindutva in Tech.  Top Stories UN Gives India Deadline to Respond to Violence Against Bengali-Speaking Muslims in Assam The UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination has expressed serious concern over the severe suppression of Bengali-speaking Muslims in Assam, including through deprivation of citizenship, forced evictions, and state-led repression of Bengali-speaking Muslims in Assam. The Committee urged India to respond by August 1 under international human rights obligations. Indian Professor Arrested Over Social Media Posts on India-Pakistan Conflict Political scientist Ali Khan Mahmudabad was arrested after criticizing India’s recent military escalation with Pakistan on social media. The Supreme Court has since granted him interim bail, but allowed the investigation to proceed under a special team.   Thousands of Muslims Left Homeless After Mass Demolition in Gujarat Over 7,000 homes were razed in a Muslim-majority area in Gujarat’s Ahmedabad, displacing thousands of mostly Muslim residents, some with decades of ties to the land. Locals say they were branded as migrant Bangladeshis without proof, denied due process, and left without shelter, water, or compensation.   Two Muslim Men Killed in Bihar, Families Allege Targeted Violence and Police Complicity In Bihar’s Siwan district, 28-year-old Mohammad Shehzad Haq died from severe injuries after an alleged police beating days before his wedding. Just days earlier in Gopalganj, 19-year-old Kaif Khan was brutally stabbed to death in a suspected premeditated attack. His family now also faces police retaliation in the form of false charges.   India Cancels OCI Status of British-Kashmiri Academic Over Criticism of Modi Government The Indian government canceled the Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) status of British-Kashmiri scholar Nitasha Kaul, who says the move is a case of transnational repression, in retaliation for her work exposing anti-minority and anti-democratic policies.   Hate crimes and discrimination in India This week, Muslim-owned homes were demolished in Uttar Pradesh and Delhi. In Madhya Pradesh, Muslim men were publicly paraded and humiliated over cow slaughter allegations, while a school in Maharashtra denied admission to Muslim girls on religious grounds.  Resistance & Organizing   “You Cannot Jail Someone for Their Ideology”: Supreme Court Grants Bail to Ex-PFI Member The Supreme Court granted bail to former Popular Front of India (PFI) leader Abdul Sathar, rejecting the state’s attempt to prolong his detention over ideological affiliation and weak evidence in a murder conspiracy case. The Court emphasized that mere ideology is not a crime.   Thousands Protest against Waqf Amendments in Telangana Over 10,000 people gathered in Warangal for a massive protest against the Waqf Amendment Act 2025, calling it a threat to Muslim community assets and constitutional rights. The Act has been widely criticized for targeting Muslim properties and enabling state control over mosques and graveyards. Two Muslim Men Hailed as Heroes After Rescuing 13 from Fire in Hyderabad Returning from morning prayers, Mir Zahid and Mohammad Azmath rushed into a burning building to save the lives of 13 people, including women and children. Defender of the Week   This week, we’re spotlighting Ali Khan Mahmudabad, a political scientist, historian, and professor at Ashoka University, who was arrested over social media posts allegedly critical of India’s military actions. A vocal advocate for pluralism and academic freedom, Mahmudabad has long written on nationalism, Islam, and Indian Muslim identity. His arrest has sparked outrage among scholars and rights groups, with many calling it a targeted attack on dissent and free expression. Voices from the Ground  “The state by arresting Prof Mahmudabad is demonstrating that it cannot tolerate articulate Muslim voices which seem to challenge its narrative. The fact that Gulfisha Fatima, Umar Khalid, Kahlid Saifi are in jail and Nadeem Khan and Mohammad Zubair are being persecuted for acts of speech is unconscionable… All of the above were journalists, writers, human rights activists, students or ordinary citizens who happened to be Muslim and were arrested for the crime of exercising their right under Article 19(1)(a). Their arrests only buttress the impression of a state which cannot tolerate dissent.” – People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) IAMC in Action IAMC has officially opened applications for the Indian American Youth Council (IAMYC), a new platform for young leaders who are passionate about minority rights, the reclaiming of Indian Muslim pride, and the fight against Hindu supremacist ideology in India and globally. We’re starting off with open applications for Chair and Vice Chair positions in the Bay Area, Los Angeles, Texas, and New York. IAMYC is open to college students and young professionals – apply now here, and email youthcouncil@iamc.com with any questions.  We’re proud to announce that we’ve officially onboarded 15 courageous, talented young leaders to the IAMC team as part of our summer-long Omar Khalidi Scholars Program. Our interns will be taking on work in advocacy, media, and youth outreach, as well as be trained as spokespeople for our movement.  We wrapped up our series of educational events across the Bay Area with a talk by our Associate Media Director Safa Ahmed on Hindutva in Tech at Muslim Community Center (MCC) East Bay. The video has hit

Waqf properties
Press Release

Joint Statement in Support of Professor Ali Khan Mahmudabad: Drop All Charges and End the Crackdown on Dissent

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Indian American Muslim Council and Hindus for Human Rights demand that the Indian government and judiciary immediately drop all charges against Professor Ali Khan Mahmudabad. We further urge Indian authorities to release all political prisoners and prisoners of conscience who remain incarcerated simply for exercising their democratic rights. Professor Mahmudabad was arrested on Sunday, May 18, following a spurious complaint by a leader affiliated with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The complaint was based on a social media post by the professor in which he decried the escalating India-Pakistan military confrontation. He was granted interim bail by the Supreme Court of India on Wednesday, May 21. In his post, made in the wake of Operation Sindoor—India’s air strikes on targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir—Professor Mahmudabad wrote: “The loss of civilian life is tragic on both sides and is the main reason why war should be avoided.” He also exposed the hypocrisy of Hindu nationalist commentators who celebrated Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, a Muslim officer who briefed the media during the operation, while ignoring the ongoing violence and discrimination faced by Indian Muslims. “I am very happy to see so many right-wing commentators applauding Colonel Sofiya Qureshi,” he noted, “but perhaps they could also equally loudly demand that the victims of mob lynchings, arbitrary bulldozing, and others who are victims of the BJP’s hate mongering be protected as Indian citizens.” His arrest is a chilling reminder that the Modi government is exploiting the India-Pakistan crisis to intensify its authoritarian crackdown on dissent, and on academic and press freedoms at home. Rather than dismissing what is clearly an attempt to misuse national security to suppress speech, the Supreme Court labeled Professor Mahmudabad’s post as “dog whistling” and an attempt at “cheap publicity”—language that invites police harassment and paves the way for continued legal persecution. Professor Mahmudabad’s targeting comes amid a broader assault on free expression in India. In the past two weeks alone, Indian authorities have blocked over 8,000 X (formerly Twitter) accounts, and geo-blocked or entirely removed independent media platforms including The Wire, Maktoob Media, and several Kashmiri outlets—some of which were only partially restored later. Through this sweeping digital censorship, the government seeks to suppress  its own grave intelligence failure that allowed a deadly terrorist attack to kill 26 people, most of them Hindu, in Pahalgam, Kashmir. This is not an isolated case. Professor Mahmudabad’s arrest is part of a long-running pattern of repression targeting Muslim intellectuals and activists in India. Nearly five years have passed since Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, Gulfisha Fatima, and other Muslim student leaders were imprisoned under draconian laws like the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for peacefully protesting the Citizenship (Amendment) Act. These prisoners of conscience have faced fabricated charges, prolonged detention without trial, and a judiciary unwilling to uphold their basic rights. India must end its crackdown on academics, journalists, and dissenters; cease its digital censorship; and uphold the values enshrined in its Constitution. All Indians—regardless of religion—deserve to live in dignity, safety, and freedom.

Waqf properties
Press Release

IAMC condemns India’s expulsion of Rohingya refugees into the sea as gross violation of international law

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WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 20, 2025) — The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) strongly condemns the reported actions of Indian authorities who, according to the United Nations, forcibly expelled Rohingya refugees — many of them women, children, and elderly individuals — by placing them on naval vessels and casting them into the Andaman Sea, abandoning them to dangerous and life-threatening conditions. According to the New York Times, dozens of Rohingya refugees were rounded up from various Indian cities, blindfolded, flown to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, onboarded an Indian naval ship and thrown into the sea. Survivors recount being forced to swim toward Myanmar’s shores with only life jackets, left vulnerable to the very military forces they had fled. This disturbing episode appears to be part of a wider crackdown by Indian authorities that coincided with escalating tensions with Pakistan. In the days following a terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir that claimed the lives of over two dozen Indians, authorities across Prime Minister Narendra Modi led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-ruled states detained thousands of Muslims under the pretext of national security, labeling them as “illegal Bangladeshis,” “Pakistanis,” or “Rohingya.” While many of those detained turned out to be Indian citizens and some later released, confirmed Rohingya and Bangladeshi refugees, including some with valid UNHCR documentation, were deported without due process. “The idea that Rohingya refugees have been cast into the sea from naval vessels is nothing short of outrageous. I am seeking further information and testimony regarding these developments and implore the Indian government to provide a full accounting of what happened,” said Tom Andrews, UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar.  IAMC condemns these actions in the strongest possible terms.  “India’s treatment of the Rohingya is not only a moral and humanitarian failure, it is a blatant violation of international law, including the principle of non-refoulement, which prohibits the forced return of individuals to countries where they face persecution, torture, or death,” IAMC President Mohammad Jawad said. “The systematic dehumanization of Rohingya refugees is not an isolated incident but part of a broader pattern of state-sanctioned anti-Muslim discrimination,” Jawad added. IAMC calls on the United Nations to launch a thorough and transparent investigation into these expulsions and to make its findings public. We urge the Indian government to immediately halt all deportations of Rohingya refugees, initiate an independent inquiry into the incident, and hold accountable those responsible for these egregious violations of human rights and international norms. Furthermore, IAMC calls on the international community, including the United States, to take urgent diplomatic and legal measures to pressure the Indian government to comply with its obligations under international law and prevent further abuses against stateless and marginalized communities.

Zakir Qureshi
Weekly Roundup

IAMC Weekly India Human Rights Monitor (May 16, 2025)

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This Week at a Glance  India faces global outrage after reportedly dumping 43 Rohingya refugees—including children—into the sea near Myanmar, just days after assuring the Supreme Court of lawful deportations. A civil rights group has documented 184 anti-Muslim hate crimes across India since the Pahalgam attack, and two Muslim men were lynched this week alone. Attacks on Christians also spiked, with 245 incidents in just three months. In tandem with the rising violence, the mainstream media has come under fire for flooding channels with inflammatory fake news. Amid rising hate, the Supreme Court ordered support for a Muslim child assaulted in school, and a BJP minister faced legal action for a communal slur against a Muslim army officer. On the US front, IAMC hosted a week-long series of events on the various harms of Hindutva, including its influence in the tech sphere and its alliances with the far right.  Top Stories India Accused of Dumping 43 Rohingya Refugees, Including Children, Into Sea Near Myanmar 43 refugees—including minors, the elderly, and the ill—were allegedly blindfolded, tied up, and thrown from naval vessels into international waters on May 8. The atrocity occurred just as India assured its Supreme Court that deportations would follow legal procedures. 184 Anti-Muslim Hate Crimes Reported Across India After Pahalgam Attack: Civil Rights Group Between April 22 and May 8, the Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR) documented 84 hate speeches, 39 assaults, 19 acts of vandalism, and 3 lynchings targeting Muslims and Kashmiris. Muslim men lynched, assaulted across India In Bihar, a mob of 50 Hindu extremists lynched Zakir Qureshi and left his brother Nihal in serious condition. In Jharkhand, 22-year-old Abdul Kalam, a mental ill Muslim youth, was also lynched.  Anti-Muslim disinformation globally A new report from the Center for the Study of Organized Hate exposes how global far-right networks used X to spark anti-Muslim panic through disinformation. Meanwhile, Indian news channels have amplified over 70 fake news items in wake of the Pahalgam attack.  India sees 245 attacks on Christians in just 3 months, says United Christian Forum A new report by the United Christian Forum reveals a disturbing trend of nearly two attacks per day on Christians across 19 Indian states between January and April 2025.  Hate crimes and discrimination in India This week, an elderly Muslim farmer was assaulted and forced to chant Hindu slogans in Uttar Pradesh, a Muslim man was stripped and paraded, and Gujarat officials demolished a madrasa citing national security concerns. Read more here. Resistance & Organizing   Supreme Court Directs Government to Fund Education of Muslim Boy Slapped in School The Supreme Court reaffirmed that the Uttar Pradesh government must cover all school-related expenses of the child until he completes his education, including tuition, uniforms, books, and transport. The directive comes in response to a plea after a 2023 viral video showed a teacher instructing classmates to slap the boy while making anti-Muslim comments. Court Orders Complaint Against BJP Minister for Communal Remark on Army Officer BJP minister Kunwar Vijay Shah faces legal action after calling Colonel Sofia Qureshi a “sister of terrorists” in a communal slur that sparked nationwide outrage. The minister has since issued a public apology as calls grow for his dismissal. Defender of the Week This week, we’re spotlighting Rejaz M. Sydeek, a 26-year-old student activist and independent journalist from Kerala, who has been at the forefront of documenting caste injustice and state repression. His arrest in Nagpur over posts allegedly critical of India’s Operation Sindoor has since escalated into serious charges under the draconian Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. His detention and the seizure of books and personal devices has drawn condemnations and protests.  Voices from the Ground  “Over 15 coffins were lowered into the ground including that of a 12-year-old child, yet there was no word of condolence, no acknowledgment, no empathy. Are the lives on the border invisible? Do the cries from Poonch, Rajouri, and Uri not reach the corridors of power? The silence is deafening. It sends a chilling message, that some lives matter more than others. That the pain of the people in border areas is politically inconvenient. But let it be known; Poonch, Rajouri, and Uri bleed. And Poonch, Rajouri, and Uri remember. We will not allow these sacrifices to be erased or ignored. Every life matters. Every tear counts. And history will remember not only those who died, but also those who chose silence in the face of their suffering.” – Nasir Khuehami National Convenor, J&K Students Association IAMC in Action This week, IAMC has held a series of educational events across the Bay Area, including Stanford, San Francisco State University, UC Santa Cruz, West Valley Muslim Association (WVMA), and Muslim Community Center (MCC) East Bay. Topics included Hindutva and the Global Far Right, Hindutva in Tech, and the Cost of Being Muslim in India. You can rewatch our talk with WVMA here.  We’re continuing to catalogue daily hate crimes against Muslims and other minorities in India on our social media. Follow us on X and Instagram to keep up to date on the situation.  What to Watch Next Week Amnesty International is holding its US Board of Directors Election through May 30. Voting is a way to make your voice heard in the shaping of Amnesty’s US activities. Get to know the candidates here. IAMC’s newest multimedia project, the Indian Muslim Story, is an exploration of Indian Muslim heritage, identity, and current issues. We release new articles each week, so be sure to follow us on Instagram for accompanying graphics and videos. 

Mosque demolished
Weekly Roundup

IAMC Weekly India Human Rights Monitor (May 9, 2025)

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This Week at a Glance  Tensions continue to escalate as airstrikes by India and Pakistan claim civilian lives, even as India’s mainstream media outlets peddle disinformation and drench headlines in bloodlust for an all-out war. Across three Indian states, Muslim homes, madrasas, and mosques were demolished while 2,800 people were detained in Kashmir amid a sweeping post-Pahalgam crackdown. A report by India Hate Lab (IHL) documented 64 hate speech incidents targeting Muslims in the last two weeks; meanwhile, the website of prominent independent news outlet The Wire was blocked by the Indian government, and the X account of another major independent news portal, Maktoob Media, was withheld. Protests against the Waqf Amendment Act intensified across Karnataka and Bihar, and voices calling for peace, including the widow of a slain officer and a viral video of a Muslim boy, stood out amid rising hate. On the US front, IAMC condemned the killing of civilians in airstrikes by India and Pakistan, called for swift de-escalation, and urged unity within the diaspora. Top Stories Civilians killed in India and Pakistan’s airstrikes, cross-border shelling Indian airstrikes have killed over 30 people in Pakistan, while Pakistani shelling has killed at least 16 people along border areas in Jammu region. On both sides, children have been among the victims. Over 8,000 X accounts, including Maktoob Media, The Wire’s website, blocked Over 8,000 X accounts, including that of independent news portal Maktoob Media, have been withheld in India after a legal demand from the government. The website of prominent news outlet The Wire was also blocked. Demolitions target Muslim areas across three states, leaving hundreds homeless In coordinated demolition drives across Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and Maharashtra, authorities razed homes, madrasas, and religious sites in Muslim-majority areas, citing court orders. The demolitions have displaced hundreds of families and sparked accusations of collective punishment. Sixty-four hate speeches against Muslims across India in 14 days post-Pahalgam attack A report by India Hate Lab recorded 64 hate speech events across India following the Pahalgam attack, led by Hindu far-right groups. Speakers used dehumanizing slurs for Muslims and openly incited violence, exclusion, and economic boycotts. Mass detentions sweep Kashmir after Pahalgam attack, 90 booked  Following the attack in Pahalgam, police in Jammu and Kashmir have detained around 2,800 people and booked 90 under the stringent Public Safety Act. A Kashmiri journalist, Hilal Mir, was also detained. Critics argue that such mass detentions amount to collective punishment and raise concerns about civil liberties in the region. Hate crimes and discrimination in India This week, a Kashmiri youth’s dead body was found after alleged army detention, a mosque in Shimla was ordered to be demolished, and villages near Pune banned non-local Muslims from Friday prayers. Read more here. Resistance & Organizing Widow of Pahalgam attack victim urges peace, opposes targeting of Muslims Himanshi, wife of slain officer Lt. Vinay Narwal, appealed for unity amid rising anti-Muslim hate crimes, saying, “We should not target Muslims or Kashmiris. We want peace.”  Hundreds of thousands continue to rally against the Waqf Amendment Bill   Across Karnataka and Bihar, hundreds of thousands took to the streets to protest the Waqf Amendment Act and pledged to continue the agitation until the law is repealed. The Act has been widely criticized for targeting Muslim properties and enabling state control over mosques and graveyards. Viral video shows Muslim boy outsmarting reporter’s hate bait with message of peace  In a viral video, a young Indian Muslim boy calmly addresses a reporter’s inflammatory questions, advocating for peace and mutual respect between India and Pakistan. Defender of the Week This week, we’re spotlighting Himanshi Narwal, the widow of Lt. Vinay Narwal, who was killed in the Pahalgam attack. In the face of the Hindu right’s attempts to use her husband’s death as a rallying point, Himanshi has boldly refused to give in to hate, telling the press, “We don’t want people going against Muslims or Kashmiris. We want peace and only peace… we want justice.” Voices from the Ground  “I remind myself that this sacrifice is worth the risk — it may not lead to immediate results, but will eventually make us see through the machinations of secular majoritarianism. I find solace in the hope that struggles like mine eventually lead us to true democratic reforms. In the words of Zaheer Kashmiri:  ‘Hamein hai ilm ki hum hain chiraag-e-aakhir-e-shab, hamaare baad andhera nahi ujaala hai.’ (We are aware that we are lamps burning at the end of the night, what comes after us is not darkness, but morning light.)” – Sharjeel Imam, Muslim prisoner of conscience IAMC in Action IAMC released a statement condemning the killing of civilians in airstrikes by India and Pakistan, and called for swift de-escalation. We maintain that unity within the diaspora is a must at this difficult time, and stand in solidarity with all innocents affected by nationalistic violence. Read our full statement here.  We’re continuing to catalogue daily hate crimes against Muslims and other minorities in India on our social media. Follow us on X and Instagram to keep up to date on the situation.  What to Watch Next Week Starting Monday, IAMC will be partnering with a number of MSAs and other orgs in the Bay Area to host a series of educational events on Hindutva, the global far right, and the persecution of Indian Muslims. Here’s our full itinerary: May 12th: Stanford University, 7:40 PM to 8:40 PM PST May 13: West Valley Muslim Association’s Siraat program, 6 PM to 8:30 PM May 14th: UC Santa Cruz, 4 PM to 5 PM May 15th: San Francisco State University, time TBD Amnesty International is holding its US Board of Directors Election through May 30. Voting is a way to make your voice heard in the shaping of Amnesty’s US activities. Get to know the candidates here. On May 11, our friends at SALDEF will be in Chicago to host “Sikhs in Storytelling” – a day of panels, workshops, and opportunities to meet Sikh community leaders, creatives, entertainers,

Indian deportees
Press Release

Indian Americans call for de-escalation between India and Pakistan, condemn killing of civilians

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Washington, D.C. (May 8, 2025) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) today unequivocally condemned the killing of civilians in recent airstrikes by India and Pakistan and called for immediate de-escalation and the protection of civilians on both sides of the border.  “Wars rooted in hypernationalism are never just, and if this escalation continues, it will be innocent Indians and Pakistanis who end up paying the price,” said IAMC President Mohammed Jawad. “Furthermore, an all-out war between two nuclear powers will not only destroy countless lives, but will destabilize the entire region for years to come. Restraint and deescalation at this time are crucial.” On May 6, Indian airstrikes struck multiple locations across Pakistan. The Indian government has declared the strikes an act of retaliation after gunmen killed 25 Indian tourists and a local guide in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, an attack that Pakistan has denied any involvement in. Indian airstrikes have already killed over 30 people in Pakistan, while Pakistani shelling has killed at least 16 people along border areas in Jammu region. On both sides, children have been among the victims.   This year, the Muslim-majority region of Kashmir entered its fifth year under the direct rule of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu supremacist government, following the abrogation of its special autonomous status in August 2019. Leading global human rights organizations, including the United Nations, have consistently raised alarm over widespread abuses carried out by the Indian military in the region—ranging from mass surveillance and arbitrary arrests to the closure of mosques during major Muslim holidays, land dispossession, and discriminatory policies targeting Kashmir’s Muslim population. Journalists and human rights defenders face particularly harsh treatment, with many detained under India’s draconian anti-terrorism laws. The Indian government has also cracked down on critics within the country, shutting down major social media accounts that question Modi’s handling of security in Kashmir. Meanwhile, Indian Muslims, the largest and most vulnerable religious minority in the nation, have been subjected to a new spike in violent hate crimes by Hindu supremacists.  “IAMC urges the South Asian American diaspora to come together at this time in unity,” said Jawad. “Our message must be clear in a time clouded by hatred and hypernationalism: we are opposed to war, we are opposed to division, and above all, we support the right of all civilians – whether Indian or Pakistani – to live in safety and security.” Please send all media inquiries to media.info@iamc.com.

Indian deportees
Press Release

Indian Americans condemn cowardly terror attack in Kashmir

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Washington, D.C. (April 22, 2025) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) today unequivocally condemned the terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, which killed at least 26 tourists and injured over 20 others, marking the region’s deadliest terror attack since 2019. “We unequivocally condemn the barbaric and cowardly attack in Pahalgam that has taken so many innocent lives,” said IAMC President Mohammed Jawad. “We stand in unequivocal solidarity with the victims and their families, and call for accountability and justice ”  The attack comes amid a broader context of unrest and repression in Kashmir. In 2024, the Muslim-majority region entered its fourth year under the direct rule of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government, following the abrogation of its special autonomous status in August 2019. Leading global human rights organizations, including the United Nations, have consistently raised alarm over widespread abuses in the region—ranging from mass surveillance and arbitrary arrests to the closure of mosques during major Muslim holidays, land dispossession, and discriminatory policies targeting Kashmir’s Muslim population. Journalists and human rights defenders face particularly harsh treatment, with many detained under India’s draconian anti-terrorism laws. “For all the grandstanding about ‘normalcy’ in Kashmir, this attack lays bare the emptiness of those claims. If this is what normal looks like under Prime Minister Modi’s rule—massive militarization, silencing of dissent, and civilians caught in the crossfire—then it’s a damning indictment, not an achievement,” said Jawad. “We call on the Indian government to ensure a swift, transparent, and accountable investigation—not only to bring the perpetrators to justice but also to ensure that such violence does not become an excuse for collective punishment, arbitrary detentions, or repression of civilians.” 

Waqf properties
Press Release

IAMC Raises Alarm Over Human Rights Crisis Facing Muslims in India’s Assam State

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Washington, D.C. (April 14, 2025) — The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) expresses grave concern over the dire conditions facing more than 10 million Muslims in the northeastern Indian state of Assam, as detailed in a recent investigative documentary by Middle East Monitor. The revelations point to an unfolding humanitarian crisis fueled by discriminatory state policies, systemic persecution, and unchecked hate speech.   According to the findings presented, Muslims in Assam are being systematically targeted through illegal mass arrests, arbitrary demolitions of homes, mosques, and madrasas, and detention in facilities where reports of abuse and mistreatment are widespread. These actions reflect a broader pattern of religious persecution, enabled by the weaponization of laws to criminalize and marginalize an entire community. The crisis has been further exacerbated by inflammatory and dehumanizing rhetoric from ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who has repeatedly referred to Muslims as “infiltrators” from Bangladesh and warned of a demographic threat. Such statements not only fuel Islamophobic sentiment but also legitimize violence and state-led repression. The documentary also highlights the impact of policies such as the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), which have rendered countless Muslims stateless and vulnerable to indefinite detention. Last month, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) recommended that India be designated as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) for its severe violations of human rights and religious freedoms for the sixth consecutive year. The CPC label is a designation reserved for the world’s worst violators of religious freedom. USCIRF noted that religious freedoms in India continued to deteriorate, highlighting the illegal and dangerous proliferation of anti-minority hate speech by BJP leaders during India’s 2024 general elections, discriminatory laws, punitive demolitions of mosques and places of worship, and attacks by Hindu supremacists on Muslims, Christians, and other vulnerable groups. “As Islamophobic attacks continue to rise across India, the plight of Assam’s Muslims is a stark reminder of how dangerous state-sponsored bigotry can become,” said Rasheed Ahmed, Executive Director of IAMC. “The international community must pay urgent attention to the systemic erosion of human rights in Assam.” IAMC urgently calls on the Indian government to halt all discriminatory actions targeting Muslim communities in Assam, ensure accountability for unlawful demolitions and detentions, and uphold the fundamental rights guaranteed to all citizens under India’s Constitution. IAMC further calls on India’s judiciary to intervene decisively to halt these unconstitutional actions, hold state authorities accountable, and safeguard the fundamental rights of all Indian citizens, regardless of faith or background. The courts must act as a bulwark against state-led persecution and ensure the rule of law is upheld. IAMC also urges policymakers, human rights organizations, and global civil society to take urgent notice of the situation and advocate for justice, accountability, and the protection of minority rights.  Media Contact: Safa Ahmed Associate Media Director Email: media.info@iamc.com

Waqf Bill India
Op-Eds

THE DIPLOMAT: Modi’s Waqf Bill a Potential Death Blow for Muslim Property Rights

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By Rasheed Ahmed For centuries, Indian Muslims have managed tens of thousands of holy sites across India, stewarding properties such as mosques, madrasas, orphanages, and graveyards – endowments made by Indian Muslims over generations for the benefit of the community. These properties, known as waqf, are now under attack from India’s Hindu nationalist government. Waqf properties are foundational to Muslim life in India, providing an institutional foundation for alleviating poverty and improving literacy. These properties are now under attack, with India’s Hindu nationalist ruling party, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and its Prime Minister Narendra Modi, proposing a set of amendments which could be utilized to undercut the state-level waqf boards that govern waqf properties, transferring transfer power into the hands of leaders hostile to Muslim Indians. The scale of the threat is hard to overstate. There are 32 state waqf boards throughout India, which collectively run more than 2,000 educational institutions and hundreds of health clinics, primarily for the poor. According to the Indian government, there are at least 872,351 waqf properties across India with an estimated cumulative value of 1.2 trillion rupees ($14.22 billion). Read More >>

Waqf properties
Press Release

Waqf Bill a Dangerous Step Toward Dispossessing Indian Muslims, say Indian Americans

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Washington, D.C. (April 2, 2025) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) has expressed deep concern over the introduction of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, by India’s ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The proposed legislation, which is currently being debated in the Indian Parliament,  seeks to fundamentally alter the governance of waqf properties, threatening the rights and autonomy of India’s Muslim communities under the pretext of transparency and reform. Rasheed Ahmed, Executive Director of IAMC, issued the following statement: “The Waqf amendment bill is a blatant attempt to strip the Muslim community of its control over waqf properties and place these institutions under state control. The intention here is to dilute the authority of the Muslim community and weaken its ability to safeguard religious endowments. This move undermines not only the religious autonomy of Muslims but also threatens the very purpose of waqf, which is to serve the socio-economic needs of marginalized communities. These properties support countless educational institutions, healthcare facilities, and social welfare programs that serve Muslim communities across the country. Increased state control and potential encroachment will deprive vulnerable populations of crucial support. This will also weaken the community’s ability to address socio-economic inequalities.  The proposed amendments are a thinly veiled pretext to justify state intervention and create legal mechanisms to dispossess the Muslim community of control over its assets. If transparency were genuinely the goal, the government would engage with community leaders and reform waqf management through consultation, not coercion. This bill is not an isolated development but part of a calculated and dangerous pattern of systematic erosion of minority rights under the Modi government. It’s yet another attempt at persecuting Muslims in the country and keeping them in the constant state of second-class citizenry. The Hindu nationalist government’s ultimate goal is to weaken the economic foundations of the Muslim community by seizing control of its institutions. This aligns perfectly with the BJP’s ideological mission to marginalize Muslims and limit their socio-economic mobility. We are actively engaging with international human rights bodies and civil society organizations to highlight the dangers posed by the bill because it represents a systematic attack on the religious and economic autonomy of India’s Muslim community. IAMC is committed to mobilizing the Indian diaspora and building international pressure to protect waqf institutions from the Hindu nationalist overreach. We call on all Members of Parliament and the Indian civil society to oppose this bill in its current form and to stand in defense of minority rights, constitutional safeguards, and the secular fabric of Indian democracy.” For media inquiries: Safa Ahmed Associate Media Director media.info@iamc.com  

sanctions against India
Press Release

IAMC lauds USCIRF’s call for sanctions against India’s spy agency & review of arms sales to India

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Washington, D.C. (March 25, 2025) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) today lauded the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) for urging a review of U.S. arms sales to India in light of severe anti-minority violence, sanctions on India’s intelligence agency, the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), and legislation to counter transnational repression by governments like India against individuals in the United States. These policy recommendations come alongside USCIRF’s decision to recommend India as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) for its severe violations of human rights and religious freedoms for the sixth consecutive year. The CPC label is a designation reserved for the world’s worst violators of religious freedom.  “IAMC commends USCIRF for recommending strict and swift actions to counteract the Indian government’s suppression of minorities, which has been having ramifications on the safety and well-being of Americans as well as Indian minorities for years now,” said IAMC Executive Director Rasheed Ahmed. “It is now more important than ever for the United States to take a strong stand against transnational repression committed against its citizens by the Modi regime.” In its 2025 Annual Report, USCIRF noted that religious freedoms in India continued to deteriorate, highlighting the illegal and dangerous proliferation of anti-minority hate speech by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders during India’s 2024 general elections, discriminatory laws, punitive demolitions of mosques and places of worship, and attacks by Hindu supremacists on Muslims, Christians, and other vulnerable groups.  Illustrating the scope of anti-minority violence enabled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist government, the report noted, “Throughout its 10 years in power, [the government] has increasingly enforced sectarian policies seeking to establish India as an overtly Hindu state, in contrast with the secular principles of the constitution…The Indian government also continued to expand its repressive tactics to target religious minorities abroad, specifically members of the Sikh community and their advocates.” The report cited widespread “misinformation, disinformation, and hate speech by government officials” during Indian elections as being a catalyst for “various forms of attacks against religious minorities.” USCIRF also emphasized that “violent attacks against religious minorities and places of worship persisted with impunity,” citing several attacks on Christians as well as frequent cow vigilante attacks and mob lynchings targeting Muslims throughout the year.  To address the Indian government’s wide scope of repression, both national and transnational, USCIRF recommended the designation of India as a CPC, the imposition of targeted sanctions on individuals and entities including RAW, a review of arms sales to India in light of severe anti-minority violence, and the passage of the Transnational Repression Reporting Act of 2024 in the US Congress to ensure the annual reporting of acts of transnational repression by the Indian government targeting religious minorities in the United States.  IAMC echoes USCIRF for the sixth year in a row in calling on the US Department of State to immediately act on the Commission’s recommendations, take the necessary policy steps, and hold the Indian government accountable for attacking and endangering US-based individuals. IAMC also urges the Indian government to take immediate steps to address these concerns and protect the rights of all of its citizens, regardless of their religion. For those interested in speaking with IAMC experts on deteriorating human rights and religious freedoms in India, please contact: media.info@iamc.com

Indian deportees
Press Release

IAMC condemns handcuffing, dehumanizing mistreatment of Indian deportees from the US

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Washington, D.C. (February 18, 2025) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) today strongly condemned the dehumanizing treatment of Indian deportees from the United States, including handcuffing individuals throughout lengthy flights on US military planes.  One deportee reported that his hands and feet were cuffed and chained through the duration of a 40-hour flight, and he was only unshackled after the plane landed in Amritsar, Punjab. Another deportee reported that women were also shackled. Victims also reported being “treated like criminals” and prevented from standing up, despite their legs swelling due to the restraints. This inhumane treatment has sparked anger in India, including among politicians.   The Pew Research Center and Center for Migration Studies of New York (CMS) estimated that there were around 700,000 undocumented Indian nationals living in the US in 2022, making them the third-largest demographic of undocumented immigrants after Mexico and El Salvador.  “All people have human rights, and documentation status does not change that,” said IAMC Executive Director Rasheed Ahmed. “The United States’ treatment of these undocumented women, men, and families is in violation of the basic right to dignity and respect.”  “IAMC is concerned with the human rights and fair treatment of all Indians, and as such is appalled by the blatant dehumanization of undocumented Indian migrants,” said IAMC President Mohammed Jawad. “To treat vulnerable people as criminals, shackling them for nearly two days of travel, is a gross violation of human rights. This practice must end immediately.”

Zakia Jafri
Press Release

IAMC mourns passing of towering human rights champion and Gujarat pogrom survivor Zakia Jafri

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Washington, D.C. (February 3, 2025) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) today mourns the passing of Zakia Jafri, a fearless human rights defender and a survivor of the 2002 Gujarat pogrom, who spent her life relentlessly pursuing justice for the thousands of innocent victims of one of India’s darkest massacres. Jafri, who passed away on February 1 at the age of 86, was a witness and survivor of the 2002 Gujarat pogrom. During the violence, Narendra Modi, then serving as Chief Minister of Gujarat, reportedly ordered law enforcement to stand down as Hindu militant mobs massacred around 2,000 Muslim children, women, and men across the state. Among the victims was Jafri’s husband, Muslim politician Ehsan Jafri, who was brutally murdered and dismembered by a Hindu mob, along with 69 other Muslims whom the couple had been sheltering in their home. In the decades following the pogrom, Zakia Jafri dedicated her life to fighting to hold the orchestrators of the Gujarat pogrom accountable. In 2006, she filed a petition with the Supreme Court of India against Modi and other political figures for their complicity in the pogrom. Her relentless fight forced India’s Supreme Court to order an inquiry, but despite mounting evidence, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) shielded Modi from accountability in its controversial 2012 findings. Undeterred, Jafri waged an unrelenting legal battle, challenging the whitewash until her final plea was dismissed in June 2022. “Zakia Jafri was the conscience of a nation that refused to acknowledge its crimes,” said IAMC Executive Director Rasheed Ahmed. “She never relented in her quest for justice, and though she did not live to see her husband’s killers and their enablers held accountable, we will not let her fight go in vain. It is now our duty to carry forward her mission and ensure that Narendra Modi and his accomplices answer for the bloodshed they orchestrated.” “Zakia Jafri’s legacy is one of courage, resilience, and unwavering defiance in the face of tyranny. She taught us that silence is not an option. As members of the diaspora, we vow to honor her memory by amplifying her fight for justice, exposing the truth, and standing up against the forces of hate and impunity. We will not rest until every victim of the Gujarat pogrom sees the justice they deserve.” Zakia Jafri’s passing marks the end of an era—but her indomitable spirit remains a rallying cry for human rights defenders worldwide. IAMC salutes her life, her struggle, and her sacrifice. The fight for justice continues.

Featured, Reports

IAMC Annual Report: India’s Human Rights Crisis Deepens in 2024

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Human rights conditions for minorities in India continued to deteriorate throughout 2024 with the introduction of new discriminatory policies, surges in anti-minority violence and lynchings, police brutality, hate speech, and voter suppression during elections. Despite the ruling Hindu supremacist Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) significant loss of seats in India’s general elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s third term ushered in a new wave of violence against Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Dalits, and other minorities. Violence was often carried out by members of Hindu militant groups, including the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), and the Bajrang Dal. Throughout the year, Hindu militant mob violence against Muslim individuals, neighborhoods, and places of worship remained pervasive and surged around Hindu festivals. In January, the consecration of the Ram Temple in Uttar Pradesh’s Ayodhya, which was built on the site of the demolished Babri Mosque, sparked nationwide violence against Muslims. During elections, hate speech ran rampant while opposition parties were suppressed. In addition to controlling the mainstream media, the Modi regime abused government agencies to jail opposition leaders, freeze the Congress Party’s bank accounts, and exclude Muslim voters. Modi and BJP candidates regularly delivered anti-Muslim hate speeches in clear violation of Indian election laws. At the polls, Muslims reported voter suppression in the form of violence, intimidation, and manipulation of voter registries. Police brutality was also widespread throughout the year, including reports of police carrying out targeted suppression against Muslim voters. Police opened fire on Muslim protestors in two major incidents, first in Uttarakhand’s Haldwani in February, then in Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal in November. In both cases, multiple Muslims were killed, and state governments cracked down on the affected Muslim communities in the aftermath. In light of these events and the grave concerns they raise, it is essential for the international community to pressure the Indian government to curb skyrocketing anti-Muslim violence and hate speech while ensuring accountability for the perpetrators and safety for India’s minorities. [pdf-embedder url="http://3.145.57.38/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/IAMC-Annual-Report-2024.pdf" title="IAMC Annual Report-2024"] Click Here to Download

Press Release

New Report: India’s Human Rights Crisis Deepens in 2024

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Washington, D.C. (January 29, 2025) – Human rights and religious freedom in India continued to deteriorate throughout 2024, including through the introduction of new discriminatory policies, a spike in hate crimes, cow-related lynchings, hate speeches during India’s general elections, numerous incidents of deadly police brutality, and transnational repression, as documented in an annual report of the Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) released today.  The report illustrates the pervasive and structural nature of violence and discrimination against Indian minorities, including Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Dalits, and Kashmiris, by highlighting the most egregious atrocities committed against them throughout the year. However, the harm was not limited to minorities in India; the government’s transnational repression tactics also impacted members of the Indian diaspora living in the United States and Canada. Both before and after winning a third term in office, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and their Hindu nationalist supporters facilitated violence and discrimination against minorities and vulnerable groups. Most notably, the year was marred with numerous incidents of law enforcement acting at the behest of Hindu nationalist groups or the government itself to unleash violence against minorities. Two major instances of deadly police violence against Muslim protesters occurred in 2024; once in Uttarakhand’s Haldwani in January, resulting in the killing of six individuals, and again in Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal in November, leading to the killing of five. In both cases, police opened fire on Muslims, exercising their right to protest. A number of new discriminatory policies were also introduced at both the state and national levels. These included the Uniform Civil Code in Uttarakhand state, which forces religious minorities to adhere to common law in personal matters such as marriage and divorce; the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, which seeks to change rules of ownership of Muslim community-owned (waqf) properties, eroding control over historical mosques, dargahs and graveyards; and a number of directives by both police and local governments ordering all food sellers to display their names on their establishments, making Muslim business owners vulnerable to attacks and boycotts. These policies were introduced in the face of a judiciary with declining independence, leaving minorities without legal protections in the face of blatantly discriminatory policies. The 2024 electoral cycle saw the BJP regularly employing illegal tactics to polarize voters and suppress the opposition. BJP candidates and their affiliates weaponized hate speech during their campaigns and oversaw the arrest of opposition candidates, blatantly violating Indian election laws while facing no accountability. Both in the general election and bypolls, Muslims and other minority voters reported widespread voter suppression, including violence at polling stations, intimidation by law enforcement, and manipulation of voter rolls.  Throughout the year, Hindu militant mob violence against Muslim individuals, neighborhoods, and places of worship remained pervasive and surged around Hindu festivals. In January, the consecration of the Ram Temple in Uttar Pradesh’s Ayodhya, which was built on the site of the demolished Babri Mosque, sparked nationwide violence against Muslims.  The Ram Temple consecration unleashed a new surge of attacks on historic mosques in the form of legal cases seeking to turn Muslim places of worship into temples. Across the country, Hindu supremacists also harassed Muslims by attacking or vandalizing mosques during Hindu religious processes.  Muslim-owned homes, businesses, and places of worship continued to be targeted in illegal demolition drives, both under the guise of clearing “encroachments” as well as being explicitly retaliatory.   Press censorship and the collaboration between the government and mainstream media remained a widespread issue. The press’s role in manufacturing and amplifying hate speech was especially visible in the run-up to India’s general elections. Mainstream outlets repeatedly failed to hold Modi to account for his numerous anti-Muslim hate speeches, instead alternating between praising him, discrediting his political opponents, and pitting Hindus against minorities. The government also frequently censored content critical of the government and Hindu supremacy, including social media accounts, posts, documentaries, and articles. Prominent right-wing figures also regularly harassed and led disinformation campaigns against journalists critical of the Modi regime. Hindu militant groups regularly orchestrated riots in Muslim-majority areas, particularly around Hindu festivals. Mob lynchings continued unabated, often under the guise of cow protection, with victims overwhelmingly from Muslim and Dalit communities. The continued impunity of cow vigilante groups reflected a deeper trend of collaboration between Hindu extremist militias and law enforcement.  The Indian government continued its transnational repression of the diaspora, including in the United States. In August 2024, a gunman opened fire on three Sikh separatist activists in Sacramento, an attack human rights groups suspect was another Indian government-backed assassination attempt. The Modi government also continued its censorship of social media accounts and websites run by individuals living in the diaspora.  “Our report illustrates the scale and severity of anti-minority violence that is being perpetuated daily by Hindu supremacists in India,” said IAMC Executive Director Rasheed Ahmed. “The takeaway is clear: even with Modi’s marginal loss of power following the 2024 elections, Hindu militant groups remain emboldened, law enforcement remains largely beholden to extremists, and the judiciary remains compromised.”   “It’s clear that the Modi regime feels a sense of impunity – not only in the way it so ruthlessly enacts violence against its own citizens, but also seeks to silence and repress our communities in the diaspora,” said IAMC President Mohammed Jawad. “It is the United States government’s responsibility to protect its citizens by using the appropriate diplomatic tools – including sanctions – to send a strong message to the Modi regime.”

Indian deportees
Press Release

IAMC welcomes Rutgers University’s affirmation that caste falls under protected class categories

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Washington, D.C. (January 14, 2025) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) today applauded Rutgers University for affirming that caste falls under protected class categories within the school’s policy and for committing to additional steps to monitor and address caste discrimination among students and faculty.  The caste system, as defined by the Dalit-led civil rights group Equality Labs, “consists of graded levels of alleged purity and places people within a certain hierarchy—leaving those in the lowest tier, called ‘Dalit’ or ‘untouchable,’ subject to abuse, attacks, and systemic social exclusion.” Caste is the oldest form of social hierarchy in the world and continues to be upheld in the United States, with American Hindu supremacist groups leading the opposition against nationwide attempts to make caste a protected category. In a statement released on January 13, the university pledged to “communicate through appropriate venues, including the Office of Employment Equity website, to make clear that current university policy covers potential caste-based discrimination.” Additionally, the university announced the planned inclusion of questions on caste discrimination in its annual campus climate survey, in an effort to better inform future training and communication.  “IAMC lauds Rutgers University’s willingness to act on concerns presented by students and faculty who have reported facing caste-based discrimination,” said IAMC Executive Director Rasheed Ahmed. “Going forward, we encourage the university to continue to heed the advice of experts and further seek to amend university policy to make caste a protected category in its own right.” To learn more about caste-based discrimination in education and beyond, see Equality Labs’ report on Caste in the United States.

Babri Masjid
Op-Eds

THE DIPLOMAT: India’s Mosques Are Under Siege. The Destruction of the Babri Masjid Explains Why

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By Rasheed Ahmed Thirty-two years ago, on December 6, 1992, mobs descended on the Babri Masjid in the northern Indian city of Ayodhya, destroyed the 600-year-old structure brick by brick, and provoking riots in which more than 2,000 people, predominantly Muslims, were killed. The mob was driven by a Hindu nationalist campaign to reclaim the mosque for Hindus. Their wish was ultimately fulfilled in 2023, when Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi consecrated an enormous Hindu temple built directly on top of the destroyed mosque, in effect sanctifying the site of an anti-Muslim pogrom. The Supreme Court of India’s 2019 ruling permitting the construction of the temple blatantly disregarded India’s Places of Worship Act, which prohibits changing the character of religious structures as they have existed since August 15, 1947. The ruling opened a can of worms in which the state-backed mob violence, lawfare, and Hindu nationalist furor that marked the Babri Masjid saga have become India’s norm. To understand India today, one must understand the destruction of the Babri Masjid. Read More >>

Press Release

“Audacious, Hypocritical”: International Politicians, Lawyers, Human Rights Defenders Slam Targeting of Indian Muslim Activist & Fact-Checker in Criminal Cases

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Washington, D.C. (December 6, 2024) – At an online event held today, politicians, lawyers, human rights defenders, and academics from the United States, Australia, the Netherlands, and India strongly condemned far-right Indian authorities’ targeting of prominent Muslim activist Nadeem Khan and fact-checker Mohammed Zubair through “audacious, hypocritical, and mean-spirited” criminal charges. On November 30, Nadeem Khan, General Secretary of the Association for the Protection of Civil Rights (APCR), was booked by Delhi police for “portraying a particular community as oppressed” after APCR uploaded a YouTube video on the nationwide oppression of Indian minorities under the Modi regime. Police entered a private residence in Bengaluru where Khan was staying and intimidated him for several hours, attempting to coerce him to go to Delhi for questioning.   On December 3, Mohammed Zubair, co-founder of the fact-checking website Alt News, was booked in a criminal case by Uttar Pradesh police, accused of “endangering sovereignty, unity and integrity of India” for criticizing hate speeches made by prominent Hindu supremacist monk Yati Narsinghanand. Zubair has been previously targeted in legal cases for his work in fact-checking government propaganda and spreading awareness about anti-minority hate crimes.  “[Mohammed] Zubair and Nadeem Khan are among the most prominent and the fearless campaigners against the hate campaign and systematic victimization of Muslims in India,” said Prashant Bhushan, a Senior Advocate for the Supreme Court of India. “What we are seeing today is this ghastly spectacle… those people who are exposing this hate are being accused, in these FIRs, of promoting hate.” “There are a string of cases like [Khan’s and Zubair’s] that reflect a broader pattern of state machinery being used by the BJP administration to target their critics and journalists in particular,” said David Shoebridge, State Senator from New South Wales, Australia. “We must, as a global community, speak out against these actions… we stand behind our friends, particularly those from minority communities, when they are being challenged by the gross abuse of state power.” “It really is hard to digest and hard to fully grasp the audacity, the absurdity and the hypocrisy and the mean spiritedness of these misuses and abuses of law to go after critics [in India],” said John Sifton, Asia Advocacy Director for Human Rights Watch. “If Prime Minister Modi himself as a person is challenged and embarrassed on the world stage by the media, by other leaders, by other legislators about these misuses and abuses of law.. then it may have a tempering impact and lead to slightly fewer cases.” “Hindu nationalism as a political ideology is structurally anti Muslim… And so when we see the targeting of Mohammed Zubair and Nadeem Khan, what we’re seeing is them targeted as part of a representative class en route to creating this sort of vicious, exclusionary, highly politicized version of Hindu identity,” said Dr. Audrey Truschke, a prominent scholar of South Asia and Associate Professor at Rutgers University.  “What is chilling about these specific cases is the targeting of two people who are exposing these violations [against Indian Muslims],” said Safoora Zargar, Indian Human Rights Defender and former political prisoner. “Nadeem Khan, Mohammed Zubair, and organizations like APCR and Alt News need to be protected at any cost.” “Zubair has been charged with threatening the sovereignty of the nation. Why? Because he called out hate speech… One cannot miss out the absurdity of the situation,” said Anuradha Bhasin, Managing Editor of the Kashmir Times. “While hate speech is being overlooked, even being rejoiced, criticizing it has become a crime. And this absurdity and irony, it plays out almost every day in today’s India, where the rule of law has been turned on its head and it operates in alignment with [Hindu nationalist ideology].”  “Praying in public, posting on social media, buying or selling certain foods, running businesses in specific areas, having interfaith relationships, protesting against injustice, or simply existing as a Muslim—all of this has been criminalized [in Modi’s India]. It only follows that Muslims who expose or challenge these atrocities would also become targets,” said Safa Ahmed, Associate Director, Indian American Muslim Council.  “Today I call for the release of [Khan and Zubair] and the many other brave human rights defenders and truth tellers that are unjustly incarcerated in India today: Umar Khalid, Sanjeev Bhatt, Khurram Parvez, and many, many others,” said Sunita Viswanath, Executive Director of Hindus for Human Rights. “As a Hindu, I reject the hate project of the Hindutva regime and say, loud and clear: Not in my name.” “Over the past 10 years, the Modi regime has ramped up its suppression and oppression of every Indian voice of freedom,” said author and journalist Pieter Friedrich. “As we stand in solidarity with Nadeem Khan and Mohammed Zubair and others, we must be willing to endure what it is they are enduring. Hindutva has gone global, and it demands a global coalition to fight it.” “Old and new allies who have previously closely monitored the situations in India, held bilateral and trilateral dialogs not just with the government, but also with the Indian civil society on these issues, [must] continue to do that and continue to stand in solidarity with our human rights defenders, journalists, and political dissenters in India,” said Ritumbra Manuvie, Executive Director of the London Story. “Hate cannot be prolonged forever,” said Faisal Khan, National Convenor of the modern-day Khudai Khidmatgar movement. On December 5, global human rights groups released a joint statement urging Delhi and Uttar Pradesh police to immediately drop the cases against both Khan and Zubair. The statement was signed by the Indian American Muslim Council, Hindus for Human Rights, the Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations of North America (FIACONA), Justice For All (Save India From Fascism campaign), Foundation The London Story, India Labour Solidarity (UK), International Solidarity for Academic Freedom in India (InSAF India), Association of Indian Muslims of America, and World Without Genocide.

Press Release

Global Human Rights Groups Call on Indian Authorities to Drop Bogus Criminal Cases Against Activist Nadeem Khan and Mohammed Zubair

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Washington, D.C. (December 5, 2024) – A coalition of human rights groups from the United States, United Kingdom, and India today released a joint statement urging Delhi and Uttar Pradesh police to immediately withdraw baseless criminal cases against prominent activist Nadeem Khan and fact-checker Mohammed Zubair. On November 30, Nadeem Khan, General Secretary of the Association for the Protection of Civil Rights (APCR), was booked by Delhi police for “portraying a particular community as oppressed” after APCR uploaded a YouTube video on the nationwide oppression of Indian minorities under the Modi regime. Police entered a private residence in Bengaluru where Khan was staying and intimidated him for several hours, attempting to coerce him to go to Delhi for questioning.   On December 3, Mohammed Zubair, co-founder of the fact-checking website Alt News, was booked in a criminal case by Uttar Pradesh police, accused of “endangering sovereignty, unity and integrity of India” for criticizing hate speeches made by prominent Hindu supremacist monk Yati Narsinghanand. Zubair has been previously targeted in legal cases for his work in fact-checking government propaganda and spreading awareness about anti-minority hate crimes.  “The pattern of targeting activists on fabricated pretexts reflects a systematic assault on the defenders of constitutional rights in India,” the coalition stated. “The Delhi Police must immediately halt all harassment and coercive actions against Khan… Similarly, the Uttar Pradesh Police must cease their illegal targeting of Zubair for exposing hate speech and incitement to violence against India’s Muslims.” The statement was signed by the Indian American Muslim Council, Hindus for Human Rights, the Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations of North America (FIACONA), Justice For All (Save India From Fascism campaign), Foundation The London Story, India Labour Solidarity (UK), International Solidarity for Academic Freedom in India (InSAF India), Association of Indian Muslims of America, and World Without Genocide. 

Nadeem Khan
Press Release

IAMC Demands Dropping of Baseless Charges against Indian Human Rights Activist Nadeem Khan

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Washington, D.C. (Dec 2, 2024) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) unequivocally condemns the bogus police complaint and harassment of Indian human rights activist Nadeem Khan, whom the Delhi Police attempted to arrest on November 30 in Bengaluru, Karnataka. The national secretary of the widely respected Association for the Protection of Civil Rights (APCR), Khan was booked and questioned in retaliation for criticizing human rights abuses under the Modi regime in a video. The Indian police statement claimed that Khan had illegally promoted enmity in the videos for, as they say, “portraying a particular community as oppressed.” “It is absolutely ludicrous that speaking honestly about the conditions of religious minorities is considered a crime in India,” said IAMC president Mohammad Jawad. “Khan’s arrest is an attempt to silence anyone who stands up for justice and human rights.” According to human rights watchdog People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), the Delhi police showed up at Khan’s private residence in Bangalore without a warrant, proceeding to intimidate and harass him inside the property.  A day before the incident, Delhi police had also stormed APCR’s offices, again without providing legal justification or a warrant. Police reportedly issued threats to APCR staff while refusing to disclose the motive behind their investigation to lawyers present at the office. APCR routinely works to advocate for victims of anti-minority hate crimes and lynching cases. Khan was repeatedly targeted by Hindu nationalist groups in India for his vocal criticism of minority treatment in India. The video recording for which Khan was booked includes speeches he made as part of an exhibition with his organization, the APCR. The exhibition celebrated the decisions of Indian Supreme Court justices who upheld civil rights and prosecuted hate crimes.  “The police harassment of Nadeem Khan and the APCR is an unacceptable breach of India’s constitutional rights,” said IAMC Executive Director Rasheed Ahmed. “We call for the immediate cancellation of the First Information Report filed against Khan and an end to the harassment. We also call for criminal charges to be raised against the Station House Officer of the Shaheen Bagh police station for intimidation and trespassing on Khan’s private property.”

Press Release

IAMC Calls on Rutgers University to Include Caste as a Protected Category

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Washington, D.C. (November 26, 2024) – The Indian American Muslim Council calls on the Rutgers University administration to accept the recommendations of the school’s Caste Task Force report and make caste a protected category in official policy. The task force’s demand for additional protection for caste-oppressed students and faculty comes in response to findings indicating that caste discrimination negatively impacts university community members, impeding their educational experience and harming social bonds.  IAMC unequivocally supports all four of the Caste Task Force demands, which are: 1) Rutgers should add caste as a protected category to its nondiscrimination policy. 2.) Rutgers should advertise its current policy and future changes to all university community members. 3.) Wide-ranging educational opportunities are needed to create awareness and change regarding caste. 4.) Rutgers should collect further data on caste-based discrimination on campus. These measures enjoy broad support from the university community, with the full-time faculty union, the graduate student union, and the university senate all endorsing the Caste Task Force Recommendations. The recommendations also have broad support on the Caste Task Force itself, with 3 of the 4 recommendations passing unanimously and one passing with a ¾ majority. “Caste discrimination is not acceptable in any form,” said IAMC Executive Director Rasheed Ahmed. “Rutgers University has an opportunity to send a strong message of support to its community members from caste-oppressed backgrounds. Making caste a protected category will help bring to light an issue that is too often kept in the shadows.” Fourteen other university systems have already added caste as a protected category to their existing legislation. Legal scholars cited in the report argue that existing discrimination legislation routinely fails to capture the particularities of caste discrimination.  The testimony of one Dalit (or caste-oppressed) student cited in the Rutgers report attests to the gravity of the issue, writing, “Every single Punjabi or Indian I meet they somehow ask you what caste you belong to. I try my best to hide it. Either I say ‘I don’t know’ or I just try to say something else… I always feel afraid to tell this to Indians because every time they find this out, they started treating me differently.” “Though Hindu nationalists frequently attempt to frame caste discrimination protections as ‘anti-Hindu’, the Rutgers report clearly demonstrates that the issue plagues many different religious communities and groups around the world,” said IAMC president Mohammad Jawad. “The Rutgers Administration should not let such disingenuous criticism distract from the importance of implementing caste discrimination protections.” 

Press Release

IAMC Condemns Police Brutality and Killing of Muslim Protesters in Uttar Pradesh

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Washington, D.C. (November 24, 2024) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) unequivocally condemns the brutal killing of three Muslim men—Naeem, Noman, and Bilal—by the Uttar Pradesh police during a peaceful protest against the survey of the historic Shahi Jama Masjid in Sambhal, India. Eyewitness accounts from Muslim demonstrators confirm that the victims were fatally shot when police opened fire on the crowd. The protest was organized in opposition to an archaeological survey of the mosque, which was initiated under pressure from Hindu supremacist groups. These groups frequently weaponize such surveys to advance baseless claims that historic mosques were constructed over demolished Hindu temples, calling for their seizure and transfer to Hindu control. The killings occur amidst widespread reports of voter suppression targeting Muslims in at least nine constituencies across Uttar Pradesh. Incidents include police pointing guns at Muslim women and using batons to intimidate and disperse voters. Uttar Pradesh, governed by the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and led by Yogi Adityanath, a militant monk-turned-chief minister, has long been a flashpoint for anti-Muslim violence and systemic discrimination.  In recent years, the state has seen punitive demolitions of Muslim properties, beef-related lynchings, the passage of discriminatory laws, the filing of bogus legal cases to claim historic mosques, and the weaponization of religious festivals to target Muslim neighborhoods. “This tragedy highlights the grim reality of unchecked violence against Muslims in Uttar Pradesh,” said IAMC Executive Director Rasheed Ahmed. “We demand justice for Naeem, Noman, and Bilal, whose families are grappling with unimaginable loss. The killings, combined with alarming reports of voter suppression, underscore the need for an independent investigation into the systemic discrimination and violence against Muslims by the state.” IAMC calls on global human rights organizations, civil society groups, and the international community to press for accountability and justice. The systemic targeting of Muslims in Uttar Pradesh cannot be ignored.

Press Release

IAMC Condemns Voter Suppression, Threats of Violence Against Muslim Voters in Uttar Pradesh

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Washington, D.C. (November 21, 2024) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) today strongly condemned the suppression of Muslim voters by police in at least nine constituencies across Uttar Pradesh state, which is ruled by the Hindu supremacist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), during ongoing assembly elections.  Indian media outlets and opposition party leaders alike have reported a number of instances in which police arbitrarily checked the IDs of Muslim voters and turned them away from the polls. One video shows an officer pointing his gun at a Muslim woman, telling her he “had orders” to fire, while another shows police charging down voters with lathis.   India’s Election Commission (EC) has suspended a number of police officers for voter obstruction following widespread backlash.    However, similar forms of intimidation and harassment of Muslim voters were prevalent throughout India’s general elections earlier this year, with no intervention from the EC. Between May and June, Muslim voters across the country found their names deleted from the electoral roll without notice, driving concerns that the BJP deliberately suppressed Muslim voters. Police violence was also prevalent; in Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal, Muslims were beaten by police and prevented from casting their votes.  “The incidents that happened today are emblematic of the broader decline of the country’s democratic institutions that are entrusted with ensuring the integrity of elections,” said IAMC Executive Director Rasheed Ahmed. “Police brutality against minorities often occurs with the permission of the state government. In a state ruled by a staunch Hindu supremacist such as Yogi Adityanath, where Muslims have already reported voter suppression during general elections, it is imperative for there to be consequences for those at the top who have normalized the systematic disenfranchisement of Muslims.”

Press Release

IAMC Welcomes Indian Supreme Court’s Ban on Punitive Demolitions of Minority Properties

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Washington, D.C. (October 14, 2024) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) today welcomed the Indian Supreme Court’s decision to ban punitive demolitions without prior notice, a practice that has frequently been employed by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led state governments as a form of collective punishment targeting Muslims. This measure, often involving the bulldozing of homes, businesses, and places of worship, has been condemned for its discriminatory nature. The ruling was delivered in response to multiple petitions challenging the use of “bulldozer justice,” a practice most prevalent in states governed by the BJP, especially in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Assam and Rajasthan. International human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, have denounced these demolitions as “a violation of international human rights law.” Punitive demolitions have often been justified under the guise of removing “illegal encroachments,” but they are commonly wielded against Muslims who have been victims of mob violence or who participated in protests. The result has been widespread displacement, leaving thousands of families homeless and financially devastated. The Supreme Court’s decision sharply criticized these actions, describing them as “simply unacceptable under rule of law.” The Court issued new guidelines requiring authorities to provide a minimum of 15 days’ notice and a clear justification for any demolition. Failure to comply with these guidelines will be considered contempt of court. “We welcome this order by India’s Supreme Court against the bigoted and illegal practice of punitive demolitions,” said IAMC Executive Director Rasheed Ahmed. “The Indian judiciary must now ensure these guidelines are rigorously enforced, and the government must offer full compensation to the victims who have lost their ancestral homes, livelihoods, and places of worship to these unjust and discriminatory acts.” IAMC also calls for the imposition of sanctions and other diplomatic measures against those facilitating these punitive demolitions, including militant monk and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, as well as senior BJP officials. For media inquiries or to speak with IAMC experts on the state of human rights and religious freedoms in India, please contact: media.info@iamc.com.

Op-Eds

SCROLL.IN: Proposed Waqf Act amendments strike a discriminatory note for Muslim charitable organisations

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By Rasheed Ahmed The changes proposed in the Waqf Amendment Bill, 2024, have sparked concerns over increased government control and the erosion of community autonomy. The waqf system in India is a longstanding tradition rooted in Muslim endowment practices that has played a significant role in alleviating poverty and enhancing literacy among marginalised Muslim groups. Established as a charitable trust, the waqf system dedicates property or income-generating assets to public welfare. India has an estimated 490,000 registered waqf properties. They are traditionally managed by waqf boards with expertise in Muslim principles, directing revenues toward poverty relief, education, and healthcare. These waqf boards are established by the government and operated and overseen by government appointed officials. There are 32 state waqf boards, divided between Sunni and Shia waqfs. Some states like Uttar Pradesh have separate boards for each sect. Read More >>

Human Rights Abuse in India
Op-Eds

JUST SECURITY: Congress Should Protect Americans from Transnational Repression

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By Rasheed Ahmed The Canadian government’s recent allegations of Indian government involvement in the assassinations of Canadian Sikhs have the sordid quality of a Hollywood B-movie. The Canadian Royal Mounted Police allege that corrupt Indian diplomats worked with imprisoned Indian mob boss Lawrence Bishnoi to carry out overseas assassinations on two Indian Sikhs living in Canada, cooperating with other criminals on a campaign of widespread “extortion, intimidation, coercion and harassment.” As disturbing as these charges are, the allegations are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the Indian government’s transnational repression, in particular against Indian Americans. The Indian government also allegedly put out a hit on an American Sikh living New York, has revoked overseas citizenship statuses of vocal critics, and detained and intimidated the India-based relatives of Indians living in the states. Against these mounting threats, California representative Adam Schiff has initiated a vital campaign to protect Americans from transnational repression. His bipartisan Transnational Repression Reporting Act of 2024 — co-sponsored by Representatives Daniel S. Goldman (D-NY), David Valadao (R-CA), Ilhan Omar (D-MN), Barbara Lee (D-CA), James McGovern (D-MA), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), and Eric Swalwell (D-CA) — would institute an annual public-facing reporting process that would help raise the profile of Americans targeted by foreign governments. The U.S. congress should lend its full support to the bill, thereby taking a crucial first step towards addressing this growing problem. Read More >>

Indian deportees
Press Release

U.S. Human Rights Groups Demand Sanctions on Indian Officials Over Transnational Repression in North America

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Washington, D.C. (November 1, 2024) — In a letter sent today to Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Commerce Janet Yellen, IAMC and a broad over 20 coalition of human rights and interfaith organizations — including Council for American Islamic Relations, Sikh Coalition, New York State Council of Churches and Hindus for Human Rights — called on the U.S. government to sanction Indian Home Secretary Amit Shah, Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, and other Indian individuals and entities complicit in illegal extortion and assassination operations in the US and Canada.  Under the Global Magnitsky Act, the US may impose sanctions on any individual who violates “internationally recognized human rights and freedoms, such as the freedoms of religion, expression, association, and assembly, and the rights to a fair trial and democratic elections.”  “Amit Shah and Ajit Doval’s orchestration of violence against Indian religious minorities extends throughout India and now into North America. It constitutes clear grounds for sanction under the Global Magnitsky Act,” said IAMC Executive Director Rasheed Ahmed. “American legislators should take note of the transnational repression and risk he poses to religious freedoms and security everywhere and sanction them accordingly.”  Earlier this week, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) said they had found evidence Amit Shah had authorized the assassination of Canadian Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was murdered in Vancouver in 2023. RMCP investigations also tied India’s High Commissioner to Canada, Sanjay Verma, along with other Indian agents, to the assassination, other homicides, violent acts, interference in Canada’s democratic process, and the use of organized crime to target the South Asian community in Canada.  The Washington Post revealed that former Indian Research Analysis Wing (RAW) chief and current National Security Advisor Ajit Doval was linked to the assassination of New York-based Sikh leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.  Sanctioning Shah and Doval would be consistent with the United States recently announced action putting 19 Indian private firms and 2 Indian nationals on a list of entities and individuals who will face sanctions for allegedly aiding Russia’s war efforts in Ukraine. Aimed at suppressing the use of third countries to circumvent restrictions on abetting Russia’s military campaign, the sanctions send a clear message that the U.S. will not tolerate Indian cooperation with Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine. “We must continue to provide accountability for Indian political actors who endanger human rights internationally,” said IAMC President Mohamed Jawad. “If we sanction Indian actors for violating the rights of Ukrainians, we must do the same for those who violate American lives.” Sunita Viswanath, Executive Director of Hindus for Human Rights, said that “measures must be taken to protect citizens in the U.S. from government actors who endanger them simply for exercising their democratic rights. International agents must be held accountable for suppressing voices of freedom in both Canada and the U.S. No one should live in fear of extrajudicial violence from foreign agents simply for speaking out.” Deepali Gill, Federal Policy Manager at Sikh Coalition said, “The actions of the U.S. and Canadian governments, as well as public investigative reporting, indicate more and more that recent transnational repression against Sikhs is not a series of one-off events, but instead a coordinated campaign being directed by more senior individuals in the Indian government. Sanctions on these leaders would be a strong step towards not just accountability for past misdeeds, but deterrence against further harmful behavior that violates Sikhs’ civil rights and U.S. sovereignty.”  The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) applauds the efforts of the U.S. government to provide accountability to individuals providing material support for Russian human rights abuses in Ukraine and calls on the U.S. to expand these targeted sanctions to other Indian officials who threaten the security and human rights of Indian nationals. 

voter suppression
Op-Eds

TIMES OF SANDIEGO: Don’t Let Hindu Nationalism Undermine Religious Tolerance Among Indian Americans

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By Mohamed Nasrullah There are more than 50,000 Indian Americans in San Diego, and our community is always growing. Like any other group, we have our agreements and disagreements, our highs and our lows — we still get together to celebrate each other’s holidays, Hindus attending Ramadan, Muslims attending Holi, and our other faiths and non-believers getting together for barbecues. But there is also a more troubling undercurrent whose presence seems to grow in the local diaspora: Hindu nationalism. Not to be confused with the Hindu faith, Hindu nationalism is instead a 20th-century political project founded by ideologues seeking to import European fascism into India.  It is a supremacist ideology which seeks to render India a pure Hindu nation, in which other minority faiths, especially Islam and Christianity, are not welcome. In its meteoric rise in influence, it has motivated countless killings of Muslims and Christians, and is now espoused in India’s highest political offices, including by current Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Despite its troubling history, it has found many supporters in San Diego. Read More >>

Press Release

New Report Exposes Hindu American Foundation’s Ties to the Far-Right

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The report, jointly published by Political Research Associates (PRA) and the Savera coalition, sheds light on how the Hindu American Foundation has deployed the language of civil rights and minority representation to sanitize its far-right political agenda and its ongoing associations with Hindu supremacists and other far-right actors. Press Contact: Koki Mendis, Director of Communications, PRA – k.mendis@politicalresearch.org October 16, 2024 – A groundbreaking new report, jointly published on Wednesday by Political Research Associates (PRA) and the Savera: United Against Supremacy coalition, sheds light on the far-right associations and agenda of the Hindu American Foundation (HAF). Through its alignment with far-right actors and supremacist movements in the US, HAF plays a key role in spreading Islamophobia, casteism, and other forms of bigotry within Indian American communities with the aim of undermining solidarity between communities of color and pulling Hindu Americans toward an increasingly multiracial far-right. The report, titled “HAF Way to Supremacy: How the Hindu American Foundation Rebrands Bigotry as Minority Rights,” finds that HAF’s messaging and advocacy throughout its existence has reflected a zero-sum approach to civil rights, in which “the civil rights and religious freedoms of Hindus are framed in opposition to, and at the expense of, those of other communities.” In attacking the extension of civil rights protections to caste-oppressed groups, spreading hateful stereotypes about Muslims, and working to shield the Modi regime from accountability, HAF has also found common cause with a constellation of other far-right actors.  As the report shows, HAF’s right-wing alignment is no recent accident, but rather explained by its history. The project of a second generation of Hindutva activists who cut their teeth in older and more openly bigoted Hindu supremacist organizations, HAF sought to present a more palatable version of Hindutva that would be capable of garnering mainstream legitimacy. Nevertheless, it has maintained strong ties with Hindu supremacist organizations like the Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (HSS) and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America (VHP-A), but has sought to keep them covert.  Through this subterfuge, HAF sought to exploit a broader lack of awareness about far-right strands in the Indian diaspora to find space in mainstream American civil society, who invited HAF into their interfaith and multicultural coalitions under the assumption that they were including a legitimate representative of the Hindu American community. And yet, as its far-right record has accelerated, HAF has increasingly moved away from these very spaces, responding to their inclusion with exclusionary lobbying. As the multiracial far-right grows, it is imperative that US civil society recognizes the threat HAF presents to building a true multiracial democracy.  QUOTES “The Hindu supremacist movement is a dangerous and increasingly influential force within an emergent multiracial Far Right in the United States,” said Tarso Luís Ramos, Executive Director of Political Research Associates. “The Hindu American Foundation has cleverly exploited the general lack of awareness in this country about Hindu supremacism to present itself as a civil rights organization. This report sets the record straight: HAF is a stalking horse for Hindutva and must be understood as an extension of the Indian Far Right.” “With this report, our third on the Hindu supremacist ecosystem in the United States, we have presented the most comprehensive treatment of how diasporic far-right networks are also a key part of the authoritarian movement in the U.S. This report is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand what the far-right is shaping up to be,” said Sunita Viswanath, Cofounder and Executive Director of Hindus for Human Rights.  “The report clearly illustrates how HAF has facilitated hate-mongering and supremacist politics,” said  Chaitanya Diwadkar of Ambedkar King Study Circle. “Even as Hindu supremacists in India demonize minorities, in the USA, they advance their supremacist agenda in the very language of  minority rights. In doing so, they deny the existence of caste discrimination in the U.S., an issue that affects marginalized communities within the Hindu minority. Hindu supremacy is a significant threat to democracy and requires immediate attention at all levels.” “Savera’s new report compiles evidence of what many South Asian and Muslim civil rights groups have known for a long time: that HAF rejects protections for caste-oppressed groups, aligns with a foreign regime’s efforts to target our Sikh siblings, and joins in the xenophobic demonization of Muslims. As Savera connects the dots between these harms and the new alliances the far-right is building, the world will know this too,” said Rasheed Ahmed, Executive Director of the Indian American Muslim Council.

Press Release

IAMC Demands Stronger Protections Against Transnational Repression in U.S. as Indian Government Faces New Allegations in Canada

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Washington, D.C. (October 14, 2024)  — The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) expressed grave concern at the latest revelations concerning the Narendra Modi-led Indian government’s transnational repression campaign in Canada.  Following Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s September 2023 accusation of Indian-government involvement in the assassination of Canadian Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar, the Canadian government recently disclosed that there had been “over a dozen credible and imminent threats to life” on other Canadian Sikhs. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police accused Indian agents of involvement in “homicides, extortion and violent acts” in Canada. A report in the Washington Post quoting senior Canadian officials named Indian Home Minister Amit Shah for authorizing the attacks in Canada. The Canadian police also implicated India’s top diplomat, Sanjay Verma, in the killing of Nijjar, alleging that the Indian government had collaborated with notorious Indian mob boss Lawrence Bishnoi in the assassination. Bishnoi had been implicated in several killings in India, and it is now believed that his gang also killed Canadian Sikh Sukhdool Singh Gill at the orders of Indian government agents. “As disturbing as they are, the Canadian government’s announcement of the latest round of transnational repression comes as no surprise,” said IAMC executive director Rasheed Ahmed. “They represent the Modi regime’s criminal effort to transform the rest of the world into a mirror of its own oppressive state.”  The Modi-led Indian government and its supporters have unleashed a slew of other threats to Indians residing abroad: allegedly seeking to assassinate American Sikh leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in New York City; conducting an Indian intelligence-associated smear campaign against U.S. human rights groups; revoking the overseas citizenship status of Indian American critics; suspending passports of Kashmiri dissidents and detaining the relatives of Indian Americans in retaliation for remarks they made abroad.  Canadian officials said that “Indian diplomats have used violence as well as threatened to deny needed immigration documents to coerce Indians living in Canada to serve as informants against Sikh activists.” In sight of the dangers posed by the Indian government’s violent transnational repression, IAMC called on American lawmakers to pass the bipartisan Transnational Repression Reporting Act of 2024, which would establish a yearly process for compiling and publicizing all known instances of transnational repression conducted by foreign governments on American soil.  “The Indian government’s attacks on the lives, freedom, and wellbeing of Indian Americans show no signs of slowing down. We must act quickly to take concrete measures to protect all of us from foreign threats,” said IAMC President Mohammed Jawad. “Creating an annual reporting process for instances of transnational repression would provide accountability for the Indian government’s unacceptable challenges to American territorial sovereignty.” 

Press Release

IAMC Expresses Anguish Over Death of G.N. Saibaba; Condemns India’s Inhumane Treatment of Political Prisoners

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Washington, D.C. (October 14, 2024) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) today expressed shock and deep anguish over the death of renowned Indian human rights activist and Professor G.N. Saibaba, who died of cardiac arrest just months after being released from a 10-year-long imprisonment under false terror charges.  Professor Saibaba was one of five activists arrested in May 2014 under India’s draconian anti-terror law, the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), accused of having links with the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist) due to his vocal criticism of the Indian government’s treatment of indigenous tribals. Despite scant evidence, he was convicted and imprisoned. Like many of India’s political prisoners, Professor Saibaba was subjected to inhumane treatment during his detention. At the time of his arrest, he suffered from polio in one leg and was dependent on a wheelchair. In prison, he was repeatedly denied medical care, causing his condition to deteriorate; by the time he was released in March 2024, he was over 90% handicapped, most of his vital organs were compromised, and his mental health had been affected.  IAMC strongly condemns the Indian government’s systemic abuse of political prisoners, which not only violates basic human rights but also represents a broader pattern of repression targeting civil society, journalists, and intellectuals. Professor Saibaba’s unjust incarceration and tragic death underscore the misuse of draconian laws like the UAPA to silence critics, activists, and marginalized communities. IAMC also recalls the custodial murder of Father Stan Swamy, another prominent political prisoner, who died in July 2021 while in detention. Father Swamy, an 84-year-old Jesuit priest and tribal rights activist suffering from Parkinson’s disease, was held under similarly unjust charges. His repeated requests for basic medical aid, including a straw to drink water, were cruelly ignored by authorities, resulting in his death. Father Swamy’s death, like that of Professor Saibaba, stands as a stark reminder of the Indian state’s callous disregard for the lives of its political prisoners. IAMC further calls for the release of all Indian political prisoners, including other prominent activists such as Umar Khalid, Gulfisha Fatima, Khurram Parvez, Irfan Meraj, Khalid Saifi, Sharjeel Imam, Sanjiv Bhatt, and several others who are being denied basic human liberties as part of a larger effort to suppress dissent.

Press Release

IAMC condemns push by right-wing Hindu American groups to increase surveillance, policing of Sikh American communities

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Washington, D.C. (October 3, 2024) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) today strongly condemned Hindu American far-right groups for placing American citizens from the Sikh community at risk of assassination and other harms by labeling them indiscriminately as terrorists, implying that the community’s places of worship are involved with “organized crime,” and by pushing for increased surveillance of an already-vulnerable minority.  IAMC expressed its full and unwavering solidarity with the Sikh American community following a concerning new report from the Sacramento Bee, a prominent California news portal, which details these attempts by Hindu American far-right groups to increase the policing and surveillance of Californian Sikhs, in tandem with increased transnational repression against the community from the Indian government.  “As Muslims, we are all too familiar with the decades of fear and trauma that come from having your community labeled as a threat and your places of worship policed,” said IAMC Executive Director Rasheed Ahmed. “We are deeply troubled to see that groups like Hindu American Foundation and CoHNA are pushing to inflict that same fear and trauma upon our Sikh brothers and sisters. We stand in full solidarity with the Sikh community against this despicable bigotry.”  In its new story, titled “In the shadow of a freeway shooting lurks the fear of Sikhs threatened in California”, the Sacramento Bee reported that in August, a gunman fired shots from a car at three Sikh separatist activists in Sacramento. Some believe that this was yet another assassination attempt by the Indian government, on the heels of the assassination of a Canadian Sikh leader in Canada and another foiled assassination plot against an American Sikh activist in New York.  The Indian government, which labels members of the Sikh separatist movement as terrorists, has been intimidating and censoring the Sikh diaspora globally for years through transnational repression – a phenomenon that the US government is increasingly growing concerned about. As the newly-introduced bipartisan Transnational Repression Reporting Act of 2024 notes, “transnational repression against United States persons or persons in the United States appear to be on the rise particularly from India,” among other authoritarian nations like Saudi Arabia and China.  Just as alarmingly, however, the Sacramento Bee reported that a number of American Hindu far-right groups are behind a concerted effort to increase the policing of the Sikh community and calling for the surveillance of gurudwaras (Sikh places of worship). These groups, including the Hindu American Foundation and Coalition of Hindus of North America, reportedly pushed the same talking points used by the Indian government to demonize Sikhs, labeling them as “extremists,” “terrorists,” and agents aimed at spreading hatred against Hindus.  The Sacramento Bee reported that Hindu nationalists have conducted trainings with law enforcement and met with numerous prosecutors and elected officials, including Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer in October 2023. Hindu nationalists have also smeared individuals as “terrorists,” including a school board member and a journalist, potentially placing them at risk of further retaliation from the Indian government.  “This story proves why it is more urgent than ever before for the United States to take a firm stance against India’s transnational repression and enact the appropriate diplomatic consequences,” Rasheed Ahmed added. “Groups and individuals that place Americans at risk of assassination or other harms from a foreign government must also be investigated and held accountable for making all our communities less safe.”

Press Release

Indian Americans laud USCIRF for raising concerns over Waqf Amendment Bill, transnational repression, anti-minority violence in India update

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Washington, D.C. (October 2, 2024) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) today lauded the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom’s (USCIRF) for raising the alarm over the far-right Indian government’s “collapsing religious freedom conditions” and advancing Hindu supremacy in its newly-released India update report.  USCIRF raised concerns over hate speech and disinformation spread by Indian politicians during India’s recent general elections, ongoing violent attacks against religious minorities, expropriation and demolition of Muslim places of worship, crackdowns on civil society, and transnational repression against Indians living abroad.   In particular, USCIRF expressed concerns over the number of anti-minority laws and policies enforced or introduced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) throughout 2024, saying, “In addition to the enforcement of discriminatory state-level legislation and propagation of hateful rhetoric, the [BJP] government made a concerted effort to implement election promises that negatively and disproportionately impacted religious minorities and their ability to practice their faith” Such promises, the report added, “included enacting the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), inaugurating the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, and introducing a national code to replace religion-specific personal laws. Each action was justified by government officials as necessary to protect India’s “cultural [and] linguistic heritage”—a common euphemism for Hindu supremacy, often at the expense of religious minorities.” Other discriminatory laws and policies included anti-conversion laws, cow slaughter laws, the Uniform Civil Code, the National Registry of Citizens, and the recently-introduced Waqf Amendment Bill, which seeks to erode the Muslim community’s autonomy over its own religious institutions.  This report comes just months after USCIRF recommended India as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) for its severe violations of human rights and religious freedoms for the fifth consecutive year. The CPC label is a designation reserved for the world’s worst violators of religious freedom.  “IAMC applauds USCIRF for releasing this critical update, which shines a light on just how severely religious freedom conditions in India are deteriorating under the Hindu supremacist government,” said IAMC Executive Director Rasheed Ahmed.  “The time is now for the Biden administration to act on USCIRF’s recommendations to sanction Indian actors responsible for this escalating climate of violence and hatred, and to condition arms sales to India on the grounds of protecting minorities,” Ahmed added.  IAMC echoes USCIRF in calling on the US Department of State to designate India as a CPC and hold the Indian government accountable for its “particularly severe violations of religious freedom.” IAMC also urges the Indian government to take immediate steps to address these concerns and protect the rights of all of its citizens, regardless of their religion. For those interested in speaking with IAMC experts on deteriorating human rights and religious freedoms in India, please contact: media.info@iamc.com

Human Rights Abuse in India
Reports

USCIRF: Increasing Abuses against Religious Minorities in India

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Religious freedom conditions in India have continued to worsen throughout 2024, particularly in the months prior to and immediately following the country’s national elections. In addition to the enforcement of discriminatory state-level legislation and propagation of hateful rhetoric, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government made a concerted effort to implement election promises that negatively and disproportionately impacted religious minorities and their ability to practice their faith. Such promises included enacting the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), inaugurating the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, and introducing a national code to replace religion-specific personal laws. Each action was justified by government officials as necessary to protect India’s “cultural [and] linguistic heritage”—a common euphemism for Hindu supremacy, often at the expense of religious minorities.   [pdf-embedder url="http://3.145.57.38/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/2024-India-Country-Update-USCIRF.pdf" title="2024 India Country Update-USCIRF"] Click Here to Download

Op-Eds

THE DIPLOMAT: US Congress Should Support the Transnational Repression Reporting Act

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By Rasheed Ahmed The Indian government’s overseas assassination attempt on New York-based Sikh activist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun sent shockwaves through the Indian American community. Suddenly, it felt less safe to criticize India’s policies from the United States. But it was just the tip of the iceberg in the Indian government’s much broader campaign of transnational repression. The Modi-led Indian government and its supporters have unleashed a slew of threats to Indians residing abroad: allegedly killing Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada; conducting an Indian intelligence-associated smear campaign against U.S. human rights groups; revoking the overseas citizenship status of Indian American dissidents; and detaining the relatives of Indian Americans in retaliation for remarks they made abroad. One anonymous U.S.-based scholar summarized the feelings of many in our community: “Everyone is terrified.” As the leader of an organization openly critical of the Modi regime and a target of a pro-Modi smear campaign, I feel real apprehension about ever returning to my home country. The increasingly extreme actions of the Indian state make me concerned for my safety in the United States as well. The U.S. Congress can and must take a stand against the Indian government’s aggressive transnational repression. To protect the freedom, well-being, and security of the United States’ diaspora communities, U.S. legislators should support the bipartisan Transnational Repression Reporting Act of 2024, introduced in Congress last week by California Representative Adam Schiff and co-sponsored by Representatives Daniel S. Goldman, David Valadao, Ilhan Omar, Barbara Lee, James McGovern, Eleanor Holmes Norton, and Eric Swalwell. Read More >>

IAMC Report 2024
Featured, Reports

IAMC Report: Persecution of Religious Minorities in India (May-August 2024)

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IAMC’s second quarterly report for 2024 details the ongoing violence and persecution against India’s religious minorities, particularly Muslims and Christians, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu supremacist government was elected for a third term in June 2024.  The report highlights the weaponization of anti-minority hate speech and propaganda by Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to polarize voters. In addition to controlling the mainstream media, the Modi regime abused government agencies to jail opposition leaders, suppress Muslim voters, and make anti-Muslim hate speeches in clear violation of Indian election laws, which prohibits communal speeches as a means to win votes.  During and after elections, violence against minorities continued at both an individual and structural level. The weeks immediately after the beginning of Modi’s third term saw a series of anti-Muslim mob lynchings across the country. Punitive demolitions, discriminatory policies, arbitrary detentions, online censorship, and police brutality also continued unabated. IAMC’s recommendations to address these deeply concerning issues are included.   [pdf-embedder url="http://3.145.57.38/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/2024-Q2-Report-Final.pdf" title="2024 Q2 Report Final"] Click Here to Download

Op-Eds

JACOBIN: India’s Largest Paramilitary Force Got Away With Terror

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By Safa Ahmed On September 29, 2008, bomb blasts tore through a crowded marketplace in the city of Malegaon in India’s Maharashtra state, where hundreds of Muslims were breaking their Ramadan fast just days before the holiday of Eid al-Fitr. The explosions killed six people and injured 101. The bomb was planted by terrorists linked to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), India’s oldest and largest Hindu-supremacist paramilitary group and the ideological parent of the country’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Some were workers for the RSS; others were members of the paramilitary’s many affiliate groups. It was a clear act of domestic terrorism, and yet sixteen years later, there has been no justice for the victims; the trial continues to drag on, and many of the accused in the case were granted bail and acquitted. It wasn’t the only time the RSS had engaged in terrorism. The 2008 Malegaon blast was just one of at least nine bomb attacks on primarily Muslim victims orchestrated by the militant group between 2003 and 2008. The attacks targeted mosques, shrines, and trains in Maharashtra, Telangana, Haryana, and Rajasthan states. In one incident in November 2003, two bombs exploded at the Parbhani Masjid in Maharastra’s Parbhani city, killing one person and injuring thirty-four others. The 2008 bombing of Malegaon was the second time the city had been struck: in 2006, bombs exploded at a Muslim cemetery next to a mosque, just after Friday prayers on the holiday of Shab-e-Barat, killing thirty-seven. Read More >>

Modi Protest in NY
Press Release

Indian American Muslims Join Interfaith Coalition in Protesting Modi’s New York Visit

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New York (Sept 23, 2024)—The Indian American Muslim Council joined Reclaiming Democracy in India, a broad interfaith coalition of US-based and international human rights organizations, to hold a protest against Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday while he spoke inside Long Island’s Nassau Coliseum. IAMC leaders highlighted the Modi regime’s attacks on India’s democracy, its persecution of religious minorities and marginalized communities, and the wider implications of these policies for the safety and freedoms of Indian minorities and regime critics residing in the United States. The coalition asserted that Modi and his Hindu nationalist agenda do not reflect the views of the Indian American diaspora and are fundamentally opposed to U.S. democratic values.     IAMC Advocacy Director Ajit Sahi emphasized that Modi’s time is limited in elected office in India. “Modi’s days are numbered. It’s not just because of the political opposition. It’s because Modi’s own coalition is breaking apart. A majority of political analysts believe that the BJP will lose a slew of elections across India in the coming months and years. Within the Hindu society in India, everyone sees that Hindu nationalism does not deliver jobs and does not work as a model. We must continue our broader fight against this ideology, we must build bridges and welcome Hindus with love and open arms when they make the journey back to peace and understanding,” said Sahi.   Rohan Narine, representing Hindus for Human Rights, said, “Hindu nationalism’s ultimate goal is to render India a Hindu nation, in which Muslims and Christians are second-class citizens. This ideology has spread its tentacles of hatred across the diaspora and is choking our communities. The Modi government revoked the political autonomy of Muslim-majority Jammu and Kashmir and instituted the Citizenship Amendment Act, which could be weaponized to strip Muslim Indians of citizenship. Hindus for human rights calls on the Hindu diaspora to oppose this fascist ideology.”      Sana Qutubuddin, a long-time advocate on Indian human rights issues with IAMC, said, “Just last week, two young men in Assam were killed by the Indian State, with the government declaring they were non-citizens based on their religion. Over 150,000 homes owned by marginalized communities — Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Dalits — have been destroyed by the Modi regime. We need to defend the living vision of India as a home to all.” Lydia Tombing Khuptong of the North American Manipur Tribal Association (NAMTA) said, “More than 360 churches were demolished in Manipur, more than 7,000 homes and properties were burned and looted, and more than 41,000 of our people have been displaced. They do not have their basic rights. Modi was silent all this time. Instead, the chief minister of Manipur and India’s home minister Amit Shah have proposed spending millions to build the wall of India. That is money that could have been used to rebuild Manipur, which they have ignored.” Pieter Friedrich, an independent journalist and expert on Hindu nationalism,  said, “Modi has come here time and time again to revel in his rockstar receptions, even as he spreads fascism in India. He has started to meddle in our own country’s internal affairs too, including our politics. He is working to secure the U.S.’s willful ignorance and silence for his fascist policies. He is influencing local politicians, congressional candidates, even candidates for president of the United States. Modi wants to strip away the rights not just of Indian citizens but also American citizens.”     Japneet Singh, Founder of the New York Sikh Council, discussed the Modi regime’s two assassination attempts (one successful) on North American soil last year, saying, “If this could happen to Sikhs living in the United States, imagine what could happen to Muslims, Christians, and Dalits. Imagine being targeted in the country we call home. We already know the ongoing violence in India, what will happen next is the Indian government will take our rights, our lives here.” Sonia Joseph, from the South Asia Solidarity Initiative, said, “In Modi’s India, Muslims are being lynched every day. We understand what ethnic cleansing means, what occupation means, and what genocide means. We see it every day with Israel. Make no mistake, we see it happening in India too.” The sizable group of speakers at the protest repeatedly emphasized the threat of transnational repression posed by the Modi regime.  Citing a recent study released by the Indian American Muslim Council attests to the ongoing impact of the Modi regime’s hateful rhetoric within the diaspora, IAMC Executive Director Rasheed Ahmed said, “We cannot ignore that Modi’s hate respects no borders. The more we can grow our opposition domestically, the more we can help hasten the demise of Hindu nationalism abroad.” 

Modi
Op-Eds

TIME: How Indian Americans Should Treat Modi’s Upcoming New York Rally

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By Rasheed Ahmed On Sept. 22, India’s controversial Prime Minister Narendra Modi is slated to address more than 10,000 Indian Americans in New York City. While Modi no doubt intends this visit to be a victory lap—akin to his 2019 Texas “Howdy Modi” event, hosted jointly with Donald Trump—it ought to be the opposite. The Modi government’s virulent Hindu nationalist agenda, which enables violence against religious minorities, cost the Prime Minister in the recent election. With support for his ruling Bharatiya Janata Party greatly diminished and India’s opposition enjoying a higher share of voter support than in years prior, Modi must govern in coalition for the first time. For India, the U.S., and the increasingly intertwined relationship between our two countries, this new check on Modi’s power is a great thing. Read More >>

Press Release

New Survey Finds Widespread Reports of Islamophobic Discrimination Against Indian American Muslims by Hindu Nationalist Peers

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Contact Safa Ahmed, Associate Media Director  media.info@iamc.com Washington D.C. (Sept 18, 2024) – A new community survey, “The Detrimental Effects of Hindu Nationalism on Indian American Muslims”, conducted by the Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) and ReThink Media has revealed alarming trends regarding the rise of Hindu nationalism within the Indian diaspora in the United States and its profound impact on Indian American Muslims.   The survey, which polled 950 Indian American Muslims, offers a comprehensive look at how Hindu nationalist ideology, particularly following the rise of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), is shaping social, professional, and digital interactions, leading to increased Islamophobic discrimination, exclusion, and emotional distress. Among the survey’s key findings are:  Over 80% of survey respondents experienced Islamophobic harassment, discrimination, or prejudice from Hindu friends or social contacts over the past decade since Modi’s rise to power.  70% of respondents experienced biased treatment from Hindu colleagues, including being passed over from promotions and anti-Muslim remarks at work. 48% of survey respondents reported facing harassment and discrimination on Facebook, WhatsApp, and LinkedIn, describing these experiences as emotionally exhausting, and contributing to feelings of isolation and hostility. 90% of survey respondents agreed (73% of them strongly) that Hindu nationalism “is a threat to Muslims in the United States,” and 86% agreed (69% strongly) that Hindu nationalism “is a threat to democracy in the United States.” Key Conclusions: The rise of Hindu nationalism in India is directly driving the rise of Islamophobia within the Indian American diaspora. Hindu nationalism is fostering an environment of intolerance that actively undermines democratic values both in India and within the diaspora community in the U.S. Indian American Muslims are experiencing the dissolution of longstanding social, workplace, and community bonds over anti-Muslim sentiment from some of their Hindu peers who have absorbed the bigoted ideology of the Modi regime. Social media platforms have been weaponized against the Indian American Muslim community, which overwhelmingly reported experiences of anxiety, fear, and isolation from Islamophobic posts and groups on international tech platforms. The conflation of the political ideology of Hindu Nationalism with the religion of Hinduism has dangerously allowed the supremacist movement to penetrate U.S. cultural and progressive spaces, further isolating Indian Americans. “This survey provides quantitative proof of what many Indian American Muslims have known to be true for decades: namely, that Hindu nationalism is a corrosive force in American life, just as it is in India,” said IAMC executive director Rasheed Ahmed.  “The Modi regime’s grasp on Indian American communities undermines mutual respect, as well as bonds of friendship and solidarity. It is a threat to international democracy just as much as to the local, social fabric,” said IAMC president Mohammad Jawad.  The survey respondents are located throughout the United States but are concentrated in the larger Indian American population centers in New Jersey, New York, Illinois, Texas, and California. The report’s findings emphasize the need for enhanced community dialogue, education, and policy interventions to address the growing divide and ensure the inclusion and safety of Indian American Muslims. 

Reports

Survey: Detrimental Effects of Hindu Nationalism on Indian American Muslims

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In the spring of 2024, the Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) and ReThink Media conducted a community survey of 950 Indian American Muslims to assess their perceptions of Hindu nationalism and its impact on their lives in the United States. Key Findings: Widespread discrimination and exclusion: A significant majority of respondents reported experiencing harassment, discrimination, or prejudice from Hindu friends or social contacts over the past decade. Discrimination was also prominent in professional settings, with a majority of respondents experiencing biased treatment from Hindu colleagues. Social division and erosion of trust: The rise of Hindu nationalism has caused a noticeable deterioration in relationships between Indian American Muslims and Hindus in the U.S. Many respondents expressed feelings of mistrust and social isolation, noting that they no longer feel included in Indian American cultural and social events. This exclusion has worsened since the rise of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in India, with a whopping 80% of respondents stating they feel less comfortable in Indian American spaces. Impact of social media: Digital platforms have become hotspots for discrimination, with 48% of respondents reporting harassment on social media, including Facebook, WhatsApp, and LinkedIn. Respondents described these experiences as emotionally exhausting, contributing to feelings of isolation and hostility. Mental and emotional toll: The cumulative impact of discrimination has taken a significant toll on the mental and emotional well-being of Indian American Muslims. Respondents reported feelings of isolation, fear, and emotional fatigue, with particular concern for how this hostile environment affects younger generations. Threat to democracy and religious minorities: An overwhelming 94% of respondents strongly agreed that Hindu nationalism poses a threat to religious minorities, particularly Muslims and Christians, in both India and the U.S. Additionally, 86% of respondents see Hindu nationalism as a threat to democracy in the United States, with concerns about the infiltration of Hindu nationalist ideology into U.S. politics and academia.   [pdf-embedder url="http://3.145.57.38/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/IAMC-Report-2024.pdf" title="IAMC-Report 2024"] Click Here to Download

Press Release

IAMC Condemns Violent Disruption by Hindu Nationalists at Montreal Event on Hindutva

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Montreal, Canada (August 19, 2024) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) strongly condemns the recent violent disruption by Hindu supremacist groups aimed at intimidating and silencing the organizers and participants of an event discussing Hindutva fascism in Montreal, Canada.  The interfaith event, entitled “The Struggle Must Continue! Hindutva Fascism in India and in the Diaspora, and its Impacts on Minorities”, was surrounded by a mob of more than 70 Hindu nationalists who pulled fire alarms inside the venue, heckled and shouted down attendees. The mob surrounded the venue entrance, shouting misogynistic insults, and ultimately barged inside the space, blocking many participants from entering.  The harassment followed earlier threats by Hindu nationalist groups—some of which have ties to overseas extremist organizations—pressuring Concordia University to revoke permission for the event. As a result, the organizers were forced to relocate the event from its original venue to an alternate location. Among these groups were the Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA)-Canada, the Canadian Organization for Hindu Heritage Education (COHHE), and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad-Canada, an overseas offshoot of the CIA-designated “religious militant group”, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad. The Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America recently received international condemnation for its decision to parade an anti-Muslim hate symbol through the New York City during Indian independence day celebrations.   “IAMC unequivocally condemns the efforts of belligerent Hindu nationalists to undermine the free-speech rights of Canadian activists and academics,” said IAMC President Mohammed Jawad. “The fury of these counter protesters shows just how powerful our fight is to shine light on the dangers of Hindu supremacy.”    Though event organizers took steps to de-escalate the situation as it unfolded, the belligerent groups did not vacate the premises until firefighters came and building security called the police, who escorted them outside of the building.  The August 15 incident forms part of a longer Hindu nationalist campaign to silence overseas critics, which in the past has included sending countless death, rape, and bomb threats to U.S. academics.  “If we do not stand up to protect the free speech of activists critical of Hindu nationalism, our rights will continue to be attacked and eroded by belligerent organizations with ties to violent groups abroad,” added IAMC president Mohammad Jawad. 

Press Release

Ram Temple Tableau Prompts Indian Muslims of North America to Withdraw Float from NYC Parade

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Washington, D.C. (August 17, 2024) –  Indian Muslims of North America, an Indian Muslim group that had initially planned to organize a Muslim float for the New York City India Day parade on August 18, has withdrawn their participation from the parade due to “significant concern” over the event’s inclusion of a tableau celebrating the Ram Temple. The Ram Temple is widely used in India as a symbol glorifying anti-Muslim violence, the destruction of historic mosques, and Hindu supremacy.  The Ram Temple stands on the ruins of the historic Babri Mosque, which was demolished on December 6, 1992, by a mob of over 150,000 right-wing Hindu militants. The demolition sparked widespread riots across northern India, resulting in the deaths of thousands, predominantly Muslims. In 2024, during and after the Ram Temple’s consecration ceremony, Hindu nationalist mobs unleashed waves of anti-Muslim violence throughout India, including the desecration of mosques.  In a letter addressed to the Federation Of Indian Associations, the organizing body behind the NYC India Day event, Indian Muslims of North America president Imtiaz Siamwalla noted that the group had received concerns regarding their participation from not just Muslims, but Christians, Sikhs, Hindus, and Dalits.   “There has been an overwhelming response expressing deep concern over the inclusion of the Replica of Ram Temple float in the parade… In light of these circumstances, it is with a heavy heart that we find ourselves compelled to withdraw our float since the integrity of the parade has been called into question,” Siamwalla concluded.  Indian Muslims of North America further urged FIA to reconsider the decision to display the Ram Temple float “in order to preserve our interfaith coalition.” A number of New York lawmakers have already spoken out against the use of hate symbols during the event, at the urging of Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Christian, Jewish, and Black activists who labeled the Ram Temple float “divisive.”  “No one should be using any anti-conversations in marching these parades,” said Mayor Eric Adams at a press conference last week. “I want to send a symbolic gesture that the city is open to everyone and there’s no room for hate.”  New York State Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani and two members of the New York City Council, Shekar Krishnan and Shahina Hanif, had previously signed a joint letter to Mayor Eric Adams, stating that the Ram Temple symbolizes bigotry against the Muslim minority in India urging the mayor to condemn the planned display. On August 6, a multifaith coalition of civil rights organizations released a letter calling on Mayor Adams and Governor Kathy Hochul to put a stop to the float, citing concerns over its Hindu supremacist symbolism.  A press conference held on Wednesday, August 14 on the steps of New York City hall also featured speakers from Hindus for Human Rights, Sadhana, Dalit Solidarity Forum USA, Black Lives Matter Greater New York, the Sikh Coalition, Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), The Federation of Indian American Churches of North America (FIACONA), Muslims for Progressive Values, Muslim Public Affairs Council, New York State Council of Churches, and Jews and Muslims and Allies Acting Together (JAMAAT).  To speak to a campaign organizer, or to speak to an expert on India’s democratic backsliding, please contact media@iamc.com. 

India Independence Day Parade
Op-Eds

CHICAGO SUN TIMES: Indian Independence Day celebrations should be free of Hindu nationalism

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By Rasheed Ahmed The first Indian Independence Day I can remember was with my family in Hyderabad, India. I was 10 or 11 years old and remember seeing enormous parades at the state capitol building. When I came to the U.S. in the early 1980s, the parades were much smaller and more subdued. But since that time, the Chicago parades have grown, coming to represent the connection we feel for our birth country and its triumphant break from British colonial rule. With Indian Americans now the most politically active Asian American group in the country, it’s no surprise that Chicago, Schaumburg, and Naperville are all set to have their own sizable Indian Independence Day events in mid-August. The growing pride and strength of Indian Americans is a cause for celebration. The domestic growth of Hindu nationalism, an ideology that is tearing India apart, is not. Hindu nationalism is a movement that seeks to remake India into a pure Hindu nation, in which followers of other faiths, particularly Islam and Christianity, are subjected to routine, state-sanctioned discrimination and violence. Championed by India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, it motivates frequent violence against Muslims, Christians, caste-oppressed, and indigenous Indians, all of whom are seen as foreign threats to the dominance of Hinduism.   Read More >>

Press Release

At NYC City Hall Press Conference, Interfaith Coalition Denounces Anti-Muslim Hate Symbol Planned for NYC India Day Parade

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(NEW YORK, August 6, 2024) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) today joined a multiracial coalition of human rights and interfaith organizations at a press conference outside New York City Hall. The coalition gathered to welcome NYC Mayor Eric Adams’s decision to condemn an anti-Muslim float planned for this year’s upcoming NYC India day parade and encouraged him to take the next step by canceling it in the parade. “The city’s open to everyone and there’s no room for hate. And if there is a float or a person in the parade that is promoting hate, they should not,” Adams said. Concerningly, the planned float is co-sponsored by the Indian Consulate of New York and the far-right Hindu nationalist group the Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America (VHPA), a U.S. offshoot of the CIA-designated “militant religious organization” Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP). The planned float is set to include a recreation of India’s Ram Temple, which is widely considered a symbol glorifying the demolition of Indian mosques and violence against Muslims.  The Ram Temple stands on the ruins of the historic Babri Mosque, which was demolished on December 6, 1992, by a mob of over 150,000 right-wing Hindu militants. The demolition sparked widespread riots across northern India, resulting in the deaths of thousands, predominantly Muslims. In 2024, during and after the Ram Temple’s consecration ceremony, Hindu nationalist mobs unleashed waves of anti-Muslim violence throughout India, including the desecration of mosques.  The consulate-sponsored Indian Independence Day Ram Temple display is also set to feature participation from the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS), an organization that is under active FBI investigation for luring oppressed-caste workers from India to build a New Jersey Hindu temple for $1.20/hour wages. The event will also feature Manoj Tiwari, a politician from India’s ruling far-right Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), as Guest of Honor. New York State Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani and two members of the New York City Council, Shekar Krishnan and Shahina Hanif, had already signed a joint letter to Mayor Eric Adams, stating that this temple symbolizes bigotry against the Muslim minority in India and that public celebrations should not include symbols of division or hatred.  IAMC and its allies gathered at City Hall to explain why the Ram Temple’s disturbing history should preclude any display of the Ram Temple in a public setting in New York. Representatives from the Indian American Muslim Council, the Council on American-Islamic Relations, Hindus for Human Rights, Black Lives Matter Greater, The Federation of Indian American Churches of North America (FIACONA), Muslims for Progressive Values, Muslim Public Affairs Council, New York State Council of Churches, the Sikh Coalition, Jews and Muslims and Allies Acting Together, and Sadhana all spoke at the conference. A recorded livestream of the  press conference is available here and photos of the event are included below. “Public celebrations should not include symbols of divisiveness or bigotry. A float celebrating the construction of the Ram Temple would be divisive and runs counter to the values of NYC,” said Husnaa Vhora, of the Indian American Muslim Council.     “Hindu nationalism, or Hindutva, is not a benign cultural movement—it is a political project designed to legitimize a vision of India that is fundamentally at odds with the Indian Constitution and the principles of pluralistic democracy. The inclusion of the Ram Mandir float in this year’s parade is not a celebration of cultural pride, but a glorification of both a violent history and a violent ambition,” said David Kalal, Director of Communications for Hindus for Human Rights.  “The mission of Dalit Solidarity Forum includes condemning such a public display of hatred against Muslims in the form of a float in the streets of New York… In a city where global communities exist together, we all need to feel safe,” said Eklan Singh, representing Dalit Solidarity Forum USA.   “CAIR-NY condemns in the strongest possible terms the presence of an anti-Muslim float at the upcoming India Day parade. It sends a message to Indian Muslims that religious violence and intolerance can even reach our society,” said Afshan Khwaja, Board President of the Council on American Islamic Relations New York.  “This float is another example of the rising contempt towards Muslims across the world. The Ram Mandir is part of a larger project to erase Muslims from India,” said Dr. Zainab Tanvir, Co-Director of Muslims for Progressive Values NY.  “As the Sikh community marks the 40th anniversary of India’s genocide of Sikhs in 1984 and sees the connections between that violence and continued repressive and violent behavior today, the Sikh Coalition… calls on Mayor Adams to show up for his diverse Indian-American constituents by preventing the Ram Mandir float’s inclusion in this year’s India Day Parade, making clear that violent nationalist ideologies have no place in our city,” said Harmeet Kaur Kamboj, Senior State Policy Manager for the Sikh Coalition.  “People of color in this city are tired of being disrespected by this city. Our Muslim brothers and sisters are being persecuted across the world. If anything, they should be centered and listened to now more than anyone else on these particular issues [of Hindu supremacy],” said Hawk Newsome, Co-Founder of Black Lives Matter Greater NY. “Jewish New Yorkers and South Asian New Yorkers reject the politics of exclusion, Islamophobia, and supremacy that this float represents. JFREJ stands with our neighbors and friends in our commitment to pluralism and equality,” said Dania Rajendra, a member of Jews for Racial and Economic Justice (JFREJ), in a statement submitted for the press conference.     “Today, Hindu supremacy calls for the subjugation of minority faiths and aims to transform India into a purely Hindu nation. We are profoundly alarmed by the inclusion of an anti-Muslim float in the parade. Symbols of hate can never be disguised as symbols of celebration,” said Neal Christie, Executive Director of the Federation of Indian American Christians of North America.  “India’s diversity and inclusion is its beauty and strength. I want to challenge the float that is elevating

Press Release

Press Conference on Planned Inclusion of Anti-Muslim Hate Symbol in NYC India Day Parade

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Media Contact: Husnaa Vohra husnaa.vhora@iamc.com NEW YORK— A coalition of civil rights and interfaith organizations representing Indian-American Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Dalits, and allies will host a press conference to express strong opposition to the planned inclusion of the Ram Temple float, an anti-Muslim hate symbol, in an upcoming India Day Parade in New York City on August 18th. India’s Ram Temple stands on the ruins of the historic Babri Mosque, which was demolished on December 6, 1992, by a mob of over 150,000 right-wing Hindu militants. The demolition sparked widespread riots across India, resulting in the deaths of thousands, predominantly Muslims. In 2024, during and after the temple’s consecration ceremony, Hindu mobs celebrated by unleashing anti-Muslim violence across India, including the desecration of mosques. Due to this history, the Ram Temple is widely considered a symbol glorifying the demolition of Indian mosques and violence against Muslims.  Concerningly, the plan to include float is being led by the far-right Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America (VHPA), an offshoot of India’s Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and has been designated as a “militant religious organization” by the Central Intelligence Agency’s (CIA) World Factbook. Georgetown University’s Bridge Initiative identifies VHPA as an Islamophobic group.  Along with VHPA, the event is organized in collaboration with the Indian consulate and Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS), an organization that is under active FBI investigation for forced labor and exploitation of oppressed-caste laborers from India. The event will also feature Manoj Tiwari, a politician from India’s ruling far-right Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), as Guest of Honor. The press conference will provide: An overview of the symbolism of the Ram Temple and its impact on Muslim communities both in India and abroad. Insights into the broader context of Hindu supremacist activities in the U.S. and their repercussions on civil rights and interfaith harmony. Statements from community leaders, civil rights activists, and faith representatives who will highlight the urgent need to oppose the inclusion of hate symbols in public events. We invite members of the media to attend the press conference to gain deeper insights into the issue of Hindu supremacist activity in the United States and its impact on minority communities. What: Press Conference When: Wednesday, August 14th at 10:00 a.m Where: New York City Hall City Hall Park, New York, NY 10007 Who: Representatives from civil rights organizations and diverse faith groups If you’re interested in interviewing our guest speakers or panelists, please send us an email at media.info@iamc.com.

Press Release

US coalition asks New York Governor, NYC mayor to refuse Islamophobic float at India Day Parade

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(NEW YORK, August 6, 2024) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) today joined in a letter by a coalition of human rights and interfaith organizations sent to New York Governor Kathy Hochul and New York City Mayor Eric Adams urging them to condemn and oppose the inclusion of an anti-Muslim float at the India Day Parade scheduled for August 18, 2024. For a digital copy of the full letter, click here. The float celebrates the destruction of the historic Babri Mosque, which was demolished on December 6, 1992, by a mob of over 150,000 right-wing Hindu militants. Letter co-signers include: Indian American Muslim Council, Council on American-Islamic Relations, Council on American-Islamic Relations-New York, Hindus for Human Rights, The Federation of Indian American Churches of North America (FIACONA), Muslim Public Affairs Council, New York State Council of Churches, Genocide Watch, Center for Pluralism, India’s Civil Watch International, American Muslim Institution, and Association of Indian Muslims in America The letter highlights concerns about the Indian consulate’s partnership with far-right groups to display the float, which features imagery of India’s Ram Temple. This temple stands on the ruins of the Babri Mosque, whose demolition led to widespread riots and the deaths of thousands, predominantly Muslims. The inauguration of the Ram Temple in January 2024 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has further fueled religious tensions, resulting in violence and attacks on other places of worship. The event’s organizers, including the Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America (VHPA) and Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS), have histories of spreading hate speech and exploiting laborers. Allowing the float at the parade would embolden anti-Muslim actors and undermine New York City’s commitment to diversity and peaceful coexistence. The organizations call for immediate and decisive measures to prevent the inclusion of the divisive float to ensure New York remains a safe and welcoming place for all its residents.

Press Release

Five Years After Article 370’s Revocation, Kashmiris Face Escalating Human Rights Violations

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Washington, D.C. (August 5, 2024) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) today strongly condemned the ongoing and escalating human rights abuses perpetrated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s far-right Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led government in Jammu and Kashmir. Five years have passed since the Modi regime revoked the region’s semi-autonomous status and redoubled military suppression of its people, leading to severe and widespread violations of human rights. On August 5, 2019, the Modi regime abrogated Article 370 of the Indian constitution, which allowed Muslim-majority Kashmir to maintain semi-autonomy, and enforced a military crackdown on the region, resulting in Kashmiris being subjected to increased government surveillance, wanton arrests, internet blackouts, killings in fake encounters, torture by army personnel, suppression of peaceful critics and protesters, closure of mosques, and other human rights abuses. The Modi government has also specifically targeted Kashmiri journalists and human rights defenders with arrests under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), India’s draconian anti-terror law.  “It has now been half a decade since the revocation of Article 370, and the repression of Kashmiris has only worsened under Modi’s direct rule of the region. There have been no elections, and the region continues to remain stripped of its statehood,” said IAMC President Mohammed Jawad. “It is imperative that the international community holds the Modi government accountable for these violations and ensures the protection of the fundamental rights of the Kashmiri people.” Since the beginning of 2024, the Indian government has only increased its persecution of Kashmiris. Human Rights Watch deputy Asia director Meenakshi Ganguly reported in July that “Indian authorities insist that violence has been contained in Jammu and Kashmir, but in five years they have done little to end the government assault on fundamental freedoms. Kashmiris are unable to exercise their right to free expression, association, and peaceful assembly because they fear they will be arrested, thrown in prison without trial for months, even years.” Earlier this year, the Modi government introduced an alarming new policy known as the Local Bodies Laws (Amendment) Bill, which would further disenfranchise Kashmiri Muslims by offering government reservations to pro-BJP and upper-caste ethnic groups in the region. The government then imposed an internet shutdown in Kashmir’s Poonch and Rajouri districts after civilians held protests against the bill.  In February, the Caravan Magazine, an Indian news portal, published a deeply concerning article titled “Screams from the Army Post: The Indian Armyʼs torture and murder of civilians in a restive Jammu,” which detailed atrocities “reminiscent of the videos of torture and prison abuse by the United States army… [in] Abu Ghraib in Iraq.” Shortly after the article was published, the Modi government forced the Caravan to take it down.    Meanwhile, prominent Kashmiri activists remain imprisoned. On March 20, senior Kashmiri journalist and human rights defender Irfan Mehraj completed his first year in jail after being arrested under baseless terrorism charges by the Indian government. Similarly, decorated human rights defender Khurram Parvez remained imprisoned for a second year under false terrorism charges despite the fact that United Nations experts have called for his release. “The Modi government must immediately cease its brutal military crackdown on the region, free all political prisoners, and achieve peace by working with – not against – the Kashmiri people,” Jawad added.

Press Release

IAMC welcomes acquittal of two Muslim men wrongfully jailed in Delhi pogrom case; calls for release of all political prisoners

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Washington, D.C. (August 2, 2024) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) today welcomed the acquittal of two Muslim men, Nazmuddin and Mohd Ajeej, who were wrongfully accused of complicity in the 2020 Delhi pogrom.  In February 2020, Hindu militant mobs unleashed a wave of violence in India’s capital city, New Delhi, targeting Muslim neighborhoods. The attacks resulted in the loss of lives, the burning of homes and shops, and the looting of Muslim-owned properties. Reports from Muslim victims detailed harrowing experiences, including being beaten with iron rods and crowbars, forcefully checked for circumcision, and witnessing family members murdered in their homes. Some victims were burned alive. In total, 53 people were killed. Nazmuddin and Ajeej were both victims of the pogrom’s anti-Muslim violence, as reported by the Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR). In a statement, APCR said, “Despite the suffering and loss they endured during the riots, where Nazmuddin’s barber shop and Ajeej’s home were looted, vandalized, and destroyed, the individuals were wrongfully accused and detained in February 2020. Their acquittal… relieves their families and highlights the need for fair legal processes.” The pogrom was a response to the 2019 Muslim-led protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), a discriminatory law that experts say could strip millions of Muslims of their citizenship. In December of 2019, an elected official from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Kapil Mishra, led a pro-CAA rally in Delhi during which Hindu supremacists chanted slogans such as “shoot the traitors,” referring to Muslims. Just months, later, in February, “shoot the traitors” became the war cry of Hindu lynch mobs during the pogrom.   Following the pogrom, however, the state cracked down on Muslim activists and victims of mob attacks, accusing them of orchestrating the violence. In addition to arresting victims like Nazmuddin and Ajeej, the Indian government also arrested prominent anti-CAA activists, including Umar Khalid, Safoora Zargar, Sharjeel Imam, Gulfisha Fatima, Khalid Saifi, and a number of other Muslim activists under blatantly false charges of terrorism.  A number of Muslim activists arrested after the Delhi pogrom remain incarcerated, including Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam and Gulfisha Fatima. For those interested in speaking with IAMC experts on deteriorating human rights and religious freedoms in India, please contact: media.info@iamc.com 

Ram Madhav
Op-Eds

RELIGION NEWS SERVICE: America’s far right is learning from India’s Hindu nationalists

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By Rasheed Ahmed Joining a motley crew of economic libertarians, Trump acolytes, moderate Republicans and old-school racists at the National Conservatism Conference in Washington, D.C., earlier this month was Ram Madhav, little known in the United States but a towering political figure in India. Presenting himself as a tolerant, pluralistic conservative, Madhav has in fact helped lead two of the most divisive and violent organizations in Indian history: the Bharatiya Janata Party, where Madhav was general secretary, and its militant, ideological parent organization, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, where Madhav is currently national executive. His appearance at the convention signals a frightening new chapter in the burgeoning love affair between the U.S. right and Hindu nationalists — those who believe India must become a Hindu ethno-state, where other religions are second-class citizens. American right-wing groups are not simply partnering with Hindu nationalists opportunistically, but encouraging them to evangelize their authoritarian tactics to U.S. political leaders.   Read More >>

Op-Eds

SANTA MARIA TIME: Indian Americans have a role to play in educating Californians about Hindu nationalism | Guest Commentary

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By Ishaq Syed In March, the overseas wing of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s political party, the Bharatiya Janata Party, or BJP, organized car rallies and prayer gatherings throughout California in support of his reelection bid. These groups surely celebrated Modi’s third electoral victory earlier this month. However, not all Desis in California are elated. For many of us, Modi’s anti-Muslim campaign speeches and slew of authoritarian policies cast the victory in a different light. As an Indian Muslim, the BJP’s loss of a majority in the Indian parliament is the real ray of hope in these last elections. Reports of the Indian government attempting two assassinations on North American soil this year — and hearing of how other U.S. critics have had their India-based relatives detained and persecuted — myself and many other Indian Americans fear speaking out against Hindutva, or Hindu nationalism.   Read More >>

Anti-Muslim
Op-Eds

SANTA YNEZ VALLEY NEWS: Indian Americans have a role to play in educating Californians about Hindu nationalism | Guest Commentary

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By Ishaq Syed In March, the overseas wing of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s political party, the Bharatiya Janata Party, or BJP, organized car rallies and prayer gatherings throughout California in support of his reelection bid. These groups surely celebrated Modi’s third electoral victory earlier this month. However, not all Desis in California are elated. For many of us, Modi’s anti-Muslim campaign speeches and slew of authoritarian policies cast the victory in a different light. As an Indian Muslim, the BJP’s loss of a majority in the Indian parliament is the real ray of hope in these last elections.   Read More >>

Letter to Elon Musk
Press Release

IAMC condemns planned inclusion of anti-Muslim float at New York City’s India Day Parade

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Washington, D.C. (Jul 17, 2024) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), the largest advocacy organization representing diaspora Indian Muslims in the United States, strongly condemns and expresses deep concern over the planned inclusion of an anti-Muslim float at a parade in New York City next month. A group of organizations led by far-right Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America (VHPA) plan to use the 42nd Annual India Day Parade on August 18 to propagate hate and instill fear among American Muslims by featuring a divisive float of the Ram Temple, a symbol of violence, historical injustice and religious intolerance. VHPA is an offshoot of India’s Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and has been designated as a “militant religious organization” by the Central Intelligence Agency’s (CIA) World Factbook. Georgetown University’s Bridge Initiative identifies VHPA as an Islamophobic group.  Along with VHPA, the event is organized in collaboration with the Indian consulate, Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS), which is under active FBI investigation for forced labor and exploitation of low-caste laborers from India and the Federation of Indian Associations (FIA).  “It is deeply troubling to see far-right groups turning our nation’s independence into a circus of hate and religious supremacy. The proposed float for the parade is a brazen attempt to glorify the demolition of the Babri Mosque and celebrate violence and terror against 200 million Indian Muslims. This is not a cultural or religious display but a vile celebration of anti-Muslim hate and bigotry,” said IAMC President Mohammed Jawad.  “Such an event threatens the values of inclusivity and tolerance that New York City and the state of New York proudly uphold,” Jawad added. The Ram Temple stands on the ruins of the historic Babri Mosque, which was demolished on December 6, 1992, by a mob of over 150,000 Hindu zealots. The demolition sparked widespread riots across India, resulting in the deaths of thousands, predominantly Muslims. In November 2019, the Supreme Court of India controversially awarded the site to Hindus for the construction of the temple, thereby legitimizing an egregious act of violence against a Muslim place of worship. Despite this, the court acknowledged the criminality of the mosque’s destruction, noting it as an “egregious violation of the rule of law.” The inauguration of the Ram Temple in January 2024 by India’s Hindu supremacist Prime Minister Narendra Modi has further exacerbated religious tensions in the country, resulting in widespread violence at the hands of what the Washington Post called “triumphant Hindu mobs” and attacks on multiple other places of worship.  In August 2022, similar far-right Hindu groups transformed the India Day parade in Edison, New Jersey, into a hate event by displaying a bulldozer, symbolizing the demolition of Muslim homes in India, alongside pictures of Prime Minister Modi and other Hindu supremacist leaders. This incident was condemned by U.S. Senators Cory Booker and Bob Menendez and investigated by the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office and Edison Police Department as a “bias incident.” IAMC calls on Governor Kathy Hochul and Mayor Eric Adams to take urgent and decisive measures to prevent the inclusion of a polarizing and divisive float in the parade.It is imperative to protect our diverse communities from such divisive and inflammatory actions and ensure that New York remains a safe and welcoming place for all its residents.

Human Rights Abuse in India
Op-Eds

JACOBIN: Release India’s Political Prisoners

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By Safa Ahmed In the last four years, Indian student leader Umar Khalid has moved his application for bail over a dozen times. Shunted from the low Delhi courts all the way up to the Supreme Court, he has been hit repeatedly with delayed hearings or outright denial of bail, leaving him indefinitely behind bars. Khalid was arrested in September 2020 over allegations of being part of a “larger conspiracy” to ignite deadly riots in the capital city New Delhi, which resulted in the deaths of over fifty people, most of them Muslims lynched in the streets by Hindu mobs. Saddled with charges ranging from “promoting enmity” to “terrorism,” the police have used his public speeches as evidence to prove the charge of incitement.   Read More >>

Modi condemned
Op-Eds

MARINIJ: California Voice – Indian Americans have a role to play in educating state about Hindu nationalism

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By Ishaq Syed In March, the overseas wing of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s political party, the Bharatiya Janata Party, or BJP, organized car rallies and prayer gatherings throughout California in support of his reelection bid. These groups surely celebrated Modi’s third electoral victory earlier this month. However, not all Desis in California are elated. For many of us, Modi’s anti-Muslim campaign speeches and slew of authoritarian policies cast the victory in a different light. As an Indian Muslim, the BJP’s loss of a majority in the Indian parliament is the real ray of hope in these last elections. Reports of the Indian government attempting two assassinations on North American soil this year — and hearing of how other U.S. critics have had their India-based relatives detained and persecuted — myself and many other Indian Americans fear speaking out against Hindutva, or Hindu nationalism. But with the opposition in India increasingly mobilized and capable of resisting Modi’s rule, there is a sense of obligation to do our part in California, home to the largest Indian population in the country. India and California are joined at the hip through political, economic, cultural and familial ties, which means these elections impact local life and vice versa.   Read More >>

Rohingya Refugees in India
Op-Eds

TIME: How India’s Newly Empowered Opposition Can Stand Up for Rohingya

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By Rasheed Ahmed In July 2023, Indian authorities led a Rohingya refugee couple to burial grounds in the northern state of Jammu and Kashmir. Their 40-day-old daughter had just died in the refugee detention center where the couple was also held, following refugee-led protests in which police deployed teargas against detainees. As their daughter was buried, they watched on with handcuffed wrists, tethered to police escorts. Video of the incident caused a stir in India, but it was just one tragedy in the broader campaign of intense persecution Rohingya refugees have faced from the Hindu nationalist government of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Muslim Rohingya came to India fleeing genocide by the military in neighboring Myanmar, but now has to contend with death threats, police brutality, arbitrary arrest, deportation, and dehumanizing hate speech from leading figures within Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party. Read More >>

Hindutva
Op-Eds

CAL MATTERS: Indian Americans have a role to play in educating Californians about Hindu nationalism

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By Ishaq Syed In March, the overseas wing of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s political party, the Bharatiya Janata Party, or BJP, organized car rallies and prayer gatherings throughout California in support of his reelection bid. These groups surely celebrated Modi’s third electoral victory earlier this month. However, not all Desis in California are elated. For many of us, Modi’s anti-Muslim campaign speeches and slew of authoritarian policies cast the victory in a different light. As an Indian Muslim, the BJP’s loss of a majority in the Indian parliament is the real ray of hope in these last elections. Reports of the Indian government attempting two assassinations on North American soil this year — and hearing of how other U.S. critics have had their India-based relatives detained and persecuted — myself and many other Indian Americans fear speaking out against Hindutva, or Hindu nationalism. Read More >>

India Country of Particular Concern
Press Release

US State Department’s 2023 report reaffirms need to designate India Country of Particular Concern, say Indian Americans

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Washington, D.C. (June 26, 2024) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, has welcomed the release of the US State Department’s 2023 International Religious Freedom (IRF) report, which highlights the ongoing persecution of religious minorities, particularly Muslims and Christians in India. In a statement, Secretary of State Antony Blinken effectively summarized the report’s India section, saying, “In India, we see a concerning increase in anti-conversion laws, hate speech, [and] demolitions of homes and places of worship for members of minority faith communities.” The report covers a swath of issues faced by religious minorities under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rule, including anti-Muslim and anti-Christian violence, hate speech and disinformation targeting Muslims, cow vigilantism, punitive home and mosque demolitions, discriminatory policies and laws such as the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) and anti-conversion laws, mob violence during Hindu festivals, and attacks on minority homes, shops, and places of worship. It also looks at ongoing ethnic and religious violence in Manipur state, the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) promotion of anti-Muslim disinformation and propaganda movies, repeat attempts by Hindu supremacist groups to take over historic mosques, and widespread hate speech events during which speakers regularly encourage violence and discrimination against Muslims and Christians.  The report also cites specific cases of human rights abuses against Muslims, including the gruesome mob lynching of two Muslim men, Mohammad Junaid and Mohammad Nasir, by cow vigilantes; the killing of 6 people, including an imam, in Haryana’s Nuh amid Hindu supremacist mob violence; the acquittal of 69 Hindu extremists charged with the killing of 11 Muslims during the 2002 Gujarat pogrom; and the shooting of three Muslim train passengers by railway officer Chetan Singh, who “warned Muslims to vote only for Prime Minister Modi” immediately after the murders.  The 2023 IRF report echoes findings presented in the annual report released by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, which calls on the State Department to designate India as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) for ongoing and severe violations of religious freedoms for minorities.  “Once again, it is clear from the State Department’s own reporting that India more than qualifies as a CPC,” said Rasheed Ahmed, IAMC Executive Director. “Now it is time for Secretary Blinken to act on these facts, as well as the facts that have been presented by USCIRF for years, and designate India as a CPC.”  IAMC further urges the Indian government to take immediate steps to address these concerns and protect the rights of all of its citizens, regardless of their religion. For those interested in speaking with IAMC experts on deteriorating human rights and religious freedoms in India, please contact: media.info@iamc.com

Press Release

Merkley, Colleagues: U.S. must firmly oppose transnational repression, no matter the perpetrator

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Washington, D.C. (June 17, 2024) – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley—a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee—today led Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Tim Kaine (D-VA), and Ron Wyden (D-OR) in a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken calling for a strong diplomatic response following credible allegations of the Indian government’s involvement in a foiled plot to assassinate an American citizen on U.S. soil, and asking for a briefing on this matter. Last year, the Department of Justice (DOJ) indicted Indian national Nikhil Gupta for his alleged participation in this act of transnational repression. “While we fully support the DOJ’s efforts to bring Gupta to justice and the Department of State’s prior statements, the Administration must match words with actions to hold Indian officials involved in the plot accountable, and to send a clear message that there will be consequences for such behavior,” the senators wrote. “It is imperative that we take an unequivocal stand against such a threat to the rights of a U.S. citizen and violation of U.S. sovereignty, which are examples of India’s increasingly irresponsible efforts to silence critics of its government among its diaspora around the world.” Transnational repression occurs when a government reaches across national borders to intimidate, harass, or harm members of diaspora and exile communities to prevent their exercise of internationally recognized human rights. It can take both direct and indirect forms, from physical assaults and unlawful renditions and detentions, to targeted online surveillance and threats against family members back home. “As such, we ask that [a] briefing include a discussion of how the Department of State intends to pursue follow-up action – to press the Indian government to hold those involved criminally accountable, and to ensure the government does not repeat such acts of transnational repression. India must maintain its commitment to respecting human rights at home and abroad as it aspires to global leadership. Now that India’s 2024 general election has concluded, with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and Prime Minister Modi returning to power, the United States has an opportunity to include this issue as a core agenda item with the Indian government,” the senators concluded. Merkley is a co-author of the bipartisan Transnational Repression Policy Act and has led efforts to strengthen U.S. policy to hold foreign governments and individuals accountable when they stalk, intimidate, or assault people in the United States and across other borders. As Co-Chair of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, he has also spotlighted the most frequent perpetrator of transnational repression: the People’s Republic of China, which targets Uyghurs, Hong Kongers, Tibetans, dissidents, and others. The full text of the letter can be found by clicking here and below: Dear Secretary Blinken, We write to express our deep concern about credible allegations of the Indian government’s involvement in a foiled plot to assassinate an American citizen on U.S. soil, as well as reports of ongoing harassment and threats against Sikh Americans. We urge a strong diplomatic response to ensure that all of those who were involved are held accountable, and request a briefing on the status of the Administration’s engagement with the Indian government on this matter. The United States and India have a crucial relationship across multiple domains – from security cooperation, to trade and investment, to strong cultural and people-to-people ties. As the two largest democracies in the world, this partnership must not only be based on mutual strategic interests, but also grounded in shared commitment to democratic principles and the rule of law, including respect for sovereignty and the individual rights and freedoms that are fundamental to any democracy. On November 29, 2023, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced an unsealed indictment of Indian national Nikhil Gupta for participation in a foiled plot to assassinate a U.S. citizen in New York. The target, who media reported to be Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, is a vocal critic of the Indian government and advocate for the secession of Punjab, a state in India with a sizable Sikh population. As detailed in the announcement, an unnamed Indian government official, working with Gupta, directed the plot, which was foiled by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The announcement further stated that Gupta revealed there were a total of four targets, including Hardeep Singh Nijjar – a Canadian citizen and Sikh separatist leader who was murdered in Canada in June 2023 by masked gunmen. An in-depth investigative article in The Washington Post in April provided greater context on the case, noting that the individual who directed the plot attempted by Gupta was an officer in India’s intelligence agency. The article cites evidence that higher-ranking intelligence officials are also implicated, with potential links to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s inner circle. In late November 2023, the Indian government announced a probe panel to look into the matter. Assistant Secretary of State Donald Lu told the House Foreign Affairs Committee on March 20 that the Biden Administration has raised the plot “at the highest levels with India” and, referencing the panel, affirmed, “we ask them to work quickly and transparently to make sure justice is done.” However, on March 21, Bloomberg reported that the panel found that “rogue operatives” had been involved, and that at least one person was no longer working for the intelligence agency, but was still employed and not facing criminal prosecution. While we fully support the DOJ’s efforts to bring Gupta to justice and the Department of State’s prior statements, the Administration must match words with actions to hold Indian officials involved in the plot accountable, and to send a clear message that there will be consequences for such behavior. It is imperative that we take an unequivocal stand against such a threat to the rights of a U.S. citizen and violation of U.S. sovereignty, which are examples of India’s increasingly irresponsible efforts to silence critics of its government among its diaspora around the world. As such, we ask that the briefing include a discussion of how the Department

Press Release

Indian Americans call Indian election results a vote against authoritarianism and religious supremacy; urge opposition to combat Hindutva

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Washington, D.C. (June 19, 2024) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) has welcomed the results of India’s general elections, which resulted in what the Washington Post has called a “stunning setback” to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Hindu supremacist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).  While the BJP-led coalition National Democratic Alliance (NDA) still won a plurality of seats in Parliament, it has lost its majority for the first time since coming to power in 2014, although elections were not free and fair: several opposition politicians were imprisoned by the Modi government ahead of elections, the Congress Party’s bank accounts were frozen, Muslims reported beatings and intimidation at the polls as a form of voter suppression and anti-Muslim hate speech was massively deployed by the BJP leadership including Modi to polarise the electorate.  With these significant electoral gains in the face of such odds, opposition parties now have an opportunity to take a strong stance against Hindu supremacy and the violence its supporters continue to inflict on vulnerable minorities with impunity.  “This election is proof that a Hindu nation is not what all Indians want. Despite the significant consolidation of upper caste votes behind the BJP, members of minority and marginalized communities united to vote against a supremacist and authoritarian regime. This diverse voter turnout demonstrates a rejection of hateful and oppressive Hindu supremacist ideology,” said IAMC President Mohammed Jawad. “The responsibility now falls on opposition parties to actively confront the threat of this ideology. It is crucial for them to implement strategies that promote inclusivity and tolerance and to engage in efforts to deradicalize a public that has become deeply insensitive to the suffering of Muslims and other minority groups. This is not just a political challenge but a moral imperative to ensure a just and equitable society for all,” Jawad added. In the few weeks since the election result, three Muslim men have been lynched in Chhattisgarh state; Muslim-owned homes have been bulldozed as collective punishment in Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, and Hindu mobs have rioted ahead of Eid al-Adha and put Muslim lives in danger in Telangana. Mentions of the Babri Mosque have been removed from school textbooks. Author Arundhati Roy and academic Dr. Showkat Hussain Sheikh have been charged under the draconian anti-terror law UAPA for their 2010 remarks on Kashmir. Meanwhile, Hindu supremacist leaders continue to call for anti-Muslim violence and discrimination with impunity.  “We celebrate hope, but there is no denying that there is still much work to be done. For a decade, Muslim families have lost loved ones to horrific mob lynchings, watched as their murderers and rapists were celebrated by the Hindu right, seen their homes bulldozed before their eyes, weaponization of Hindu festivals and faced calls for their brutal slaughter alongside the passage of discriminatory policies and the complete capture of democratic institutions. This threat to democracy and violence remains ongoing, and it must come to an end,” said IAMC Executive Director Rasheed Ahmed.  “For India to truly move forward, there must be a complete rejection of Hindu supremacy and justice for its victims. Those who propagated anti-minority hatred must be held accountable. Hindu supremacy must be purged from every level of government, the media, the schools, and social media. It must be replaced with understanding, fraternity, and love,” Ahmed added. To speak with IAMC experts, contact media@iamc.com.

cow vigilante
Press Release

Indian Americans condemn first cow lynching in Modi’s third term; demand an end to impunity for cow vigilantes

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Washington, D.C. (June 10, 2024) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) today vehemently condemned the brutal mob lynching of two Muslim men by Hindu extremist cow vigilantes in Chhattisgarh state, just days after far-right Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s party led coalition won a third term to office. The incident is a glaring reminder that while Modi might have lost a majority in India’s general elections, the climate of anti-minority violence encouraged by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its Hindu supremacist supporters remains a dangerous reality that continues to threaten the lives of Muslims and other minorities. On the night of June 6, 23-year-old Chand Miyan, 35-year-old Guddu Khan, and 23-year-old Saddam Qureshi were attacked by cow vigilantes while transporting cattle from Chhattisgarh to Odisha state. Police confirmed that the attack was pre-planned and that the cow vigilantes had followed their truck and planted sharp nails in their path.  Miyan’s relative and Qureshi’s friend reported that they were both called by the victims between 2-3 am, during which Miyan said they were being attacked by a mob, and Qureshi could be heard “crying for help and begging for water.”  Miyan’s body was found under a 30-foot-high bridge, along with Qureshi and Khan, who were critically injured. Khan succumbed to his injuries in the hospital, while Qureshi remains undergoing treatment.   “Cow vigilantism is terrorism against Muslims,” said IAMC President Mohammed Jawad. “For ten years, Modi and the BJP have normalized and even celebrated this form of terrorism, leading to the deaths of hundreds of Muslims over the years. Unless those who encourage cow vigilantism and those who perpetuate this violence are both held accountable, mob lynchings will only continue to claim lives.” The governance under the NDA reflects on all its coalition partners, including the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and Janata Dal (JDU)” said IAMC Executive Director Rasheed Ahmed. The current law and order situation in India is now a shared responsibility of these governing partners. We urge Mr. Naidu and Mr. Kumar to take swift corrective actions to address mob vigilantism before more lives are lost.” IAMC extends its deepest condolences to the victims’ families and stands in solidarity with the Muslim community in India. We urge the Indian government to take strict action against those responsible for this heinous act of terrorism and to ensure that justice is served.  Furthermore, the Indian government must take urgent steps to curb the growing danger of cow vigilantism, including by taking strict action against politicians, Hindu supremacist group leaders, and other actors who glorify cow vigilantism and other forms of anti-Muslim violence.   IAMC also calls upon India’s opposition parties, civil society organizations, human rights groups, and the international community to condemn cow vigilantism as a form of terrorism and to ensure that the Indian government takes the necessary steps to ensure the safety of its Muslim citizens. We urge the Indian government to take swift action to bring an immediate end to the violence and discrimination against religious minorities and to uphold the principles of justice, equality, and human rights.

IAMC Report 2024
Featured, Reports

IAMC Report: IAMC Report: Persecution of Religious Minorities in India (January-April 2024)

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India has long been lauded as the world’s largest democracy, but under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Hindu supremacist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), India has become one of the “worst autocratisers” in the world. According to the Sweden-based Varieties of Democracy Institute, the Indian government’s “substantial deterioration of freedom of expression, compromising independence of the media, crackdowns on social media, harassments of journalists critical of the government, [attacks] on civil society and intimidation of the opposition,” have accelerated India’s democratic backsliding. Between January and April 2024, IAMC saw the continuation and worsening of these and other human rights abuses in India, particularly against Muslims and Christians, who remain the country’s most vulnerable minority groups.   [pdf-embedder url="http://3.145.57.38/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/IAMC-2024-Q1-Report.pdf" title="IAMC 2024 Q1 Report"] Click Here to Download

HAF lawsuit
Press Release

IAMC applauds unsealing of discovery documents in Hindu America Foundation’s spurious libel lawsuit

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Washington D.C. (June 7, 2023) — The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) welcomes the decision of Judge Amit P Mehta of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, who has unsealed vital documents in the dismissed libel lawsuit filed by the Hindu American Foundation (HAF) against IAMC and several other key human rights groups and individuals. HAF, a group that has ties with numerous Hindu nationalist organizations, launched its spurious libel lawsuit in 2021.  Previously classified discovery items from the case, detailing HAF donor lists, HAF’s expulsion from human rights coalitions, canceled events, denied grants, and more, will now be available for public perusal and research.  Journalist Raqib Hameed Naik had launched the initial request for the documents to be unsealed.  “This is a great day for transparency and rule of law,” said IAMC President Mohammed Jawad. “These unsealed documents will no doubt prove useful in understanding the powers behind the Hindu American Foundation and its Hindu nationalist campaign to influence the Indian American diaspora.” The HAF lawsuit, filed in 2021, falsely claimed that IAMC, Hindus for Human Rights, Rutgers University Professor Audrey Truschke and John Prabhudoss, the former chairman of Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations (FIACONA), had “conspired to publish… allegedly false and defamatory statements” about the HAF on the Al Jazeera website.  In 2022, Judge Mehta found that the defendant’s statements did not defame HAF and that “most of the statements are clearly statements of opinion.” In his decision, Judge Mehta challenged HAF’s claim that it was not linked to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu supremacist government and his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), writing: “HAF supports the political party currently in power in India, often labeled a ‘Hindu nationalist’ party.” Speaking at an event following IAMC’s defeat of the lawsuit, attorney Daniel Sullivan reported how the suit had helped bring to light the extent of HAF’s connections with Hindu nationalist paramilitary groups in India. “They didn’t contest that HAF’s treasurer is the son of the National Vice President of the US wing of the RSS. They didn’t contest that his family had donated a significant sum to HAF in 2018. They didn’t contest that a co-founder of HAF was formally associated with an affiliate of the RSS. They didn’t contest that HAF had defended the Indian government’s passage of legislation that the United Nations described as fundamentally discriminatory… They didn’t claim that any of that was untrue,” he said. “Now further connections with Hindu nationalist groups are likely to come to light,” said IAMC President Jawad. “HAF’s attempt to silence and intimidate IAMC has decisively backfired, and now more information will come to see the light of day exposing what they have denied all along: namely, that they are deeply enmeshed in the world of Hindu supremacism.”

SAP Panel Discussion on India
Press Release

India’s authoritarian turn raises serious questions at home and abroad: Experts at Panel Discussion on India

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Washington, D.C. (June 2, 2024) – Experts at a panel discussion held in D.C on Friday highlighted domestic and global challenges as India’s voters go to the poll amidst rising concerns about economic inequality and a declining human rights environment. Along with providing background to these developments, the experts underscored the time that would be needed to reverse these trends. For the U.S., it will remain important to focus on human rights despite growing trade ties between the two countries as well as imperative to counterbalance China in the Indo-Pacific. On May 31, South Asia Perspectives (SAP) organized a panel discussion at the National Press Club timed with the publication of its June-August quarterly edition which focused on elections in South Asia. Given the centrality of India’s ongoing election, the event was titled “Navigating Crossroads: India’s economy, democracy and quest for human rights”. Speakers at the event included SAP Editor Ambassador (ret`d) William B. Milam, Ambassador Islam Siddiqui, former US Chief Agricultural Negotiator, author Salil Tripathi, and human rights activist Sarita Pandey. Attendees included representatives from the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, Freedom House, US State Department, Hindus for Human Rights, and Indian American Muslim Council. Former diplomats, the World Bank analysts, journalists from Associated Press (AP), BBC and Voice of America also attended the event.     In his remarks, William B. Milam observed that, “Elections have consequences. What kind of consequences those in India will have is important to notice. India is moving slowly but surely in an authoritarian direction, which is a serious question for the United States, which is considering India as one of its main partners.” He suggested analysts should pay special attention to the propaganda war being led by authoritarian governments. In his view, the anti-democratic propaganda war has been extremely effective. “Propaganda campaigns help lead to establish authoritarianism. And it takes over 20-30 years to happen”, Milam observed. He also expressed deep concerns about the anti-democratic trends in the United States and the rest of the world. Author Salil Tripathi spoke about India’s economic development, highlighting truths that lay behind official data. “When people are talking high about India because of fancy malls, airports and breezes. I am worried because when the recession happened during the Asian economic crisis, likewise fancy structures became ghostly empty. In that context religious politics become dangerous. Because at that time when you can’t handle and grapple the real complex issues. The victims in such a scenario become the enemies of the state.” Salil expressed sorrow that 80% percent of India’s unemployed are from the youth population, observing that even masters and PhD graduates are forced to apply for menial jobs due to the lack of job growth. Referring to crony capitalism in India, Salil said, “If you are a foreign investor in India and Ambani or the Adanis are your competitors, either you will have to sell the business or make some agreements with them.” Referring to economic inequalities and discriminations, Salil said that some Gujrati Muslims with whom he has spoken have stopped asking for justice. “They don’t expect justice. They just want to scale up in a professional capacity like doctors, engineers and accountants so that they can work for themselves. They fear no one would hire them and when their names are showed up in resume, they won’t get a call to be hired”, Salil added. In the absence of genuine economic growths, Salil observed, the majority and powerful population within the state start to feel persecuted. “The victims of such feelings, the minorities, turn into enemy of the state”, Salil said. Ambassador Islam Siddiqui reviewed the expanding US-India trade relationship, looking both at the past and exploring current developments. Emphasizing India’s constitution Ambassador Siddiqui said, “India’s democracy has been rough and noisy sometimes yet the elected leadership has always paid allegiance to the constitution and secularism of India. This has helped thrive Indian democracy”. Siddiqui observed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has used religious divisions as a political tool to energize his support base. “Mr. Modi didn’t respond to the crisis in Manipur where 65 thousand Christians had been displaced and more than 250 churches were burnt down. The Prime Minister acknowledged the crisis after six months, following his trip back from the United States”. “The Biden administration is aware such things. However, for geopolitical reasons, to counterbalance China, the US is essentially ignoring gross human rights violations for the time being”, he added. Journalist and rights activist Sarita Pandey provided a detailed account of the lack of press freedom in India and its implication for broader human rights. “Over the last ten years mainstream news has refused to provide any substantive coverage to the various scams, cons, illegalities and crimes of the Modi Administration, or of its various ministers and leaders, several of who have faced allegations of rape, assault and murder. Two months ago, it was revealed that Mr. Modi’s party had received a billion dollars at least in secret financial contributions. The news media worked overtime to protect Mr. Modi’s reputation rather than question him”, Sarita said. On how the state apparatus are used to control media, Sarita focused on the Tehelka exposure related to the Gujrat genocide. “Mr. Modi’s close lieutenant in Gujarat and now India’s home minister – Mr. Shah was arrested, and his trial was on track. But after Mr. Modi became prime minister the judge was summarily transferred. The next judge refused to dismiss the case and ended up dead within a week. The third judge abruptly discharged Mr. Shah from the case, claiming, without explanation, the accused was wrongfully implicated for political reasons.” Drawing on detailed references from Reporters Without Borders’ Committee to Protect Journalists, Sarita claimed that India has become one of the most dangerous countries for journalists. South Asia Perspectives Editor-at-Large Jon Danilowicz moderated the panel discussion while Executive Editor Mushfiqul Fazal Ansarey welcomed the guests. The latest edition of the quarterly journal can be found at www.saperspectives.net.

Modi condemned
Press Release

Global civil society condemns Indian PM Modi, BJP leaders for anti-Muslim hate speech during elections

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Washington, D.C. (June 1, 2024) – On behalf of the Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) and a coalition of 48 civil society organizations worldwide, we are writing to share a formal statement condemning the hate speech targeting the Muslim community by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and top leaders of his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) during the parliamentary elections due to conclude June 4th. The statement highlights the use of Islamophobic, inflammatory rhetoric by PM Modi, which has fueled a climate of anti-Muslim hate that jeopardizes the safety of millions, as well as the integrity of India’s democracy. Political use of dehumanizing speech is a precursor to violence, yet the Prime Minister has himself targeted citizens with derogatory labels and unfounded accusations. The undersigned organizations call upon the international community to hold PM Modi and his party accountable and urge them to cease spreading hate speech immediately. For further information, please refer to the attached statement. We encourage you to share this statement through your networks and media channels to help raise awareness of this critical issue. The IAMC and our global coalition remain committed to promoting plurality and condemning any form of hate speech and discrimination. Thank you for your attention and support. [pdf-embedder url="http://test.iamc.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Hate-Speech-Statement-5-30.pdf" title="Hate Speech Statement 5-30"] Click Here to Download

Press Release

50 global civil society orgs condemn anti-Muslim hate speeches made by Modi, BJP candidates during Indian elections

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Washington, D.C. (June 1, 2024) – Today, a global coalition of civil society organizations released a statement co-signed by 50 human rights groups condemning the repeated anti-Muslim hate speeches made by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and members of the far-right Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) during Indian elections.  “Despite repeated complaints by India’s opposition parties and tens of thousands of concerned citizens, Prime Minister Modi has continuously targeted Indian Muslims and his political opponents alike in his hate speeches, fanning the flames of an already dangerous climate of anti-minority hate and violence in the nation,” the statement read.  In violation of Indian law, which prohibits communal speech during elections, Modi has referred to India’s 250 million Muslim as “infiltrators”, deployed Islamophobic tropes accusing Muslims of having more children than India’s Hindus, claimed that Muslims will rob other marginalized communities of government benefits, and shockingly referred to Muslims exercising their right to vote as “vote jihad.” Numerous other BJP politicians have made similar hateful comments, including senior government leaders. Notably Home Minister Amit Shah associated Muslim schools and clerics with the “mafia”; Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath declared that an opposition government would bring in a “Taliban” style government; and Assam Chief Minister Hemanta Biswa Sarma has boasted of forcing Islamic seminaries across his state to shut down.   “We call upon the leaders of the international community to impress [our concerns] upon Mr. Modi, urge him to immediately retract and apologize for his statements, and urge him to commit to holding his fellow party members accountable for spreading violent hate speech as well,” the statement concluded.  Read the full statement below: The undersigned civil society organizations and concerned individuals across the world strongly condemn the hate speeches made repeatedly by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and top leaders of his ruling Bharatiya Janata Party against India’s Muslim community since India’s parliamentary elections began in April. Despite repeated complaints by India’s opposition parties and tens of thousands of concerned citizens, Prime Minister Modi has continuously targeted Indian Muslims and his political opponents alike in his hate speeches, fanning the flames of an already dangerous climate of anti-minority hate and violence in the nation. In his many election speeches, the prime minister has labeled India’s 250 million Muslim as “infiltrators”, deployed Islamophobic tropes accusing Muslims of having more children than India’s Hindus, and claimed that Muslims will rob other marginalized communities of their reservations. This is a blatant attempt to further normalize and amplify anti-Muslim fears and hatred within Indian society. Shockingly, Modi has also called the right of India’s Muslim citizens to vote as “vote jihad”, in a blatant attempt to disenfranchise them. Almost on cue, police in Sambhal district of BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh state beat up hundreds of Muslim voters and chased them away to not allow them to vote. Modi has stoked hatred for and fear of Muslims by saying that should the Opposition parties win power, “terrorists in jail would be invited to the prime minister’s office and served biryani” and “land will be taken away to give to Muslims as part of land jihad.” He has further sought to stoke hatred for Muslims by saying if the Opposition parties win the election they will withdraw affirmative quotas (reservations) from the tribal and Dalit communities and give them to “those who practice vote jihad,” a reference to Muslims. Modi’s hate-filled rhetoric has also been copied by several other leaders, including Home Minister Amit Shah who accused West Bengal’s Chief Minister of promoting Madrassa, Mullah and Mafia. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who said the Opposition parties wanted to bring the “Taliban” rule to India to implement the Sharia and redistribute “your” (Hindus’) properties to Muslims. Assam Chief Minister Hemant Sarma, also a BJP leader, has been spewing hatred towards Muslims at public rallies, by targeting the setting up of Muslim religious schools, which is a Constitutional right of the Muslim community, and even the right of the Muslims to wear the religious caps. In March 2024, experts from the Special Procedures of the United Nation Human Rights Council expressed their concerns about the level of anti-minority violence and rhetoric within India as it prepared for the coming elections, as well as the lack of response from the government about these reports and the United Nation’s own communiques. They warned of the danger to minority groups and called for change, citing the need for an election free from discrimination. We, the global civil society, maintain that the leader of the world’s largest democracy – whose parliamentary elections have a significance and bearing for the rest of the world – should not stoop to spreading hate speech and must be held accountable for doing so. We call upon the leaders of the international community to impress this upon Mr. Modi, urge him to immediately retract and apologize for his statements, and urge him to commit to holding his fellow party members accountable for spreading violent hate speech as well. Signed – Indian American Muslim Council Hindus for Human Rights Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC)  Genocide Watch Dalit Solidarity Forum Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations (FIACONA) New York State Council of Churches North America Manipur Tribal Association (NAMTA)  Asian Children’s Educational Fellowship American Sikh Council Justice for All International Christian Concern India Civil Watch Coalition Against Fascism Boston South Asian Coalition Black African Cemetery Coalition  Justice4Palestine Actions Enablement Network  Virginia Political Action Committee Tunisian Action Network Libyan American Alliance Bethesda African Cemetery Coalition Islamic Leadership Institute of America Coalition of Seattle Indian Americans ICNA Council for Social Justice The London Story (TLS) South Asian Diaspora Action Collective (SADAC) South Asian SOAR The Citizens Foundation World Without Genocide Sikh Information Centre Sikh Assembly of America Incarnation Anglican Church Assembly for Human Rights World Without Genocide Global Buhjan Group Georgia Muslim Action Committee (GAMAC)  American Muslims for Palestine- New Jersey  Coalition of Americans for Pluralism in India (CAPI)  Islamic Community Center of Laurel Interfaith Leadership Council of Metropolitan Detroit  ImpactHub 

Indian deportees
Press Release

IAMC Applauds Inclusion at Indian American Impact Summit, Deplores Disingenuous Attacks

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Washington, D.C. (May 16-2024) – The Indian American Muslim Council is thrilled to have Associate Director of Media and Communications Safa Ahmed speak today at the Indian American Impact (IAI) Summit, the annual gala of one of the largest think tanks representing Indian American interests in government. IAMC also denies the disingenuous criticism of several domestic Hindu nationalist groups who allege that Ms. Ahmed’s participation, along with the participation of Hindus for Human Rights (HfHR) Senior Policy Director Ria Chakrabarty, indicates an anti-Hindu agenda at the conference.   “Ms. Ahmed’s participation at IAI’s ‘Desi’s Decide’ conference, along with that of our closely valued ally Ria Chakrabarty, is a sign of progress and inclusivity in the world of Indian American public policy,” said IAMC Executive Director Rasheed Ahmed. “There could be nothing more productive for Hindu Americans and Muslim Americans alike.” Criticism of Ms. Ahmed and Ms. Chakrabarty’s participation in the conference has come from Hindu America Foundation (HAF) and the Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA), who have lambasted IAMC and HfHR as groups who ‘attack’ Indian American politicians. HAF is the author of a failed lawsuit against IAMC and HfHR. The founders of CoHNA share numerous ties to the overseas wings of anti-Muslim Indian paramilitary organizations, including the Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America and the Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh. It has used its policy platform to attack American critics of Hindu nationalism. “We must oppose the dangerous conflation of the peaceful practice of Hinduism from violent, anti-Muslim Hindu nationalism. The disingenuous criticism of HAF and CoHNA is an attempt to silence all criticism of the Modi regime’s dangerous policies by disingenuously labeling it as anti-Hindu, or Hinduphobic,” said IAMC president Mohammed Jawad. “The presence of IAMC’s Safa Ahmed at ‘Desis Decide’ will help educate Indian American leaders about the dangers of Hindu nationalism and the strategies of interfaith solidarity, for years to come.”

Elections in India
Op-Eds

SALON: India’s Hindu nationalist regime is a threat to Muslims — and bad news for the U.S.

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By Rasheed Ahmed With India’s elections in full swing, the victory of current Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party seems all but assured. That is dire news for religious minorities and anti-government critics in India, who are frequent targets for the violence and retaliatory incarceration of the Modi regime. While Modi’s decision to call Muslims “infiltrators” in a campaign speech received attention in the West, the full extent of the prime minister’s hate speech in the current election is not well known. Other recent speeches of his have promoted Islamophobic conspiracy theories, including the claim that Muslims are practicing a “Love Jihad.” This is similar to racist notions in the U.S. depicting African-American men as sexual predators, and the “love jihad” claim has motivated killings of Muslim men throughout India. Modi has also described Muslims as “terrorists” who are conniving to steal the welfare benefits of caste-oppressed groups, and presented the opposition Congress Party as stealing Hindu money in order to give it to Muslims. Read More >>

Press Release

United Methodist Church Resolution Condemns Hindu Nationalist Persecution of Christians

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Washington, D.C. (May 7, 2024) – Delegates to the April 2024 United Methodist Church (UMC) General Conference voted overwhelmingly in favor of a resolution condemning Hindu nationalist persecution of Indian Christians and calling on the US Department of State to designate India a country of particular concern. As the second largest protestant denomination in the United States, representing 5 million congregants domestically and 10 million internationally, the vote represents a historic statement on India’s human rights conditions from any Christian church. “We applaud the moral clarity and vision of our brothers and sisters at the United Methodist Church. Their decisive statement against Hindu nationalist violence sends a clear signal to the entire world: persecution of religious minorities anywhere is an affront to people everywhere,” said Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) President Mohammed Jawad.   The UMC vote comes in response to anti-Christian attacks that have steadily risen under the Modi regime. The Delhi-based United Christian Forum reports 720 attacks in 2023 against Christians, a stark increase from 127 in 2014 when Modi first assumed power. The Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations documents 1,198 attacks , in 2022, up from 761 in 2021. International Christian Concern ranks India as the 3rd most egregious nation in its list of  “persecutors of the year.” “The UMC’s resolution is absolutely historic and the need of the hour as the Church in America must step forward with open concern and conversation about the skyrocketing persecution of Christians and other religious minorities in India,” said journalist and author Pieter Friedrich. “As the second-largest Protestant denomination in the US, the voice of the UMC on this issue is a God-send. They have set an example, and I hope other Church polities in America will follow their lead.” The resolution makes particular mention of the persecution of Indian Christians in Manipur, which escalated earlier this year in part due to deliberate inaction on orders from the Modi regime. Hundreds of churches were burned down by mobs and hundreds killed in conflict that swept the northern region. The resolution also calls on the United States government to “impose targeted sanctions on Indian government agencies and officials responsible for severe violations of religious freedom by freezing those individuals’ assets and/ or barring their entry into the United States under human rights related financial and visa authorities, citing specific religious freedom violations.” “This resolution makes it a priority for the United Methodist Church to advocate against the weaponization of Religion in the form of ethnonationalism, and to advocate for the human dignity and human rights of people who experience systemic persecution,” said UMC Reverend Neal Christie, who is also Executive Director of the Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations. “Through this resolution, the church says we will not standby silently while people because of their faith and their conscience and their identity are not only persecuted, but are under threat of erasure because of state sponsored violence in what until now has been celebrated as the largest pluralistic democracy in the world.”

Indian Diaspora
Op-Eds

MOSAIC: Will New Jersey’s Indian diaspora continue to support Prime Minister Narendra Modi? | Opinion

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By Shaheen Khateeb With India’s elections in full swing for the next month, Indian voters are poised to decide the political future of my birth country. Will they continue to support current Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Hindu nationalist political party, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)? Or will they reject a leader who recently called Muslim Indians “infiltrators” and who is widely considered culpable for a massive anti-Muslim pogrom? Will they reject a regime that has made bulldozing Muslim homes official policy and a party that routinely expels opposition politicians while imprisoning activists and critics? The question matters not only in India, but also in my home state of New Jersey. Home to nearly 500,000 Indian Americans, New Jersey has also become one of the main U.S. battlegrounds for the ideology promoted by Modi and the BJP: Hindu nationalism. First conceived by political leaders looking to apply fascist ideas in India, Hindu nationalism is the idea that India must be a pure Hindu state, one in which other religions, particularly Muslims and Christians, are relegated to the status of second-class citizens. Read More >>

Country of Particular Concern
Press Release

Indian Americans laud USCIRF’s decision to recommend India as a Country of Particular Concern for fifth consecutive year

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Washington, D.C. (May 1, 2023) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) has lauded the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom’s (USCIRF) decision to recommend India as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) for its severe violations of human rights and religious freedoms for the fifth consecutive year.  The CPC label is a designation reserved for the world’s worst violators of religious freedom.  “While IAMC lauds USCIRF for once again recommending India as a CPC, we also express our profound dismay that the Biden administration has consistently ignored this recommendation for years,” said IAMC Executive Director Rasheed Ahmed. “Especially in the light of increasing transnational repression from the Indian government, the administration must immediately act on all of USCIRF’s recommendations to hold India accountable, rather than giving Modi a free pass to abuse human rights both in India and abroad.” In its 2024 annual report, USCIRF highlighted that religious freedoms in India continued to deteriorate, including through enforcing discriminatory nationalist policies, perpetuating hateful rhetoric, and failing to address communal violence “disproportionately affecting” religious minorities, and “targeting of religious minorities and those advocating on their behalf.” USCIRF similarly expressed its disappointment with the Biden administration for ignoring its recommendation to designate India as a CPC in 2023.  “In December, the U.S. Department of State failed to designate India as a CPC despite major religious freedom concerns,” the report stated. The report pointed out the scope of anti-Muslim violence by Hindu supremacists, saying. “Throughout the year, violence against Muslims and their places of worship continued. Several mosques were destroyed under police presence and vigilantes attacked Muslims under the guise of protecting cows from slaughter, deemed illegal in 18 states.” Examples cited included mass anti-Muslim violence in Haryana state in July 2023, the murder of three Muslim train passengers by a Hindu extremist security officer, and cow vigilante violence orchestrated by prominent vigilante Monu Manesar, including the abduction and brutal mob lynching of two Muslim men in January. USCIRF also emphasized that “Indian authorities also increasingly engaged in acts of transnational repression targeting religious minorities abroad,” citing the reported involvement of the Indian government in the killing of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada, as well as a plot to kill Sikh American activist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in New York.  In addition to recommending that India be listed on the CPC list, USCIRF has also urged the US government to raise religious freedom issues in the U.S.-India bilateral relationship and to impose targeted sanctions on Indian government agencies and officials responsible for severe violations of minority rights. IAMC echoes USCIRF for the fifth year in a row in calling on the US Department of State to immediately act on the Commission’s recommendations and hold the Indian government accountable for escalating a climate of anti-minority violence and hatred. IAMC also urges the Indian government to take immediate steps to address these concerns and protect the rights of all of its citizens, regardless of their religion. For those interested in speaking with IAMC experts on deteriorating human rights and religious freedoms in India, please contact: media.info@iamc.com

Press Release

Indian and Kashmiri American Civil Society Organizations React to News About Indian Intelligence Involvement in Attempted Killing of American Citizen

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Washington, D.C. (April 30, 2024) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), along with Hindus for Human Rights, Americans for Kashmir, the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund, and the Sikh Coalition, today released a statement in response to the Washington Post’s exposé on the involvement of the Indian government’s foreign intelligence agency, the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), in the attempted assassination of an American citizen in New York.   The full statement can be read below:  “In light of RAW’s role in the attempted killing of an American citizen, we urge President Biden and his administration to reassess its relationship with RAW, including any intelligence sharing agreements and weapons transfers. This includes a re-evaluation of the $4 billion drone sale and whether or not RAW should be a party to this sale.  The Washington Post reported that RAW Agent Vikram Yadav orchestrated the attempted assassination of Gurpatwant Singh Pannun and killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, and that former RAW Secretary Samant Goel and Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval were likely aware of these plots. Previously, the Washington Post reported that RAW agent Lt. Col. Dibya Satpathy is behind an infamous conspiracy theory website, Disinfo Labs, whose information has been used to target and harass American critics of the Indian government. Mounting evidence suggests that RAW has been essential to carrying out a pattern of consistent intimidation against Americans; there is no guarantee that any intelligence sharing agreement that includes them will not have severe consequences for the safety of Indian and Kashmiri Americans. Moreover, we believe that any security deal with the Indian government violates Section 6 of the Arms Export Control Act, which explicitly prohibits arms transfers to countries who engage in a “consistent pattern of intimidation or harassment directed against individuals in the United States.” As media and civil rights organizations, like us, have chronicled extensively, the Indian government fits that pattern.  We are also calling on Congress to include, in the National Defense Authorization Act, a reporting requirement for the Indian government’s role in acts and patterns of intimidation before the US government pursues further weapons deals or intelligence sharing agreements with the Indian government.  Unless there are real consequences for the Indian government’s continued indulgence in transnational repression, our communities will continue to face attacks on their First Amendment rights and physical safety. Moreover, allowing the Indian government to continually attack Indian and Kashmiri Americans for their beliefs undermines basic US national security interests and democratic values. Our community, like any other, deserves the full protection of the U.S. government when it comes to our civil rights and our lives.” 

Press Release

IAMC co-organizes panel discussion on Hindutva at the University of Michigan

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On April 18, IAMC partnered with the Indian Muslim Students Association (IMSA) and other student organizations at the University of Michigan to host a teach-in and panel discussion on Hindutva in the United States. Speaking at the event were Safa Ahmed, IAMC Associate Media Director, and Dr. Dheepa Sundaram, Professor of Religious Studies at the University of Denver.   Over 50 students attended the teach-in, which focused on identifying Hindutva’s defining myths and talking points, the groups and individuals pushing the Hindutva agenda in the United States, and ways to combat Hindutva propaganda.   Students learned about the history of Hindutva, its founding ideologues’ admiration for Nazism, its parallels with Zionism, atrocities committed against Indian minorities, and Hindutva actors’ alliances with white supremacists and far-right elements in the US. During an interactive discussion portion, speakers unpacked the ways in which Hindutva ideology has infiltrated progressive spaces, adopted the language of anti-racism, weaponized allegations of ‘Hinduphobia’ against critics, and seeks to crush criticism of both Hindutva and Hinduism alive by targeting academics, students, journalists, and activists through legal, online, and sometimes physical harassment.   IAMC plans on hosting several such teach-ins at universities across the country.

Press Release

IAMC condemns removal of Muslim women’s hijabs by Arizona police after arresting protesters

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Washington, D.C. (April 30, 2024) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), the largest advocacy organization representing diaspora Indian Muslims in the United States, has strongly condemned the reported removal of Muslim women’s headscarves, or hijabs, by Arizona State University (ASU) police after arresting them and other pro-Palestine protesters.  A viral video on social media shows officers pulling a handcuffed woman’s hijab off her head. According to reports made to ABC15, four women had their hijabs removed by force.  “This is a blatant violation of these women’s right to freedom of religion in all circumstances,” said IAMC Associate Media Director Safa Ahmed. “What ASU police did is unconstitutional as well as unconscionable, and it has added to the long list of hateful incidents faced by Muslims, Arabs, and Palestinians on campuses nationwide.”  IAMC further called for an investigation into all reported incidents of this nature. 

Human Rights in India
Press Release

State Department Report: IAMC reiterates call to designate India as CPC, sanction officials engaged in TNR, human rights violations 

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Washington, D.C. (April 24, 2024) –The Indian American Muslim Council on Tuesday reiterated its call that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken designate India as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) and sanction Indian government officials complicit in the violations of human rights and religious freedom as detailed in the Department of State’s 2023 Report on Human Rights Practices. IAMC also thanked the State Department for recognizing the Indian government’s many cases of transnational repression, including against IAMC and its coalition partner Hindus for Human Rights by banning both groups’ X (formerly Twitter) accounts in India, and by falsely accusing their members of being funded by George Soros and Pakistan-based organizations.  “We are grateful that the State Department takes attacks by the Indian government against American citizens seriously,” said Ajit Sahi, IAMC Advocacy Director. “In light of this and a plethora of other human rights abuses mentioned in the report, both against Indian minorities and the diaspora, we call on the State Department to designate India as a Country of Particular Concern and enact sanctions against its most vitriolic and dangerous government officials.” The report highlights “significant” human rights abuses, including violence against ethnic and caste minorities, extrajudicial killings, punitive home demolitions, the weaponization of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) against critics of the government, and serious restrictions on freedom of expression and the press, including violence against journalists, unjustified arrests of journalists, and censorship. Alarmingly, the report noted 813 cases of extrajudicial killings between 2016-2022; 8,000 arrests between 2015 and 2020 under the UAPA; and the demolition of at least 43,000 homes between March 2020 and July 2021. Transnational repression by the Indian government against journalists, civil society activists, and human rights defenders also received significant attention. In addition to the censorship of IAMC and HfHR, the State Department highlighted the targeting of IAMC New Jersey President Tazeem Ansari and HfHR Executive Director Sunita Viswanath by Indian Cabinet Minister Smriti Irani and IT Cell Head of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Amit Malviya; the Indian government’s alleged assassination of a Sikh Canadian citizen, Hardeep Singh Nijjar; harassment and intimidation of Indian civilians whose overseas family members are critical of the government; and social media censorship of individuals in the diaspora.  The report also highlighted several notable case studies showing the extent and severity of human rights abuses in India. This includes the ongoing ethnic and religious violence, including sexual violence, in Manipur state, particularly against the vulnerable Kuki-Zo tribal population. The State Department noted that “armed conflict, rapes, and assaults in addition to the destruction of homes, businesses, and places of worship” led to the deaths of at least 175 people and displacement of over 60,000 between May 3 and November 15. The State Department also noted the “failure of the central government” to prevent and halt the violence.  Also highlighted was ongoing state repression in Jammu and Kashmir, including forced disappearances of civilians, the arrest and detention of Kashmiri human rights defenders, and the intimidation and harassment against individuals and civil society organizations, including human rights defenders and journalists.  Additional case studies mentioned included the cases of political prisoners Umar Khalid and Umar Farooq; the murder of three Muslim train passengers by security official Chetan Singh, who declared support for Modi before the killings; and the politically motivated murder of former parliamentarian Atiq Ahmed while in police presence, which was listed under cases of extrajudicial killings. 

Human Rights in India
Reports

US DEPT OF STATE: 2023 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: India

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The outbreak of ethnic conflict between the Kuki and Meitei ethnic groups during the year in India’s northeastern state of Manipur resulted in significant human rights abuses. Media reported at least 175 persons were killed and more than 60,000 displaced between May 3 and November 15. Activists and journalists reported armed conflict, rapes, and assaults in addition to the destruction of homes, businesses, and places of worship. The government deployed security forces, implemented daily curfews, and internet shutdowns in response to the violence. The Supreme Court criticized the failure of the central government and the Manipur state government to halt the violence and appointed officials to investigate incidents of violence and to ensure the delivery of humanitarian assistance and the rebuilding of homes and places of worship. Significant human rights issues included credible reports of: arbitrary or unlawful killings, including extrajudicial killings; enforced disappearances; torture or cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment by the government; harsh and life-threatening prison conditions; arbitrary arrest or detention; political prisoners or detainees; transnational repression against individuals in another country; arbitrary or unlawful interference with privacy; punishment of family members for alleged offenses by a relative; serious abuses in a conflict, including reportedly unlawful or widespread civilian deaths or harm, torture, physical abuses, and conflict-related sexual violence or punishment; serious restrictions on freedom of expression and media freedom, including violence or threats of violence against journalists, unjustified arrests or prosecutions of journalists, censorship, and enforcement of or threat to enforce criminal libel laws to limit expression; serious restrictions on internet freedom; substantial interference with the freedom of peaceful assembly and freedom of association; restrictions on freedom of movement and residence within the territory of a state and on the right to leave the country; government corruption; serious government restrictions on or harassment of domestic and international human rights organizations; extensive gender-based violence, including domestic or intimate partner violence, sexual violence, workplace violence, child, early, and forced marriage, female genital mutilation/cutting, femicide, and other forms of such violence; crimes involving violence or threats of violence targeting members of ethnic and caste minorities; and crimes involving violence or threats of violence targeting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or intersex persons. Source: US Department of State

Press Release

Indian Americans condemn Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Anti-Muslim hate speech

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Washington, D.C. (April 22, 2024) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) strongly condemns Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi‘s election speech, which labeled Muslims as “infiltrators” and promoted Hindu far-right conspiracy theory alleging that India’s Muslim population growth poses a threat that must be curbed. Modi’s inflammatory rhetoric falsely insinuated that the opposition Congress party would give away their wealth and resources to Muslims, employing blatant anti-Muslim dog whistles to incite division and hatred. “They (Congress) will gather all your wealth and distribute it among those who have more children. They will distribute it among the infiltrators,” Modi told the crowd. “We are appalled by Modi’s unabashed demonization of India’s most vulnerable minority group, pandering shamelessly to his fervently Hindu supremacist base,” said IAMC President Mohammed Jawad. “Modi’s rhetoric not only violates Indian law, which prohibits communal speeches during election campaigns, but also legitimizes the very narratives that fuel violence against Muslims.” Modi’s history is stained with the blood of innocent Muslims, notably in 2002, when he presided over the mass slaughter of Muslim men, women, and children as Chief Minister of Gujarat state. Since assuming office as Prime Minister, Modi has presided over a surge in anti-Muslim hate speech, emboldening Hindu extremists to commit acts of violence, intimidation, and discrimination against Muslims with impunity. Experts warn that a Modi reelection would only escalate violence against Indian Muslims. “Modi’s words endanger the lives of over 200 million Muslims, subjecting them to the specter of horrific violence,” Jawad emphasized. “The Biden administration must swiftly condemn Modi’s reprehensible rhetoric, unequivocally denounce the pervasive anti-Muslim violence in India, and designate India as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC), as recommended by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom.”

Asna Tabassum
Press Release

Indian Americans Express Support for Asna Tabassum, Indian Muslim USC Denied Valedictorian Speech over Palestine Views

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Washington, DC (April 18, 2023) – Indian Americans expressed concern and outrage at the University of Southern California administration’s decision to cancel Indian American Muslim biomedical engineering student Asna Tabassum’s planned valedictorian speech. After Tabassum received violent threats from pro-Israel critics for speaking out against Israel’s genocide of Gaza, USC Provost Andrew Guzman cancelled her planned remarks, citing security concerns.  “The denial of Asna Tabassum’s right to address her fellow students and to publicly celebrate her accomplishments is nothing short of a travesty,” said IAMC Executive director Rasheed Ahmed. “Not only is it an affront to Tabassum’s hard work, it is a cowardly capitulation to the online trolls who want to silence all voices standing up for the rights of the people of Palestine.” Tabassum herself commented, “I am honored to have been selected as USC Class of 2024 Valedictorian. Although this should have been a time of celebration for my family, friends, professors, and classmates, anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian voices have subjected me to a campaign of racist hatred because of my uncompromising belief in human rights for all.” In addition to achieving superlative marks in school, Tabassum has dedicated much of her free time to global health care and relief efforts.  “Tabassum remarkable feats in and outside of the academy have been denied,” said IAMC President Mohammad Jawad. “That her efforts in school and in the broader humanitarian realm will go unrecognized because of a few strident anti-Palestinian voices is patently unacceptable.”  Tabassum added in her statement, “I am both shocked by this decision and profoundly disappointed that the University is succumbing to a campaign of hate meant to silence my voice. I am not surprised by those who attempt to propagate hatred. I am surprised that my own university—my home for four years—has abandoned me.” “Indian American must stand together in calling for the immediate reinstatement of Tabassum as USC Valedictorian speaker of 2024,” added IAMC’s Ahmed. “The threats of anti-Palestine voices must not lead to denying any student their due recognition.”

Press Release

Indian Americans warn that Hinduphobia resolution, linked with Hindu far-right groups, will be weaponized against critics

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Washington, D.C. (April 16, 2024) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) and allies today warned that a recently introduced House resolution condemning Hinduphobia (H.Res.1131), which is supported by the Hindu American right, can and will be weaponized against critics to shut down criticism of Hindu nationalism or Hindutva.   Introduced by Representative Shri Thanedar, who founded the controversial “Dharma Caucus” in Congress, the resolution declares that “anti-Hindu hate crimes targeting mandirs and persons are annually on the rise… [while] Hinduphobia in American society is unfortunately rising.” The resolution further “condemns Hinduphobia, anti-Hindu bigotry and hate, and intolerance.”  While the celebration of Hindu heritage and contributions to society are welcome, Indian American activists have long warned that accusations of ‘Hinduphobia’ have been used to harass, intimidate, smear, and otherwise cause harm to anyone who criticizes Hindutva’s fascist ideals, the discriminatory policies of India’s far-right government, and dangerous expansion and activities of US-based Hindu far-right groups. “It goes without saying that the IAMC condemns all forms of religious hatred and bigotry,” said IAMC President Mohammad Jawad. “However, no one should ignore the fact that this resolution has been backed by American Hindu far-right groups, some of which have ties to violent anti-minority militant groups in India. The weaponization of Hinduphobia causes tangible harm not just to American minorities – including Muslims, Dalits, and Indian Christians – but also to elected officials, activists, journalists, and academics who are smeared as hateful bigots for daring to criticize Hindu supremacy.” A Hindutva Harassment Field Manual produced by the South Asia Scholar Activist Collective (SASAC), a group of academics who have faced targeted harassment by the Hindu right, describes the term Hinduphobia as a “problematic” concept used “to stifle academic inquiry into Hinduism as well as criticism of Hindutva.”  While acknowledging that South Asian Americans – including Hindus – do face racism and discrimination, SASAC writes: “Individual cases of discrimination, no matter how painful, do not amount to ‘Hinduphobia.’… ‘Hinduphobia’ is frequently weaponized by far-right groups to ‘silence and gaslight Dalit organizers and caste-oppressed communities.’ [It] rests on the false notion that Hindus have faced systematic oppression throughout history and in present times.” Prominent Hindu American activists have also rejected the idea of Hinduphobia as a form of structural discrimination in the United States, including the advocacy group Hindus for Human Rights (HfHR).   “We reject the notion of systemic ‘Hinduphobia’ in the United States or India with any equivalence to Islamophobia or anti-Semitism,” the group wrote. “We recognize that the term ‘Hinduphobia’ has been popularized among Hindu nationalist groups in the United States — not by persecuted Hindu populations in Pakistan or Bangladesh… we emphasize that mere criticism of caste, Hindu nationalism, or Hinduism itself — especially when it comes from marginalized communities — should not be construed as anti-Hindu sentiment.” The weaponization of Hinduphobia has had real and public consequences over the past few years: The Hindu American right has used “Hinduphobia” allegations to attempt to shut down an academic conference about Hindutva, crush laws banning caste-based discrimination in California and Seattle, and block city council resolutions condemning anti-Muslim discrimination in India.  Additionally, groups with links to both the American and Indian far right have celebrated the resolution. One US-based group that has announced support for the resolution is HinduACTion, an advocacy group of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America (VHP-A). Georgetown University’s Bridge Initiative has labeled the VHP-A as a Hindu far-right organization linked to the India-based Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), a Hindu militant group with a long history of anti-minority attacks, massacres, demolition of mosques, and other violent crimes. Other research has found the VHP-A to be linked with far-right actors and anti-Muslim hate groups in the United States.  Congressman Thanedar himself has also been featured on the platforms of a VHP-A initiative, HinduPACT, which has repeatedly used anti-Muslim tropes to smear Muslim American advocacy groups and labeled its critics as “Hinduphobic.”  At a recent press conference organized by HinduACTion, Thanedar asserted that the targeting of the Indian consulate in San Francisco amounted to Hinduphobia. “The Indian embassy… was burnt in California, so what more proof do you need [of Hinduphobia]?”  While the vandalism and attempted arson of the Indian consulate in San Francisco by miscreants in 2023 was indeed despicable, it’s crucial to clarify that the motive behind the act was rooted in anti-India sentiment rather than hatred towards Hindus.

IAMC Annual Report 2024
Featured, Reports

IAMC Annual Report on Human Rights and Religious Freedom in India (2024)

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IAMC’s annual report summarizes comprehensive contemporary research into the nexus between state policy and looming genocidal violence in India, with the aim of helping policymakers make informed foreign policy decisions regarding human rights in India. While there are many religious minorities in India, only Indian Muslims and Christians have been labeled as foreign by the BJP-run government, and only these two faiths are subjected to constant state-sanctioned violence, meriting the special focus dedicated to them here. The report also explores the Modi regime’s attacks on Indian democratic norms, the state of Jammu and Kashmir, as well as the mass violence and discrimination against Adivasis (indigenous Indians) and Dalits (caste-oppressed Indians) faced throughout 2023. [pdf-embedder url="http://3.145.57.38/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/IAMC-Annual-Report.pdf" title="IAMC Annual Report"]   Click Here to Download

India Election
Reports

HRW: India – Technology Use Shouldn’t Undermine Free, Fair Elections

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Q&A Addresses Tech Firms, Misuse of Personal Data, Incitement to Violence (New York) – Voters in India will cast their ballots in a six-week general election beginning April 19, 2024, amid concerns that Indian authorities exert considerable control over the digital ecosystem that can make for an uneven playing field, Human Rights Watch said in a question-and-answer document released today. The party or coalition of parties that wins a majority of 543 seats in the lower house of Parliament will nominate a candidate for prime minister and form a government. Human Rights Watch examined potential threats to India’s online environment ahead of the elections. The authorities have increased their control over digital platforms and amassed extensive amounts of personal data, which may affect the campaign environment. Human Rights Watch details the additional steps technology companies should take to meet their human rights responsibilities in this election. The risk of misuse of technology in India’s election is significant and could result in further tilting the playing field in favor of the ruling party,” said Deborah Brown, acting associate technology and human rights director at Human Rights Watch. “The Election Commission of India should ensure that all political parties comply with the model code of conduct and that their use of technology in campaigning respects human rights. Human Rights Watch reviewed popular companies’ policies and found that all companies could do more to address any aspects of their products, services, and business practices that may cause, contribute, or be linked with undermining free and fair elections. Indian political parties campaign extensively through digital platforms. Ahead of the upcoming elections, political advertising on Google surged in the first three months of 2024. The governing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been the largest advertiser among political parties on both Google and Meta over the past three months, and has built a massive messaging operation through WhatsApp. In recent years, Indian authorities have applied significant formal and informal pressure on tech companies, both to suppress critical speech and to keep online speech by government-aligned actors that would otherwise violate platforms’ policies. India shuts down the internet more than any other country, with the authorities frequently using internet shutdowns to stem political protests and criticism of the government, violating domestic and international legal standards. Misuse of personal data, which can contain sensitive and revealing insights about people’s identity, age, religion, caste, location, behavior, associations, activities, and political beliefs, is a major concern in India’s elections. India has developed an extensive digital public infrastructure through which Indians access social-protection programs. The Indian government has collected massive amounts of personal data in the absence of adequate data protection laws to prevent misuse of this data during campaigning and to properly protect privacy rights. There have already been reports of misuse of personal data in the campaign period, which started on March 16. On March 21, the Election Commission told the government to stop sending messages promoting government policies to voters, as it was a violation of the campaign guidelines. The message and accompanying letter from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to which it referred, had sparked concerns over data privacy as well as abuse of government communications for political purposes. Social media platforms have come under scrutiny in recent years for failing to adequately invest in and address the use of their platforms to undermine participation in democratic elections. In India, Meta has faced criticism for failing to curb the spread of hate speech and incitement to violence, and for contributing to give the BJP an unfair advantage in political campaigning online during past elections. The widespread availability of low-cost generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools that require little technical expertise raises new concerns. Generative AI can be used to create deceptive videos, audio recordings, and images impersonating a candidate, official, or media outlets. These are disseminated quickly across social media platforms, potentially undermining the integrity of the election or inciting violence, hatred, or discrimination against religious minorities. In the lead-up to the 2024 elections, several parties are using AI in their campaigns. Companies should resist threats from the authorities when responding to government requests for data or content removals, Human Rights Watch said. They should treat all parties and candidates equitably, especially when it comes to addressing speech that incites violence or hatred. Under the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, companies have a responsibility to respect human rights and remedy abuses, including by addressing any aspects of their practices that contribute to undermining the right to participate in democratic elections. Ahead of India’s elections, tech companies need to demonstrate that their commitment to human rights is more than words,” Brown said. “This means adequately investing in content moderation, carrying out rigorous human rights impact assessments, and meaningfully engaging with civil society.   Source: Human Rights Watch

Op-Eds

FAIR PLANET: Why India’s Anti-Muslim citizenship Law is so Dangerous

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By Safa Ahmed When it comes to the topic of who does and doesn’t belong in India, Union Minister Amit Shah –  a close aide of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and senior leader of the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) – has never minced words. “Infiltrators are like termites,” he told a rally of supporters in 2019. “A BJP government will pick up infiltrators one by one and throw them into the Bay of Bengal.” It was a clear dog whistle – everyone in that crowd knew “infiltrators” was code for “Muslims,” 200 million of whom make up India’s most highly persecuted minority group. His comments were foreshadowing: Shah was speaking just months before the government would pass the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), a law that fast-tracks citizenship for undocumented Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians – but not for Muslims. In other words, the CAA conditions citizenship on the basis of religion. Read More >>

Press Release

Debunking Hindu American Foundation’s Misinformation on Citizenship Amendment Act

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The Indian Government’s Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) was passed into law in December 2019, amending critical aspects of India’s Citizenship Act, 1955. The rules under Act, Citizenship Amendment Rules, 2024 (the CAA Rules) were then notified (or officially implemented) in March, 2024. The law makes a provision of citizenship for “… any person belonging to Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi or Christian community from Afghanistan, Bangladesh or Pakistan…” who entered India before 1st January 2015. The rules put in place the procedure for an application.  Since its first announcement, the CAA has drawn intense criticism for how it links citizenship to religious faith, and pointedly excludes Muslims from its list of religions. International human rights groups have warned that the CAA, when coupled with the National Register of Citizens (NRC), an official listing of all Indian citizens, poses a grave threat to the rights of over 200 million Indian Muslims, potentially resulting in the stripping of citizenship from those lacking decades-old documentation.  In recent years, the Hindu America Foundation (HAF), the U.S.-based Hindu nationalist advocacy group, has aggressively promoted and defended the CAA while promoting the Indian government’s talking points. With the CAA’s recent implementation in India, HAF has once again issued a series of arguments defending the law’s legitimacy.  HAF’s arguments in defense of the CAA are fundamentally flawed and deceptive. This article addresses their arguments one by one. HAF Myth: The Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) “provides amnesty and a fast-track to citizenship for certain refugees currently in India who have fled religious persecution in Afghanistan, Bangladesh and [or] Pakistan…” FACT: The CAA is not a refugee legislation. No law or legislation in India mentions refugees. The CAA does not either. The Refugee Convention, of 1955 lays down the international framework for refugees. India is not a state party to the convention. Under international law and the domestic laws of countries that have a legal framework for refugees (such as the United States under the Immigration and Nationality Act) a person seeking asylum and subsequent refugee status is required to establish that they have a “well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group, or political opinion.” Under the Indian law, the categories of persons mentioned therein, that is Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi or Christian community from Afghanistan, Bangladesh or Pakistan, are not granted refugee status at any stage. They are merely granted Indian citizenship. These are two very different legal statuses.  Persecution is not a reason defined by the law or weaved into it. While the Statement of Objects and Reasons under the Act, which is not enforceable, mentions persecution, the same finds no mention in the law. Persecution or the fear of persecution is not a standard under the law. The law does more, albeit extremely problematically, for recognizing India as the place for “Dharmic/ Indic traditions” than creating refugee legislation in India.  Calling CAA a refugee legislation takes away from the need for refugee legislation in India. It gives the illusion of a stop-gap measure for refugees, which it is not. If two people have both come from Bangladesh for economic reasons and without documents, and one happens to be Hindu and the other Muslim, the Hindu can now become a citizen, but the Muslim has no recourse. The law does not mandate that the Hindus from Bangladesh must show persecution, which is usually a very specific legal requirement.  Onerous documentary proof of persecution has problems of its own, however, the CAA, in the documentary burdens it imposes neither solves that problem, nor fills a gap in creating standards for refugees seeking asylum in India. It fails refugee law parameters on both accounts.  HAF Myth: The CAA does not, “…establish any religious test for immigration or exclude Muslims from immigrating to India.” The “… current proposal does not establish a religious test.”  FACT: The CAA Rules explicitly demand proof of belonging to a particular religious community. To establish eligibility for citizenship under the Amendment, a petitioner must provide the following documents to establish eligibility under the CAA:  Proof of coming from Afghanistan, Bangladesh or Pakistan;  Proof that they came to India on or before 31st December, 2014; and   Proof that they belong to one of the religions mentioned therein, being an affidavit from a “reputed community institution.” Therefore, to become eligible for Indian citizenship, one has to prove proof of their religious affiliation, making religion one of the three explicit prongs of the test under the CAA.  HAF Myth: The CAA “does not alter the rights of any Indian citizen”  Fact: The CAA creates a dangerous precedent of acquiring Indian citizenship through a religious basis. While CAA on its own is problematic and unconstitutional, its government-intended execution as a complement to the NRC will be even more disastrous. The NRC’s rollout in August 2019 in the northeastern state of Assam saw 1.9 million individuals excluded from the list of Indian citizens, effectively rendering them stateless. Indian Home Minister Amit Shah has repeatedly stated his government’s intention to implement the CAA before conducting a nationwide NRC exercise, purportedly to “detect and deport every infiltrator from our motherland.” Under this system, Hindus excluded from the NRC could ostensibly gain citizenship through the CAA. Conversely, any Muslim lacking proper documentation faces the presumption of being an “infiltrator” and subsequent loss of citizenship. HAF Myth: The CAA in India is akin to the Lautenberg Amendment in the US Fact: The CAA cannot be equated to the Lautenberg Amendment. The first and foremost difference, inter alia, is the recognition of refugees under the law. Indian law does not recognize refugees—not even under the CAA. India only has ad hoc policies for refugees like Tibetan refugees. It has no refugee law.  In the US, on the other hand, the Immigration and Nationality Act lays down the detailed Asylum seeking and Refugee determination processes. The US is also a state party to the Refugee Convention. Indian law, including the CAA, does not mention

Press Release

Movement For Black Lives, Jewish Voice for Peace Among 100+ Signatories to Statement Declaring Hindu Supremacy a Matter of “Acute Concern” in the US

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The declaration expresses that “the Hindu supremacist movement is not only harmful to Indian, South Asian and Muslim Americans, but runs deeply counter to our values of collective liberation.”  Press Contact: David Kalal, Communications Director, Hindus for Human Rights david@hindusforhumanrights.org  March 25, 2024 – BREAKING: Over 100 civil society groups have signed onto a declaration expressing “acute concern about the alarming rise of Hindu supremacy, also known as Hindutva or Hindu nationalism, in the United States.” The declaration, released on Monday by Savera – an interfaith, multiracial, anti-caste coalition of Indian American and partner civil rights groups – warned that the Hindu supremacist movement “now finds itself in a deepening alliance with various facets of the American far-right,” and pledged to take action to combat its spread in the United States. (The text of the declaration, along with a full list of signatories, can be found below.) The declaration’s signatories represent the breadth of American civil society, including organizations such as the Movement for Black Lives, Jewish Voice for Peace, the Muslim Public Affairs Council, and the National Lawyers’ Guild. The statement followed Savera’s recent report, titled “The Global VHP’s Trail of Violence,” which comprehensively outlined the deleterious impact of the US-based Hindu supremacist movement, highlighting its deep connections with both the American far-right and violent supremacist actors in India.  “Hindu supremacy has become a key axis of the US far-right and a threat to US democracy,” said Prachi Patankar of India Civil Watch International. “While Hindu supremacy affects our communities most directly, it is a broader threat that portends the danger of a multi-racial far right. This overwhelming show of solidarity points to how we must combat these converging authoritarian threats: together.” “Ethnonationalism is on the rise worldwide as economic collapse, the climate crisis, and war irreparably destroy communities and displace millions,” said Sophie Ellman-Golan of Jews for Racial and Economic Justice. “We’re all up against a global alliance of supremacist, authoritarian political movements and leaders — from India and Israel, to Russia, Hungary, the United States, and beyond. More than ever, we need to build multiracial, interfaith solidarity powerful enough to fight back. Jews For Racial & Economic Justice is proud to be part of the essential coalition Savera is building.” “Savera is giving voice to the majority of the Indian diaspora that stands opposed to Hindu supremacy,” said Roja Singh, President of Dalit Solidarity Forum in the USA. “However, safeguarding our democracy from the far-right is a much broader fight, and it is equally critical that other communities take a stand against Hindu supremacy too.” Text of the Declaration We, the undersigned organizations and individuals, express our acute concern about the alarming rise of Hindu supremacy, also known as Hindutva or Hindu nationalism, in the United States. This political ideology, which was first articulated in the early 20th century with direct inspiration from Nazism, Fascism and other ideologies of racial subjugation, now finds itself in a deepening alliance with various facets of the American far-right. Hindu supremacy poses a growing threat to our core values of democracy, pluralism and justice, both in India and here in the United States. We stand steadfast in solidarity with Savera, a new united front that represents the true Indian-American majority, and that has brought together an interfaith, multiracial, anti-caste coalition of organizations and activists to resist supremacist politics of all kinds.  Hindu supremacist organizations may hide behind a facade of multiculturalism and diversity, but in practice they have worked to break bonds of solidarity between communities and legitimize far-right politics within communities of color—including by attacking civil rights groups; collaborating with far-right demagogues; spreading anti-Muslim disinformation; opposing affirmative action and caste protections for marginalized communities; and working to curb free speech and academic freedom. The deeply anti-Muslim project of Hindu supremacy began and continues to function as a dominant caste project, and its history is littered with examples of violence against Muslims and other religious minorities, caste-oppressed groups and indigenous peoples. The Hindu supremacist movement is not only harmful to Indian, South Asian and Muslim Americans, but runs deeply counter to our values of collective liberation. It is our shared responsibility to stand in solidarity with those who are bravely opposing supremacist politics and fighting for a true multiracial democracy. Hindu supremacy deeply concerns us all, and we are committed to combating it.  Therefore, together, we pledge: To reject all forms of hatred and supremacist politics, including Hindu supremacy; and to educate ourselves about the ideology and global presence of the Hindu supremacist movement, and its intersections with the broader far-right; To stand in firm solidarity with the global struggle to dismantle Islamophobia and annihilate caste, and in particular to support movements to combat anti-Muslim hate and ban caste discrimination in the United States; To support calls for the United States government to center human rights and democracy in its engagement with the Modi regime; and  To stand with activists and organizations working to articulate a diverse, inclusive, and liberatory vision of Indian American identity. List of Signatories: 18 Million Rising AAPI Equity Alliance About Face: Veterans Against the War Action Center on Race & the Economy (ACRE) Adalah Justice Project Afghans for a Better Tomorrow Alliance for South Asian Progressives in Pittsburgh (ASAPP) Alternatives International  Ambedkar International Center Ambedkar King Study Circle American Friends Service Committee American Muslim Empowerment Network (AMEN) American Muslim Institution, Washington, D.C. American Sikh Council Americans For Kashmir APEX Express Arab Resource and Organizing Center (AROC) ASATA – The Alliance of South Asians Taking Action Asian American Advocacy Fund Asian American Midwest Progressives Asian Americans Advancing Justice | Chicago Asian Children’s Educational Fellowship  Asian Law Alliance  Asian Prisoner Support Committee Asian Refugees United Association of Indian Muslims of America, Washington DC Aurora Commons LLC Bangladeshi Americans for Political Progress (BAPP) Bhim International Foundation USA Boston South Asian Coalition  Boston Study Group CAAAV: Organizing Asian Communities Canadian Forum for Human Rights and Democracy in India (CFHRDI) Center for Pluralism  CERAS (Centre sur l’asie du sud) Chicago Coalition

Ahmedabad_riots
Op-Eds

JACOBIN: The US Hindu Right Is Still Whitewashing the Gujarat Pogrom

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By Safa Ahmed February 27, 2002, was a normal Wednesday for five-year-old me. I woke up, put on my Cinderella backpack, and spent the day at school learning about bumblebees. On the other side of the world, in my parents’ homeland, the sun was setting over burning, bloody streets in the north Indian state of Gujarat, where one of the most horrific cases of mass anti-Muslim slaughter in modern Indian history was unfolding. Earlier that day, Muslims had been accused — with no evidence — of setting fire to a train full of Hindu pilgrims. By nightfall, Hindu militant mobs were ravaging Gujarat’s cities, slaughtering scores of innocent Muslims in “revenge.” Over the course of the next few weeks, an estimated two thousand men, women, and children would be murdered amid disturbing stories of gang rapes, mutilations, dismemberings, electrocutions, and lighting of bodies on fire. International human rights groups and news outlets alike would later recognize that the state government — led by then chief minister Narendra Modi and his far-right Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) — was complicit in orchestrating the violence. Read More >>

Press Release

Indian Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, suffering under “culture of impunity,” Modi “doesn’t care”: US Lawmaker

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Washington, D.C. (March 21, 2024)— Congressman Chris Smith, co-chair of the bipartisan Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission within the United States Congress, stated that he was “very angry” seeing the suffering of Indian religious minorities under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government. He called India a country of “huge particular concern for their egregious behavior.” “Modi looks at [our concerns] and says he doesn’t care,” said Smith. “I’m very frustrated and very angry because people are suffering – the Muslims, the Christians, the Sikhs in Punjab… so many are suffering because of this incredibly concerning culture of impunity.” Smith was speaking at a Tom Lantos Commission hearing titled “India: Recent Human Rights Reporting”. His concern was shared by Congressman Jim McGovern, co-chair of the Commission, who cited the US State Department’s reporting on India’s deteriorating human rights record. “Many of the problems that most worry human rights observers have been linked to current Prime Minister Modi’s push to reshape India’s secular democracy into a Hindu first nation,” said McGovern. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tIu8dQvMDU&ab_channel=TomLantosHumanRights Several human rights experts delivered testimony at the event, including Stephen Schneck, Commissioner for the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), who discussed repeated calls by USCIRF to designate India as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC), a label reserved for the world’s worst offenders of religious freedom.  “The International Religious Freedom (IRFA) act of 1998 requires our State Department to designate any country engaging in particularly severe violations of religious freedom… as a country of particular concern or CPC,” Scnheck said. “India clearly meets these CPC standards under IRFA, not only based on USCIRF’s analysis and public reporting, but by the State Department’s own annual international religious Freedom report.” Schneck added that it “bewilders” him that the US State Department has repeatedly declined to designate India as a CPC despite surging anti-minority violence and discrimination. “Without making the CPC designation, it’s as if we’re giving India a free pass,” he said.   Carolyn Nash, Asia Advocacy Director at Amnesty International, demonstrated the “urgency of the crisis in India” by highlighting “rhetoric by BJP officials and supporters intended to stoke religious and ethnic violence; protection by state authorities of mobs that commit these violent acts; arrest, detention, and intimidation of government critics; the use and export of invasive spyware for unlawful surveillance; [and] the government’s weaponization of laws to justify these abuses.”  In particular, Nash highlighted India’s recent announcement to implement the discriminatory Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), a law that targets Muslims’ citizenship rights, and urged Congress to take action against such discriminatory measures.  “The recent rollout of the CAA and its discriminatory citizenship process could set the stage for millions to be deprived of citizenship,” she said. “As India prepares for elections, we urge the US government, both members of Congress and administration officials, to communicate to the government of India that the US will condemn hateful rhetoric, legal harassment, of civil society and the targeting of religious and ethnic groups.” “In 2021, [Freedom House] changed [India’s] rating from free to partly free. This democratic backsliding has been driven by… a crackdown on freedom of expression [and] restrictions on civic space,” said Adrian Shabaz, Vice President for Research at Freedom House. “Many of these negative trends are the result of policies enacted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the ruling BJP… [Congress] must urge the Indian government to respect human rights online, specifically to refrain from imposing connectivity restrictions or blocks on social media platforms, and to refrain from censoring expression.” “Congress needs to more forcefully urge President Biden to speak directly to Prime Minister Modi about these concerns,” said John Sifton, Asia Advocacy Director at Human Rights Watch. “President Biden’s embrace of Modi and reluctance to criticize the government for this situation will be understood by India to mean that the worsening conduct will have no consequences, and that cannot be the situation.” “India has expanded the scope of [its counterterrorism] laws in ways that have resulted in wide ranging adverse impacts on nonprofit organizations, as well as human rights defenders who have been targeted with prosecutions… for exercising their civic freedoms and critiquing the government,” said Waris Husain, Legal Advisor at the American Bar Association Center for Human Rights. “In order to retain its long running security relationship with India, US policymakers must raise these issues with their Indian counterparts.” “The Pew Research center rates India in the top seven of all countries for social hostility on the basis of religion,” said Isaac Six, Senior Director of Advocacy at Global Christian Relief. “Congress and the [Biden] administration should identify Indian government agencies and officials responsible for severe religious freedom and other human rights violations and enact targeted sanctions against those entities.”  Reacting to the Commission’s hearing, IAMC President Mohammed Jawad said, “We commend the Tom Lantos Commission for shedding light on the alarming human rights situation in India under the Modi government. It is imperative for the United States Congress and the Biden administration to take a firm stance and hold the Modi government accountable for its egregious treatment of religious minorities. We urge swift and decisive action to address these violations and uphold the principles of democracy and religious freedom both at home and abroad.”

Op-Eds

The Defense Post: Congress Must Oppose US $4B Drone Sale to India

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By Rasheed Ahmed In January, President Joe Biden publicized the sale of $4 billion in drones and missiles to India, one of the largest weapons deals in recent US history and certainly the largest to New Delhi. Framed as a symbol of the US and India’s growing partnership, there is little to celebrate in the massive transfer of advanced weaponry to a country that has made the violent persecution of minorities its official policy. Over the last decade of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rule, his government has used other foreign tech to target its own citizens, deploying British JCB bulldozers to destroy thousands of Muslim-owned homes and utilizing Israeli Pegasus spyware to surveil activists and journalists. Read More >>

Press Release

IAMC denounces Modi Government’s implementation of anti-Muslim citizenship law

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Washington, DC (March 11, 2024) — The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), the largest advocacy organization representing diaspora Indian Muslims in the United States, vehemently condemns and expresses serious concerns over the announcement by the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi government to implement the discriminatory Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). Announced on Monday, March 11, the notified CAA rules purportedly grant Indian nationality exclusively to non-Muslims from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan who entered India before December 31, 2014. The implementation of the citizenship law comes almost four years after it was first passed in the Indian parliament, which resulted in some of the massive protests that the country witnessed post-independence. Dozens of Muslims were killed and hundreds injured in the resulting police action. Many leaders who led the anti-CAA protests still continue to languish behind bars under bogus terror charges. This implementation of the citizenship law comes nearly four years after its initial passage in the Indian parliament, which sparked massive protests across the nation and by diaspora around the world. The Indian government’s heavy-handed response to these demonstrations led to the killings of dozens of Muslims and left hundreds injured in a brutal crackdown by law enforcement. Shockingly, numerous leaders who bravely spearheaded the anti-CAA protests find themselves unjustly incarcerated, languishing behind bars under fabricated terror charges. Aligned with human rights organizations globally, IAMC is deeply concerned that this law, when coupled with the National Register of Citizens (NRC), poses a grave threat to the rights of over 200 million Indian Muslims, potentially resulting in the stripping of citizenship from those lacking decades-old documentation. The NRC’s rollout in August 2019 in the northeastern state of Assam saw 1.9 million individuals excluded from the list of Indian citizens, effectively rendering them stateless. Indian Home Minister Amit Shah has repeatedly stated his government’s intention to implement the CAA before conducting a nationwide NRC exercise, purportedly to “detect and deport every infiltrator from our motherland.” Under this system, Hindus excluded from the NRC could ostensibly gain citizenship through the CAA. Conversely, any Muslim lacking proper documentation faces the presumption of being an infiltrator and subsequent loss of citizenship. “The law is a flagrant manifestation of discriminatory intent, designed with the explicit purpose of discriminating, dispossessing, and disenfranchising Indian Muslims. Its insidious aim becomes glaringly apparent when considered alongside the proposed nationwide National Register of Citizens,” said Mohammed Jawad, IAMC President. “Together, these measures form a sinister framework intended to systematically strip millions of Muslims of their citizenship, render them stateless in their own homeland and seal their lives to the dehumanizing conditions of detention camps. It represents a grave violation of human rights and stands as a stark indictment of the erosion of democratic principles,” Jawad added. During the 2020 election campaign, President Joe Biden had expressed his disappointment at the implementation of CAA and NRC by labeling them “inconsistent with the country’s long tradition of secularism and with sustaining a multi-ethnic and multi-religious democracy.” The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has consistently warned that the CAA “could subject Muslims, in particular, to statelessness, deportation and prolonged detention.”  Human Rights Watch has characterized the law as “establishing legal mechanisms to deprive millions of Muslims of their fundamental right to equal access to citizenship.” In January 2024, the European Parliament passed a resolution condemning the discriminatory CAA law, highlighting concerns regarding India’s human rights and religious freedom issues. For media requests, contact: media.info@iamc.com

Press Release

Coalition of civil rights orgs file complaint urging IRS, Texas AG to investigate Hindu far-right group

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Washington, DC (February 28, 2023) — A coalition of human rights organizations have filed a complaint with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), as well as the attorney generals of Texas and Mississippi, calling for an investigation into the Global Hindu Heritage Foundation (GHHF), a Texas-based Hindu far-right hate group.  GHHF attracted significant press attention in December 2022 when it hosted a fundraiser in Frisco, Texas, to help pay for the demolition of churches in India. Having further investigated GHHF’s activities since this disturbing event, coalition attorneys have discovered that the organization has also used U.S. dollars to fund; the closure of Muslim businesses in India; the promotion of anti-Muslim and anti-Christian conspiracy theories; the promotion of prominent anti-Muslim Indian politicians in the U.S;  and the forcible conversion of Muslims and Christians in India. The group has organized protests with the Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), both Hindu militant groups responsible for organizing violence against Muslims and Christians in India.  It also maintains ties with the Bharatiya Janata Party, India’s ruling Hindu nationalist political party. The complaint lodged in response to these findings — filed by a coalition of human rights groups and interfaith organizations, including the Indian American Muslim Council, Hindus for Human Rights, the Council on American Islamic Relations DFW Chapter, the North American Manipur Tribal Association, the Ambedkarite Buddhist Association of Texas, and World Without Genocide — argues that GHHF activities should preclude it from receiving tax-exempt status. Its hateful activities fall well outside the scope of those governing charitable or religious institutions, and GHHF should, therefore cease to receive the benefits afforded to these groups. “The IRS and U.S. government must not, in any way, assist an overt hate group in its mission of funding anti-Muslim and anti-Christian campaigns in India. The activities of GHHF clearly violate existing laws governing non-profit groups and its tax-exempt status helps it to further hate abroad. GHHF’s tax-exempt status should be immediately revoked,” said IAMC Executive Director Rasheed Ahmed.  According to Georgetown University’s Bridge Initiative, GHHF has collaborated with Cow Vigilante groups in India, groups that attack and kill Muslims who they believe are transporting cattle or beef. They have also orchestrated a number of aggressive letter-writing campaigns urging various Indian states to ban Muslim prayer, close Muslim businesses, prevent the hiring of Christians, and prevent Muslims from entering Hindu temples.  In 2022, the group successfully urged temple officials and local police in India’s Andhra Pradesh state to expel Muslim vendors from the area surrounding the temple. As a result of their activities, 13 shops belonging to Muslims were closed. Recent GHHF blog posts also recount letters the group has sent to Indian police officials, urging them to remove Muslim vendors from other areas. Similarly, in 2020, the group petitioned to have an Andhra Pradesh hospital inquire into the religious faiths of all their employees so that they could remove all Christian nurses.  GHHF leadership has also disseminated vitriolic texts demonizing Muslims and Christians. The organization has described “Islam as ‘the enemy of the humanity’ incompatible with  ‘democracy and humanity,’ the ‘root of terrorism,’ and alleges that the Quran promotes ‘violence, terror, torture, beheading, and killing.’” Similarly, the group posted an article on its website describing Jesus as “vicious, detestable, despicable, angry, wrathful, hateful, and a killer.” GHHF has publicly advocated that “India should declare itself to be a Hindu Rashtra (Hindu state),” meaning a nation where other religions are considered second-class citizens. Overseas schools funded by GHHF have promoted the work of some of the most virulent Hindu nationalist ideologues, including VD Savarkar, who encouraged the use of sexual violence against Muslim women. The GHHF website reveals that the group heavily promotes anti-Muslim conspiracy theories, like “love jihad,” in India and the Indian-American diaspora alike. According to Time Magazine, “love jihad” is a “baseless conspiracy theory” that claims Muslim men are tricking Hindu women into marriages for the sole purpose of later converting them to Islam. The term has been used by Hindu nationalists in India to police, incite, and commit violence against Muslim men in interfaith relationships. In one recent blog post from August 2023, GHHF stated: “Global Hindu Heritage Foundation is trying to educate Hindu girls about Love Jihad where Muslim Boys trap the Hindu girls, marry them, convert the, force them to accept their customs, abuse them, rape them, allow them to be gangraped, and torture them and even kill them… It is very, very, common for Muslim men to lie, lie and lie.” GHHF has also organized multiple U.S. tours for Dr. Subramanian Swamy, a Senior Indian political leader known for his anti-Muslim rhetoric.  “They’ve been described as a hate group because they foment violence and support the demolition of churches. This type of nationalist ideology does damage to everybody else,” said Mustafaa Carroll, interim executive director for the Council on American-Islamic Relations’ D-FW chapter. “The allegations against the Global Hindu Heritage Foundation are deeply troubling from a human rights perspective. At Hindus for Human Rights, we believe in the dignity and equality of all individuals, regardless of their faith. The activities attributed to GHHF, if true, are in stark violation of these principles. We stand with IAMC in calling for an IRS investigation to determine GHHF’s compliance with the legal standards required of charitable organizations,” said HFHR Executive Director Sunita Vishwanath.  “GHHF’s toxic presence is not confined to its activities in India. They are also spreading hate speech directed at Muslims and Christians in the U.S., among the Indian-American diaspora,” said IAMC president Mohammad Jawad. “This organization should not be embraced in our communities nor encouraged to pursue its activities through U.S. tax incentives. It is imperative that the U.S. government act quickly to revoke the tax-exempt status of GHHF.”  “The hateful rhetoric against Christians displayed by the Global Hindu Heritage Foundation on their website, as reported in the Dallas Morning News on December 13, 2022 following a fundraiser in Frisco to raise money to demolish churches in India, is anathema to

The Black Panther
Op-Eds

The Black Wall Street Times: Connecting threads between oppression in U.S. and India

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By Rasheed Ahmed It is now well known that Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. drew deep inspiration from India’s leader Mahatma Gandhi. “While the Montgomery boycott was going on,” King wrote, “India’s Gandhi was the guiding light of our technique of nonviolent social change.” What is less known is that the influence went the other way too, with generations of activists in India drawing inspiration from the U.S. civil rights movement. A movement among India’s caste-oppressed individuals, The Dalit Panthers, patterned themselves directly after the Black Panthers, immersing themselves in Black liberation literature. Read More >>

Press Release

Groundbreaking Report Exposes Transnational Repression and Online Censorship of Indian minorities

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WASHINGTON D.C. (February 20, 2024)— This World Social Justice Day, the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF) unveiled a pioneering report titled, Virtually Vulnerable: Exposing the Human Cost of Digital Harassment. This in-depth study examines the escalating problem of online harassment and censorship, specifically targeting the Sikh diaspora and allied communities like secular Hindus, Indian Muslims, and Dalits. The report traces the evolution of digital censorship against all non-Hindu supremacist advocates and leaders in the 2020s, offering a detailed analysis of the sophisticated methods used to silence minority voices online. It highlights the troubling practices of Big Tech, specifically social media firms in censoring content under the guise of preserving national integrity, often resulting in the shadow banning and deletion of community-based social media accounts. Key sections of the report include: Online Harassment and the BJP IT Cell: Analyzing the role of the Bharatiya Janata Party in controlling online narratives. Censorship of the Sikh Diaspora: Documenting the trends in misinformation and suppression of Sikh voices on significant dates and events–by SALDEF . Silencing Dissent: Examining the strategic misinformation campaign against various minority groups, including Indian Muslim and progressive Hindu communities–by the Indian-American Muslim Council (IAMC) and Hindus for Human Rights (HHR). Big Tech’s Failure to Protect Caste Equity: Discussing the manipulation of technology by nationalist groups and the implications for caste equity–by Equality Labs. In addition to detailing these critical issues, SALDEF and our co-authors of “Virtually Vulnerable” present a series of policy recommendations aimed at promoting transparency, accountability, and collaboration between tech companies and democracy-oriented nonprofits. These recommendations are geared towards mitigating international censorship and supporting the rights of free speech for diasporic communities. “This report goes beyond simply highlighting the challenges faced by the Sikh diaspora; it serves as a clear call to action,” said Kavneet Singh, SALDEF Acting Executive Director. “We must urgently address the lack of transparency and accountability in the digital realm to safeguard the fundamental human and civil rights of all communities.” “As the US government grows increasingly concerned about India’s escalating transnational repression, it is important to understand that this issue has roots in India’s ongoing abuse of online platforms against religious minorities and dissenters,” said Safa Ahmed, Associate Director of Media and Communications for IAMC. “This report offers critical recommendations to the US government on how to better protect Indian Americans from being targeted by the Modi regime online.” “’Virtually Vulnerable’ sheds crucial light on the insidious ways digital harassment is employed against minority voices, including those in the Hindu community who stand for secular and democratic values. This report not only exposes these harmful practices but also provides vital policy recommendations. It’s essential that we come together to ensure that digital platforms are spaces of free expression and not tools of oppression.” said Sunita Viswanath, Executive Director, HFHR. “We are currently witnessing the digitization of caste apartheid, violent disinformation campaigns, and an era of surveillance capitalism exacerbated by right-wing authoritarianism. Caste-oppressed people have a right to advocate for their communities without the fear of being attacked and targeted by foreign state actors. This report is a critical look into the correlations between Big Tech, civil rights advocacy, and repression of dissent, and anyone concerned with free and ethical digital spaces should pay attention to it,” said Thenmozhi Soundararajan, Executive Director of Equality Labs, the nation’s leading Dalit civil rights organization. The report is available for download on the SALDEF website, as well as those of our partners, and is a must-read for policymakers, human rights activists, and anyone interested in the intersection of technology, human rights, and minority representation. For more information or to request an interview with the authors of the report, please contact Amrita Kular, Communications Director at (202) 393-2700 | media@saldef.org

Censorship of Indian minorities
Reports

SALDEF: Virtually Vulnerable: Exposing the Human Cost of Digital Harassment

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The organizations contributing to this landscape report are community-based advocates for the Sikh-American, progressive Hindu-American, Indian-American Muslim, and Dalit-American communities across the highest levels of the public and private sectors. We have spent years and, in some cases, decades working to protect all diasporic Indians online when they attempt to exercise rights to free speech conferred by the constitutions of the United States and other democracies of which they are full citizens. In the global struggle against Hindutva, or Hindu supremacy, the high-tech world is among the numerous arenas in which we face long odds. As we find ourselves often working side-by-side and advocating for the same policy solutions to the silencing of our voices online, this landscape report serves as the beginning of our collective efforts.   [pdf-embedder url="http://3.145.57.38/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Virtually-Vulnerable-Report.pdf" title="Virtually Vulnerable Report"]   Click Here to Download

Haldwani Violence
Reports

APCR: Bulldozing Peace: State Violence and Apathy in Muslim Settlements of Haldwani

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The Haldwani Municipal Corporation running an anti-encroachment drive on February 8 demolished Maryam Masjid and Abdul Razzaq Zakariya Madrasa in Banbhoolpura locality of Haldwani. Clashes broke between police officials and locals following the demolition which led to curfew and shoot-at-sight orders by the government. Seven individuals died of police bullets and hundreds including the police injured in the aftermath of violence. Though the curfew relaxed in the city the situation is still not so normal as the locals remain in fear. The violence resulted in the death of 7 individuals. 31 people so far have been arrested and over 90 detained for questioning. An unnamed FIR has been registered against 5000 individuals. The locals claim that the death toll is higher than 20. All deaths happened due to police bullets except one individual who was shot dead by Sanjay Sonkar a person from Valmiki Samaj.   [pdf-embedder url="http://3.145.57.38/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Haldwani-Violance-Report.pdf" title="Haldwani Violance Report"]   Click Here to Download

Press Release

Reaper drone deal bad optics when India is trying to kill US citizens: Human Rights Watch

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Washington, D.C. (Feb 14, 2024) – At a Congressional Briefing on Capitol Hill titled “US Arms Sales to India: The role of the US Congress,” Human Rights Watch Asia Advocacy Director John Sifton strongly criticized the “bad optics” of the Biden administration’s intent to sell the Indian government 31 armed MQ-9 reaper drones with accompanying munitions, which are often used to assassinate civilians in targeted strikes – just months after the US uncovered a plot by the Indian government to to assassinate a Sikh American living in New York. “The particularly bad optics of selling this particular weapons platform… [is that it] is best known for targeted killings, which some would call assassinations,” said Sifton. “That the US negotiated and prepared a proposal at the same period law enforcement and intelligence agencies were briefing them on an assassination by an agent of the Indian government on US soil suggests a disconnect that we find very concerning on the optics.” “These things have impacts on people’s behavior back in India, including the Prime Minister himself,” Sifton added. “Whether the Biden administration likes it or not, the message sent is we don’t really care that much about the fact that India’s human rights situation is deteriorating.” Also speaking at the briefing was Carolyn Nash, Asia Advocacy Director at Amnesty International USA, who pointed out that the proposed arms deal must also be considered in light of the Modi government’s engagement in transnational repression, including its recent attempt to assassinate a Sikh American living in New York. “That case did not happen in a vacuum,” said Nash. “It emerged from domestic issues; from the misuse of laws, particularly purported counterterrorism and financial laws; from long histories of ethnic and religious violence and targeting; and from abuse of surveillance systems that allowed for this to happen.” “Think about [violence in India] as if you’re talking about the Jim Crow south,” said Ria Chakrabarty, Policy Director at Hindus for Human Rights. “The communal violence, the misuse of state and local authorities… There’s [an] active participation of local and state actors that also goes up to the federal level.” “All of this violence, all of these attacks on human rights are about fundamentally reforming India from a secular republic to a Hindu nation,” Chakrabarty added. “The BJP’s election message is that Modi… has delivered this Hindu state to the world stage. And this arms deal is a good encapsulation of how he has done that.” “President Clinton [once] referred to the India Pakistan border as the most dangerous place on earth, because that is the only place where there are three nuclear armed states who have previously fought one another are now bordering one another,” said Ari Tolany, Director at the Security Assistance Monitor for International Policy. “With that concern introduced, we see a stronger imperative needed for Congress to keep eyes on [arms sales to India].” The briefing was co-organized by Indian American Muslim Council, Hindus for Human Rights, Dalit Solidarity Forum, New York State Council of Churches, World Without Genocide, Justice for All, Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations of North America, India Civil Watch International, Center for Pluralism, International Commission for Dalit Rights, American Muslim Institution, International Society for Peace and Justice. North American Manipur Tribal Association, Association of Indian Muslims of America, Periyar Ambedkar Thoughts Circle Australia, and Alliance Against Islamophobia.

Indian Army torture
Reports

CARAVAN: Screams from the Army Post — The Indian Army’s torture and murder of civilians in a restive Jammu

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MIR HUSSAIN’S FAMILY was not a wealthy one, and they did not have a large house, but they made do. His eldest son, Noor Ahmed, had joined the Border Security Force—the paramilitary force patrolling India’s porous frontier with its Muslim-majority neighbours—assuring the family a stable income. For everything else, the octogenarian Hussain and his 76-year-old wife, Zainab Bi, depended on their second son, Safeer Ahmed. Safeer spent much of his day managing small-time construction contracts for the panchayat in Topa Peer, a tiny isolated village in Jammu and Kashmir, one of the most militarised regions in the world and mere kilometres away from one of the globe’s most tenuous borders. The jobs were not that glamorous, though, mostly involving getting firewood from the surrounding thick forests, cleaning snow off the sagging rooftop or taking the corn he grew twelve kilometres downhill to the town of Bafliaz, in Poonch district. Hussain is terminally ill, and, when his maladies would get severe, Safeer would carry him on his back down a treacherous path, a three-hour hike, to the nearest hospital.   [pdf-embedder url="http://3.145.57.38/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Caravan-The-Indian-Armys-torture-and-murder-of-civilians-in-a-restive-Jammu_compressed.pdf" title="Caravan- The Indian Army’s torture and murder of civilians in a restive Jammu_compressed"]   Click Here to Download

Babri Masjid Demolition
Reports

AMERICAN KAHANI: Debunking Myths: A Critical Analysis of Hindu American Foundation’s Ram Temple Narrative

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It is sad to see the HAF run roughshod over the diversity of Hinduism. In its attempt to prove the homogenous character of Hindus, HAF turned a debate on the nature of the Ayodhya inauguration into Hindus versus others. In January 2024, the U.S.-based Hindu nationalist group, the Hindu American Foundation (HAF), released a series of videos and a so-called factsheet addressing the construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya which was built on the ruins of the 500-year-old Babri Masjid. But a careful examination of historical records, religious texts, and legal judgments reveals HAF’s article to be fraught with lies, inaccuracies, deliberate fabrications, and questionable historical narratives. Lie: The HAF writes that the new Ram temple was “built on an ancient site of Hindu worship. The final Hindu temple on the site was destroyed in the early 16th century by the first Mughal emperor for the construction of a mosque known in modern times as the Babri Masjid. Archaeological evidence proves the mosque had no foundations of its own and was built upon a Hindu temple.” Truth: This is a brazen lie propagated by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) with no historical or legal proof, nor any corroboration in the ‘Hindu’ narrative of history. There is no mention of the Ram Temple even in the writings of the most prominent Ram worshiper to date, Goswami Tulsidas (1511-1623), who penned the Epic Ramcharitmanas (Lake of the Deeds of Ram) in the Avadhi language in 1575-76. According to the Hindu nationalist (Hindutva) version, Ram’s birthplace temple was destroyed during 1528-1529. It would be surprising indeed if the Ramcharitmanas, written only 48 years after the so-called destruction of Ram’s birthplace temple, did not mention such a momentous event. According to the RSS, Adi Shankaracharya, Aurobindo Ghosh, Swami Vivekananda, and Swami Dayanand Saraswati were the saints who contributed immensely to the cause of Vedic religion and the growth of the Hindu nation. None of these Vedic saints ever referred to this destruction of Ram Temple at Ayodhya by Mughal King Babar or his agent in any of their writings. Today, Ayodhya is referred to as one of the oldest holiest places for Hindus. It would be interesting to know that Adi Shankaracharya (788-820), who toured India preaching Vedas for more than a decade, established 5 Peetams [main centers] at Badrinath in the North, Puri in the East, Dwarka in the West and Sringeri and Kanchi in the South for the revival of the Vedic religion but did not consider Ayodhya one. Moreover, the Indian Supreme Court, in its 1,045-page Ayodhya Judgment (November 9, 2019), nowhere agrees with the claim that the Babri Mosque was constructed after destroying any temple. Lie: HAF claimed that “As the traditional birthplace of Lord Ram, archeological and documentary evidence shows that the site has been recognized as a place of spiritual importance for Hindus since time immemorial.” Truth: It is true that traditionally, Hindus believe that Ram was born in the city of Ayodhya, but the issue is whether he was born exactly under the central dome (approximately measuring 150 cm x 150 cm) of the Babri Mosque as is claimed now by Hindutva’s flag-bearers. But here it is important to note that the Indian Supreme Court, in its 2019 judgment, made two observations on this point without mincing words. Firstly, it stated: “The exclusion of the Muslims from worship and possession took place on the intervening night between 22/23 December 1949 when the mosque was desecrated by the installation of Hindu idols. The ouster of the Muslims on that occasion was not through any lawful authority but through an act which was calculated to deprive them of their place of worship.” [Supreme Court Judgment dated November 9, 2019, pp. 921-22] Secondly, on pages 913-14, it states that “On 6 December 1992, the structure of the mosque was brought down and the mosque was destroyed. The destruction of the mosque took place in breach of the order of status quo and an assurance given to this Court. The destruction of the mosque and the obliteration of the Islamic structure was an egregious violation of the rule of law.” It is worth mentioning here that RSS —which initiated the bloody, violent campaign to build the Ram Temple at the end of the 1980s, never advanced this demand during the period of its founding in 1925, under British rule. Even after Independence, it was only in 1989 that the political appendage of the RSS, the BJP, began to focus on this issue. The views of two RSS luminaries who initiated the Ram Temple movement reveal the preposterousness of the claim that Ram himself was born under the dome. Rama Vilas Vedanti, a prominent Hindu clergyman of the Ram Birthplace Trust (an RSS front), stated, “We will build a temple at Ramjanam Bhoomi even if Lord Rama says he was not born there” [Outlook, Delhi, 7 July 2003). Similarly, L. K. Advani, who rode a chariot (Rath Yatra) as part of an aggressive Ram Temple campaign in 1990 said, “It did not matter whether the historical Rama was actually born at the spot in Ayodhya. What mattered was that Hindus believed that he was born there. Faith took precedence over history” [The Hindustan Times, Delhi, 20 July 2003.] The votaries building the Ram Temple at the place of Babri Mosque must also respond to the query of why only one temple was targeted by Babar and not hundreds of other Hindu temples in Ayodhya. Lie: According to HAF, the construction of the Ram Temple at the site of the Babri Mosque was essential to seek “restorative justice to re-establish a Hindu temple that had been destroyed as a result of iconoclasm a few hundred years ago.” They allege that the Ram Mandir “has great symbolic and emotional resonance for Hindus in contemporary times” and that “the trauma that this destruction brought has been passed down through generations and continues to impact the psyche of Hindus” and “contributed historically and continues

Press Release

Indian Americans condemn police killing of Muslim protesters in Haldwani, demand end to illegal and punitive demolitions

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Washington, D.C. (Feb 9, 2024) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) today strongly condemned the police killing of at least 6 Muslims in Haldwani, Uttarakhand, where police were given shoot-on-sight orders by Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Dhami against Muslims protesting the illegal demolition of a mosque and madrasa as part of an anti-encroachment drive. According to news reports, the demolition was followed by stone pelting and increased tensions in the area. IAMC also expresses serious concerns over the anti-Muslim rhetoric pushed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in its response to the incident. Several BJP parliamentarians have called the protests a “conspiracy,” claimed that the mosque and madrasa were “illegally” constructed, and even encouraged violence against the protestors. This includes a clear call to violence by BJP MP Harnath Yadav, who said, “There should be an order to shoot rioters at sight… There is no need to be lenient with them.” “We cannot ignore the key facts that created this situation: the unjust demolition of a mosque and seminary, and the years of BJP leaders and Hindu supremacists normalizing such demolitions as collective punishment,” said Mohammed Jawad, IAMC President. “We call on the international community to take note of this dangerous structural violence against India’s most vulnerable minority group.” Locals report that the demolition of the Mariyam mosque and the Abdul Razzaq Zakariya madrasa had been given a demolition notice on January 30, after which the caretakers of the buildings had moved the Uttarakhand High Court seeking relief from the demolition. Instead of waiting for the case’s hearing, civic authorities went ahead with the demolition, sparking outrage.      The BJP’s claims that the riot was a pre-planned “conspiracy” is not only aimed at stirring further anti-Muslim hatred and violence, but also attempts to erase the state’s direct role in creating such violence and unrest by demolishing minority-owned structures in violation of international human rights law. In its coverage of the Haldwani incident, the New York Times notes that “Muslim sites have become a broader target of the Hindu right wing after the opening of a major temple last month,” and that the “violence unfolded against the backdrop of Hinduism’s rise as a national identity in India.” The weaponization of bulldozers and demolition drives has also been well-documented by international news outlets and human rights groups. In two reports published just days ago, on February 7, Amnesty International called on Indian authorities to “immediately stop unjust targeted demolition of Muslim properties,” labeling the practice “deeply unjust, unlawful and discriminatory,” a “form of extra-judicial punishment,” and in violation of “due process safeguards outlined in domestic law or international human rights law.” Just weeks ago, the 600-year-old Masjid Akhonji in New Delhi was bulldozed without warning. Similar incidents have been reported throughout the country for years, where civic authorities have bulldozed mosques, shrines, and madrasas under flimsy claims of removing illegal encroachments. This includes the partial demolition of a Delhi mosque and seminary in April 2023; the common practice by Delhi authorities of bulldozing local Muslim shrines and graves of saints with no warning; the 2021 demolition the 60-year-old Masjid Gareeb Nawaz Al Maroof and the 2023 bulldozing of the 16th century-era Shahi Masjid in Uttar Pradesh state as part of road widening projects.  “The BJP is trying to paint this horrific incident as a senseless Muslim riot. That portrayal is a fantasy that ignores the ever-present reality of hatred, discrimination, and collective punishment of Muslims in India,” said Rasheed Ahmed, IAMC Executive Director. “Indian authorities must immediately halt all ‘anti-encroachment’ drives in accordance with domestic and international human rights law,” Ahmed added. “As India’s ally, the United States should also take a strong stance against India’s collective punishment of Muslims by designating India as a Country of Particular Concern under the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA). The US should also implement policy recommendations put forth by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) to hold perpetrators of structural violence accountable.”

Hindu Nationalism in US
Op-Eds

The Progressive Magazine: Why White Nationalists Are Working with Hindu Supremacists

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By Safa Ahmed The growing convergence between these two ideologies is a threat to global democracy. Last month marked the third anniversary of the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021, when a mob of more than 2,000 insurrectionists stormed into the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., in support of then-President Donald Trump. The images from that day are still shocking: militia members in MAGA hats scaling walls; U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s lectern hauled around like a trophy; a rioter in a buffalo-horned hat and patriotic face paint shouting skyward. One image, however, drew more confusion than outrage: an Indian flag, held high among the insurrectionists amid a sea of red, white, and blue. Read More >>

Arfa Khanam
Press Release

Hindu Supremacy biggest threat to religious freedom in India since Gandhi assassination: Arfa Khanum Sherwani at IRF Summit

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Washington, D.C. (Feb 5, 2024) – Speaking at the International Religious Freedom Summit (IRF Summit) on Jan 30-31, prominent Indian journalist Arfa Khanum Sherwani stated that Hindu majoritarianism – also known as Hindutva, or Hindu supremacy – is “the greatest threat to secularism and religious freedom in India” since the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi. “The ideology that is responsible for the assassination of Gandhi… is ruling India right now,” said Sherwani, Senior Editor at Indian publication The Wire, while speaking at a panel titled “Challenges in India for Non-Majority Faiths” organized by the Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC). Sherwani also pushed back against the idea that rising anti-Muslim violence in India should be labeled as merely “communal violence” or interfaith clashes. “It’s not communal violence. Let’s call it what it is. It is state persecution of Indian Muslims… Right now, it is the Indian Muslims who are [painted as] the clearest enemy,” Sherwani said. “I feel [Prime Minister Narendra Modi] might try to formalize the status of second class citizenship to Indian Muslims, and he might try to change the constitution in fundamental ways.” Another break-out session on South Asian religious freedom, titled “Blasphemy and Violence Across India,” featured Nadine Maenza, President of the IRF Secretariat and former Chair of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), who spoke on rising anti-minority violence in India.     “We see Hindu nationalists in coordination with the controlling BJP government, targeting ‘the Other,’ including Muslims, Christians, Sikhs and other religious and ethnic minorities,” said Maenza. “The hate speech and religiously discriminatory policies and laws have led to violent attacks, including sexual violence against minorities within communities.” Also speaking at the panels were activists and faith leaders, including Sukhman Dhami, Co-Founder of Ensaaf, a nonprofit organization working to achieve justice for crimes against humanity in India. “India has become a country where persecution based on faith is a consistent feature,” said Dhami. “We’ve also seen an entrenched culture of impunity arise… Because of this culture, we see a continuing replication of persecution and gross human rights violations.” Dhami also commented on recent reports that the Indian government ordered assassinations on individuals living outside of India, including in the United States and Canada. “India has been emboldened by the fact that it has been able to get away with atrocity crimes in India,” he said. “[It] has now taken those same practices… and has felt that it has a license to kill with impunity internationally.” Siju Thomas, Director of Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) International India, spoke on rising hate crimes against Christians by Hindu supremacists, including cases of mob violence. “Just last year we reported close to 700 incidents of violence and hostility against Christians [in India],” said Thomas. The year before that, we had close to 500 such incidents; and the year before that, again, close to 500… and these are very conservative estimates.” “For the last almost ten years, we have continuously seen attacks on the Indian constitution… [some] say that we have already formed a new constitution, and if that comes to effect, there won’t be voting rights for Christians, Muslims or other minority communities,” said Father Christu Rajan, Archdiocese of Madras-Mylapore. “India remains a secular country, but that is now a jeopardy.”     “Hindu majoritarian extremists… day in and day out are attacking churches, mosques, symbols of the minority religious community,” said Ajit Sahi, Advocacy Director at IAMC. “They are beating up people and forcing them to chant Hindu religious slogans… But they are never acted against.” “Right now, everything is weaponized,” said Bina Nepram, Founder of the Northeast India Women Initiative for Peace. “Our identity is weaponized, our religion is weaponized, our homes are weaponized, our politics is weaponized. How can we build a society with guns? We have to do nation building, and it has to be done with a lot of love.”

Press Release

Demolition of 600-Year-Old Mosque in Delhi an attempt to erase rich Muslim heritage: IAMC

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Washington, DC (February 1, 2024) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) has vehemently condemned the shocking and brazen demolition of Masjid Akhonji, a 600-year-old mosque in Delhi’s Mehrauli. The demolition was carried out by officials from the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), an autonomous body controlled by the Central Government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This reprehensible act, which took place without any prior notice, not only obliterated a revered place of worship but also displayed a blatant disregard for the rich cultural and religious history embedded in Masjid Akhonji. The callousness exhibited by the DDA in the wanton destruction of a site with deep-rooted historical significance is both shocking and deplorable. The mosque, standing as a testament to over six centuries of religious and cultural heritage, was reduced to rubble, leaving the local residents, mosque-goers, and Madrasa students in a state of disbelief and anguish. IAMC unequivocally denounces this act as a gross violation of religious freedom and an assault on the nation’s secular fabric. “The demolition of Masjid Akhonji is not just an attack on a physical structure; it is an assault on the collective memory and identity of a community. This act, carried out under the guise of development, reeks of a sinister agenda to erase the rich Muslim heritage from the socio-cultural landscape,” IAMC Executive Director Rasheed Ahmed said.  The demolition of Masjid Akhonji stands in direct contradiction to assurances made by the DDA to the Delhi High Court, where they explicitly stated that no mosque, graveyard, or legally owned Waqf property would face demolition. This betrayal of trust and the destruction of a sacred site is part of a disturbing pattern witnessed in BJP-ruled states, where mosques, shrines, and symbols of Muslim heritage are systematically targeted and obliterated. IAMC calls for an immediate, impartial investigation into this reprehensible act, urging accountability for those responsible. We demand that authorities take decisive action to safeguard religious sites and put an end to the alarming trend of erasure of Muslim heritage. We stand united against this blatant disregard for history, culture, and the principles of coexistence that define India.

Press Release

Court order allowing Hindus to worship inside historic Gyanvapi Mosque condemned by Indian Americans

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Washington, DC (January 31, 2024) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, today strongly condemned the order of a court in Uttar Pradesh state to allow Hindu devotees to worship in the basement of Varanasi’s historic Gyanvapi Mosque. On Monday, the court directed the district administration to make arrangements to start the “puja (worship)” within seven days. This order comes a week after the consecration of the “Ram Temple” built on the site of the demolished Babri mosque. This verdict echoes the troubling parallels seen in the Babri Masjid case. We vehemently stand against any effort to erase our history and heritage, as well as the manipulation of religious narratives for political ends. By aligning with Hindu extremist groups and advancing their majoritarian agenda, this court decision represents a significant injustice and constitutes another assault on the rights of India’s 200 million Muslims,” said IAMC Executive Director Rasheed Ahmed. The court order comes nearly 20 months after the court’s earlier directive instructing authorities to seal a section of the Gyanvapi mosque. This directive followed a survey conducted by lawyer commissioner Ajay Kumar Mishra, appointed by the court after a group of Hindu women filed a petition seeking permission to pray on the premises. Mishra reported to the court that a Shiva Linga (an idol depicting the Hindu deity Shiva) was discovered in the mosque’s wazu khana (ablution tank). The legal representatives of the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee, responsible for overseeing the Gyanvapi mosque, have refuted the assertion, stating that the object in question is not a “shivling” but rather a component of a fountain. The latest court order completely violates the 1991 Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, which prohibits the conversion of places of worship from one religion to another, except for the Babri Masjid dispute.  The Babri Masjid was demolished in 1992 by a Hindu extremist mob who claimed — without evidence —  that the Mughal-era mosque had been constructed on land holy to Hindus. The mob was made up of 150,000 people, led by Hindu supremacists belonging to the paramilitary RSS, the BJP,  the extremist Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), and Bajrang Dal.  Shockingly, India’s Supreme Court awarded that land to the Hindus even while acknowledging that no evidence existed that the mosque had been built by demolishing a temple and also ruling that its demolition was a criminal act. “The failure of the courts to safeguard Muslim places of worship and deliver justice for the criminal demolition of the Babri Masjid highlights a disconcerting state of the Indian judiciary with overt Hindu nationalist overtones,” said IAMC President Mohammad Jawad. “The judiciary must operate free from any biases, upholding the principles of justice, religious harmony, and the protection of minority rights,” Jawad added.

India’s Republic Day in America
Op-Eds

American Kahani: A Republic in Ruins: How Some Indian American Hindus Use Hindutva to Attack Constitutional Values in America

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By Safa Ahmed Apart from blatant attacks on the values of pluralism and tolerance, there are concerted efforts by Hindu supremacists to weaponize American city and state legislatures against Muslims. Celebrating India’s Republic Day in America is a surreal experience. Some of us — Muslim, Christian, Sikh, Hindu, and otherwise affiliated — commemorate by wearing traditional clothes, attending Republic Day BBQs, and taking pictures in the sun with the Indian flag. Some send WhatsApp forwards about the importance of the Indian Constitutional values of justice, liberty, equality, and fraternity. Many post reminders that in India right now, these values are being ground to dust by the now-mainstream Hindu supremacist movement. The lead-up to Republic Day 2024 has proved as much: swaths of far-right Hindus in both India and the U.S. are more focused on celebrating the Ram Mandir as a monument to a new age of Hindu supremacist rule in India. Read More >>

Gandhi
Op-Eds

The Diplomat: How India Betrayed Mahatma Gandhi

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By Safa Ahmed The ideology of Gandhi’s assassin is now mainstream in the country, while Gandhi himself has been demonized for promoting Hindu-Muslim unity.  On January 30, 1948, a man called Nathuram Godse shot Mahatma Gandhi three times at close range, killing India’s most legendary peace activist and freedom fighter. Gandhi died as he had lived, his hand raised in a gesture of forgiveness in the face of violence. In his speech to the court that would try him for murder, Godse – an adherent of a fascist-inspired ideology known as Hindutva, or Hindu supremacism – declared that he had killed Gandhi because he believed the freedom fighter’s teachings of Hindu-Muslim unity would “ultimately result in the emasculation of the Hindu community.” Read More >>

Press Release

Indian Americans condemn State Complicity in Hindu extremist violence across India following Ram Mandir Consecration

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Washington, DC (Jan 25, 2023) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) today strongly condemned Hindu extremist violence against Muslims and Christians in the wake of Ram Temple ceremonies this Monday. Following Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s consecration of the controversial Ram Temple — itself built on the ruins of the mob-destroyed Babri Mosque — extremist groups have weaponized ensuing celebrations, convening massive processions to attack Muslims and destroy Muslim-owned businesses, homes, and mosques.  State officials have been complicit in enabling these violent processions, with BJP lawmaker Nitesh Rane threatening to “find and kill” those who had put up defensive barricades to protect a Muslim neighborhood in Mumbai. Rane later ordered state bulldozers to advance into the neighborhood, destroying structures belonging to 55 Muslim merchants. Amnesty International has already condemned this latest instance of BJP-led violence as a “major blow to the rule of law.” “We have seen this horrific crime time and time again,” said Rasheed Ahmed, IAMC Executive Director. “Hindu nationalist groups weaponize religious processions in order to terrorize, intimidate, and destroy Muslim lives while the state stands idly by, refuses to stop or charge perpetrators, and even collaborates with extremists in launching violent attacks. The international community must swiftly condemn this latest bout of state-endorsed, state-led, state-enabled violence in various Indian states .” Attacks and religious desecration took place throughout India, with Hindu nationalists planting the Hindu saffron flag atop a mosque in Uttar Pradesh, installing a Lord Ram symbol atop a Christian church in Madhya Pradesh, burning down a Muslim fruit seller shop in Telangana, and ordering police to bulldoze numerous Muslim businesses in Mumbai. Videos circulated on social media show saffron-flag-wielding mobs stoning shops that sell meat, attacking clothing stores with apparently Muslim business names, and in some areas, attempting to destroy all shops that do not bear a saffron flag.  Near Mumbai, Muslim student Tariq Chaudhary was attacked by a 200-strong Hindu nationalist mob wielding planks and wooden rods. Chanting the Hindu nationalist slogan of “Hail Lord Ram!” the mob dragged Chaudhary and his co-worker out of the truck, severely beat them, and destroyed their truck. Chaudhary’s coworker required stitches to the head and Chaudhary also sustained serious injuries.  In an interview, Chaudhary asked, “In Ayodhya, they said Lord Ram belongs to us all. Does Lord Ram teach them to drag Muslims out, beat them with sticks and force them to say, ‘Hail, Lord Ram’?” Hindutva mobs also attacked three Muslim men on Mumbai’s Mira road, destroying their truck, beating them with flag sticks, and threatening to set them on fire.  Police watching on refused to intervene, effectively enabling an attack that left three men with severe injuries requiring hospital care. As in years past, the thousands of violent assailants who have participated in attacks have not been booked or charged with crimes.  In two cities, Hindu nationalist groups assaulted students attempting to screen the Anand Patwardhaan documentary “Ram ke Naam,” or “In the Name of God,” a film that explains how extremist groups destroyed the Babri Masjid and killed thousands of predominantly Muslim victims in fighting after its destruction. Police detained the student screeners and then filed a complaint against six of the organizers of the screening for “outraging religious feelings” and acting against “national integration.” In Chattisgarh, Hindu nationalist groups beat Christians with sticks and dragged female church members out into the street. Christians in the state have reported that at least five pastors were beaten as part of the recent processions, with mobs abusing one, planting saffron flags in his home, and threatening dire consequences should he not convert to Hinduism. “The last four days of mob attacks are a direct result of the continuous hate campaign waged by Narendra Modi, the BJP, and other Hindu nationalists over the past two decades. The horrific rioting and destruction we have seen in recent days show the same blend of blatant disregard for life, police complicity, BJP participation, and horrific violence seen in 1992 when Hindu nationalist mobs tore down the Babri Masjid and killed thousands,” said IAMC President Mohammad Jawad.  IAMC urges international human rights organizations & civil society groups to take note of the deteriorating situation in India, which has the potential to turn into a full-blown Muslim and Christian genocide. IAMC also calls on the US State Department to ask the Indian government to stop stoking the anti-Muslim sentiment, punish the Hindu extremists involved in anti-Muslim violence, and accept the recommendation of the United States Commission for International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) to designate India as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC).

Ram temple inauguration
Op-Eds

Religion News Service: A celebrated temple in India is also a symbol of the country’s anti-Muslim campaign

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By Safa Ahmed Behind the inauguration festivities for a temple in India lurks a Hindu nationalist desire to eradicate Muslims. On Jan. 22, hundreds of thousands of Hindus in India will consecrate the Ram Temple, an ornate, three-storied structure built over more than three years in Ayodhya, in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. The ceremony will include sacred fires and the singing of Vedic hymns, while in the U.S. Hindu communities will celebrate with car rallies, festivals and parades. A massive billboard showing the temple already overlooks Times Square, one of 40 such displays across the country. But behind the global festivities lurks a darker reality. The inauguration of the Ram temple implicitly commemorates one of the saddest chapters in Indian history: the hate-fueled destruction of the 500-year-old Babri Masjid. Read More >>

Babri Masjid
Press Release

Temple built on ruins of Babri masjid a symbol of injustice, a blot on India’s judiciary, say Indian Americans

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Despite acknowledging the absence of evidence supporting the temple demolition and recognizing the destruction of the Masjid as a criminal act, the Supreme Court awarded the site to Hindus, prioritizing faith over the rule of law. Washington, D.C. (Jan 19, 2024) –The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), a staunch advocate for India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, today issued a statement on the upcoming consecration ceremony of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, scheduled for January 22. This temple, built atop the ruins of the Babri Masjid, demolished by Hindu zealots, is not just a celebration but a glaring symbol of historical injustice. India’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is orchestrating a grand spectacle, hosting over 6,000 guests. Simultaneously, Hindu far-right groups have planned car rallies, events, and parades across the United States, marking a distressing extension of this divisive celebration. The Ram Temple, standing on the remnants of the historic Babri Mosque, symbolizes the injustice inflicted by both the state and the judiciary upon Indian Muslims in particular and global Muslims in general. “We denounce this grandiose celebration of the temple built upon the ruins of the Babri Masjid.  This event is not just a consecration but a glaring endorsement of the impunity enjoyed by those who orchestrated the demolition and a betrayal of the principles of justice. It is also a stark reminder of the failure of the Indian judiciary to deliver justice to Muslims and uphold democratic and secular values of the constitution,” said IAMC President Mohammed Jawad. IAMC Executive Director Rasheed Ahmed said: “The recent widespread festivities in the United States are concerning. The celebration of Ram temple consecration and glorification of Babri masjid demolition on a global scale is a blatant endorsement of religious intolerance.” On December 6, 1992, the historic mosque was demolished by a mob of over 150,000 Hindu extremists, including the members and leaders of the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS), Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), Bajrang Dal and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The aftermath saw large-scale riots throughout the country, leading to the deaths of thousands, predominantly Muslims. Almost three decades later, the Supreme Court of India, in November 2019, unjustly handed over the site to Hindus to build a temple, effectively legitimizing one of the most criminal acts against a Muslim place of worship in independent India’s history. In its judgment, the court, while denying the popular Hindu far-right claim that Babri mosque was built after demolishing the temple, said: “The ASI report has left unanswered a critical part of the remit which was made to it, namely, a determination of whether a Hindu temple had been demolished to pave way for the construction of the mosque. A determination of title was not obviously within the remit of ASI” The court also termed the demolition of Babri mosque a “calculated act.”  “During the pendency of the suits, the entire structure of the mosque was brought down in a calculated act of destroying a place of public worship. Muslims have been wrongly deprived of a mosque which was constructed over 450 years ago,” said the order of the then Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, and Justices S A Bobde, D Y Chandrachud, Ashok Bhushan and S A Nazeer. Former Supreme Court justice A.K. Ganguly called the judgement “flawed” and said if he was a judge on this case, he would have “directed the restoration of the mosque. ” “Now the Supreme Court says that underneath the mosque there was some structure. But there are no facts to show that the structure was a temple. The Supreme Court’s verdict says they don’t have evidence to say that a temple was demolished and a mosque was built. There could have been any structure below – a Buddhist stupa, a Jain structure, a church. But it may not have been a temple. So on what basis did the Supreme Court find that the land belongs to Hindus or to Ram Lalla?” Ganguly asked. India’s eminent academic and legal scholar noted that the court’s judgement relied more on “the mystery of the faith over rule of law.” In November 2020, a special court in India acquitted 32 accused, including senior RSS and BJP leaders including  Lal Krishna Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi and Uma Bharti, of criminal conspiracy to demolish Babri mosque. The acquittal denied justice to over 200 million Indian Muslims and set a dangerous precedent. This shocking verdict not only disregarded Supreme Court orders but also overlooked the findings of the Liberhan Commission, which was set up by the government of India in 1992 to probe the demolition of the mosque and had concluded that the demolition was meticulously planned.  The Commission had said the mobilization of the cadres of RSS, Bajrang Dal, BJP and Shiv Sena in Ayodhya was neither “spontaneous or voluntary” but “orchestrated and planned.” The Commission in its report named over 60 people and held them “culpable” for “leading the country to the brink of communal discord.” The subsequent failure of the Indian judiciary has emboldened attacks on other mosques and shrines, especially in Mathura and Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh.  IAMC urges the international community to scrutinize these developments and question the rise of Hindu fundamentalism, the erosion of democracy, the decline of judiciary, the soaring human rights and religious freedom violations, and advocate for a country where diversity is celebrated, not targeted and annihilated. IAMC will persist in its fight for a just and inclusive India, where every citizen is treated with dignity and equality, regardless of their faith.

Press Release

IAMC commends European Parliament’s Resolution raising human rights concerns in India

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Washington, D.C. (Jan 18, 2024) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) welcomes the European Parliament’s recent resolution on India, which comprehensively addresses the critical concerns surrounding human rights and religious freedom issues in India. The resolution, adopted on Wednesday, January 17, expresses concern over “violence, increasing nationalistic rhetoric, and divisive policies” and calls on Indian political leaders to refrain from making inflammatory statements and emphasizes the importance of upholding “human rights and democratic values” in EU-India relations. Rasheed Ahmed, Executive Director of IAMC, while welcoming the European Parliament’s resolution said, “We applaud the European Parliament for its principled  stand on issues of human rights in India. We eagerly anticipate its implementation by the European Council and European Commission, ensuring the advancement of religious freedom and the protection of minority and marginalized communities”. The resolution raises serious concerns about the situation in Manipur and condemns the discriminatory Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). It urges the European Council, European Commission, and the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy to press the Indian government to uphold the constitutionally enshrined right to the free practice of religion. Additionally, it calls for measures to counter hate speech against religious minorities and demands accountability for perpetrators. Furthermore, the resolution highlights the importance of media freedom, the protection of media professionals, and the creation of a safe and democratic environment for human rights and environmental defenders, indigenous people, Dalit rights defenders, political opponents, and trade union activists. It calls for an end to the use of sedition, broader foreign funding, and terrorism charges to target critics, emphasizing the independence of the judiciary and advocating for the release of political prisoners. The resolution also addresses the harmful effects of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act on civil society organizations. It calls on the European Commission and European Council to urge Indian authorities to end caste-based discrimination and grant rights to Adivasi communities under the Forest Rights Act.  In response to the resolution, Claudio Francavilla, Associate EU Advocacy Director at Human Rights Watch, remarked, “The European Parliament resolution on EU-India relations is an indictment of Narendra Modi’s government. Silence by India’s international partners has effectively green-lighted continuing abuses, and the European Parliament deserves praise for breaking it. Other EU institutions, EU governments, and India’s western partners should urgently make clear to Modi’s government that its crackdown on rights will have consequences for India’s bilateral relations on the world stage.”

Press Release

Indian-Americans disappointed at Indian Court’s decision to uphold whistleblower Sanjiv Bhatt’s life sentence

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Washington, D.C. (Jan 9, 2024) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) has expressed profound dismay over the recent decision of the Gujarat High Court to uphold the life sentence of former Indian police officer and whistleblower Sanjiv Bhatt. IAMC notes with concern that Sanjiv Bhatt is a key witness providing evidence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s role in the bloody massacre of approximately 2,000 Muslims at the hands of Hindu mobs during the 2002 Gujarat pogrom. IAMC calls on the international community to advocate for due process and fair treatment in Mr. Bhatt’s case, emphasizing the need to ensure that all individuals, regardless of their politics, are subject to the rule of law and that no individual is wrongfully detained. In 2002, exploiting the tragic deaths of Hindu pilgrims in a train fire, Modi incited widespread anti-Muslim violence across the state. Subsequently, Hindu mobs perpetrated horrific attacks on Muslim women, men, and children, often without any intervention from the police. In 2011, Sanjiv Bhatt filed an affidavit in the Indian Supreme Court, presenting evidence that Modi instructed law enforcement not to intervene in the violence, stating, “Let Hindus vent their anger.” Subsequently, Modi weaponized his authority and pressured India’s judicial system to retaliate against Bhatt for his testimony. Bhatt was suspended from his police duties at Modi’s urging just four months after filing the affidavit. Following Modi’s ascent to Prime Ministership in 2014, Bhatt was dismissed from service in 2015, and his offices, along with part of his family’s home, were demolished as a punitive measure. Further compounding this injustice, Bhatt was arrested in a 30-year-old custodial death case in which he had no involvement in 2018. He was falsely convicted in 2019 and given a life sentence. Despite Bhatt appealing his conviction, his life sentence was upheld by a division bench of the Gujarat High Court.    “Sanjiv Bhatt is the only surviving witness who can testify that Prime Minister Modi played a direct role in the Gujarat pogrom of 2002,” said IAMC Executive Director Rasheed Ahmed.  “It is imperative for the international community to demand his release, ensuring justice not only for Mr. Bhatt but also for the victims of the pogrom. Modi must not be allowed to evade accountability by imprisoning an innocent man,” Ahmed added. IAMC’s statement reflects growing concerns among Indian-Americans and human rights advocates about the state of judicial independence and human rights in India, both of which are rapidly deteriorating under Modi’s authoritarian rule. It is imperative that international human rights groups continue to call for Mr. Bhatt’s release. 

Press Release

IAMC welcomes India’s Supreme Court order quashing release of 2002 Gujarat pogrom rapists

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Washington, D.C. (January 8, 2024) –The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), a prominent advocacy organization committed to promoting justice, pluralism, and the civil rights of Indian Americans, has welcomed India’s Supreme Court order quashing the remission granted to 11 Hindu extremists involved in Bilkis Bano gangrape case. These extremists had been convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment for the heinous gang rape of Bano and the brutal murder of seven members of her family members during the 2002 Gujarat anti-Muslim pogrom. Shockingly, these convicts were released by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led state government in August 2022, citing their ‘good behavior’ in prison. In December 2022, Bano challenged this release in the Supreme Court, which subsequently ordered all freed convicts to surrender to the authorities in Gujarat within two weeks. “Their plea for protection of their liberty is rejected. To keep them out would not be in consonance of the rule of law,” a bench comprising Justices BV Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan said on Monday, January 8. “Power to grant remission is ultimately an exercise of discretion by the authority. The test is whether the authority was acting within the scope of powers and whether it was exercised in accordance with law. There is arbitrariness if there is non-consideration of relevant factors, non-application of mind, acting on dictation, or any usurpation of power,” Justice Nagarathna added. Back in 2002, Bano, aged 21, faced a horrific attack by a Hindu mob alongside 16 other family members while fleeing mob violence in her Gujarat village. Bano —five months pregnant— was gang-raped and brutally assaulted, along with her mother and other women in her family. Bano’s three-year-old daughter was killed when a Hindu extremist smashed her on the ground. Only three members of the family survived the attack, including Bano.   The 2002 Gujarat pogroms were orchestrated by Hindu extremist groups like Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) during Narendra Modi’s tenure as the state’s Chief Minister. Eyewitness accounts tell chilling stories of children force-fed petrol and set on fire, pregnant women having their babies ripped from their wombs and thrown into flames, families being electrocuted in their homes, and women being stripped, violated with objects, and beaten to death. This prolonged spree of violence resulted in the deaths of over 2000 people, primarily Muslims. “We applaud the Supreme Court’s resolute action in overturning the release of the convicts linked to the abhorrent 2002 Gujarat pogrom. This decision reaffirms the supremacy of justice over impunity. Upholding the rule of law is paramount, and this ruling is a step towards justice for Bano and her family,” said IAMC Executive Director Rasheed Ahmed. “We implore the judiciary to exhibit the same commitment to justice by addressing cases of individuals unjustly incarcerated under false pretexts, including prisoners of conscience, activists, journalists, academics, and critics,” Ahmed added.  For media inquiries, please contact: media.info@iamc.com

Press Release

IAMC deeply disappointed by State Department’s failure to designate India as Country of Particular Concern

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Washington, D.C. (January 5, 2024) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) expresses deep disappointment at the recent decision by the US State Department to overlook the recommendation of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) and refrain from designating India as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC), a designation reserved for the world’s most severe violators of religious freedoms. For the past four years, USCIRF has recommended that the State Department, headed by Secretary Antony Blinken, designate India as a CPC due to the exponential rise in violence and discrimination against Muslims and Christians in the country. In a statement, USCIRF expressed “extreme disappointment” over the State Department’s omission to label India as a CPC, saying that there was “no justification as to why the State Department did not designate” India as CPC over rampant human rights violations under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist government. “We met with the State Department on many occasions to sound the alarm about these countries, but not all of our recommendations have been followed. We will not be deterred and will continue our role as a congressionally mandated watchdog to ensure the U.S. government prioritizes religious freedom as a key component of U.S. foreign policy,” said USCIRF Chair Abraham Cooper and Vice Chair Frederick A. Davie. “In India, in addition to perpetrating egregious religious freedom violations within its borders, the government has increased its transnational repression activities targeting religious minorities abroad and those advocating on their behalf,” they added. The commission has urged Congress to convene a public hearing to address the State Department’s failure to adhere to USCIRF’s recommendations concerning India, as well as Nigeria. “The unchecked rise in violence and discrimination against religious minorities in India demands global attention. Despite repeated alarms raised with the State Department, the absence of India’s CPC designation is deeply concerning, failing to address the rampant human rights violations under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government,” said Rasheed Ahmed, Executive Director of IAMC. “The continued transnational repression targeting religious minorities both within and beyond Indian borders highlights the urgent need for action and accountability on the international stage. Repeated failure to designate India as a CPC will only encourage the Indian government to double down on its persecution,” Ahmed added.

Quran burning
Press Release

Statement on the 60th Birthday of Prisoner of Conscience Sanjiv Bhatt

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Today, on the occasion of former Indian police officer Sanjiv Bhatt’s 60th birthday, we honor his unwavering commitment to truth and justice, despite facing undue punishment, loss, and imprisonment at the hands of the Indian government. Mr. Bhatt stands as a symbol of resilience, enduring false charges and imprisonment for refusing to silence his voice regarding Prime Minister Modi’s involvement in the tragic Gujarat pogrom of 2002. This atrocity witnessed the brutal slaughter of approximately 2,000 Muslims by Hindu militant mobs. In 2011, Sanjiv Bhatt filed an affidavit in the Indian Supreme Court, providing evidence that Modi had ordered law enforcement not to intervene in the violence, saying, “Let Hindus vent their anger.” In turn, Modi began an ongoing attempt to punish Mr. Bhatt for stepping forward as a whistleblower. Four months after the affidavit was filed, Mr. Bhatt was suspended as a police officer at Modi’s behest. In 2015, a year after Modi became India’s Prime Minister, Mr. Bhatt was dismissed from duty. Later, his offices and part of his family home were bulldozed.  In 2018, Mr. Bhatt was arrested in a 30-year-old custodial death case in which he had no involvement. In 2019, he was sentenced to life imprisonment under these false charges, and has since been repeatedly denied bail by a judiciary that is fully corrupted by Modi’s anti-minority and Hindu supremacist agenda – one that offers bail to Hindu militants who raped and murdered thousands of Muslims, but denies a fair trial to a police officer who sought justice for the victims.  The persecution Mr. Bhatt has faced serves as a stark reminder of the challenges confronted by those who speak out against the atrocities committed under the watch of the far right Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which seeks to establish a Hindu supremacist state at the expense of religious minorities.  Though the Modi government continues its efforts to suppress Mr. Bhatt’s voice through abuse of the judicial system, the global movement for accountability grows stronger, both in India and around the world.  For Mr. Bhatt, the price of truth has been a life sentenced away from his freedom, but his unwavering spirit remains undeterred. On this special milestone of his 60th birthday, we extend our heartfelt wishes to Mr. Bhatt and reaffirm our commitment to advocating for his release. Free Sanjiv Bhatt.  

Press Release

“I could shoot someone on 5th avenue” fake Modi declares in NYC action

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Stunt links Trump claims to Indian assassination scandal   New York City, NY (December 20, 2023) — A giant puppet of Indian Prime Minister Modi rode Fifth Avenue in a convertible yesterday, December 19, with a banner declaring, “I could shoot someone on Fifth Avenue and get away with it, OK?””  The claim echoes a controversial statement made by former presidential candidate Donald Trump in 2016. The stunt, organized by leading Hindu, Sikh, and Muslim diaspora organizations, seeks to highlight the Indian government’s alleged strategy of killing and intimidating US citizens of Indian descent overseas, and the US administration’s failure to address this.  In June, Indian authorities reportedly tried to assassinate a US citizen in New York, at the same time as they killed a high-profile Canadian Sikh activist, and had the FBI worried enough to warn multiple Californian activists of similar threats. There is a clear pattern, as US prosecutors have noted.  “The point we make is deadly serious,” said Sunita Viswarath of Hindus for Human Rights, “American lives are not chips in trade deals. Biden needs to let Americans — and Modi — know that our lives matter, and are protected.” “The questions we ask ourselves are who is next and what will it take for our government to step up?” said Safa Ahmed of Indian American Muslim Council. “America needs to stand up for its own people, India’s people, and democracy itself.”  For photos and interviews contact: Ira Arlook, iarlook@gmail.com, +1 202 258 5437

Op-Eds

Truthout: “Free-Speech Absolutist” Musk Is Abetting Modi’s Suppression of Voices in India

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By Rasheed Ahmed & Sunita Viswanath Imagine waking up one morning to find out that the voice of your organization has been silenced. More uncanny is the fact that this suppression happened in the United States, a place we hold close to our hearts and where we believed, until recently, that free speech was valued. But that’s exactly what happened to us, Rasheed Ahmed of the Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) and Sunita Viswanath of Hindus for Human Rights (HFHR), on the morning of October 14. Our organizations’ X accounts had been blocked in India, a disturbing sign of the Indian government’s escalating attempts to stifle dissent wherever it arises. It took two days for us to learn that X had removed it, complying with a request filed by the Indian government made under the “Information Technology Act of 2000” — a capricious, ever-expanding Indian law which has already been used to silence scores of critical voices in India. Read More >>

Op-Eds

Religion Unplugged: Inside The Crisis Faced By Thousands Of Mosques In India

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By Safa Ahmed Thirty-one years ago, a mob of almost 150,000 Hindu extremists descended on the Babri Masjid, a 500-year old mosque in India’s Ayodhya city. Leading The mob were politicians from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, who rallied members of notorious Hindu nationalist paramilitary groups to participate in the violence and later replace the mosque with a Hindu temple. The mosque, these groups claimed, was built on the precise spot where the Hindu deity Ram was born. Armed with hammers and tridents, the mob destroyed the mosque within a day, triggering an outbreak of nationwide anti-Muslim violence that led to the killings of over 2,000 people and the demolition of scores of more mosques, homes, and businesses. Read More >>

Press Release

Indian Americans express grave concern over Washington Post report on Indian Intelligence campaign targeting US critics

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Washington D.C. (December 12, 2023) — The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) has expressed grave concern at the findings of Monday’s Washington Post investigation into The Disinfo Lab, an India-based propaganda group that runs extensive disinformation campaigns aimed at silencing and discrediting U.S. government figures, researchers, humanitarian groups and Indian American rights activists and organizations. Among the myriad groups and individuals targeted by Disinfo Lab are: IAMC, Hindus for Human Rights (HFHR), Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (D-WA 7th District), the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), and Equality Labs.  According to the former employees quoted in the Washington Post’s report, Disinfo Lab is led by Lt. Col. Dibya Satpathy, an officer with the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), India’s external intelligence agency, who is reportedly connected to India’s National Security Advisor, Ajit Doval. Along with a team of over ten contractors based in New Delhi, Disinfo Lab has run extensive smear campaigns with the aid of U.S. based Hindu nationalist organizations, who have distributed the org’s fabricated reports in the halls of Congress and in the California legislature.  In an evident bid to expand the Indian government’s escalating transnational repression campaign, Disinfo Lab reports have falsely presented IAMC as a front organization of Pakistan’s Inter-Service Intelligence agency, while leveling similarly outrageous allegations at U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal, who they have falsely claimed to be under the influence of “Islamist funding”. Disinfo Lab reports distributed by Hindu nationalist organizations to U.S. congresspeople show fabricated connections between American Muslim humanitarian organizations and terrorist groups. In California, Hindu far-right organizations used Disinfo Lab reports to suggest that the U.S. based Dalit (the lowest caste in India) rights organization Equality Labs was connected to Pakistani intelligence. “The Washington Post’s findings should be a wake up call to any Americans still in doubt: the Indian government wants to silence critical voices here, in India, and anywhere else where democratic freedoms come into conflict with their domineering aspirations,” said IAMC executive director Rasheed Ahmed.     “From the Indian government’s alleged assassination attempt of an American Sikh leader to its alleged assassination of Canadian Sikh Hardeep Singh Nijjar, to its organized intimidation campaigns targeting foreign academics and journalists, to the censorship of IAMC and HFHR’s social media accounts, to these latest revelations, the Indian government escalating campaign of transnational repression aims at silencing dissent wherever it arises.” “US officials must act decisively to deter the Indian government and any of its proxies from making any further incursions into the U.S. political sphere,” stated IAMC President Mohammed Jawad. Disinfo Lab propaganda has been amplified extensively on social media by senior officials within Indian PM Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party, as well as by U.S. based Hindu nationalist organizations, including HinduPact and Hindu Action, both offshoots of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America. Lobbyists of both of these groups have distributed Disinfo Lab reports in various U.S. political venues, including at the 2022 International Religious Freedom Summit in Washington, D.C.  IAMC calls upon U.S. agencies, including the FBI and the CIA to immediately initiate an investigation into Disinfo Lab and other Indian-intelligence-run campaigns targeting U.S. organizations and individuals. IAMC also calls upon the US Department of Justice and the Internal Revenue Service to investigate HinduPACT, Hindu Action, and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America for their potential collusion with the Indian government’s campaign of transnational repression.

Op-Eds

Jacobin: In Narendra Modi’s India, Hindu Nationalists Celebrate Violence Against Minority Women

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By Safa Ahmed Late last year, eleven Hindu extremists walked free from a prison in India’s Gujarat state. Their crime: brutally gang-raping a pregnant Muslim woman and murdering fourteen members of her family in 2002, during one of the worst outbreaks of anti-Muslim violence in recent Indian history. They served just fourteen years in prison — but far from criticizing such leniency, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) congratulated the men on their release. The survivor, Bilkis Bano, was rightly horrified by the courts’ utter failure to keep these men behind bars. But the BJP and large swaths of the Indian public received them as heroes: they were garlanded with flowers, fed sweets, and touted as respectable icons by the ruling party. One BJP parliamentarian praised them as having “good sanskar” (values) while implying that Bano had lied about the attack to “to corner and punish them.” Two other BJP politicians hosted one of the ex-cons at an official government event like a celebrity. Read More >>

Op-Eds

Chicago Sun Times: India’s Hindu nationalism is also an American problem

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By Rasheed Ahmed In the heart of our beautiful city of Chicago, a battle is quietly raging over Hindu nationalism. First conceived in the 20th century by Indian admirers of Hitler and Mussolini, Hindu nationalism is a divisive political project that seeks to transform India into a fundamentally Hindu state where people from other religions, particularly Muslims and Christians, are second-class citizens. Dominating government policy in India, sparking countless acts of violence against Indian religious minorities, and animating frequent debates among Chicagoland’s 238,000 Indian Americans, Hindu nationalism — which shouldn’t be confused with Hinduism or the tenets of that faith — nonetheless remains largely unknown to many Chicagoans. Read More >>

Palestine
Op-Eds

Jacobin: Why Far-Right Hindus Love Demonizing Palestinians

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By Safa Ahmed In the aftermath of the bombing of the al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza, social media was ablaze with a surge of disinformation about who was to blame for the attack. This included a post from a Twitter/X account, which posed as an Al Jazeera journalist named “Farida Khan,” falsely claiming to possess a video of a “Hamas missile landing in the hospital.” The account was deleted once Al Jazeera issued a clarification stating that it did not employ anyone by that name. But the damage had already been done, with the false claims all over social media. This account was part of a larger wave of far-right Hindu Indian accounts actively spreading Islamophobic, anti-Palestinian disinformation. Alarmingly, Indian accounts like that of “Farida” are at the forefront of fighting Israel’s PR war, often using fake news to justify war crimes against Palestinians and stoke hatred against Muslim minorities living in India. Read More >>

Op-Eds

Capital Weekly: Newsom veto plays into Hindu nationalist agenda

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By Ishaq Syed Following decades of activist struggle, California was poised to be the first U.S. state to outlaw caste discrimination, an ancient form of ancestry-based social stratification endemic to South Asia but also unfortunately upheld by diasporic communities in California. With state legislators voting 31-5 in favor of Senator Aisha Wahab’s SB403, California might have joined the City of Seattle,  the City of Fresno, the California State University System, Harvard University, and a host of other institutions in updating existing civil rights legislation to address this oft-overlooked form of discrimination within America’s South Asian communities. Read More >>

Press Release

American Bar Association report highlights India’s contravention of FATF guidelines in targeting civil society and human rights defenders

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Washington, D.C. (October 30, 2023) – The American Bar Association Center for Human Rights has released a report that sheds light on the misuse of counter-terrorism financing legislation by India’s ruling Hindu nationalist government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This misuse primarily targets non-profit organizations (NPOs) and human rights defenders. Titled “The Adverse Impact of Counter Terrorism Laws on Human Rights Defenders and FATF Compliance in India,” the report finds that India is contravening the Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) requirements and guidelines by targeting the human rights defenders & civil society actors. “India, upon its membership to the FATF in 2010, embarked on a series of amendments to its anti-terrorism and money laundering legislation, ostensibly aimed at aligning itself with FATF requirements. However, this process has led to sweeping adverse consequences for non-profit organizations (NPOs) and human rights defenders who have been subject to prosecution, often for the sole reason of exercising their civic freedoms and expressing criticism of the government,” the report notes. The report examines three draconian anti-terrorism laws: the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act 1967 (UAPA), the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), and the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA). Furthermore, it delves into specific cases involving NPOs and human rights defenders in India, including the bogus case against journalist Siddique Kappan, the application of terror funding charges against protestors of the citizenship bill, the arrest of Kashmiri political leader Waheed-ur-Rehman Parra, the Bhima Koregaon case, and the suppression of democratic rights activists in Telangana. The report reveals that Indian investigating authorities often employ vague accusations and inconsistent evidence in their attempts to penalize human rights defenders and NPOs critical of India’s government. Moreover, it notes that anti-terror laws have expanded over time, becoming increasingly ambiguous and frequently undermining fundamental procedural protections for defendants. The report has recommended the Indian government amend the UAPA, PMLA, and FCRA laws to prevent its abuse.  It also advises that during investigations or prosecutions involving individuals engaged in legal, journalistic, or activist activities, authorities should prioritize objective risk assessments to ensure compliance with FATF recommendations. In response to the report release, Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) Executive Director Rasheed Ahmed commented: “ABA’s report highlights an alarming pattern of targeting human rights defenders and NGOs in India, an issue we’ve consistently brought to attention in the past. As we seek to uphold the principles of justice and human rights, it is imperative that India takes heed of these findings and undertakes the necessary amendments. The development of anti-terrorism laws should not come at the expense of civil society and its defenders, and we call for a renewed commitment to upholding these fundamental principles and ensuring compliance with FATF recommendations.” Read and download the full report here

Reports

ABA: Adverse Impact of Counter Terrorism Laws on Human Rights Defenders and FATF Compliance in India

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The findings of this report highlight the misuse of countering terrorism financing legislation to target human rights defenders and close civic space. The report finds that India’s counter-terrorism laws have expanded over time, becoming increasingly vague, and often overturning basic procedural safeguards for defendants. In enforcing these counter-terrorism laws, investigating officers often use vague allegations and inconsistent evidence to attempt to punish human rights defenders and NPOs that are critical of India’s government. The process of prosecuting individuals under these laws has also become punishment itself through the use of extensive pretrial detention and repeated denial of bail.   [pdf-embedder url="http://3.145.57.38/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/india-fatf-report.pdf" title="ABA: Adverse Impact of Counter Terrorism Laws on Human Rights Defenders and FATF Compliance in India"]   Click Here to Download

Press Release

Indian Americans commend Senator Tammy Baldwin for introducing resolution to end persecution of minorities in India

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Washington, D.C. (October 26, 2023) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), the largest advocacy organization representing diaspora Indian Muslims in the United States, applauds Senator Tammy Baldwin for her unwavering commitment to the values of religious freedom and human rights. Senator Baldwin’s introduction of a Senate resolution calling for an end to religious and political persecution in India is a commendable step toward defending the principles of democracy and justice. The resolution underscores the centrality of religious freedom as a fundamental human right and emphasizes the responsibility of the United States to speak out against its violation wherever it may occur. Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s tenure, India has witnessed a troubling trend of anti-Muslim riots, beef-related lynchings, attacks on mosques and Muslim neighborhoods, summary demolition of Muslim properties with bulldozers, restrictions on public prayers, hate speech events, calls for social and economic boycott of Muslims, arrests under bogus charges and the implementation of discriminatory laws. In her statement, Senator Baldwin stated, “Religious freedom is a fundamental human right, and when any country infringes on it, the United States must stand up and speak out. I am calling on the United States to continue pushing the government of India to reverse the systematic religious and political persecution that endangers and disenfranchises innocent civilians.” Senator Baldwin’s resolution urges the U.S. government to engage with India and take measures to halt the persecution and violence against religious minorities and human rights advocates. Furthermore, it calls for an end to government policies that discriminate against Muslims and Christians based on their faith, aligning with the ideals of equality and secularism enshrined in India’s Constitution. It also calls on the Government of India to amend/repeal discriminatory laws and executive orders, including the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act, anti-conversion laws, anti-blasphemy laws, and sedition laws. It advocates for an end to the discriminatory National Register for Citizens and the restoration of citizenship to the 1.9 million residents in the state of Assam, as well as the release of individuals from detention centers. Furthermore, it demands the immediate release of unjustly detained human rights defenders, journalists, and other critics, and the establishment of accountability for the violent treatment of anti-CAA protesters. The resolution also calls for an end to the demolition of homes, businesses, and places of worship belonging to Muslims and Christians. Rasheed Ahmed, Executive Director of IAMC, praised Senator Baldwin’s courageous initiative, stating, “India is a key partner of the United States, and that makes it doubly important that the Indian government observes, practices, and implements civil and political liberties as enshrined in the Indian Constitution. Rising social conflict and democratic backslide in India will weaken and not strengthen India’s relevance as a global bulwark against anti-democratic forces. We applaud Senator Baldwin for introducing this significant resolution and encourage the US Senate to pass it to send a clear and unequivocal message to both the Biden Administration and the Indian government.” Masood Akhtar, a Wisconsin entrepreneur, and activist, added, “As a proud Indian-born American, I strongly believe in India’s Constitution as written, and if faithfully followed, it would ensure that India remains the world’s largest secular democracy and a role model for other countries.” “We commend Senator Tammy Baldwin for her leadership and dedication to upholding the principles of religious freedom, democracy, and human rights,” said IAMC President Mohammed Jawad.

Press Release

Umar Khalid’s Incarceration: USCIRF Commissioner expresses concern over use of anti-terrorism laws to silence activists; calls for India’s CPC designation

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Washington, D.C. (October 19, 2023) – At a Congressional briefing on the wrongful incarceration of Indian Muslim activist Umar Khalid, the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) Commissioner Eric Ueland called Khalid a “staunch defender of religious minorities” who “peacefully protested… discriminatory legislation.”  Ueland demanded that the United States take seriously the extensive reports of India’s use of draconian anti-terrorism laws to silence activists from minority faith backgrounds. He further called on the State Department to designate India as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) for egregious violations of religious freedoms.     “We strongly urge policy recommendations that take these abuses seriously, especially the importance of the United States in its designation of India as a CPC in the coming months, and not let India off the hook from the consequences of a CPC designation with some sort of scummy waiver,” said Ueland.  On September 13, 2020, Umar Khalid was falsely charged with terrorism and arrested under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) after Indian authorities accused him of inciting communal violence following a speech he delivered during nationwide protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). The CAA is a law that discriminates against Muslims and excludes them from being able to receive fast-tracked Indian citizenship. In his speech, Khalid had called for nonviolent resistance against the far-right government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).  Also speaking at the briefing was Syed Qasim Rasool Ilyas, the father of Umar Khalid, who stated that he was not only speaking to represent the case of his son, but to represent the cases of all India’s political prisoners.      “Those who are languishing in jail – what was their crime?” Ilyas asked. “They have spoken against a discriminatory law. [For this,] they have been charged with sedition, they have been charged with terrorism, and they are languishing in jail for the last three years under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act.” He added, “People must know what is prevailing in the country. India is the largest democracy in the world. But we are afraid of whether it will remain as a democracy or not after the 2024 election. If this government comes back, people feel that the democracy of the country will be lost.”  Other speakers at the briefing included Nausicaa Renner, Deputy Editor of The Intercept.      “One of the most dangerous things about what is happening to Umar Khalid — which we are also seeing around the conflict in Israel and Gaza — is that speaking out against state power is being equated with terrorism or sympathy for terrorism,” said Renner.  Indian journalist Niranjan Takle quoted Umar Khalid’s speech to anti-CAA protestors, saying, “If they spread hate, we will respond with love. If they thrash us with sticks, we will keep holding our national tricolor flag high.”     “What is anti-national in this speech?” he added. “What is it that is provoking violence? But based on this speech, frivolous charges were raised against [Khalid], and he has been incarcerated in jail for the last 37 months… and the Supreme Court of India is not ready to even hear the bail petitions.”  Pieter Friedrich, an independent journalist and author of Saffron America: India’s Hindu Nationalist Project at Work in the United States, pointed out the stark contrast between the Indian government’s targeting of Khalid and its silence regarding Sadhvi Rithambara, a leader of the Hindu militant group Vishwa Hindu Parishad who has a history of inciting mass anti-Muslim violence with her speeches.        “This young student activist is incarcerated for participating in protests in which members of his own Muslim community were killed by the ruling authorities, while Sadhvi Rithambara is free to travel internationally as a spokesperson of the Hindu nationalist movement, which is targeting Umar Khalid’s community back in India,” Friedrich said.  This special briefing was co-sponsored by 18 American civil rights organizations including the Indian American Muslim Council, Genocide Watch, World Without Genocide, Hindus for Human Rights, International Christian Concern, Jubilee Campaign,  21Wilberforce, Dalit Solidarity Forum, New York State Council of Churches, Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations of North America, India Civil Watch International, Center for Pluralism, International Commission for Dalit Rights, American Muslim Institution, Students Against Hindutva Ideology, International Society for Peace and Justice, The Humanism Project and Association of Indian Muslims of America. 

Press Mentions

Plano Star Courier: Indian American Muslim Council’s annual convention sets call to action to uphold human rights in India and US

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In a celebration for diverse communities across North Texas, the Indian American Muslim Council held its annual convention at the Plano Event Center on Saturday, Oct. 14. The central theme for the event was a global call to action to uphold democracy and human rights for all. The event saw day-long panel discussions on human rights both in India and in the United States, in addition to a bazaar full of vendors selling a diverse range of products, including books, art, South Asian apparel, children’s toys and more. The bazaar also included displays depicting key historical events of Islamic practice in India. Read More >>

Press Release

Indian American Muslim Council Convenes Widely Attended National Convention in Texas

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Plano, Texas (October 18, 2023) — On Saturday, October 14, the Indian American Muslim Council hosted its annual convention, anchored on the theme of “Upholding Democracy and Human Rights: A Global Call to Action.” The event was convened at the Plano Events Center in Plano, Texas, and saw over 1,000 attendees. In addition to a full day of panel discussions on human rights in India and the US, the event featured a wide-ranging bazaar with local vendors selling South Asian apparel, as well as Islamic art, books, children’s toys, and even solar panel installation services. Also included in the bazaar were book displays on the global persecution of Muslims, the increasing presence of Hindu far-right nationalist groups in the United States, and young adult fiction. Anchoring rows of tables was a candle-light memorial kept burning all day with the names of victims of anti-minority attacks in India superimposed on the famous India Gate in Delhi. Panels convened throughout the day to offer convention participants the opportunity to learn about conditions that Muslims, Christians, Dalits, and other persecuted minorities are facing in India, the rise of Hindu nationalist groups in India and the United States, and the need to organize across faiths in order to present a united front against India’s ruling Hindutva (or Hindu nationalist) party, the Bharatiya Janata Party. According to The Guardian, Hindutva is rooted in Hindu supremacism, an ideology that aims to transform India into the Hindu Rashtra (nation) where Muslims and Christians are reduced to second-class citizens and Hindus enjoy higher status. After a rousing prayer led by Plano’s own Dr. Zafar Anjum, Imam at Colony Masjid, Shaikh Omar Suleiman delivered the convention’s keynote address.     As Founder and President of the Yaqeen Institute for Islamic Research, Shaikh Suleiman emphasized the need to rise together as a community in order to combat rising threats to Muslim lives in India, Palestine, and other countries. “Once the world’s largest democracy, India now stands as a model of oppression,” Suleiman said. “But what we possess in faith is stronger than what they possess in war machines.” After celebrating the contributions of both the Sikh and Hindu communities to oppose the persecution of Muslims in India, Suleiman encouraged attendees “not just to listen to speeches, but to sign up for work. We need workers and volunteers. May Allah allow this to be a moment in which we form a movement here in Dallas to oppose fascism in India.” Following Dr. Suleiman’s address, the IAMC convened the second annual Human Rights and Religious Freedom Journalism Awards, celebrating the best in Indian human rights journalism. IAMC Executive Director Rasheed Ahmed discussed the dire state of Indian media under the Modi regime, where news organizations are routinely raided and their editors arrested. “It is hard to think of any time when independent Indian media have been more in danger. As against these threats, the perseverance of today’s award winners is especially impressive and necessary,” said Mr. Ahmed.     Convention attendees then enjoyed a banquet lunch and socialized in the bazaar area. Participants in the convention youth summit gathered in another room to discuss organizing strategies for building resilient networks of resistance among the next generation of activists. The following panels convened after lunch: “Interfaith Leaders in Action: Social Justice Beyond Dialogue”; “Upholding Democracy in India: 2024 Election and its Impact”; and “Unveiling the Shadows: The Impact of Hindu Supremacy on Women”. At the Interfaith Leaders in Action panel, IAMC Associate Media Director Safa Ahmed welcomed Azhar Azeez, Former President of the Islamic Society of North America, Manmohan Singh, the Chair of Sikh Council for Interfaith Relations, and Pastor Bob Roberts Jr, Co-Founder of Multi-Faith Neighbors Network. Each shared their thoughts on reaching out across faiths and the challenges of doing so. Singh discussed how he had been shouted at for participating in Interfaith panels with Muslim women at the 2023 Parliament of World Religions, and how “the next generation needs to learn both to respect freedom of speech” and “develop tools to protect themselves.” Pastor Bob Roberts noted how Indian Christians were threatened by rising “authoritarianism and tribalism” and emphasized the need to “keep weaving baskets of community.” At “Upholding Democracy in India: The 2024 Election and Its Impact” panelists SQR Ilyas, father of imprisoned Muslim activist Umair Khalid and IAMC’s Advocacy Director Ajit Sahi discussed the upcoming Indian election. Ilyas pointed to the inspiring example of the recent Karnataka elections: “Muslims decided to come together to vote the BJP out of power. They decided to back one party and put aside their differences.” Ajit Sahi emphasized the need for the opposition party must “Foreground the economic failures of India’s Hindu Nationalist prime minister. Their development victories are a ruse. If they do this, they will sweep the elections.” At “Unveiling the Shadows: The Impact of Hindu Supremacy on Women” panelists Dr. Yasmin Saikia, Hardt-Nickachos Chair in Peace Studies at Arizona State University, and scholar Dr. Samina Salim discussed the threats posed to women by India’s Hindu nationalist government.     Panelists pointed to the example of the protests led by women wrestlers, who allege that BJP leader Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh molested and groped them at national conferences. “Degrading women, especially women, is at the core of the Hindu nationalist program. Employment of women is denied by the BJP,” said Dr. Yasmin Saikia. Other panelists pointed to the oppression experienced by Muslim women who have been banned from wearing hijabs in school. The final panel included “Hindu Nationalism & Islamophobia: A Contemporary Analysis,” featuring Dr. Khaled Beydoun, Author & Legal Scholar; Dr. Sabreena Ghaffar-Siddiqui, Professor and Researcher; and Dr. Sahar Aziz, Professor, Author of the Racial Muslim. The evening segment included a moving play by IAMC volunteers on the importance of putting aside religious differences and coming together to form one harmonious, pluralistic India. IAMC leaders recognized and celebrated four outstanding individuals for their remarkable dedication and contributions to human and civil rights. Among the honorees were Omar Suleiman, recipient of the Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar award, Dr. Sahar Aziz, honored with the Begum Hazrat Mahal award, Dr. Khalid Beydoun, who received the Tipu Sultan award, and Dr. Angana P. Chatterji,

Press Release

Censorship alert: IAMC Urgently Demands Restoration of X Account Access in India

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Washington, D.C. (October 16, 2023) — The Indian American Muslim Council, the U.S. oldest and largest advocacy organization committed to promoting justice, pluralism, and the civil rights of Indian Americans, is gravely concerned by the censorship of its account on X, formerly known as Twitter, in India. On October 14, IAMC and its close ally Hindus for Human Rights (HFHR) learned that their X accounts were withheld in India in response to a “legal demand” from the Indian government. Two days after the suspension, X wrote IAMC to inform that the account has been withheld after X received “a legal removal demand from the Government of India… that claims the following content violates India’s Information Technology Act, 2000.” The Indian government’s sweeping and draconian Information Technology Act has already been used to censor many online users. “IAMC’s X account serves as an important medium for Indian-American Muslims to shine light on Hindu nationalism and worsening human rights conditions of persecuted minority groups in India. Silencing our voice on social media is an affront not just to our organization but to the democracy in the United States and India,” said IAMC executive director Rasheed Ahmed. “X executive Elon Musk is working hand in glove with Modi’s authoritarian regime to block a U.S. based organization. X is accelerating the suppression of free expression and democracy in India and the U.S.” The suspension of IAMC and HFHR’s accounts continues the Indian government’s broader crackdown on critical voices in media and politics, which escalated in recent weeks with the Indian government filing criminal charges against prominent novelist Arundhati Roy and raiding the offices of the Independent news organization NewsClick and arresting its editor-in-chief.  “With the alleged assassination of Canadian resident Hardeep Singh by Indian foreign agents, the censorship of U.S. based social media accounts, India’s repressive tactics now clearly pose an international threat to security and freedom of expression,” said IAMC President Mohammad Jawad.  IAMC calls on X to immediately restore access to its account in India. IAMC furthermore calls on the aid of the international community as it seeks to counter rising threats to its freedom of expression in India. IAMC is in close contact with its attorneys as it seeks legal recourse to challenge the withholding of its account. It joins with close allies as it continues to fight for the civil rights of India’s persecuted minorities and on behalf of freedom of speech everywhere.

Press Release

Indian Americans condemn ongoing Israeli war crimes against Palestinians

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Washington, DC (October 16) —The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), the largest advocacy organization representing diaspora Indian Muslims in the United States, has condemned in strongest terms the ongoing siege and relentless bombing campaign carried out by the Israeli occupation and apartheid regime in Gaza. This campaign not only constitutes war crimes and a clear violation of international law but also raises alarming concerns about potential genocidal intent. The humanitarian crisis unfolding in Gaza, with the loss of countless innocent Palestinian lives, including women and children, is a grave injustice. The targeting of civilians and crucial infrastructure, such as hospitals and residential areas, blatantly disregards international conventions that protect the rights and lives of civilians.  According to Reuters, the death toll in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank has reached 2,740 dead and over 10,000 injured as of October 16. Human Rights Watch confirmed that Israel is using white phosphorus on civilians in Gaza, while the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCR) has said that Palestinians are in “grave danger of mass ethnic cleansing.”  It is essential that the American and the international community heed the concerns of these human rights experts and act promptly to prevent further bloodshed. IAMC stands in solidarity with the people of Palestine and calls for an end to the Israeli occupation and the ongoing killings in Gaza.

Featured, Reports

IAMC Report: Persecution of Religious Minorities in India (July-Sep 2023)

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IAMC's third quarter report highlights a distressing surge in communal violence, targeted attacks, and hate speech directed against religious minorities, particularly Muslims and Christians, in India. The violence is exacerbating an atmosphere of persecution and discrimination faced by minority groups. Violent cow vigilantism targeting Muslims witnessed a notable increase as self-proclaimed cow protectors continued to engage in targeted attacks, ostensibly in the name of preventing beef consumption and cattle transportation. Additionally, there was a notable uptick in the illegal demolition of Muslim homes and targeting of religious structures, resulting in the displacement of entire communities, particularly in regions of Manipur and Haryana. These incidents are deeply troubling and require immediate attention.   [pdf-embedder url="http://3.145.57.38/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Q3-Report-1.pdf" title="Q3 Report (1)"]   Click Here to Download

Press Release

IAMC expresses disappointment over Governor Newsom’s decision to veto bill on caste discrimination in California

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Washington, D.C. (October 9, 2023) — The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), a prominent advocacy organization committed to promoting justice, pluralism, and the civil rights of Indian Americans, has expressed its profound disappointment and concern over the decision of California Governor Gavin Newsom to veto SB403, a bill aimed at addressing caste-based discrimination in the state of California. The bill could have made California the first state to ban discrimination on the basis of caste.  IAMC had placed great hope in the passage of this critical legislation. The bill represented an essential step towards acknowledging and eradicating the practice of caste discrimination, which affects caste-oppressed communities within the South Asian diaspora. Regrettably, Governor Newsom chose to veto a bill that sought to rectify this longstanding injustice. Caste discrimination has no place in a just and equal society, and its elimination should be a priority for any responsible administration. “As Indian American Muslims, we are shocked, disheartened, and deeply disappointed to see that Governor Newsom refused to uphold the civil rights of all Californians and make history for caste-oppressed people throughout the state,” said IAMC Executive Director Rasheed Ahmed.  “If Governor Newsom takes a closer look at who pushed for this veto, he’ll see that it’s the supporters of a deeply discriminatory, bigoted, and hateful supremacist movement,” said IAMC President Mohammed Jawad. “That alone should be proof enough that this bill is far from ‘unnecessary,’ and would have offered much-needed protection to people affected by a form of discrimination that is not well understood or acknowledged by most Americans.”  “Despite this setback, we will not let this denial of the realities of caste oppression in the US stop us from continuing to stand by our caste-oppressed communities in the pursuit of justice,” Ahmed added. “We will continue to push for the end of caste discrimination in the US and worldwide.” 

Press Release

Exposé: Investigation needed into interference by far-right Hindu American groups in US Political Processes, say civil rights leaders

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Washington, D.C. (October 4, 2023) —The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) organized a special event today to unveil a groundbreaking report that sheds light on the involvement of US-based Hindu far-right organizations in blocking a proposed resolution by the Chicago City Council in support of Indian Muslims. The report reveals their tactics, including employing hired lobbyists, collaborating with anti-Muslim entities, disseminating misinformation to influence council members, targeting an elected official, and concealing their activities behind a bogus secular front organization. The report delves into the details exposed during a Facebook live conversation between Bharat Barai, a Hindu far-right leader based in Illinois, and Amitabh Mittal, the General Secretary of Vishwa Hindu Parishad America (VHPA), the American offshoot of the India-based Hindu militant group Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP). This conversation, livestreamed by VHPA, meticulously outlines the campaign aimed at thwarting a resolution that denounced the Indian government’s Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) as “inherently discriminatory.” In response to the resolution’s strong stance against anti-Muslim violence and discrimination in India, rightwing Hindu groups in Chicago launched a multi-pronged effort to put massive pressure on the city council to vote against the resolution by disguising their efforts under a false front. This was achieved by establishing a “secular” group called the US-India Friendship Council, which Barai claimed could be used to “argue that [the resolution] will impact the friendship between the two countries.” Chicago-based Hindu rightwing elements then hired lobbyist Joe Moore, a former Chicago Alderman who played a decisive role in influencing city aldermen against the resolution. Additionally, in what the report describes as an “unethical alliance,” Amit Kumar, the then-Consul General of India in Chicago, was asked by the group to write letters pressuring the city council to oppose the resolution. Right-wing Hindu American influencers were also asked to write blog posts on a myriad of websites to bolster the group’s argument.  Four days before the vote, hundreds of WhatsApp messages were sent urging people to oppose the resolution. The group also created 17 different versions of email petitions, which would send all 50 aldermen emails with “one click,” resulting in each alderman receiving five to seven thousand emails.    Most alarmingly, the group worked closely with blatantly anti-Muslim groups such as the Middle East Forum, a widely known Islamophobic think tank, to spread the false narrative that the resolution was sponsored by “terrorist” groups. The groups in question, however, were well-established Muslim advocacy groups that were maliciously labeled by Barai and his associates with harmful Islamophobic terms.  Barai added that the US-India Friendship Council pushed the false claim that rising anti-Muslim violence in India “was an outright lie.”  “No such thing has happened. [The claim] was sponsored by CAIR, which is a terrorist organization. How many bought our argument we don’t know,” said Barai during the livestream.   The resolution’s lead sponsor, Ald. Maria Hadden, was also personally targeted and painted as a hateful bigot by the group, including by Barai himself, who wrote Hadden a comment targeting her sexual orientation. The group also protested outside of Hadden’s office, holding up signs with slogans such as “Maria: Stop spreading hate.” Speaking at the special briefing on the implications of the exposé were several advocacy experts.   Hatem Bazian, a prominent scholar of religion, politics, and globalization, stated that the defeat of the resolution “was by means of utilizing structured Islamophobia,” and called for investigation into the US-India Friendship Council and the VHPA.  “We need to pose the question, are [these groups] acting as agents of a foreign government in the United States, interfering in the political process?” Bazian said. “I would say…  to actually file a complaint against the VHP of America as well as the US India Friendship Council, and [investigate] whether they were actually acting as unregistered agents of a foreign government interfering in the democratic process in America.” “For the past several years, we’ve witnessed these US-based organizations and activists with ties to Hindutva working to minimize criticism and dilute efforts to combat these Islamophobic or even anti-Dalit acts of intimidation or trends of discrimination,” said Robert McCaw, government affairs director of the Council on American–Islamic Relations (CAIR). “This isn’t just a matter of words and ideology. It’s about upholding the values of respect, diversity and justice that we as a nation hold dear.” “Hindutva, at this point, is at the front of the line in terms of the worst forms of religious extremism,” said Salam Al-Marayati, president and co-founder of the Muslim Public Affairs Council. “We as Americans – not just as Muslims – but all Americans should be concerned.” “There’s a convergence in the United States of some Hindutva inspired organizations or individuals and the Islamophobia industry,” said Todd Green, Director of Campus Partnerships for Interfaith America, commenting on the collaboration between Barai’s group and the Middle East Forum.  He added, “We have to pay a lot more attention to and start tracking the connections between these two… particularly when progressive politicians are being targeted with some of these campaigns and initiatives like they were in Chicago.” “The current regime in India has a policy of using the diaspora in the US to advance their agenda domestically,” said John Prabhudoss, Chairman of the Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations (FIACONA). “What we should be focusing on is how Hindu nationalists are hijacking US policies and what impact this [interference] will have.” Addressing the Hindu American community, Sunita Vishwanath, co-founder of the advocacy group Hindus for Human Rights, said, “My primary concern isn’t merely about those orchestrating these shameful and unscrupulous maneuvers. It’s about us, the broader Hindu community, and our predisposition to be swayed by such distortions… We are willfully blind to the atrocities taking place all around us, atrocities taking place in our name.”   [pdf-embedder url="http://test.iamc.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/expose-111.pdf" title="expose 111"]   Click Here to Download

Featured, Reports

How Hindu far-right groups crushed a pro-democracy resolution in Chicago city council

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Washington, D.C. (October 4, 2023) —The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) organized a special event today to unveil a groundbreaking report that sheds light on the involvement of US-based Hindu far-right organizations in blocking a proposed resolution by the Chicago City Council in support of Indian Muslims. The report reveals their tactics, including employing hired lobbyists, collaborating with anti-Muslim entities, disseminating misinformation to influence council members, targeting an elected official, and concealing their activities behind a bogus secular front organization. The report delves into the details exposed during a Facebook live conversation between Bharat Barai, a Hindu far-right leader based in Illinois, and Amitabh Mittal, the General Secretary of Vishwa Hindu Parishad America (VHPA), the American offshoot of the India-based Hindu militant group Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP). This conversation, livestreamed by VHPA, meticulously outlines the campaign aimed at thwarting a resolution that denounced the Indian government’s Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) as “inherently discriminatory.” In response to the resolution’s strong stance against anti-Muslim violence and discrimination in India, rightwing Hindu groups in Chicago launched a multi-pronged effort to put massive pressure on the city council to vote against the resolution by disguising their efforts under a false front. This was achieved by establishing a “secular” group called the US-India Friendship Council, which Barai claimed could be used to “argue that [the resolution] will impact the friendship between the two countries.” Chicago-based Hindu rightwing elements then hired lobbyist Joe Moore, a former Chicago Alderman who played a decisive role in influencing city aldermen against the resolution. Additionally, in what the report describes as an “unethical alliance,” Amit Kumar, the then-Consul General of India in Chicago, was asked by the group to write letters pressuring the city council to oppose the resolution. Right-wing Hindu American influencers were also asked to write blog posts on a myriad of websites to bolster the group’s argument.  Four days before the vote, hundreds of WhatsApp messages were sent urging people to oppose the resolution. The group also created 17 different versions of email petitions, which would send all 50 aldermen emails with “one click,” resulting in each alderman receiving five to seven thousand emails.    Most alarmingly, the group worked closely with blatantly anti-Muslim groups such as the Middle East Forum, a widely known Islamophobic think tank, to spread the false narrative that the resolution was sponsored by “terrorist” groups. The groups in question, however, were well-established Muslim advocacy groups that were maliciously labeled by Barai and his associates with harmful Islamophobic terms.  Barai added that the US-India Friendship Council pushed the false claim that rising anti-Muslim violence in India “was an outright lie.”  “No such thing has happened. [The claim] was sponsored by CAIR, which is a terrorist organization. How many bought our argument we don’t know,” said Barai during the livestream.   The resolution’s lead sponsor, Ald. Maria Hadden, was also personally targeted and painted as a hateful bigot by the group, including by Barai himself, who wrote Hadden a comment targeting her sexual orientation. The group also protested outside of Hadden’s office, holding up signs with slogans such as “Maria: Stop spreading hate.” Speaking at the special briefing on the implications of the exposé were several advocacy experts.   Hatem Bazian, a prominent scholar of religion, politics, and globalization, stated that the defeat of the resolution “was by means of utilizing structured Islamophobia,” and called for investigation into the US-India Friendship Council and the VHPA.  “We need to pose the question, are [these groups] acting as agents of a foreign government in the United States, interfering in the political process?” Bazian said. “I would say…  to actually file a complaint against the VHP of America as well as the US India Friendship Council, and [investigate] whether they were actually acting as unregistered agents of a foreign government interfering in the democratic process in America.” “For the past several years, we’ve witnessed these US-based organizations and activists with ties to Hindutva working to minimize criticism and dilute efforts to combat these Islamophobic or even anti-Dalit acts of intimidation or trends of discrimination,” said Robert McCaw, government affairs director of the Council on American–Islamic Relations (CAIR). “This isn’t just a matter of words and ideology. It’s about upholding the values of respect, diversity and justice that we as a nation hold dear.” “Hindutva, at this point, is at the front of the line in terms of the worst forms of religious extremism,” said Salam Al-Marayati, president and co-founder of the Muslim Public Affairs Council. “We as Americans – not just as Muslims – but all Americans should be concerned.” “There’s a convergence in the United States of some Hindutva inspired organizations or individuals and the Islamophobia industry,” said Todd Green, Director of Campus Partnerships for Interfaith America, commenting on the collaboration between Barai’s group and the Middle East Forum.  He added, “We have to pay a lot more attention to and start tracking the connections between these two… particularly when progressive politicians are being targeted with some of these campaigns and initiatives like they were in Chicago.” “The current regime in India has a policy of using the diaspora in the US to advance their agenda domestically,” said John Prabhudoss, Chairman of the Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations (FIACONA). “What we should be focusing on is how Hindu nationalists are hijacking US policies and what impact this [interference] will have.” Addressing the Hindu American community, Sunita Vishwanath, co-founder of the advocacy group Hindus for Human Rights, said, “My primary concern isn’t merely about those orchestrating these shameful and unscrupulous maneuvers. It’s about us, the broader Hindu community, and our predisposition to be swayed by such distortions… We are willfully blind to the atrocities taking place all around us, atrocities taking place in our name.”   [pdf-embedder url="http://3.145.57.38/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/expose-111.pdf" title="expose 111"]   Click Here to Download

Quran burning
Press Release

IAMC condemns Quran burning incident by high school student in Chicago suburbs; calls for investigation into Hindu far-right influences

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Naperville, IL (October 3, 2023)— The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), the largest advocacy organization representing diaspora Indian Muslims in the United States, expresses its deep concern over a recently discovered video depicting a Naperville high school student engaged in the reprehensible act of burning a copy of the Quran. This hateful act appears to be influenced by local Hindu supremacist groups with connections to extremist Hindu nationalist organizations in India. Burning the Quran is unequivocally condemned by the United Nations Human Rights Council as a “religious hate act” due to its threatening, disrespectful, and deeply hurtful nature towards Muslims worldwide. The video, recorded in June, only recently surfaced on social media, showing the student holding a lighter to a copy of Quran, fanning it to make the flames spread, and then hurling it to the ground. The student has confessed to the hateful action and claimed that his reasoning for doing so was because “[the Quran] said to kill all non Muslims and it slandered other religions,” an anti-Muslim myth he claimed to have seen on social media.  Disturbingly, there is a pattern of anti-Muslim sentiment in the student’s history, seemingly influenced by Hindu supremacist ideology. In 2021, Hindu supremacist groups organized a campaign to push back against the construction of a new mosque in Naperville by leaving a plethora of opposition comments on the Naperville city website. A number of the comments were posted by people living in India as well as Hindu rightwing bots. According to the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR), the student responsible for burning the Quran reportedly left a comment opposing the mosque’s construction. Furthermore, the language used by the student to justify his actions closely resembles the rhetoric of Hindu extremists in India, frequently disseminated on social media platforms such as Instagram, Twitter, WhatsApp, and Facebook.  Similar language has also been used by prominent Hindu far-right groups in the United States, including the claim that Muslims are “barbaric” invaders of India on the website of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America (VHPA), which is an offshoot of India-based militant group Vishwa Hindu Parishad. According to Bridge Initiative at Georgetown University, VHPA’s leaders have a history of making anti-Muslim remarks, it has platformed far-right Hindu nationalists and recently has targeted American Muslim politicians and rights organizations who call attention to the persecution of Muslims and rising Hindu nationalism in India. In 2018, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08) participated in the World Hindu Congress (WHC) organized by VHPA in Chicago. The VHPA and other American Hindu supremacist groups, notably the Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (HSS), the US offshoot of India based paramilitary group Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) have a strong presence in Naperville and greater Chicagoland area. They often masquerade as “benign cultural organizations” by conducting children’s programs and yoga appreciation campaigns. Last month, members of the American Hindu right organized an event in Chicago featuring Sadhvi Rithambara, a prominent VHP leader and Hindu militant icon whose hate speeches have been described as “the single most powerful instrument for whipping up anti-Muslim violence” in India’s recent past.  Last year, rightwing Hindu supporters pushed the enactment of a law that blatantly excluded Muslims from a proposed Indian American Advisory Council, which was created to “advise the [Illinois] Governor and the General Assembly on policy issues impacting Indian Americans and immigrants.”    “Given the prevalence of such overtly anti-Muslim activities in Naperville and Greater Chicagoland area, IAMC suspects it highly likely that the student was and remains influenced by the rising Hindu supremacist radicalization,” said IAMC Executive Director Rasheed Ahmed. The Indian American Muslim Council calls upon school authorities to ensure that the responsible student faces appropriate consequences for committing an act of religious hatred, especially in the current climate of escalating Islamophobia nationwide. Additionally, we urge elected officials to condemn this incident in the strongest terms and call on local authorities to initiate an investigation to identify the root causes behind the anti-Muslim indoctrination. Furthermore, we call upon the FBI to collaborate with activists and advocacy groups, including those dedicated to countering Hindu extremist rhetoric, to safeguard the local Muslim community and investigate far-right Hindu supremacist organizations in the state of Illinois. Anyone with more information about this incident, please email us at media.info@iamc.com.

Press Release

IAMC condemns PM Modi’s latest crackdown on free press, detention of journalists

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Washington, D.C. (October 3, 2023) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), the largest advocacy organization of diaspora Indian Muslims, has strongly condemned the Indian government’s blatant assault on freedom of press by raiding the office of news portal NewsClick, searching the homes of over a dozen journalists including junior employees and contributors, seizing laptops and phones, and detaining around ten journalists. NewsClick’s founder and editor-in-chief, Prabir Purkayastha, and journalist Amit Chakravarty were arrested under India’s draconian anti-terror law, the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). The news portal has been widely recognized for its relentless coverage of India’s vulnerable and marginalized communities, including its courageous reporting on human rights abuses perpetrated by the far-right government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his supporters. The raids occurred after the Delhi Police Special Cell lodged a case against NewsClick under the UAPA, following a New York Times report that alleged that the media company had received funding from an American millionaire involved in the spread of “Chinese propaganda.”  However, four prominent Indian media bodies – the Press Club of India, the Indian Women’s Press Corps, the Delhi Union of Journalists, and Press Association – have slammed these allegations as “unwarranted and condemnable,” and comparing the hypocritical scrutiny into NewsClick’s funds to a “witch-hunt.” “For years, NewsClick and other independent media outlets have centered the truth while the corporate-run mainstream media has become a bullhorn for pro-Modi and anti-Muslim propaganda,” said IAMC Executive Director Rasheed Ahmed. “In that sense, it is no surprise that the Indian government has leaped on this excuse to frighten and punish innocent journalists and writers amid an ongoing crackdown on free speech in the country.”  “Too many Indian and Kashmiri journalists have faced prolonged detention and profound human rights abuses after being charged under the draconian UAPA,” IAMC President Mohammed Jawad said. “It is long past time for the international community to take a stand against India’s treatment of journalists as terrorists.”  IAMC calls upon the Modi government to immediately drop the baseless case against NewsClick and release both Purkayastha and Chakravarty. Furthermore, IAMC urges the international community, particularly the Biden administration, as a strategic partner to India, to publicly denounce the Modi regime’s assault on freedom of speech and the press. We must stand together to safeguard these fundamental pillars of democracy and human rights.

Press Release

New York Council of Churches open letter calls on Biden, Congress to “speak out forcefully” against minority persecution in India

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Washington, D.C. (September 19, 2023) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) today commended the New York Council of Churches for its release of an open letter calling on the Biden administration to “speak out forcefully” against rising Hindu extremist violence targeting Christians and other minorities in India.  In the letter addressed to President Biden, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and other major elected officials, the NY Council of Churches expressed grave concern regarding escalating anti-Christian violence throughout Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s India, particularly in Manipur, where predominantly Christian Kuki-Zo tribals have faced hundreds of violent attacks on their villages, churches, and homes at the hands of predominantly Hindu Meitei mobs.  “The New York State Council of Churches… calls on the President and Congress to speak out forcefully against Indian Prime Minister Modi’s systematic persecution of Christians and other religious minorities,” stated the letter, which was signed by twenty-five faith leaders from the Christian community. The letter pointed out that despite the US praising India as an ally, Modi’s supporters have a well-documented track record of abusing American citizens who are sympathetic to the plight of Indian minorities.  “We note with alarm the growth of the Hindu Nationalist affiliated groups in the United States many of which influence our domestic politics, spread disinformation about what is happening in India and seek to silence and intimidate United States citizens who are critical of the Indian Government,” the letter said.  The letter further criticized US lawmakers for being willing to “set aside their Christian principles to openly defend the Prime Minister and ignore all of the Indian government’s well-documented abuses against Christians and other religious minorities,” particularly since several US-based activists, journalists, and human rights organizations have faced severe harassment from Modi’s supporters.  The Indian American Muslim Council reaffirms its solidarity with Indian Christians and those fighting to protect human rights and calls upon the Biden administration to publicly condemn the ongoing attacks on Christians throughout India. 

Press Release

India hearing: USCIRF Commissioners, UN Special Rapporteur, experts call on US government to speak out against Modi’s minority persecution

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Washington, D.C. (September 21, 2023) – Commissioners on the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) raised concerns about the “sophisticated, systematic persecution” of religious minorities by the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a hearing on India on Wednesday.  For the past four years, USCIRF has recommended India to be designated a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) for its severe violations of human rights and religious freedoms. This recommendation has yet to be implemented by the US Department of State. In commending the testimonies of the experts and activists called to speak at the hearing, USCIRF Commissioner David Curry said, “I’ve become convinced that India has the most sophisticated, systematic persecution of religious minorities by any democratic government. And I don’t say that lightly.” “Religious freedom conditions in India have notably declined in recent years,” said USCIRF Chair Rabbi Abraham Cooper. “Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Dalits, Adivasis are experiencing increased levels of attacks and acts of intimidation… These trends and their implications for US foreign policy should not be ignored.” “Policymakers cannot ignore the foreign policy and trade implications of deteriorating religious conditions in India,” said Vice Chair Frederick A. Davie, adding that USCIRF’s reporting takes note of several Indian states’ legal restrictions “on religious conversion, religious dress, educational curriculum, interfaith marriage, and cow slaughter,” which “negatively impacts Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Dalits, and Indigenous and scheduled tribal people.” Other speakers also called on the US government to condemn India’s declining religious freedoms and human rights violations.  “It is for the government of the United States to be very frank here and indicate that there are serious areas of concern [in India]… in order to ensure peace,” said Dr. Fernand de Varennes, United Nations Special Rapporteur on minority issues. “Because if we don’t have that, we are heading towards a massive dangerous situation in India, [which] will have repercussions on the United States.” Sarah Yager, Washington Director of Human Rights Watch, criticized the Biden administration’s open display of support for Modi as a means to counteract China.  “Prime Minister Modi was warmly welcomed in Washington as we remember very recently by the White House and Congress,” she said. “With this unmitigated demonstration of support by US officials, we question what reason [Modi] has to change course… China’s rise cannot be an excuse for US officials to overlook, ignore or play down the human rights abuses of its friends.” Sunita Viswanath, co-founder of Hindus for Human Rights, read a statement on behalf of the Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), Dalit Solidarity Forum, Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations, Hindus for Human Rights, India Civil Watch International, and the New York State Council of Churches, all of which co-authored the statement.  “We are disappointed that Muslims, Christians, Sikhs and Dalits, who face the brunt of religious freedom and human rights violations under Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, have not been invited to speak on this panel,” Viswanath said.  “The rejection by the Biden and Trump Administrations of USCIRF’s recommendation to designate India as a CPC for three years in a row is a troubling precedent,” she added. “If the Biden Administration continues its uncritical embrace of the Modi government despite mounting violations of religious freedom and human rights in India, America will carry the burden of being on the wrong side of history.” Irfan Nooruddin, Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani Professor of Indian Politics in the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University, spoke on rising mob violence in India. “Vigilante groups – in a manner reminiscent of the darkest periods of American history – harass, beat, and murder Muslim men rumored to be smuggling beef, dating a Hindu girl, or insulting a deity. No evidence is required,” he said.  Adding that these attacks are enabled by the Modi regime’s silence, Nooruddin said, “This offers an opening for the US government to call upon its alleged partner to speak more clearly and act more decisively to defend religious minorities.”

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Press Release

IAMC Supports US Demand That India Cooperate With Canadian Investigation Into Killing of Sikh Leader

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Washington, DC (September 18) — The Indian American Muslim Council joins the US Department of State in urging India to cooperate with “a full and open investigation” into Indian government agents’ alleged assassination of Canadian citizen Hardeep Singh Nijjar on the Canadian soil.  Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau yesterday stated that Canadian intelligence had ascertained that ​​“agents of the Indian government” carried out the killing of the Sikh community leader in June this year.  “The Indian government’s alleged overseas killing of Nijjar could constitute an extraordinary and unacceptable breach of Canada’s national sovereignty,” said IAMC Executive Director Rasheed Ahmed. “If allegations prove to be true, this alleged assassination will have a profound chilling effect on freedom of expression around the world.”  “While we do not support Khalistan and do not condone Nijjar’s beliefs, we strongly believe that no foreign government should be allowed to interfere with a democratic nation by carrying out extrajudicial killings,” Ahmed said. “For the sake of the entire Indian diaspora, IAMC demands a swift, international investigation into the Indian government’s alleged use of violence beyond its borders to target its political and ideological opponents.”  Nijjar was ambushed by masked individuals and then fatally shot near a Sikh temple in British Columbia last June. Prime Minister Trudeau reportedly discussed Nijjar’s killing by Indian government agents at this year’s G20 Summit with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, American President Joe Biden, and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.  “Modi has repeatedly proven that he has no qualms about using extrajudicial force to suppress his own citizens. Now it appears that his government is escalating its repression overseas,” said IAMC president Mohammad Jawad. “The international community should be seriously alarmed by the alleged assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, which may pose a serious threat to international security.”  Recent years have seen increasing overseas political repression carried out by the Indian government and its supporters. Canadian National Security and Intelligence Advisor Jody Thomas stated that India is among the top sources of foreign interference in Canada, and a report by Canadian intelligence officials raised the alarm of Indian government interference into Canadian economic matters and elections in July 2019. Political actors affiliated with the overseas wing of Indian PM Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party openly intervened in 2019 British elections, trying to sway the electorate in favor of right wing candidates.  In 2019, the Indian government revoked the Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI), a near equivalent to dual citizenship, of journalist Aatish Taseer, in what appeared to be politically motivated retribution for his public criticism of the Modi government. Hindu Nationalist organizations affiliated with Modi’s BJP have persecuted international academics with overwhelming volumes of hate speech, targeting U.S. Prof. Audrey Audrey Truschke and New Zealand Prof. Mohan Dutta in particular. In the United States, Hindu nationalist organizations which support Modi’s BJP have sought to intimidate local minority populations with frightening displays in New Jersey, including parading  anti-Muslim hate symbols in a community event last year, and waving the flags of paramilitary groups which kill Indian minorities in India. In recent years, the Hindu Nationalist organization Hindu America Foundation has tried to silence its critics through extensive litigation, which has all been dismissed. “The Indian American Muslim Council is itself the subject of an extensive disinformation campaign, carried out by former Indian intelligence officials with the aim of challenging our constitutionally protected activism,” added IAMC Director Ahmed. “If indeed carried out by the Indian government, the alleged killing of Nijjar sets a dangerous precedent and can easily be escalated to target individuals with far less of a reason.” The Internationally respected democracy watchdog Freedom House has repeatedly raised the alarm about overseas political repression such as that carried out by Indian Government officials, writing, “If exiled dissidents can be attacked even in the strongest democracies, none of us are safe.”

Op-Eds

Al Jazeera Media Institute: Why is a Western news organisation funding propaganda in India?

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By Morley Musick We all put our trust in the international news agencies which alert us of breaking news over the wires every day. Perhaps the most famous of these is Thomson Reuters, a news agency known around the world as a trusted source of unbiased, factual news coverage. And, for the most part, this is exactly what it is. But in India, Reuters is actively helping to fund and distribute false, propagandistic and, at times, anti-minority news coverage through its “strategic partnership” with and financial backing of another news agency which does not adhere to its principles of “independence, integrity, and freedom from bias”: Asia News International (ANI). Read More >>

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Press Release

IAMC Seattle Strongly Condemns Callous Remarks of Police Officer Following Death of Indian Northeastern student Jaahnavi Kandula

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Seattle, Washington (September 14, 2023) – In January of this year, Seattle police officer Kevin A. Dave struck and killed Indian Northeastern student Jaahnavi Kandula. Audio recorded after the accident revealed that Officer Dave later made contact with police officer Daniel Auderer, vice president of the Seattle Police Officers Guild, who said that Kandula’s life was “of little value” and said that the city should “just write a check.”  The Seattle Chapter of the Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) strongly condemns Officer Auderer’s egregious remarks and demands accountability for this horrific incident of manslaughter. “Officer Auderer’s remarks express a profound contempt for the sacredness of human life and stands as an affront to immigrant lives in particular. A police officer with his attitude is not fit to serve on any police force, much less to serve as vice president of the entire Seattle Police Officers Guild” said Hasan Khan, Board Member of IAMC Seattle. “We demand a thorough investigation of Officer Dave’s conduct and justice for the family of Jaahnavi Kandula.”

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Press Release

Biden should tell Modi that US will be, “compelled by law to designate India as CPC” if anti-minority violence continues, says former USCIRF chair

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Washington, D.C. (September 13, 2023) – During a Congressional Briefing held on Capitol Hill, Nadine Maenza, former Chair of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), stated the Biden administration should raise issues of mass anti-minority mob violence —particularly in Haryana and Manipur— with Modi, and inform him that if such violence continues, the US will be “compelled by law” to designate India as one of the world’s worst offenders of religious freedom.   In recent months, India has witnessed a troubling increase in incidents of Hindu militant mob violence targeting minority communities. Haryana and Manipur have witnessed particularly egregious acts of brutality. In August, an armed Hindu militant procession wreaked havoc in Muslim-majority areas of Haryana, resulting in arson, stone pelting, and physical violence. Tragically, this violence claimed the life of a 19-year-old imam and five others. Concurrently, Manipur’s predominantly Christian Kuki-Zo tribe has faced violent attacks by the majority Hindu Meitei population since May, including beheadings, immolations, and horrifying gang rapes. Maenza stated that for the past four years, USCIRF has been calling on the US Department of State to designate India as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC), a label reserved for the world’s worst violators of religious freedoms.   “For at least the last five years, religious freedom conditions have deteriorated in India, making them now among the worst in the world,” said Maenza. “We can’t just ignore the facts on the ground, especially with Manipur on fire… it is important that [the Biden administration] raise these issues directly with Prime Minister Modi and explain how – without change – they will be compelled by law to designate India as a CPC.” During the briefing, Florence Lowe, co-founder of the North American Manipur Tribal Association (NAMTA), a nonprofit organization dedicated to raising awareness about atrocities against the Kuki-Zo, shared a harrowing personal account of her family’s experience in Manipur. “My family home was attacked and my 77-year-old mother had to run and hide from the mob that had burned their church… they have lost everything to arson and looting,” she recounted. “It boggles the mind to realize that they are the lucky ones,” she added. “That same day, other people of my tribe were not as lucky. Some were bludgeoned to death, over the next few days others were raped, gang raped, burned to death. They did not even spare a 7-year-old boy.” Investigative reporter Astha Savyasachi, who was part of a fact-finding team that investigated the cause of the recent anti-Muslim violence in Haryana, debunked myths spread by Hindu supremacists blaming Muslims for the violence.  “Right-wing groups instigated the violence through a sustained hate campaign against Muslims [in which] provocative media content targeting Muslims was circulated on social media by far-right Hindu extremist groups,” said Savyasachi.   She added that in addition to raising genocidal anti-Muslim slogans, the Hindu militant procession was heavily armed. Despite the blatant provocation, police and the administration “largely remained indifferent” to the violence, bulldozing over 1,200 Muslim-owned shops and businesses in the aftermath.   Prominent activist Sharjeel Usmani stated that the violence in Haryana follows a pattern seen in other cases of mass Hindu mob violence across India.  “First, the Hindu militant outfits attack Muslim localities. They burn down properties, vandalize mosques, demolish shrines, beat up Muslims,” Usmani said. “Then the police accuse Muslims of [committing] the violence they were victims of… and [they] launch their own series of violent measures against Muslims, [including] arresting Muslim youth and demolishing Muslim properties.” “The kind of impunity the Hindu right-wing in India enjoys today has not happened before in history, ever,” he added. “And this government has incentivized the hate, so much so that the more cruel you are to Muslims, the more chance you have of being successful in your politics.”

Op-Eds

Scroll.in: Behind Narendra Modi’s G20 facade, the persecution of minorities and India’s descent into autocracy

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By Rasheed Ahmed This weekend, the leaders of the world’s most powerful countries will gather in New Delhi for the Group of 20 summit to discuss pressing economic issues, including climate change, sustainable development, and food security. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has created fanfare for the summit by unveiling its chipper slogan: “One Earth, One Family, One Future”, derived from the Sanskrit phrase “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam”. Read More >>  

Op-Eds

NJ Spotlight News: Indian Americans in NJ must stand against harassment of Muslim and other groups

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By Minhaj M. Khan Indian Independence Day on Aug.15 is a special day for India and the Indian diaspora. A time to celebrate India’s victorious effort to free itself of British rule, it is in some ways even more important if you are away from India and away from your extended family. In America, it provides a vital link to our shared history.  For years, I proudly participated in Indian Independence Day parades in my hometown of Edison. The occasion allowed me and my family to reconnect with our roots, enjoy delicious food, connect with some new arrivals in the U.S. and take in the sight of beautiful floats. I always looked forward to it. This year was beautiful as in years past, but tainted by a new and disturbing problem: For the second year in a row, Edison’s Indian Independence Day parade was also the site of hateful anti-Muslim displays.   Read More >>

Op-Eds

NRI Affairs: Ten years after the Muzaffarnagar riots, survivors are still suffering, but India remains unmoved

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By Rasheed Ahmed Ten years after the 2013 anti-Muslim riots in Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, the images of the destruction left behind are still etched into the collective memory of Indian Muslims. We remember the visuals of homes and streets littered with rubble, the shell-shocked faces of survivors, the sagging tents crowded together in relief camps. But we also look back on the stories of the survivors, and we realize just how little progress we have made in ensuring that such a horrific tragedy never happens again. Even after a decade, the echoes of Muzaffarnagar remain distressingly audible, both through the survivors’ ongoing struggle to get justice, and through its similarities to present tragedies as India’s problem of mob violence against Muslims continues to worsen. Read More >>

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Press Release

IAMC condemns Indian government’s move to block independent Kashmiri news outlet

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August 21, 2023 – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) strongly condemns the Indian government’s latest attempt to suppress press freedoms by blocking access to the prominent independent Kashmiri news outlet The Kashmir Walla. As reported by The Kashmir Walla’s staff, the publication’s website was arbitrarily blocked by the Indian government’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. The Kashmir Walla’s Facebook page was also taken down, and its account on X (formerly known as Twitter) was blocked “in response to a legal demand.”  While press freedoms throughout India have been drastically curtailed under the rule of Hindu supremacist Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Muslim-majority Kashmir has been subjected to the most severe crackdowns via frequent internet blackouts, the forced shutdown of Kashmir’s only independent press club, and the arbitrary detention and interrogation of journalists under stringent anti-terror laws. Currently, two journalists affiliated with The Kashmir Walla – founding editor Fahad Shah and contributing writer Sajad Gul – remained imprisoned under draconian laws that treat their journalism as a crime.  “Blocking access to The Kashmir Walla is yet another way for Modi to intimidate journalists and tighten his grip on the narrative surrounding the ongoing human rights abuses in Kashmir,” said IAMC Executive Director Rasheed Ahmed. “We call upon the international community to speak out against this latest onslaught against press freedom in the region.” 

Op-Eds

The Progressive Magazine: Vivek Ramaswamy’s Embrace of Hindu Nationalism

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By Safa Ahmed Vivek Ramaswamy, an Indian American former pharmaceutical executive, recently emerged as a long-shot Republican presidential candidate. Approaching DeSantis in the polls, but far behind Trump, Ramaswamy’s anti-woke rhetoric, extreme policy proposals (like raising the voting age to twenty-five), and relative youth (he’s thirty-eight) have made him appealing to a segment of Republicans that seem to be growing more anti-democratic by the day. But for all of the attention on Ramaswamy, there’s one aspect of his campaign that’s been glossed over by the press: his support for Hindu nationalism. Read More >>

Press Release

IAMC panel at Parliament of World’s Religions draws attention to threat to India’s religious pluralism under Modi regime 

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Illinois (August 19, 2023) — The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) brought together an interfaith group of civil society leaders, activists, and writers at a panel hosted during the Parliament of the World’s Religions in Chicago to discuss the growing threat to Indian pluralism under the Hindu supremacist regime of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. PM Modi, who came to power in 2014 with his ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has promoted a right-wing Hindu supremacist ideology while in office, creating a national environment in which religious minorities, including Muslims, are increasingly under threat of deadly violence and everyday discrimination.  “Hindutva ideology conflates Hinduism with nationalism and promotes intolerance against religious minorities,” said Javeed Akhter, a Chicago-area physician and freelance writer. “In India, lynching has become a public spectacle. The law is a passive observer, occasionally an active participant.”   “It’s much worse than many other countries. In India, it’s not just one or two or three leaders, it’s not just a small movement, it’s a very organized, 100-year-old movement with millions of dollars,” said Ajit Sahi, Advocacy Director of IAMC. “It’s bad news for India’s constitutional democracy.”  The Indian constitution identifies religious, ethnic, and linguistic pluralism as crucial aspects of the nation’s identity, recognizing since the country’s beginnings the many different peoples and cultures that live together within its borders. But Hindu nationalism, whose early leaders drew inspiration from Nazis and fascists, calls instead for India to be primarily Hindu, with adherents of other religions relegated to second-class status.  “There is a worry that once we try to assimilate and have something uniform, we destroy something that is sacred — something which characterizes the ethos, the culture of the people of India in such a powerful way,” said Father Cedric Prakash, a Jesuit priest and distinguished human rights activist. “But there is now a desire to create a monoculture and caste hierarchy that’s very strong.”  “This Hindu nationalist government asking us to trust the idea that we all have to be culturally, religiously and uniformly one is a disaster. It is a recipe for disaster,” said John Prabhudoss, chairman of the Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations (FIACONA).  “The Hindu religion is great. But Hindu nationalism — ‘Hindu Rashtra,’ where Muslims and other minorities are not safe — is a black mark on India’s status as the world’s largest democracy, and its pluralism,” said Rajinder Singh Mago, the Executive Secretary of the Asian American Coalition of Chicago (AACC). “The genius of the Indian civilization during its best periods has been inclusion and not exclusion.”  The full panel discussion is now available on the IAMC’s Facebook page. 

Press Release

Panel at Parliament of World’s Religions Highlights Concerns over Hindu Nationalism and Violence Against Religious Minorities

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Illinois (August 18, 2023)  — The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) brought together civil society leaders, activists, and a journalist to discuss the escalating rise of right-wing Hindu extremism and the surge in violence against religious minorities, including Muslims at a panel hosted during the Parliament of the World’s Religions in Chicago. Since Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his far-right extremist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power in 2014, Hindu supremacist violence and human rights violations against religious minorities have increased steeply, including “cow vigilantism,” anti-Muslim killings, and attacks on places of worship. Modi himself has been a member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) — a paramilitary Hindu supremacist group that draws inspiration from fascists and Nazis — since his youth.  “This is an issue of India itself. India itself is going the way that Germany had gone once, and we all know where Germany ended. The RSS ideology has similar designs. It won’t happen without some kind of violence — India is on that route now,” said Rasheed Ahmed, Executive Director of IAMC. “Under Modi’s government, if you are a minority, especially a Muslim, and you are going from one place to another place in a train, you don’t know if you’ll reach your destination, or your dead body will reach that destination.”   Currently, violence — abetted or ignored by Modi’s party — is sweeping across India at the moment. A conflict has engulfed India’s northeastern state of Manipur, leaving over 150 dead and 50,000 displaced, and the northern state of Haryana has experienced a wave of anti-Muslim mob violence after a Hindu militant procession. “Hindu fundamentalism is now the top of the tops in India. It is the go-to ideology. And that is why we are seeing so much violence on an everyday basis.” said Ajit Sahi, Advocacy Director at IAMC. “The non-state criminals involved in mass killings of Muslims are fused into the government, and they are now one. The law enforcement, the judiciary, the administration and the legislature are all complicit.”  In Manipur, the brunt of the violence has impacted the predominantly Christian Kuki-Zo tribal community, destroying thousands of Kuki-owned homes and hundreds of churches and extreme brutality against the Kuki-Zo themselves.  “My family has lost everything, every single thing, all their memories are gone. They’re going to start from scratch. They barely escaped with their lives,” said Florence Lowe, co-founder of the North American Manipur Tribal Association (NAMTA). “I don’t think we should stand by and watch something like this happen.” The government’s role in Hindu supremacist violence stretches back much further than the present day, including the 2002 pogrom of more than 2,000 Muslims in Gujarat, who were killed by Hindu nationalists organized by RSS-affiliated groups while Modi was Chief Minister of the state. “What happened in Gujarat, India, on February 27, 2002, will go down in the annals of Indian history as perhaps its blackest day, week, and month,” said Father Cedric Prakash, a Jesuit priest and distinguished human rights activist. Father Prakash told a story about his close friend, who was killed in the massacre. “I don’t believe in vengeance; I don’t believe in hate. Jesus taught me: If I want peace, I must relentlessly strive for justice.”  “And the reality in Ahmedabad today is quite bleak. We cannot assemble together for any protest,” Father Prakash added. “We have discrimination, demonization, degradation — particularly against Muslims, but also against Christians and other minorities.”  Freedom of the press has also declined sharply in recent years, with journalists facing arrests, crackdowns, and repeated harassment and death threats. That’s particularly true in the majority-Muslim state of Jammu and Kashmir — in March, journalist Irfan Mehraj was arrested under the government’s draconian anti-terrorism law.  “Right now, five of my colleagues are jailed under terror and sedition charges. The state of Jammu and Kashmir has become a black hole for journalism. Journalists are routinely targeted for covering stories on human rights,” said Raqib Hameed Naik, a Kashmir journalist who fled the country in 2020. “The institution of press stands effectively demolished today,” he added. A full video of the discussion will be available to the public on the IAMC’s social media channels in the coming days. 

Press Release

Atlanta: GA State Senator, Indian Americans and allies protest violence in Manipur

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Atlanta, Georgia (August 15, 2023) – Georgia Senator Sheikh Rahman joined Indian Americans and allies on Sunday at a protest and vigil, demanding an immediate halt to the ongoing violence gripping India’s northeastern state of Manipur, which has left over 150 dead and 50,000 displaced. “It doesn’t matter if you’re Muslim, Christian, Buddhist, or Hindu,” said Senator Rahman, addressing the protesters gathered outside the National Center for Civil and Human Rights in Atlanta. “It is very important that we stand up for minority issues… [when] minorities are suffering all around the world.” The brunt of the violence in Manipur has impacted the predominantly Christian Kuki-Zo tribal community, leading to the destruction of thousands of Kuki-owned homes and hundreds of churches. Over the past few months, the Kuki-Zo have been the victims of extreme brutality, including sexual violence. Several of these crimes have been filmed and circulated on social media.     The vigil was co-organized by the North American Manipur Tribal Association (NAMTA), the Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), the Ambedkar International Center, Ambedkar Association of North America (AANA), Hindus for Human Rights, and members of the Sikh community. Protesters carried placards with slogans such as “Bring Rapists to Justice” and “Women’s Bodies Are Not Battlefields,” referencing a viral video that showed the horrifying assault of two Kuki-Zo women, who were stripped, paraded naked, groped by a mob of men and then gang-raped. “Even as we speak, the state-sponsored ethnic cleansing is still ongoing… and it is just the beginning,” said Khai Samte, representing NAMTA. “Let this be our first step towards fighting for justice for minorities like us, and for everybody everywhere [in India].”     “There is utter silence on Manipur [from the Indian government], which is actually provoking more violence,” said Sandeep Chavan, representing the AANA. “We Ambedkarites all over the world stand for the Kuki-Zo, Muslims in Haryana, and everyone who is facing injustice.” “The ongoing violence in Manipur is not just a concern for the Kuki-Zo or the Christian community, but for everyone who believe in the basic human right to live without the fear of being gang-raped, murdered, and driven out of one’s home,” said Naushad Ghilzai, president of the IAMC Atlanta chapter. “We call upon the US government to take a strong stance against this violence and urge the Modi regime to restore peace in the state.” “Both the central and state governments have failed to take any accountability or responsibility for communal violence throughout the country,” said Romita Verma, representing the advocacy group Hindus for Human Rights. “We strongly condemn the continuing acts of violence against minorities in Manipur, Haryana, and everywhere else in India.”

Press Release

IAMC joins Indian Independence Day parade in New Jersey; celebrates alongside fellow Indian Americans

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New Jersey (August 14, 2023) – Members of the Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) participated in an annual Indian Independence Day parade in Edison, New Jersey alongside fellow Indian Americans of diverse backgrounds.     Dressed in traditional clothing and waving several Indian flags, members from IAMC’s New Jersey chapter – including children and families – joined the NJ diaspora community in celebration of India’s 76th year of independence. IAMC members also marched in tribute to the rich legacy of India’s 200 million Muslims, who played a pivotal role in India’s freedom struggle and continue to contribute to Indian culture, entertainment, society and defense of democracy.     IAMC was introduced by the parade’s MCs as an advocacy group “guided by a passionate commitment to justice, civil rights, and harmony,” and members were invited onto the stage for a photo opportunity. Other Indian diaspora groups also joined the parade, including Indian Christians, Dalits, and members of Hindus for Human Rights.   The parade was organized by the Indian Business Association, which this year took precautions to avoid divisive symbolism and maintain harmony throughout the event after a bulldozer, representing the demolition of Muslim-owned homes in India, was included in last year’s parade.     “Last year, we saw this same event divided by hateful imagery,” said Tazeem Ansari, a member of IAMC’s NJ chapter. “This year, we joined the parade to pay tribute to the real values of India: peace, tolerance, and love for the diversity that makes the nation so beautiful.” “Our heartfelt thanks goes out to Mayor John McCormac and the police departments of Edison and Woodbridge for listening to their communities and ensuring that the parade remained a safe space for all,” Ansari added. “We also appreciate the support we received from spectators of the parade.” “We’re far from deterred by the efforts of certain people, both in India and in the US, who are trying to erase the rich legacy of Indian Muslims and other minorities. We’re proud of who we are. We’re not going anywhere,” said Mohammed Jawad,  a New Jersey resident and President of IAMC National. 

Press Release

Indian Americans Condemn Display of Bajrang Dal flags at New Jersey Indian Independence Day Parade

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New Jersey (August 14, 2023) — Indian Americans strongly condemned the hateful display of flags associated with the Hindu militant group Bajrang Dal at an August 13 Indian Independence Day parade in Edison, New Jersey. The Bajrang Dal is a violent Hindu supremacist group and the youth wing of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), whose members in India have a long history of killing Muslims, calling for Muslim genocide, and leading violent processions which devolve into attacks on mosques and Muslim homes.   After those waving the flags intimidated Muslim attendees, police asked them to leave the parade. IAMC members notified local authorities of the incident and provided video documentation of the men displaying Bajrang Dal flags. IAMC commends local law enforcement for taking swift action to address the hateful display. “Waving a Bajrang Dal flag at an Indian Independence Day Parade is just like waving a KKK flag on July 4th: absolutely unacceptable,”  said IAMC New Jersey Vice President Niyaz Khan.  “Such actions not only tarnish the significance of the parade but also promote divisiveness and intolerance within the community and celebrate a group involved in numerous acts of brutal violence against India’s minorities, particularly Muslims and Christians.”      “We thank the local law enforcement officials and the county prosecutor’s office for taking swift action against these fringe groups that attended the parade to spread their hateful rhetoric and divisive ideology in the communities here.  The matter is currently under review by the Middlesex county prosecutor’s office,” said IAMC President Mohammad Jawad. Following the inclusion of a vicious anti-Muslim hate symbol at last year’s parade — a bulldozer with pictures of Hindu supremacist leaders like Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Yogi Adityanath — the IAMC had already called on the parade’s organizers, the Indian Business Association (IBA) to exclude and remove all displays of Hindu supremacist groups from the procession. This year’s parade rules explicitly prohibited the display of anything other than Indian and American flags, and any hateful or offensive material from processions.    “Authorities need to understand that Bajrang Dal members are responsible for countless killings of Muslims and Christians in India,” said Minhaj Khan, an Indian American community leader who was part of the parade.  “When people wave Bajrang Dal flags, these constitute explicit threats to Muslim Americans. We must learn from last year’s hate incident and this years in order to assure this never happens again,” Khan added.     Bajrang Dal is the youth wing of the broader Hindu militant organization the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP). Both organizations were instrumental in organizing violent processions during the religious festival of Ram Navami this year, leading to violent anti-Muslim incidents in varioys Indian states. Bajrang Dal and VHP members also helped organize and execute one of the most brutal anti-Muslim mass killings in recent Indian history, the Gujarat Pogrom of 2002. During the pogrom, more than 2,000 predominantly Muslim Indians were killed, hundreds of mosques were destroyed, and an incident known as the Naroda Patiya massacre transpired. During the massacre, Bajrang Dal militants killed and burned alive 97 Muslims in an apartment building. Babu Bajrangi, a Bajrang Dal leader sentenced to life imprisonment for his role in the massacre, was recorded as saying, “We didn’t spare a single Muslim shop, we set everything on fire … we hacked, burned, set on fire … we believe in setting them on fire because these bastards don’t want to be crematedI will finish them off … let a few more of them die … at least 25,000 to 50,000 should die.” Bajrang Dal members also regularly murder Muslims whom they believe to be slaughtering or transporting cattle in acts known as “cow vigilantism”. Bajrang Dal leader Monu Manesar was this year accused of burning two Muslims alive and in April 2022, members of the Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad murdered a Muslim teenager who had purchased cattle.

Op-Eds

NJ: Will the bulldozer be back in the Edison parade?

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By Shaheen Khateeb Last year’s Indian Independence Day Parade in Edison, New Jersey was meant to be a time for celebration, a remembrance of the accomplishments of freedom fighters of all stripes who banded together to end British colonialism of India, and a re-affirmation of the values that India’s founding fathers first affirmed: equality, pluralism, respect for all people. Read More >>

Press Release

Coalition of Indian American Organizations Meets Congressman Ro Khanna to Discuss Priorities for India Trip

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Congressman Ro Khanna Takes Bold Step by Co-Sponsoring SAFEGUARD Act, Joining a Coalition of Indian American Organizations in Emphasizing Human Rights and Democracy in India Washington, DC (August 8, 2023) — A coalition of Indian American civil society organizations convened today with Congressman Ro Khanna, the first Indian American to lead the bipartisan Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans. The meeting was held ahead of Congressman Khanna’s upcoming trip to India, during which he aims to highlight and discuss critical priorities for the region. The coalition presented diverse perspectives, shedding light on various concerns within the Indian American community. Husnaa Vohra, representing the Indian American Muslim Council, expressed her deep concern about the threat to liberal democracy, pluralism, and human rights in India. Vohra emphasized, “We stand as a diverse coalition of Indian American organizations, seeking to safeguard the fabric of pluralism and democracy in India, and urging Congressman Khanna to address ongoing violent acts and human rights violations.” A spokesperson for India Civil Watch India International, stressed the importance of a democratic alliance against totalitarianism and called for Congressman Khanna to “reposition the India-US relationship around democracy.” emphasizing that democracy must be the cornerstone of trade and military deals between the two nations. Ria Chakrabarty, Policy Director for Hindus for Human Rights, urged Congressman Khanna to embrace progressive Hindu values and support efforts to combat caste discrimination unequivocally. She stated, “It is vital to combat efforts that co-opt and subvert the history of 1971 and ensure that the leadership of Bengalis is central to any recognition of the Bangladesh genocide.” Prachi Patankar, a board member at India Civil Watch International, raised concerns about the extremist groups and ideologues that Congressman Khanna has allowed to claim his support, urging the Congressman to distance himself from organizations that spread hate and misinformation. Patankar underscored, “We request you to take a clear step in the pro-democracy direction and support proactive federal action for protection against caste discrimination in the United States.” In response to the testimonies, Congressman Ro Khanna expressed his unwavering commitment to upholding democratic values and human rights both within India and the United States. He fully recognized the concerns articulated by the coalition and wholeheartedly endorsed the imperative of fostering a pluralistic and democratic India. He expressed his desire to protect minority rights in India. Furthermore, Congressman Khanna underscored his dedication to these principles by proudly announcing his cosponsorship of the SAFEGUARD Act, which ensures that the protection and promotion of human rights are intrinsic considerations in the export of arms and defense services to foreign countries. Finally, the Congressman agreed to hold a public call with our coalition when he returns from India. Policy Asks for the India Trip: The coalition outlined several policy asks for Congressman Khanna, including: Advocating for visa bans against individuals accused of human rights violations, especially in Manipur, Haryana, and Uttarakhand, to deter communal violence. Integrating human rights considerations into the security analysis of the US-India relationship and cosponsoring the SAFEGUARD Act to strengthen human rights reporting requirements for arms exports. Combatting Caste Discrimination: Strengthen your stand against caste discrimination by clarifying your separation from far-right factions. Support proactive federal action to counter caste discrimination in the US. Engaging with the coalition before, during, and after the trip to foster an open dialogue and inclusive discussion about the US-India relationship with a focus on human rights. This includes a public readout with our coalition after the trip. Disassociation from Extremist Influences: We ask you to distance yourself from extremist groups and their harmful narratives, sharing details of their far-right affiliations with your office. Championing Democracy and Accountability: Lead an India Caucus conference to address concerns of civil society, spotlighting the BJP’s role in eroding democracy and rights. Invite credible experts to testify.   For media inquiries, please contact: David Kalal HfHR Communications david@hindusforhumanrights.org Phone Number: 1.347.445.0346 Husnaa Vhora IAMC Advocacy Associate husnaa.vhora@iamc.com Phone Number:  1.800.839.7270   Note: The quotes and information provided in this press release are based on the testimonies of representatives from various Indian American civil society organizations and are not direct quotes from Congressman Ro Khanna.

Press Release

International Coalition of Civil Rights Groups Calls on Thomson-Reuters to Divest From India’s Islamophobic News Agency ANI 

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Washington, DC (August 4, 2023) — A broad coalition of over 35 civil rights and interfaith organizations in the United States, UK, Australia, Canada and India today sent a letter to Thomson-Reuters, urging the media agency to terminate its partnership and investment in the Asian News Agency (ANI) due to its Islamophobic reporting and dissemination of pro-Hindu nationalist government propaganda. ANI is an India-based news service that relays false information, quotes non-existent sources and non-existent institutions, actively collaborates with India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to relay government messaging, and shows a pattern of anti-Muslim bias in its reporting. Until December of last year, Reuters had maintained a 49% financial stake in ANI, after which they were forced to reduce their fiscal share per Indian regulations. Reuters nonetheless continues to financially support ANI and help distribute its reporting to global audiences. The coalition letter calls on Thomson-Reuters to 1) immediately divest all financial stakes in ANI, 2) refuse to facilitate ANI’s dissemination of fabricated information, and 3) publicly condemn ANI for its biased, Islamophobic reporting. ANI’s malpractices include: promoting dangerous anti-Muslim stereotypes; relaying false rumors of Muslim culpability for spreading COVID-19, thereby abetting the broader “Corona Jihad” Hindu nationalist conspiracy theory with all its violent consequences; making extensive citations of fabricated think tanks and sources in reporting on geopolitical concerns; collaborating with Indian government personnel to make state-sponsored and state-approved media content, according to the testimony of 90 ANI personnel; and repeatedly misrepresenting BJP politicians as neutral commentators on political affairs. More recently, ANI relayed false rumors that a Muslim man was responsible for raping two women in Manipur, feeding into broader Islamophobic narratives that have motivated anti-Muslim attacks in the past. Full documentation of ANI’s concerning practices are detailed in the open letter released today. In recognition of the real-world impact of anti-Muslim propaganda, which daily endangers countless Muslim lives in India, and in consideration of Thomson-Reuters explicitly stated commitments to "independence, integrity, and freedom from bias", the coalition letter demands Thomson-Reuters immediately divest all stakes from ANI and promptly condemn the organization.   [pdf-embedder url="http://test.iamc.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Reuters-ANI-Letter-Final-.pdf" title="Reuters ANI Letter Final"]   Click Here to Download

Press Release

Indian Americans Condemn Anti-Muslim Killings by Modi Zealot and Outbreak of Violence in Haryana

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Washington, DC (August 1, 2023) – The Indian American Muslim Council today condemned the vicious hate-motivated killing of 4 people, including three Muslim passengers and one railway police official, aboard the Jaipur-Mumbai Central Superfast Express yesterday. In a video recorded following one of the killings, the murderer, a railway policeman named Chetan Singh, praised India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh state’s Hindu supremacist Chief Minister, Yogi Adityanath. “If you want to live and vote in Hindustan [India], I am telling you, it’s only Modi and Yogi,” said Singh in the video, echoing Hindu supremacist rhetoric deployed in other anti-Muslim attacks. “The murderer, Chetan Singh, could not have made himself more clear. He declared India a Hindu nation and that if you want to live in India you must support the Hindu supremacist politicians Narendra Modi and Yogi Adityanath. This is a politically inspired hate crime and a terrorist attack,” said IAMC Executive Director Rasheed Ahmed. “The price of Narendra Modi’s anti-Muslim agenda and Yogi Adityanath’s hateful rhetoric is Muslim lives. Not a week goes by in India without someone taking inspiration from Hindu supremacist ideology and claiming innocent Muslim lives.” Yogi Adityanath is infamous for inciting hate against Muslims and demolishing thousands of Muslim homes, a policy that has earned him the moniker of “Bulldozer Baba” among his followers. Narendra Modi was banned from the United States for nearly a decade for ordering police not to intervene as thousands of predominantly Muslim Indians were slaughtered by Hindu supremacist groups. Singh’s shocking attack is a particularly acute example of the anti-Muslim violence sweeping India, including in the state of Haryana, where Hindu supremacist mobs today killed 19-year-old deputy Imam Maulana Saad and razed the Anjuman Jama mosque, where he led prayers. Hindu supremacist mobs continue to roam the streets in Haryana city Gurugram, vandalizing Muslim-owned businesses. The killing of Saad follows violent clashes which occurred a day earlier in nearby Nuh, when Hindu militant groups Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad paraded through the Muslim-majority district. Violence broke out after Monu Manesar, a Bajrang Dal member wanted by authorities for leading the brutal mob lynching of two Muslim men earlier this year, posted that he planned on joining the procession. Two police officers were killed in the ensuing violence, which included the burning of several cars, vandalism of Muslim-owned businesses, and the stoning of government officers. “The mass outbreaks of communal violence in Nuh and Gurugram are a product of the radicalization of sectarian politics pushed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his fellow Hindu supremacist politicians,” said IAMC President Mohammed Jawad. “By endorsing and collaborating with Modi, American officials are helping to legitimize the ideas fueling yesterday’s violence.” Indian Americans called on the U.S. State Department to designate India a Country of Particular Concern and for Indian officials to do everything in their power to de-escalate the tensions and contain the violence orchestrated by Hindu supremacist paramilitary organizations.

Press Release

Indian Americans, allies in 6 US cities stage protests against anti-Kuki violence in Manipur

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Washington, D.C. (July 24, 2023) – Indian Americans and allies from diverse backgrounds protested in six US cities over the weekend to condemn the ongoing violence in India’s northeastern state of Manipur, which has left at least 145 dead and 50,000 displaced. The brunt of the violence has predominantly impacted Manipur’s Christian Kuki-Zomi community, leading to the destruction of thousands of Kuki-owned homes and hundreds of churches. Disturbingly, there have been reports of rape being used as a tool of violence against Kuki women. Recently, a horrifying video surfaced online, showing two Kuki women being paraded naked and assaulted by hundreds of men. Protests took place in Dallas and Sugar Land cities in Texas; Fremont, Palo Alto, and San Diego in California; and Detroit, Michigan. At the Gandhi Memorial Park in Dallas, Texas, Indian Americans from diverse religious and ethnic backgrounds flocked to a protest co-organized by the North American Manipur Tribal Association (NAMTA), the Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), the Federation of Indian American Christians of North America (FIACONA), Ambedkarite Buddhist Association of Texas, and other groups.     At the event, Florence Lowe, head of NAMTA, called on the international community to take action against the violence in Manipur. “How many more churches have to burn, how many more people have to get killed, for you to start saying something?” she asked the crowd. “If we are united — Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Dalits, Hindus who don’t support Hindutva — we will defeat Hindutva tomorrow,” said Akheel Mohammed, representing IAMC’s Dallas chapter. Another protest was held in Fremont, California, co-organized by NAMTA, IAMC, and Ambedkar King Study Circle (AKSC).     Niang Hangzo, the founding member of NAMTA, recounted how all 28 members of her family in Manipur, including her elderly mother, were forced to flee their homes from violent mobs. “We [the Kuki-Zomi] are disproportionately impacted by this violence, even though we are only sixteen percent of the population.,” said Hangzo. “This violence is still ongoing – our people are constantly, relentlessly under attack. We need global voices to raise this issue.” Also speaking was Annie Koruga, an officer of the Alameda County Democratic Party. “The Democratic Party has a long history of standing with people who are experiencing oppression,” she said. “We’re here in solidarity today with all of the women and people of Manipur who are experiencing systemic violence.” Pieter Friedrich, a journalist and activist, criticized Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for remaining largely silent on the issue. Adding that US officials are also complicit in whitewashing Modi’s apathy towards minorities, Friedrich said, “Shockingly, the man who led the call for the red carpet to be rolled out for Modi [during his recent US visit] – while Manipur had already been burning for six weeks – was Congressman Ro Khanna, in whose district we are standing today.” In Michigan, Indian Americans and allies marched through the streets of Detroit as part of a protest organized by NAMTA, IAMC, the India Catholic Association (ICA) of Michigan, C.A.P.I., and the Ambedkar Association of North America (AANA). Protesters held signs with slogans such as “Stop weaponizing women’s bodies,” “Stop killing Dalits,” and “Kuki-Zomi, we are with you.”     “The principles of liberty, fraternity, and equality must be upheld to substantialize the foundation of a just and inclusive nation. Today, we see those foundations being destroyed deliberately,” said one of the speakers at the protest. In San Diego, California, Indian Americans marched with placards with slogans such as “Bring rapists to justice,” “We stand with Kuki-Zomis, targets of state-sponsored pogroms,” and comparisons between Bilkis Bano, a survivor of gang-rape during the 2002 anti-Muslim violence in Gujarat state, and the numerous Kuki women who have faced sexual violence in Manipur. “It is clear that the Modi government doesn’t care that they’ve failed the Kuki-Zomi,” said Mohamed Nasrullah, one of the organizers of the protest. “And because of this, the US government should re-evaluate just how much they want to keep celebrating Modi as an ally.”

Featured, Reports

IAMC Report: Persecution of Religious Minorities in India (Apr-Jun 2023)

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Indian American Muslim Council’s (IAMC) 2nd quarterly report titled “Persecution of Religious Minorities in India” brings attention to the distressing escalation in communal violence, targeted attacks, cow vigilantism and hate speech directed against religious minorities. Muslims and Christians were particularly affected by these incidents, deepening the existing climate of persecution and discrimination faced by minority communities in the country. Urgent attention from the Indian government and the international community is imperative to address these grave concerns and ensure accountability and justice for the victims. Addressing these issues effectively is vital to fostering democracy, tolerance, and respect for human rights in India.   [pdf-embedder url="http://3.145.57.38/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Q2-Report-Final.pdf" title="Q2 Report Final"]   Click Here to Download

Press Release

Indian Americans, allies in 3 US states hold protests against anti-Kuki violence in Manipur

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Washington, D.C. (July 25, 2023) – Indian Americans and allies held protests in California, New Jersey, and Massachusetts on Friday and Sunday to condemn the ongoing ethnic violence in the northeast Indian state of Manipur, which has left at least 130 dead and 35,000 displaced. The brunt of the violence has predominantly impacted Manipur’s Christian Kuki-Zomi community, leading to the destruction of thousands of Kuki-owned homes and hundreds of churches. The protests were in part a response to a horrific video that went viral last week, showing two Kuki women being paraded naked while being molested by a group of men. However, despite the ongoing brutality, India’s Hindu far-right government has largely remained silent on the violence faced by Christian tribals in Manipur. In California, Indian Americans and allies gathered on the steps of Oakland City Hall for a protest organized by several advocacy groups, including the North American Manipur Tribal Association (NAMTA), Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), and Ambedkar King Study Circle.     Speaking at the event was Niang Hangzo, founding member of NAMTA, who highlighted several instances of Meitei mob violence against Kuki-Zomis, including the gang-rape of a 21-year-old Kuki woman, the beheading and dismemberment of a Kuki man, and the fatal torching of an ambulance transporting an 8-year-old Kuki child and his mother to a hospital for treatment. “They chased us out of our homes. They burned our homes, our properties. They looted, they killed, they raped, they immolated, they beheaded, they’ve left us broken and everything we own reduced to ashes,” said Hangzo. “This is the butchery being done to the Kuki-Zomi… How long will the world stay silent? We want the House to bring this issue and discuss it like the EU [Parliament] has done.” In Iselin, New Jersey, IAMC organized a protest and candlelight vigil attended by people from diverse faith and ethnic backgrounds, including members of local churches, NAMTA, and the National Association of Asian Indian Christians.     “The Indian government only speaks out when viral videos of atrocities come up, but they’ve known what’s happening all along,” said NAMTA co-founder Mark Haokip. “There are so many videos of atrocities I saw that are now being buried because the internet in Manipur is banned. The government banned it so all these things could keep happening without any [news] coverage.” “If those two [Kuki] women could be dragged and paraded, it could happen to any other woman, no matter what religion,” said Pastor Prem Kankanala, representing the United Telugu Christ Church. “Let us be united and raise our voices to protect women and to protect minorities.” In Boston, Massachusetts, Indian Americans and allies, including IAMC, came together to hold a protest, expressing solidarity with the victims and urging the Biden administration to intervene and call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to halt the escalating violence in Manipur.     “It is our collective responsibility to raise our voices against such atrocities,” IAMC Associate Director Amin Zama said. “American leaders who hosted Modi for a state dinner at the White House and [allowed him] to address a joint session of Congress should stand up and tell Narendra Modi to stop allowing the murder and ethnic cleansing of minorities,” Zama added.

Press Release

Indian Americans condemn horrific attacks on Kuki-Zomi women in Manipur

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Washington, DC (July 20, 2023) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) has strongly condemned the vicious sexual violence against Kuki women which transpired on May 4 in India’s northeastern state of Manipur. As part of a broader unfolding conflict between Meiteis and Kuki-Zomi tribals which has left an estimated 130 dead and 35,000 displaced, enraged mobs of Meitei men forced several Kuki women to take off their clothes, then proceeded to gangrape a 21-year-old woman, and murder her brother. The attack was captured on video, and went viral on social media platforms earlier this week. “Indian Americans of conscience must raise their voices to oppose the brutal violence in Manipur,” said Rasheed Ahmed, Executive Director of IAMC. “These attacks on Kuki women are a harrowing reminder of the divisiveness embedded in the heart of Indian politics by its current sectarian, Hindu-supremacist regime. Prime Minister Modi’s silence until now has added fuel to the flames in Manipur.” In addition to the May 4 attack, the violence in Manipur has resulted in the destruction of tens of thousands of homes and hundreds of churches. Kuki-Zomi Christians, the politically weaker minority in Manipur, have borne the brunt of the violence. Victims of the conflict allege that state police have stood by while their weapons were raided and used to arm militant groups. News of the mob’s vicious sexual violence was initially delayed due to the local governing party, Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party, blocking internet access in the region. “The coordinated sexual violence and the indifference of the state we are seeing today recall the gang-rapes of Muslim women which transpired during the Gujarat pogrom of 2002, and which have recurred with startling regularity ever since,” said IAMC President Mohammed Jawad. “The root causes of the pogrom then and now are the same: the divisive, religious nationalist ideology propagated by the ruling BJP and its ideological mentor, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).” The Indian government has opposed international pressure to intervene and prevent further violence. Earlier this month, the Indian government criticized a statement from the European Parliament tying the violence to, “politically motivated, divisive policies promoting Hindu majoritarianism”, calling it “unacceptable interference.” “Indian Americans must mobilize to provide humanitarian relief to the tens of thousands displaced in Manipur and to pressure American politicians to do the same,” said Mohammed Jawad.

Press Release

Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, UN Special Rapporteur, USCIRF Commissioner criticize human rights violations under Modi

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Washington, D.C. (July 19, 2023) – A US congresswoman and top officials from the United Nations (UN) and the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) have expressed deep concerns over the ongoing horrific violations of human rights and religious freedom in India under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rule and called on the Biden administration to designate India as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC).     At a special Congressional Briefing held on Wednesday, July 19 at the Rayburn House Office Building, Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib emphasized the severity of the situation and the urgent need for action.      “For the last four years, we’ve witnessed severe escalating attacks on religious minorities under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party… And yet we know our own US State Department has yet to designate India as a Country of Particular Concern under US law,” said Congresswoman Tlaib. “I’m proud to have stood with my colleagues in boycotting Prime Minister Modi’s speech [during his US visit]. This House should never be used as a platform to spread bigotry and hate,” she added. United Nations Special Rapporteur of Minority Rights Fernand de Varennes stated that there is an “obvious and disturbing trend in the increasing allegations,” relating to human rights abuses against minorities that are being submitted to the UN regarding India.     “We are talking of millions of minorities who are directly affected in some of these allegations,” said de Varennes. “When you have millions whose citizenship is denied, millions whose rights to political participation and representation are curtailed, hundreds of thousands whose livelihood and that of their children is threatened, it’s hard to conclude that this is not part of intentional policies by authorities.”  USCIRF Commissioner David Curry cited similar concerns, stating that USCIRF has been calling on the US State Department to designate India as a CPC – a label reserved for the world’s worst violators of religious freedom – since 2020.  “During Prime Minister Modi’s state visit, we publicly urged the Biden Administration to raise religious freedom concerns,” he said. “Religious freedom was mentioned briefly during the visit but was certainly not a focal point… Modi denied that discrimination of religious minorities existed in India. We strongly disagree.”     Special Rapporteur de Varennes concluded by calling on the United States to step forward as a defender of global human rights, noting that the “massive persecution” in India is “is difficult to reconcile with democracy.” “What we are now seeing is a perversion of what India can be, has been, and should be,” he said.  “[The Biden administration] is not only condoning the behavior of the Indian administration, but also encouraging it to continue behaving the way it has been,” said Ajit Sahi, Advocacy Director at Indian American Muslim Council. “When Biden invited Narendra Modi to a state dinner, he used that to validate his atrocious rule in India.”   “We call ourselves the largest democracy in the world, but this is what democracy looks like in India,” said Ajaykumar V.B., Executive Director of the India-based research and advocacy group Equitivies Foundation. “If you [in the United States] invite people like Modi to Capitol Hill, you’re having dinner with somebody who has blood on his hands.”   This special briefing was co-sponsored by 18 American civil rights organizations including Genocide Watch, World Without Genocide, Indian American Muslim Council, Hindus for Human Rights, International Christian Concern, Jubilee Campaign,  21Wilberforce, Dalit Solidarity Forum, New York State Council of Churches, Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations of North America, India Civil Watch International, Center for Pluralism, International Commission for Dalit Rights, American Muslim Institution, Students Against Hindutva Ideology, International Society for Peace and Justice, The Humanism Project and Association of Indian Muslims of America.

Press Release

Indian Americans and Civil Rights Orgs Raise Alarm Over Surveillance at Anti-Modi Protest

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Washington, DC (June 29, 2023) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) and Hindus For Human Rights (HFHR) expressed deep concern at being filmed by the leader of a Hindu nationalist organization at an anti-Modi protest in Washington D.C. Utsav Chakrabarti, executive director of HinduPACT, the advocacy wing of Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America (VHPA), a Hindu far-right organization was spotted filming protesters of Indian PM Narendra Modi’s visit to the U.S. on June 22nd, provoking a hostile encounter which had to be resolved via police intervention. While we recognize the right to film in public, the IAMC and HFHR condemn the abuse of this right for the purpose of intimidating or harassing protesters. “Critics of the Modi regime in India face constant surveillance, harassment, and abuse at the hands of online trolls and the Indian government itself. Much of this repression through American Hindu Supremacist groups circulating pictures and videos of activists online. Tuesday’s protests proves that such intimidation only emboldens Modi’s critics,” said IAMC executive director Rasheed Ahmed.  Mr. Ahmed added, “We have seen China and Iran extend their repressive apparatuses to American soil, surveilling political critics, and targeting domestic activists in this country. We are extremely concerned that Mr. Chakrabarti’s filming represents a similar threat emanating from the Modi regime and call on U.S. officials to protect freedom of speech on U.S. soil.”  “In the face of constant trolling and surveillance, both in India and the USA, it is clear that the Modi regime poses a serious threat. However, let’s not forget that we are fortunate to be safe here in the USA. It is the Muslims, Christians, Dalits, and courageous human rights defenders in India who are in desperate need of our concern and support,” said Sunita Vishwanath, Executive Director of Hindus for Human Rights.  Chakrabarti’s organization HinduPACT advocates for political causes on behalf of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America (VHPA), an US offshoot of the VHP. VHP leaders in India routinely call for mass killings of Muslims, conduct which contributed to the group being designated a “religious militant organization” in the CIA World factbook. Georgetown University’s Bridge Initiative on Islamophobia notes how VHP members played crucial roles in the orchestration of the Gujarat Pogrom of 2002, in which more than 2,000 predominantly Muslim Indians were killed, and the destruction of the Babri Masjid, an act of violence aimed at destroying India’s Muslim heritage.  Considering that the VHPA is the American counterpart of the VHP, and that the VHP is part of the Hindu nationalist movement alongside Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Indian Americans expressed concern that Mr. Chakrabarti’s filming of U.S. activists could constitute intimidation of U.S. based activists by foreign governments. U.S. based activists, including HFHR Executive Director Sunita Vishwanath and IAMC NJ chapter leader Tazeem Ansari have recently been the target of an extensive misinformation and intimidation campaign, propagated on national television by senior BJP officials in India. The Chinese government has intimidated and surveilled U.S. based pro-democracy activists via overseas police networks, and Iranian foreign agents who have also threatened Iranian women’s rights activists based in the U.S. Indian Americans called for a thorough investigation into Mr. Chakrabarti’s filming of U.S. activists as well as his organization’s ties to foreign militant organizations.   Signed, Indian American Muslim Council Hindus For Human Rights

Quran burning
Press Release

IAMC condemns vandalism of Indian Consulate in San Francisco

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Washington, D.C. (July 4, 2023) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) has strongly condemned the recent acts of vandalism and attempted arson targeting the Indian Consulate in San Francisco. According to Reuters, the miscreants tried to set fire to the consulate over the weekend, which was quickly extinguished by the San Francisco Fire Department. “We denounce any form of violence or destruction that undermines the principles of peace, unity, and respect for diplomatic institutions,” said IAMC Executive Director Rasheed Ahmed. We urge law enforcement agencies to thoroughly investigate this incident and bring the perpetrators to justice. Acts of violence and destruction have no place in our society, and those responsible must be held accountable for their actions.

Press Release

Three Congresspersons, USCIRF Commissioner Hold Policy Briefing on India; Sound Alarm on Human Rights Situation

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Washington, D.C. (June 23, 2023) – Three US Congresspersons and a USCIRF commissioner joined human rights experts and leaders of Indian-American advocacy groups in organizing a policy briefing to shed light on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s authoritarian rule and human rights abuses. The event took place on Thursday, coinciding with Prime Minister Modi’s address at the joint meeting of Congress. Representatives Jim McGovern (D-MA), Ilhan Omar (D-MN), and Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) gathered at the Capitol visitors center to urge President Biden to prioritize human rights in US foreign policy toward India.     “Dissidents, journalists, and their families are targeted with violence and political persecution,” said Rep. Ilhan Omar, who hosted the briefing. “Even advocates outside of India fear that their family members will be targeted if they speak out.” “We are told we must now turn a blind eye to the repression because of foreign policy concerns, even though human rights are supposed to be at the center of our foreign policy,” she added. “But Prime Minister Modi is not even a reliable geopolitical ally.”     “It’s because we value our friendship with the Indian people that we have to speak the truth about human rights abuses in India,” said Rep. Jim McGovern, co-chair of the bipartisan Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission. “We hear regularly from representatives of ethnic and religious minorities in India who believe deeply in India’s secular constitution, but fear that their rights are being systematically undermined,” he added. “I’m talking about the Muslim population, but also about Sikhs, Christians and Dalits… We call on the Indian authorities to take steps to reverse these well documented and unfortunate trends and restore the full promise of the Indian constitution.”     “The first person to bring this discussion to me was actually a Hindu,” said Rep. Rashida Tlaib. “It was an incredible, incredible discussion… We wish that people could see all of us coming together in this way. You all are continuing doing that by being here.” Stephen F. Schneck, Commissioner at the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) detailed the ongoing egregious violations of human rights and religious freedoms. He reiterated the commission’s recommendation to designate India as a Country of Particular concern (CPC).     Also speaking at the event was Ajit Sahi, Advocacy Director of Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC). “I am a Hindu myself, and I can tell you one of the biggest changes that I see now is that the poison of hatred among the Hindus has gone very deep,” he said, speaking on the Hindu nationalist ideology pushed by the Modi regime. “This is not some random autocrat you are dealing with. You are dealing with a very organized movement whose founders wrote extensively in support of Hitler.” He added, “We need to understand they are not just a threat to India. They’re not just a threat to Muslims; they’re not just a threat to Christians. They are a threat to world peace. If America is serious about its national security objectives and its geopolitics, then [Biden] has to take a stand and understand that you are jeopardizing peace, you are jeopardizing stability by supporting Prime Minister Modi.” Other panelists included Sarah Yager, Washington Director of Human Rights Watch; Nadine Farid Johnson, Washington Director of PEN America; and Sunita Viswanath, Executive Director of Hindus for Human Rights.

Modi
Op-Eds

Foreign Policy Magazine: Don’t Believe Modi’s Economic Success Story

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By Tim Sahay, While campaigning for the U.S. presidency, Joe Biden sharply criticized the Modi government’s human rights record, writing how two of its landmark laws are “inconsistent with the country’s long tradition of secularism and with sustaining a multi-ethnic and multi-religious democracy.” Today, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi leads a country that is suddenly at the center of U.S. strategy in Asia. And Biden has changed his tune, inviting the prime minister to a state visit this week. It’s widely understood that when U.S. elites refer to India having a functional free press, judiciary, and democracy, they are either dishonest or in denial about how the country’s political system has developed under Modi. But the same is true when they praise India’s economy. The U.S. government seems to be operating under the assumption that Modi’s India can sustain the country as it decouples from Chinese manufacturing. There is little reason to believe that is true. Read More >>

Democracy in India
Op-Eds

San Francisco Chronicle: Narendra Modi’s government undermines India’s democracy. So why is Ro Khanna looking the other way?

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By Asok Chatterjee Twenty years ago, the Indian state of Gujarat was gripped by communal violence that left more than 1,000 people, mostly Muslims, dead. The violence erupted after a train carrying Hindu pilgrims caught fire, killing 59. Although the chief minister of Gujarat at the time, Narendra Modi, denied any wrongdoing, scholars have long suggested otherwise, and a senior police official in Gujarat alleged in sworn testimony to India’s Supreme Court that Modi deliberately allowed the anti-Muslim riots to occur. Read More >>  

Modi Biden
Op-Eds

American Kahani: Biden’s Betrayal – Washington’s Uncritical Embrace of Narendra Modi Bodes Ill for Indian Democracy

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By Raju Rajagopal and Rasheed Ahmed  America will be rolling out the red carpet for India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi this week. The White House says the visit will affirm “warm bonds of family and friendship that link Americans and Indians together.” As first-generation immigrants, we exemplify those bonds of family and friendship. We grew up in an India where people of all faiths generally got along with one another. We celebrated our common heritage in music, arts, cuisine, cricket, and much more. Holidays like Diwali and Eid were occasions to share meals and sweets. Read More >>  

free press
Op-Eds

Al Jazeera Media Institute: Donald Lu is dangerously wrong – India does not have a ‘free press’

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By Safa Ahmed There is nothing to praise about the state of press freedoms in India, though America’s Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, Donald Lu, a former US ambassador, recently proclaimed otherwise. Speaking to the Press Trust of India in April, Lu praised Indian journalists for the work they do to support Indian democracy, adding: “I have such respect for the freedom of the press in India. You have India as a democracy in part because you have a free press that really works.” Read More >>  

Op-Eds

Chicago Sun Times: Don’t turn a blind eye to Indian Prime Minister Modi’s dark history

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By Rasheed Ahmed For over 25 years I lived in Chicago. Before that, I grew up in Hyderabad, India, where I have witnessed Muslims and Hindus living together in harmony, sharing meals, playing cricket and running businesses side by side. It’s been profoundly disheartening to witness the growing divide between our communities caused by the rise of Hindu nationalism, which promotes the notion that only Hindus are true citizens of India, while minorities, especially Muslims and Christians, are deemed unworthy of basic human rights. Read More >>

Press Release

Former Congressman, human rights experts call on Biden to hold Modi accountable during official state visit

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Washington, D.C. (June 15, 2023) – During a Congressional Briefing held on June 15, Former Congressman Andy Levin joined human rights experts and activists in urging the Biden administration to hold Prime Minister Narendra Modi accountable for his attacks on democracy and his party’s role in instigating violence against religious minorities. Levin noted that President Biden’s invitation to host Modi for a state dinner and address a joint session of Congress during his official visit to the U.S. on June 22 is a “huge honor” and “not a matter of course.” “The United States should not give rewards [to Modi] that may not be appropriate, given the depths of these concerns,” he said. “To my many wonderful former colleagues [in Congress], this state visit – this address to a joint session of Congress – is an opportunity for you to find your voice and find concrete ways to speak up and demonstrate the importance of democracy in India.” Nadine Maenza, Former Chair of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), stated that Modi should work to address rising anti-minority violence by, “condemning calls for genocide, arresting and charging those who are committing violence against religious communities, ending impunity for that violence… and working with the U.S. government on a roadmap to eliminate religiously discriminatory laws and policies.” Daniel Bastard, Asia-Pacific Director of Reporters Without Borders (RSF), stated that President Biden should call upon Modi to address the dissemination of hate speech through social media, as well as his regime’s unlawful arrests of Indian journalists. “There are eleven journalists who are currently in jail in India for no credible reason,” he said. “So I would ask President Biden to ask Prime Minister Modi, what about these journalists? Why are they in jail? When are you planning to release them?” “It is for our friends all over the world to make sure that the government of India knows that what it is doing, what it has gone about doing in the last few years, is wrong,” said Aakar Patel, Chair of the Board of Amnesty International in India. “The United States must ask itself, can it trust India as a regional and global security partner when India is committed to becoming a racist, casteist, and majoritarian nationalist state?” said Dr. Angana Chatterji, Founding Co-chair of the Political Conflict, Gender, and People’s Rights Initiative at the University of California, Berkeley. “The United States is actively, knowingly, deliberately empowering Modi to become a dictator and authoritarian, totalitarian figure,” said Ajit Sahi, Advocacy Director at Indian American Muslim Council. “Now, only US civil society can start putting pressure… [on] the Biden administration for its absolutely egregious and unacceptable involvement in abetting Modi’s dictatorial tendencies.”

Modi and Biden
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The Progressive Magazine: Why Biden Should Rethink Aligning with Modi

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By Safa Ahmed Twenty one years ago, massive anti-Muslim violence broke out in India’s Gujarat state. Although a complete death tally has never been completed, an estimated 2,000 predominantly Muslim Indians were killed. It was one of the worst anti-Muslim pogroms in the history of independent India—and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was then chief minister of Gujarat, allowed it to happen. “[A]llow Hindus to vent their anger,” Modi allegedly told police officers in a secret meeting, as violence engulfed Gujarat. Independent investigations by Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and the U.K. government all found Modi centrally responsible for the violence, and for eight years, the United States and the United Kingdom denied him visa privileges in retaliation for his role in the pogrom. Read More >>  

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Press Release

17 civil rights organizations call on President Biden to rescind state dinner invitation to PM Modi

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Washington, D.C., June 7, 2023: A coalition of 17 civil rights organizations, including the Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), has released an open letter urging President Joe Biden to reconsider his decision to extend a state dinner invitation to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, due to the steep decline of democratic values and the continuous violation of human rights against minority communities under his rule. In the letter, the organizations express their concerns regarding the Modi administration’s role in promoting Hindu extremist mob violence, hate crimes, and hate speech, particularly targeting Muslims and Christians. They also highlight the implementation of discriminatory laws aimed at suppressing the citizenship rights of minorities, impeding religious conversions and interfaith marriages, and restricting the freedom of speech, dissent, and assembly. “The invitation to Modi as a state guest signals that the US supports India’s crackdown on fundamental democratic rights and emboldens the Modi administration to intensify its anti-democratic agenda,” the letter stated. The letter was signed by a diverse range of civil rights organizations, including Indian American Muslim Council, Hindus for Human Rights, Dalit Solidarity Inc., World Without Genocide, International Defenders Council, International Society for Peace and Justice, Genocide Watch, Jubilee Campaign, Asian Children’s Education Fellowship, Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), Misión Vida para las Naciones, Church in the Republic of Uruguay, Global Christian Relief, American Sikh Council, Human Rights and Grassroots Development Society, International Commission for Dalit Rights.   Read the full letter: [pdf-embedder url="http://test.iamc.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/DOC-20230523-WA0004.-1.pdf" title="DOC-20230523-WA0004. (1)"]

Press Release

Indian Americans call on Congressional leaders to reconsider invitation to PM Narendra Modi

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Washington, DC (June 2, 2023) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) has urged U.S. congressional leaders to rescind their invitation to India’s Hindu supremacist Prime Minister Narendra Modi to speak before Congress. According to a letter released by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnel, House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, and House Democrat Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Modi is invited to address a Joint Meeting of Congress on June 22, 2023. The invitation comes at the behest of India Caucus co-chairs Rep. Ro Khanna and Rep. Michael Waltz. “Modi’s address will go down as a dark day in the U.S. Congressional history. It is unacceptable to welcome a leader who was once banned from entering the US for his role in the Gujarat pogrom of 2002, in which 2,000 predominantly Muslim Indians were killed. This invite is a gift, pure and simple, to an authoritarian, anti-minority leader with blood on his hands. This address to the Congress and the State Dinner at the White House both will leave a stain on the U.S. Congress and the Biden administration,” IAMC Executive Director Rasheed Ahmed said. “Modi’s policies and rhetoric have contributed to marginalization and discrimination faced by religious minorities in India, including Muslims and Christians. Granting him the privilege to address Congress sends a distressing message, not only to Indian Americans but also to people around the world who champion equality and justice,” said IAMC President Mohammad Jawad. “We hope that the Congressional leaders will reconsider their decision and use their platform to address critical issues surrounding Modi’s leadership, his party’s persecution of minorities, his crackdown on civil society groups, the press, and the overall alarming deterioration of democratic values under his administration,” Jawad added.

Quran burning
Press Release

Indian Americans Disappointed at Rep. Ro Khanna’s Request to Invite Modi to Address Congress

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Washington, D.C. (May 26, 2023) – Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) has expressed disappointment at Congressman Ro Khanna’s recent letter requesting that House Speaker Kevin McCarthy invite Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to deliver a joint address to Congress. The opportunity to speak before Congress will help to legitimize Modi’s brand of Hindu nationalist politics and the systematic persecution of religious minorities, particularly Muslims and Christians, under his rule. Khanna has previously and admirably criticized Hindu nationalism, Rahul Gandhi’s expulsion from parliament, and disingenuous cries of Hinduphobia used to deflect legitimate criticism of the Indian government. IAMC urges Rep. Khanna to continue this fight, cancel his request, and instead educate his constituents about the harms the Modi regime has done to India. The U.S. government and numerous internationally recognized organizations have condemned Modi for his and his political party’s attacks on core democratic freedoms, as well as their roles in enabling violence against Indian minorities. The 2023 Report on International Religious Freedom by the Department of State highlights hate speeches by leaders of Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which have contributed to anti-Muslim and anti-Christian violence; the BJP’s criminalization of religious conversion; BJP-led demolitions of Muslim-owned properties; Hindu supremacist rewriting of school curricula; arbitrary arrests of Muslims; and denial of bail for jailed Muslim activists. For four years running, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has designated India as a Country of Particular Concern for its egregious violations of human rights and religious freedoms, citing similar abuses. Human rights watchdogs Genocide Watch and the U.S. Holocaust Museum have both raised the alarm over impending mass violence in India. Freedom House has downgraded India to “Partly Free” and Reporters Without Borders has placed India at 161st rank in their latest press freedom survey, behind Afghanistan. This year, the Indian government censored a BBC documentary that showcases evidence of Modi’s complicity in a massive anti-Muslim pogrom in which an estimated 2,000 predominantly Muslim people were killed. The documentary, “India: The Modi Question,” discusses a UK government probe that found that Modi was “directly responsible” for the “climate of impunity” surrounding the mass killings, which, the report notes, “had all the hallmarks of ethnic cleansing.” After banning the documentary, the Modi government raided BBC offices in India, deploying a well-established intimidation tactic already used extensively against other critical outlets. Modi has curtailed free press through buyouts where intimidation has failed. One of Modi’s closest allies, the disgraced oligarch Gautam Adani, took over the previously independent cable news channel NDTV and cut its critical reportage. Later in January, Hindenburg Research revealed that the Adani Group overinflated their stock value with assistance from the Indian government in what many have called the most serious financial scandal of the decade. The Adani Group is, not coincidentally, the most significant corporate beneficiary of Indian government contracts. To fail to note Modi’s violent, anti-minority, authoritarian tendencies, and his corrupt mismanagement of the Indian economy, is not only to ignore the U.S. government’s own findings but a strategic blunder with the potential to jeopardize global stability. The turmoil Modi and the BJP have sown within Indian society is a profound threat to regional stability and has the potential to substantially undermine any joint initiatives. For these reasons, we call on Rep. Khanna to rescind his letter to House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, and to use his platform to ensure that the U.S.’s strategic partnership with India guarantees the human rights enshrined in the constitution of both countries.

Press Release

Civil rights groups call on American cinema orgs to refuse screening of Islamaphobic Bollywood film

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The Council of American Islamic Relations and the Indian American Muslim Council lead a diverse coalition of interfaith, Muslim, Hindu, Sikh, and Dalit (caste-oppressed South Asians) groups in urging American cinema organizations to refuse to screen the Islamaphobic Bollywood film “The Kerala Story” in the U.S. Numerous Indian and U.K. theaters have already refused to screen the low-budget propaganda film, which promotes the lie that some 32,000 Indian women were covertly radicalized by Muslim men and made to fight in terrorist groups. Like “The Kashmir Files”, an Indian film that inspired violent attacks against Muslims, “The Kerala Story” has been publicly celebrated by Modi and the BJP. The Kerala Story has already inspired viewers to call for violence against Muslims in Indian theaters. CAIR and IAMC therefore call on The National Association of Theatre Owners,  AMC Theatres, Fandango, Sling, Cinemark, Regal Movies, and Marcus Theatres to refuse to screen and/or promote “The Kerala Story.”   [pdf-embedder url="http://test.iamc.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/keralastoryNATO.pdf%22]

Press Release

CAIR, IAMC Condemn Screening of Anti-Muslim Indian Film in U.S. Theaters

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(WASHINGTON, D.C., 5/18/2023) – The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today joined the Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) in condemning the screening of The Kerala Story, an anti-Muslim Indian film, in American theatres. The film has been widely criticized for its reportedly bigoted depiction of Islam and Muslims and has also reportedly been endorsed by India’s ruling BJP, known for its far-right Hindutva extremism and Islamophobia. The Kerala Story is being screened in theaters in Maryland and Virginia, as well as elsewhere nationwide. SEE: The Kerala Story released in 200 theaters in America and Canada, Mamta government has banned it in Bengal https://www.news18.com/entertainment/sudipto-sen-directorial-the-kerala-story-released-in-over-200-screens-in-us-canada-7804081.html The Kerala Story: Why an Indian film on Islamic State is so controversial – BBC News https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-65481927 Bollywood film on Islamic State recruits sparks debate in India https://www.reuters.com/world/india/bollywood-film-islamic-state-recruits-sparks-debate-india-2023-05-09/ In a statement, CAIR Deputy Executive Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell said: “This film is yet another example of the hateful anti-Muslim propaganda that has been spread by India’s far-right Hindutva movement and used to justify real-world discrimination and violence against Indian Muslims. Just as mainstream American theaters should not and would not screen a blatantly racist film, they should not screen this blatantly anti-Muslim propaganda.” He noted that last year, CAIR and its Houston chapter defended an Indian Muslim journalist subjected to threats for his criticism of a similar film, The Kashmir Files. “This is yet another completely fabricated hate-filled story to peddle Islamophobia after ‘The Kashmir Files’ fiction that disrupted social cohesion both in India and in our neighborhoods in the United States,” said Rasheed Ahmed, executive director of the Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC).

Featured, Reports

IAMC Report: Persecution of Religious Minorities in India (Jan-Mar 2023)

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Indian American Muslim Council’s (IAMC) first quarterly report titled “Persecution of Religious Minorities in India” brings attention to the disturbing escalation of atrocities experienced by minority groups under the rule of the Hindu supremacist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in India.  This report records incidents of systematic violence, hate speech, and discrimination that occurred between January and March 2023. In addition, it provides a comprehensive list of recommendations that seek to tackle the fundamental causes of religious persecution, encourage international discourse to confront this urgent concern, and cultivate a society that embraces inclusivity and tolerance.   [pdf-embedder url="http://3.145.57.38/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/IAMC-Q1-Report-Final.pdf" title="IAMC Q1 Report Final"] Click Here to Download

Press Release

US State Department’s Damning Report on Persecution of Religious Minorities in India a step in the right direction, say Indian Americans

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Washington, D.C. (May 16, 2023) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, has welcomed the release of the US State Department’s 2022 International Religious Freedom (IRF) report, which extensively highlights the ongoing persecution of religious minorities, particularly Muslims and Christians in India. Released by Secretary Anthony Blinken and the US Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom Rashad Hussain on May 15, the report takes a deep dive into several overarching issues, including violent anti-Muslim riots, violence against Christians, criminalized religious conversion, the Karnataka state hijab ban, the punitive demolition of Muslim-owned homes and businesses. It also looks at the Hinduization of educational materials in public schools, the arbitrary arrests of Muslims gathering for prayer, denial of bail for Muslim activists arrested under India’s draconian anti-terror law, arbitrary demolitions of mosques and churches, cow vigilantism and mob lynchings, and hate speeches made by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders calling for violence against Muslims. The report also cites specific cases of anti-Muslim violence and hate speech, including the public flogging of Muslim men in Gujarat state by off-duty police officers; Hindu militant mob attacks during on a Muslim-majority area of Madhya Pradesh state’s Khargone city during the festival Ram Navami; the release of 11 Hindu militant men who were sentenced to life in prison for gang-raping a pregnant Muslim woman, Bilkis Bano, and murdering her family members; and the offensive televised comments made by BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma about Prophet Muhammad. The State Department also quoted IAMC’s monthly reports in multiple sections about anti-Christian violence. In a special briefing presenting the report, an unnamed senior State Department official stated that he was “saddened” to see the atrocities outlined in the India section of the report, pointing out that the Holocaust Memorial Museum, “lists [India] as one of its top countries of concern… with regards to potential for mass killings there.” “What we outline in today’s report is… continued targeted attacks against religious communities, including Christians, Muslims, Sikhs, Hindu Dalits, and indigenous communities; dehumanizing rhetoric, including open calls for genocide against Muslims; lynching and other hate-fueled violence, attacks on houses of worship and home demolitions, and in some cases impunity and even clemency for those who’ve engaged in attacks on religious minorities – we’re also continuing to see, at the state level, some restrictions on religious attire,” the official said. The 2022 IRF report echoes findings presented in the annual report released by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, which calls on the State Department to designate India as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) for ongoing and severe violations of religious freedoms for minorities. “We are glad to see that the US State Department has not held back in detailing the ever increasing atrocities against minorities under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rule,” said Rasheed Ahmed, IAMC Executive Director. “We now call upon Secretary Blinken and the State Department to listen to the facts presented by both the IRF and USCIRF reports and designate India as a Country of Particular Concern.” “Based on the State Department’s own reporting, it is easy to see that India more than qualifies as a CPC,” said Mohammad Jawad, President of IAMC. “We urge Secretary Blinken to hold India accountable by acting on USCIRF’s recommendations.” IAMC further urges the Indian government to take immediate steps to address these concerns and protect the rights of all of its citizens, regardless of their religion. For those interested in speaking with IAMC experts on deteriorating human rights and religious freedoms in India, please contact: media.info@iamc.com

Press Release

The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) joined a Tuesday celebration of the Muslim festival of Eid-al-Fitr at the invitation of U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

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At the Blair House event, Secretary Blinken affirmed the U.S. commitment to safeguarding religious freedom for persecuted Muslims around the world, stating, “We’re standing up for those who face persecution, for peacefully worshiping, those who are vilified for being part of a religious minority, those who face real threats to their safety, for choosing not to observe a faith at all.”     “We express our deep gratitude to Secretary Blinken for highlighting the importance of persecution of Muslims globally. We encourage the U.S. to ensure its strategic partnership with India includes firm commitments to protect religious freedoms for all minorities,” IAMC Executive Director Rasheed Ahmed. Ahmed attended the event alongside Rashad Hussain, Ambassador at Large in the Office of International Religious Freedom, and chief advisor to Secretary Blinken in matters of religious persecution.     “In addition to offering a platform to celebrate the substantial accomplishments of Indian American Muslims, the event offered an occasion to inform key policymakers on growing threats to Muslims in India,” Ahmed said. “On behalf of IAMC, the largest civil rights organization of Indian Muslims in America, it is my honor to represent the community in dialog with the State Department, and to celebrate the holiest of days.”  

Press Release

U.S. Officials condemn Biden administration’s dangerous silence in face of Modi Regime’s persecution of minorities

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Washington, D.C. (May 12, 2023) – U.S. officials gathered on capitol hill Tuesday to attend a congressional briefing on the Prime Minister Narendra Modi regime’s persecution of religious minorities. Talks also focused on the State Department’s refusal to implement the United States Commission on International Freedom’s (USCIRF) recommendation that India be designated a Country of Particular Concern (CPC), the commission’s highest warning against states which persecute religious minorities. Co-organized by the Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), Hindus For Human Rights (HFHR), Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF), The New York State Council of Churches, the Commission for Dalit Rights, Genocide Watch, World Without Genocide, along with a host of other religious, interfaith, and human rights organizations, the briefing featured speeches by former USCIRF Chair Nadine Maenza, Indian human rights activist Dr. Sandeep Pandey, Former U.S. Ambassador Islam Siddiqui, and Reverend Bryan Nerren, an American Christian pastor imprisoned by the Indian government for seven months. IAMC, HFHR, and SALDEF representatives also spoke at the event.     In her summary remarks, former USCIRF Chair Nadine Maenza directly attributed recent incidents of religious violence to the rhetoric, policies, and environment of complicity created by PM Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). “Right now, as we speak, an entire Indian state is burning,” Maenza said, referring to recent violent clashes between Hindus and Christians in the Indian state of Manipur, which have resulted in numerous Churches being burnt to the ground. “Due to the growing influence of the BJP’s Hindu supremacist rhetoric, Manipur’s Hindu population has turned against the already vulnerable Christian tribal population. It is quite literally the BJP’s fault that 60 people are now dead, 200 are wounded, and 35,000 are displaced.” Maenza harshly criticized US officials who have lavished praise on the Modi administration, singling out Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo and Assistant Secretary of State Bureau of South and Central Asia Affairs Donald Lu for complimenting Modi’s “visionary” leadership, and stating that India’s “free press really works” respectively. Referring to Raimondo and Lu’s statements, Maenza asked, “Modi is no visionary, and under his control, freedoms for the Indian people have plummeted. How does this charade benefit anyone? Do we want to see the eruption of yet another refugee crisis? Are we alright with India compromising the entire region’s stability by allowing such widespread internal violence?” Maenza pointed to India’s precipitous decline in rank in Reporters Without Borders annual Press Freedom Index.     Dr. Sandeep Pandey, who is the recipient of the Ramon Magsaysay award, also known as Asia’s Nobel Prize, provided an exhaustive catalog of economic, political, civil rights, and democratic declines ushered in by the Modi regime. Challenging triumphant western narratives of India’s economic gains, Pandey said, “The Indian economy is in shambles. India’s 1% population owns 40.5% of wealth. Whereas only 3% of wealth trickled down to bottom 50% of the population over the nine year period from 2012 to 21.” Pandey described how Modi’s crony capitalist policies had enabled the distorted wealth accumulation of Gautam Adani, the disgraced industrialist and financial criminal. In matters of criminal justice, Pandey explained how religious bias has all but destroyed the Indian judiciary. “Your religion decides how the state will deal with you. If you are a Hindu, and especially if you are aligned with the ruling party, then irrespective of how egregious the crime is, you will be released. If you are a Muslim you will be convicted even if you are innocent. A death sentence is what they want,” he said. Pandey pointed to the release of 11 Hindu supremacist men who had raped Bilkis Bano during the Gujarat Pogrom, to the later acquittal of convicted mass murderer and Hindu supremacist Babu Bajrangi. He contrasted this judicial leniency with the prison sentences given to Muslim activists who opposed the violently discriminatory Citizenship Amendment Act.     Reverend Bryan Nerren then described in harrowing detail his personal experience being imprisoned in India. Having operated a Christian charity that helped poor children of all faiths for nearly 2 decades, Nerren was targeted by police and imprisoned. “Most of you probably never had the opportunity to visit an Indian prison, much less be an Indian prisoner. But I have, and it was because I answered three questions wrong. I’m a Christian. I’ll meet with Christians, and I’ll help Christians,” Nerren said. Despite never having converted any Indian or Nepalese people, Nerren was given a 7 year prison sentence. The U.S. initially refused to negotiate for his release, with the Trump administration seemingly prioritizing a weapons deal with India over the rights of an American citizen. A BJP official informed Nerren that he was being arrested for his faith, that it was at the order of higher ups within the party, and that he was being made into an example to other Christians and religious minorities. “The BJP official said ‘We’re going to see to it that you spend the next seven years in prison for what you’re doing. We are going to stop Western people, especially you Christians, from coming here and lying to the poor children that they can have hope. I hope you die in prison. Here’s what you need to understand about the India of today. In the short future, every person in this country will be Hindu. They will leave the country, or we’re going to eliminate them. And I think you understand what eliminate means,” Nerren said.     SALDEF Policy Manager Jyot Singh also explained how the Modi regime’s policies profoundly affected Sikh Americans. Referring to the Modi government’s decision to cut off internet access in Punjab in their attempt to capture one political dissident, Singh said, “Modi’s government cut off the internet for 27 million people. Without homelines, they were cut off from the world and their families in the US. They could not communicate with their loved ones. None of this is acceptable in a country which enjoys an allyship with the global north and calls itself a democracy.” HFHR Policy Director Ria Chakrabartty provided broad context about how, when it comes to U.S. relations with India, shortsighted economic concerns continue to triumph over pursuit of long-term

Quran burning
Press Release

IAMC Statement on California Senate Vote on Anti-Caste Discrimination Bill

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The Indian American Muslim Council commends the California Senate for taking yet another historic step towards protecting Dalits and caste-oppressed people by passing Senate Bill 403 (SB403) with a vote of 34 to 1 today. Background Introduced by California Senator Aisha Wahab, SB403 adds caste as a protected category to an existing law, the Unruh Civil Rights Act, which provides that all people in the state of California are entitled to the full and equal accommodations, advantages, facilities, privileges, or services in all business establishments. Despite the flood of threats and hatred faced by Senator Wahab for introducing this bill, massive numbers of people from both the Dalit community and their allies have come forth to support this legislation and to ensure that California tackles the deep-rooted issue of caste discrimination in Silicon Valley, the state’s university system, and beyond. This landmark moment comes just weeks after the California Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously passed SB403 in April. It also follows the Seattle City Council’s historic legislation banning caste discrimination earlier this year, as well as resolutions to designate caste as a protected category passed by the California Democratic Party, the California State University system, the Alphabet Workers Union, tech giants like Apple and Cisco, and others. Our nation is waking up to the ugly reality of caste discrimination, which is the world’s oldest form of discrimination. This form of discrimination has no place in America’s workplaces, schools, and places of worship. Quotes “We commend the California Senate for passing SB 403. This is a historic moment for the Dalit community, which has been fighting against caste-based discrimination for generations. The passage of this bill sends a strong message that caste discrimination has no place in California. The bill will provide much-needed protection to Dalits and others who face discrimination based on their caste,” said IAMC President Mohammad Jawad. “We urge the California Assembly to pass this bill without delay, and for Governor Newsom to sign it into law. We also call on other states and the US Congress to follow California’s lead in recognizing caste discrimination as a form of discrimination and taking steps to address it. Discrimination based on caste is a violation of human rights and must be eradicated wherever it exists,” said IAMC Executive Director Rasheed Ahmed. To speak with IAMC leadership, contact: media.info@iamc.com

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Congressional officials, civil society join IAMC celebration of Eid-ul-Fitr, Indian Muslim Heritage on Capitol Hill

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Washington, D.C. (May 4, 2023) – Dozens of officials from US Congress from offices of several members of Congress joined the first-ever Eid-ul-Fitr celebration hosted by Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) on Capitol Hill last week. Over 100 Congressional staffers, civil society organizations, rights activists, and representatives of the Muslim, Hindu, Christian, Sikh and Jewish communities attended.     The event also commemorated the rich history of Indian Muslim heritage. A short documentary showcasing the cultural, historical, and political contributions of Muslims in India— from rich Indian Muslim history to its role in the freedom struggle – was also shown during the event. The celebration concluded with a Friday congregational prayer, or jummah, led by Imam Mohammed Adam on Capitol Hill.     “We are thrilled to witness the large turnout for IAMC’s first-ever Eid celebration on Capitol Hill,” said Rasheed Ahmed, IAMC Executive Director. “As an organization that upholds pluralism and tolerance, it’s heartening to see people from all faith and non-faith backgrounds come together to celebrate with us.” During the celebration, Mohammad Jawad, IAMC President, emphasized the beauty of Indian Muslim heritage, contributions, and achievements. He called upon the world to recognize and appreciate these contributions.     The IAMC is a nonprofit organization based in Washington, DC. It is dedicated to promoting peace, tolerance, and diversity in India and the United States. Through events like this, the organization hopes to create a better understanding and appreciation of the Indian Muslim community and its contributions to society.  

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Sharp decline in India’s press freedom ranking in Reporters Without Borders report is deeply concerning: IAMC

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Indian Americans say US must ask India to stop persecuting journalists Washington, DC (May 3, 2022) — The Indian American Muslim Council, a US-based nonprofit dedicated to peace, pluralism and social justice, has expressed deep concern at the sharp decline of India’s press freedom ranking in the 2023 report of Reporters Without Borders (RSF), one of the world’s leading press freedom watchdogs. “For the sake of democracy, the United States must use its diplomatic power to compel India to end its persecution of journalists,” IAMC executive director Rasheed Ahmed said on Wednesday. In its report released earlier today from its headquarters in Paris, France, the RSF placed India at 161st place among 180 countries, placing it 11 positions below its rank last year. This is the fourth consecutive year in which India has fallen sharply in RSF’s rankings. Four years ago, India was placed 140th. Press freedom in India is now worse than in authoritarian regimes in Afghanistan, Libya, and the United Arab Emirates. It ranks a mere 19 spots above the dictatorship of North Korea, the lowest ranked in this report. RSF directly attributed India’s drastic decline to Narendra Modi’s ascension to Prime Minister in 2014. Ahmed said the rapid decline of India’s free press is of grave concern to Indian Americans, adding, “Democracy dies in darkness, and the loss of India’s free press will bring dark days. As the report makes clear, this attempt to strangle the free press is a political strategy pursued by Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party. They want to eliminate critical voices and make India a Hindu supremacist state.” According to the RSF report, “The Indian press used to be seen as fairly progressive but things changed radically in the mid-2010s, when Narendra Modi became prime minister and engineered a spectacular rapprochement between his party, the BJP, and the big families dominating the media.” The report describes how Modi’s politically-engineered media monopoly — which has included the buyout of national TV network NDTV by disgraced industrialist and Modi crony Gautam Adani — has created a climate in which critical reporting on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and other ruling factions has become perilous and in some cases impossible. “Under the guise of combatting Covid-19,” the report notes, “the government and its supporters have waged a guerrilla war of lawsuits against media outlets whose coverage of the pandemic contradicted official statements. Journalists who try to cover anti-government strikes and protests are often arrested and sometimes detained arbitrarily.” The propagation of Hindu Nationalist (Hindutva) ideology also bears central responsibility for the declines in India’s press freedom, according to the report. “Supporters of Hindutva, the ideology that spawned the Hindu far right, wage all-out online attacks on any views that conflict with their thinking. Terrifying coordinated campaigns of hatred and calls for murder are conducted on social media, campaigns that are often even more violent when they target women journalists, whose personal data may be posted online as an additional incitement to violence,” the report states. As a result of this persecutory climate, 3 to 4 journalists are killed on average each year in India, making it one of the most dangerous places for journalists in the world. The report also notes how India’s Hindu, upper-caste, male-dominated media landscape has excluded women and countless minorities from media representation, while permitting the propagation of dangerous Islamophobic conspiracy theories, including blaming Muslims for the spread of COVID-19. RSF’s findings directly refute claims from US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Donald Lu, who recently stated, “You have India as a democracy in part because you have a free press that really works.” “RSF’s latest report should be a wake-up call for US and global leaders who continue to maintain the illusion that the free press thrives in India,” said IAMC Executive Director Rasheed Ahmed. “The Modi regime’s persecution of journalists, and his crony-engineered media monopoly is not only a blow to Indian democracy, but introduces an element of extreme instability into international relations.” The report also notes how “Kashmiri reporters are often harassed by police and paramilitaries, with some being subjected to so-called “provisional” detention for several years.” Kashmir and Punjab continue to be routinely subjected to sweeping internet blackouts that impede millions from accessing media, as well as other critical information services. On the issue of the security of journalists, India fared even worse, placing at 163 in 180 countries. “With an average of three or four journalists killed in connection with their work every year, India is one of the world’s most dangerous countries for the media,” the report said. “Journalists are exposed to all kinds of physical violence including police violence, ambushes by political activists, and deadly reprisals by criminal groups or corrupt local officials.” The report called out Hindutva, the ideology of Hindu nationalism, saying that its supporters “wage all-out online attacks on any views that conflict with their thinking. Terrifying coordinated campaigns of hatred and calls for murder are conducted on social media, campaigns that are often even more violent when they target women journalists, whose personal data may be posted online as an additional incitement to violence. To speak with IAMC experts on crackdown on press freedom in India, contact: media.info@iamc.com

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Indian Americans welcome USCIRF’s decision to recommend India as a Country of Particular Concern for fourth consecutive year

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Washington, D.C. (May 1, 2023) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) has welcomed the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom’s (USCIRF) decision to recommend India as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) for its severe violations of human rights and religious freedoms for the fourth consecutive year. CPC is a designation reserved for the world’s worst violators of religious freedom. “This decision reaffirms what IAMC has been saying for years: that India’s government, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has continued to systematically violate the religious freedom of minority communities, particularly Muslims and Christians,” said Rasheed Ahmed, IAMC Executive Director. “It is high time that the State Department acts on USCIRF’s recommendation and holds India accountable as the ground situation becomes increasingly more violent and dangerous for its religious minorities. We particularly welcome that the report highlights the systematic and appalling harassment of Journalists.” In its 2023 annual report, USCIRF highlighted that religious freedoms in India continued to deteriorate, including through laws targeting religious conversion, interfaith relationships, cow slaughter, free speech, and non-governmental organizations. “The Indian government invoked the UAPA and the Sedition Act throughout the year to target freedom of religion and expression, creating an increasing climate of intimidation and fear,” the report stated. “Authorities surveilled, harassed, detained, and prosecuted a number of journalists, lawyers, rights activists, and religious minorities advocating for religious freedom.” USCIRF also highlighted the 2022 order of the Karnataka state high court banning the hijab in school, saying, “Despite widespread protests and instances of violence, state high court judges upheld the ban, agreeing with the government’s argument that the hijab is not essential to practicing Islam.” The report further raised concerns about the ongoing trend of violent cow vigilante attacks and lynchings of Muslims, sexual violence and harassment against Muslim women, and the demolition of Muslim-owned homes, businesses, and places of worship, as well as several Christian establishments. USCIRF also expressed its disappointment with the Biden administration for ignoring its recommendation to designate India as a CPC in 2022. “In 2022, the Joseph R. Biden administration again failed to designate India as a CPC for engaging in particularly severe religious freedom,” the report stated. In addition to recommending that India be listed on the CPC list, USCIRF has also urged the US government to raise religious freedom issues in the U.S.-India bilateral relationship and to impose targeted sanctions on Indian government agencies and officials responsible for severe violations of minority rights. IAMC echoes USCIRF in calling on the US Department of State to immediately act on the Commission’s recommendations and hold the Indian government accountable for allowing and enabling the persecution of its 250 million religious minorities. IAMC also urges the Indian government to take immediate steps to address these concerns and protect the rights of all of its citizens, regardless of their religion. For those interested in speaking with IAMC experts on deteriorating human rights and religious freedoms in India, please contact: media.info@iamc.com  

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Release of Hindu militants convicted of massacring Muslims during 2002 Gujarat pogrom a blot on India’s judiciary, say Indian Americans

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Washington, D.C. (April 20, 2023) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) is deeply disturbed by the decision of a court in Gujarat state to acquit 67 Hindu extremists and militant leaders who were accused and convicted in the burning of 11 Muslims alive in the 2002 Naroda Gam massacre. The massacre was one of the major cases of deadly Hindu mob violence during the 2002 Gujarat pogrom, during which Hindu extremists slaughtered nearly two thousand Muslim men, women and children. In this particular case, Hindu mobs set fire to Muslim-owned homes in the Naroda Gam area of Ahmedabad city, resulting in the death of 11 Muslims. In 2008, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) was formed to investigate the massacre. A case was filed against 86 Hindu extremists after interviewing 187 people and taking statements from nearly five dozen eyewitnesses. Despite the slew of evidence against the extremists — both from the SIT and the victims’ lawyer, who submitted foreign science laboratory reports and cell tower locations as additional evidence — the special court acquitted all 67 of the surviving Hindu militants convicted in the massacre. “It’s a travesty of justice. The fact that India has allowed so many murderers, lynchers, arsonists, and rapists to walk free en masse and be received as heroes is despicable and a blot on the Indian judiciary,” said Rasheed Ahmed, IAMC Executive Director. This shocking decision has allowed the release of notorious Hindu militant leader Babu Bajrangi, who was also convicted in the single deadliest mass killing of Muslims during the pogrom – including 97 Muslim women, children, and men – as part of the Naroda Patiya massacre in another area of Ahmedabad. During this massacre, women and girls were publicly gang-raped before being hacked and burned. A video of Bajrangi boasting about his role in the violence was included as part of the BBC’s recently released documentary about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s role in the Gujarat pogrom. “There was this pregnant woman. I slit her open,” Bajrangi said in the clip. “We didn’t spare anyone. I say it even today, they (Muslims) should not be allowed to prosper.” When asked if he had also killed women and children, Bajrangi responded, “Yes, everyone. Kill, chop and burn them… I enjoy it (killing Muslims). We killed them, came home, and slept.” Bharatiya Janata Party leader Maya Kodnani, who was convicted for leading the mobs in the arson of the Muslim-owned homes in Naroda Gam, was also acquitted. Kodani was previously sentenced to 28 years in prison after a court labeled her as the “kingpin” behind the Naroda Patiya massacre. Despite eyewitness reports that Kodnani “actively instigated” the mobs, she was also acquitted in the case in 2018. This acquittal comes just months after 11 Hindu extremists were allowed to walk free from prison after being convicted of gang-raping a pregnant Muslim woman, Bilkis Bano, and murdering most of her family members during the Gujarat pogrom. Bano’s appeal against the release is currently pending before the Supreme Court. Both cases illustrate how the judiciary has become a tool for rising Hindu extremism throughout India. Under the Modi government, Hindu supremacists arrested for anti-Muslim violence routinely walk free. “The judiciary in India is gradually becoming a rubber stamp of the BJP government. Those who do their work of killing and demonizing minorities walk free, while those who they disagree with them are sent to jail. This particular decision sends a problematic message to the Hindu supremacist core that violence against Muslims is unpunishable,” Ahmed added. IAMC calls upon the Gujarat High Court to reverse the acquittal order of the lower court and ensure justice for the victims’ families. IAMC further calls upon the international community, including the Biden administration and the US Department of State to take up the matter of Muslim persecution with top levels of the Indian government.

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Weaponization of Hindu festivals to attack Muslims another sign of India on “road to genocide,” say Indian activists

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Activists warn that hate crimes are being carried out against Indian Muslims on a massive scale during Hindu festivals, indicating a genocidal climate against Muslims in India. Washington, D.C. (April 19, 2023) – Hindu supremacists weaponizing their religious festivals to launch massive attacks on Muslims across India is a sign that the nation is on “the road to genocide,” said Indian human rights activist Kavita Srivastava at a Congressional Briefing on April 19 titled, “The Weaponization of Hindu Festivals to Target Muslims.” “No Hindu festival happens without troubling Muslims now, as if that has become part of the protocol of a festival. These mobilizations are unprecedented… it’s happening in every North Indian state,” said Srivastava. “And let us get it straight that it is being done with impunity. There’s nobody who’s stopping them.”     Beginning on March 29th, Hindu extremist mobs participating in processions for the Hindu festival of Ram Navami attacked Muslims, along with their homes, businesses, and places of worship in at least six Indian states, including Maharashtra, West Bengal, Delhi, Gujarat, Telangana and Uttar Pradesh. Muslims have reported incidents of mosques being planted with saffron flags and arsoned by mobs, home invasions, stone pelting, mob beatings, and sexual harassment of Muslim women. A similar outbreak of violence was reported during Ram Navami in April 2022, leaving Muslim areas devastated by the Hindu militant attacks, followed by police brutality and arbitrary arrests of Muslims under fabricated charges of violence. In several states, the government bulldozed Muslim-owned homes and businesses as “punishment for rioting.” “We are not on the edge of genocide. The genocide has started,” Srivastava added. Shaheen Abdulla, a reporter for the Indian news portal Maktoob Media, stated that violence during the Hindu festivals Hanuman Jayanti and Ram Navami have followed a pattern to spark violence deliberately over the past two years. “[Hindu processions] actually wait for a call for prayer where Muslims come and assemble, and [the mob] makes sure that they are heckled. Sometimes they attack them with the guns that they are carrying,” he said. In the aftermath of the mob violence, Abdullah added, police brutality would begin. “[Police] go to each Muslim house, they barge in… most of the time it is done by the male cops. When the women try to stop their children from being detained, police also attack them,” he said.     Abdulla further said that, “the perpetrators don’t just get away. They are in the public sphere making comments about how violently they attacked Muslims and they would be making all these claims of how they are going to do it again and again.” “If you try to quantify all the news about hate crimes and anti-Muslim crimes happening in India, all the resources would exhaust because of the [sheer] amount of violence that is happening in each state,” he added. Sharjeel Usmani, a prominent activist, raised concerns over news media labeling these cases of Hindu mob violence against Muslims as “clashes” or “riots.” “The world has not seen this kind of mass radicalization ever in terms of population – the sheer numbers with regards to weaponizing the Hindu festivals,” Usmani said. “First the Muslim citizens are attacked unprovoked, and when the violence ends, the police comes in and then they again attack. So it’s a double attack every single time… the media, the police, the state and even the Indian academia portray it as a clash between two parties, which it has never been.”     “When the police are not in between and people are surrounded from all sides, you have to try to defend your life. You don’t want to get burnt alive or killed, and so you have to do everything that you can to save your life. And then this defense that the Muslim groups do to protect themselves, to save their lives, is then portrayed as a clash, and then arrests are made,” Usmani added. Asif Mujtaba, a prominent activist, stated that Muslims who police have unlawfully detained in the aftermath of mob violence are trapped in difficult legal battles. “What Muslims suffer at the moment of violence is nothing as compared to what they suffer afterward,” he said. “For all these Muslims whose houses have been pelted, whose mosques have been burnt, whose shops have been vandalized and looted and burnt… [now they] have been picked up and then they have to fight a legal battle.”     He added that India’s Hindu majority must take responsibility to combat Hindu extremist radicalism. “The change has to come from the Hindu side, because they are testing patience in whatever capacity. It doesn’t matter in what way the Muslim community behaves, they will be subjected to violence,” he said in conclusion. The briefing was co-sponsored by Genocide Watch, World Without Genocide, Indian American Muslim Council, Hindus for Human Rights, International Christian Concern, Jubilee Campaign,  21Wilberforce, Dalit Solidarity Forum, New York State Council of Churches, Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations of North America, India Civil Watch International, Center for Pluralism, International Commission for Dalit Rights, American Muslim Institution, Students Against Hindutva Ideology, International Society for Peace and Justice, The Humanism Project and Association of Indian Muslims of America.

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IAMC condemns U.S. Commerce Secretary’s praise for PM Modi amid minority persecution

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Washington, DC (April 17, 2023) –The Indian American Muslim Council, a Washington, D.C.-based advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, has condemned the recent comments made by U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi, despite the ongoing persecution of religious minorities, journalists, activists and critics in India. While speaking at an event organized by the Indian Embassy on April 16, Raimondo described Modi as “unbelievable, visionary” and “the most popular world leader for a reason.” “His level of commitment to the people of India is just indescribable and deep and passionate and real and authentic. His desire to lift people out of poverty and move India forward as a global power is real, and it is happening,” Raimondo said. Raimondo’s comments are blatantly untrue on several levels. Her assertion that “India has more than arrived” in terms of economic power belies the findings of the International Monetary Fund, Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE), and India’s Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation: that inflation is rising, unemployment has skyrocketed to a 45-year high, and India’s GDP fell to its lowest in a decade after Modi came to power. More importantly, Raimondo’s remarks about Modi as a “visionary” leader are in direct contradiction with the findings and reports published by her own government, including the India Reports on Human Rights Practices by the Department of State, as well as the United States Commission for International Religious Freedom’s (USCIRF) annual reports on egregious human rights and religious freedom violations in India. Last month, the State Department released its 2022 report, which extensively documents accelerating human rights abuses in India under the rule of PM Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The report cited numerous instances of violent attacks and killings of Muslims, Christians, and other religious minorities, government-led demolitions of Muslim homes, discriminatory laws targeted at Muslims, arrest of government critics, government censorship of media, attacks on journalists, and numerous other indicators of rising authoritarianism and widespread anti-Muslim practices. In June 2022, Secretary Antony Blinken openly called out India for violent attacks against its religious minorities. “In India, the world’s largest democracy and home to great diversity of faiths, we have seen a rise in attacks on people and places of worship,” Secretary Blinken said. USCIRF has for three consecutive years recommended that the State Department designate India as a “Country of Particular Concern” for egregious violations of religious freedoms, putting it in the category of the world’s worst authoritarian regimes like Iran, China, and North Korea. USCIRF Chair Nury Tukel has gone as far as to express his frustration that India has not yet been included on the CPC list, saying that “USCIRF is tremendously disappointed that the Secretary of State did not… recognize the severity of the religious freedom violations that both USCIRF and the State Department have documented in India.” This reality has been noted by other officials within the US government as well. US Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom Rashad Hussain has stated that his department is “concerned with the targeting of a number of communities in India, including Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, [and] the Hindu Dalit community and indigenous communities.” The world’s most prominent human rights groups have written numerous reports, conclusively proving that under the Modi government, the persecution of religious minorities, journalists, activists, and critics has become a state policy. Under Modi’s rule, India has slipped from 140 to 150 in the World Press Freedom Index of 180 countries compiled by Reporters Without Borders, a media watchdog. Freedom House, a democracy watchdog group, has ranked India as only a “partly free” nation due to government crackdowns and persecution. Both Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have published dozens of reports holding the Modi-led BJP government responsible for an alarming surge in hate speech and violence against religious minorities. UN Special Rapporteur for Minority Rights Fernand de Varennes has said that “nothing short of an international investigative mechanism – as has been done by the UN Security Council, Human Rights Council for countries such as Syria, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and Ethiopia – may be necessary” to reverse the trend of violence against minorities in India. Genocide Watch, a US-based human rights watchdog, placed India at Stage 8 (persecution) of genocide according to Dr. Gregory Stanton’s 10 Stages of Genocide in 2022. The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum has warned that India is among the top ten likeliest places in the world for new mass killings against minorities. IAMC calls on Secretary Raimondo to retract her statement and acknowledge the violations of human rights and religious freedoms taking place in India. The United States must stand firm in its commitment to human rights and democratic values, and we urge the Biden administration to hold the Modi government accountable for its actions. We stand in solidarity with all those affected by the persecution in India and will continue to advocate for their rights and dignity.

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IAMC condemns Indian Minister’s shameful denial of Muslim persecution, seeks retraction

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Washington, DC (April 15, 2023) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) strongly condemns and vehemently refutes India’s Finance Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Nirmala Sitharaman’s claim that Muslims are not being subjected to violence and persecution because their population, “is only growing in numbers.” Speaking at the Peterson Institute for International Economics (PIIE), a Washington, D.C. based think tank, Sitharaman claimed that there was a “negative Western perception” regarding India after PIIE President Adam S. Posen asked her how foreign investors’ perception of the country is affected by Western reporting on India’s political climate, including on the persecution of Muslims. In response, Sitharaman outrightly denied Muslim persecution while backing it with the Hindu far-right conspiracy theory of, “Muslim population growth.” “[This is] not to even imply that I accept the perception that you’re referring to – India has the second largest Muslim population in the world, and the population is only growing in numbers,” Sitharaman said. According to the Census data from 2001-2011, the growth rate of the Muslim population decreased to 24.6% compared to 29.5% in the decade prior. Data from India’s National Family Health Survey shows that over the past 25 years, the total fertility rate among Muslims decreased the sharpest out of all religious groups, including Hindus, from 3.6 in 1998-99 to 2.36 in 2019-21. Sitharaman’s statement echoes the popular Hindu supremacist propaganda claim that the Muslim population is increasing at a rate disproportionate to Hindus. The idea that Muslims are “overpopulating” and “overtaking” Hindus in India is then used by BJP leaders and Hindu militant groups to whip up Islamophobia and violence against Muslim minorities. “Sitharaman’s use of ‘population growth’ myth to justify the systemic oppression of Indian Muslims is nothing more than a twisted propaganda tactic widely used by the Hindu far-right to mask the reality of Muslim persecution and discrimination in India,” said IAMC Executive Director Rasheed Ahmed. “Her statement is not just a flagrant denial of human rights abuses but also a dangerous attempt to spread disinformation and gaslight the global community about the atrocities committed against Indian Muslims. Sitharaman’s rhetoric must be debunked and condemned to ensure that human rights violations do not go unnoticed or unchallenged,” Ahmed added. This blatantly false notion is not only a testament to the Sitharaman’s deliberate ignorance but also a willful disregard for the overwhelming evidence presented by numerous authoritative sources, including United Nations Special Rapporteurs, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), the US Department of State, the US Holocaust Memorial, and the world’s most prominent human rights organizations like Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International. Most of these reports have noted that over the last nine years, the BJP government has openly promoted a divisive and discriminatory agenda that led to surge in the targeting of Muslims and other minorities. The government has passed discriminatory laws like the Citizenship Amendment Act, which, combined with the National Register of Citizens (NRC), is designed to render Muslims stateless and has led to widespread protests and violence against the Muslim community throughout India. The beef ban laws, the anti-conversion laws, and the Hijab ban in Karnataka are only meant to marginalize Muslims further. Hindu militant groups affiliated with the BJP and its ideological parent, the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS), have been given a free hand to commit violence against Muslims, including pogroms, mob lynchings, and attacks on their homes, businesses, and places of worship. In the past three months alone, at least 10 Muslims were lynched throughout India over the baseless accusations of transporting/ consuming beef or theft. In February, Bajrang Dal militants killed and burned the bodies of two Muslims over suspicion of transporting cattle in BJP-ruled Haryana State. Furthermore, the government’s complicity in the horrific anti-Muslim pogroms in Delhi in 2020, which resulted in the death of over 50 people, mostly Muslims; the rampant bulldozing of Muslim homes, businesses, and mosques; the ongoing human rights violations in Kashmir and extreme surge in hate speeches calling for Muslim genocide are well-documented. Two weeks back, the Supreme Court judges called the state “impotent” for failing to curb anti-Muslim hate speeches nationwide. Just a week before Sitharaman spoke at the PIIE, Hindu extremist mobs during the Hindu festival of Ram Navami stormed Muslim localities in at least 6 Indian states, where they pelted stones, brutalized Muslim residents, torched vehicles, desecrated mosques, looted homes and businesses. These actions demonstrate a clear pattern of persecution and violence against Muslims in India, and Sitharaman’s comments only serve to minimize and trivialize the gravity of the situation. In 2022, Genocide Watch, an NGO that monitors countries for signs of impending genocide, placed India at Stage 8 (persecution) of genocide on Dr. Gregory Stanton’s 10 Stages of Genocide. The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum said India was among the top ten likeliest places for new mass killings in the world. USCIRF, a bipartisan, independent commission in the US, has designated India as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) for three consecutive years over its egregious violations of human rights and religious freedoms of minorities. IAMC calls on the Indian government to immediately retract Sitharaman’s insensitive and inaccurate comments and take concrete steps to stop Hindu extremist violence against its Muslim citizens. We also call on the international community to hold the Indian government accountable for its actions and to take steps to ensure the protection of the rights of all religious minorities in India.

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New IT rules a setback for free speech, access to information, say Indian Americans

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Washington, DC (April 11, 2023) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) strongly condemns the new draconian Information Technology (IT) amendment issued by the Indian government, which would have a chilling effect on freedom of speech and expression in the country. The new rules publicized by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) would create a government fact-checking unit with the power to identify “fake or false or misleading” information on government and social media intermediaries like Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, Instagram or telecom services. Each would be under a legal obligation to remove the content, failing which they could lose their “safe harbor” immunity. IAMC calls on the Indian government to repeal this law, which flies in the face of India’s constitution and the Indian supreme court’s previous affirmations of the right to free speech. “This Orwellian new law represents the Modi regime’s desperate attempt to decide what is true and false. It gives the government unchecked power to censor individuals and communities. It is a huge rollback of freedom of expression and access to information,” said IAMC Executive Director Rasheed Ahmed. “It will not single out any particular state or region but make all of India suffer the information blockades to which Kashmir and Punjab have been routinely subjected. It puts Indian citizens at risk of the conditions of absolute falsehood that prevail in authoritarian states like North Korea,” IAMC Executive Director Ahmed added. Press freedom and civil society organizations have also criticized the new amendment. The Editors Guild of India, the nation’s most prestigious press organization, wrote in an April 7 statement, “There is no mention of what will be the governing mechanism for such a fact-checking unit, the judicial oversight, the right to appeal, or adherence to the guidelines laid down by the Supreme Court of India in Shreya Singhal v Union of India case, with respect to take down of content or blocking of social media handles.” The Internet Freedom Foundation also strongly condemned the legislation, stating, “Assigning any unit of the government such arbitrary, overbroad powers to determine the authenticity of online content bypasses the principles of natural justice, thus making it an unconstitutional exercise. The notification of these amended rules cement the chilling effect on the fundamental right to speech and expression…” The amendment comes on the heels of the Modi regime’s escalating attacks on freedom of expression, which have included, in recent weeks shutting off the internet for 27 million people in Punjab, censoring Indian textbooks, intimidating the BBC through the use of sham tax raids, and censoring the Modi-critical BBC documentary, “India: The Modi Question.” “Having routinely resorted to censorship to erase information it doesn’t like, the Modi regime has now taken the final step: creating a dedicated government team to destroy truth and spread lies in India,” said IAMC Executive Director Ahmed. “The harms to India’s information ecosystem will be incalculable if not immediately repealed.”

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Indian Americans condemn Hindu extremist violence against Muslims across India during Ram Navami

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Washington, DC (April 3, 2023) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) today strongly condemned Hindu extremist violence against Muslims in various Indian states over the last week. Since March 29th, extremist mobs participating in processions for the Hindu festival of Ram Navami have systematically attacked Muslims, along with their homes, businesses, and places of worship in at least six Indian states, including Maharashtra, West Bengal, Delhi, Gujarat, Telangana and Uttar Pradesh. “It is unacceptable that some extremists in India are using Hindu festivals to terrorize Indian Muslims. It is profoundly alarming that these acts of large-scale violence are premeditated, organized and committed in the presence and full knowledge of the police, who according to numerous video reports, are doing nothing to stop them,” said Rasheed Ahmed, Executive Director of IAMC. News reports and videos circulating on different social media platforms indicate that the violence has been orchestrated by the militant affiliates of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), including Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP). A newly released report from the Citizens and Lawyers Initiative, “Routes of Wrath: Weaponising Religious Processions” provides deeply researched documentation of the weaponization of Ram Navami and Hanuman riots in 2022, which resulted in two deaths and more than a hundred injuries that year. The report, featuring an introduction from retired Indian Supreme Court Justice Rohinton F. Nariman, highlights consistent collusion on the part of the Hindu far-right groups and the authorities in choosing procession routes. “Religious processions in state after state have been granted licenses or permissions to pass through the most congested and sensitive areas,” it states. In the town of Bihar Sharif in Bihar state, a young man was shot dead during a Ram Navami procession this year, according to police reports. Muslim women allege that police robbed their homes and threatened rape during a chaotic Ram Navami procession. “Police abused us and gave us rape threats. We were forced to open the doors, and then they were free to get into our houses. They put ladders in the balcony and entered,” a woman alleged. Participants in a March 30 Ram Navami procession also vandalized a mosque and set it on fire. A day later, on April 1, teenagers participating in a different Ram Navami procession in Bihar beat a Muslim woman and smashed a Muslim teenager in the head with a rifle butt. In West Bengal, a Hindu extremist mob chanting “Jai Shri Ram” set fire to Muslim shops and vehicles. In Gujarat state’s Vadodara, Hindu supremacists stoned  Muslim properties and a mosque. In Telangana, Hindu extremist leader T Raja Singh exhorted crowds to kill Muslims, calling out, “You [Muslims] are half cut (circumcised). We will cut you fully.” In Gir Somnath, Gujarat, far-right leader Kajal Singhala delivered an Islamophobic speech at a Ram Navami festival, which led to tensions in the area. In Vadodara, Gujarat, a Hindu extremist mob attacked a Muslim locality during the Ram Navami procession. Locals allege that police have disproportionately targeted Muslims in the crackdown after the violence. In one media report, Gujarat police forced down the door of a Muslim woman’s house during Iftar, tore off her clothes, and attempted to sexually abuse her, while also beating her husband. Hindu extremists in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, raised saffron flags over the Jama Masjid as part of Ram Navami celebrations, claiming the mosque as their own. Instead of holding Hindu extremists accountable, the police in states ruled by the BJP continues to arrest Muslims on fabricated charges of violence. “We should not need to provide encyclopedic documentation of clear bias and genocidal threats to Muslim lives in India. Any given day furnishes hundreds of examples of a rising existential threat,” said IAMC Executive Director Ahmed. “If the international community does not quickly intervene, it will be impossible to reverse India’s violent decline.” IAMC urges international human rights organizations & civil society groups to take note of the deteriorating situation in India, which has the potential to turn into a full-blown Muslim and Christian genocide. IAMC also calls on the US State Department to ask the Indian government to stop stoking the anti-Muslim sentiment, punish the Hindu extremists involved in anti-Muslim violence, and accept the recommendation of the United States Commission for International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) to designate India as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC).

Rahul Gandhi
Press Release

Statement on disqualification of Rahul Gandhi from Indian Parliament

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WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 24, 2023) –Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) strongly condemns the disqualification of Mr. Rahul Gandhi, a senior Congress leader from the Indian parliament, a day after being convicted in a politically motivated defamation case. In 2019, Mr. Gandhi delivered a speech at an election rally where he referred to thieves as having the same surname as Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The defamation case against Mr. Gandhi was designed to harass and intimidate him. The decision to disqualify him from the parliament on the basis of this conviction is a grave injustice and a clear manifestation of the ruling party’s desperation to maintain its hold on power, to decimate the opposition, and to silence any dissenting voices. The IAMC believes that the decision to disqualify Mr. Gandhi sets a dangerous precedent for the future of Indian democracy. It sends a message that the ruling party will stop at nothing to suppress any opposition and that the judiciary can be manipulated to serve political interests. “The disqualification of Rahul Gandhi from the Indian parliament is a blatant violation of the principles of democracy and a chilling reminder of the descent of India into a fascist state. This is not just an attack on an individual but an attack on everyone who is critical of the Modi regime,” said IAMC Executive Director Rasheed Ahmed. “We urge the Biden administration and the international community to take note of this alarming development and speak out in defense of democracy and human rights in India,” Ahmed added.

Rahul Gandhi
Press Release

IAMC statement on arrest of prominent Kashmiri journalist under UAPA

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WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 22, 2023) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) strongly condemns the arrest of Kashmiri journalist Irfan Meraj under the draconian anti-terror law, the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).  This law has been used to target activists, journalists, and human rights defenders who have spoken out against the government’s policies in Kashmir and other regions of India. Meraj was a senior editor at the Boston-based TwoCircles.net, founding editor of Wande Magazine, and regularly contributed to various international publications, including Al Jazeera and German public broadcaster Deutsche Welle. He was arrested on Monday by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in Srinagar and then moved 800kms away to New Delhi, India’s capital city. This arrest is yet another example of the Indian government’s efforts to stifle dissent and intimidate journalists who speak out against human rights violations in the region. Mr. Meraj is an accomplished journalist who has been reporting on the ground situation in Kashmir for many years. His arrest clearly violates freedom of the press and freedom of expression, which are fundamental rights guaranteed by the Indian Constitution and international law. IAMC urges the Indian government to release Mr. Meraj immediately and drop all charges against him. We also call on the international community to speak out against the Indian government’s repression of dissent and to hold it accountable for its human rights violations. As an organization committed to promoting human rights and religious freedom, IAMC stands in solidarity with Mr. Meraj and all journalists who risk their lives to report the truth. We will continue to monitor the situation in Kashmir and advocate for the rights of all Kashmiris.

Press Release

Indian Americans condemn sham investigation of prominent Indian activist Harsh Mander

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WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 21, 2023) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), a Washington, D.C.-based advocacy group dedicated to pluralism and democracy, condemns the Indian Central Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) threats and intimidation of Aman Biradari, the NGO founded by leading human rights activist, peace worker, and writer Harsh Mander. Founded in the wake of the Gujarat Pogrom of 2002, in which an estimated 2,000 predominantly Muslim Indians were slaughtered by Hindu supremacist mobs, Aman Biradari has since then advanced peaceful, non-violent, pluralist movements led by women and youth. The CBI inquiry of Aman Biradari was announced on Monday by India’s Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) over the allegations that the group violated the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act. This law regulates the foreign funds received by non-profits. “This brazen attack is shocking and in line with the pattern of fabricated allegations against many NGOs, activists and journalists” said IAMC Executive Director Rasheed Ahmed. “The message from this witchhunt is clear: if you criticize Hindutva or Modi’s discriminatory policies, the Indian government will shut you down, using any and all tools at their disposal similar to raids on BBC offices.” The announcement of the inquiry follows a well-established pattern of sham tax raids and legal intimidation tactics already used by the Modi regime to silence organizations such as the BBC, Amnesty International, Oxfam, Greenpeace, Citizens for Justice and Peace, The Wire, NDTV, The Caravan, Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society and numerous other media and human rights groups. Harsh Mander has a long history as an advocate for poor and oppressed minority communities in India. He is the Director of the Centre for Equity Studies, served as Special Commissioner to the Supreme Court of India in the Right to Food Campaign, and has convened government working groups on the Food Security Bill, the Land Acquisition and Rehabilitation Bill, Child Labour Abolition, Urban Poverty and Homelessness, Disability Rights, Bonded Labour, Street Vendors, and Urban Slums, the Communal and Targeted Violence Bill, Dalits and Minorities and Tribal Rights, among others. “The United States must condemn the authoritarian repression of dissent taking place every day in India,” said IAMC Executive Director Ahmed. “The State Department and Secretary Antony Blinken must designate India a Country of Particular Concern and do everything in its power to stop India’s descent into an authoritarian country.”

Press Release

New U.S. State Department report reveals rampant human rights violations in India

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Washington, D.C. (March 20, 2023) — The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) welcomes Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s 2022 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, which offers extensive documentation of accelerating human rights abuses in India under the rule of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP). The comprehensive US government report cites numerous instances of violent attacks and killings of Muslims, Christians, and other religious minorities, government-led demolitions of Muslim homes, discriminatory laws targeted at Muslims, arrest of government critics, government censorship of media, attacks on journalists, and numerous other indicators of rising authoritarianism and widespread anti-Muslim practices. Among the numerous instances of homicidal religious violence noted in the report, the report cites that “more than 30 tribal Christians and Muslims had either been lynched or beaten up on suspicion of cow slaughter, sale and consumption of beef, and religious hatred between 2016 and 2021.” The report also notes the brutal murder of Muslim farmer Nazir Ahmed, stating: “On August 2, a mob beat a Muslim man to death and injured two others in Madhya Pradesh after allegations of cow smuggling. The two men were transporting Cows to a cattle market to sell.” “We applaud Secretary of state Antony Blinken for singling out anti-Muslim violence in the State Department’s 2022 report on Human Rights Practices, and call on him and the U.S. state department to immediately designate India a Country of Particular Concern for its egregious violations of human rights,” IAMC Executive Director Rasheed Ahmed. The report’s catalog of the government-led destruction of Muslim homes is also damning. “Human rights activists reported the government was allegedly targeting vocal critics from the Muslim community and using the bulldozers to destroy their homes and livelihood,” the report states, detailing the case of Muslim activist Javed Mohammad, whose home was destroyed by a government agency in June 2022. “On April 8, following opposition from Madhya Pradesh State Minister Om Prakash Dhurve to an interfaith marriage, Dindori district officials demolished the residence of a Muslim man who married a Hindu woman. On April 7, the officials demolished three shops belonging to the Muslim man’s family, claiming they were illegal constructions,” the report continues. “In spreading horror and provoking incalculable losses, the government-led destruction of Muslim property in India constitutes a form of state-sponsored terror. Following its acknowledgement of this issue in this report, the U.S. state department must take the next steps and pressure the Modi regime to abandon this abominable practice,” said IAMC Executive Director Rasheed Ahmed. In the section “Other Societal Violence and Discrimination,” the report also records the rise of laws criminalizing conversion after marriage passed in response to the “Love Jihad” conspiracy theory. “Police reported several arrests of mostly Muslim men for violation of an anti-conversion law passed in Uttar Pradesh in February,” the report notes. Arbitrary arrests of critics of the Modi regime are also comprehensively cataloged in the report, which condemns the arrest of Muslim student Umar Khalid “for making a speech during protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019,” and “human rights activist and Jesuit priest Father Stan Swamy, age 84, [who] died in a private hospital after contracting COVID-19 in prison and after being denied bail on medical grounds by an NIA special court.” “There were reports from journalists and NGOs that government officials at both the local and national levels intimidated media outlets through physical harassment and attacks, pressuring owners, targeting sponsors, encouraging frivolous lawsuits, and in some areas blocking communication services, such as mobile telephones and the internet, and constraining freedom of movement,” the report states. It cites the case of arrest of “fact-checker and journalist Mohammed Zubair, whose tweet highlighting a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson’s alleged remarks insulting Prophet Mohammed went viral” as well as the intimidation of “women journalists, including Washington Post columnists Rana Ayyub and Barkha Dutt, NDTV’s Nidhi Razdan, The Wire’s Rohini Singh, and others.” “A lack of accountability for official misconduct persisted at all levels of government, contributing to widespread impunity,” the report adds. Executive Director Rasheed Ahmed stated, “As Secretary Blinken said in his opening remarks this morning, ‘A just and enduring peace begins with accountability.’ We urge the United States to seek accountability for Narendra Modi’s complicity in anti-Muslim violence past and present, and the ongoing incitements to anti-minority violence espoused by his political supporters.”

Rahul Gandhi
Press Release

Indian Americans welcome confirmation of Eric Garcetti as United States Ambassador to India

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 17, 2023) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), a Washington, D.C.-based advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, welcomes the Senate confirmation of Eric Garcetti as the United States Ambassador to India. On Wednesday, after almost a two-year wait, the Senate voted 52-42 to pave the way for the appointment of Mr. Garcetti, the former Los Angeles Mayor who was also on the board of Human Rights Watch as India envoy. We believe that he will be an excellent representative of the United States in India. Mr. Garcetti’s extensive experience in politics and public service makes him an ideal candidate for this critical diplomatic position. We are confident that his leadership and commitment to public service and human rights will enable him to navigate this critical role considering the rampant persecution of religious minorities and threats of looming genocide.     In 2021, Mr. Garcetti told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that “human rights and strong democratic institutions are key elements of our strategic partnership and values enshrined in our constitutions, and if confirmed, I will engage closely and regularly with the Indian government on these issues.” He had also said that the human rights and discriminatory Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) would be on top of his agenda while engaging with the Indian government. “Mr. Garcetti’s appointment as US ambassador to India comes with a great responsibility to promote and uphold the values of human rights and religious freedoms. It is also time for the Biden administration to stand with India’s religious minorities and demand accountability from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government for the atrocities committed against them,” said IAMC Executive Director Rasheed Ahmed. “We hope that Ambassador Garcetti will live up to his promises and prioritize the protection of minorities during his tenure,” he added. IAMC looks forward to working with Ambassador Garcetti on issues that impact the Indian religious minorities both in India and the United States.

Press Release

BBC Documentary on Gujarat Pogrom Screened at National Press Club; President O’Reilly calls on Modi regime to stop persecuting journalists

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Washington, D.C. (March 9, 2023) — At a National Press Club (NPC) event in Washington D.C. on Tuesday, NPC President Eileen O’Reilly strongly condemned Indian Prime Minister Modi’s attacks on journalists, saying: “Since Modi came to power we have watched with frustration and disappointment as his regime has suppressed the rights of its citizens to a free and independent news media. We at the National Press Club demand in the strongest terms that the government stop its persecution of journalists and its suppression of press freedom in India.” O’Reilly spoke as the leader of one of America’s most respected journalistic institutions. She was joined by Steve Reilly, governor on the National Press Club board, who also condemned the Modi regime’s attacks on the Indian free press, including its recent ban of the BBC Documentary “India: The Modi Question.”     Reilly stated, “The National Press Club has urged the government of India to rescind the ban on the BBC documentary and allow the citizens of India to decide for themselves whether they agree or disagree with its findings.” Reilly then introduced a screening of the film, which showcases decades of evidence showing how Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is centrally responsible for the violence of the Gujarat Pogrom of 2002. According to numerous senior officials profiled in the documentary, including UK foreign office investigators and Indian police officers, Modi ordered police to stand down and let “Hindus vent their anger” as mobs slaughtered an estimated 2,000 predominantly Muslim Indians. In the process, Hindu supremacists razed more than 350 Mosques, destroyed 20,000 Muslim-owned properties, and displaced an estimated 150,000 people.     After the documentary screening, NPC press freedom chair Rachel Oswald interviewed Aakashi Bhatt, daughter of jailed Indian whistleblower Sanjiv Bhatt, along with Gujarat pogrom survivor Irman Dawood and his uncle Yusuf Dawood. Aakashi Bhatt’s father Sanjiv Bhatt is serving a life sentence in prison in retaliation for testifying publicly about Modi’s complicity in the pogrom. Imran Dawood was beaten and left for dead during the pogrom. Hindu supremacists also murdered, then burned the remains of his two uncles along with a family friend. In the interview led by Oswald, Aakashi Bhatt stated that the BBC documentary was only the “tip of the iceberg” when it came to Modi’s complicity in the pogrom. “These were not spontaneous but orchestrated killings,” Bhatt said. “They did not last for three days, as the documentary said, but rather three months. Police not only stood down, but in fact aided and abetted the rioters as they raped and killed Muslims. And so much of it was due to one man’s political ambition: Narendra Modi.” Bhatt said that after her father had testified publicly against Modi’s policy, the Indian government bulldozed her family home. Commenting on her father Sanjiv Bhatt’s life imprisonment shortly after this destruction, she said, “My father was arrested for the death in custody of a man he never met. He was thousands of kilometers away while the man died in police custody, which was a death deemed to be from medical reasons. His arrest is a complete sham.” Bhatt called on American officials and journalists to strongly condemn Modi’s anti-minority and anti-democratic policies, saying, “American journalists can freely speak out about Modi without fear of imprisonment or getting killed.” “They must speak out against Modi. The same goes for the American government. Why is Modi being welcomed with a state visit?” Bhatt asked.     Imran Dawood also spoke sharply against the Modi government in his reflections on the pogrom, “The India I went to was love and happiness. The India I left was full of hate and disappointment,” he said. “The trauma of the pogrom will always be with me, but I won’t be defined by it. Going forward, we must denigrate the hateful ideology that allowed the pogrom to happen, the same ideology behind Modi’s ongoing bulldozer destruction of Muslim homes.” Imran’s Uncle, Yusuf Dawood pointed to international complacency with Modi’s violent ascendance to power. Pointing to Twitter and Youtube’s ban on the BBC film, Yusuf said, “We must also look at how Elon Musk and others in his billionaires club caved into Modi’s demand for censorship. They are catering to the whims of an authoritarian leader.” He concluded, “I’m frankly disgusted at how complacent the U.S. and U.S. media are with Modi’s abuses. The government is not going after just Muslims, but anyone who cares to speak against them.”

Congressional Briefing
Press Release

US must condemn Modi’s anti-minority policies, says USCIRF Commissioner Steve Schneck at Congressional Briefing on Gujarat Pogrom

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Washington, D.C. (March 1, 2023) — United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) Commissioner Stephen Schneck called on the US government to condemn Prime Minister Narendra Modi‘s regime for its egregious violations of human rights and religious freedoms. “The Indian government at the local, state, and national level continues to create policies that negatively impact Muslims, Christians, and other religious minorities,” said Commissioner Schneck. “Application of these policies has created a culture of impunity for national campaigns of violence against Muslims and Christians. The U.S. must designate India a country of particular concern. We at USCIRF continue to press President Biden and congress to do so.” Commissioner Schneck made these remarks at a congressional briefing organized by the India Working Group (IWG) on Capitol Hill this Tuesday. IWG is a working group of the International Religious Freedom Roundtable. Other discussants at the congressional briefing highlighted how PM Modi’s policies have led to massive loss of life and property for Muslims, Christians, and other minorities. These policies form the central focus of an Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) report titled, “Persecution as State Policy” which provides detailed accounts of violence by state and non-state actors against religious minorities in India.   The briefing also marked the 21st anniversary of the 2002 anti-Muslim pogrom in Gujarat by featuring a screening of the BBC documentary “India: The Modi Question,” which exposed PM Modi’s role, who was then the chief minister of the state in enabling the violence. Pogrom eyewitness and survivor Imran Dawood shared his powerful testimony in the documentary and with congress members. “My human dignity was taken away from me in Gujarat. I was forced to disrobe and show that I was circumcised by Hindu mobs. It was like in Nazi Germany. This should never happen again,” he said. While serving as chief minister of Gujarat state, Modi ordered police to stand down and “allow Hindus to vent their anger” as violent Hindu-supremacist mobs slaughtered more than 2,000 predominantly Muslim Indians, destroyed more than 350 Mosques, and razed 20,000 Muslim-owned properties. Rioters beat Dawood and left him for dead before killing his two uncles as well as their family friend. “The trauma will always be with me but I won’t be defined by it. We must oppose the BJP’s hateful bulldozer policies,” Dawood said, referencing the BJP’s ongoing and extensive use of bulldozers to destroy Muslim-owned properties.     Aakashi Bhatt, daughter of jailed whistleblower and former senior police officer Sanjiv Bhatt, discussed her father’s attempts to expose Modi’s role in the pogrom. Sanjiv had met with Modi during the three days of violence that rocked Gujarat and later testified to the Indian Supreme Court that Modi had ordered police to let violent mobs kill Muslims. Sanjiv Bhatt was fired from his post shortly after Modi was elected Prime Minister in 2014 and sentenced to life imprisonment in 2019 on bogus charges. “My father was framed and incarcerated for a crime he did not commit. His only crime was holding Modi and Amit Shah [Modi’s close political advisor] accountable for their heinous crimes,” Bhatt said of her father. “Anyone who still thinks India is a democracy, they are in deception. A country that does not allow people to exercise their own religion, thought, speech, where one tweet can mean prison time, where your choice of food or spouse can result in you being lynched in broad daylight, where every media outlet is controlled by the regime — this is not a democracy. This is a dictatorship,” she added.     Govind Acharya, India specialist for Amnesty International, also underscored India’s increasingly authoritarian tendencies. He condemned the U.S.’s reversal of its once condemnatory stance towards Modi, saying, “In 2005 the Bush administration denied Modi a Visa in recognition of his severe violations of religious freedom. He was a pariah. Now Modi is an integral part of the quad. Secretary Blinken will be in Delhi greeting Modi as part of G20 meetings. I invite everyone to see if human rights are on their agenda.” Acharya further said, “there’s the injustice of Gujarat, and the decades of impunity that stemmed from the impunity of Gujarat.” He cited Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) increasing use of bulldozers to demolish Muslim and Christian homes, the government’s use of sham financial charges to freeze the bank accounts of Muslim, Christian, and civil rights NGOs, and their weaponization of the love jihad conspiracy, which has led to violence and widespread criminalization of interfaith Hindu-Muslim marriages in BJP-ruled states.     “The pogroms left deep scars on Indian American consciences,” said IAMC Associate Director Amin Zama in closing. “We call on congress to push for a transparent and impartial investigation into the Gujarat pogrom and to prosecute those responsible for the crimes.” International Society for Peace and Justice president Dr. Rehan Khan called on the United States government to officially declare Gujarat 2002 pogrom as genocide. “This is the 21st anniversary of the Gujarat mass murder. Why are we talking about this 21 years later? Because the cycle of violence has not stopped yet. Hindu rightwing groups are terrorizing minorities,” Dr. Khan said. “We also call on the US government to designate Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal as terrorist organizations,” Dr. Khan added.

Reports

Persecution as State Policy: Report on Human Rights and Religious Freedom in India (2023)

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Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC)'s "Persecution as State Policy: Human Rights and Religious Freedom Report in India—2023" report was released on Tuesday, February 28, against the backdrop of India’s decline into an ethno-religious majoritarian state. The report attempts to document the ongoing persecution of India’s religious minorities (mainly Muslims and Christians) as well as the caste-oppressed (Dalits and Adivasis), representing a combined population of over 400 million Indians, including 9 million Kashmiris. [pdf-embedder url="http://3.145.57.38/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/report-2023-4-final.pdf" title="Persecution as State Policy: Human Rights and Religious Freedom Report in India 2023"]

Nazi
Press Release

Clear parallels between Nazi and Modi regime, says Dr. Jason Stanley at event commemorating 21st anniversary of Gujarat Pogrom

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Woodbridge, New Jersey (February 27, 2023) — Yale University professor and world-respected scholar on fascism Dr. Jason Stanley said that India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) under Prime Minister Narendra Modi mimics the Nazi playbook. “Modi’s far-right supporters and other Hindu supremacists celebrate their connections with Nazis. The RSS [Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh] explicitly says, ‘We want to do to Muslims what the Nazis did to Jews,” Dr. Stanley said. RSS is a Hindu militant organization and progenitor of Hindutva/Hindu supremacist ideology. BJP is its political wing. Dr. Stanley made these remarks at an Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) event held on Sunday afternoon in Woodbridge, New Jersey, commemorating the 21st anniversary of the Gujarat pogrom. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was chief minister of Gujarat at the time of the pogrom and ordered police to stand down and give free rein to Hindu supremacists as they burned, raped, and murdered more than 2,000 Muslims, destroyed hundreds of Mosques, and razed more than 20,000 Muslim properties.     The event also featured a panel discussion on “Hindu Far-Right in India and the US,” where Dr. Stanley argued that BJP’s recent Citizenship Amendment Act could be used to strip Muslims of Indian citizenship, just as the Nuremberg laws were used by Nazis to strip German Jews of citizenship. “Modi’s visions of a pure Hindu past also mirrors the idealized Aryan past envisioned by Adolf Hitler. I don’t need to uncover connections between Modi and prior fascist regimes. They are clear and explicit. Both RSS and BJP were central examples in my 2018 book ‘How Fascism Works,’” Dr. Stanley said.     Imran Dawood, a British Muslim man who was stabbed and left for dead during the Gujarat pogrom, echoed Stanley’s condemnation of Modi’s policies. Two of Dawood’s uncles and a family friend were burned alive during the pogrom. “This trauma will always be with me, but I won’t be defined by it. Going forward, we must denigrate the hateful ideology that allowed the pogrom to happen. We must oppose the BJP’s ongoing, destructive bulldozer policies. Bulldozers must be used constructively for humanity, not to destroy humanity,” Dawood said.     In India, the Modi regime regularly sends bulldozers to illegally demolish Muslim homes. They have since become an international symbol for Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s Islamophobic policies. Dawood’s condemnation of bulldozer policies resonated with the local Muslim community, which just last year witnessed a bulldozer decorated with pictures of Modi and Hindu militant monk Yogi Adityanath paraded through Edison, New Jersey on Indian Independence Day. Imran Dawood’s Uncle, Yusuf Dawood, recounted how excited his nephew had been to finally vacation in India, to taste its food, to see the Taj Mahal, and learn about the land his parents loved — only to find himself brutally stabbed and saddled with the shattering loss of two uncles and a friend. “The police lied to us and told us our relatives were missing. They knew they were dead. Our vision of India was changed from one moment to the next,” Yusuf said. “We must not let Hindu supremacist’s vision of hatred destroy our own values.” He also recounted how the police in Gujarat had failed to gather signatures to witness statements, effectively nullifying scores of eyewitness accounts. Aakashi Bhatt, daughter of jailed whistleblower and former senior police officer Sanjiv Bhatt, recounted how the current regime had sentenced her father to life in prison for speaking out against PM Modi’s complicity in the pogrom. Sanjiv spoke out after he personally witnessed Modi instruct police to stand down and “allow Hindus to vent their anger” against Muslims. “Justice has been systematically delayed and intentionally denied,” Bhatt said. “We live in Modi’s India now, where rapists and murderers walk free, but an honest officer must live in prison. In Modi’s India, a fair day in court is not afforded to the honest and upright. The Indian judiciary has been systematically dismantled to assure that Modi cannot face trial and whistleblowers go to jail.”     Bhatt also pointed to the example of Haren Pandya, who was murdered shortly after speaking out about Modi’s complicity, and R.B. Sreekumar, who was also arrested for whistleblowing. Renowned activist and Executive Director of Polis Project Suchitra Vijayan, who is also the author of the award-winning book “Midnight’s Borders,” further characterized Modi and the BJP’s vision of India: “Modi’s Hindutva [Hindu nationalism] is based on an exclusionary idea of what it means to be Hindu. A Hindu is not a Muslim, is not a Christian. Hindu Supremacy is foundational to the BJP and RSS.” She explained how failures by previous governments to deal with communal violence in India cleared the ground for present Hindu supremacist violence. “What we saw in Gujarat was a continuation of previous attacks. But we must remember that what happened in Gujarat never ended. It goes on every day in India. Statistics prove attacks against Muslims continue to grow under Modi’s rule,” she said. Azad Essa, a journalist at Middle East Eye and author of “Hostile Homelands,” a recent book on Modi’s international religious nationalist influences, explained how Hindu supremacists exported their agenda to the United States.     “We have to remember that numerous high-profile RSS members were banned from India in the 1970s. Then its members came to the US and started spreading their ideology here. So we see the Hindu Swayamsewak Sangh, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America, and later the Hindu America Foundation continuing to influence American politicians with a covert Hindu supremacist agenda,” Essa said. He noted how these US-based Hindu supremacist organizations weaponize the term Hinduphobia to denigrate anyone critical of Modi’s policies. The event closed with a lively discussion between the audience and panelists. Many listeners asked what lessons they might learn from the history of struggles against fascism. Panelists recounted the victories of the civil rights movement, one of the only mobilizations in the world to successfully challenge an ethnic supremacist regime without resorting to mass violence. Members of the African-American community shared their support for the event and called for the defeat of the Hindutva movement in

Press Release

Seattle’s ban on caste discrimination has created history in America: Indian American Coalition

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Seattle, WA (February 21, 2023) – A coalition of Indian-American civil rights organizations today commended the Seattle City Council for its leadership in passing the historic legislation to ban caste-based discrimination in the city. Introduced by Council member Kshama Sawant (District 3, Central Seattle), the legislation passed on Tuesday with a 6-1 vote prohibits, “businesses from discriminating based on caste with respect to hiring, tenure, promotion, workplace conditions, or wages.” The new law also bans discrimination based on caste in places of public accommodation, such as hotels, public transportation, public restrooms, or retail establishments. It will also prohibit housing discrimination based on caste in rental housing leases, property sales, and mortgage loans.     Quotes: Thenmozhi Soundararajan, a Dalit rights activist and the executive director of Equality Labs said: “Love has won over hate as Seattle has become the first in the nation to ban caste discrimination. We have braved rape threats, death threats, disinformation, and bigotry. Thank you to the 200 organizations who stood with us! Thank you to the 30 caste-oppressed civil rights organizations who spoke truth to power! Thank you all who called in, and thank you council woman Sawant and SeattleCouncil for standing on the right side of history! We are United as a south Asian American community in our commitment to heal from caste. First Seattle, now the nation!” Prashant Nema, a member of the Coalition of Seattle Indian Americans (CSIA) said: “The passage of this legislation is a watershed moment for the South Asian community in Seattle and a significant step towards the elimination of caste-based discrimination in the US. It will help in creating a more inclusive and equitable society for all.” Karthikeyan Shanmugam, Secretary Ambedkar King Study Circle (AKSC) said: “The oppressed have a fear of their caste identity being outed by members of the dominant caste, and this typically leads to social exclusion and/or retaliation. This fear, especially of retaliation, is deeply embedded in the psyche of the oppressed. It is a spectre that casts a dark shadow on their dreams and dampens their hopes. This ordinance will help the oppressed unshackle their dreams, unleash their talents and live up to their full potential. The whole world stands to benefit from this blossoming of talent previously stifled.” Anil Wagde, a Dalit rights activist and member of Ambedkar International Center (AIC) said: “This historic decision will have far-reaching implications for the oppressed castes in the States and everywhere that the evils of caste have spread. We will continue to work to add caste as a protected category in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. As we prepare for the work ahead, let us take this moment to celebrate this landmark collective win for caste equity and justice.”     Hasan Khan, IAMC board member from Seattle said: “This is a historic and significant step towards ensuring equal rights and protections for all individuals, regardless of their caste. Caste discrimination is unacceptable and goes against the fundamental principles of human rights and dignity.” Javed Sikander, IAMC Seattle chapter member, said: “This legislation sends a strong message to the Hindu far-right that believes in Hindu supremacy that Seattle is committed to promoting diversity, inclusion, and respect for all communities. We urge other cities and states to follow Seattle’s example and take concrete steps to eradicate caste-based discrimination in their jurisdictions.” Maya Kamble of the Ambedkar Association of North America (AANA) said: “Caste-based discrimination is a deeply entrenched and harmful practice that has no place in our society. The legislation passed with a 6-1 vote in Seattle today is a major milestone in our fight for social justice and human rights. It will not stop until we have a nationwide ban on this inhumane practice.” Aneelah Afzali, Executive Director of the Muslim Association of Puget Sound’s newly launched American Muslim Empowerment Network (MAPS-AMEN) said: “Today, through a powerful movement, we helped push ‘the arc of the moral universe’ toward justice, as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. envisioned, by winning the first – but certainly not the last – ordinance to explicitly ban the evil of caste discrimination. This victory is a win not just for those facing caste oppression in Seattle, but for morality, humanity, and all of us who seek to build a world based on justice for all.”

Press Release

Indian Americans condemn killing and burning of two Muslim Men in Haryana; Demand strict action against Hindu militants

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Washington, D.C. (February 20, 2023) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) today vehemently condemned the brutal killing of two Muslim men in India’s Haryana state by the members of Bajrang Dal, a Hindu militant group and the youth wing of paramilitary Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS). The incident is a stark reminder of the extreme persecution that religious minorities, especially Muslims face in India. On February 14th, Junaid and Nasir, who hail from Ghatmeeka village in the Bharatpur district of Rajasthan, were on their way to Haryana when a group of Hindu militants stopped their car over cow smuggling allegations. They were then abducted, brutally thrashed, and their bodies set on fire. The families have accused Monu Manesar, a Hindu militant leader of Bajrang Dal’s cow vigilante unit, of murdering their kin. Last month, he was also an accused in the lynching of another Muslim man named Waris Khan. Manesar leads a team of 50 militants who use deadly firearms to terrorize Muslim community members over suspicion of consuming, transporting, or selling beef for the last five years. According to media reports, he enjoys extensive support from the local police. His role in this horrific act also clearly indicates the growing nexus between Hindu militant groups and local police in persecuting religious minorities. “This is purely a case of domestic terrorism. Under the garb of cow protection, Hindu far-right groups are setting up militant units and arming them with deadly and illegal firearms to commit these ghastly acts of violence and terrorism against Muslim minorities,” said Rasheed Ahmed, Executive Director of IAMC. IAMC extends its deepest condolences to the victim’s families and stands in solidarity with the Muslim community in India. We urge the Indian government to take strict action against those responsible for this heinous act of terrorism and to ensure that justice is served. Furthermore, the Indian government must take urgent steps to curb the growing menace of cow vigilantism, which has claimed the lives of hundreds of Muslims in recent years. IAMC also calls upon civil society organizations, human rights groups, and the international community to condemn this act of terrorism and to pressure the Indian government to take necessary steps to protect the rights and safety of its Muslim citizens. We urge the Indian government to take swift action to bring an immediate end to the violence and discrimination against religious minorities and to uphold the principles of justice, equality, and human rights.

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IAMC condemns India’s authoritarian raid on BBC

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Washington D.C. (February 14, 2023) — The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), a Washington DC-based nonprofit organization dedicated to social justice, peace, and pluralism, has condemned the authoritarian tax raids on the offices of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) in New Delhi and Mumbai on Tuesday. This blatant attack on the BBC comes in retaliation for the network’s screening last month of its new documentary, “India: The Modi Question,” which establishes that India’s current Prime Minister Narendra Modi was complicit in the mass killings of over 1,000 Muslims two decades ago in Gujarat state when he was its chief minister. Former UK foreign secretary Jack Straw told the documentary that a British government investigation had found that Modi had played a proactive part in pulling back the police and in tacitly encouraging the Hindu extremists who killed Muslims in 2002. “These tax raids send a clear message to the global press that Modi will not tolerate any criticism,” IAMC Executive Director Rasheed Ahmed said. “Western leaders must promptly denounce this vicious authoritarian attack on the BBC and demand the restoration of freedom of expression and freedom of the press in India.” Days after the BBC documentary was released, India promptly banned it and forced social media companies, YouTube, Facebook and Twitter, to delete it. Tuesday’s tax raids on the BBC are only the latest episode in Modi’s nine-year-long assault on free press since becoming prime minister. Pursuing vendetta, the Modi administration has carried out raids on critical independent media outfits in India, including NDTV, The Wire, the Bhaskar Group, Newsclick, and The Quint. The government so harassed NDTV’s promoter, renowned journalist Prannoy Roy, that he was forced to sell his stake to Modi’s crony industrialist, Gautam Adani. Last month, a New York-based researcher exposed Adani as running “the largest con in corporate history,” through stock manipulation, without doubt aided by Modi’s corrupt regime. Numerous global civil freedom watchdogs have condemned Modi’s serial attempts to silence the free press. Reporters Without Borders has downgraded India’s Press Freedom Rank from 142nd place to 150th, putting it behind the authoritarian regimes of Uganda, Somalia, Ethiopia, South Sudan, the UAE, Nigeria, and Rwanda. The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) said that the tax raid on the BBC was “a pretext to target critical news outlets” and the administration “must cease harassing BBC employees immediately, in line with the values of freedom that should be espoused in the world’s largest democracy.” The CPJ had earlier reported that India had tied with Mexico for the highest number of journalist murders in 2021. For two years, Freedom House, a Washington, DC-based research organization, has downgraded India’s democracy from “Free” to “Partly Free,” citing “new rules that made it easier for authorities to compel social media platforms to remove unlawful content,” “discriminatory policies,” and “a rise in persecution affecting the Muslim population.” The New York Times Editorial Board wrote two days ago that Modi has “systematically cracked down on all manner of free speech and dissent, increasing its emergency powers to block information it wants to keep from the Indian people and making it easier to hold dissidents under murky antiterrorism laws.” “The US must recognize that Modi’s authoritarianism threatens its economic and security interests in the region, introducing violent destability into what is clearly no longer the world’s largest democracy,” added Mr. Rasheed Ahmed.

Press Release

Indian Americans call on San Diego school to cancel Islamophobic presentation by Hindu far-right supporters

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Washington, D.C. (February 13, 2023) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) today wrote a letter to the administration of Francis Parker School in San Diego, CA, raising concerns over a scheduled Islamophobic presentation by the supporters of Hindu supremacism on February 16. The presentation promotes various anti-Muslim narratives, conspiracy theories, and far-right propaganda among the school students. IAMC’s letter debunked several false claims made by the Hindu far-right supporters in their breakdown of topics to be covered at the event, including claims that the partition of India and Pakistan only led to the death of Hindus, that the Pakistani military carried out a genocide only of Bangladeshi Hindus in 1971, and that Muslims have carried out a genocide of Hindus in Kashmir. The letter cited historical facts, prominent reports, and media sources in informing the school leadership that “the Partition of India and Pakistan led to the mass killings of Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs alike at each other’s hands,” as well as that “the Pakistani military’s brutal genocide was indiscriminate and it did not target people based on their faith, but by their Bengali ethnicity,” making claims of a genocide specific only to Bengali Hindus is “dishonest and disrespectful.” Regarding claims that Muslims were responsible for a Kashmiri Hindu genocide, the letter added, “This claim is easily proven false from the Indian administration’s own data… Indian government data reports that 219 Kashmiri Hindus were killed in Kashmir during the 1990s by terrorists,” a number that – while tragic – does not equate to a genocide. IAMC further explained the Hindu far-right ideology of Hindutva and its impact both in India and the United States and provided resources to the school administration to become better educated on the issue of Hindutva propaganda in academic spaces. IAMC has urged the school administration to immediately call off the Islamophobic presentation and avoid platforming supporters of a dangerous extremist ideology in the future.

illegal firearms
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Indian Americans call on Indian government to investigate sale of illegal firearms to Hindu militant groups

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Washington, D.C. (February 9, 2023) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) today expressed its alarm that Hindu supremacists associated with the militant Hindu extremist group Bajrang Dal have been caught offering illegal firearms – including handguns, rifles, shotguns, and bullets – for sale on Facebook forums. Bajrang Dal is one of India’s largest Hindu militant groups, and its members have an extensive history of orchestrating and participating in violence against minorities, including mob lynchings and riots. As such, the open attempts between Bajrang Dal members to buy and sell weapons pose a direct threat to the safety and security of religious minorities, specifically Muslims, who have been the main target of Hindu extremist violence, since Prime Minister Narendra Modi assumed power in 2014.     IAMC further calls upon the Indian government to fully immediately investigate these attempts to sell firearms for the explicit purpose of threatening and killing minorities and hold all parties involved accountable to the full extent of the law. According to The Wall Street Journal report, multiple posts by Hindu supremacists offering the sale of deadly weapons to Bajrang Dal members had been on the platform since April of 2022. However, after an independent journalist reported them, Facebook refused to take the posts down, claiming that these attempts to sell weapons did not violate community policy.     It was not until The Wall Street Journal began investigating the posts and asked Meta for comment that the posts were taken down, highlighting Facebook’s glaring indifference towards the promotion of hatred, violence, and extremism in India. Unsurprisingly, the Indian government has maintained silence on the issue. “We are outraged that Facebook took so long to remove posts that encourage and facilitate the killing of minorities,” said Syed Afzal Ali, IAMC President. “Facebook should take immediate steps to improve their monitoring of hateful content, and the Indian government should both strongly condemn and thoroughly investigate the amassing of firearms by Hindu militant groups.” In recent years, militant groups such as the Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) have amplified calls for Hindus to stock up on weapons for the explicit purpose of killing Muslims and Christians. Calls for the genocide of 200 million Muslims have also been made repeatedly since the end of 2021, prompting the US-based rights watchdog, Genocide Watch to issue a genocide alert for Muslims in India.

Anti-Caste Discrimination
Press Release

Statement on Anti-Caste Discrimination Legislation Introduced in Seattle

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The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), a Washington DC-based nonprofit organization dedicated to social justice, peace, and pluralism, today commended the introduction of legislation in the Seattle City Council to ban caste discrimination. Introduced by Councilmember Kshama Sawant (District 3, Central Seattle), the legislation, if passed, will prohibit, “businesses from discriminating based on caste with respect to hiring, tenure, promotion, workplace conditions, or wages.” The proposed legislation will also ban discrimination based on caste in places of public accommodation, such as hotels, public transportation, public restrooms, or retail establishments. It will also prohibit housing discrimination based on caste in rental housing leases, property sales, and mortgage loans. “Caste discrimination is a pervasive and systemic issue that has a devastating impact on individuals and communities. It is unacceptable that in this day and age, people are still facing discrimination based on caste,” IAMC President Syed Ali said. “Caste is a crime against humanity, it’s a blot on our society, and it’s a shame that it is practiced in the 21st century in Seattle,” said Hasan Khan, IAMC board member from Seattle who testified on the issue before the Seattle City Council. “This proposed legislation sends a clear message that such discrimination will not be tolerated in Seattle and that the city is committed to promoting equality and justice for all its residents,” Khan added. “We stand as allies with the Dalit community, which has tirelessly worked to raise awareness on the issue of caste discrimination here in the United States, as well as to protect the people who battle this pervasive form of oppression on a daily basis,” said Javed Sikander, who also represented IAMC’s Seattle chapter before the City Council. “We urge the Seattle City Council to act swiftly to pass this important legislation and take a stand against caste discrimination.”

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Congress must pass law to allow religious violence victims to sue Indians in US, says Christian group

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US Hindu groups raising funds to abet persecution in India: FIACONA FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington D.C. (February 5, 2023) – The US failure to call out religious persecution in India will hurt America’s business and security interests in South Asia, a leading Indian American Christian group said this week. The US Congress must also pass a law so that perpetrators of such persecution in India can be sued in US courts, it added. “The US Congress [must] pass a law that would allow the victims of religious violence to sue the perpetrators, be it a non-state actor or a government official, in the courts under the US jurisdiction for both criminal and civil negligence,” the Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations (FIACONA) said in a report released here this week. The US must designate India as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC), America’s formal name for persecuting nations, it said. The US Departments of State and Treasury must also “impose travel sanctions” under “the Global Magnitsky Act” on those involved in “leading, aiding or abetting terror campaigns against Christians, other religious minorities, women, Dalits, farmers, indigenous people, and other affected groups.” Just as America’s failure to call out persecutions in China and Pakistan enabled persecution in those countries, the US turning, “a blind eye to India’s slide into a religious fundamentalist state [will] directly threaten America’s national security interest.” “America seems to be ignoring India’s epic slide into a radical religious state,” FIACONA chairman John Prabhudoss wrote in the foreword to the group’s second annual report. “Successive American Administrations are again making a wrong choice in India.” The report flagged “several Hindutva militant extremist organizations” operating “in plain sight” in the US as cultural and educational groups, with newer ones registered every month. “[Hindu] extremist sleeper cells operate in the United States as Hindu religious, cultural, and business associations,” some of them even “affiliated with the Democratic or Republican parties,” promoting “an extremist ideology,” the FIACONA report said. These organizations raised funds “to aid a religious terror agenda” in India, and “must be flagged prominently in public debates in the US and… brought to the attention of the Justice Department and local law enforcement officials.” The report named the Hindu Heritage Foundation that raised funds in Frisco, Texas, in November to demolish Churches in India, and the Ekal Vidyalaya that raised funds in New Jersey to spread Hindu supremacist ideology in schools affiliated to the RSS, a paramilitary organization founded decades ago by admirers of Adolf Hitler. These organizations were “not just creating trouble” but were “becoming an American problem… creating a radical network under the radar in calm and peaceful neighborhoods in America,” the report said. The report recorded 1,198 cases of violence against Christians in India last year, “planned and orchestrated” by Hindutva nationalist political parties as “a part of a larger design to create a Hindus-only state, to the exclusion of the people of Abrahamic faiths.” India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) fabricated propaganda narrative of a supposed Christian “forced conversion” wave had contributed to a 157% increase in the violence against Christians, the report said. The police falsely accused Christians of forced conversions to invade and destroy their homes, arrest them, and saddle them with crippling legal costs on charges thrown out by courts over 300 times. Such cases have cost Indian Christians $100 million, it added. Attacks on Muslims on the false allegations of Love Jihad had caused damage in terms of legal fees, property damage, and loss of human life, the report said.

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US National Press Club slams India for banning BBC film on Modi

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington D.C. (January 31, 2023) — The world’s leading professional journalism organization, the National Press Club (NPC) based in Washington, DC, has issued an unequivocal condemnation of the Indian Government’s censorship of the BBC Documentary “India: The Modi Question.” The NPC statement, released here on Tuesday, identifies the Indian government’s suppression of the Modi-critical documentary as part of a larger threat Prime Minister Narendra Modi poses to Indian democracy. “India should be proud that it is the largest democracy in the world, but it cannot hold on to that identity if it continues to erode press freedom, persecute journalists, and suppress news that holds a mirror up to its shortcomings,” NPC president Eileen O’Reilly said. “Since Modi came to power, we have watched with frustration and disappointment as his government — time and time again — has suppressed the right of its citizens to a free and independent news media.” The NPC “strongly urge(s)” India to rescind the ban and allow Indians to “decide for themselves whether they agree or disagree with its findings,” she said. “The BBC is one of the most respected news sources in the world and is known for its high editorial standards,” O’Reilly said. “We also demand in the strongest terms the government stop its persecution of journalists and suppression of press freedom in India.” In the past two weeks, the Indian government has done everything in its power to prevent domestic and international audiences from grappling with overwhelming evidence of Modi’s complicity in the anti-Muslim pogroms of 2002. During that time he allegedly instructed police to stand down and “allow Hindus to vent their anger” as they slaughtered an estimated 2,000 predominantly Muslim Indians over the course of three days. The NPC’s stand against the Modi regime’s brutal censorship campaign joins a chorus of condemnations from global press and democratic freedom organizations, signaling growing international recognition of the grave threat Modi poses to Muslims, religious minorities, a free press, and democracy itself.

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Press Release

Letter: IAMC calls on Elon Musk to stop censorship of BBC documentary on PM Narendra Modi’s role in Gujarat pogrom

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Washington D.C. (January 30, 2023) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), a Washington DC-based nonprofit organization dedicated to social justice, peace, and pluralism, today sent a letter to Twitter CEO Elon Musk, demanding that he reverse Twitter’s censorship of the Modi-critical BBC Documentary, “India: The Modi Question” and refuse to comply with future censorship requests from the Indian Government. “India: The Modi Question”, publicizes well-documented evidence of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s complicity in the massacre of over 2,000 Muslims in 2002 while serving as chief minister of Gujarat state. As Modi and the Indian government continue to pursue anti-Muslim policies, it is of grave concern that Twitter has furthered the Indian Government’s domestic censorship campaign — which this week included detaining students attempting to screen the film — and extended it to international audiences. Full letter: [pdf-embedder url="http://test.iamc.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/IAMC-Letter-to-Elon-Musk.pdf" title="IAMC Letter to Elon Musk"]

Rahul Gandhi
Press Release

Statement on Middle Prosecutor’s Office Investigation into Edison Bulldozer Parade

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Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), a Washington DC-based nonprofit organization dedicated to social justice, peace, and pluralism, has welcomed the results of a joint investigation conducted by Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office and Edison Police Department into the use of a bulldozer at the India Independence Day parade in Edison, NJ last August. The Prosecutor’s Office has conclusively established and called the use of a bulldozer— a symbol of Muslim home demolitions in India — a bias incident. “As a result of its investigation, the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office has concluded that the incident was properly reported and classified as a bias incident,” reads the press release issued by the Prosecutor’s office. Last year, the Indian Business Association (IBA), organizers of the parade, had publicly apologized and confessed that the bulldozer was a “blatant devise symbol” and its use was hateful. We reiterate our support for the Teaneck Democratic Municipal Committee (TDMC), which passed a resolution on September 12, 2022, warning of the dangers of Hindu nationalist hate organizations and calling for steps to combat their activities in New Jersey and across the United States. We demand that the state and federal government open an investigation into various US-based groups for their linkage with the Hindu supremacist organization, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), in India.

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Department of State’s failure to condemn India’s undemocratic ban on BBC film on Modi disappointing: IAMC

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington D.C. (January 27, 2023) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), a US-based nonprofit organization dedicated to social justice, peace and pluralism, has expressed disappointment at the tepid response from the US State Department to India’s censorship of a BBC documentary that has exposed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s complicity in the massacre of nearly 2,000 Muslims in Gujarat state over two decades ago. At a time when India’s ban on the film, titled “Modi: The India Question,” under emergency powers was being globally criticized, the State Department spokesperson Ned Price’s failure to condemn the ban reflected poorly on America’s commitment to hold India to account to the principles of free speech, IAMC said in a statement. “By shying away from calling out Modi’s authoritarian behavior the Biden Administration is, in fact, enabling and encouraging Modi to become even more authoritarian, bringing yet greater repression of India’s civil society,” IAMC Executive Director Rasheed Ahmed said. “The US has a responsibility to stop the collapse of press freedom in India. A despotic India does not align with American values and is not in the strategic interest of United States” Ahmed also urged members of US Congress to condemn the Indian government for the ban as well as Twitter and YouTube for abjectly caving in to the Indian government’s pressure and removing the BBC documentary from their platforms. “There should be bipartisan condemnation from Congress of the blatant undemocratic and anti-free speech behavior of Twitter and YouTube. Our leaders must force these tech giants to immediately restore access to the BBC documentary,” Ahmed said.

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IAMC condemns India’s ban on BBC film on Modi’s complicity in Muslims killings; asks YouTube, Twitter to restore access

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington D.C. (January 24, 2023) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), a US-based nonprofit organization dedicated to social justice, peace and pluralism, has condemned the Indian Government for banning the BBC documentary, “India: The Modi Question,” which has exposed India’s Hindu supremacist prime minister Narendra Modi’s complicity in the mass killing of nearly 2,000 Muslims in Gujarat state in 2002. The documentary ban is only the latest turn in India’s descent into authoritarianism during Modi’s nine-year rule which has seen unprecedented attacks on free speech and press freedom, the IAMC said in a statement released here on Tuesday. “The Modi Administration has arrested and jailed journalists on unfounded terror charges. It has raided news organizations that are critical of its failures. It has censored critics of its handling of COVID-19. And now, it has shamelessly outright banned a BBC documentary from airing not just in India but across the world,” IAMC Executive Director Rasheed Ahmed said. “A country that censors criticism is no longer a democracy.” Ahmed called upon the Indian Government to immediately revoke this ban and allow the documentary to be freely distributed in India. He also slammed Twitter and YouTube for removing references and links to the documentary under pressure from India. “It is appalling that platforms touting their commitment to free speech should cave under pressure from an authoritarian government whose leaders have encouraged and incited mass violence against minorities,” Ahmed said. “It is especially shameful considering Twitter’s prior resistance to India’s censorship. IAMC calls on both YouTube and Twitter to immediately restore full access to “India: The Modi Question.” Ahmed also condemned Twitter for blocking IAMC’s tweet in India that shared the link to the BBC documentary. “India: The Modi Question” shares the results of a British government investigation into the anti-Muslim violence in Gujarat in 2002. The documentary found that Modi, who was then Gujarat’s chief minister, was “directly responsible” for the “climate of impunity” that enabled mass violence that had “all the hallmarks of an ethnic cleansing.” The documentary quotes politicians and senior police officers, including Sanjiv Bhatt who is now in prison, as saying that Modi ordered the police to permit violence. Bhatt claimed that at a meeting he attended on the eve of the anti-Muslim violence, Modi ordered the police to stand down and “let Hindus vent their anger” against Muslims. The BBC documentary also includes a video of Babu Bajrangi, a leader of the Hindu extremist Bajrang Dal, in which he clearly says that “It was [Modi’s] hand all the way… If he’d told the police to do differently,” the police could have stopped the violence as “they had full control.” Bajrangi was later convicted for orchestrating the killing of 97 Muslim men, women and children. In this video shot secretly, Bajrangi, who has been out on bail for nearly four years despite his conviction for mass murder, also claimed that Modi changed the judges presiding over his case three times to ensure his release. “Modi’s complicity in the killings of Muslims has been known internationally,” Ahmed said. “That is why the United States and the United Kingdom both imposed visa bans against Modi for nine years.” Ahmed criticized the Indian Supreme Court for letting Modi off the hook last year, ignoring and suppressing decades’ worth of inculpatory evidence compiled by activist Teesta Setalvad and others. “The Supreme Court failed in its duty to prosecute Modi for presiding over the mass murder of Muslims in Gujarat.”

Rahul Gandhi
Press Release

Statement on brutal killing of Sayed Arif Faisal in Cambridge, Massachusetts

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The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) is profoundly saddened and disturbed at the killing of Sayed Arif Faisal, a 20-year-old student who was shot multiple times by Cambridge Police while in the midst of a mental health crisis. This senseless, preventable tragedy further exposes the deeply biased and overly aggressive nature of policing in the United States.    Sayed Arif Faisal, who attended the University of Massachusetts Boston, had been seen inflicting self-harm when he was fatally shot in the chest by a police officer. It is devastating to see that Faisal, as a person of color, was treated as a threat by Cambridge Police despite clearly being in distress and in need of mental health support.  IAMC echoes calls from civil rights groups and activists who demand that every officer involved in the shooting be investigated and held fully accountable for their role in Faisal’s killing. The City of Cambridge and the United States as a whole should take immediate steps to fund crisis response teams, mental health support, body cameras for all police officers, and other means to protect the members of minority and marginalized communities from similar tragedies.  We express our deepest condolences to his family, who have lost their only son, and we stand in solidarity with all those who demand justice and accountability. 

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Hindu American Foundation’s lies about judge’s ruling in dismissed bogus defamation lawsuit reek of ‘desperation,’ say attorneys

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  Washington, D.C. (January 6, 2023) – Top American attorneys representing defendants in the frivolous Hindu American Foundation (HAF) lawsuit, dismissed last month, have rejected HAF’s false claims about the court’s ruling. On December 21, Judge Amit P. Mehta of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia dismissed the lawsuit on various grounds. The bogus lawsuit targeted Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) Executive Director Rasheed Ahmed and four activists for providing quotes critical of HAF in two Al Jazeera articles and against academic Audrey Truschke for sharing the articles on her Twitter handle. Joshua Colangelo-Bryan, a top attorney with Dorsey & Whitney LLP, who represented IAMC’s Ahmed in the case, said that HAF is “fortunate” that courts “are not able to sue for defamation when their opinions are mischaracterized.” He made these comments while speaking at a Congressional Briefing on January 4 alongside attorneys Daniel M. Sullivan and Thomas B. Sullivan. All three attorneys rejected a series of false claims made by HAF in the aftermath of the ruling, including a press release in which the rightwing group claimed that, “the court found that [the defendants] lie about HAF.” Although Judge Mehta has thoroughly dismissed HAF’s claims that the defendants “conspired” to “defame” the organization, saying that most of the defendant’s statements were “clear statements of opinion,” HAF has pointed to two footnotes in the ruling labeling Vishwanath’s statements as “plausibly verifiably false” and Truschke’s statements as “arguably verifiably false.” In their press release, HAF used these terms to claim that the court found both defendants to have lied. The defendants’ attorneys labeled these claims as false and indicative of HAF’s “desperation.” “It is remarkable to me that HAF has kind of put the spin on the lawsuit that it has,” said Daniel Sullivan, an attorney and partner at Holwell Shuster & Goldberg LLP, who represented defendant John Prabhudoss, the chairman of Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations (FIACONA). However, Thomas Sullivan, a partner in the Media & Entertainment Group of Ballard Spahr LLP who represented Sunita Vishwanath and Raju Rajagopal of Hindus for Human Rights (HfHR)in the case, confirmed that HAF’s argument is based on a mischaracterization of the judge’s ruling. “What that means is that potentially those are statements that could be proven true or false… That’s it. It wasn’t a ruling that anything anybody said was false. It wasn’t a ruling that any of the defendants in this case lied,” said Sullivan. “So to the extent they’re saying that’s some sort of moral victory, it is not. It’s just saying that it’s something that conceivably could be proven true as a matter of logic, not that it is actually true or false.” “The fact that HAF has honed in on [those footnotes] just shows the desperation to find some manner of silver lining. I think the same can be said for the point that HAF has made repeatedly about this being merely a procedural victory,” said Colangelo-Bryan. “You can only believe that if you ignore the second half of the court’s opinion, which HAF seems to be doing.” Moreover, Daniel Sullivan said, both articles included “a lot of concrete facts” that HAF “didn’t even contest” or allege as false. “They didn’t contest that HAF’s treasurer is the son of the National Vice President of the US wing of the RSS. They didn’t contest that his family had donated a significant sum to HAF in 2018. They didn’t contest that a co-founder of HAF was formally associated with an affiliate of the RSS. They didn’t contest that HAF had defended the Indian government’s passage of legislation that the United Nations described as fundamentally discriminatory… They didn’t claim that any of that was untrue,” he said.     In its press release, HAF further claimed that the judge had acknowledged that the defendants’ statements had injured the organisation. Thomas Sullivan debunked that claim by pointing out that the judge, “made no finding that HAF was injured by any of these statements.” “In fact, [Judge Mehta] found they barely came off the line of even pleading an injury,” he said. “The judge did not find that these statements injured HAF. He was just saying that if they were injured, the injury would have been felt in DC, where they were located.” On the “conspiracy” charge, Colangelo-Bryan said: “I think Judge Mehta’s decision… really emphasizes the fact that HAF simply made this idea [of conspiracy] up. It could not point to anything at all to suggest in any way that the defendants had agreed to do anything, let alone defame HAF.” “I think even first year lawyers should have gotten this case dismissed because it was so bad. The flaws were really evident as soon as you looked at the complaint,” Colangelo-Bryan added. In their overall reflections on the case, all three attorneys stated that the lawsuit was a “clear” attempt to silence and harass critics of the HAF. “If you think a media company has defamed you in two articles, well, don’t you just sue the media company?,” said Colangelo-Bryan. “Instead, we see directors of nonprofits and academics being sued. Obviously, it’s easier to intimidate people with a lawsuit if those people don’t necessarily have unlimited budgets to defend themselves in court.” “You can’t be sued for statements that are statements of opinion. They have to be statements that can be proved true or false… political debates or differences of opinion shouldn’t become automatic lawsuits,” said Thomas Sullivan. “It seemed like this was an attempt to go after folks who were uncommon targets of these suits, and it just seemed like the right thing to do to protect people from an attempt to silence them and to shut off a side of debate about a political issue,” he added. “It was immediately apparent to what was going on here and what this lawsuit was, that it was an attempt to silence HAF’s critics,” said Daniel Sullivan. “A public entity like HAF can’t complain about criticism unless it can show that the person who

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Supreme Court must stop demolition of over 4,000 Muslim-owned homes in Uttarakhand, say Indian Americans

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IAMC condemns the planned mass demolition of thousands of Muslim-owned homes Washington, D.C. (January 4, 2023) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), a US-based nonprofit organization dedicated to social justice, peace, and pluralism, strongly condemns the planned demolition of over 4,000 Muslim homes and dwellings in Haldwani, Uttarakhand, a state ruled by Hindu supremacist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). IAMC further urges the Indian Supreme Court, that will hear a batch of petitions challenging the order, to ensure that the state government is not allowed to continue with its punitive demolitions, which are in direct violation of international human rights law. Last month, the Uttarakhand High Court ordered these demolitions while hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Ravi Shankar Joshi in 2013. Joshi is a known Islamophobe and a sympathizer of the fascist paramilitary group Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). The court, while passing an order on Joshi’s PIL, claimed that the families were “unauthorized occupants” living on “encroached” land belonging to the Indian Railways. However, residents have been able to prove this claim as blatantly false through sale deeds and copies of leases, further cementing the residents as rightful owners of their properties.     Moreover, the court ordered the demolition drive despite pending appeals against the false encroachment claims by several residents. Local authorities have announced that bulldozers will “pounce on encroachers” while overseen by 7,000 police officers and 15 paramilitary groups, who will likely use violent tactics to brutalize Muslims who attempt to defend their homes. Thousands of Muslims from across the city are currently holding protests, sit-ins, and candlelight vigils, demanding that the demolition of their homes be stopped. “The fact that the top court of Uttarakhand has allowed Hindu supremacists to succeed in advocating for over 4,000 Muslim families to lose everything, from their homes to their businesses to their schools, is utterly inhumane and reprehensible. The order also shows the pervasiveness of Hindutva ideology on India’s top courts,” said Rasheed Ahmed, Executive Director of IAMC. “This demolition drive should be internationally condemned as an act of state-sponsored violence against thousands of Muslim men, women, and children,” Ahmed added.

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Coordinated Hindu supremacist attacks against Christians in Chhattisgarh reprehensible, say Indian Americans

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IAMC strongly condemned anti-Christian atrocities committed by Hindu extremist groups in India’s Chhattisgarh state. Washington, D.C. (December 26, 2022) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) today condemned a series of ongoing and coordinated attacks by Hindu supremacists – including mob beatings, evictions, molestation, sexual harassment, church vandalism, property theft, and attempted forced conversions – against Indian Christians in Chhattisgarh state. IAMC also called on the Indian government to stop the delay in taking action against the perpetrators and enforce strict consequences for their crimes. Christian leaders have reported that at least 60 Christian families were assaulted by Hindu supremacists in the past two months, while around 200 Christian families have been forcibly evicted from their homes in 12 to 14 villages. Fifty people were beaten up and driven out of their homes in one district, while 500 people were evicted from two other districts. Hindu mobs have also vandalized Christian places of worship. Overall, 41 attacks were reported in December, 20 of which occurred on December 18 alone, 15 attacks in November, and three in October. Additionally, Hindu supremacists have been attempting to forcefully convert Christians to Hinduism in a practice known as Ghar Wapasi. However, not a single case has yet been registered against the Hindu supremacists responsible for terrorizing Christian villagers. According to the victim community, the violence was instigated by local political leaders linked with the fascist paramilitary group Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and its affiliates. The RSS has been encouraging such attacks in tribal areas, seeking to divide the already marginalized residents on religious lines by claiming that no tribal village should be “Christian-dominated.” As the violence remains unchallenged by local law enforcement, Christians across Chhattisgarh’s Narayanpur district are voicing their outrage over the lack of consequences against Hindu supremacists, with around 1,000 Christians camping out in front of a government building to put pressure on authorities to register a police report. “It is appalling and reprehensible that while Hindu supremacists are inflicting violence and terror on Christian women, children, and men, Chhattisgarh authorities are doing nothing to protect them,” said Syed Afzal Ali, IAMC President. “The Muslim community stands by our Christian brothers and sisters and condemns the obvious impunity offered to Hindu extremist groups by the state government.” “The fact that not a single report has been registered on any one of the staggering numbers of hate crimes against Chhattisgarh’s Christian minority should be a cause for great alarm throughout the international community,” said Rasheed Ahmed, IAMC Executive Director. “This is yet another smoke signal showing the grave danger Indian Christians are in. It is high time for the United States government to speak out against these atrocities and pressure Indian authorities into taking action against violent Hindu supremacists,” Ahmed added.

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DC Court’s dismissal of Hindu American Foundation’s bogus lawsuit against IAMC Executive Director upholds rule of law

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A Washington, D.C. court dismissed a flimsy defamation lawsuit filed by the Hindu American Foundation (HAF) against academic Audrey Truschke and four activists, including Indian American Muslim Council Executive Director Rasheed Ahmed, for providing quotes critical of HAF in two Al Jazeera articles. Washington, D.C. (December 22, 2022) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), a US-based nonprofit organization dedicated to social justice, peace and pluralism, welcomes and applauds a ruling by a United States federal judge who dismissed a frivolous lawsuit brought by the Hindu American Foundation (HAF) against IAMC’s Executive Director Rasheed Ahmed and four other civil rights activists. Filed in 2021, the lawsuit had claimed that the defendants had, “conspired to publish… allegedly false and defamatory statements” about the HAF on the Al Jazeera website. In a 28-page ruling delivered Tuesday, Judge Amit P. Mehta of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia found that not only did the defendants’ statements in question not defame HAF, “most of the statements are clearly statements of opinion,” which cannot be proven either true or false, and therefore did not meet the threshold of defamation. Joshua Colangelo-Bryan, counsel at Dorsey & Whitney LLP, said, “As the court explicitly found, Rasheed Ahmed did nothing more than express his opinion, as he is perfectly entitled to do in this country. That’s why Dorsey decided to take this case in the first place.” Judge Mehta’s ruling vindicates the belief that the lawsuit targeted Ahmed and the other defendants – John Prabhudoss, Chair, Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations (FIACONA); Sunita Viswanath and Raju Rajagopal, Cofounders, Hindus for Human Rights; and Audrey Truschke, Associate Professor, Rutgers University, New Jersey – only because they oppose the ideology of Hindutva, or Hindu supremacism, that HAF self-avowedly supports. Demolishing the HAF’s claim that it is not linked to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu supremacist government and his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Judge Mehta wrote: “HAF supports the political party currently in power in India, often labeled a ‘Hindu nationalist’ party.” Judge Mehta also rejected the HAF’s claim that the defendants had conspired to defame it, saying that the lawsuit “comes nowhere close to stating a sufficient claim of civil conspiracy,” as the HAF “does not allege a single overt act by a co-conspirator in furtherance of the conspiracy.” In a damning rejection of the HAF’s position, the judge wrote that the HAF’s request for discovery of the IAMC’s internal documents and communications to support its claim of defamation, “amounts to a fishing expedition, is speculative, and is not made in good faith.” Judge Mehta rejected the claim that Ahmed had defamed HAF by telling Al Jazeera that, “US taxpayers’ money being used to keep hate groups in business is absolutely unacceptable and should concern all who believe in fairness, justice and government accountability.” “This is another clear statement of opinion expressing a view on how government funding should be distributed, and which groups are deserving of federal relief funds,” Judge Mehta wrote. The judge also rejected the HAF’s claim that it had the jurisdiction to try Illinois-based Ahmed merely because he represented IAMC, which is registered in Washington, DC. Importantly, Judge Mehta also found that the HAF failed to prove that any of the defendants made their statements with “actual malice,” which is a critical threshold to prove defamation. The HAF’s tactics are the same that Hindu extremists use in India to harass critics. With the lawsuit’s dismissal, HAF has failed in its objective to distract us from the work we are doing.   Read full judgement here

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US Senator expresses disappointment over exclusion of India from CPC list; seeks immediate Congressional report from State Department

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In a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, US Senator James Lankford demanded that the State Department provide a report to appropriate Congressional committees explaining why countries like India were left off the CPC list. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington, D.C. (December 15, 2022) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) commended Oaklahoma Senator James Lankford for his letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in which he expressed his “extreme disappointment” that countries known for extreme religious freedoms violations, including India, were not designated as Countries of Particular Concern (CPCs) in 2022.  For the past three years, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), a federal government commission, has recommended that the State Department designate India as a CPC due to ongoing and egregious violations of human rights and religious freedoms. However, despite several reports from USCIRF stating that India matches the description of a CPC, a label reserved for the world’s most egregious violators of religious freedoms, the State Department has repeatedly failed to designate India as such.  “India was not formally designated despite overt and repeated severe violations of religious freedom. India is an important security partner for the United States and a key counter-weight against China in the Indo-Pacific region,” wrote Senator Lankford. “In the context of that partnership, the United States must have a robust discussion about the deteriorating religious freedom conditions for religious minorities in India.”   [pdf-embedder url="http://test.iamc.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Lankford-Letter-to-Blinken.pdf" title="Lankford Letter to Blinken"]   “I welcome the Department’s explanation for why, in its view, a formal designation would not enhance our efforts to promote human rights in partner countries, such as India.” Senator Lankford further called on the State Department to provide their rationale for leaving India and other violators off the CPC list, citing that federal law requires that “an annual report detailing the state of religious freedom in each foreign country… be transmitted to Congress.” The report “required the Department to provide the rationale for differences in CPC designations to the appropriate congressional committees within 30 days of such decision,” Senator Lankford wrote. “To date, this report has yet to be provided to Congress.” “It is the responsibility of all nations to encourage these rights of freedom of religion, belief and conscience worldwide… With this shared goal in mind, I eagerly await the Department’s legally-required report to Congress,” the letter concluded. The Indian American Muslim Council reiterates Senator Lankford’s demands to Secretary Blinken and calls on the State Department to act in accordance with the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 by providing a report explaining why India and other nations were left off the 2022 CPC list. 

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IAMC Report: Genocide Convention & Persecution of Muslims in India

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The “Genocide Convention & Persecution of Muslims in India” report seeks to explicitly acknowledge the multitude of instances where India’s federal government, state governments, and violent Hindu supremacist groups have acted against the genocide convention. It explores how in other instances, India is moving closer to committing acts of genocide against its Muslim citizens on a national scale. Without international intervention, the Indian government will continue to commit and allow acts of genocidal violence against Muslims, which will inevitably transition into a full-blown genocide. This report was released on December 7 by the United States Commission for International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) Commissioner David Curry, former USCIRF Chair Nadine Maenza, and Genocide Watch Founder Dr. Gergory Stanton at IAMC Congressional Briefing on Capitol Hill in Washington DC. [pdf-embedder url="http://3.145.57.38/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/for-print-genocide-convention.pdf" title="for print genocide convention"] Click Here to Download

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US Attorney General’s Office, interfaith leaders attend solidarity vigil denouncing anti-Muslim bigotry, Hindu supremacism in New Jersey

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Interfaith leaders and civil rights organizations gathered for a solidarity vigil following a digital truck harassment campaign organized by suspected Hindu supremacists outside several mosques in New Jersey.  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Piscataway, New Jersey (December 14, 2022) – Leaders from the Christian, Jewish, Sikh, and Hindu communities, as well as local elected officials and a representative from the US Attorney General’s Office, gathered at an interfaith solidarity event organized on Sunday, December 11 at the Muslim Center of Middlesex County (MCMC) in Piscataway, NJ, which was recently the target of religious harassment and bias-motivated intimidation. On November 26, during a mosque event attended by 200 people, a digital billboard truck displaying images of 2008 terrorist attack in Mumbai (India), circled around the parking lot twice. The truck stopped several times before leaving, an act that the local Muslim community has labeled as a clear attempt to harass and intimidate by the Hindu supremacist groups. Co-organizers of the event included the Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), the Islamic Circle of North America’s Council on Social Justice (ICNA CSJ), American Muslims for Democracy (AMD), the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR-NJ), and Hindus for Human Rights. “We don’t know who committed the hate incident here at MCMC, but we do know that Hindu nationalists have perpetrated many such hate crimes and incidents in India and around this country and the world,” said Sunita Vishwanath, co-founder of Hindus for Human Rights. “I am here to let you know that there are Hindus who do not stand for such violence and hate, who are centered in love and pluralism… We stand with you today and every day.” “We strongly believe that these incidents, the August 14 incident which took place in Edison, the targeting of four mosques [in New Jersey], the targeting of six [other mosques] in Connecticut, all these incidents might be related,” said Rubinder Singh, representing Sikh Youth Group of New Jersey.     Michael E. Campion, Chief of the Civil Rights Division for the U.S. Attorney General’s Office, stated that the federal office has, “no higher priority than keeping our communities safe and combating civil rights violations and discrimination.” “We have a record of standing up against Islamophobia, and we will continue to do so. Where something falls within our federal enforcement authority, we will act,” said Campion, encouraging community members to report all incidents of hate and intimidation. “The whole Jewish community stands with our brothers and sisters in the Muslim community in solidarity,” said Rabbi Robert Green of Congregation B’nai Israel in Basking Ridge, NJ. “All of these incidents that we have heard about and seen photos of should never happen.” Reverend Rick Morley of St Mark’s Episcopal Church shared a statement from Reverend William H. Stokes, the 12th and current bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New Jersey: “All residents of New Jersey should be appalled by recent anti-Muslim activities that have taken place across our state in recent days and weeks, and be appalled as well at the precipitous rise in these overall.” “I am daily appalled by the frightening rise of Islamophobia, antisemitism, bigotry, and intimidation that our country is seeing, which your mosques have seen so up close and personal in these last days,” Morley added.     “I apologize because I had to hear about this incident of hate from your community and not from the news and not from other places,” said Rabbi Joel Abraham of Temple Sholom in Scotch Plains, NJ. “This is a moment of hope, even in the starkness of hate, that we all can be gathered here together today.” “There is no room for religious intolerance,” said Kevin Lance, First Counselor of the presidency of the Morris County, New Jersey State Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. “We reiterate our desire to stand in solidarity with all of you in denouncing any form of religious intolerance.” “Let us reject oppression in any form in building the beloved community. Let us strive to love all people, respect all people, and work for the good of all people,” said Beverly Digner, founder of the Diversity Coalition of Morris County and member of the Presbytarian Church in Morristown, NJ. “When we came to know about this incident, we had a special prayer which we offered even today at our church,” said Pastor Amron Sharon, President of Alpha Ministries International, a Christian charity organization that runs projects in South Asia.     Elected officials at the state level have also been vocal in condemning the act of intimidation. Shortly after the incident, Senator Bob Menendez, Governor Phil Murphy, and New Jersey Democratic State Committee Chairman LeRoy J. Jones, Jr. made statements conveying “disgust” over the incident and standing in solidarity with Muslims. The Indian American Muslim Council reiterates calls by the NJ Muslim community to the Department of Justice, FBI, and other law enforcement agencies to conduct a thorough investigation in all incidents related to Hindu supremacist groups peddling hate and division in the US.  

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US decision to exclude India from CPC list “baldfaced political maneuver,” violates law: USCIRF Commissioner

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USCIRF Commissioner David Curry expressed his deep frustration with the US State Department after its failure to designate India as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC). FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington, D.C. (December 11, 2022) – A top US official has slammed the Biden administration for failing to formally designate India as one of the world’s worst religious freedom offenders over the country’s appalling record of violations against religious minorities. The State Department’s decision to exclude India from its gallery of global religious freedom offenders was a “baldfaced political maneuver” and “shameful”, said Commissioner David Curry of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) this week during a Congressional Briefing on Capitol Hill. He also added that Secretary of State Antony Blinken and the US State Department “did not honor the law” in its refusal to designate India as a Country of Particular Concern, despite the fact that India “clearly” qualifies as such.     “I cannot tell you how frustrated I, and all of us at USCIRF, are that the State Department did not take our recommendation to designate India as a CPC,” said Curry. “India clearly meets the threshold of a CPC as set out in the International Religious Freedom Act…  This was a baldfaced political maneuver to ignore what’s happening in India. That’s why it’s so shameful.“ On November 22, USCIRF released a Country Update report on India, expressing concerns over rise in religious freedom violations and reiterating its recommendation that the State Department designate India as a CPC. Shortly after, Secretary Blinken and the State Department released the official CPC list for 2022, failing to include India despite multiple warnings from USCIRF. “We reminded the State Department… [that] when the standards of the law are clearly met, they must designate the country as a CPC. They cannot waive action on the designation. They can only waive action once the designation is made, and that can only be done based on the important national interests of the United States,” said Curry. Curry also addressed the “double standard” apparent in the State Department’s willingness to list other US allies, including Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, as CPCs while India is consistently left off the list.     “We have to keep it real that [the Indian government] is spending a lot of money here, they’re spending a lot of time demonizing anybody who speaks out on these subjects. And there’s a ripple effect of fear amongst the political class,” he told a crowd of people including congressional staffers, other government officials and members of the civil society. Adding that speaking against Hindu extremism is “not a denigration of Indian culture,” Curry said, “We understand the values and the cultural importance of the Indian people, but this point is not separate from that. It has to be addressed. We need the Indian government to stop encouraging the targeting of religious minorities.” Curry further thanked IAMC for organizing the briefing, and called IAMC’s newly released report, “Genocide Convention and the Persecution of Muslims in India,” a “very important” document.     Moderating the briefing was Nadine Maenza, who served as USCIRF’s Vice Chair from 2018-2020 and Chair from 2020-2022. While commenting on the State Department’s decision to not include India on its list of CPCs for this year, Ms. Maenza said, “This is disappointing, and frankly unacceptable, on many counts.”     “I cannot emphasize enough how far past time it is for officials in the State Department and the US government as a whole to stop skirting around the issue of Muslim persecution in India. India is our ally, and just as importantly, it is the world’s largest democracy. And the systematic persecution of 200 million religious minorities in a democracy is simply unacceptable,” she said. The Congressional Briefing was held to raise awareness ahead of the International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime, which falls on December 9. Dr. Gregory Stanton, founder of the global watchdog organization Genocide Watch, spoke on “the very worrying signs of genocide underway in India,” calling on the US government to be vocal in condemning the actions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “We need to make very clear to Mr. Modi that he’s not going to get away with this kind of persecution of Muslims,” he said. Speaking specifically on India’s authoritarian crackdown on Muslim-majority Kashmir, Dr. Ather Zia, an associate professor of anthropology at the University of Northern Colorado, stated that “widespread xenophobia and Islamophobia, fueled by Hindu supremacy and ethnonationalism,” are at the heart of human rights abuses in the region.     “Kashmiris exist in a state of siege, caught amidst a dense web of Indian soldiers, checkpoints, barbed wires, bunkers, military convoys, trucks, drones, armored vehicles, garrisons, secret prisons, jails, and military bases,” said Zia. “The State Department can and should designate Indian officials, like Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who have committed religious freedom violations as Individuals of Particular Concern, effectively banning these individuals from entering or conducting business in the United States,” said Sunita Viswanath, Co-Founder of Hindus for Human Rights. “December 9th is the International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide,” said Rasheed Ahmed, Executive Director of IAMC. “If there’s one thing the world should have learned from the Holocaust, it is that silence is complicity. That is why it’s of the utmost importance that Secretary Blinken and the State Department listen to the victims and designate India as a CPC in 2023.” The briefing was cosponsored by Genocide Watch, World Without Genocide, Indian American Muslim Council, Hindus for Human Rights, International Christian Concern, Jubilee Campaign,  21Wilberforce, Dalit Solidarity Forum, New York State Council of Churches, Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations of North America, India Civil Watch International, International Commission for Dalit Rights, Center for Pluralism, American Muslim Institution, Students Against Hindutva Ideology, International Society for Peace and Justice, The Humanism Project and Association of Indian Muslims of America.  

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Frisco residents, civil rights groups hold protest against Hindutva group funding anti-minority hate in India

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Residents and civil rights groups held a peaceful protest against Global Hindu Heritage Foundation (GHHF), a Hindu supremacist group for funding anti-Christian and anti-Muslim hate in India Frisco, Texas (December 12, 2022) – Nearly 300 people from Frisco, Dallas and surrounding areas, including members of diverse civil rights and interfaith organizations, held a rally to protest Hindu supremacism (Hindutva) and anti-Christian persecution in India on Sunday, December 11. Speakers at the protest, which was held outside Frisco City Council, included leaders from the Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, and Dalit communities, as well as activists and city residents, who called on the US government to recognize Hindutva as a threat to minorities and democratic values and initiate action against the Hindutva hate groups in the US. The rally was organized after the Frisco-based group, Global Hindu Heritage Foundation (GHHF) held a fundraiser on November 27 to demolish 75 churches in India. Pastor Justin Sabu, a pastor at Zion Church, thanked protesters for gathering in support of India’s 27 million Christians, who face ongoing persecution from Hindu extremists in India. He also recounted a story from his childhood, when he was beaten in his home city of Bangalore, India, by a group of Hindu extremists.     “We are hurting during this time,” Pastor Sabu told the crowd of men, women, and children holding American and Indian flags. “We cannot allow what has happened in India to follow us here in the United States of America. So, we stand against every hatred that is coming from any organization, against any spiritual house of worship.” Daniel Mutyala, a longtime Frisco resident, warned that the demolition of churches is already underway in Tirupati, a North Indian city where GHHF planned to send its funds. “The jury is about to give permission to destroy the churches,” said Mutyala. “It can happen anytime. If they can destroy the churches tomorrow, they can destroy the mosque. [GHHF] raising funds to destroy the Christians and Muslims in India is not acceptable. It’s a shame for them to do that, but this is not over. This is just the beginning. We will continue to fight.” Atul Shinde, representing the Ambedkarite Buddhist Association of Texas (ABAT), condemned the GHHF fundraiser to demolish churches in India and said: “I want to ask – who has given you the right to raise funds to demolish churches? This activity itself is illegal, as it is against the Indian constitution.” “In the name of dharma (religion), what ideas are you going to spread? It will not spread love, but hatred,” he added. “Organizations like the GHHF are the product of a skewed cult thinking that only religions with roots in India should be allowed to remain [there], while Muslims and Christians need to be subjugated [or] perish,” said prominent Indian-American journalist Vijaylakshmi Nadar. “There are thousands of groups [with this same ideology] who also need to be identified.”     “The Global Hindu Heritage Foundation… exposed to America the agenda that has taken root in India: the annihilation of religious minorities,” said Pieter Friedrich, an activist and journalist. “India today is being turned from the world’s largest democracy into the world’s largest fascist state.” Adding that the GHHF is only “the tip of the toxic iceberg” when it comes to US-based Hindu extremist groups, Friedrich said, “These organizations… are aiding and abetting the regime in India. Any day now, the daily beatings and lynchings of Muslims could turn into outright genocide. Any day now, the daily attacks we see perpetrated against Indian Christians, especially when they are gathering for Sunday services, could turn into a massacre.” “What the Hindu nationalist movement doesn’t expect is that from different religions, different races, and from all kinds of different backgrounds… we will push back to protect freedom, to spread peace and to defeat fascism,” he concluded     Addressing the leadership of GHHF, Jagdish, a local resident, said, “Already you guys have destroyed all our minority people, all our untouchable people are kept separate. Still, you wanted to see [a new] India by destroying churches, by destroying mosques.” “[Christians and Muslims] shared all the joys together in childhood. Now we have to share the grief of demolition of sacred places,” said Zehra Kamal, a member of the Frisco Muslim community. “As an American Muslim of Indian origin, I want to say we love our Indian Christian friends and we stand with them in this difficult time.” “Hindutva is trying to destroy peace on American soil as well,” said Sayeed, another protester. “We are here to try and restore that peace,” he added. The Indian American Muslim Council reiterates calls by the Indian Christian community and their allies in Frisco and urges federal and state law enforcement agencies to conduct a thorough investigation into the GHHF and their role in funding hate and violence against religious minorities in India.    

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Indian-Americans & allies in Texas call on city council to condemn Hindu supremacism, investigate Hindutva group

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During a city council meeting, Christians and their allies from diverse backgrounds sought an investigation into the Global Hindu Heritage Foundation. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Frisco, Texas (December 7, 2022) – Indian-American Christians joined by people from diverse backgrounds called on the local elected officials to condemn and investigate the funding of anti-minority hate and bigotry in India by the Frisco-based Global Hindu Heritage Foundation (GHHF), a Hindu supremacist group. GHHF, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, held a fundraising event on November 27, listing one of the causes on their flier as demolishing “illegal churches” in Tirupati, a city in India’s Andhra Pradesh state. On Tuesday, December 6, more than 100 Indian-Americans from all backgrounds attended Frisco City Council meeting, where 12 members from local Christian, Sikh, Dalit, and Muslim communities educated the elected officials about the hateful activities of Hindu supremacist (Hindutva) groups in the United States, as well as its impact on India’s religious minorities especially Christians and Muslims. “Global Hindu Heritage Foundation has openly admitted its intent on a widely circulated flier. The leader… falsely writes how dangerous Christians are, and falsely claims that Christian charity organizations are used as a cover for forceful Hindu conversions,” said Pastor Justin Sabu, pastor at Zion Church, which has a campus in Frisco, Texas. “Destruction of these churches is not actively sanctioned by the Indian government. Instead, Global Hindu Heritage Foundation efforts will fund and grow a militant group committed to violating principles of basic human rights and freedom of religion enshrined in the Indian constitution,” Pastor Sabu added. “GHHF is using Frisco soil, Texas soil, and collecting money from Texas residents to promote hatred and division in India. I’m afraid that if decent citizens do not rise up to the challenge and defeat these extremist organizations, the peace and harmony between different religious communities will be affected in India.,” said Jensen John, Chairman of the Church of The Way in Frisco, Texas. “I humbly urge you, our elected leaders, to investigate and put a stop to hateful campaigns and stop the poisonous rhetoric that is being propagated in our community,” he added. Pieter Freidrich, a journalist and activist, called India a, “hell on earth for Indian Muslims and Christians.” “For Christians, India is now ranked the 10th most dangerous country in the world… And yet just last week, right here in Frisco, Texas, we had an American nonprofit organization fundraising to support the demolition of churches in India at a time when Indian Christians are falling under the knife day by day by day,” Freidrich said.     Renowned Indian-American journalist Vijaylakshmi Nadar called for investigating and revoking GHHF’s certification. “Extreme Hindu nationalists in India and in the US insist that there were forced conversions by Christian missionaries in India decades ago. However, many converted to Christianity to escape the debilitating cruelty of the caste system,” Nadar said. “Hindu nationalists have for decades tried to coerce the poor Christians back into the fold [of Hinduism], often with force and violence,” she added. “[Global Hindu Heritage Foundation’s] president is from my home state [in India]. He wants to destroy the churches in Tirupati,” said Daniel Muchala, another Frisco resident who has lived in the US for 47 years. “He studied in a Christian college; he benefited from all the Christian institutes there. The churches they want to burn are more than 100 years old.” Gurvinder Singh, a resident of Dallas, Texas, while referring to the mass killings of Sikhs by Hindu extremists in 1984 in India, said: “As a Sikh American, we came here because of the genocide that was inflicted upon our people… And now to see that this thought process has followed us here into Frisco is unfathomable.”     “We see that with organizations with pompous names calling for the demolition of churches, calling for the extermination of other races, calling for the othering of anyone who does not believe in their warped ideology,” Singh added. “Global Hindu Heritage Foundation is very open about the fact that they support Hindu supremacism, or Hindutva. I wonder if they would be equally open about the ugly fascist origins of Hindutva,” said Syed Abdul, a resident of the neighboring city of Irving, Texas. “It is not possible to support ‘parts’ of Nazism, and it is not possible to support ‘parts’ of Hindutva. It is an ideology that must be unequivocally condemned by all people, and it starts with our local leadership here in Frisco,” he added. Another Frisco resident Mohammed Tanveer lauded Christians in India for their role in the upliftment of the country and said: “I ask the city council to stand with Indian minorities and Christians that live in Frisco, for we are hurt and tormented by the fact that organized planning is being done in the name of charity to demolish 75 churches.” “I want the Indian Christian community in Frisco and in all parts of the world to know that we Indian Muslims stand with you in this moment of sorrow and torment,” said Ayesha Habeeb, a resident of Plano, Texas. The Indian American Muslim Council reiterates calls by the Indian Christian community and their allies in Frisco and urges federal and state law enforcement agencies to conduct a thorough investigation into the GHHF and their role in funding hate and violence against religious minorities in India.

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Civil society organizations deeply disappointed by State Department’s failure to designate India as Country of Particular Concern

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Despite being recommended as a CPC by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom for three consecutive years, India was left off the CPC list for 2022. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington, D.C. (December 6, 2022) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) and Hindus for Human Rights, along with their allies, expressed deep disappointment over the US State Department’s failure to follow the recommendation of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) and designate India as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC), a label reserved for the world’s most egregious violators of religious freedoms. For the past three years, USCIRF has recommended that the State Department, headed by Secretary Antony Blinken, designate India as a CPC due to exponential rise in violence and discrimination against Muslims and Christians in the country. In a statement, USCIRF expressed its “outrage” over the State Department’s failure to list India as a CPC, saying that there was “no justification” for the government body ignoring the USCIRF’s warnings about steep decline in human rights under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist government. “USCIRF is tremendously disappointed that the Secretary of State did not implement our recommendations and recognize the severity of the religious freedom violations that both USCIRF and the State Department have documented in [India],” said USCIRF Chair Nury Turkel. “The State Department’s own reporting includes numerous examples of particularly severe religious freedom violations in [India].” “Over and over again, the Modi regime has demonstrated how hateful it is towards religious minorities by restricting their citizenship, spreading hate speech against them, encouraging Hindu vigilante groups to physically assault them, allowing violent riots in their neighborhoods, and bulldozing their homes when they protest,” said Rasheed Ahmed, Executive Director of IAMC. “Repeated failure to designate India as a CPC will only encourage the Indian government to double down on its persecution of religious minorities,” Ahmed added. Governmental and non-governmental organizations across the globe have expressed their concerns regarding India, especially as countries noted the Modi government’s mistreatment of minorities at India’s Universal Periodic Review at the United Nations in November. Canada’s New Democratic Party (NDP) recently called on its government to boycott events held in Jammu and Kashmir as India begins its presidency of the G20, citing discriminatory anti-minority laws, its threats of ethnic cleansing, persecution of minorities, and the arrests of journalists and human rights activists. In October, United Nations Special Rapporteur for Minority Rights Fernand de Varennes said at a Congressional Briefing that, “nothing short of an international investigative mechanism – as has been done by the UN Security Council, Human Rights Council for countries such as Syria, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and Ethiopia – may be necessary” to reverse the trend of violence against minorities in India. “The State Department’s refusal to designate India as a Country of Particular Concern, while unsurprising, is confounding,” said Ria Chakrabarty, Policy Director at Hindus for Human Rights. “Based on clear evidence, much of which has been documented by the State Department, the Indian government has clearly tolerated or encouraged the persecution of religious minorities. Either this administration needs to get serious about human rights in India and around the world or give up the pretense that it is actually concerned about religious freedom in India.” The Indian American Muslim Council and Hindus for Human Rights, along with their coalition partners, remain committed to holding India accountable through international forum for its egregious human rights violations against all minority groups.

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Muslim Americans commend NJ Legislature for introducing Muslim Heritage Month bills

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If passed, the bills (SJR105/AJR194) would designate January of each year as Muslim Heritage Month in the State of New Jersey. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE New Jersey (December 4, 2022) – A coalition of civil rights groups today commended the New Jersey Assembly and Senate for introducing bills (AJR194/SJR105) to designate January of each year as Muslim Heritage Month to promote awareness and appreciation of Muslim Americans and recognize the many contributions of the State’s Muslim community. “This Joint Resolution designates the month of January of each year as ‘Muslim Awareness and Appreciation Month’… This designation would allow the State and its residents to respectfully acknowledge and promote awareness of Muslims and recognize the many contributions of the State’s Muslim community,” the bill states. The bill was introduced after a delegation representing Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) NJ chapter, Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR-NJ), American Muslims for Democracy (AMD), and Islamic Circle of North America’s Council for Social Justice (ICNA CSJ) NJ chapter met with the Assembly and Senate leadership. Mohammed Jawad, President of IAMC’s NJ chapter said: “We are beyond pleased to see that our elected officials are putting in the effort to recognize the Muslim community, which is so often labeled as ‘the other,’ as a vibrant and crucial part of American society. Recognition builds stronger bonds, and we are confident this will be a step towards greater understanding and appreciation between all communities in New Jersey.” Shaheen Khateeb, another representative of IAMC’s NJ chapter said: “After Muslim communities across New Jersey – from Edison to Teaneck, to Woodridge – became the target of hateful displays and intimidation, we see the designation of Muslim Heritage Month as a major step towards combatting hate and making a marginalized group feel seen and heard.”     Madina P. Ouedraogo, MPA-PNP, Government Affairs Manager at CAIR-NJ said: “New Jersey has the highest percentage of Muslim residents in the U.S., with a percentage of 3%, according to the Pew Research Center. It is critical that New Jersey acknowledge, promote awareness and celebrate its Muslim residents through the passage of the Muslim Heritage Month (AJR194/SJR105) legislation.” Dr. Atif Nazeer, Director of ICNA CSJ’s New Jersey chapter said: “We would like to extend our sincerest gratitude to the New Jersey Senate for their efforts to recognize the contributions of the Muslim community by introducing this bill,” said, “As New Jersians, we should embrace the diversity of our communities and afford everyone the opportunity to better understand, recognize, and appreciate the rich history and shared principles of American Muslims.” Ayaz Aslam, Secretary of AMD & NJMVP said: “With the rise in Islamophobia nationwide, we feel it is more important than ever to amplify the contributions of New Jersey’s many Muslims. We hope this bill will serve as both a tribute to this community and as a recommitment to stand with Muslim Americans in building a more tolerant and equitable nation.”  

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IRS, DOJ, FBI probe sought against Texas-based Hindu Supremacist group for funding church demolitions in India

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Civil rights groups urge elected officials to seek an investigation into Global Hindu Heritage Foundation, a Hindu supremacist group based in Frisco, Texas. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington, D.C. (December 2, 2022) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) joined 14 civil rights and faith-based organizations in co-signing a letter to the US Senators, Representatives, State Governor, and other elected officials demanding the FBI, Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and Department of Justice investigation into Texas-based organization Global Hindu Heritage Foundation (GHHF), a Hindu supremacist group that recently organized a fundraiser, among other causes, for demolishing churches in India. Co-signed by Federation of Indian American Christian Organization in North  America (FIACONA), North American Church of God, Southern Methodist University (SMU) Human Rights Program, Amnesty International – Dallas, World Without Genocide, Center for Pluralism, Genocide Watch,  IAMC, Limitless Church, Justice for All, Hindu for Human Rights, North Texas Peace Advocates, Good Citizens of DFW, North Texas Islamic Council, the letter was sent to Senators John Cornyn and Ted Cruz; Representatives Michael C. Burgess, Pat Fallon, Van Taylor, Terry Meza, Collin Allred, Marc Veasey, Jake Ellzey, Michael Cloud; Governor Gregg Abbott and Frisco Mayor Jeff Cheney. GHHF, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, recently circulated a flier for a fundraising event, listing one of the causes as demolishing what they call “illegal churches” in Tirupati, a city in India’s Andhra Pradesh state. “We find it extremely disturbing and dangerous that GHHF would so openly advertise their goal to cause such great harm to Indian Christians, who already face enormous persecution on a daily basis,” said the letter. GHHF has a history of demonizing Christians. In 2014, the organization wrote a letter to India’s Minister of Education urging her to revise the educational curriculum and teach children about the “heroism” of Nathuram Godse, the Hindu supremacist and member of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a fascist paramilitary group, who murdered Gandhi. The letter further accused Christians of “stabbing the nation,” converting Hindus with “deception and allurement,” and putting Hindus in danger of becoming “sacrificial lambs.” In 2020, GHHF hosted an event in Plano, Texas to support discriminatory anti-minority legislation passed in India, advocating that Muslims and Christians be stripped of their minority status. The group also funds a number of religious conversion programs in India to convert Christians and Muslims to Hinduism. With a population of nearly 28 million, Christians are India’s second-largest minority group. Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist government, Christians have been subjected to extreme violence. Discriminatory legislations like anti-conversion laws have enabled Hindu extremists to shut down churches and physically assault Christians with impunity. In 2021 alone, Hindu extremists carried out 800 hate crimes against Christians. “We urge you to use your platform as elected officials to forcefully condemn this blatant and brazen display of anti-Christian hate and bigotry. We also urge you to… [seek] immediate investigative and legal action against the Global Hindu Heritage Foundation for violating its 501c3 status by funding hate and enabling violence against religious minorities in India,” the letter adds.   [pdf-embedder url="http://test.iamc.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Texas_Coalition_Letter.pdf%22]  

Reports

IAMC Report: State of Religious Minorities in India (October 2022)

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By Aisling Lynch Kelly Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) October 2022 status report on the state of religious minorities in India highlights the grave human rights and religious freedom issues. The report documents the incidents of anti-minority discrimination, violence, hate speech, and Indian crackdown in Kashmir and makes recommendations for the Indian governments and others.   Here is the Report: [pdf-embedder url="http://3.145.57.38/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Oct-Report.pdf%22] Click Here to Download

Press Release

New Jersey civil rights groups brief DOJ, FBI, USAG office on extremist Hindutva ideology, its US-based practitioners

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American Muslims for Democracy, Hindus for Human Rights, and Indian American Muslim Council hold dialogue with officials at United Against Hate event FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Edison, New Jersey (November 23, 2022) – The Islamophobic and neo-Nazi ideology of Hindutva is a clear and present danger to peace and freedoms in the United States, a coalition of civil rights organizations told key officials of the U.S. Attorney General’s Office, the US Department of Justice (DOJ), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) at a recent event here. At the event titled “United Against Hate” organized here last week, activists from American Muslims for Democracy (AMD), Hindus for Human Rights (HfHR) and Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) made detailed presentations on this ideology of Hindu supremacism that is committing mass persecution of India’s Muslims and Christians and is rearing its ugly head in New Jersey as well as across the U.S. Attending the event were David S. Leonardis, Special Investigator from the New Jersey Department of Law & Public Safety; Michael E. Campion, Chief of the Civil Rights Division for the U.S. Attorney General’s Office; and Jonathan R. Norbut of the U.S. Department of Justice. The law enforcement officials took questions during the panel from community members, who raised concerns about safety.     “As American citizens, we have a responsibility to ensure we stand for justice for all. We need to be aware of this development that’s occurring in the United States,” said Dr. Ali Chaudry, Board Member of AMD. “We cannot have any group coming in and intimidating [people], whether it’s a bulldozer or speeches or appearing at Teaneck Council meetings, or in Woodbridge, or Edison or anywhere in the country.” Mohammad Jawad, President, New Jersey Chapter, IAMC, made a presentation on the origins of Hindu supremacism in India as a far-right reactionary ideology a century ago.     “The [Hindutva movement] is… running programs parallel to those in Germany in 1937. India’s Hindu extremists are calling for genocide against Muslims,” Jawad said. “What is really being done to stop it? Because the international community is not doing as much as we want.” “America today is in a moment of deep reckoning with racism, which is a very good thing,” said Sunita Vishwanath, Executive Director, Hindus for Human Rights. “But the most public-facing expression of my community – I am talking about many Hindu American organizations – are taking advantage of the country’s deep thinking about racism and treatment of communities of color to peddle Hindutva, or Hindu nationalism, or Hindu fascism.” “So when you meet people from the Hindu community, remember that if they are talking about the problem of Hinduphobia and denying the harmful ideology of Hindutva, they are peddling fascism, and they do not represent all Hindus.” “The conversations that we’re having here are very important,” said DOJ’s Norbut. “It’s to inform us and to inform the community, and to continue the dialogue so that organizations such as yours can continue to inform the US government and work to influence foreign policy.”

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US must name India among the world’s worst religious persecutors for egregious anti-minority violence: USCIRF

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IAMC says failure to designate India as CPC will hasten Muslim genocide FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington, D.C. (November 22, 2022) – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), an autonomous body of the US Government that tracks global religious persecutions, has urged the US Department of State to designate India as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC), which is America’s red list of the world’s worst offenders of religious freedoms. “Religious freedom and related human rights in India are under ongoing threat for a variety of reasons, including various government policies that do not protect religious minorities,” the USCIRF wrote in a report titled “Country Update: India” released here on Tuesday (November 22) detailing the persecutions in the calendar year 2022. Designating India as CPC, “for engaging in or tolerating systematic, ongoing, and egregious religious freedom violations… would reinforce the United States’ concern regarding the conditions discussed in this country update and would encourage the Indian government to diverge from policies that violate religious freedom and promote communal divides,” the USCIRF update further said. The CPC is the US Department of State’s rogue’s gallery and currently includes China, Russia, North Korea, Pakistan, Burma and Saudi Arabia, among others. Besides naming and shaming, a CPC designation also paves the way for a closer US scrutiny of and possible sanctions on governmental agencies and officials in the CPC countries. The USCIRF annual reports in 2020, 2021 and 2022 recommended India’s inclusion as CPC. The US Department of State declined the recommendations on India in 2020 and 2021. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will announce this year’s list next month. The USCIRF India Update includes a broad overview of threats against religious minorities, including rising hate speech, the illegal demolition of Muslim-owned homes, stringent anti-conversion laws, the draconian Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), the discriminatory Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), the Karnataka hijab ban, and violent attacks by Hindu supremacists on minority communities, especially Muslims. Quoted throughout the report are leaders of India’s ruling Hindu supremacist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) who have made hate speeches or encouraged violence against Muslims. This includes Rajasthan legislator Gyan Dev Ahuja, who publicly urged people “to kill anyone involved in cow slaughter;” Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who stated that “madrassas or Islamic seminaries should cease to exist;” and an official handle of the Gujarat BJP, which tweeted a caricature of Muslims being hanged. Also mentioned are the arrests of a Muslim journalist and fact-checker Mohammad Zubair and human rights defender Teesta Setalvad, as well as the prolonged detention of Muslim journalists and prisoners of conscience Siddique Kappan. The crackdown on activists and journalists is contrasted with the release of radicalized Hindu teens who created apps to harass Muslim women, as well as 11 Hindu supremacist men who were convicted of gang-raping a Muslim woman, Bilkis Bano, and slaughtering her family. “The manner in which government officials have enforced [discriminatory] policies has enabled intolerance of religious minorities and exacerbated communal divides, resulting in violence, deaths, injuries, sexual assault, destruction of property including houses of worship, arbitrary detentions, harassment including online harassment, and social boycotting of religious, scheduled caste, and tribal communities,” the report said. Welcoming the USCIRF’s Tuesday country update on India, Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) Executive Director Rasheed Ahmed said, “The US failure to designate India as CPC for two years in a row has emboldened India and exponentially increased violence against minorities, especially Muslims. As India’s Muslims face a genocide, the US Government cannot anymore pretend it bears no responsibility for that fate.”

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Protections against caste discrimination in line with the US laws, say law expert, activists

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Experts and Dalit rights activists broke down the arguments behind a lawsuit challenging caste protections in California. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington, D.C. (November 21, 2022) – A lawsuit filed by the Hindu American Foundation (HAF), which claims that the California California Civil Rights Division’s (CRD) historic move to hold tech giant Cisco accountable for caste discrimination is “anti-Hindu,” is based on “error,” said Dr. Kevin Brown, professor of law emeritus at the University of Indiana, during a Congressional Briefing held on Wednesday. In 2020, the CRD sued Cisco and two of its employees after a Dalit engineer reported facing workplace discrimination due to his caste. The CRD’s lawsuit accused Cisco of engaging in “unlawful employment practices on the basis of religion, ancestry, national origin/ethnicity and race/color.” In September 2022, HAF struck back with a lawsuit against the CRD, accusing California authorities of “wrongly tying Hindu beliefs and practices to the abhorrent practice of caste discrimination” and “[violating] the First Amendment rights of all Hindu-Americans.”     “The problem with this argument is that factually it’s an error,” said Dr. Brown. “The CRD is not seeking to define Hindu religious beliefs but to prevent caste discrimination. This is a form of discrimination that is practiced by a variety of religions, including Christianity, Islam, Buddhism and Sikhism. Thus, CRD is not [defining], nor does it need to define, Hindu religious beliefs in order to attack caste discrimination.” “Hindu American Foundation goes on by wrongly claiming… that CRD is acting under the color of state law against Hindu Americans. This claim, too, suffers from an incorrect factual assertion that CRD is asserting the caste is a function of Hinduism,” Dr. Brown added. “U.S. law is very clear that governments have a compelling interest in the eradication of racial and ethnic discrimination that would in fact override religious beliefs directed towards such discrimination.” “CRD is arguing that caste discrimination falls under one of the protected traits. So it’s either a form of race discrimination, a form of national origin discrimination, a form of color discrimination, a form of religious discrimination or a form of ancestry discrimination… As such, given CRD’s position, anyone who practiced cast discrimination and employment would violate its discrimination rules,” Dr. Brown said. “Thus, what CRD must prove isn’t vague at all,” Dr. Brown asserted, adding that historically, the “very definition of American anti-discrimination law was constructed around a desire to prevent the functioning of the Indian caste system.” Other speakers at the briefing described the deep-seated consequences of caste discrimination in the United States. “Denying caste is the first defense of the casteists,” said Anil Wagde, an activist at Ambedkar International Center, a civil rights advocacy group. “Over 85% of the 4 million Indians in the United States are from oppressor castes. The Cisco caste discrimination case has proved this unwanted import is indeed here in the United States.” “One-way caste persists in the US is through popularized mainstream culture. What we consider the culture and caste culture is anti-democratic… and built into it is the genocidal framework against Dalit and Adivasi people,” said Dolly Arjun, cultural activist and co-founder of Healthcare for Marginalized. “Transparency and anti-discrimination policies and international spaces in the US are among our only chances to expose the depth and breadth of this century’s long injustice.” Commenting on another lawsuit filed by two Hindu professors against the California State University system to protest caste protections, Dr. Dheepa Sundaram, associate professor at the University of Denver, said, “It seems contradictory that the complaints both wish to argue that caste is not foundational to Hinduism and that Cal State does not have the right to define Hinduism. If one believes caste is not part of Hinduism, then why argue that Cal State’s policy banning caste discrimination maligns Hindus?” “Moreover, Cal State’s decision to add caste to their campus-wide anti-discrimination policy was prompted by the testimony of Dalit activists and students, scholars of caste, and allies of caste-oppressed groups,” she added. The briefing was co-hosted by Genocide Watch, World Without Genocide, Indian American Muslim Council, Hindus for Human Rights, International Christian Concern, Jubilee Campaign,  21Wilberforce, Dalit Solidarity Forum, New York State Council of Churches, Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations of North America, India Civil Watch International, International Commission for Dalit Rights, Center for Pluralism, American Muslim Institution, Students Against Hindutva Ideology, International Society for Peace and Justice, The Humanism Project and Association of Indian Muslims of America.

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Civil rights groups call on Teaneck mayor to tackle Hindu supremacist threat to peace, pluralism in township

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IAMC and civil rights groups met with Teaneck officials to discuss Hindu supremacism and potential solutions to the growing community divide. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Teaneck, New Jersey (November 15, 2022) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) joined a delegation of civil rights organizations for a meeting with Mayor Jim Dunleavy and City Council Member Michael Pagan of Teaneck, New Jersey, to discuss the growing threat of Hindu supremacism (Hindutva) in communities across the state. The delegation comprised of representatives from IAMC, Hindus for Human Rights, and the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) New Jersey, who called on the Teaneck leadership to take swift and strong action against the hateful ideology of Hindutva to prevent further divisions within the community.   Mayor Dunleavy welcomed the discussion and promised to work towards the creation of an interfaith advisory council to ensure that relations between different faith-based communities are maintained. “We appreciate Mayor Dunleavy and Councilman Pagan’s willingness to meet with us and to work towards a solution that will unite Teaneck’s diverse and vibrant community,” said Shaheen Khateeb, a representative of IAMC’s New Jersey chapter. “We hope this meeting will be the first step towards greater understanding between Hindus, Muslims, Christians, and other faith and non-faith communities in our town.”     “Both Mayor Dunleavy and Councilmember Pagan told us they recognized how important it is to have such candid conversations about community concerns,” said Sunita Vishwanath, representing Hindus for Human Rights. “This was an opportunity for me to show them that there are many perspectives within the Hindu community; and also that some Hindus are in fierce solidarity with our Muslim siblings.” This meeting was held two months after a man identifying himself as Vivek attended a Teaneck city council meeting, where he went on the stage to deliver an uninterrupted hate speech while referring to Muslims as “terrorists and rapists.” He claimed that Muslims had “enjoyed” 9/11 and immigrated to the United States and India to “destroy” those countries. “You talk about any rape in the country (India) that is happening by all the Muslims over there. These Muslims, they get all the girls… They try to convert all of them. After that, they get the babies, and kill the girls,” he claimed. The incident caused outrage within the Teaneck Muslim community, sparking calls for local leadership to learn how to identify displays of Hindu supremacist hate and condemn them. In October, Mayor Dunleavy and city council members apologized for allowing the Hindu extremist to abuse the constituents’ platform. “In only a few short months, some of the Hindu supremacists across the state of New Jersey – including in Teaneck – have engaged in open displays of their hateful ideology, which has left the Muslim community feeling unsafe,” said Mohammad Jawad, also representing IAMC’s NJ chapter. “We are glad that the leadership of Teaneck is willing and eager to work with us towards resolving this problem and restoring harmony in our community,” Jawad added.

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Civil rights orgs in New Jersey meet DOJ, FBI, DHS; seek investigation into US-based Hindu supremacist groups

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IAMC and civil rights groups meet with federal and state agencies to discuss the growing threat of Hindu supremacism in the United States. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Edison, New Jersey (November 15, 2022) – A coalition of leading New Jersey-based civil rights organizations have held several meetings with federal and state law enforcement agencies and sought action against Hindu supremacist groups indulging in anti-Muslim hate and bigotry. In light of several incidents of open display of Hindu supremacist (Hindutva) hate in multiple counties across New Jersey over the last two months, the coalition met with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the US Attorney General’s Office, the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Justice, the NJ Attorney General’s Office, and several other local and national officials to urge an investigation into Hindu supremacist hate groups in the United States and their foreign sources of hate. The coalition included Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) New Jersey chapter, Council on American Islamic Relations-New Jersey (CAIR-NJ), Black Lives Matter (BLM), American Muslims for Democracy (AMD), and Hindus for Human Rights (HfHR). IAMC has specifically requested an investigation into prominent US-based groups with ties to the Hindu supremacist ideology of Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh, a fascist paramilitary group in India. This includes the Indian Business Association (IBA), which was responsible for allowing the use of hate symbols by the Overseas Friends of the Bharatiya Janata Party (OFBJP) during the Indian Independence Day parade in Edison, NJ, in August. OFBJP is the registered foreign agent of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu supremacist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Most notably, the coalition met with US Department of Justice Community Relations Service representatives Benoy Thomas and Harpreet Singh Mokha, US Attorney General’s Office attorney R. Joseph Gribko, and an FBI Special Agent. IAMC has also corresponded with NJ Senators Bob Menendez and Cory Booker, both of whom have condemned the IBA’s use of a bulldozer as an anti-Muslim hate symbol in their parade. Representatives from the US Attorney General’s Office and the Department of Justice, who met jointly with the delegation, stated that the Edison incident was a “case of intimidation and bias” and offered to help facilitate mediation within the community, including through school programs to foster inclusivity. “As displays of Hindu extremism in the US become bolder and less apologetic, it is of utmost importance that national law enforcement becomes aware of the hateful roots and rhetoric of Hindutva, a movement that is completely antithetical to the values of American democracy,” said Syed Ali, President of IAMC. “We are grateful to these law enforcement agencies for taking these threats seriously and hope that this is the beginning of a thorough investigation into US-based hate groups that are directly connected to violent extremists in India,” Ali added. In each of these meetings, IAMC and coalition partners discussed the fascist roots of Hindutva and its connection to violent paramilitary groups in India, which openly commit violent and systemic atrocities against religious minorities. The coalition stressed that affiliates of such groups maintain a growing support base in the United States, with Hindu Supremacism becoming a direct threat to Muslims, Christians, and Dalits within the Indian diaspora. IAMC and allies also held meetings with the Congressional Research Service (CRS), the NJ Governor’s Office, the NJ Human Relations Council, Middlesex County Chairman Kevin McCabe, Woodbridge Mayor John McCormac, and Edison Mayor Sam Joshi to discuss the recent spike in hate and bigotry directed at Indian origin Muslims in particular and American Muslims in general. Apart from the bulldozer parade in Edison, a local Hindu group in Woodbridge attempted to hold an event in a church featuring Sadhvi Rithambara, a violent Hindu extremist leader and member of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), a Hindu militant group. Ritambhara’s hateful speeches have been described as “the single most powerful instrument for whipping up anti-Muslim violence” in various Indian states. She played a prominent role in demolishing the historic Babri Mosque in Uttar Pradesh state. In Teaneck, following a resolution passed by the Teaneck Democratic Municipal Committee (TDMC) against some of the US-based Hindu Supremacist groups, a Hindu radical attended a City Council meeting, where he referred to Muslims as terrorists and rapists. He claimed that Muslims had “enjoyed” 9/11 and immigrated to the United States and India to “destroy” these countries. “Unfortunately, New Jersey has become the site of some of the most jarring occurrences of Hindu supremacist hatred in the country, and we will not allow our peaceful and tolerant communities to be disrupted by the open flaunting of hate symbols and hate speech,” said Minhaj Khan, representing IAMC’s NJ chapter. “We will continue to work with federal and state law enforcement agencies to hold hate groups accountable because this is not what America stands for,” Khan added.  

News, Op-Eds

American Kahani: Transnational Threat: Violence in Leicester Exposes the Danger Posed by Hindu Extremism to Peace in Our Diverse Communities

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The United Kingdom, European Union, and the United States must reckon with the rise of Hindutva and protect their citizens from the toxic divisions Hindu nationalism is creating within the South-Asian community worldwide. By Aisling Lynch-Kelly The recent Hindu-Muslim violence in Leicester has sent shock waves through the local community, the United Kingdom and the globe. Having been born in the city and grown up in a small town just 14 miles away, like most people in the area, I was disturbed to hear that communal violence had spread in what has historically been a harmonious place. Leicester has always been heralded as a beacon of multiculturalism, a model city where people from all backgrounds, religions, and areas of the world have settled together and continue to live in kinship. For me, Leicester was the big city I would visit for special occasions; we’d drive to see the stunning lights and celebrations at Diwali, and perhaps visit the market where people of all creeds and colors would assemble to barter for prized goods. If I was fortunate, we’d go to watch Leicester City play football, joining the other thousands of people to proudly sing ‘Come on Leicester’ in a joyous chorus, united against our only foes — Derby County, Nottingham Forest, and Coventry City. Nonetheless, I instantly knew this story was about far more than a cricket match, as the media were reporting at that stage. In fact, a mob of right-wing Hindu extremists had marched through a majority Muslim area, shouting the nationalist slogan ‘Jai Shri Ram.’ Having studied the rise of Hindu nationalism (Hindutva) in India and watched countless hours of footage of Hindu extremists chanting this phrase as they commit atrocities against India’s religious minorities, especially Muslims, I understood the root of the violence lay with Hindu nationalist ideology. I never thought I would hear this nationalist slogan or see these attacks on the streets of Leicester. Hindutva ideology is an extremist, right-wing Hindu ideology, that intends to turn India into a Hindu nation with restricted rights for its religious minorities, especially Muslims and Christians. It is central to almost everything India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government does, whether it be Home Minister Amit Shah’s use of the word ‘termite’ and ‘infiltrator’ to refer to Muslims, the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) which excludes Muslim refugees from gaining citizenship even if they come to the country after facing religious persecution, or the National Register of Citizens, which can remove citizenship from millions of India’s Muslims. Whilst it was somewhat shocking to see all of this play out so close to home and in a city that has always seemed to rise above divisions, it is important to remember that Leicester has invariably been somewhat affected by events in India. This is not particularly surprising for a city where 22.3% of the population is ethnically Indian. Amid the 1984 anti-Sikh Pogrom in Delhi, Sikhs were attacked on the streets of Leicester. Equally, during the 2002 Gujarat riots, presided over by the then Chief Minister and the current Prime Minister Narendra Modi, there were protests in the East Midlands city. But nothing on this scale has ever happened before. Leicester is not alone when it comes to this surge in communal violence rooted in Hindu nationalism. In the United States, a bulldozer with a picture of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s face and the slogan ‘Baba Bulldozer’ was among one of the many floats at an Indian Independence Day Parade in Edison, New Jersey. In India, the bulldozer symbolizes dispossession, destroying Muslim homes and livelihoods in the BJP-ruled states. Understandably, the presence of this float was deeply offensive to Indian-American Muslims. In Anaheim, California, an Independence Day event turned violent when protesters who were carrying signs embellished with ‘Protect India’s Muslim Lives’ and ‘Abolish Caste’ were manhandled by a group of men while chanting the nationalist phrase ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai (Victory for Mother India). As religious communities in India are becoming polarized by the divisive ideology of Hindutva, the diaspora across the globe is seeing such issues increasingly mirrored in their own communities. After all, Hindu nationalist organizations, including the BJP, have been able to take advantage of social media and reach Hindus, regardless of their location, to spread hate speech and exclusionary beliefs. In the aftermath of the violence in Leicester, the Police found that social media accounts based in India were responsible for fanning the flames. Furthermore, the response by the Police and Council in Leicester has been lacking, as they have yet to acknowledge the threat Hindutva poses not only to the community in Leicester but to peace in the entire country. The initial march was allowed to go ahead by Leicestershire Police, even though they acknowledged there had been previous clashes dating back to August 28. Going forward, the Mayor of Leicester, Sir Peter Soulsby, has ordered an independent review, but for now, Leicestershire Police and Leicester City Council seem to believe that the solution to the violence is to rely on community leaders without addressing the root of the problem— the Hindutva ideology. The City Council and police responses echo that of Western governments, who have turned a blind eye to the rise of Hindu nationalism in India, the increase in anti-Muslim violence, and the threat this fascist dogma poses to what is still perceived to be the world’s largest democracy. Perhaps this is due to India’s economic potential as one of the five emerging global economies or the orientalist perception of communal violence as an eternal phenomenon; these two communities are somewhat destined to hate each other. Nonetheless, the United Kingdom, European Union, and the United States’ failure to address Hindutva is nothing short of a dereliction of duty. Not only as nations that claim to stand for fundamental rights, like religious freedom, but as countries that have a duty to protect their citizens from the toxic divisions Hindutva is creating within the South-Asian community worldwide. Unless these nations acknowledge the threat

Letter to Elon Musk
Press Release

UN member states raise concerns about violence against minorities, hate speech, draconian laws during India’s UPR

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IAMC commends UN member states that highlighted human rights abuses against religious minorities FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington, D.C. (November 10, 2022) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) today commended United Nations member states that recommended India address critical human rights abuses, including violence against minorities, hate speech, shrinking civic spaces, and draconian legislations, caste-based discrimination, during the 41st Universal Periodic Review (UPR) at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland. The UPR is an annual process through which 1/5th of UN member states are reviewed by all other member states. States under review are presented with recommendations to improve their human rights record. On Thursday, November 10, the United States, Canada, South Korea, Japan, and Ireland highlighted the threats faced by Indian minorities and called upon India to revise or discard discriminatory laws that target them.     Michele Taylor, the US ambassador to UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC), said that “discrimination against women and religious minorities persists” in India, and encouraged the Indian government to “strive towards democratic ideals” by revising the draconian Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), the Foreign Contributions Regulation Act (FCRA), and similar laws targeting activists, journalists, and minorities. Canada recommended that India “investigate all cases of religious violence, including against Muslims,” strengthen media freedom, and revise the UAPA. South Korea recommended that India prioritize the “protection of religious minorities and marginalized social groups” and “promote freedom of peaceful assembly.” Japan called on India to “end enforced disappearances,” referencing the rise in detentions of Kashmiri human rights defenders and civilians. Several other countries also made statements on India’s treatment of minority groups. Commendably, Malaysia was the only country to specifically mention rising religious extremism among Indian Hindus, calling on India to “take concrete steps to eradicate extremist ideologies, [which] affects religious minorities.” Turkey specifically recommended that India “prevent persecution against Muslims,” making it one of the only countries to name India’s largest victim group. Czechia called on India to “repeal crimes of sedition and definition in line with international [standards] on freedom of speech, safeguard ethnic, religious, and linguistic minorities, and protect journalists from arbitrary detentions, “especially in Jammu and Kashmir.” Similarly, Luxembourg also called for releasing human rights defenders in detention. The Holy See specifically recommended the prosecution of religious violence, referencing the rise in Hindu extremist violence against Muslims and Christians. Similarly, South Africa recommended that India hold accountable public officials who promote religious intolerance and hate speech, while Turkey and Norway called for combating hate speech in general. Ireland and the Netherlands called for the review of anti-conversion laws, which are weaponized to promote violence against Indian Christians. Ireland also expressed concerns about the discriminatory nature of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). Germany, Costa Rica, Ethiopia, the Marshall Islands, and Cameroon called India to address caste discrimination and enact protections for the marginalized Dalit community. The United Kingdom, Germany, Brunei, Djibouti, Angola, Portugal, and Croatia also recommended that India increase protection FOR religious minorities in general. A number of other recommendations addressed draconian legislation and broader authoritarian trends under the Modi regime. The United States, Canada, Australia, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, Greece, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Brazil, and Czechia all expressed concerns regarding freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, and the overall shrinking of civic spaces in India. Switzerland, Estonia, and Belgium joined the United States and Canada in calling for the UAPA to be revised or repealed. Belgium specifically mentioned that doing so would “ensure the right to freedom of expression.” South Korea, Germany, Slovakia, and Australia joined the United States in calling for the FCRA to be revised or repealed. However, several member states failed to raise the pressing issue of Hindu extremists’ calling for the genocide of Muslims, government officials promoting hate speech, the use of the judiciary to persecute minorities, the rise in mob lynchings, and the ban on Hijab. IAMC further condemns India’s Solicitor-General Tushar Mehta — the head of the Indian delegation —for delivering a speech filled with lies and falsehoods on the floor of UNHRC during the UPR of India. “Mehta’s vehement defense of India’s discriminatory legislations, draconian laws, and crackdown on journalists and activists makes it amply clear that the Indian government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi will ignore the recommendations made by the member states and continue to persecute minorities,” IAMC Executive Director Rasheed Ahmed said. IAMC and its allies remain committed to combating misinformation spread by the Indian government and call on all the governments worldwide to hold PM Modi and the ruling BJP accountable for egregious human rights violations and religious freedoms.

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Press Release

IAMC calls on UN member states to hold India accountable for violations of Minority rights

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington, D.C. (November 9, 2022) – As India will undergo the United Nations Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) to examine its human rights record on Thursday, November 10, the Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) Executive Director Rasheed Ahmed said: “The current UPR of India comes at a time when human rights in India are dangerously ignored, minorities face discrimination, fundamental rights such as freedom of religion and freedom of the press are under attack, and hate speeches calling for the genocide of Muslims are at an all-time high. It is an excellent opportunity for the member states of the UN to formally recognize the gross human rights abuses India’s religious minorities face at the hands of the ruling Hindu nationalist government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Each member state must hold India accountable for failing to uphold basic human rights for minority citizens, whether that be targeting Muslims through discriminatory legislations such as the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) or Indian Christians who are being persecuted by the enaction of anti-conversion Laws.     Nations must also make recommendations that will help prevent the continuation of anti-minority discrimination pervasive in legislative, executive, and judiciary. We urge member states to provide recommendations that will encompass ignored recommendations from the previous sessions, such as the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment, which India is yet to ratify. This session provides member states with the opportunity to continue their ongoing dialogues with India regarding these issues, and to work to enable the Indian government to guarantee the fundamental rights of each Indian citizen, regardless of their faith.” Tomorrow, a coalition of 18 American civil rights groups is holding a special congressional briefing, where prominent American and Indian civil society members, global human rights defenders and experts will analyze the human rights situation in India, examine the UPR, and the recommendations made by the member states.

Reports

IAMC Report: State of Religious Minorities in India (August-September 2022)

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This August there were two anniversaries in India; the 5th of August marks three years since the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government abrogated Article 370 of the Indian Constitution, removing special autonomous status granted to the Jammu and Kashmir state. The 75th anniversary of the Indian independence was celebrated across the country on the 15th of August. Both of these events have led many to reflect on the nation India has become, particularly how far the current BJP administration has strayed from the Nehruvian values of secularism, enshrined in a constitution written by Dalit leader Dr. BR Ambedkar. The release of Bilkis Bano’s perpetrators — gang raped by 11 Hindu extremists during the Gujarat pogrom of 2002 — on the 75th anniversary of Indian Independence not only shocked the nation but demonstrates the disregard the BJP Union government has for the fundamental rights of religious minorities, and the impunity granted to those who commit atrocities against Muslims and Christians. Here is the Report: [pdf-embedder url="http://3.145.57.38/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/State-of-Minorities-in-India.pdf" title="State of Minorities in India"] Click Here to Download

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Press Release

IAMC condemns Hindu Swayamsewak Sangh’s sponsored march in New Jersey

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE EDISON, New Jersey (November 3, 2022) — The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), an advocacy organization dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, today strongly condemned the “March For Unity” organized on behalf of the Indian diaspora in Edison (New Jersey), but without participation from any mainstream Indian Muslim, Sikh, Christian or Dalit groups. Led by the Federation of Indian Associations (FIA) on Sunday, October 30, the march was co-sponsored by Hindu Swayamsewak Sangh USA (HSS), the international wing of Nazi-inspired paramilitary group Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) and the Indian Business Association, the organizer of bulldozer hate parade in Edison in August this year. HSS leads the RSS’s global operations to promote Hindu supremacist ideology among the Indian diaspora. According to the organizers, the march was meant to “heal” the divisions and celebrate “unity in diversity.” However, including HSS ended up exacerbating the pain of Indian-American Muslims, who are still reeling from the shock caused by the use of the anti-Muslim symbol of a bulldozer in the Indian Independence Parade on August 14.   “The hateful ideology of Hindutva or Hindu Supremacism promoted by HSS serves as the prime motivation behind the blatant display of the anti-Muslim symbol of the bulldozer in Edison. Having HSS lead the so-called “March for Unity” on the very same streets where the bulldozer was paraded a few weeks ago amounts to rubbing salt on our wounds. It’s beyond shameful,” said IAMC New Jersey chapter President Mohammad Jawad. Shaheen Khateeb, the former IAMC president and New Jersey resident, said: “Our community in New Jersey needs healing, but it’s ironic and baffling to see a group that follows the dangerous, divisive, and exclusionary ideology of Hindutva as one of the march organizers. It’s literally the mockery of the march that is supposed to unify people.” Last week, a coalition of six American civil rights organizations, including IAMC, American Muslims for Democracy, CAIR New Jersey, Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations (FIACONA), Hindus for Human Rights (HfHR), and World Without Genocide wrote a joint letter to Edison Mayor Samip Joshi & Edison Council Members condemning the grant of march permit to the organizers. “We have repeatedly asked Edison’s leadership to do their due diligence in learning about Hindu nationalism in the United States and its manifestations in our city,” the letter read. “It is deeply disappointing that despite our many attempts to inform Edison’s leadership about the way Hindutva Organizations are threatening the unity and wellbeing of the diaspora community, your office has issued a permit for this march,” the letter added. Click here to read the full letter send to Edison Mayor Samip Joshi & Edison Council Members.  

Reports

Is a Genocide of Muslims underway in India? (The Bridge Initiative Report)

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An Important report by The Bridge Initiative which is a multi-year research project on Islamophobia housed in Georgetown University. This report finds that the process of genocide of Muslims is underway in India. From classification of religious groups to the targeting and criminalization of Muslim identity, the threat of mass violence is imminent. Here is the Report: [pdf-embedder url="http://3.145.57.38/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Is-a-genocide-of-Muslims-underway-in-India-1.pdf" title="Is-a-genocide-of-Muslims-underway-in-India"] Click Here to Download

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Press Release

Indian Americans urge The Texas Tribune to revoke Sonal Shah’s appointment as next CEO

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington, D.C. (November 1, 2022) – Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), the nation’s largest advocacy organization for Indian American Muslims, strongly condemns and urges The Texas Tribune to rescind the appointment of Sonal Shah as the organization’s chief executive officer. Last week, Jim Schachter, the chair of The Texas Tribune’s board of directors, announced that Shah will succeed its founding CEO Evan Smith, starting January 2023. Shah’s appointment as chief executive at The Tribune, a nonpartisan and one of the biggest nonprofit news organizations in the US, comes as a big shock and surprise to many Indian Americans, whose work center around documenting the violent Hindu extremist groups and defending the human rights and religious freedoms of religious minorities in India. Shah has had close ties with Hindu supremacist groups, especially India-based Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP),  categorized by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) as a “religious militant organization”. She was an active member of Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America (VHPA), the US counterpart of VHP. In India, VHP has been one of the principal non-state actors responsible for whipping up anti-Muslim and anti-christian hate, bigotry, and violence. The US Department of State, Human Rights Watch, and Amnesty International have implicated VHP in numerous incidents of deadly anti-minority violence in India. Just last year, VHPA invited Yati Narsinghanand Saraswati for a virtual event. Saraswati is a Hindu militant priest spearheading a pan-India campaign to commit genocide of the country’s 200 million Muslims. During her stint with VHPA, internal emails suggest that Shah often advised the group about its image management. Shah’s ties to the US-based Hindu extremist groups linked to Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a Nazi-inspired, fascist paramilitary group in India and the progenitor of Hindu nationalist ideology, goes back longer and deeper. She has supported Ekal Vidyalaya, another VHP-led project in India, which has been accused of spreading the RSS agenda of Hindu supremacy and of promoting anti-minority hate among young children. Shah has also volunteered for Sewa International USA (a charity group currently chaired by Ramesh Bhutada, the Vice President of Hindu Swayamsewak Sangh, the international wing of RSS in the US.) Sewa International is the foreign service wing of RSS’s Sewa Bharati India. “We are disappointed by The Tribune’s decision to appoint Shah as the next CEO despite her well-documented links with Hindu supremacist groups. If her appointment is not rescinded, it will demonstrate a total disregard by The Tribune for the sentiments of the American Muslim community, especially Indian American Muslims and Indian minorities who are facing an onslaught of hate and violence from violent Hindu extremist groups like VHP and RSS in India,” said IAMC executive Director Rasheed Ahmed. “Trust in public service journalism that is independent, impartial, and accurate can’t be built by those who follow extremist ideologies. Her leadership could potentially be used to influence journalists at The Tribune to protect and defend Hindu nationalist organizations and interests in the US. The Texas Tribune’s board of directors must reconsider its decision and revisit its vetting process for candidates to be appointed for such important positions in the organization,” Ahmed added. Shah’s family, especially her father, Ramesh Shah, has deep ties to various RSS international affiliates — including Overseas Friends of the BJP (OFBJP). He served as OFBJP’s president, which was registered as a Foreign Agent of India’s ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) by the US Department of Justice in 2020. In 2008, Sonal Shah’s appointment to the then-US President-elect Barack Obama’s transition team advisory board prompted international condemnation for her Hindu extremist links. Her recent appointment as Chief Commissioner of President Joe Biden’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders and later to the Advisory Council of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was also marred in controversy for her Hindu extremist links, prompting more than 20,000 people to sign a petition calling for her removal.

Waqf properties
Press Release

Teaneck Mayor, Council Members condemn anti-Muslim speech by Hindu Supremacist at city council meeting

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE New Jersey (November 02, 2022) – The mayor and two city council members of Teaneck township in New Jersey have condemned and apologized for allowing a Hindu supremacist to make uninterrupted anti-Muslim comments during a city council meeting in September, which has led to outrage from Muslims across the state. On October 28, Mayor Jim Dunleavy released an official statement condemning hatred against Muslim communities, saying, “The oppression of minorities in India is deeply concerning, and The Teaneck Town Council recognizes this for many Teaneck families whose relatives are directly affected by it. These dangerous, supremacist ideologies have no place in Teaneck or New Jersey.” Additionally, the mayor and council members apologized to constituents during a city council meeting on October 25, during which several Muslim community members expressed their outrage over the overt display of anti-Muslim hatred by Hindu extremists. “I have a lot to learn… Had I understood what [the speaker] had said, either I would have stopped it, or I would have walked out. I’ve done that before, and I will make sure it doesn’t happen again. I apologize, because what he did say was horrific, and I understand why every single person here is upset about that,” said Dunleavy. “The individual that spoke vile anti-Islamic hatred should have been called out immediately,” said Councilman Keith Kaplan. “I tell my children, ‘the line you walk past is the line you accept.’ I walked past it that day… but I am calling it out now. It was wrong.” “I did not know that [Hindu nationalism] was a bad thing… I apologize to everyone who feels attacked or misrepresented,” said Councilwoman Karen Orgen. On September 20, 2022, a man identifying himself as Vivek took the podium allotted for constituents during a council meeting and referred to Muslims as terrorists and rapists. He claimed that Muslims had “enjoyed” 9/11 and immigrated to the United States and India to “destroy” those countries. “You talk about any rape in the country (India) that is happening by all the Muslims over there. These Muslims, they get all the girls… They try to convert all of them. After that, they get the babies, and kill the girls,” he claimed. Vivek’s comments were made shortly after the Teaneck Democratic Municipal Committee (TDMC) passed a resolution demanding an investigation into US-based Hindu right-wing groups with ties to violent paramilitary organizations in India, calling them “domestic branches” of “foreign hate groups.” After the council failed to condemn Vivek’s anti-Muslim remarks, a number of Muslim Teaneck residents and allies attended October’s city council meeting to hold local officials accountable for their inaction against anti-Muslim hate speech and for platforming a Hindu supremacist. Addressing Councilman Kaplan, Dyaa Terpstra, Operations Coordinator for the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) in NJ, asked, “If your interpretation of the rules of order is to cut off someone who is spreading misinformation, where were you last month when a Hindu extremist was saying that Muslims here enjoyed 9/11, and that they rape Christian women and then kill after they have babies? Is that not clear misinformation?” “The Council shot itself in the foot,” said Yassine Elkaryani, Chairperson of the Teaneck Advisory Board on Community Relations. “It was not appropriate to allow a bigot to speak for three minutes unchecked and without being answered on the spot.” “Someone stood here last month and blamed Muslims for 9/11, and was not called out on that… Please clarify your words now,” said Cheryl Hall, a member of the TDMC. “For Teaneck to say that this has nothing to do with the council, the time for you to say that was last month… These people here have families who are afraid for their lives in another country,” said Hall. “They are being murdered because of their religion, because they are Muslim.” “In my two decades [of living in Teaneck], I’ve never heard of such a thing before, where somebody comes during a council meeting and berates any other religion, and the council people are sitting, doing nothing,” said Muhammad, another Teaneck resident. “This is really embarrassing… you know us, we live in your town, and instead of respecting us and defending us against hatred, you let that person do whatever he [wanted].” “Thanks to the bulldozer in Edison, elected officials here now realize that the oppression of Indian minorities is an issue of concern not just all the way over there in India but right here in New Jersey. Here in New Jersey, some groups are actually celebrating the tactics of persecution being used over there in India,” said author and activist Pieter Friedrich. He further referenced the Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (HSS), another Hindu American group that maintains ties with the extremist group Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in India. “The HSS will come knocking on the doors of town councils like Teaneck, presenting itself as a benign religious organization and soliciting proclamations praising it,” Friedrich said. “What it won’t tell you is that it is the US wing of the RSS, a paramilitary which was created with inspiration from the fascist movements of Mussolini and Hitler, which has been banned in India three times, and which is implicated in assassinations, terrorist bombings, and massacres of Christians and Muslims.” “Many of us in this room are losing family to Hindutva violence,” said Hashir, a resident of Westwood, NJ. “This [is the] disgusting ideology you saw and heard at last month’s council meeting… Teaneck has handled this all poorly. Councilman Keith Kaplan stated that he ‘couldn’t hear the man because of audio issues.’ That is a bold-faced lie.” Tara, a resident of Burlington Field, stated that in her youth in India, she had been a member of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), a student Hindu supremacist group and offshoot of the RSS. “They take these young generations and brainwash them,” she said, stating that ABVP members chanted slogans at rallies claiming that people should support Hindutva if they want to be considered Indian. IAMC remains committed to working with its coalition partners in New Jersey and nationwide

Press Release

Letter of Support for Teaneck Democrat Municipal Committee

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NEW JERSEY, (Oct. 24, 2022) – “Leading US-based civil rights organizations issue letter of support for the Teaneck Municipal Democrat Committee for its resolution seeking an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) into various organizations for their linkage with Hindu supremacist organization, the RSS, in India.” HERE IS ITS FULL TEXT Letter of Support for Teaneck Democratic Municipal Committee Released by: Northern New Jersey Jewish Voice for Peace (NNJ JVP) Hindus for Human Rights Council on American-Islamic Relations (New Jersey) Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations of North America International Commission for Dalit Rights Indian American Muslim Council International Society for Peace and Justice Council on Minority Rights in India Center for Pluralism World Without Genocide Dalit Solidarity American Muslims for Palestine (AMP) New Jersey We, the undersigned, support the Teaneck Democratic Municipal Committee (TDMC), which passed a resolution on September 12, 2022 warning of the dangers of Hindu nationalist hate organizations and calling for steps to combat their activities in New Jersey and across the United States. Based on recent events in Edison and Ridgewood, New Jersey, TDMC understood the impact that lack of knowledge about extremist groups and their supporters has on elected officials, religious organizations, and communities. TDMC’s resolution is a much-needed intervention to tackle the challenges posed to freedoms in the US by Hindu supremacist hate and bigotry. US-based groups that adhere to these hate-filled ideologies have been known for their connections with India’s Nazi-inspired fascist organization, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), whose offshoots and affiliates carry out mass violence against India’s religious minorities, especially Christians and Muslims, as well as lower-caste Hindus. Hindu nationalism, also known as Hindutva, is a 100-year-old political ideology that is premised on Hindu supremacy and the exclusion of non-Hindus. It is distinct from Hinduism, a millennia-old religion of service and harmony followed by millions around the world. The repressive ideology of Hindutva has been globally condemned for its relentless violence against non-Hindus. It was also the subject of an online conference, titled “Dismantling Global Hindutva,” organized in 2021 and sponsored by centers and departments at dozens of US-based universities and academic institutions, including Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Princeton, Cornell, and Columbia. The conference gained support from over 1,100 academics from around the world. Hindu nationalist organizations in the US and beyond targeted this conference and many of its sponsors. About 1.3 million emails were sent to the sponsors warning them against continuing with the conference. Participants were emailed threats of violence, including rape and death. On August 14, 2022, participants at the annual India Independence Day Parade in Edison, New Jersey, organized by the Indian Business Association (IBA), were outraged to see a bulldozer as a float. The IBA apologized for the use of the bulldozer, calling it “blatantly divisive” as it symbolizes illegal demolitions of properties of minorities in India. On September 10, 2022, Old Paramus Reformed Church in Ridgewood revoked approval to use the church building for a fundraising event featuring Hindu nationalist, Sadhvi Rithambara, following a public outcry. The TDMC’s resolution has justly urged US Senators from New Jersey, Bob Menendez, and Cory Booker; US Congressman Josh Gottheimer; and New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy to ask the CIA and FBI to research the role of foreign hate groups with tax-exempt domestic branches in sending the thousands of emails to academic institutions and scholars regarding the DismantlingHindutva.com conference. The TDMC’s resolution also seeks to restrict US visas to controversial foreign leaders who promote hate and violence on speaking and fundraising tours in the US. The resolution also urges Senators Bob Menendez and Cory Booker and Congressman Josh Gottheimer to co-sponsor and pass US House Resolution 1196 (Condemn human rights violations and violation of international principles of religious freedom in India). Attempts by US-based Hindu supremacists to browbeat TDMC for its courageous resolution must be condemned and opposed. It is the duty of elected officials in the US and in New Jersey to be educated about extremist groups, oppose supremacy and bigotry, inform the public, and protect communities from hate. Reference Links: Democratic Party unit in New Jersey town seeks FBI, CIA investigation into US-based Hindu supremacists Rise of Hindu Nationalism Hindu extremist leader’s speaking engagement cancelled Download TDMC Resolution

Press Release

IAMC, HfHR delegation briefs UN officials, diplomats in Geneva on India’s human rights record

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Urge diplomats to ask India tough questions at the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) in November FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Geneva, Switzerland (October 12, 2022) – As part of a Minority Rights Coalition, a delegation from Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) and Hindus for Human Rights (HfHR) visited Geneva last month to urge United Nations agencies and officials, as well as dozens of Western countries, to hold no punches in asking India tough questions at the 41st session of Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of India’s human rights scheduled in November. Under the aegis of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), the UPR process allows a review of the human rights situation in all 193 UN Member States once every five years. IAMC’s Safa Ahmed and HfHR’s Ria Chakrabarty met with United Nations staffers and country representatives at the UN Office in Geneva to highlight India’s egregious violations of human rights and religious freedom under Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government. Along with the coalition partners from the US, India, and Europe, Ahmed and Chakrabarty met with representatives of the United Kingdom, Canada, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Denmark, and the Czech Republic, as well as staffers of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues and the Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers. They also met with Human Rights Officers from the Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), including the Special Procedures Branch, the Civic Space Unit, and an OHCHR Asia Specialist. In each of these meetings, the delegation stressed the gravity of the situation faced by religious minorities in India, particularly Muslims. They highlighted the exponential rise in anti-Muslim hate speech and violence, cow-related lynchings of Muslims, the passage of laws that discriminate against Muslims and Christians, threats of sexual violence against Muslim women along with dozens of explicit calls for genocide of Muslims by Hindu supremacist leaders since December 2021. “In the past two years alone, we’ve seen Hindu extremists openly pitch for genocidal massacres of Muslim citizens, bulldozing of Muslim-owned homes, businesses, and places of worship, and rampant arrest of Muslims under draconian terror laws for expressing dissent,” said Ahmed. “Now more than ever, the international community must realize that India is headed towards a dangerous path. They must put pressure on the Indian government to extend protections to its 200 million Muslims who are at the cusp of genocide. We have called on the country representatives to put special emphasis on preventing mass violence against Muslims,” Ahmed added. “At HfHR, our goal is to be in lockstep with Indian activists and absorb the dangers that they or people from minority communities face. Our diaspora and international groups are advocating for the same policy recommendations that Indian human rights defenders have proposed, even as we all speak to a wide variety of human rights issues in India,” said Chakrabarty. “We’ve encouraged missions to highlight the undermining of human rights by the Indian government and that over the past five years, things have only gotten worse,” she added. Along with its coalition partners World Evangelical Alliance, Open Doors International, Hindus for Human Rights, Justice for All, and International Commission for Dalit Rights, IAMC has recommended that countries call upon Indian state officials to publicly condemn the Hindu supremacist ideology and violence against religious minorities, ensure independent investigation and prosecution in all cases of state violence against minorities, and amend draconian and discriminatory legislations, including the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), to comply with international human rights standards. “India’s last UPR was in 2017, and in the past five years, human rights conditions for Muslims, Christians, Dalits, and other minorities have worsened severely due to the rise of Hindu extremism under the BJP,” said Syed Afzal Ali, President of IAMC. “IAMC calls upon the international community to prevent the situation from deteriorating even further by holding India accountable in the UPR’s public forum.” In the lead-up to the UPR cycle, IAMC will continue to engage with coalition partners and allies in Geneva and the United States.

Press Release

HAF’s lawsuit threat is improper attempt to silence criticism and curtail right to free speech: IAMC

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington, D.C. (October 11, 2022) – There is no “factual or legal basis” for the Hindu American Foundation’s (HAF) “threatened defamation claim” against Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) over a Press Release it has issued detailing a demand for a federal investigation into links of Hindu American groups such as HAF with India’s Hindu supremacist movement, a law firm representing IAMC has said. “Your demand [that IAMC withdraw its PR] is an improper attempt to silence your client’s [HAF’s] critics and curtail their right to free speech,” Joshua Colangelo-Bryan, an attorney with Dorsey & Whitney LLP, which represents IAMC, wrote in a letter to Ryan J. Stonerock of Harder LLP. “IAMC will not retract its press release or apologize for its lawful actions.” Colangelo-Bryan was responding to Stonerock’s letter sent to IAMC last month after IAMC released its PR on September 15, 2022. This PR reported on a resolution passed three days previously by the Teaneck Democrat Municipal Committee (TDMC), which is based in Teaneck city of New Jersey. The TDMC resolution called upon New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy; US Senators from New Jersey, Bob Menendez and Cory Booker; and US Congressman Josh Gottheimer to seek an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) into Hindu American groups HAF, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America (VHPA), SEWA International, Infinity Foundation, and Ekal Vidyalaya. The TDMC resolutions said these groups had, “direct and indirect ties to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), an Indian rightwing Hindu nationalist paramilitary organization whose ideology [is] part of Nazism and European Fascism.” The TDMC resolution further said, “Hindu nationalist organizations had infiltrated all levels of politics,” and that “most local American elected officials remain unaware and unprepared to deal with Hindu extremists.” It asked that the FBI and CIA “step up [their] research on foreign hate groups that have domestic branches with tax-exempt status.” Responding to HAF, IAMC attorney Colangelo-Bryan wrote that IAMC’s Press Release “accurately describes and quotes the Resolution. Specifically, all of the supposedly defamatory statements you attribute to IAMC are direct quotes from the Resolution.” Adding that HAF had “no legal basis for a defamation claim against IAMC based on the Press Release,” IAMC attorney Colangelo-Bryan wrote: “First, IAMC cannot be liable simply for reporting on its website that statements were made by the TDMC. IAMC accurately quoted those statements as originally published in the Resolution and correctly attributed those statements to the Resolution. Thus, IAMC is not the “publisher” or “speaker” for purposes of establishing a defamation claim. “Second, even if IAMC could be deemed the “publisher” or “speaker” – it cannot – the statements included in the Press Release are not actionable because they are not verifiably false statements of fact. For example, IAMC reported that the Resolution referred to Hindu groups lobbying against U.S. House Resolution 417, but HAF suggests no basis for concluding that statement, as made by the Resolution, was false.” “The same analysis applies to the Resolution’s statement about threats being made to academics. Beyond that, subjective descriptors used in the Resolution such as “hate groups” and “nationalists” cannot be verified or disproven as facts and thus are statements of opinion, which are not actionable.” “Finally, even if the statements quoted in the Press Release were actionable – they are not – we would be greatly surprised if HAF were able to demonstrate damages caused by the republication of those statements on IAMC’s website. HAF was unable to establish damages in its baseless suit against Rasheed Ahmed et al. after months of litigation and discovery. There is no reason to believe HAF could make the requisite showing here.” “For these reasons, your client’s threat of legal action is without basis in fact or law.”

Press Release

NAACP backs demand for FBI, CIA probe into links of HAF, VHPA, SEWA with India’s Hindu supremacist RSS

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington, DC (October 10, 2022) – The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), a renowned civil rights organization working to eliminate racial discrimination in the US, has voiced support for a demand to investigate the links of several Hindu American organizations with India’s Hindu supremacist movement. The NAACP’s branch in Bergen County, New Jersey, has released a letter of support for a resolution passed by the Teaneck Democrat Municipal Committee (TDMC) last month seeking investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) into these Hindu organizations. “TDMC’s resolution is a much-needed intervention to tackle the challenges posed to freedoms in the US by Hindu supremacist hate and bigotry,” the NAACP said. “US-based groups that adhere to this hate-filled ideologies have been known for their connections with India’s Nazi-inspired fascist organization, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), whose offshoots and affiliates carry out mass violence against India’s religious minorities, especially Christians and Muslims, as well as lower-caste Hindus.” The resolution by the TDMC, which is located in Teaneck city of New Jersey’s Bergen County, passed on September 12 urged state governor Phil Murphy; the two US Senators from the state, Bob Menendez and Cory Booker; and Congressman Josh Gottheimer to seek FBI and CIA investigations into Hindu American Foundation (HAF), Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America (VHPA), SEWA International, Infinity Foundation and Ekal Vidyalaya, among others. The TDMC resolution had said the FBI and the CIA should “step up [their] research on foreign hate groups that have domestic branches with tax-exempt status.” It also urged the Bergen County Board of Commissioners, New Jersey District 37 Senator Gordon Johnson, Assemblywomen Shama Haider and Ellen Park, Teaneck Council Members, and “all other elected officials running for political office [to] unequivocally disavow support and reject campaign funds from Hindu extremist hate groups.” Signed by NAACP Bergen County chapter president Junius F. Carter III, the letter of support said, “based on recent events in Edison and Ridgewood in New Jersey, TDMC understood the impact, lack of knowledge about extremist groups, and its supporters has on elected officials, religious organizations, and communities.” The NAACP’s reference is to a hate parade organized by the Indian Business Association (IBA) on August 14 in Edison town of New Jersey, that featured a bulldozer. India’s Hindu supremacist federal and state governments have, in recent months, illegally deployed bulldozers to demolish Muslim-owned homes and businesses as well as mosques and churches without following due process. The bulldozer at the Edison parade featured Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh state’s chief minister, Yogi Adityanath. Adityanath has been especially severe in misusing the bulldozer to raze Muslim properties. The IBA later apologized for bringing a bulldozer to the parade, calling it a “blatant divisive symbol.” The bulldozer hate parade was condemned by several New Jersey leaders, including the two US senators and federal and state lawmakers. The fact that the IBA parade’s grand marshall was Sambit Patra, an Islamophobe and the national spokesperson for India’s ruling Hindu supremacist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), indicates its links to the RSS, of which the BJP is an offshoot. The Overseas Friends of the BJP (OFBJP), a decades’ old organization that suspiciously rushed to register itself as a foreign agent during the 2020 election cycle, was also represented at the Edison parade of August 14. In Ridgewood, an organization called the Param Shakti Peeth of America, had last month organized a speech by Sadhvi Rithambra, an anti-Muslim Hindu preacher who has spewed venom against Islam and Muslims for decades. The church in Ridgewood where this event was to be held, later cancelled the event. The Indian American Muslim Council, a nonprofit dedicated to peace, pluralism and social justice, has urged the US Department of State to revoke the visas of both Sambit Patra and Sadhvi Rithambra.

Press Release

UN official calls for UNSC, UNHRC probe in persecution of India’s minorities, as was done in Syria, Myanmar, Sri Lanka

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington, D.C. (October 6, 2022) – The United Nations Security Council and the United Nations Human Rights Council must both step up and investigate the widespread religious persecution and human rights violations in India just as they did with Syria, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and Ethiopia, United Nations Special Rapporteur for Minority Rights Fernand de Varennes have said. “Nothing short of an international investigative mechanism – as has been done by the UN Security Council, and Human Rights Council for countries such as Syria, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and Ethiopia – may be necessary,” to reverse the trend of violence against minorities in India, de Varennes said at an international webinar this week. “The international community needs to step up to the task if we’re serious about reversing the trend – a trend of a systemic pattern where certain minorities are targeted, marginalized, demonized,” he added. Citing several of India’s most alarming human rights violations, de Varennes criticized Hindu extremists for engaging in increasingly violent hate speech, using legislation “to shut down and shut up critics,” sexually harassing Muslim women through mock auction apps, celebrating 11 Hindu men convicted of gang-raping a Muslim woman in 2002, policing religious belief through anti-conversion laws, and stripping Kashmir of its semi-autonomy in 2019. De Varennes also slammed Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu supremacist Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled (BJP) Assam state for its National Register of Citizens (NRC) as well as the nationally-implemented Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), which he described as “excluding mainly Muslims” and creating the risk of “statelessness for millions and millions.” “The scale of denial of the human rights of these minorities, even through legislation and its application in the judicial system, is systemic and national,” de Varennes said.. “[There is the] refusal of authorities to engage fully with global human rights mechanisms, including Special Procedures. The rising brutality and incitement of hatred and violence against minorities are of such gravity and magnitude.” The webinar, held Monday, was organized by an interfaith coalition of six human rights organizations: Open Doors International, The World Evangelical Alliance, International Commission for Dalit Rights, Hindus for Human Rights, Indian American Muslim Council, and Justice for All. It was held in conjunction with the 51st Session of the Human Rights Council of the United Nations, and ahead of India’s upcoming Universal Periodic Review (UPR). Last month, IAMC and HfHR sent a delegation to Geneva, the seat of the UNHRC, and held wide-ranging discussions with diplomats from dozens of countries on India’s failure to meet its obligations on human rights. Joining the webinar, the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief Nazila Ghanea, criticized the Indian government for refusing to respond to UN missives on human rights violations in that country. Since 2017, the UN had sent 23 communications to India raising concerns, in “stark contrast” with just one communication between 2012 and 2016. “In most cases, unfortunately, the government did not provide substantive replies. Just in the last four months, my predecessor and I sent four communications to India, transmitting to the authorities concern regarding a broad range of actors and a number of situations,” said Ghanea. These concerns included Karnataka state’s prohibition of hijabs in colleges, forced eviction and housing demolitions against Muslim communities, gender-based violence against Muslim women, and the lack of accountability in the Kashmir region “in the context of a broader pattern of restrictions of rights in Jammu and Kashmir.” “In view of the above, a number of recommendations that were raised in the third UPR [Universal Periodic Review] cycle still are highly relevant and should be taken onboard by the Indian authorities.” These recommendations asked India to retract “anticonversion laws, other laws restricting freedom of religion or belief, and [curbs on] the rights of minorities, especially religious minorities, discrimination, exclusion and marginalization against them.” Garnett Genuis, a Member of the Canadian Parliament, also criticized India’s anti-conversion laws because they “allow state authorities to be selective, celebrating conversions with the majority faith while blocking conversions that involve the embrace of a minority position… Legal realities, such as the expansion and tightening of anti-conversion laws contribute to a dangerous climate and reinforce negative stereotypes based on caste and religion.” Andrea Benzo, Italy’s Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief, Protection, and Interreligious Dialogue, said that at India’s last UPR in 2017, “Italy formulated a recommendation on abolishing anticonversion laws and granting access to justice to victims of religious violence and discrimination. Five years later, there are still challenges that need to be addressed to ensure all persons can fully enjoy all their rights under the law, irrespective of their religion or belief.” Benzo said the term ‘minority’ “should not be misused to claim that members of a certain community are not fully part of the nation of its history and its culture. When it comes to religious intolerance, the distance between words and deeds – that is, between hate speech and physical violence – is very short. Therefore, we need to tackle the former before it rapidly evolves into the labs.” Sunita Viswanath, the Executive Director of Hindus for Human Rights, said “Modi’s strategic silence allows him to deny the well-documented fact that the Indian government persecutes these minorities.” “The Indian government must be forced to denounce, on the record, the political movement that drove it to power and the anti-minority violence we all know that it encourages,” Viswanath said. “Member states should ask the Indian government as well to repeal the many laws that restrict the abilities of minorities to exercise their full rights as Indian citizens.” Ajit Sahi, Advocacy Director, Indian American Muslim Council, warned that India faced a “collapse of democracy,” and that the nation’s backsliding on democratic values had already been noted by global watchdogs, Sweden-based V-Dem Institute, and the US-based Freedom House. “You are looking at a completely authoritarian country that is being shaped into existence under the leadership of Narendra Modi, India’s current prime minister. It is absolutely of great significance to all

Press Release

Indian Muslim delegation meets New Jersey lawmakers for probe in Hindu supremacist bigotry

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Trenton, New Jersey (October 05, 2022) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), a nonprofit organization dedicated to peace, pluralism, and social justice, has urged New Jersey’s state legislators to condemn Islamophobic hate and bigotry being propagated by Hindu supremacists in the state, and seek an investigation into their links to India’s Hindu supremacist movement. An IAMC delegation met several lawmakers and officials from the state General Assembly and the Senate on Monday and presented them with documentary evidence of Hindu supremacist hate and the organizations behind them, both in the US and India. “New Jersey’s lawmakers have a duty towards their constituents to ensure that the alien hate ideology of Hindu supremacism is stopped at the state’s borders and not allowed to vitiate the peace here,” Mohammad Jawad, president of the New Jersey chapter of IAMC, said. “Every lawmaker we spoke with at Trenton fully agreed with this objective.” The IAMC delegation informed the lawmakers of the bigoted display of a bulldozer at a parade called by the Indian Business Association (IBA), an Indian American organization, in the state’s Edison and Woodbridge cities on August 14. Initially defending the bulldozer’s float, the IBA later apologized saying it was a “blatant divisive symbol.” “We asked the lawmakers to seek federal investigation into the links of the IBA and the Overseas Friends of the BJP (OFBJP), whose leaders were prominently present at the hate parade, with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), India’s preeminent Hindu supremacist organization that is persecuting India’s religious minorities,” Jawad said. The IAMC leaders urged the New Jersey lawmakers to ask the Biden Administration to revoke the visa of Sambit Patra, an Islamophobic leader from India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) who was the grand marshall at the August 14 parade, and of Sadhvi Rithambra, an anti-Muslim Hindu supremacist hate-monger who was invited by the Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (HSS) to New Jersey last month. The IAMC delegation also informed the lawmakers of the Islamophobic speech made by a Hindu resident of New Jersey named Vivek at a meeting of the Teaneck City Council on September 20, 2022, in the presence of City Council members. “It is beyond shocking that the Teaneck city council leaders did not immediately stop and evict the person for misusing their platform to abuse Islam and Muslims,” Jawad told the state lawmakers. The IAMC leaders met with Assemblywomen Nancy F Munoz, Mila Jasey, Lisa Swain, and Michele Matsikoudis; and Assemblymen Raj Mukherji, William W. Spearman, John F. Mckeon, Gary S. Schaer, Sterley S. Stanley, Roy Freiman, and Antwan McClellan, among others. The meetings with lawmakers involved over a hundred Muslims from across the state participating in an Advocacy Day outreach called by the Council on American-Islamic Relations New Jersey (CAIR-NJ). The Advocacy Day aimed to strengthen New Jersey Muslims’ relationships with the state’s lawmakers and their offices, to educate them about concerns about increasing Islamophobia and denial of civil liberties to Muslims. The Muslim attendees advocated for the Defining Islamophobia Bill (A465/S2368), Maintaining the Religion of Foster Children Bill (A1050), and Establishing Same-Day Voter Registration (A1966/S247). They also brought to the table the resolution Condemning People’s Republic of China’s Treatment of Uyghurs – (AR128/SR79). The Muslims urged the lawmakers to designate a month in the year as Muslim Awareness and Appreciation Month.

Press Release

Activists and Human Rights Groups Cannot Help Prisoners of Conscience, says Rutgers University Professor

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington, DC (October 03, 2022) – “The Citizenship Amendment Act is one piece of this far larger project, but it’s a particularly important piece, which is why we saw such brutal crackdowns on protesters against the CAA between December of 2019 and February of 2020,” said Professor and historian Dr. Audrey Truschke from Rutgers University in a Congressional Briefing titled “Prolonged Detention Without Trial of 12 Prisoners of Conscience” on September 28. She added that the crackdown and assaults against students and now Prisoners of Conscience such as Umar Khalid, Meeran Haider, and Shadab Ahmed who have been imprisoned for over two years without trial were documented by local authorities, who unfortunately have their hands tied. “Local authorities, civil rights groups, and human rights activists work at a huge risk in India. They can be imprisoned themselves. Many international human rights groups have been kicked out of the country and can no longer operate in India, Truschke said.” This briefing focused on grave injustice being committed against 12 Muslim youth leaders who are all in prison for the last two years merely for exercising their right to free speech and protest against unjust and undemocratic laws. “The 12 people we are talking about who have been incarcerated were the leaders of this anti-CAA protest. They were young. It was led by young women and a lot of youth,” said Kavita Srivastava, one of India’s leading veteran human rights defenders and secretary of the People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL). Srivastava added, “These protests led to so much visibility and questioning of this whole amendment that very soon a crackdown started. In Lucknow and other cities of Uttar Pradesh, those people who sat in protest were booked under public property, defacing laws, and the photos were put up in central places of the city and some of them were even picked up and arrested.” To offer context on how dissenting voices are considered to insight violence, Shahrukh Alam, a widely respected lawyer with India’s Supreme Court who has been in the forefront of defending constitutional liberties joined the briefing. “In terms of protest violence… if a situation is tense, if a situation is charged and you go and you make a speech that is like a spark and a powder keg that is very directly insightful of violence, then you would be booked, then you would be guilty of having committed an offense,” Alam said. This ruling is why the 12 Prisoners of Conscience are still in custody awaiting trial. “Any violent act conducted by an unlawful assembly is punishable by law, she said, but you have to show that the assembly actually committed a violent act and you were part of an unlawful assembly.” Alam also touched upon how protestors are framed as something, “more conspiratorial, as something much more than a simple misdemeanor.” Delhi-based feminist activist and researcher and friend of prisoner of conscience, Umar Khalid, Banojyotsna Lahiri called the anti-CAA protests for which Khalid was detained, “the biggest and most peaceful single disobedience movement since independence in this country that India has ever witnessed.” “Umar Khalid is an activist who addressed many of these gatherings across the country,” she said. “All of the 12 people that we are talking about today in this case, they were all ardent equal citizenship activists and they all protested against the religious discrimination determining citizenship.” Lahiri expressed that speaking up against religious discrimination of determining citizenship is a crime, “then all of us are criminals.” She also thinks that putting protestors behind bars and holding them without trial is a way to silence dissenting voices. The briefing also included video messages from family members of two of the Prisoners of Conscience who have been in police custody for two years. Shama Parveen, the sister of Meeran Haider, and Shamshad Ahmed, the father of Shadab Ahmed both expressed their sadness about the detention of their respective family members. Govind Acharya, the India & Kashmir Specialist for Amnesty International USA said, “The decision to arrest and jail activists is obviously a conscious effort to silence dissenters.” Acharya called for members of the diaspora in the United States and Canada to fight for marginalized communities in India. “It’s a hard slog but you can have an impact,” he said. “The most direct impact if you live in the US or Canada is to contact your member of the US House or your Canadian Member of Parliament.” The briefing was co-hosted by Genocide Watch, World Without Genocide, Indian American Muslim Council, Hindus for Human Rights, International Christian Concern, Jubilee Campaign, 21Wilberforce, Dalit Solidarity Forum, New York State Council of Churches, Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations of North America, India Civil Watch International, Center for Pluralism, American Muslim Institution, Students Against Hindutva Ideology, International Society for Peace and Justice, The Humanism Project and Association of Indian Muslims of America.

Press Release

Activists welcome Illinois lawmaker’s announcement to replace anti-Muslim law on Indian American Advisory Council

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Chicago, IL (September 27, 2022) – Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), an advocacy organization dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, has welcomed the announcement by Illinois State Senator Ram Villivalam that the state will change a law, passed earlier this year to set up an Indian American Advisory Council, that uses religion to define the Indian American community, thus creating the potential for anti-Muslim discrimination. After meeting civil society groups, Senator Villivalam tweeted: “It has been brought to my attention that the Indian American Advisory Council law was drafted with language that is not inclusive to all Indian Americans who call Illinois home. I am committed to working with my colleagues, stakeholders, and constituents to rectify this language. Just like we have done with hundreds of other laws and programs, we will ensure this law reflects the diversity and the welcoming nature of our state. I am proud of the work that has been done on behalf of and in collaboration with the Muslim American community.” Those who met Senator Villivalam included Asad Khan, veteran Chicago-based civil rights activist; Pushkar Sharma, Co-Founder, Chicago Coalition for Human Rights in India (CCHRI); and Rasheed Ahmed, Executive Director, IAMC. The activists met several other legislators too, who all committed to replacing the discriminatory law. The activists informed Senator Villivalam that Section 5 of the Illinois Indian American Advisory Council Act’s (HB4070) erroneously describes ‘Indian’ as, “a person descended from any of the countries of the subcontinent that are not primarily Muslim in character, including India, Bhutan, Nepal, and Sri Lanka.” “India’s own constitution is secular and pluralistic and does not describe India as a primarily non-Muslim country, so it is disingenuous for Illinois state to create that false description,” Asad Khan said. Added IAMC’s Ahmed: “India is not primarily non-Muslim. Period. It belongs equally to people of all faiths that have lived in India for centuries.” The activists told Senator Villlivalam and the other lawmakers that describing India, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, and Nepal as “primarily non-Muslim” countries was a clear and naked attempt to inject Hindu supremacism and Islamophobia in Illinois,” Ahmed said. Added Sharma: “We welcome the fact that every legislator we spoke with understood that establishing a South Asian American Advisory Council based on geography, rather than using politically-charged, discriminatory language, was the way forward.” The current law says the Council will, “advise the [Illinois] Governor and the General Assembly on policy issues impacting Indian Americans and immigrants; to advance the role and civic participation of Indian Americans in this State; to enhance trade and cooperation between Indian-majority countries and this State; and, in cooperation with State agencies, boards, and commissions, to build relationships with and disseminate information to Indian American and immigrant communities across this State.” Sharma also tweeted to Senator Villivalam that India was not “a religion; it’s a secular country. We must be defined by geography not faith.” Saying that India was home to over 200 million non-Hindu individuals, Sharma tweeted that describing Bhutan, Nepal and Sri Lanka as “Indian-majority countries” was an “inaccurate [and] offensive designation,” and if this was “a South Asian American Council it must include all hailing from ALL South Asian countries (Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Maldives).” The activists urged the lawmakers to pause any appointments to this Council until the law was altered. Illinois must consult extensively with the Indian community, including all faiths, caste, and language, to select the Council’s members, they said.

Press Release

IAMC Condemns Arrest of More than 100 Muslim Leaders in India

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Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) strongly condemns the arbitrary arrest of more than 100 Muslim leaders, mostly associated with the Popular Front of India (PFI), in post-midnight raids across various Indian states. This is a massive state crackdown on India’s Muslim leadership under the eight-year fascist rule of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The arrests were made by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) — both controlled federally by Prime Minister Modi— under bogus terrorism charges. Leading Muslim figures such as former PFI chief and SDPI’s founder president Erappungal Abubacker and veteran journalist and National Confederation of Human Rights Organisations (NCHRO) general secretary professor P Koya were also arrested by federal agencies from Kerala. Some Muslim leaders have been charged under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), a draconian terror law that the BJP government has extensively used to target critics. “Hindu extremist organizations and individuals who have repeatedly given calls for genocide of Muslims, orchestrated and participated in anti-minority violence face no scrutiny but the Muslim organizations that work for defending their rights under the ambit of constitution face terror charges,” said IAMC Executive Director Rasheed Ahmed. “Arrest of PFI leaders is a pure witch hunt and sheer injustice. It is as indicative of the fact that India is on an extremely dangerous path. No Muslim is safe in India today,” Ahmed added.

Press Release

Indian Americans Protest Hindu Supremacist Sadhvi Ritambhara’s Event in California

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA (September 19, 2022) –  Indian Americans and members of civil rights groups protested last weekend outside the venue of an event that featured Sadhvi Ritambhara, a Hindu extremist leader in Long Beach, California. Organized by the coalition of American interfaith organizations, including  Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), Hindus for Human Rights, Council on American–Islamic Relations (CAIR) – Los Angeles, and North American Indian Muslim Association (NAIMA), the protesters gathered in front of Hyatt Regency, chanted slogans calling on event organizers to stop platforming anti-Muslim and anti-Christian bigots in the United States. Holding “No to Hate” and “Go Back Ritambhara” placards, the protestors demanded that the Department of State immediately revoke Rithambra’s visa and ban her from entering the US. “People like Ritambhara who spread the fascist ideology of Hindutva and incite violence against religious minorities are raising funds here in the US,” said Mohamed Nasrullah, President of the IAMC Southern California chapter, at the protest demonstration on Saturday, September 17. “This evening, we are standing together to protest and to reject the hate and fascist ideologies promoted by Ritambhara and the organizations like Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh,” Nasrullah added. CAIR-LA Executive Director Hussam Ayloush expressed his disappointment with the Hyatt Regency Long Beach management for allowing its space to be used to platform an anti-Muslim and anti-Christian bigot. “It is situations such as these that remind us that hateful messages only spread if we allow them to. The Hyatt was offered a golden opportunity to stop the spread of Hindutva hatred in California and, instead, opted to welcome it with open arms,” Ayloush said. “We are proud of our community for speaking up for what is right, and we will not stop until perpetrators of all forms of hate no longer feel welcome in our country,” Ayloush added. Calling Ritambhara a genocide enabler, Khaja Najamuddin, a member of NAIMA, said, “It is our hardcore belief to stand up for justice. India is on the path of genocide. It would be too late if we didn’t do anything about it now. We have seen genocide in Myanmar, and India could be next. Hatemongers like Ritambhara are the enablers of that path to Genocide. She is not welcome in our city.” HfHR member and interfaith activist Tahil Sharma said that Ritambhara represents hate, not Hinduism. “I’m here to stand up with all those Hindus around the world who stand up against Sadhvi Ritambhara, who spreads hate against minority communities at all times,” Sharma said at the protest. “She does not represent the Hinduism of inclusion, justice, and service to humanity. She represents money spent by millions of folks trying to focus on breaking India apart. She is focused on a narrative that is trying to hurt those that are minorities in India. Her focus is on hatred rather than uniting people,” Sharma added. Considering the recent attack by Hindu supremacists on Indian-American protesters in Anaheim, California, the event organizers made extra security arrangements with a police presence.

Press Release

Democratic Party unit in New Jersey town seeks FBI, CIA investigation into US-based Hindu supremacists

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Teaneck Democrat Municipal Committee says HAF, VHPA, and SEWA International are “domestic branches” of “foreign hate groups” FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Teaneck, New Jersey (September 15, 2022) – A Democratic Party unit in a New Jersey town has passed a resolution condemning Hindu supremacism and calling out US-based Hindu organizations such as the Hindu American Foundation (HAF), the Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America (VHPA) and SEWA International, a controversial charity, as “domestic branches” of “foreign hate groups.” Passed by the Teaneck Democratic Municipal Committee (TDMC) this week, the resolution urged US Senators from New Jersey, Bob Menendez, and Cory Booker; Governor Phil Murphy; and Congressman Josh Gottheimer to ask the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to “step up” research on these “foreign hate groups that have domestic branches with tax-exempt status.” “Hindu nationalist organizations have infiltrated all levels of politics and were highly effective in blocking U.S. House Resolution 417 which was a congressional attempt to warn against the Hindu nationalist movement,” TDMC said. “Now, most local American elected officials remain unaware and unprepared to deal with the Hindu extremists.” Along with HAF, VHPA, and SEWA International, the resolution said Infinity Foundation and Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation, too, had “direct and indirect ties to Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), an Indian right-wing Hindu nationalist paramilitary organization whose ideology are part of Nazism and European fascism.” The resolution urged Senators Menendez and Booker and Rep. Gottheimer to, “revise the Visa Waiver Program Improvement and Terrorist Travel Prevention Act of 2015 to address foreign violent extremists with speaking engagements in the US.” “Extremists who routinely spew venomous hate towards minorities [in India] are invited to speak at large events and temples in the US,” it said. The resolution noted that Sambit Patra, a “controversial” spokesperson of India’s ruling Hindu supremacist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), “served as Grand Marshall” at a parade held in Edison and Woodbridge towns on August 14 to mark the 75th anniversary of India’s freedom. “A bulldozer which has been weaponized against minorities” in India was part of the New Jersey parade with “giant pictures” of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath as ‘Daddy Bulldozer’. Saying that Adityanath was “responsible for demolishing homes of peaceful protesters,” the resolution added: “Condemning hate incidents is insufficient as hate groups are increasingly more organized, cause fear and harm to people, and need to be identified and monitored now for safety and security.” Noting the attacks on members of the US academia, the resolution added: “One million emails, death threats and rape threats were sent by Hindu extremists to US Academic scholars, like Rutgers [University] professor Audrey Truschke, and their families when 50 universities supported [a] conference titled ‘Dismantling Hindutva’ [in 2021].” The resolution said US lawmakers must help pass US House Resolution 1196 that urges the US Department of State to designate India as a Country of Particular Concern, as recommended by the US Commission on International Religious Freedom. “Americans need to understand that the RSS's roots stem from the same place as Italian fascism and German Nazism,” TDMC member Daniel Rosenblum, who voted for the resolution, told IAMC. Added Margot Fisher, another TDMC member: “People are confusing the teachings of Gandhi with Hindu nationalism and they are not the same.” “When I first heard about [Hindu supremacism] I was aghast that yet another force for repression is reaching into the United States,” said Jim Norman, TDMC member. “Most of us here in the United States are completely ignorant of the reach of these forces.” Saying that the use of the bulldozer at the parade was “horrifying,” Norman said “no one anywhere, including in the United States and here in New Jersey, is safe.” Another TDMC member, Cheryl Hall, who is a Roman Catholic, said, “Religious extremism touches everywhere, and that needs to be addressed.” In recent weeks, several rights organizations including the Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC); the Council on American-Islamic Relations-New Jersey (CAIR-NJ); Black Lives Matter (BLM); American Muslims for Democracy (AMD); and Hindus for Human Rights (HfHR) have led a campaign to raise awareness among elected officials in New Jersey about the dangers of Islamophobic Hindu supremacism. [pdf-embedder url="http://test.iamc.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Resolution_Condemning_Hindutva_Teaneck_NJ.pdf%22] Click to download Resolution

Press Release

IAMC Calls Off Protest After Church Revokes Permission to Hold Sadhvi Ritambhara’s Event

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Ridgewood, NJ (September 9, 2022) – Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) today called off its protest against an event featuring Hindu extremist leader Sadhvi Ritambhara after the venue owners revoked permission given to the organizers. Minister Rev. Rob Miller of the Old Paramus Reformed Church in Ridgewood (New Jersey), the venue for the event, confirmed that he has rescinded the approval given to organizers to host the event that featured Ritambhara as a key speaker. On Friday, members of the IAMC New Jersey chapter held a meeting with church officials to educate them about the speaker’s background and her role in inciting violence against religious minorities and whipping up the communal frenzy in India. Later IAMC, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) New Jersey chapter, American Muslims for Democracy (AMD), and Hindus for Human Rights (HfHR) sent a joint letter to Ridgewood Mayor, Council members, and the church officials urging the cancellation of the event. “Hindu extremist leaders like Sadhvi Ritambhara threaten peace in our communities. New Jersey should never provide space and opportunity to people who peddle the hateful ideology of Hindutva that is completely antithetical to the democratic values of the United States,” said Mohammed Jawad, IAMC New Jersey chapter President. “We commend the church officials for taking the right decision by not allowing its space to be used to platform an extremist leader who is well known for anti-Christian and anti-Muslim hate and bigotry in India,” said Shaheen Khateeb, one of the founding members of IAMC.

Press Release

भारतीय मुसलमानों का नरसंहार कभी भी हो सकता है: ग्रेगरी स्टैंटन, अध्यक्ष, जेनोसाइड वॉच

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(प्रकाशनार्थ / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE) शिकागो, सितंबर 08, 2022 दुनिया के जानेमाने मानवाधिकार संगठन ‘जेनोसाइड वॉच’ के संस्थापक डॉ. ग्रैगरी स्टैंटन ने कहा है कि भारत में 20 करोड़ मुसलमानों के नरसंहार की तैयारी हो रही है और कभी भी क़त्ल-ए-आम को अंजाम दिया जा सकता है. नागरिकता संशोधन क़ानून (CAA) के साथ-साथ मुसलमानों के प्रति नफ़रत-भरे भाषण देने वालों और मुसलमानों की लिंचिंग करने वाले हिंदुओं को सज़ा न देने का हवाला देते हुए स्टैंटन ने कहा है कि भारत में मुसलमानों के नरसंहार के सभी हालत मौजूद हो चुके हैं. जम्मू-कश्मीर की स्वायत्तता ख़त्म किए जाने का ज़िक़्र करते हुए स्टैंटन ने कहा वहाँ मुसलमानों की तमाम संपत्तियों को ज़ब्त या नष्ट कर दिया गया है और उन्हें चिन्हित क्षेत्रों में विस्थापित कर दिया गया है. “दण्डहीनता का ऐसा राज है कि अपने ही परिवार की सामूहिक हत्या के चश्मदीदों को गवाही से मुकरने के लिए आतंकित किया गया और हत्यारों को बरी कर दिया गया.” इस्लामिक सोसायटी ऑफ़ नॉर्थ अमेरिका (ISNA) के 59वें वार्षिक अधिवेशन के दौरान इंडियन अमेरिकन मुस्लिम काउंसिल (IAMC) द्वारा आयोजित एक पैनल डिस्कशन को संबोधित करते हुए स्टैंटन ने ये बातें कहीं. स्टैंटन ने कहा राष्ट्रीय स्वयं सेवक संघ (आरएसएस) अब अपनी हिंसक वर्चस्ववादी विचारधारा को “भारत भर के स्कूलों, मज़दूर संघों, सांस्कृतिक संगठनों और धार्मिक समूहों में फैला रहा है. आरएसएस बजरंग दल के कैंप भी चलाता है जहाँ हिंदू युवाओं को हिंदुत्व की विचारधारा सिखायी जाती है और मुस्लिमों से नफ़रत और भय की खुलेआम वक़ालत की जाती है. इन शिविरों को विदेशों में बसे भारतीयों से बड़े पैमाने पर वित्तीय मदद मिलती है, ख़ासतौर पर भारत के विकास और राहत कोष के ज़रिये.” उन्होंने आगे चेताया कि बीजेपी पहले भी हिंसा और नरसंहार में भूमिका निभा चुकी है. ख़ासतौर पर 2002 के गुजरात दंगों में उसकी स्पष्ट भूमिका रही है और अब वह और नरसंहारों की तैयारी शुरू कर चुकी है. गुजरात नरसंहार की याद दिलाते हुए स्टैंटन ने कहा, “हत्यारे अपने नारों में नरसंहार के इरादे को पहले ही स्पष्ट रूप से ज़ाहिर कर चुके हैं: ‘उन सभी को मार डालो’, उनके समाज को नष्ट कर दो;’ ‘सभी मुसलमानों को खत्म करो;’ ‘हमारे लोगों को उन्होंने बख्शा नहीं, दया मत करो,’ जैसे नारे तब लगाये गये थे.” स्टैंटन ने कहा कि गुजरात दंगों के दौरान पुलिस अधिकारियों ने कहा था कि भाजपा के नेताओं ने भीड़ को हत्या करने के लिए उकसाया था. उस समय एक वरिष्ठ पुलिस अधिकारी ने ये बताया था कि गुजरात में दंगा नहीं राज्य प्रायोजित जनसंहार हुआ था. पैनल डिस्कशन में भाग लेते हुए खोजी पत्रकार निरंजन टाकले टाकले ने कहा कि बीजेपी हिंदुत्व विचारधारा के संस्थापकों के विचारों को लागू कर रही है जिसमें भारतीय मुसलमानों में डर फैलाने के लिए बलात्कार और गौरक्षा को हथियार बनाना शामिल है. टाकले ने अमेरिका में काम कर रहे उन संगठनों का नाम लिया जिनके ज़रिये हिंदुत्व का नफ़रती विचार फैलाया जा रहा है. उन्होंने कहा, “मुझे निश्चित रूप से पता है कि विश्व हिंदू परिषद और हिंदू स्वयंसेवक संघ जैसे संगठनों के ज़रिये हिंदुत्व की विचारधारा दुनिया भर में फैल गयी है और अब वे नफ़रत फैलाने के अलावा उन देशों की विदेशनीति को भी प्रभावित करने की कोशिश कर रहे हैं क्योंकि यह केवल नफ़रत है जिस पर वे जीवित रह सकते हैं.”   IAMC के एडवोकेसी डायरेक्टर अजित साही ने कहा, “मैं ख़ुद एक हिंदू हूँ. यह लड़ाई हिंदुत्व के ख़िलाफ़ है. हिंदुत्व कट्टरता है. अगर भारतीय लोकतंत्र का पतन होता है तो इसका अमेरिका सहित पूरी दुनिया पर बेहद बुरा असर पड़ेगा.” Read this PR in English here: https://test.iamc.com/genocide-watch-founder-says-india-is-at-cusp-of-genocidal-massacres/

Press Release

Indian Americans Decry Denial of Life-Saving Medical Care to Activist-Scholar Atikur Rahman

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington, DC (September 7, 2022) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), an advocacy organization dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, today called on the Indian government to immediately provide urgent medical care to activist-scholar Atikur Rahman. Rahman, a prisoner of conscience since his arrest on false charges two years ago in Uttar Pradesh state, has become partially paralyzed, facing severe impairment in the movement of his right hand and leg and struggling to recognize people. According to the medical reports accessed by IAMC, Rahman was taken to King Georges’ Medical university in Lucknow, where the doctors referred him to the neurology department for specialized treatment. But, instead, the police sent him back to his prison cell. The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s Hindu supremacist government arrested Rahman, journalist Siddique Kappan, and two other Muslim activists in October 2020 as they travelled to Mathura city to cover the brutal rape-murder of a Dalit girl. He has been falsely charged under the draconian Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) which is widely abused across India against Muslims, human rights defenders, and critics of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu supremacist federal government. Since 2020, Rahman has been repeatedly denied judicial relief despite suffering from cardiovascular ailments. After a lengthy court battle last year, Rahman was allowed to undergo heart surgery at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). Ever since, his health has further deteriorated primarily due to the lack of post-surgery medical care in prison. “Activist Atikur Rahman’s life is hanging by a thread. He should be given proper medical care as part of life-saving measures and protection of his basic human rights granted by the Indian constitution and international human rights law,”  said IAMC President Syed Ali. “If Indian authorities continue to deny urgent medical care to Rahman, he could potentially become the next Stan Swamy.” Swamy, an 84-year -old human rights defender, was arrested in 2020 under India’s stringent antiterrorism laws and imprisoned in inhumane conditions, including being denied medical care and a straw to drink from despite having Parkinson’s disease. Swamy died on July 5, 2021, after contracting Covid-19. “Denying medical care has become an easy way for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government and the states ruled by his party to silence dissent and murder dissenters without any accountability,” said IAMC Executive Director Rasheed Ahmed. IAMC calls on the Indian Supreme Court to take the suo moto cognizance of Rahman’s case and immediately release him on medical grounds. We also urge the court that all those jailed with him under politically motivated charges, including journalist Siddique Kappan be released forthwith.

Press Release

Genocide Watch Founder Says India is at Cusp of Genocidal Massacres

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 5, 2022 (Chicago, IL) – At a panel discussion organized by the Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) at the Islamic Society of North America’s (ISNA) annual convention, Dr. Gregory Stanton of the world-renowned human rights organization Genocide Watch stated that India is preparing for “genocidal massacres” of 200 million Muslims. “India has all of the preparatory stages for more genocidal massacres,” Dr. Stanton said at ISNA’s 59th convention in Chicago, citing the discriminatory Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), the dehumanization of Muslims through hate speech, and the “non-prosecution of lynchings and other crimes committed by Hindus against Muslims.” “Persecution of Muslims is reflected in termination of Kashmir’s autonomy… Much Muslim property has been expropriated or destroyed, and Muslims have been displaced into enclaves,” Dr. Stanton added. “A climate of impunity reigns, in which eyewitnesses to mass murders of their own families have been terrorized into recanting testimony, and the killers have been acquitted.” He warned about the influence of the Hindu supremacist paramilitary group Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), which is the parent ideologue of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), saying that the RSS now pushes its violent supremacist ideology in, “schools, trade unions, cultural societies, and religious groups all over India.” He further warned that the BJP has already played a role in instigating violent and genocidal violence in the past, especially during the Gujarat pogrom of 2002, and that, “preparation for more massacres has already begun.” “The killers clearly expressed their genocidal intent in their slogans: ‘Kill them all, destroy their society;’ ‘finish off all Muslims;’ ‘our people were not spared by them, don’t have mercy,’” he quoted. “Police officials said that BJP party officials instigated the mobs. ‘This was not a riot,’ said one senior police official. ‘It was a state-sponsored pogrom.’” Also speaking on the panel were Niranjan Takle, a renowned Indian investigative journalist, and Ajit Sahi, Advocacy Director of IAMC. Takle stated that the BJP is implementing ideas put forth by the founders of the Hindutva ideology, including the weaponization of rape and cow vigilantism to spread fear among Indian Muslims. Takle further raised the issue of Hindu extremism rising outside of India, naming several US-based organizations as channels for spreading the ideology. “This Hindutva ideology I know for sure has spread across the world through several organizations like Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh… and they are trying to influence policies of foreign countries right now, apart from spreading hatred because it’s only hatred on which they can survive,” he said. “I am a Hindu myself. This fight is against Hindutva. Hindutva is bigotry,” said IAMC advocacy director Ajit Sahi. “If Indian democracy goes down, it will have a terrible effect around the world, including the United States.”

Press Release

भारतीय-अमेरिकी नागरिक संगठनों ने साध्वी ऋतंभरा के जॉर्जिया दौरे का किया विरोध, बारिश और ख़राब मौसम के बावजूद प्रदर्शन

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अमेरिका में हिंदुत्ववादी नफ़रत फैलाने की इजाज़त नहीं देंगे: IAMC (प्रकाशनार्थ / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE) अटलांटा, जॉर्जिया (सितम्बर 01, 2022) – मुस्लिमों और ईसाईयों के ख़िलाफ़ नफ़रती भाषणों के लिए कुख्यात साध्वी ऋतंभरा को अटलांटा पहुँचने पर भारी विरोध का सामना करना पड़ा. इंडियन अमेरिकन मुस्लिम काउंसिल (IAMC), हिंदूज़ फ़ॉर ह्यूमन राइट्स (HfHR), ‘मुस्लिम्स ऑफ यूएसए’ और ‘वायसेस ऑफ मुस्लिम्स’ के सैकड़ों समर्थकों ने ख़राब मौसम और भारी बारिश की परवाह न करते हुए नॉरक्रास सिटी के ‘ग्लोबल मॉल’ के बाहर प्रदर्शन किया जहाँ ऋतंभरा का कार्यक्रम आयोजित किया गया था. प्रदर्शन को संबोधित करते हुए अमेरिका के सबसे बड़े एडवोकेसी संगठन IAMC अटलांटा चैप्टर के अध्यक्ष ज़मीर ख़ान ने कहा, “यह हर धर्म के अमनपसंद और सभ्य लोगों का अपमान है और इसकी कड़ी से कड़ी निंदा की जानी चाहिए. हम ऋतंभरा जैसे लोगों को अमेरिका के अमनपसंद लोगों के बीच नफ़रत और विभाजन फैलाने की इजाज़त नहीं दे सकते. हम माँग करते हैं कि ग्लोबल मॉल के मालिक और आयोजक इस कार्यक्रम को फ़ौरन रद्द कर दें और अटलांटा के शरीफ़ लोगों से माफ़ी माँगें.” IAMC इस मसले पर शुरू से सक्रिय था. ज़मीर ख़ान ने इस मॉल के मालिक शिव अग्रवाल से कार्यक्रम रद्द करने की माँग करते हुए पत्र भी लिखा था, लेकिन उन्होंने कार्यक्रम रद्द करना तो दूर, IAMC के प्रतिनिधियों को मिलने तक का वक़्त नहीं दिया. विरोध प्रदर्शन में शामिल अफ़शान ख़ान ने प्रदर्शनकारियों को संबोधित करते हुए कहा कि “हमें यहाँ अमेरिका में अपने समुदायों के बीच हिंदुत्ववादियों की ओर से फैलाई जा रही कट्टरता और घृणा को फैलने से रोकना होगा जहाँ शांतिप्रिय हिंदू और मुसलमान सालों से मेल-मिलाप के साथ रह रहे हैं. वॉयस ऑफ मुस्लिम्स ऑफ जॉर्जिया की ओर से विरोध प्रदर्शन को संबोधित करते हुए रहीम शाह अख़ुनख़ाइल ने कहा, “अमेरिकी मुस्लिम समुदाय अपने हिदू, ईसाई, सिख और यहूदी भाई-बहनों के साथ नफ़रत फैलाने वालों को ख़ारिज करता है और अटलांटा के ग्लोबल मॉल में साध्वी ऋतंभरा की मौजूदगी पर कड़ा ऐतराज़ और विरोध जताता है. उन्होंने भारत में खुलेआम मुस्लिमों और ईसाईयों के नरसंहार का आह्वान किया है. हम इसे ख़ारिज करते हैं. अमेरिका इसे ख़ारिज करता है. हम सभी धर्म के लोगों से ऐसे लोगों को खारिज करने और उनकी निंदा करने की माँग करते हैं. हम विदेश विभाग से तत्काल उनका वीज़ा रद्द करने और सरकारी एजेंसियों से ऋतंभरा और उनकी अमेरिकी यात्रा के आयोजकों के ख़िलाफ़ उचित क़ानूनी कार्रवाई करने की माँग करते हैं. ”   उधर, हिंदूज़ फ़ॉर ह्यूमन राइट्स ने कहा है कि “संयुक्त राज्य अमेरिका में साध्वी ऋतंभरा नफ़रत और हिंसा की विचारधारा की नुमाइंदगी करती हैं- एक ऐसी विचारधारा जो भारत को तोड़ रही है और अमेरिका में रहने वाले भारतीय मूल के लोगों में भय पैदा कर रही है. ग्लोबल मॉल के बाहर जुटे प्रदर्शनकारियों ने साबित किया है कि अमेरिका में हिंदू राष्ट्रवादी नफ़रत को बरदाश्त नहीं किया जाएगा और वे हिंदू राष्ट्रवादी घृणा के निशाने पर आये सभी लोगों के लिए खड़े रहेंगे जो हमारी सांस्कृतिक और धार्मिक परंपरा पर क़ब्ज़ा कर रही है” ऋतंभरा के दौरे को ‘विश्व हिंदू परिषद ऑफ अमेरिका’ (VHPA) और हिंदू सेवक संघ (HSS) ने ऋतंभरा के इस दौरे को प्रायोजित किया है. साफ़ है कि आरएसएस से जुड़े ये संगठन अमेरिका में बसे हिंदू समुदाय के बीच मुस्लिम विरोधी धार्मिक उन्माद फैलाने की फ़िराक़ में हैं. IAMC इस मसले पर अमेरिका की सरकार और तमाम एजेंसियों को लगातार चेताता रहा है. उसने इन संगठनों की गतिविधियों की जाँच करने की माँग की है. Read this Press Release in English here: https://test.iamc.com/indian-americans-protest-hindu-religious-extremist-sadhvi-ritambharas-visit-to-the-us/

Press Release

Indian Americans Protest Hindu Religious Extremist Sadhvi Ritambhara’s Visit to the US

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ATLANTA, GEORGIA (September 1, 2022) – More than 100 people protested outside the venue of an event that featured Sadhvi Rithambra, a Hindu extremist religious fanatic, at Norcross, a city near Atlanta. Joining under the banner of Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), Hindus for Human Rights, Muslims of USA, Council on American–Islamic Relations (CAIR) – Georgia, and Voices of Muslims on Tuesday, the protesters chanted slogans saying hate was not welcome in Atlanta and demanding that the US government immediately revoke Rithambra’s visa and send her back to India. Earlier, a public campaign against her visit had sent over 2,000 letters calling on the organizers to cancel the event. Among others, the event was organized by the Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh and Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America (VHPA), the US-based Hindu rightwing groups ideologically connected with the Hindu extremist Nazi-inspired paramilitary Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in India. Afshan Khan, a protester, said, “We have to stop the Hindutva instigated bigotry and hate from seeping into our communities here in the United States where peace-loving Hindus and Muslims have been living in harmony for many years.” Rahim Shah Akhunkhail from Voices of Muslims of Georgia said, “The American Muslim community, joined by Hindus, Christians, Sikhs and Brothers and sisters of the Jewish faith, reject hate mongers and strongly object and protest the presence of Sadhvi Ritambhara at the Global Mall in Atlanta. She has openly called for the massacre of Muslims and Christians in India. We reject it. America rejects it. We call people of all faiths to reject and denounce such people. We also call upon the State Dept to immediately revoke her visa and for law enforcement agencies to take appropriate legal actions against her and organizers of her visit to the US”. Zameer Khan, President of IAMC’s Atlanta Chapter said, “It is an affront to all civilized and peace-loving people of all faiths and it should be condemned in the strongest possible terms. We cannot allow people like Rithambara to come and spread their hatred and divisiveness in the peace-loving communities of America. We demand that the Owner of Global Mall and the organizers immediately cancel the event and issue a public apology to the good people of Atlanta.   “Sadhvi Ritambhara’s presence in the United States goes against the values we hold dear at Hindus for Human Rights. She represents an ideology of hate and violence – an ideology that is tearing India apart and is threatening our communities here too. The protesters demonstrated that Hindu nationalist hate will not be tolerated in the US, and that they will continue to stand for all people targeted by the Hindu nationalist hate that is taking over our religious and cultural spaces,” Khan added.

Reports

IAMC Report: State of Religious Minorities in India (June-July 2022)

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Even though India marked 75 years of independence on August 15, 2022, the descent of once the world’s largest democracy into a Hindu fascist entity is nearly complete. Under the rule of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), religious minorities have witnessed the gravest violations of their human rights and religious freedoms. The hateful ideology of Hindutva (Hindu nationalism) espoused by the BJP seeks to turn India into a Hindu Rashtra (Hindu Nation) and paints religious minorities (Muslims, Christians, etc.) as the biggest threat to its Hindu majoritarian vision. Extreme polarization through hate speech, discriminatory policies, and violence targeting religious minorities have been normalized to reduce the country’s 300 million minorities into second-class citizens. In June and July 2022, India had been staring at economic uncertainty with a consistently falling Indian Rupee and soaring prices. However, even amid such a precarious situation, the Hindu extremists backed by state actors continue to commit acts of discrimination and violence against religious minorities. The culture of impunity enjoyed by Hindu extremists only emboldens their actions, and this report for June and July is a testament to the same. Here is the report: [pdf-embedder url="http://3.145.57.38/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/July-Report-3.pdf%22] Download Here

Press Release

Civil Society Groups Call on VHPA, HSS to disinvite Hindu extremist leader Sadhvi Ritambhara

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Atlanta, GA (August 29, 2022): A coalition of leading multi-faith and civil society organizations have called on the US-based Hindu rightwing groups to denounce anti-Muslim hate and disinvite a Hindu extremist leader from India. Sadhvi Ritambhara, the leader of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), one of India’s largest Hindu nationalist (Hindutva) organization described as a “militant religious outfit” by the CIA, has been invited by Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (HSS) and Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America (VHPA) as a speaker for a series of satsangs and pravachans (religious gatherings and discourses) in various US cities including Atlanta. Both groups are the international offshoots of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a Hindu supremacist paramilitary organization in India. Ritambhara’s hateful speeches have been described as “the single most powerful instrument for whipping up anti-Muslim violence” in various Indian states. Timeline of Ritambhara’s anti-Muslim hate, bigotry, and violence: Ritambhara founded Durga Vahini, the women’s wing of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), a Hindu supremacist organization that has openly incited and participated in violence against Muslims and Christians. In 1992, during the run-up to the Babri Masjid demolition, her speeches calling for a Hindu war against Muslims were made into audio cassettes and sold across the country. It played a major role in the destruction of the Babri Masjid. The riots that followed the mosque’s demolition saw 2,000 killed, mostly Muslims. In 2003, the Justice Liberhan Commission, a government-appointed inquiry, indicted her for being among the 68 persons responsible for the demolition of the Babri Masjid and the subsequent slaughter of approximately 2000 innocent citizens. Ritambhara has vilified and demonized Indian Christians. Suggesting that the Christian missionaries were attempting to convert people, she said, “If a single choti or janeu (a Hindu thread) is cut, Christians will be wiped out from the face of India.” Ritambhara’s student Sadhvi Pragya Singh was arrested for masterminding the 2006 Malegaon Blasts in which 37 people were killed and over 125 injured. Ritambhara vehemently protested Pragya’s arrest. Over the last three decades, Ritambhara has been invited multiple times by the US-based Hindu rightwing groups to normalize her politics of hate and bigotry among the Indian-American diaspora. The coalition members have called on the event organizers to cancel Sadhvi Ritambhara’s speaking engagements and refrain from inviting her and other Hindu extremist leaders from India in the future. Zameer Khan, board member and Atlanta chapter president of the Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), a Washington DC-based advocacy group, wrote a letter to Shiv Agarwal, the owner of Global Mall in Norcross, Atlanta urging him to cancel the event with Hindu extremist leader Sadhvi Ritambhara. Mr. Khan said in a statement “I firmly believe that the overwhelming majority of peace-loving Hindus reject Ritambhara’s politics of hate. I urge them to distance themselves from a person responsible for inciting murderous mobs and advocating genocide.” Sunita Viswanath, co-founder and executive director of Hindus for Human Rights (HFHR), a US-based diaspora group said “We are disappointed, but not surprised, to see Hindu nationalist organizations like the Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America (VHPA) and Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (HSS) providing a platform to yet another Hindu extremist leader. Hindus for Human Rights calls on the VHPA and HSS to cancel the event with Sadhvi Ritambhara and to formally denounce her comments and the hateful ideology of Hindu nationalism.” Nikhil Mandalaparthy, advocacy director of Hindus for Human Rights said “as Hindus, we call upon our fellow Americans and all people of conscience to stand up to Hindu nationalism and all hate perpetuated in the name of religion. We also call for the U.S. government to investigate VHPA and HSS for their ties to extremists in India. Any registered 501(c)3 nonprofit receiving federal funding should not be allowed to propagate Islamophobia and genocidal hatred among Americans.” Biju Mathew, the co-founder of India Civil Watch International (ICWI), a membership-based civil rights monitoring and campaign organization, called on the media outlets sponsoring this event – TV Asia, Rashtra Darpan, Atlanta Dunia, NRI Pulse, and S&S Digital Media USA – to issue a formal apology to their readers and audience. CONTACT: Indian American Muslim Council Hindus for Human Rights India Civil Watch International CAIR Georgia Voices of Muslims Muslims of USA

Press Release

Letter: IAMC Atlanta Chapter calls on Global Mall owner to cancel Sadhvi Ritambhara’s event

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Greetings, Mr. Shiv Agarwal!   I was waiting for you to call me back, but it didn’t happen. I understand you may be busy with family events on Sunday. I am following up with you about the event you have organised on Tuesday, Aug 30 & 31st at the Global Mall. Atlanta’s Muslim and non-Muslim communities are saddened and outraged at the space and opportunity you are providing as a sponsor to a hate monger that has openly called for genocide of Muslims, Christians, and other minorities in India, including Dalits. We cannot understand how your business or anyone else could support and promote such a person and the event. A few of us representing the wider Muslim community of Metro Atlanta would like to meet you personally at the Global Mall and share our concerns, hoping that you will immediately cancel this event. We consider Global Mall as “our mall” to assemble with families and friends. Many of the business owners of this place are Muslims. Each one of them and us, as well as our Hindu brothers and sisters, expect and demand from you that you will manage your real estate with full values of democracy and respect for all communities, irrespective of their faith and race. I hope you will give us 10-15 minutes of time at/around 10:00 AM tomorrow to meet with you. We may also come at a time you may propose. Please note that If I don’t hear from you, we will have no choice but to exercise our democratic and legal right to protest. Please accept my sincere thanks for reading this message, and I hope you will respond to me today or latest, by 9:00 AM tomorrow.   With regards,   Zameer Khan National Board of Director & President, Atlanta Chapter Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC)

Press Release

मुसलमानों पर ज़ुल्म करने के मामले में भारत के सभी राजनीतिक दल एक: IAMC

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हैदराबाद में प्रदर्शनकारियों की पिटाई और गिरफ़्तारी की आईएएमसी ने निंदा की (प्रकाशनार्थ) वाशिंगटन डीसी (अगस्त 26, 2022) पैगंबर मोहम्मद साहब पर अपमानजनक टिप्पणी करने वाले बीजेपी विधायक टी. राजा सिंह की गिरफ़्तारी की माँग करने वाले प्रदर्शनकारियों की हैदराबाद में पुलिसिया पिटाई और गिरफ़्तारी की इंडियन अमेरिकन मुस्लिम काउंसिल (IAMC) ने कड़ी निंदा की है. नागरिक और मानवाधिकारों के लिए अमेरिका के इस सबसे बड़े एडवोकेसी संगठन के अध्यक्ष सैयद अली ने कहा है कि तेलंगाना में बीजेपी की नहीं, टीआरएस की सरकार है फिर भी मुसलमानों पर ज़ुल्म किया गया. यह बताता है कि मुसलमानों को लेकर हिंदुस्तान की सभी पार्टियों की सोच एक है. उन पर ज़ुल्म करने में कोई भी पार्टी पीछे नहीं है. श्री अली ने कहा कि हैदराबाद में प्रदर्शन करने वाले मुसलमानों का आक्रोश पैगंबर पर अभद्र टिप्पणी करने वाले टी.राजा सिंह की चंद घंटों में रिहाई को लेकर था जबकि पहले उन्हें 14 दिन की न्यायिक हिरासत में भेजा जा रहा था. वे माँग कर रहे थे कि राजा सिंह को फिर गिरफ़्तार किया जाए. वैसे भी राजा सिंह ने पहली बार ऐसी हरक़त नहीं की है. वे पहले भी मुसलमानों को मारने और मस्जिदों को तोड़ने का आह्वान कर चुके हैं. यही नही, उन्होंने गुजरात दंगों के दौरान हुए मुस्लिम औरतों के सामूहिक बलात्कार को भी जायज़ ठहराया था जिसका वीडियो मौजूद है. ऐसे में राजा सिंह की रिहाई चौंकाने वाली थी और दोबारा गिरफ़्तार करने की माँग कहीं से भी ग़लत नहीं थी. इसके बावजूद पुलिस ने जबरदस्ती उनके घरों में घुसकर सैकड़ों मुसलमानों को गिरफ़्तार किया. IAMC  अध्यक्ष ने इस मामले में अदालती रवैये पर भी हैरानी जतायी. उन्होंने कहा कि बीजेपी और आरएसएस से जुड़े नेता जानबूझकर बार-बार मोहम्मद साहब का अपमान करते हैं, लेकिन उनके ख़िलाफ़ कार्रवाई नहीं होती. राजा सिंह की तुरंत रिहाई इसकी मिसाल है. इसके पहले पैगंबर का अपमान करने वाली बीजेपी प्रवक्ता नूपुर शर्मा के केस में भी यही हुआ था. एफआईआर के बावजूद दिल्ली पुलिस ने उन्हें गिरफ़्तार नहीं किया. बाद में देश के तमाम हिस्सों में नूपुर शर्मा के ख़िलाफ़ दर्ज मुक़दमों को दिल्ली ट्रांस्फर कर दिया गया और गिरफ़्तारी पर रोक लगा दी गयी. एक तरफ़ तमाम बेकसूर मुसलमानों को बिना सबूत जेल में रखा जाता है, उन्हें ज़मानत नहीं दी जाती, दूसरी तरफ़ नूपुर शर्मा और राजा सिंह जैसे लोगों को अदालती संरक्षण मिलता है. यह बताता है कि अदालतें भी मुसलमानों को लेकर दुराव रखती हैं. उनके साथ भेदभाव करती हैं. श्री अली ने कहा कि मुस्लिम प्रदर्शनकारियों और अन्य प्रदर्शनकारियों के साथ पुलिस और प्रशासन का व्यवहार भी भेदभावपूर्ण है. साल भर तक किसान अपनी माँगों को लेकर देश की राजधानी दिल्ली घेरकर बैठे रहे, पर उनके ख़िलाफ़ कोई कार्रवाई नहीं की गयी. ‘अग्निवीर योजना’ के ख़िलाफ़ कई राज्यों में तोड़फोड़ हुई पर ऐसा करने वालों को ‘अपना बच्चा’ माना गया पर राजा सिंह जैसे नफ़रत के सौदाग़र की गिरफ़्तारी की जायज़ माँग करने वाले मुसलमानों पर पुलिस ने लाठी चटकाई. ऐसा लगता है कि देश का सारा सिस्टम ही मुसलमानों के ख़िलाफ़ है. राष्ट्रीय बाल अधिकार संरक्षण आयोग ने जिस तरह इस मामले में तेज़ी दिखाते हुए स्वत: संज्ञान लिया, वह भी यही बताता है. आयोग ने विधायक राजा सिंह के ख़िलाफ़ प्रदर्शन करने वाले बच्चों को ‘उकसाने वालों’ का पता लगाकर उनके ख़िलाफ़ कार्रवाई करने के लिए हैदराबाद पुलिस को निर्देश दिया है. यही आयोग बच्चों पर होने वाले ज़ुल्म, उनके कुपोषण, उनकी शिक्षा आदि मुद्दों पर ऐसी तेज़ी कभी नहीं दिखाता. आईएएमसी अध्यक्ष सैयद अली ने कहा कि विपक्ष बीजेपी को सांप्रदायिक बताता रहता है, लेकिन सवाल ये है कि वह ख़ुद क्या है? क्या विपक्ष मुसलमानों को उनका जायज़ हक़ और इंसाफ़ दिलाने को फ़िक्रमंद है? अफ़सोस कि इसका जवाब ‘न’ है. वरना तेलंगाना में जिस तेलंगाना राष्ट्र समिति की सरकार है, वह मोहम्मद साहब के अपमान से आहत प्रदर्शनकारियों के साथ संवेदनशीलता से पेश आती. उनकी पिटाई और गिरफ़्तारियाँ न करती. उन्होंने कहा कि हक़ीक़त में भारत की सारी पार्टियाँ मुसलमानो के प्रति एक ही रुख रखती है. जो पार्टियाँ मुसलमानों के वोट पर अपना दावा समझती हैं, वे भी उन्हें इंसाफ़ दिलाने के लिए खुलकर नहीं बोलतीं.

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अमेरिका में साध्वी ऋतंभरा के प्रवचन का विरोध, भड़काऊ भाषणों के आधार पर वीज़ा रद्द करने की माँग

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साध्वी ऋतंभरा के प्रवचन के ज़रिये अमेरिका की शांति भंग करना चाहता है आरएसएस: IAMC प्रकाशनार्थ / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE वाशिंगटन डीसी (अगस्त 26, 2022) – बाबरी मस्जिद तोड़ने के मामले में मुल्ज़िम रहीं और मुसलमानों के ख़िलाफ़ ज़हर उगलने वाले भाषणों के लिए कुख्यात साध्वी ऋतंभरा को अमेरिका में प्रवचन के लिए बुलाये जाने पर इंडियन अमेरिकन मुस्लिम काउंसिल (IAMC) ने तीखी प्रतिक्रिया जतायी है. अमेरिका के इस सबसे बड़े एडवोकेसी संगठन के अध्यक्ष सैयद अली ने इसे अमेरिका में हिंदुत्ववादी ज़हर फैलाने के आरएसएस प्रोजेक्ट का हिस्सा बताते हुए अमेरिकी विदेश विभाग से ऋतंभरा का वीज़ा तुरंत रद्द करने की माँग की है. साध्वी ऋतंभरा के प्रवचन का आयोजन 30 और 31 अगस्त को जॉर्जिया के नॉरक्रास स्थित एक मॉल में है. IAMC के अध्यक्ष सैयद अली ने कहा कि अमेरिका में भारत से आये हिंदू और मुसलमान शांति से रहते हैं. दोनों समुदाय एक दूसरे के सुख-दुख के साथी हैं. ऐसा लगता है आरएसएस को यह मेल-मिलाप पसंद नहीं आ रहा है, इसीलिए एक डिज़ायन के तहत पहले न्यू जर्सी में योगी आदित्यनाथ की तस्वीरों के साथ बुल्डोज़र परेड निकाली गयी और अब ऋतंभरा को प्रवचन देने के लिए बुलाया गया है. योगी आदित्यनाथ और ऋतंभरा दोनों भारत में मुस्लिमों से नफ़रत के प्रतीक हैं. उन्होंने कहा कि आरएसएस भारत में चल रहे अपने नफ़रती प्रोजेक्ट की आँच अमेरिका तक पहुँचाना चाहता है, जिसे अमेरिकी सरकार को बेहद गंभीरता से लेना चाहिए. सैयद अली ने कहा कि संत का भेष धर लेने से कोई संत नहीं हो जाता. संत-महात्माओं का प्रवचन लोगों में प्यार और शांति का भाव भरते हैं, लेकिन ऋतंभरा के तमाम वीडियो बताते हैं कि उसने सिर्फ़ मुस्लिमों और ईसाईयों के ख़िलाफ़ घृणा फैलाई है. जब बाबरी मस्जिद तोड़ने के लिए आरएसएस के लोग पूरे भारत में अभियान चला रहे थे तो ऋतंभरा के ज़हरीले भाषणों के कैसेट शहर-शहर बजाये जा रहे थे ताकि दंगा भड़के. यूट्यूब में वो वीडियो अभी भी मौजूद है जिसमें वह क़ानून की परवाह न करते हुए अयोध्या में बाबरी मस्जिद तोड़ने की बात साफ़तौर पर कह रही है. अली ने कहा, ”क्या ऐसी महिला का न्याय, स्वतंत्रता और अल्पसंख्यकों के नागरिक और मानवाधिकार की गारंटी करने वाले देश अमेरिका में स्वागत होना चाहिए? अमेरिकी विदेश विभाग को बिना देर किये इसका वीज़ा रद्द कर देना चाहिए और प्रवचन के आयोजकों की जाँच करानी चाहिए.” सैयद अली ने बताया कि सीबीआई ने जिन 32 लोगों को बाबरी मस्जिद तोड़ने का दोषी बताया था उसमें ऋतंभरा का भी नाम था, लेकिन मोदी राज में अदालतें पूरी तरह आरएसएस की गिरफ़्त में हैं, ये हिंदुओं में मुस्लिम और ईसाई विरोधी ज़हर फैलाने के आरएसएस के प्रोजेक्ट का हिस्सा है. पिछले दिनों इसने हरिद्वार की धर्मसंसद में साफ़ कहा था कि हिंदू चार बच्चे पैदा करें और दो आरएसएस को दे दें! पूरी दुनिया जानती है कि आरएसएस एक फ़ासिस्ट संगठन है जो मुसलमानों और ईसाईयों के ख़िलाफ़ युद्ध चला रहा है. ऋतंभरा इसी फ़ासिस्ट सेना को मज़बूत बनाने की अपील कर रही हैं. सैयद अली ने कहा कि ऐसी नफ़रती महिला का स्वागत और उसके प्रवचन की तैयारी में जुटे लोगों की ख़ासतौर पर जाँच की जानी चाहिए. यह धार्मिक आयोजन की आड़ में अमेरिका की शांति और सद्भाव भंग करने की साज़िश है. बुल्डोज़र रैली के बाद ऋतंभरा का प्रवचन सिर्फ़ मुसलमानों के लिए नहीं, अमेरिका में रह रहे उन तमाम हिंदुओं के लिए भी ख़तरे की घंटी है जो मानते हैं कि हिंदू धर्म एक सहिष्णु धर्म है जो प्यार बाँटने की बात करता है. अमेरिका के संविधान से संरक्षित मानवीय जीवन का स्वाद लेने वाले सभी हिंदू और मुसलमानों को इस साज़िश के ख़िलाफ़ एकजुट होना चाहिए. अमेरिका के नागरिक और मानवाधिकार संगठनों को भी साध्वी ऋतंभरा के स्वागत और प्रवचन के आयोजन के ख़िलाफ़ आवाज़ उठानी चाहिए. अली ने उम्मीद जतायी कि अमेरिकी सरकार अपने देश में बढ़ रहे आरएसएस के इस अभियान पर तवज्जो देगी और विदेश विभाग ऋतंभरा का वीज़ा तत्काल रद्द करेगा. उन्होंने माँग की कि भविष्य में भारत से प्रवचन और भाषण देने के लिए बुलाये जाने वालों की स्क्रीनिंग हो ताकि अमेरिका की आज़ाद धरती को सांप्रदायिक उन्माद के कीटाणुओं से बचाया जा सके.

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स्वतंत्रता दिवस की परेड में बुलडोज़र शामिल करने के लिए FBI, अमेरिकी न्याय और गृह मंत्रालय OFBJP की जाँच करें: मानवाधिकार संगठन

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विदेश विभाग से बीजेपी नेता संबित पात्रा का वीज़ा रद्द करने की माँग एडिसन पुलिस विभाग में हेट क्राइम का मामला दर्ज एडिसन और वुडब्रिज के मेयरों ने परेड की निंदा की, करायेंगे जाँच (प्रकाशनार्थ) एडिसन, न्यू जर्सी (23 अगस्त, 2022) – अमेरिका के प्रमुख नागरिक अधिकार और एडवोकेसी संगठनों ने अमेरिका के न्याय और गृह मंत्रालयों और फ़ेडरल ब्यूरो ऑफ़ इन्वेस्टीगेशन (FBI) से मांग की है कि वे भारतीय स्वतंत्रता दिवस की परेड में बुलडोज़र शामिल करने के लिए ओवरसीज़ फ़्रेंड्स ऑफ़ बीजेपी (OFBJP) और इंडियन बिज़नेस एसोसिएशन (IBA) की तत्काल जाँच करें और उनके ख़िलाफ़ क़ानूनी कार्रवाई करें. इन नागरिक अधिकार संगठनों ने अमेरिकी विदेश मंत्री एंटनी ब्लिंकेन को चिट्ठी लिख कर मांग की है कि भारतीय जनता पार्टी (BJP) के प्रवक्ता संबित पात्रा का वीज़ा तत्काल रद्द करें. नफ़रत फ़ैलाने के लिए कुख्यात पात्रा ने न्यूजर्सी की इस परेड की बतौर ‘ग्रैंड मार्शल’ अगुवाई की थी. सोमवार को न्यूजर्सी के एडिसन शहर में आयोजित एक प्रेस वार्ता में इंडियन अमेरिकन मुस्लिम काउंसिल (IAMC), काउंसिल ऑन अमेरिकन इस्लामिक रिलेशन्स-न्यू जर्सी (CAIR-NJ), ब्लैक लाइव्स मैटर (BLM), अमेरिकन मुस्लिम्स फ़ॉर डेमोक्रेसी (AMD) और हिंदूज़ फ़ॉर ह्यूमन राइट्स (HfHR) ने कहा कि उन्होंने घृणा परेड के आयोजकों के ख़िलाफ़ क़ानूनी कार्रवाई करने के लिए अमेरिकी अटॉर्नी जनरल कार्यालय और न्यू जर्सी अटॉर्नी जनरल के दफ़्तर में वकीलों से भी बातचीत की है. उन्होंने एडिसन पुलिस में IBA के ख़िलाफ आरोप दायर करके घृणा परेड की जाँच की माँग की है. 14 अगस्त को आयोजित इस परेड में उत्तर प्रदेश के हिंदुत्ववादी मुख्यमंत्री योगी आदित्यनाथ की तस्वीर के साथ एक बुल्डोज़र को शामिल किया गया था. तस्वीर पर ‘बाबा बुल्डोज़र’ लिखा गया था. आदित्यनाथ की सरकार ने मुसलमानों और ईसाइयों के पूजा स्थलों, व्यवसायों और घरों को तोड़ने में बुल्डोज़र का लगातार अवैध और आपराधिक इस्तेमाल किया है. भारत की केंद्र सरकार और बीजेपी-शासित उत्तर प्रदेश, मध्य प्रदेश और असम की सरकारों ने बिना उचित प्रक्रिया, अदालती आदेश  या नोटिस के बुल्डोज़र का अवैध इस्तेमाल करके सम्पत्तियों को ध्वस्त किया. दुनिया भर के मानवाधिकार संगठनों ने इसकी निंदा की है. 19 अगस्त को एडिसन के मेयर समीप जोशी ने इन संगठनों के प्रतिनिधियों से कहा कि “बुल्डोज़र विभाजन का प्रतीक है और पूरी तरह अस्वीकार्य है. मैं चाहूँगा कि इंडियन बिज़नेस एसोसिएशन इस पर माफ़ी माँगे.” जोशी ने उन्हें कि वे जब परेड में शामिल हुए तो उन्हें बुल्डोज़र की मौजूदगी के बारे में पता नहीं था. IAMC न्यू जर्सी के पूर्व अध्यक्ष मिन्हाज खाँ ने कहा, “एडिसन में रह रहे भारतीय हिंदू और मुस्लिम शांतिप्रिय हैं. हम हिंदू चरमपंथियों को नफ़रती भाषण और बयानबाज़ी से शांति भंग करने की इजाज़त नहीं देंगे. इस परेड ने न्यू जर्सी के अमेरिकी मुस्लिम समुदाय में नफ़रती हिंसा को लेकर भय पैदा किया है.” CAIR  न्यूजर्सी के कार्यकारी निदेशक सलादीन मक्सट ने कहा, “बुल्डोज़र के प्रतीक और भारतीय स्वतंत्रता दिवस को अंतरराष्ट्रीय राजनीतिक प्रभाव के ज़रिये हड़पने की कोशिश हर तरह से ग़लत है. मेयर जोशी और [वुडब्रिज शहर] के़ मेयर मैककॉर्मेक ने इसके पीछे के विभाजनकारी और भेदभावपूर्ण मंसूबों के पहचाना है. इस घटना ने साबित किया है कि फिर ऐसा होने से रोकने या अभिव्यक्ति की स्वतंत्रता और सभा के अधिकार को बनाये रखते हुए आधिकारिक भागीदारी को लेकर अतिरिक्त सावधानी बरतने की ज़रूरत है.” BLM के ज़ेली थॉमस ने कहा कि बुल्डोज़र का इस्तेमाल मुसलमानों और दूसरे भारतीय अल्पसंख्यक समुदायों को ‘आतंकित’ करने के लिए किया गया. “जैसे काले अमेरिकियों को पेड़ से लटकाकर मारा गया, और फंदा उन्हें डराने और आतंकित करने का औज़ार बन गया था, उसी तरह भारतीय मुसलमानों को लगातार ख़तरे की याद दिलाने के लिए बुल्डोज़र का इस्तेमाल किया जा रहा है. AMD के डॉ. अली चौधरी ने कहा, “14 अगस्त की भारतीय स्वतंत्रता दिवस परेड में नफ़रत के प्रतीक बुल्डोज़र को शामिल किये जाने को किसी भी तरह यहूदी विरोधी, नस्लवादी या इस्लामोफ़ोबिक घटना से अलग नहीं माना जाना चाहिए.” उन्होंने माँग की कि भविष्य की किसी परेड में नफ़रत के ऐसे प्रतीकों के इस्तेमाल की इजाज़त किसी सूरत में नहीं देनी चाहिए. IAMC के मिन्हाज़ ख़ान ने कहा कि वुडब्रिज के मेयर जॉन मैककॉर्मेक ने, जो परेड में शामिल थे, बुल्डोज़र के बार मे जानने के बाद उसकी निंदा की है. मेयर ने आश्वासन दिया है कि उन्होंने परेड की जाँच शुरू कर दी है और भविष्य में वो नफ़रती परेडों के परमिट नहीं देंगे, और उनकी झांकियों और वक्ताओं की पहले जाँच करेंगे. Read this PR in Hindi here: https://test.iamc.com/doj-homeland-security-fbi-probe-sought-against-overseas-friends-of-bjp-for-anti-muslim-hate-parade/

Press Release

DOJ, Homeland Security, FBI probe sought against Overseas Friends of BJP for anti-Muslim hate parade

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Department of State urged to revoke BJP leader Sambit Patra’s visa Charges of hate crime filed with Edison Police Department Mayors of Edison and Woodbridge denounce parade, vow probe FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE EDISON, NJ (August 22, 2022) – Leading civil rights organizations in New Jersey have demanded immediate investigative and legal action from the US Department of Justice, the US Department of Homeland Security, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation against the Overseas Friends of the BJP (OFBJP) and the Indian Business Association (IBA) for their roles in organizing an anti-Muslim hate parade in the state on August 14, 2022. The rights organizations urged the US Secretary of State’s intervention to immediately revoke the visa of Sambit Patra, an Indian national and a spokesperson for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Patra, a known hate-monger, presided over New Jersey’s hate parade as “Grand Marshal.” At a press conference held at Edison Township in New Jersey on Monday, Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), Council on American Islamic Relations-New Jersey (CAIR-NJ), Black Lives Matter (BLM), American Muslims for Democracy (AMD), and Hindus for Human Rights (HfHR) said they had met with attorneys from the US Attorney General’s office and the New Jersey Attorney General’s office to seek legal action against the parade’s organizers. They said they had filed charges with the Edison Police Department against the IBA and sought police investigation into the hate parade. The August 14 parade featured a bulldozer with a picture of Yogi Adityanath, the Hindu nationalist chief minister of the Uttar Pradesh state. The placard with the picture read “Baba Bulldozer,” a reference to his illegal and criminal usage of bulldozers to demolish homes, businesses, and places of worship of Muslims and Christians. Global watchdog organizations have denounced India’s federal and BJP-led state governments in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Assam for illegally using the bulldozer to demolish properties without due process, court orders, or even notice. On August 19, Edison Mayor Samip Joshi told these organizations’ representatives that the bulldozer was “a symbol of division and is absolutely unacceptable. I would like to see an apology from the Indian Business Association.” Joshi told them that he was unaware of the bulldozer’s presence at the parade when he attended it. “Hindu and Muslim Indian Americans are peace-loving communities in Edison. We will not allow Hindu extremists to disturb that peace by hate speech and rhetoric,” former IAMC New Jersey President Minhaj Khan said, “This parade has created a sense of fear of potential hate violence among the Indian Muslim community in New Jersey.” Selaedin Maksut, Executive Director, CAIR, New Jersey, said it was “important that the symbol of the bulldozer and the usurpation of Indian Independence Day by international political influence is universally recognized as wrong. Mayor Joshi and Mayor McCormac recognize the divisive and discriminatory motivation behind it. The precedent is now established to take extra care in preventing this from happening again or withhold official participation while maintaining the rights to free speech and assembly.” BLM’s Zellie Thomas said bulldozers were being used “to terrorize” Muslim and other Indian minorities. “Just as black Americans were lynched from trees, and the noose became a tool to both intimidate and terrorize black communities, so too are bulldozers being used to remind Indian Muslims of the constant threat they are under,” he said. Dr. Ali Chaudry of AMD said, “the inclusion of the bulldozer as the symbol of hate in the August 14 India Independence Day parade here should not be treated any different than an antisemitic, racist or Islamophobic incident.” He demanded that such symbols of hate must never be allowed to be used in any future parades. The IAMC’s Minhaj Khan said Woodbridge Mayor John McCormac, who had joined the August 14  parade but denounced it after he learned of the symbolism of the bulldozer, had “assured us he has already launched an investigation into the parade.” McCormac told their delegation that he would reject future permits to hate parades, ensure float inspections beforehand, and vet speaker lists so that hate speeches are prevented.

Press Release

बिल्क़ीस के बलात्कारियों की रिहाई को ‘इंसाफ़ का मज़ाक़’ बताने वाले USCIRF के बयान का IAMC ने किया स्वागत

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प्रकाशनार्थ / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE वाशिंगटन डीसी (22 अगस्त, 2022) अमेरिकी अंतरराष्ट्रीय धार्मिक स्वतंत्रता आयोग (USCIRF) द्वारा 2002 दंगों के दौरान बिल्क़ीस बानो के साथ सामूहिक बलात्कार और तीन साल की बेटी समते उनके परिजनों की हत्या करने वाले 11 दोषियों की रिहाई को ‘अनुचित’ और ‘इंसाफ़ का मज़ाक़’ बताये जाने को अमेरिका के सबसे बड़े एडवोकेसी संगठन इंडियन अमेरिकन मुस्लिम काउंसिल (आईएएमसी) ने स्वागत किया है. आईएएमसी के अध्यक्ष सैयद अली ने कहा है कि आयोग की सख़्त टिप्पणी को देखते हुए अमेरिकी विदेश विभाग को भारत सरकार पर दोषियों को वापस जेल भिजवाने के लिए दबाव डालना चाहिए. यूएससीआईआरएफ़ (USCIRF) के उपाध्यक्ष अब्राहम कूपर ने एक बयान जारी करके कहा है कि  ‘2002 के गुजरात दंगों के दौरान एक गर्भवती महिला के बलात्कार और मुस्लिमों की हत्या के लिए उम्रकैद की सजा काट रहे 11 लोगों की जल्द और अनुचित रिहाई की यूएससीआईआरएफ कड़ी निंदा करता है.’ आयोग के आयुक्त स्टीफन श्नेक ने कहा कि रिहाई ‘इंसाफ का मज़ाक़’ है, और ‘सजा से बचने के उस पैटर्न’ का हिस्सा है, जिसका भारत में अल्पसंख्यक विरोधी हिंसा के आरोपी फ़ायदा उठाते हैं. सैयद अली ने कहा कि बिल्क़ीस के बलात्कारियों और हत्यारों की रिहाई दरअसल भारत में अल्पसंख्यकों की हालत का बयान है. क़ानून की व्याख़्या इस तरह की जा रही है कि मुस्लिमों के लिए न्याय पाना असंभव होता जा रहा है. बिल्किस के दोषियों को रिहा करने की सिफ़ारिश करने वाली कमेटी में बीजेपी और संघ के लोग भरे थे और जिस तरह रिहाई के बाद बलात्कारियों का फूल-माला और मिठाइयों से स्वागत हुआ है, वह बेहद शर्मनाक और उनके इरादों की शिनाख़्त है. इस अन्याय पर कोई भी सभ्य देश या संगठन चुप नहीं रह सकता. उन्होंने कहा रिहाई की सिफ़ारिश करने वाले पैनल के एक सदस्य सी. के. राउलजी ने, जो बीजेपी के विधायक हैं, सामूहिक बलात्कार के दोषियों को जिस तरह ‘संस्कारी ब्राह्मण’ बताते हुए सज़ा माफ़ी को सही ठहराया है वह बताता है कि आरएसएस और बीजेपी के लोग समाज को संविधान नहीं मनुस्मृति के आधार पर चलाना चाहते हैं जो ब्राह्मणों को भीषण से भीषण अपराध करने पर भी सज़ा न देने का निर्देश देती है. सैयद अली ने कहा यूएससीआआरएफ़ का यह कहना सही है कि बिल्क़ीस के दोषियों की रिहाई एक ‘पैटर्न’ का हिस्सा है जिसके तहत मुस्लिमों पर ज़ुल्म करने वालों को कोई सज़ा नहीं मिलती है. हालत ये है कि अब अपने ऊपर होने वाले ज़ुल्म के ख़िलाफ़ मुस्लिम बोलने की स्थिति में भी नहीं हैं, क्योंकि ऐसा करने पर उन पर तमाम मुक़दमे लाद दिये जाते हैं. ये हताशा की इंतेहा है कि ज़ुल्म सहने को कोई क़ौम अपनी क़िस्मत मान ले. उन्होंने कहा कि  पीएम मोदी के आठ साल के शासन ने आरएसएस और उससे जुड़े संगठनों को अल्पसंख्यकों पर खुलकर हमला करने का मौक़ा दिया है. उन्हें पता है कि इसकी कोई सज़ा उन्हें नहीं मिलेगी, उल्टा चुनाव में ध्रुवीकरण कराने में मदद मिलेगी. अली ने राजस्थान में बीजेपी के पूर्व विधायक ज्ञान देव आहूजा के वायरल वीडियो को इसी का एक प्रमाण बताया. इस वीडियो में आहूजा पाँच मुस्लिमों की लिंचिंग कराने की बात कबूल कर रहे हैं. सैयद अली ने कहा कि विधायक जैसे पद पर रह चुके इस बीजेपी नेता का बयान बताता है कि मुस्लिमों की लिंचिंग आरएसएस और उससे जुड़े संगठनों की नीति का हिस्सा है. बीजेपी ने घृणा की राजनीति की मिसाल क़ायम की है. सैयद अली ने कहा कि अंतरराष्ट्रीय मानवाधिकार संगठनों को बिल्क़ीस के दोषियों की रिहाई के फ़ैसले संज्ञान लेते हुए भारत सरकार पर दबाव डालना चाहिए. अमेरिका की सरकार भी इस मुद्दे पर भारत सरकार से बात करे ताकि पता चल सके कि अमेरिका में बसे भारतीय मुस्लिमों की चिंताओं की उसे फ़िक़्र है.

Press Release

न्यूजर्सी में निकली ‘बुल्डोज़र परेड’ के ख़िलाफ़ अमेरिका में उबाल, ‘हेट क्राइम’ बताते हुए सरकार से कार्रवाई की माँग, मानवाधिकार संगठनों ने कहा: मुस्लिमों को बेघर करने और घृणा फैलाने का प्रतीक है बुल्डोज़र!

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प्रकाशनार्थ / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE वाशिंगटन डीसी (18 अगस्त, 2022) – अमेरिका के न्यूजर्सी में भारत के स्वतंत्रता दिवस पर निकाली गयी परेड में पीएम मोदी और योगी आदित्यनाथ की तस्वीर के साथ बुल्डोज़र को शामिल किये जाने का मामला तूल पकड़ता जा रहा है. अमेरिका के मानवाधिकार और नागरिक अधिकार संगठनों ने इसे ‘हेट क्राइम’ बताते हुए अमेरिकी सरकार से सख़्त कार्रवाई करने की माँग की है. इन संगठनों ने बीजेपी के राष्ट्रीय प्रवक्ता संबित पात्रा की अगुवाई में निकाली गयी इस ‘बुल्डोज़र परेड’ की निंदा करते हुए कहा है कि आरएसएस और बीजेपी ने भारत में अल्पसंख्यकों के ख़िलाफ़ नफ़रत फैलाने की अपनी मुहिम को अमेरिका तक पहुँचा दिया है, जिसके ख़िलाफ़ अमेरिकी सरकार को समय रहते सख़्त कार्रवाई करनी चाहिए. ग़ौरतलब है कि न्यूजर्सी प्रांत के एडिसन शहर में ओवरसीज़ फ्रेंड्स ऑफ भारतीय जनता पार्टी (यूएसए) के बैनर तले निकाली गयी इस स्वतंत्रता दिवस  परेड में एक बुल्डोज़र भी शामिल किया गया था. इस पर  पीएम मोदी और ‘बाबा बुल्डोज़र’ लिखी हुई यूपी के मुख्यमंत्री योगी आदित्यनाथ की तस्वीर लगायी गयी थी. यह स्पष्ट रूप से यूपी में चल रहे बुल्डोज़र अभियान को गौरवान्वित करने की कोशिश थी जिसके तहत सैकड़ों बेगुनाह मुसलमानों के घरों को ग़ैरक़ानूनी ढंग से तोड़ा जा चुका है. बुल्डोज़र को मुसलमानों को सबक सिखाने के प्रतीक के तौर पर बीजेपी समर्थक प्रचारित करने में जुटे हैं. इस परेड को अमेरिका के लिए ख़तरे की घंटी बताते हुए इंडियन अमेरिकन मुस्लिम काउंसिल (आईएएमसी) के अध्यक्ष सैयद अली ने कहा है कि अल्पसंख्यकों और अन्य वंचित समूहों के अधिकारों की रक्षा के लिए अमेरिका ख़ासतौर पर पहचाना जाता है. इसके पीछे सदियों का संघर्ष है. लेकिन आरएसएस और उससे जुड़े संगठन ‘बुल्डोज़र परेड’ के ज़रिए अमेरिका की इसी पहचान को चुनौती दे रहे हैं. उन्होंने कहा कि अमेरिका के डिपार्टमेंट ऑफ जस्टिस और एफबीआई को इस मामले का संज्ञान लेते हुए सख़्त कार्रवाई करनी चाहिए. अमेरिकी सरकार को भारत की मोदी सरकार से भी स्पष्टीकरण माँगना चाहिए क्योंकि संबित पात्रा और आयोजक संगठन स्पष्ट रूप से बीजेपी के प्रतिनिधि हैं जिसकी भारत में सरकार है. सैयद अली ने कहा कि अमेरिकी सांसद फ्रैंक पलोने, एडिसन के मेयर समीप जोशी, वुडब्रिज के मेयर जॉन ई. मक्कोर्मैक और न्यूजर्सी असेंबली के स्पीकर क्रेग कगनिल को इस परेड में शामिल होने पर सफ़ाई देनी चाहिए और मुस्लिमों से घृणा के प्रतीक बुल्डोज़र को आज़ादी के जश्न में शामिल करने की सार्वजनिक निंदा करनी चाहिए. उन्होंने कहा कि आयोजकों से बात करके पता लगाना चाहिए कि बुल्डोज़र को परेड में शामिल करने का आइडिया किन लोगों ने दिया था और किस परिस्थिति में इसे मंज़ूर किया गया. अमेरिका में शांति और सद्भाव के लिए घृणा के ऐसे प्रचारकों की शिनाख़्त करना ज़रूरी है. उधर, चर्चित मानवाधिकार संगठन ‘हिंदूज़ फ़ॉर ह्यूमन राइट्स’ ने भी इस ‘बुल्डोज़र परेड’ को घृणा का सार्वजनिक प्रदर्शन क़रार देते हुए इसकी कड़ी निंदा की है. संगठन के एडवोकेसी कोआर्डिनेटर प्रणय सौम्युजला ने एडिसन के मेयर समीप जोशी को पत्र लिखकर इस परेड की सार्वजनिक निंदा करने की माँग की है. उन्होंने लिखा है कि इस बुल्डोज़र परेड में जिस तरह से अल्पसंख्यकों के ख़िलाफ़ घृणा का प्रदर्शन हुआ है, वह चिंतित करने वाला है. अमेरिका में बसे हिंदुओं के बीच अतिवादी हिंदुत्ववादियों के इस राजनीतिक अभियान को हर हाल में रोका जाना चाहिए. एडिसन शहर विविधताओं से भरा है और यहाँ दोबारा ऐसे प्रदर्शन की इजाज़त नहीं दी जानी चाहिए. काउंसिल ऑन अमेरिकन-इस्लामिक रिलेशन्स (सीएआईआर) ने भी इस घटना की कड़ी निंदा की है. संगठन ने एक बयान में कहा है कि भारतीय जनता पार्टी के सक्रिय नेताओं का बुल्डोज़र परेड में शामिल होना बताता है कि वे अल्पसंख्यक और कमज़ोर तबकों के ख़िलाफ़ हिंसा और उन्हें बेघर करने के अभियान के समर्थक हैं. संगठन के कार्यकारी निदेशक सलादीन मक्सट ने कहा कि आज़ादी का जश्न मनाने का हर भारतीय को अधिकार है, लेकिन मुस्लिम विरोधी नेताओं और घृणा के प्रतीकों को इस तरह गौरवान्वित करना निंदनीय है. कुल मिलाकर एडिसन की इस बुल्डोज़र परेड ने प्रगतिशील और अल्पसंख्यकों के मानवाधिकार संगठनों के कान खड़े कर दिये हैं. इसे अमेरिका में बसे हिंदू समुदाय में घृणा प्रचार की आरएसएस की मुहिम का सबूत बताया जा रहा है जिससे दो-दो हाथ करना ज़रूरी हो गया है. मानवाधिकार और नागरिक संगठनों की नज़र में आरएसएस का अप्रवासी हिंदुओं के बीच जारी घृणा अभियान लोकतंत्र, स्वतंत्रता, धर्मनिरपेक्षता और मानवाधिकारों पर आधारित पूरे अमेरिकी विचार को चुनौती है. अगर अमेरिकी सरकार इसे रोकने के लिए सख़्त कार्रवाई नही करती तो वह इस विचार के साथ दग़ा करेगी.

Press Release

बिल्किस बानो के बलात्कारियों को वापस जेल भिजवाने के लिए अमेरिका हस्तक्षेप करे: IAMC

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‘हिंदू दंगाइयों और बलात्कारियों की रिहाई से भारतीय न्याय व्यवस्था से भरोसा उठ जाएगा’ (प्रकाशनार्थ) वाशिंगटन डीसी (17 अगस्त, 2022) 2002 के गुजरात दंगों के दौरान गर्भवती मुस्लिम महिला बिल्किस बानो के सामूहिक बलात्कार और उसके परिवार के सात लोगों की हत्या के लिए दोषी ठहराये गये 11 हिंदू दंगाइयों की रिहाई की अमेरिका के एडवोकेसी संगठन इंडियन अमेरिकन मुस्लिम काउंसिल (आईएएमसी) ने निंदा की है. साथ ही आईएमसी ने मांग की है कि अमेरिकी सरकार उन दोषियों को वापस जेल भिजवाने के लिए हस्तक्षेप करे. कड़ी प्रतिक्रिया देते हुए आईएएमसी के अध्यक्ष सैयद अली ने कहा कि अमेरिकी विदेश सचिव एंटनी ब्लिंकन और अंतरराष्ट्रीय धार्मिक स्वतंत्रता राजदूत रशाद हुसैन को इस बाबत फ़ौरन भारत से बात करनी चाहिए. अली ने कहा, “हमें भारत को बताना चाहिए कि बिल्किस के बलात्कारी और उनके परिजनों के हत्यारे को जेल से रिहा करने के फ़ैसले को अमेरिका सही नहीं मानता है. ये फ़ैसला न्याय व्यवस्था पर चोट करता है.” सुप्रीम कोर्ट की आलोचना करते हुए अली ने कहा एक तरफ़ अल्पसंख्यकों के मानवाधिकारों की लड़ाई लड़ने वाली तीस्ता सीतलवाड समेत कई सामाजिक कार्यकर्ता भारतीय सुप्रीम कोर्ट की चुप्पी या फ़ैसलों की वजह से जेल में हैं, वहीं अदालत के निर्देश के आधार पर बलात्कारियों और हत्यारों को रिहा किया जा रहा है. ग़ौरतलब है कि 2002 में हुए दंगों के दौरान अहमदाबाद के रंधिकपुर मुहल्ले की रहने वाली बिल्किस बानो के घर पर दंगाइयों ने हमला बोल दिया था. उस समय बिल्किस बानो सिर्फ़ उन्नीस साल की थीं और उनको पाँच माह का गर्भ था. लेकिन दंगाइयों ने उसके साथ सामूहिक बलात्कार किया और घर के सात लोगों को जान से मार डाला जिनमें उनकी माँ भी थीं. सभी दंगाई राष्ट्रीय स्वयंसेवक संघ और भारतीय जनता पार्टी से जुड़े थे. उनको गुजरात के तत्कालीन मुख्यमंत्री नरेंद्र मोदी की शह मिली थी. उन दंगों में सैंकड़ों मुसलमान मारे गए थे. इंसाफ़ के लिए बिल्किस ने लंबी क़ानूनी लड़ाई लड़ी थी. 2008 में 11 आरोपियों को आजीवन कारावास की हो गई थी. बाद में बॉम्बे हाईकोर्ट ने इसे बरक़रार रखा. पंद्रह साल के कारावास के बाद एक दोषी की अर्ज़ी पर सुप्रीम कोर्ट ने गुजरात सरकार को फ़ैसला करने का निर्देश दिया. जिसके बाद गुजरात सरकार ने एक कमेटी बनाई जिसने सरकार की माफ़ी नीति के तहत सभी 11 दोषियों को रिहा करने के हक़ में सिफ़ारिश की. इसके बाद गुजरात की बीजेपी सरकार ने गोधरा की एक जेल में बंद सभी दोषियों को रिहा कर दिया. सैयद अली ने कहा आज़ादी के ‘अमृत महोत्सव’ के बीच एक गर्भवती मुस्लिम महिला के साथ सामूहिक बलात्कार करने वाले और सात मुसलमानों का क़त्ल करने वालों को माफ़ी देना इंसाफ़ के साथ मज़ाक़ है और ज़ंग-ए-आज़ादी के लिए क़ुर्बानी देने वाले शहीदों का अपमान है. “आज़ादी के लिए सभी मज़हब के लोगों ने क़ुर्बानी इसलिए नही दी थी कि बहुसंख्यक वर्ग से ताल्लुक रखने वाले अपराधियों को सज़ा से बचने की आज़ादी मिल सके. गुजरात सरकार हिंदुत्ववादी बलात्कारियों और हत्यारों को बचाने में लगी है.” आईएएमसी अध्यक्ष ने कहा भारत की न्याय व्यवस्था अल्पसंख्यकों, दलितों, आदिवासियों और दूसरे वंचित समूहों को लगातार निराश कर रही है. “भारत में इंसाफ़ के बुनियादी तक़ाज़ों को दरकिनार किया जा रहा है. ऐसे में यह ज़रूरी है कि दुनिया के तमाम सभ्य देश भारत सरकार पर दबाव डालें. लोकतंत्र के लिए प्रतिबद्ध अमेरिका की यह ज़िम्मेदारी ख़ासतौर पर है.” सैयद अली ने कहा अगर अमेरिकी विदेश सचिव ब्लिंकन और अंतरराष्ट्रीय धार्मिक स्वतंत्रता राजदूत हुसैन इस मामले में भारत सरकार से बात करने में नाकाम रहते हैं तो इसका मतलब होगा कि अमेरिका की सरकार को देश में रह रहे भारतीय मूल के मुसलमानों की फ़िक़्र नहीं है.  

Press Release

CAIR-NJ and IAMC Condemn Symbols of Hate at India Independence Day Parade in Edison

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(SOUTH PLAINFIELD, NJ, 08/16/2022) – The New Jersey chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NJ) today joined Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) in condemning the use of a bulldozer at the India Independence Day parade this year. The bulldozer, which has become a symbol of Muslim home demolitions in India, was decorated with the images of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Provincial Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, both of whom espouse Islamophobic Hindu nationalist ideologies and serve as active leaders of India’s ruling party, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). SEE: Thousands protest ‘bulldozer justice’ against Indian Muslims SEE: Bulldozers Have Razed My Home, and Broken the Back of India’s Muslims. Does the World Care? In June, CAIR’s national office called on the international community to act against the bulldozer demolition of Muslim homes by the Indian government. In a statement, Indian American Muslim Council President Mohammed Jawad said: “We need to contextualize what it means to march with bulldozers emblazoned with the images of two openly Hindu supremacist leaders. “Today in India, 200 million Muslims are at risk of mass violence from a radicalized majority population. Marching with these bulldozers shows support for forced homelessness and mass violence against a vulnerable minority.” In a statement, CAIR-NJ Executive Director Selaedin Maksut said: “While we support Indian Americans’ right to celebrate their heritage and independence from British colonial rule, we condemn the use of a bulldozer and the glorification of Hindu nationalist figures who have a deeply anti-Muslim track record. “We also call on the mayors of Edison and Woodbridge townships, Samip Joshi and John E. McCormac respectively, and New Jersey Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin, who joined the parade, to condemn these acts of hatred and block Hindu nationalists and the BJP’s attempts to interfere in local New Jersey politics.” BACKGROUNDER: Rights groups have warned of rising anti-Muslim violence in India at the hands of Hindu nationalists, who are enabled by BJP leaders. World Report 2021: India | Human Rights Watch In what many say is a retaliatory response to Muslims protesting top BJP members’ anti-Muslim remarks, the last few weeks have seen an upward tick in the demolition of Muslims’ homes in India. Amnesty International dubbed the practice as “bulldozer justice” and has condemned it as openly discriminatory and a violation of international human rights laws Amnesty International India: Authorities must stop apparent unlawful demolitions of largely Muslim-owned property MaverickTube Entertainment, a YouTube channel with more than 20,000 subscribers, also posted a video allegedly taken at this year’s India Independence Day parade in New Jersey that featured one of the most visible national spokespersons for the BJP, Sambit Patra. Patra has been accused of championing anti-Muslim rhetoric through his platform as a BJP spokesperson. CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims. END CONTACT: CAIR-NJ Executive Director Selaedin Maksut, 908-267-3119, smaksut@cair.com [pdf-embedder url="http://test.iamc.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/CAIR-IAMC_PR-EdisonBulldozer-1.pdf" title="CAIR-IAMC_PR-EdisonBulldozer"] Click Here To Download

Press Release

सुप्रीम कोर्ट मानवाधिकार पर मोदी सरकार के चौतरफ़ा हमलों में पूरी तरह शामिल: प्रशांत भूषण

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प्रकाशनार्थ / For Immediate Release वाशिंगटन डीसी (अगस्त 12, 2022) – मानवाधिकारों के लिए लड़ने वाले हिंदुस्तान के मशहूर वकील प्रशांत भूषण ने भारत के सुप्रीम कोर्ट की तीखी आलोचना की है. उन्होंने कहा है कि प्रधानमंत्री नरेंद्र मोदी की सरकार मुस्लिमों जैसे धार्मिक अल्पसंख्यकों के नागरिक और राजनीतिक अधिकारों पर हमलावर है. उसने भारत के एकमात्र मुस्लिम बहुल प्रांत जम्मू-कश्मीर के नागरिकों, सरकार के अलोचकों और असहमत लोगों पर चौतरफ़ा हमला बोला हुआ है और अब इसमें सुप्रीम कोर्ट भी शामिल है. अमेरिका स्थित मानवाधिकार  संगठनों द्वारा बुधवार को आयोजित ब्रीफ़िंग में प्रशांत भूषण ने कहा कि “सुप्रीम कोर्ट वास्तव में नागरिक स्वतंत्रता और मानवाधिकारों के संरक्षक के रूप में अपनी भूमिका को त्याग रहा है. यही नहीं, कुछ मामलों में तो वह लोगों की नागरिक स्वतंत्रता पर हमला करने की हद तक आगे बढ़ गया है.” संविधान ने सुप्रीम कोर्ट को “जनता के मौलिक और मानवाधिकारों की हिफ़ाज़त की अहम ज़िम्मेदारी सौंपी है और यह सुनिश्चित किया है कि कार्यपालिका और विधायिका नियमों के तहत या उसकी शक्ति और सीमा के अंदर काम करें.” लेकिन सर्वोच्च अदालत नागरिक और राजनीतिक आज़ादी की रक्षा के इस दायित्व को पूरा करने में नाकाम रही है. 2014 में मोदी के सत्ता में आने के बाद के आठ सालों में भारत में “अल्पसंख्यकों पर आक्रामक हमलों” के साथ लोगों के अधिकारों को “बड़े पैमाने पर रौंदा गया है”. सड़कों से लेकर सोशल मीडिया तक लिंचिंग करने वाली भीड़ है. मुस्लिमों को किसी तरह दोयम दर्जे का नागरिक बनाने के लिए क़ानून बनाये जा रहे हैं. उन्हें ग़ैरक़ानूनी तरीक़े से “फ़र्जी मुठभेड़ों” में मारा जा रहा है. केवल विरोध प्रदर्शन करने पर उनके घरों को ध्वस्त किया जा रहा है. सरकार से असंतुष्ट लोगों के “नागरिक अधिकारों” को कुचला गया. जो कोई भी सरकार के ख़िलाफ़ ख़ड़ा हुआ, ख़ासतौर पर पत्रकार या एक्टिविस्ट, उन्हें निशाना बनाया गया. प्रशांत भूषण ने कहा कि दिल्ली में 2020 में हुई मुस्लिम विरोधी हिंसा भड़काने का आरोप लगाकर बड़ी संख्या में हमारे पत्रकारों और कार्यकर्ताओं को जेल में डाल दिया गया. यूएपीए जैसे क्रूर क़ानूनों का उपयोग करते हुए उन्हें सालों तक जेल में रखा गया और ज़मानत से इंकार कर दिया गया. “ऐसे हालात में सुप्रीम कोर्ट और हाईकोर्ट की भूमिका और ज्यादा बड़ी हो जाती है क्योंकि यह उनकी ज़िम्मेदारी, कर्तव्य और शक्ति है कि उन लोगों के अधिकारों की रक्षा करें जिनके अधिकारों को कुचला गया है, ” प्रशांत भूषण ने कहा. उन्होंने कहा कि बंदी प्रत्य़क्षीकरण, मुस्लिम विरोधी नागरिकता (संशोधन) अधिनियम और आधारहीन आरोपों में यूएपीए और देशद्रोह की धाराएँ लगाकर जेल भेजने, दंड संहिता, यहाँ तक कि निवारक नज़रबंदी की इजाज़त देने वाले राष्ट्रीय सुरक्षा क़ानून के तहत चल रहे मामलों को चुनौती देने वाली याचिकाओं की सुप्रीम कोर्ट में सुनवाई ही नहीं हो रही है. भूषण ने कहा कि भीमा कोरेगाँव केस, जो महाराष्ट्र के इस नाम के गाँव में नीची जाति के हिंदुओं के ख़िलाफ़ ऊँची जाति के हिंदुओं की हिंसा से पैदा हुआ, “साफ़ तौर पर एक झूठा मामला था. तमाम फोरेंसिक एक्सपर्ट्स ने दिखाया है कि जिन चीज़ों के आधार पर लोगों को आरोपित किया गया वे उनके कंप्यूटर में डाली गयी थीं. लेकिन लगभग चार साल हो गये हैं और वे लोग अभी भी जेल में हैं और अदालत ने उन्हें ज़मानत देने में नाकाम रही है. मानवाधिकारों के लिए लड़ने वाले लगभग एक दर्जन लोगों को इस मामले में जेल में रखा गया है. “कश्मीर में भी तमाम ऐसे लोग हैं जिन्हें जेल में रखा गया है.” और जम्मू-कश्मीर को विशेष दर्जा देने वाले संविधान के अनुच्छेद 370 को हटाने वाली याचिकाओं को चुनौती देने के लिए कई याचिकाएँ दायर की गयी हैं, लेकिन सुप्रीम कोर्ट ने उन्हें सुनने से इंकार कर दिया. “कई मामलों में हाईकोर्ट से और कभी-कभी सुप्रीम कोर्ट की ओर से भी ज़मानत देने से इनकार कर दिया गया. सुप्रीम कोर्ट फ़र्जी आरोपों के स्पष्ट मामलों में ज़मानत देने से इंकार करके अपनी ज़िम्मेदारी का त्याग कर रहा है.” भूषण ने कहा कि सुप्रीम कोर्ट “ज़मानत के कठोर प्रावधानों की व्याख्या” में  “पूरी तरह ग़लत” था. सामान्य सिद्धांत के मुताबिक “जमानत नियम और जेल अपवाद” है. ज़मानत देने से तभी इंकार किया जा सकता है जब ये मानने के उचित आधार हों कि मुल्ज़िम भाग जायेगा, सबूतों के साथ छेड़छाड़ करेगा या फिर कोई अपराध करेगा. प्रशांत भूषण ने पिछले महीने मनी लॉन्ड्रिंग रोकथाम क़ानून (PMLA) को सही ठहराने वाले फ़ैसले के लिए सुप्रीम कोर्ट की आलोचना करते हुए कहा कि इसने “सबूत जुटाने के बोझ को उलट दिया” है. अब ज़मानत पाने के लिए इस क़ानून के तहत मुल्ज़िम ठहराये गये किसी व्यक्ति को अपनी बेगुनाही का सबूत देना होगा. “मुक़दमा शुरू होने से पहले ही ख़ुद को बेगुनाह साबित कर पाना किसी के लिए लगभग असंभव है.” भूषण ने 2002 में गुजरात में हुए मुस्लिमों के नरसंहार में मोदी की मिलीभगत से जुड़े सबूतों की अनदेखी करने और मानवाधिकार कार्यकर्ता तीस्ता सीतलवाड की वस्तुत: गिरफ़्तारी का आदेश देने वाले हालिया फ़ैसले की भी कड़ी आलोचना की. सेतलवाड ने 20 साल पहले हुई उस हिंसा में मोदी की भूमिका को लगातार उजागर किया था. भूषण ने कहा कि इस फ़ैसले ने दिखाया कि अपनी ज़िम्मेदारी त्यागने को लेकर सुप्रीम कोर्ट एक “अलग स्तर” पर चला गया. भूषण ने पिछले महीने छत्तीसगढ़ के आदिवासियों की गवाहियों को ख़ारिज करने वाले सुप्रीम कोर्ट के फ़ैसले की भी आलोचना की जिसमें कोर्ट ने सामूहिक हत्याओं के लिए पुलिस को ज़िम्मेदार ठहराने से इंकार कर दिया. Read this in English here: https://test.iamc.com/indias-supreme-court-is-complicit-in-modis-all-round-assault-on-civil-liberties-human-rights-veteran-lawyer-prashant-bhushan/

Press Release

India’s Supreme Court Is Complicit In Modi’s All-Round Assault On Civil Liberties, Human Rights: Veteran Lawyer Prashant Bhushan

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington, DC (August 11, 2022) – India’s most famous lawyer and veteran human rights defender Prashant Bhushan has slammed the country’s Supreme Court saying it is now complicit in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s comprehensive assault on civil and political liberties of religious minorities such as Muslims; human rights defenders; the civilian population of India’s only Muslim-majority province of Kashmir; the government’s critics; and dissenters. “The Supreme Court has been virtually abdicating its role as the guardian of civil liberties and human rights of the people in India,” Bhushan said at a Briefing organized Wednesday by US-based civil and political rights groups. “[The Supreme Court has] indeed gone further in some cases to even assault the civil liberties of the citizens.” The Constitution gave the Supreme Court the “very important responsibility of protecting fundamental rights [and] human rights of the citizens” and ensuring “that the executive and the legislature function within the norms or within the bounds of their power.” But the court had failed to deliver on that mandate to protect civil and political liberties. In the eight years since Modi came to power in 2014, India had seen a “rampant trampling” of the people’s rights with a “full-blooded assault on minorities. “There are lynch mobs out on the streets. There are lynch mobs on social media. Laws are being made to somehow reduce [Muslims] to second-class citizens.” Muslims were being extrajudicially killed in “fake encounters;” their homes “bulldozed” merely for protesting. “Civil rights of dissenters” were being crushed. “Anybody who stands up and speaks out against this government, especially journalists or activists,” was targeted. Saying that a “very large number of our activists and journalists are in jail,” many of them falsely accused of carrying out the anti-Muslim violence in Delhi in 2020, Bhushan said activists were being charged under draconian laws such as the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and “kept in prison for years altogether [and] denied bail. “In such a situation, the role of the Supreme Court and the High Courts…  becomes even greater because it is really their responsibility and their power and duty to protect the rights of people whose rights have been trampled,” Bhushan said. However, habeas corpus cases, petitions against the anti-Muslim Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), and cases challenging imprisonment on bogus charges of sedition under UAPA, the Penal code, or “even the National Security Act, which allows preventive detention those cases, are not being heard,” Bhushan said. Bhushan said the Bhima-Koregaon case, so called because it arose from upper-caste Hindu violence against lower-caste Hindus in a village of that name in Maharashtra state, was “clearly a false case. Several forensic experts have shown that the material based on which [the accused] are charged has been planted in their computer. But now it’s been almost four years and these people are still in jail” and the Court has failed to give them bail. Over a dozen human rights defenders are incarcerated in this case. “There are many people in Kashmir who have been in jail,” and many petitions have challenged the revocation of Constitutional Article 370 that had given special status to Jammu & Kashmir state. But the Supreme Court has refused to hear those petitions. “In many cases, bail has been denied by the High Court or even sometimes by the Supreme Court,” Bhushan said. The Supreme Court “has been abdicating its responsibility [by] denying bail in obvious cases where the charge is bogus.” Bhushan said the Supreme Court was “absolutely faulty” in its “interpretation of the draconian provisions of bail” under the UAPA. The “normal principle” is that “bail is the rule, jail is the exception.” Bail can only be denied if there were reasonable grounds to believe the accused would “flee,” “tamper” with the evidence or commit a crime. Bhushan slammed the Supreme Court for last month upholding the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) “reversed” the “burden of proof.” Now anyone accused under PMLA would need to” prove innocence” to get bail. “It is virtually impossible before trial for anybody to prove his innocence before even the trial begins.” Bhushan also criticized the Supreme Court for its recent ruling that ignored evidence against Modi’s complicity in a pogrom against Muslims in Gujarat state in 2002 and virtually ordered the arrest of human rights defender Teesta Setalvad who had long exposed Modi’s role in that violence 20 years ago. This ruling showed that the Court had taken the abdication of its responsibility to a “different level,” Bhushan said. He also criticized the Supreme Court’s ruling last month that rejected testimonies from indigenous people in Chhattisgarh state that the police had carried out mass killings.

Reports

IAMC Submission at Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission hearing

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IAMC submitted written remarks on the persecution of religious minorities in India at the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission (TLHRC) hearing on discrimination and persecution against Muslims around the globe. [pdf-embedder url="http://3.145.57.38/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/IAMC-Submission.pdf" title="IAMC Submission"] Click Here to download

Press Release

Maryland House Of Delegates Issues Citation To Mark 75th Anniversary Of India’s Independence From British Colonial Rule

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House Speaker Adrienne Jones Celebrates I-Day With Indian Americans FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington, DC (August 8, 2022)  – The Maryland state legislature has issued a citation recognizing the 75th anniversary of India’s independence from British colonial rule in 1947. Adrienne Jones, the Speaker of Maryland’s House of Delegates, presented the citation at a celebratory event in Baltimore County on Saturday. The document recognized those who fought for Indian independence and how the nation “has shared with the world its unique and vibrant culture” during the past 75 years “I wish you much success as you move toward your next milestone,” Jones said as she presented the citation to the International Society for Peace and Justice (ISPJ), a human rights nonprofit that organized the event. Remembering India’s iconic freedom struggle led by Mahatma Gandhi in the 20th century, Dr. Rehan Khan, ISPJ president, said “everybody came together to achieve independence” from British rule.   Indian Americans from Maryland and Washington, D.C. joined the celebration, held at the New Life Healthy Living in Windsor Mill, to hear from distinguished speakers on India’s history as a democratic and pluralist nation, and partake in music and dinner. Other human rights organizations joined the event, such as the Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) and the Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations of North America (FIACONA). Arriving in India as merchants at the start of the 17th century, the British firmed up their rule over the next century-and-a-half. India became a British dominion in 1857 after a rebellion was brutally crushed. Ninety years later, India was freed on August 15, 1947, after decades of struggle led by Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru, who became free India’s first prime minister. On that day, India was also partitioned, with the Muslim-majority country of Pakistan coming into existence. In 1950, India became a republic and adopted a pluralist and democratic Constitution that gave equal rights to all citizens regardless of faith and other identity markers. “India’s Constitution guaranteed there would be no discrimination on the basis of caste, creed, color or sex,” Ajit Sahi, IAMC Advocacy Director, said. “India was, is, and will be a pluralist nation that belongs to everybody.” But today, the Constitution and its guarantee of pluralism and equality for all is threatened as Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government pursues Hindu supremacist policies preferred by his Bharatiya Janata Party, a far-right organization. The BJP is the political arm of the  Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, a fraternal organization formed in 1925 with the goal of making India a Hindu nation. It was inspired by fascist movements in Europe in the 1930s, and a man with ties to the RSS assassinated Mahatma Gandhi in 1948. Modi is a long-time RSS member. Religious minority groups, such as Christians, Muslims, and Sikhs, have faced discrimination, hate speech, and mob violence on Modi’s watch. Calls for the genocide of Muslims are increasingly being issued in India. Modi is accused of doing little to stop violations of human rights and religious freedom. “We are facing a time in India, after 75 years of India’s freedom, when a few people have acquired the power, and the majority of the people do not have the capacity to resist,” Sahi said. He cited Gandhi’s remarks from 1925 on the concept of “swaraj,” or self-rule: “Real swaraj will come, not by the acquisition of authority by a few, but by the acquisition of the capacity by all to resist authority when it is abused.” Dr. Sangeeta Simlote performed a number of patriotic Indian songs to the delight of the audience. She closed the evening with India’s national anthem, “Jana Gana Mana.” Simlote noted how Indians are proud of their heritage, including giving the world the numeral “zero.” She also expressed her love for the U.S. and pride “to be in America as Indians.” “We respect everybody,” she said of the U.S. “Human beings are valued here, like nowhere else.” For more information, please contact the International Society for Peace and Justice at info@ispj.org. You also can call President Dr. Rehan Khan or Outreach Director David Anderson at 443-721-6845.

Press Release

सिद्दीक़ कप्पन की ज़मानत अर्ज़ी की नामंज़ूरी दुर्भाग्यपूर्ण; भारत में मुस्लिमों के लिए इंसाफ़ पाना मुश्किल होता जा रहा है: इंडियन अमेरिकन मुस्लिम काउंसिल

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE वाशिंगटन डीसी (6 अगस्त 2022) – अमेरिका स्थित एडवोकेसी संगठन इंडियन अमेरिकन मुस्लिम काउंसिल (IAMC) ने कहा है कि जेल में बंद पत्रकार सिद्दीक़ कप्पन की ज़मानत अर्ज़ी को नामंज़ूर करने का इलाहाबाद हाईकोर्ट का फ़ैसला दुर्भाग्यपूर्ण है और ये दिखाता है कि भारतीय अदालतों में अल्पसंख्यकों को इंसाफ़ मिलना मुश्किल होता जा रहा है. सिद्दीक़ कप्पन और उनके साथियों को उत्तर प्रदेश पुलिस ने अक्टूबर 2020 में हाथरस जाते हुए गिरफ़्तार कर लिया था. वे हाथरस में एक दलित लड़की के बलात्कार और बर्बर हत्या की रिपोर्टिंग करने जा रहे थे. मुख्यमंत्री योगी आदित्यनाथ की सरकार ने कप्पन पर हिंसा भड़काने और क़ानून-व्यवस्था की हालत ख़राब करने की साज़िश का आरोप लगाया है. कप्पन पर अवैध गतिविधि निरोधक अधिनियम (यूएपीए) की धाराओं के साथ-साथ देशद्रोह और समुदायों के बीच झगड़ा कराने जैसी अन्य धाराएँ भी लगाई गई हैं. शुक्रवार को जारी एक विज्ञप्ति में आईएएमसी के अध्यक्ष सय्यद अली ने कहा, “ऐसा लगता है अदालतों को नागरिक अधिकारों की परवाह नहीं रह गयी है और वे भारतीय जनता पार्टी की सरकारों के हिंदुत्ववाद को क़ानूनी जामा पहनाने में जुटी हैं.” गिरफ़्तारी से पहले सिद्दीक़ कप्पन दिल्ली में मलयालम न्यूज़ पोर्टल अज़ीमुख़म के रिपोर्टर की हैसियत से काम कर रहे थे. वो केरल यूनियन ऑफ वर्किंग जर्नलिस्ट (KUWJ) की दिल्ली शाखा के सेक्रेटरी भी हैं. दुनिया भर के पत्रकार संगठनों और मानवाधिकार संगठनों ने कप्पन की गिरफ़्तारी को ग़लत बताया है. एमनेस्टी इंटरनेशनल ने कहा है कि “कप्पन पर लगाये गये आरोप आधारहीन हैं. सरकार को चाहिए कि पत्रकारों को निशाना बनाना बंद करे.” कमेटी टू प्रोटेक्ट जर्नलिस्ट (सीपीजे) ने कप्पन का हवाला देते हुए यूरोपीय संघ से आग्रह किया है कि वो प्रेस की स्वतंत्रता के उल्लंघन के लिए भारत को जवाबदेह ठहराए. लेकिन कप्पन के ख़िलाफ़ क़ानूनी जकड़न लगातार तेज़ होती गई है. पिछले साल मथुरा की एक अदालत ने उनकी ज़मानत याचिका रद्द कर दी थी. इसके बाद कप्पन ने इलाहाबाद हाईकोर्ट में ज़मानत की अर्ज़ी दी थी. 4 अगस्त को इलाहाबाद हाईकोर्ट के जज कृष्णा पहल ने सिद्दीक़ कप्पन की ज़मानत याचिका नामंज़ूर करते हुए कहा कि जब कप्पन को “हाथरस में कोई काम नहीं था” तो उनका वहाँ आना संदेहास्पद है. जज पहल ने पुलिस की चार्जशीट का हवाला देते हुए कहा कि कप्पन पर ग़ैर-क़ानूनी तरह से पैसे उगाही करने का और हिंसा को बढ़ावा देने का आरोप है. “यह अफ़सोस की बात है कि हाईकोर्ट ने यूपी पुलिस की गढ़ी गई कहानी पर यक़ीन कर लिया,” आईएमसी के सय्यद अली ने कहा. “ कप्पन के साथ हो रहा सुलूक मोदी राज में अल्पसंख्यकों की हालत का बयान है.” सय्यद अली ने कहा भारतीय पत्रकार देश में ही नहीं, विदेश में जाकर भी रिपोर्टिंग करते रहते हैं. पत्रकार के नाते कप्पन को पूरा हक़ है कि वो हाथऱस जैसे बर्बर कांड की हक़ीक़त को परखें और असलियत बताएँ. उन्होंने कहा “भारतीय संविधान हर नागरिक को बग़ैर रोक-टोक के देश भर में जाने की आज़ादी देता है.” आईएमसी ने कहा कप्पन को फ़र्ज़ी आरोपों के तहत आतंकवादी साबित करने की कोशिश हो रही है और अदालत “संभावना” और “आशंका” के आधार पर उन्हें सच मान रही है जबकि अभी ट्रायल भी पूरा नहीं हुआ. आईएएमसी ने कहा कि जेल में भी कप्पन के साथ बुरा सुलूक किया जा रहा है. केरल यूनियन ऑफ़ वर्किंग जर्नलिस्ट ने भी कप्पन के साथ जेल में हो रहे अमानवीय व्यवहार पर सवाल उठाया है. पिछले साल कप्पन को कोविड हुआ था तो उन्हें इलाज मुहैया कराने के लिए सुप्रीम कोर्ट तक का दरवाजा खटखटाना पड़ा था, जबकि एक क़ैदी के रूप में इलाज हासिल करना उनका कानूनी हक़ था. आईएएमसी ने कहा कई देशों के दबाव के बाद पैगंबर मोहम्मद साहब के ख़िलाफ़ अपमानजनक भाषा का इस्तेमाल करने वाली बीजेपी प्रवक्ता नूपुर शर्मा के ख़िलाफ़ एफ़आईआर तो दर्ज हुआ लेकिन उसे कभी गिरफ़्तार नहीं किया गया. अब सुप्रीम कोर्ट ने उसकी गिरफ़्तारी पर रोक भी लगा दी है. उधर, फ़ैक्ट चेक करने वाली वेबसाइट ‘आल्ट न्यूज़’ के सहसंस्थापक मोहम्मद ज़ुबैर को सेंसर एक हिंदी फ़िल्म का टुकड़ा ट्वीट करने के लिए गिरफ़्तार कर लिया गया था और कई दिनों तक जेल में रहने के बाद ज़मानत मिल सकी थी. संगठन ने कहा कि ज्यूडिशरी के इस दोहरे रवैये पर पूरी दुनिया की नज़र है. आईएएमसी ने कहा कि मोदी राज में भारतीय मीडिया लगातार सरकारी दबाव में काम रहा है. इसी का नतीजा है कि ‘रिपोर्टर्स विदाउट बॉर्डर्स’ द्वारा इस साल जारी वर्ल्ड प्रेस फ्रीडम इंडेक्स में 180 देशों की सूची में भारत 150वें स्थान पर आ गया है. पिछले साल भारत 142वें स्थान पर था. भारत कभी लोकतंत्र और आज़ाद मीडिया को लेकर गर्व करता था, लेकिन बीजेपी की सरकार आने के बाद स्थिति उलट गयी है. सिद्दीक कप्पन का पहला गुनाह ये है कि वे बतौर पत्रकार यूपी की योगी सरकार के ज़ुल्म की कहानी सामने लाना चाहते हैं और दूसरा ये कि वे मुसलमान हैं. बीजेपी की नज़र में ये दोहरा अपराध है जिसकी सज़ा उन्हें मिल रही है. सय्यद अली ने कहा कि धार्मिक स्वतंत्रता की स्थिति पर नज़र रखने वाले यूनाइटेड स्टेट्स कमीशन ऑन इंटरनेशनल रिलीजियस फ्रीडम (यूएससीआईआरएफ) ने लगातार तीसरे साल अमेरिकी विदेश विभाग को भारत को ‘विशेष चिंता वाले देश’ की सूची में रखने की सिफारिश की है. इस सूची में अफ़गानिस्तान, पाकिस्तान, बर्मा, चीन, रूस, ईरान, सऊदी अरब, सीरिया और उत्तर कोरिया समेत 15 देश हैं. यह भारतीय संविधान के धर्मनिरपेक्षता के संकल्प के बारे में दुखद टिप्पणी है. यूएससीआईआरएफ़ ने कप्पन को भारत में हो रहे मानवाधिकार और धार्मिक अधिकारों के हनन का पीड़ित भी बताया है. आईएएमसी ने कहा है सिद्दीक़ कप्पन के मामले को वह मानवाधिकार और नागिरक अधिकारों से जुड़े तमाम वैश्विक मंचों पर उठायेगा. Read this in English here: https://test.iamc.com/indian-americans-condemn-denial-of-bail-to-prisoner-of-conscience-muslim-journalist-siddique-kappan/  

Press Release

Indian Americans Condemn Denial Of Bail To Prisoner Of Conscience Muslim Journalist Siddique Kappan

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington, DC (August 6, 2022) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), an advocacy organization dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, has criticized the decision of an Indian court to deny bail to Siddique Kappan, a Muslim journalist who is a prisoner of conscience since his arrest on false charges two years ago in Uttar Pradesh. On Thursday, Allahabad High Court judge Krishan Pahal said Kappan “had no work in Hathras and, therefore, his sojourn with persons (in Hathras) who do not belong to the media fraternity is a crucial circumstance going against him.” Virtually accepting the talking points of the police, the judge said Kappan’s defense that he was visiting Hathras as a journalist “stands nullified by the averments in the chargesheet.” The judge also accepted the allegations that Kappan used “tainted money” to incite violence. “It is shocking that the Allahabad High Court has decided to deny bail to Kappan saying he had “no business” to be in Uttar Pradesh,” said Syed Ali, IAMC President. “Under India’s Constitution, all citizens have every right to travel across the country, especially as journalists whose job it is to investigate and report.” Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s Hindu supremacist government arrested Kappan in October 2020 as he traveled to Mathura city to report on the rape-murder of a Dalit girl. Since then, Kappan has been repeatedly denied judicial relief. “It should concern us all that there is now a dangerous trend in India’s judiciary to accept the police’s version even when the trial has not been completed and the trial court is yet to rule on the prosecution’s claim against an accused,” Ali said. The real reason, Ali said, that Kappan was targeted was that he was a Muslim and a courageous journalist who did not kowtow to the state’s ruling Hindu supremacist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) which is engaging in widespread persecution of the state’s 38 million Muslims. It also appears that the Indian judiciary had separate sets of rules for Hindu and Muslim journalists. Last month, India’s Supreme Court stepped in to prevent the arrest of journalist Rohit Ranjan of Zee News, who wilfully defamed opposition leader Rahul Gandhi by running a false news story about him, for which Ranjan had to apologize. “Time and again the courts have shielded Hindus calling for a genocide of Muslims, for running openly vicious and hate-filled reporting against Muslims, especially on television,” said IAMC Executive Director Rasheed Ahmed. “BJP leaders who have defamed Islam’s Prophet continue to have the protection of the court from arrest or any criminal prosecution.” Kappan’s arrest has also been widely condemned internationally. The United States Commission for International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), an autonomous US federal commission, has named Kappan as a Victim of Freedom of Religion and Belief in India. Leading global rights-based organizations and watchdogs such as Amnesty International, Committee to Protect Journalists, and Reporters Without Borders have also flagged his case as one of outright persecution. Siddique had moved to the High Court after the trial court had rejected his bail application in July 2021. He has been falsely charged under the draconian Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) which is widely abused across India against Muslims, human rights defenders, and critics of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu supremacist federal government. Kappan is also falsely accused without any evidence of raising funds to run a website and for carrying a dossier on imparting training “to incite violence.” The police have also falsely accused him of being a member of the Muslim organization, the Popular Front of India (PFI), even though he only worked as a journalist with the PFI’s newspaper. In any case, the PFI is not a banned organization, so accusing Kappan of criminal conduct merely for alleged association with it did not stand up to legal scrutiny. The IAMC urged the Supreme Court of India to immediately intervene and bail Kappan as it did with Muhammad Zubair, the fact-checker with AltNews who was arrested in June and set free days later. “The release of Muhammad Zubair rekindled a hope in us that not the entire judiciary system of India is ‘Modi-fied’,” said Ahmed.

Press Release

धारा 370 हटाने के बाद पिछले तीन सालों में कश्मीर में मूल अधिकारों और लोकतंत्र की हत्या हो चुकी है: इंडियन अमेरिकन मुस्लिम काउंसिल

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE वाशिंगटन डीसी (5 अगस्त 2022) – जानेमाने अमेरिकी मानवाधिकार संगठन इंडियन अमेरिकन मुस्लिम काउंसिल (IAMC) ने कहा है कि तीन साल पहले धारा 370 हटाए जाने के बाद से जम्मू-कश्मीर में मानवाधिकारों का उल्लंघन चरम पर पहुंच गया है और आम नागरिक को जम कर सताया जा रहा है. अधिकार ख़त्म हो चुके हैं और लोकतंत्र की हत्या हो चुकी है. शुक्रवार को अमेरिका की राजधानी वाशिंगटन डीसी जारी एक विज्ञप्ति में आईएएमसी अध्यक्ष सय्यद अली ने कहा कि जबकि प्रधानमंत्री नरेंद्र मोदी ने तीन साल पहले ये दावा किया था कि धारा 370 हटाने से कश्मीर में सुधार आएगा, सच ये है कि सुरक्षाबलों की संगीनों के साये में रह रहे आम लोग मूल अधिकारों से ही वंचित हो चुके हैं. “धारा 370 हटाने के बाद से एंकाउंटर के नाम पर मासूमों की हत्याएँ हो रही हैं. रातोंरात लोग उठा लिए जा रहे हैं और उनका कोई पता नहीं चल रहा है,” सय्यद अली ने कहा. “सैंकड़ों मासूम लोगों को बग़ैर वजह जेल भेज दिया गया है. पुलिस कस्टडी और जेलों में लोगों को यातना दी गई. महीनों इंटरनेट पर बैन रहा. अपने ही सूबे में लोग खुल कर घूम नहीं सकते हैं. एक जगह जमा नहीं हो सकते हैं. मस्जिदें तक बंद कर दी गई हैं.” सय्यद अली ने कहा धारा 370 हटाने से मोदी की भारतीय जनता पार्टी की मुस्लिम-विरोधी मंशा को भले ही सुकून पहुँचा हो लेकिन कश्मीर के लोगों की ज़िंदगी में अँधेरा और पसरा है. ज्ञात रहे कि तीन साल पहले आज के ही दिन 5 अगस्त 2019 को मोदी सरकार ने एक झटके में कश्मीर से संवैधानिक धारा 370 हटा दी थी और जम्मू-कश्मीर का राज्य का दर्जा ही ख़त्म कर दिया था. तबसे मोदी सरकार दुनिया के सामने झूठ बोल रही है कि कश्मीर में हालात सामान्य हैं जबकि असलियत ठीक विपरीत है. पूर्व मुख्यमंत्रियों तक को ही अपने घरों में नज़रबंद किया गया है और विरोध की हर आवाज़ का दमन किया गया है. सय्यद अली ने भारतीय सुप्रीम कोर्ट की आलोचना करते हुए कहा कि कोर्ट ने ख़ुद 2018 में कहा था कि धारा 370 भारतीय संविधान का अभिन्न अंग है जिसे हटाया नहीं जा सकता है. लेकिन तीन साल बाद आज वही अदालत धारा 370 हटाने के मोदी को फ़ैसले के ख़िलाफ़ सुनवाई तक करने को तैयार नहीं है. ये वही सुप्रीम कोर्ट है जो मुसलमानों के ख़िलाफ़ नफ़रत फैलाने वाले हिंदू टीवी ऐंकर अर्णव गोस्वामी और मुसलमानों के नरसंहार का आह्वान करने वाले हिंदू संतों को  गिरफ़्तारी से बचा ले जाता है. सैय्यद अली ने कहा कि जम्मू-कश्मीर के लोगों की मर्ज़ी के बग़ैर धारा 370 हटाने के साथ-साथ मोदी सरकार ने राज्य को दो भागों में भी बाँट दिया था. उस वक़्त सरकार ने वादा किया था कि वो जल्द ही दोबारा जम्मू-कश्मीर को पूर्ण राज्य का दर्जा देगी और चुनाव कराएगी लेकिन ये दोनों वायदे तीन साल बाद भी पूरे नहीं किए गए हैं. दुनिया के जानेमाने मानवाधिकार संगठन ह्यूमन राइट्स वॉच (HRW) द्वारा कल जारी किए गए उस बयान का भी सैय्यद अली ने स्वागत किया जिसमें कहा गया है कि धारा 370 हटाने के बाद से जम्मू-कश्मीर में स्वतंत्र अभिव्यक्ति, शांतिपूर्ण सभा और अन्य दूसरे नागरिक अधिकार प्रतिबंधित हैं और सरकार की दमनकारी नीतियों और सुरक्षा बलों की ज़्यादतियों की जाँच और मुक़दमा चलाने में नाकामी ने कश्मीरियों में असुरक्षा बढ़ा दी है. एचआरडब्लू ने ये भी कहा है कि धारा 370 हटाये जाने के बाद आतंकवाद ख़त्म होने का दावा किया जा रहा है जबकि इन तीन सालों में 118 नागरिकों की हत्या हुई है जिनमें 21 हिंदू और सिख थे और बाक़ी मुस्लिम थे. सैय्यद अली ने कहा जम्मू-कश्मीर में राजनीतिक कार्यकर्ताओं का ही नहीं मानवाधिकार कार्यकर्ताओं और पत्रकारों का दमन भी जारी है. उन्हें पेशेवर काम के लिए विदेश जाने से भी रोका जा रहा है. आम लोगों को कर्फ़्यू के साये में रहना पड़ रहा है. सरकार की ओर से तरक्की और ख़ुशहाली के बड़े-बड़े दावे किये जा रहे हैं जबकि राज्य की बेरोज़गारी दर 20.2 फ़ीसदी हो चुकी है जो 2018 में 12.7 फ़ीसदी थी. “हालत ये है कि जिन कश्मीरी पंडितों का चेहरा सामने करके बीजेपी ने पूरे देश में सांप्रदायिक ध्रुवीकरण करके वोटों की फ़सल काटी है, वे भी ख़फ़ा हैं. उनकी सुरक्षा और रोज़गार को लेकर भी मोदी सरकार कुछ करने में नाकाम रही है. 370 हटाने के साथ मोदी सरकार ने जितने भी वादे किये थे वो सभी तीन साल बाद अधूरे हैं.” सैय्यद अली ने मांग की जेल भेजे गए कश्मीरी कार्यकर्ताओं, जैसे ख़ुर्रम परवेज़, और पत्रकारों, जैसे फ़हाद शाह, आसिफ़ सुल्तान और सज्जाद गुल, को भारत सरकार फ़ौरन रिहा करे. Read this in English here: https://test.iamc.com/three-years-after-art-370-revocation-indian-americans-condemn-escalating-human-rights-violations-in-kashmir/

Press Release

Three Years After Art. 370 Revocation, Indian Americans Condemn Escalating Human Rights Violations In Kashmir

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington, DC (August 5, 2022) – Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), an advocacy organization dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, today said civil and political liberties, human rights, and religious freedom in Jammu and Kashmir had sharply declined since India stripped the region of its statehood and autonomy three years ago. When on August 5, 2019, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu supremacist government revoked the Article 370 of the Indian constitution that gave the region its autonomous status, an already bad situation was made worse, the IAMC said in a statement. “Extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, prolonged detention, torture, internet bans, severe restrictions on freedom of movement and peaceful assembly, and other forms of persecution of Kashmir’s eight million Muslims have escalated over the last three years. The fears of the global civil rights community have come true,”  IAMC president Syed Ali said. Making tall claims about ensuring security and reforms, the Modi government had three years ago also ended J&K’s statehood and bifurcated it into two separate federally governed territories. Since then, the government has tried to whitewash its terrible record of governance in Kashmir by painting a false and rosy picture, Ali said. “Kashmiri citizens have suffered unprecedented persecution due to the increased militaristic response to suppress their democratic aspirations since August 2019,” Ali said. “Scores of political rights activists and even politicians such as former chief ministers were jailed or put under house arrest. Every voice of dissent is gagged.” Ali also criticized India’s Supreme Court for failing to take up the many petitions before it that have challenged the rescinding of its autonomy. “The Supreme Court itself had in 2018 ruled that Article 370 had acquired the status of being a permanent part of India’s Constitution and that it cannot be abrogated,” Ali said. “And yet, ever since Modi summarily revoked it just a year later, the Supreme Court has failed to take up challenges to that decision even though it violates the court’s clearcut ruling.” Welcoming a statement from Human Rights Watch (HRW), a global watchdog, Ali also said the organization’s reports had “nailed the lies” of the Modi administration, which falsely claimed the situation in India’s only Muslim-majority province had improved. “The HRW report has exposed how the Indian Army has engaged in extrajudicial killings of hundreds of innocent Kashmiri Muslims in the name of fighting terrorism,” Ali said. The HRW report said Modi’s repressive policies and failure to investigate and prosecute alleged security force abuses had increased insecurity among Kashmiris. The report also called out India’s intensified crackdown on news outlets and civil society groups. HRW’s South Asia Director Meenakshi Ganguly said Indian authorities “appear to be more concerned with projecting an image of normalcy than ensuring rights and accountability. The government needs to end the assault on fundamental freedoms and act to protect minority groups at risk.” Ali demanded that the Indian government immediately free kashmiri journalists and activists including Fahad Shah, Aasif Sultan, Sajad Gul, and globally recognized human rights defender Khurram Parvez, who was arrested in November on false charges of terrorism, as well as hundreds of others who have not even been charged with any crime.

Press Release

पूर्व फ़ेसबुक कर्मचारियों ने कहा भारत सरकार के दबाव के चलते फ़ेसबुक ने अपनी मानवाधिकार रिपोर्ट से नफ़रत फैलाने में बीजेपी की भूमिका का ज़िक्र हटाया

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE / प्रकाशनार्थ वाशिंगटन डी.सी. (जुलाई 29, 2022) – दुनिया भर में नफ़रत फैलाने में फ़ेसबुक की भूमिका का पर्दाफ़ाश करने वाली दो पूर्व कर्मचारियों ने फ़ेसबुक चलाने वाली कंपनी मेटा की पहली मानवाधिकार रिपोर्ट की जम कर निंदा की है क्योंकि इस रिपोर्ट में भारत में नफ़रत फैलाने में फ़ेसबुक की और भारतीय जनता पार्टी की भूमिका का ज़िक्र तक नहीं है. इन पूर्व कर्मचारियों ने कहा है भारत सरकार के दबाव में मेटा ने अपनी रिपोर्ट से ये बात गोल कर दी है कि बीजेपी से जुड़े लोग, जिनमें सांसद भी हैं, नफ़रत भरे एकाउंट्स चलाते हैं और फ़ेसबुक जानबूझकर उनके ख़िलाफ़ एक्शन नहीं लेता है. चौदह जुलाई को मेटा ने अपनी पहली वैश्विक मानवाधिकार प्रभाव आकलन (Human Rights Impact Assessment) रिपोर्ट जारी की. इस रिपोर्ट में मेटा ने दावा किया है कि वो दुनिया भर में मानवाधिकार सुरक्षित करने के लिए भरपूर कदम उठाती है और नफ़रत भरे एकाउंट्स और पोस्टों के ख़िलाफ़ लगातार कार्रवाई करती है. लेकिन फ़्रांसेस हॉगेन और सोफी ज़ैंग नाम की इन पूर्व कर्मचारियों ने मेटा के दावे को झूठा बताते हुए आरोप लगाया कि मेटा मुनाफ़े को प्राथमिकता देती है और नफ़रत से लड़ने कोशिश नहीं करती है बल्कि नफ़रत को बढ़ावा देती है. इस सप्ताह अमेरिका में अट्ठारह मानवाधिकार संगठनों द्वारा आयोजित एक संसदीय ब्रीफ़िंग में हॉगेन ने कहा, “मेटा की रिपोर्ट दावा करती है कि कंपनी ने निरीक्षण बोर्ड बनाए हैं जहाँ लोग अपील कर सकते हैं, और कंपनी पूरी पारदर्शिता के साथ काम करती है. लेकिन सच्चाई ये है कि इस बाबत बुनियादी डाटा देने तक को मेटा तैयार नहीं है कि अलग-अलग भाषाओं में उसने कौन से मॉडरेशन सिस्टम लगाए हैं और उनका प्रदर्शन कैसा रहा है.” पिछले दो सालों में हॉगेन और ज़ैंग ने खुलेआम ये आरोप लगाया था कि फ़ेसबुक पूरी दुनिया में नफ़रत को बढ़ावा देता है और तानाशाह सरकारों का साथ देता है. उनके इन दावों के चलते फ़ेसबुक ने दोनों को नौकरी से निकाल दिया था. अमेरिकी प्रतिभूति एवं विनिमय आयोग (US Securities & Exchange Commission) के साथ हॉगेन ने पिछले साल फ़ेसबुक के हज़ारों दस्तावेज साझा किए थे जिसके बाद वो रातोंरात अंतरराष्ट्रीय सेलेब्रिटी बन गई थीं. मानवाधिकारों की रक्षा करने और नफ़रत को रोकने के मेटा के दावों को खारिज करते हुए हॉगेन ने कहा फ़ेसबुक ने कंटेंट मॉडरेशन — यानी पोस्टों पर नज़र रखने और नफ़रत वाली पोस्टों को हटाने की क़वायद — के लिए न्यूनतम निवेश किया है. “एक्टिविस्टों की पोस्टें हटाई जा रही हैं. लेकिन हम यह भी नहीं देख सकते हैं कि ये सिस्टम कैसे काम करता है.” हॉगेन ने कहा मेटा की रिपोर्ट अमेरिका को हाईलाइट करती है मगर अमेरिका में “फ़ेसबुक का सबसे साफ-सुथरा संस्करण है जबकि ग़ैर-अंग्रेज़ी भाषाओं के कंटेंट पर फ़ेसबुक कम नज़र रखता है और ख़र्च भी कम करता है.” फ़ेसबुक में प्रोडक्ट मैनेजर के रूप में काम कर चुकी हॉगेन ने बताया कि कलह और फ़साद वाले देशों में फ़ेसबुक ने जब -जब सबसे ज़्यादा शेयर होने वाली पोस्टों जांच की तो पाया कि उनमें भयानक हिंसा, जैसे कटे हुए सिर, होते थे. हॉगेन ने कहा “हम आपस में चर्चा करते थे कि ऐसा कैसे हो रहा है? इन्हें इतना प्रसार क्यों मिल रहा है? दरअसल फ़ेसबुक का डिज़ाइन ही ऐसा है कि भड़काऊ पोस्टें ज़्यादा से ज़्यादा लोगों तक पहुंचती हैं. फ़ेसबुक का अल्गोरिथ्म मूलतः बहुसंख्यकवादी है.” जिन पोस्टों को ज़्यादा लोग लाइक और शेयर करते हैं “उनका ज़्यादा प्रसार होता है.” हॉगेन ने कहा, “बग़ैर फ़ेसबुक के सक्रिय सहयोग के मानवाधिकारों की सुरक्षा पर विचार-विमर्श नहीं हो सकता है.” फ़र्ज़ी पोस्टों का मुकाबला करने में फ़ेसबुक की विफलता उजागर करने पर 2020 में डाटा साइंटिस्ट के पद से बर्ख़ास्त की जाने वाली सोफ़ी ज़ैंग ने कहा फ़ेसबुक के काम में दुनिया भर में “सबसे ज़्यादा राजनीतिक हस्तक्षेप” भारत में होता है. और पूरी दुनिया में जिस सरकार के सामने फ़ेसबुक सबसे ज़्यादा झुकता है वो भारत है. उसकी वजह ये है कि भारत सरकार फ़ेसबुक के ख़िलाफ़ कार्रवाई करने को हमेशा तत्पर रहती है और जनता की ओर से फ़ेसबुक को समर्थन नहीं मिलता है. ज़ैंग ने कहा “नफ़रत के ख़िलाफ़ कार्रवाई न करना ही फ़ेसबुक का तानाशाहों को तोहफ़ा है. फ़ेसबुक सत्ताधारी का साथ देता है. जो फ़ेसबुक पर दबाव बना कर उसे सही करने के लिए सशक्त हैं वो ऐसा करना नहीं चाहते हैं. और जो ऐसा करना चाहते हैं वो सशक्त नहीं है.” ज़ैंग ने कहा भारत में फ़ेसबुक पर नफ़रत और फ़ेक न्यूज़ को रोकने में अगर मेटा नाकाम रहा तो इसके गंभीर परिणाम होंगे. “भारतीय लोकतंत्र के विनाश में अगर फ़ेसबुक अहम भूमिका निभाएगा तो न केवल इसका भारत और अमेरिका के रिश्ते पर बुरा असर पड़ेगा, इससे अमेरिका के अंतरराष्ट्रीय हितों का भी नुकसान होगा.” ज़ैंग ने याद दिलाया कि कुछ साल पहले उन्होंने भारत में ऐसे फ़र्ज़ी फ़ेसबुक एकाउंट्स का पर्दाफ़ाश किया था जो नफ़रत फैलाते थे. लेकिन मेटा ने उनके ख़िलाफ़ कार्रवाई करने से इसलिए इंकार कर दिया था क्योंकि वो एकाउंट्स एक बीजेपी सांसद से जुड़े थे. जैसे ही ये बात सामने आई फ़ेसबुक के अधिकारियों ने ज़ैंग से इस बारे में बात करना ही बंद कर दिया. ज़ैंग ने कहा “ऐसा लगा कि उन्होंने मेरे इर्द-गिर्द पत्थर की दीवार खड़ी कर दी है. फ़ेसबुक उन एकाउंट्स को बंद नहीं चाहता था क्योंकि वो एक महत्वपूर्ण सासंद से डरे हुए थे. फ़ेसबुक को लोकतंत्र बचाने की परवाह नहीं है. वो सिर्फ़ मुनाफ़ा देखता है. इसीलिए फ़ेसबुक सत्ताधारी पार्टी के सामने झुका रहता है.” इस संसदीय ब्रीफ़िंग का आयोजन करने वाले संगठनों के नाम हैं जेनोसाइड वाच, वर्ल्ड विदाउट जेनोसाइड, इंडियन अमेरिकन मुस्लिम काउंसिल, हिंदूज़ फ़ॉर ह्यूमन राइट्स, इंटरनेशनल क्रिश्चियन कंसर्न, जुबली कैंपेन, 21विल्बरफ़ोर्स, दलित सॉलिडेरिटी फ़ोरम, न्यूयॉर्क स्टेट काउंसिल ऑफ़ चर्चेज़, फ़ेडरेशन ऑफ़ इंडियन अमेरिकन क्रिश्चियन आर्गेनाइज़ेशंस ऑफ़ नॉर्थ अमेरिका, इंडिया सिविल वॉच इंटरनेशनल, सेंटर फ़ॉर प्लूरलिज़्म, इंटरनेशनल कमीशन फ़ॉर दलित राइट्स, अमेरिकन मुस्लिम इंस्टीट्यूशन, स्टूडेंट्स अगेन्स्ट हिंदुत्व आयडियोलॉजी, इंटरनेशनल सोसायटी फ़ॉर पीस एंड जस्टिस, द ह्युमनिज़्म प्रोजेक्ट, और एसोसिएशन ऑफ़ इंडियन मुस्लिम्स ऑफ़ अमेरिका. Read this in English here: https://test.iamc.com/whistleblowers-frances-haugen-sophie-zhang-slam-metas-human-rights-report-for-ignoring-facebooks-role-in-spreading-hate-speech-in-india/

Press Release

Whistleblowers Frances Haugen, Sophie Zhang slam Meta’s Human Rights Report for ignoring Facebook’s role in spreading hate speech in India

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington, DC (July 28, 2022) – Facebook employees-turned-whistleblowers Frances Haugen and Sophie Zhang have slammed a human rights report from Meta, the company that owns Facebook, for failing to acknowledge its role in spreading disinformation and hate speech in India, especially from those belonging to India’s ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). That Meta’s first-ever global Human Rights Impact Assessment (HRIA) report released earlier this month had failed to address its complicity in the spread of disinformation in India underscored that the social media giant prioritized profit over combating hate, Haugen and Zhang said at a Congressional Briefing organized on Wednesday. Haugen, who turned a global celebrity last year upon sharing tens of thousands of incriminating documents with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, dismissed Meta’s claim of protecting human rights and providing remedies for negative impacts. “Facebook’s report points [that] they have an oversight board that people can appeal to, that they’re transparent about what they take down,” Haugen said during the virtual Briefing. “But the reality is that they won’t give us even very basic data on what content moderation systems exist in which languages and the performance of those systems.” Facebook had “under-invested” in high-quality content moderation systems and “rolled out the bare minimum” for them, she said. “They won’t even let us see samples of how these systems perform [as] activists are having their content taken down.” The only country you can actually read about in Meta’s report is the US, which has the “safest, most sanitized version of Facebook… the cleanest corner of Facebook.” On the other hand, Non-English languages “get less investment [and] quality assessment.” Facebook’s own regular checks of the top ten posts in countries facing conflict found that “post after post would be horrific [with] gory images, severed heads… We would sit there and discuss, like, how did this get through? Why was this getting the most distribution?” Haugen said of her time as a product manager with Facebook’s civic integrity department. “Facebook’s products are designed to give the most reach to the most extreme content,” and its algorithms were “intrinsically majoritarian” as the content that gets a better reaction from the majority gets “more distribution… Human rights and Facebook are intertwined. We can’t advance human rights, [and] we can’t have safe discourse unless Facebook actively participates and has a relationship with the public,” Haugen said. Fired from Facebook in 2020 as a data scientist after she exposed its failure to combat fake and abusive content, Zhang said Facebook faced “the most political interference in India” and was “most deferential” to the Indian government because of India’s “increased willingness” to threaten action and “the lack of public reaction” in support of a “tougher line” in India. “Facebook has effectively conducted a massive donation in kind to authoritarian governments by refusing to act and allowing their bad behavior to continue,” Zhang said, adding that it was “biased towards those in power.” The people “who can regulate Facebook and force you to change the situation have no incentive to change [it.] The only people who want to change the situation are those not in power who cannot change it.” Facebook’s failure to control hate speech and disinformation in India could have serious consequences. “if Facebook leads to the degradation of democracy in India, that will hurt its relationships with the United States and American interests globally,” she said. Zhang said Meta refused to close fake accounts in India that she uncovered because they were linked to a BJP member of Parliament. “As soon as the discovery was made, I could not get an answer from anyone. It was as if they had stonewalled me,” she said. “Facebook did not want to say yes because they were afraid of any important parliamentary figure.” Facebook cared “not about saving the world and protecting democracy. It cares about its profit. [It] has a strong incentive to be solicitous and deferential towards the ruling party.” The Congressional briefing was co-hosted by Genocide Watch, World Without Genocide, Indian American Muslim Council, Hindus for Human Rights, International Christian Concern, Jubilee Campaign,  21Wilberforce, Dalit Solidarity Forum, New York State Council of Churches, Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations of North America, India Civil Watch International, Center for Pluralism, International Commission for Dalit Rights, American Muslim Institution, Students Against Hindutva Ideology, International Society for Peace and Justice, The Humanism Project and Association of Indian Muslims of America.

Press Release

Indian American Muslim Council seeks immediate release of Indian-American Attorney Asim Ghafoor from detention in UAE

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Attorney unjustly targeted for his pro-democracy activism say Indian Americans FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington, DC (July 16, 2022) – Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) today vehemently condemned the unjustified detention of prominent Indian-American civil rights attorney Asim Ghafoor by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) authorities and called for his immediate release. Ghafoor serves on the board of Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN) and served as a lawyer for slain journalist Jamal Khashoggi as well as his fiance Hatice Cengiz. DAWN has called Ghafoor’s detention a “politically motivated revenge for his association with Khashoggi and DAWN.” On July 14, Ghafoor, a U.S. citizen, was on his way to Istanbul to attend a family wedding when the security agents at the Dubai International Airport detained him from the transit area and drove him to Abu Dhabi. He remains in the Criminal Investigative Division detention facility, based on an “in absentia” conviction on ludicrous charges of “money laundering.” Ghafoor runs a law firm in Virginia and has served as an attorney in several high-profile national security and terrorism cases. “We are extremely concerned about the health and well-being of Mr. Asim Ghafoor and believe this detention is a witch-hunt against Ghafoor for his efforts as an activist for democracy. We call on the UAE authorities to immediately release Ghafoor from detention and send him home to reunite with his family,” said Rasheed Ahmed, Executive Director of IAMC. IAMC urges the US Department of State to take the matter to the top levels of the UAE government to ensure Ghafoor’s expedited release. We also urge President Joe Biden to raise this issue directly with UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Press Release

International Panel of Human Rights Activists, Parliamentarians, and Scholars Condemn Indian Government’s Arrest of Activist Teesta Setalvad

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Speakers at the press conference included renowned scholar-activist Noam Chomsky, Carnatic vocalist and human rights advocate T.M. Krishna, former Australian senator Lee Rhiannon, and Mahatma Gandhi’s grandson and biographer, Rajmohan Gandhi. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington, DC (July 14, 2022) – At a virtual press conference on Thursday, an international panel of human rights activists, parliamentarians, and scholars forcefully condemned the Indian government’s recent arrest and detention of human rights activist Teesta Setalvad. Setalvad, who was arrested by Gujarat state police on the evening of June 25, has been an outspoken critic of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and has sought to hold Modi accountable for his alleged complicity in the deadly anti-Muslim pogrom that took place in Gujarat in 2002. Her arrest comes alongside the arrest of former Gujarat State Director-General of Police R.B. Sreekumar, who had previously testified about the complicity of authorities in the violence, as well as the arrest of journalist Mohammed Zubair, co-founder of the fact-checking website Alt News. The event was moderated by Hindus for Human Rights Advocacy and Outreach Coordinator Pranay Somayajula, who said that Setalvad’s arrest “demonstrates not only the growing culture of impunity for senior politicians who are accused of complicity in violence, but also highlights the Indian government’s growing crackdown on activists, dissidents, and human rights defenders…For India’s democracy to survive, every political prisoner and every prisoner of conscience must be set free.” Roja Suganthy-Singh, Executive Director of Dalit Solidarity Forum and Board Member of India Civil Watch International, stated that “instead of protecting its citizens, what we see today is that India’s government has resorted to punishment and violence. Husnaa Vhora, Media Associate for Indian American Muslim Council, characterized Setalvad’s arrest as “alarming, but unfortunately not surprising,” and called it “part of Modi’s ongoing crackdown against anyone who dares to criticize him or point out that he has a longstanding history of encouraging brutal violence against minorities.” Calling the arrest an “absolute witch hunt against those fighting for equality and justice,” Indian activist and journalist Banojyotsna Lahiri stated that “restoring the spirit of democracy in the world’s largest democracy is the world community’s responsibility.” Lahiri’s concerns were shared by UK politician and Sheffield City Councillor Shaffaq Mohammed, who previously served as a Member of the European Parliament for Yorkshire and the Humber from 2019 to 2020. In his remarks, Councillor Mohammed noted that “democracy is not just about voting—it’s also about the rule of law and holding those in power to account, and human rights defenders and journalists are at the front lines of that fight.” Former Australian Senator from New South Wales Lee Rhiannon added her voice to the “growing international call to release Teesta Setalvad and all prisoners of conscience.” Sen. Rhiannon stated that “India is no longer a democracy” as “the BJP is using governance of fear to clamp down on dissent.” In addition to these international parliamentarians, Ruth Messinger —former member of the New York City Council, and current Global Ambassador for the American Jewish World Service—denounced Setalvad’s arrest as an “outrage,” and highlighted the political nature of the arrest: “Teesta was arrested because she is a dissident and a human rights defender.” Sana Siddiq, Manager of Policy and Advocacy Campaigns for the US Campaign for Palestinian Rights (USCPR), noted the parallels between Setalvad’s arrest and the treatment of Palestinian political prisoners by the Israeli state, highlighting the “clear links between the racist, apartheid Israeli government and the rising Hindu nationalism in India.” The conference was also joined by human rights activist Harsh Mander, whose name was included earlier this year in the Peace Research Institute Oslo Director’s shortlist for the Nobel Peace Prize. Pointing out that “India’s democracy has reached its most fragile and brittle moment in its 75 years,” Mander stated in his remarks that “if Teesta’s work is a crime, then all of us, including the Indian Supreme Court of the time, are guilty of the crime of holding Gujarat’s government accountable.” Renowned Carnatic vocalist and human rights activist T.M. Krishna similarly condemned the wrongful nature of Setalvad’s arrest, stating that “Teesta was put behind bars because she did what any citizen should do.” Calling India’s secular democracy “one of the greatest achievements of the 20th century,” eminent scholar-activist Dr. Noam Chomsky argued that the erosion of this democracy, exemplified by the crackdown on Setalvad and other dissidents, “extinguishes the hope of India’s future.” The final speaker in the press conference was Dr. Rajmohan Gandhi, Mahatma Gandhi’s grandson and biographer who currently serves as research professor at the Center for South Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. In his remarks, Professor Gandhi called for the release of Setalvad and other prisoners of conscience, so that India may fulfill its “true mission” and “expand justice, equality, dignity, and harmony—not only within its borders, but in the world.” Thursday’s press conference was jointly organized by Hindus for Human Rights, Indian American Muslim Council, Dalit Solidarity Forum, and India Civil Watch International. The full recording of the conference is available at the link below.

Reports, Weekly Roundup (Video)

IAMC Report: State of Religious Minorities in India (May 2022)

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The Hindu right-wing orchestrated brutal violence against Muslims during the Hindu festival of Ramanavami and the subsequent police crackdown on Muslim victims, and use of bulldozers to destroy Muslim homes and livelihoods in states ruled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi'ss Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) that peaked in April continued throughout May. Observers and human rights advocates assert that since the PM Modi-led federal government came to power, its approach toward its minorities especially Muslims have exacerbated hatred and communal polarisation. Many scholars and activists have expressed concerns over the massive surge in hate crimes and peaking of genocidal sentiment against the Muslims. This report examines and analyses the continued rise in hate crimes, genocidal speeches, vandalism, destruction, and assaults on the bodies and property of Muslims and Christians during the month of May. This report also chronicles the frequent assertion of Hindutva (Hindu nationalist) groups over the historical architecture preserved by the country's Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), mainly mosques, which they falsely claim were temples and purportedly destroyed by Muslim rulers in the past. In addition, the role of the police over the years, particularly in 2022, demonstrates the institutionalisation of violence against Muslims. This report focuses further on the police's role in not just downplaying violent attacks on minorities but also actively participating in the acts of violence. Discriminatory laws against Muslims have become increasingly prevalent in states where the BJP is in power. Minorities are being pushed to the side even more by the aggressive use of laws that go clearly against the spirit of the Indian constitution. Here is the report: [pdf-embedder url="http://3.145.57.38/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/May-Report.pdf%22] [mkdf_button size="" type="" text="Download Here" custom_class="" icon_pack="font_awesome" fa_icon="" link="http://3.145.57.38/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/May-Report.pdf" target="_blank" color="#fff" hover_color="" background_color="#000" hover_background_color="" border_color="" hover_border_color="" font_size="" font_weight="" margin=""]

Press Release

Former US Religious Freedom Ambassador Brownback Presents Pluralist Award To Indian American Activist Ajit Sahi

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington, DC (July 05, 2022) – Veteran journalist and civil rights activist, Ajit Sahi, has received the prestigious Pluralist Award from former United States Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom Sam Brownback. Awarded by the Center of Pluralism for his “outstanding work [for] standing up for the religious freedom for people other than his own fellow religionists,” Sahi received a certificate of appreciation at the hands of Ambassador Brownback on the sidelines of the International Religious Freedom Summit that concluded here last week. Commending Sahi, a Hindu, for working to secure the civil and political rights of India’s marginalized communities and social and religious minorities, Ambassador Brownback said it was important for people from dominant countries to stand up for minorities. “In a democracy, in particular, you’ve got to stand up for the minorities and say that you can’t treat them that way,” Brownback said after presenting the award to Sahi. “Else, you can’t have a pluralistic society.”   Sahi is a 35-year veteran of journalism and human rights activism. Based in Washington, DC, he is the Advocacy Director with Indian American Muslim Council, the largest civil rights organization of the Indian Muslim diaspora anywhere in the world. “It is an honor to receive this award from Ambassador Brownback,” Sahi said. “This award is more a recognition of the brave human rights defenders, Muslims, Christians, Dalits and adivasis of India who are being brutally repressed and persecuted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist government.” Sahi slammed the Modi Administration for its relentless assault on Constitutional and democratic values, as reflected in the arrests of countless Muslims and Christians and the demolitions of Muslim homes, businesses and mosques; the lynchings of Muslims; the ban on the wearing of hijab by Muslims girls in Karnataka; among others. Sahi also criticized the police and the courts across India for failing to deliver justice to the victims and siding with the perpetrators that belong to Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Mike Ghouse, President, Center for Pluralism, said Sahi was chosen for this year’s award for his courageous pursuit of justice for people of all faiths in India. “As a Hindu, Sahi has been at the forefront of the Indian American community that is fighting hard to preserve the pluralist and democratic values in India,” Ghouse said. The award was also given to Greg Mitchell, Chair of the International Religious Freedom Roundtable, the world’s largest advocacy collective on this issue; Walter Ruby, President, Jews and Muslims Allies Acting Together; and Maqsood Choudhary, Founder, Maclean Islamic Center in appreciation of their contribution to enhancing pluralism by pursuing human rights of people belonging to faiths other than their own. Sahi is a recipient of the Voice of Courage Award from the Muslim Public Affairs Council and the Swami Agnivesh Award from Hindus for Human Rights.

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Noam Chomsky, Rajmohan Gandhi Condemn Student Activist Umar Khalid’s Unjust Incarceration by the Indian Government

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The video statements by the renowned scholar-activist and the grandson of Mahatma Gandhi came ahead of a July 3 bail hearing in Khalid’s case FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington, DC (July 2, 2022) – On Saturday, renowned scholar-activist Dr. Noam Chomsky along with Professor Rajmohan Gandhi, Research Professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, issued video statements condemning the Indian government’s unjust incarceration of Muslim student activist and protest leader Umar Khalid ahead of a crucial hearing in Khalid’s case, scheduled for July 3. Khalid’s case, Dr. Chomsky said in his recorded statement, “is one of many that shed a grim light on India’s system of justice during a period of repression, and often violence, that has been visibly undermining free institutions…as part of the large-scale government effort to dismantle India’s honorable tradition  of secular democracy.” Prof. Gandhi highlighted Khalid’s scholarly contributions as a doctoral student at JNU, stating that “in [Khalid], India possesses one of its finest minds, reinforced by a sensitive conscience…this brilliant young son of India has now been silenced for 20 continuous months.” A full transcript of Dr Chomsky’s statement is available here, and a full transcript of Prof. Gandhi’s statement is available here. For nearly two years, Umar Khalid, a former student leader at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), has been incarcerated by the Indian government for his role in leading protests in early 2020 against the discriminatory, anti-Muslim Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). He was arrested in September 2020 under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), a draconian law which gives the state broad authority to designate any individual as a “terrorist” and detain them without a fair trial. Khalid is just one of the countless activists, dissidents, and human rights defenders who have been unjustly jailed under this law. Hindus for Human Rights, Indian American Muslim Council, Dalit Solidarity Forum, and India Civil Watch International join Dr. Chomsky and Prof. Gandhi in calling for Umar Khalid’s immediate release.

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US must ask India to stop discrimination against Muslims, demolition of their homes: US Senator Ed Markey

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington, DC (July 1, 2022) – The demolition of the homes of Muslims in India was part of a continuing pattern of discrimination against Muslims and the US must ask the Indian government to end such action, United States Senator Ed Markey has said. “In recent years we have seen a continuing pattern of discrimination against religious minorities [in India] and narrowing of the space for the practice of different religious beliefs,” Senator Markey said at the International Religious Freedom summit organized at Washington, DC, that concluded on Thursday. “This includes the demolition of in predominantly Muslim cities, vandalism of mosques and churches, and the implementation of laws that specifically discriminate against religious minorities.” Senator Markey said the United States “must encourage the Indian government to fulfill its commitment to its own citizens the right of all individuals to practice and propagate religious [beliefs] enshrined in India’s constitution.” Senator Markey said it was “incumbent on the Indian government to uphold the principles of pluralism and secularism which are embedded in the Indian constitution.” Senator Markey made his remarks at a panel discussion “Religious Freedom in India: Challenges for the US” organized by the India Working Group of the International Religious Freedom Roundtable. This over-a-decade-old Roundtable is the world’s largest civil society collective for religious freedom. Also speaking at this discussion, Nadine Maenza, the former Chair of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), pressed the Biden administration to immediately condemn the crimes of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) against Indian religious minorities. Maenza, who recently finished her two year term as the chair of USCRIF stated that it was “disappointing” to see that the situation in India “has sharply worsened” since the release of USCIRF’s annual report documenting religious freedoms violations in 2021. This report included a recommendation to the Biden administration to designate India as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) for ongoing and egregious crimes against religious minorities for the third year in row. “We made clear that these recommendations are urgent due to the undemocratic manner in which Modi, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and affiliated Hindu extremist groups have advocated, instituted, and enforced sectarian policies seeking to establish India as an overtly Hindu state, at grave danger to India’s religious minorities,” Maenza said. She said that it is long past time for the Biden administration to heed the recommendations made by USCIRF for three consecutive years. “If urgent action is not taken,” Maenza warned, “we could very well be staring down the barrel of yet another genocide”. Islam Siddiqui, former Chief Agricultural Negotiator with the rank of ambassador at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representatives under the Obama administration questioned Biden administration’s reluctance to designate India as CPC. “Secretary Blinken should stop talking about [India as a] secular democracy… That was in the past. The Modi government’s actions clearly indicate that they do not uphold those values,” Amb. Siddiqui said. Dr. Gregory Stanton, the founder of Genocide Watch while calling Hindutva a Nazi project described Modi and other fascist world leaders as “racists dedicated to the triumph of their own race or religion [and] nationalists who would deny basic human rights to anyone not of their race or religion.” “We’re seeing from… our history of working on genocide, how media is being used in India like it was used in Bosnia, how Facebook is being used in India like it was used during the Rohingya genocide, how there are detention camps much like the Uyghur detention camps in China,” said Hena Zubairi, Director of Justice For All, an advocacy group that works to combat global Islamophobia and anti-Muslim violence. “When Freedom House says that India is ‘Partly Free’… they are being polite and very subtle. India is not a democracy. India is formally known as a socialist, secular democratic republic. It is neither socialist now, nor secular; not democracy… Today India is ruled by the killers of Gandhi, and they come here wearing Gandhi’s mask,” said Rasheed Ahmed, Executive Director of IAMC. John Prabhudoss, Chairman of the Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations (FIACONA), a Washington DC-based advocacy organization, called on the US churches to defend the rights of minorities in India. “What the church in America needs to understand is that the Muslims, the Christians, [and] the Sikhs are all in the same boat as far as India is concerned. One of them sinks, everybody sinks,” Prabhudoss said. Speaking on behalf of Hindus for Human Rights (HfHR), an organization that advocates for civil and human rights in South Asia and North America, Policy Director Ria Chakrabarty said, “We not only denounce Hindutva; we also believe that it is not encompassed by the Hinduism that we believe in. One of the things we hope for other Hindu Americans to do is join us to stand against majoritarian violence and support the fight for justice in India.” The India Working Group of the IRF Roundtable comprises US-based religious freedom organizations including Indian American Muslim Council, Hindus for Human Rights, New York State Council of Churches, Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations of North America, Jubilee Campaign, Justice for All, American Muslim Institution, Association of Indian Muslims, International Christian Concern, Center for Pluralism, US Conference of Catholic Bishops, and Sunshine Ministries.

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भारतीय मुसलमानों के नरसंहार के खुले आह्वान पर अमेरिका चिंतित: धार्मिक स्वतंत्रता के अमेरिकी राजदूत रशाद हुसैन

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मुसलमानों को दीमक कहने जैसी अमानवीय बयानबाज़ी एक चुनौती है और इस पर भारत सरकार से बात हो रही है प्रकाशनार्थ / For Immediate Release वाशिंगटन,डीसी (30 जून, 2022) – “भारत में मुसलमानों के नरसंहार के लिए किए जा रहे खुले आह्वान से अमेरिका चिंतित है. अमानवीय बयानबाज़ी से भारतीय अल्पसंख्यकों का उत्पीड़न बढ़ा है जो अमेरिका के लिए एक चुनौती है.” ये बात अंतर्राष्ट्रीय धार्मिक स्वतंत्रता के अमेरिकी राजदूत रशाद हुसैन ने अमेरिका की राजधानी में अंतर्राष्ट्रीय धार्मिक स्वतंत्रता पर आयोजित एक तीन-दिवसीय सम्मेलन में कही. “हमारे सामने भारतीय मुसलमानों के नरसंहार का आह्वान हो रहा है. उनके घर तोड़े जा रहे हैं. भारत में खुलेआम हो रही बयानबाज़ी लोगों के प्रति अमानवीय हैं,” हुसैन ने सम्मेलन में बुधवार को कहा. “यहाँ तक कि भारत के एक मंत्री ने मुसलमानों को दीमक कह दिया. जब हमारे सामने ये सब घट रहा है तो फिर ज़रूरी है कि हम इस पर ध्यान दें और आने वाली चुनौतियों का सामना करने के लिए काम करें.” हुसैन ने कहा कि वाशिंगटन डीसी-स्थित अमेरिकी हॉलोकॉस्ट म्यूज़ियम की प्रारंभिक चेतावनी परियोजना के मुताबिक “सामूहिक हत्या के ख़तरे वाले देशों में भारत दूसरे नंबर पर आ चुका है.” रशाद हुसैन ‘भारत में धार्मिक स्वतंत्रता: अमेरिका के लिए चुनौतियाँ’ विषय पर एक पैनल चर्चा में बोल रहे थे. यह सम्मेलन अंतर्राष्ट्रीय धार्मिक स्वतंत्रता गोलमेज़ (International Religious Freedom Roundtable) के भारतीय कार्यसमूह (India Working Group) द्वारा आयोजित किया गया था. आईआरएफ़ राउंडटेबल धार्मिक स्वतंत्रता की पैरवी करने वाला दुनिया का सबसे बड़ा नागरिक समाज समूह है. हालाँकि हुसैन ने उन भारतीय मंत्री का नाम नहीं लिया जिन्होंने मुसलमानों को दीमक कहा था, हुसैन का इशारा साफ़ तौर पर भारत के गृहमंत्री अमित शाह की ओर था जो भारतीय प्रधानमंत्री नरेंद्र मोदी के डिप्टी हैं. तीन साल पहले एक चुनावी रैली में भाषण देते हुए शाह ने कहा था कि “अवैध अप्रवासी” (मुसलमानों के लिए इस्तेमाल होने वाला एक हिंदू राष्ट्रवादी कोड) “दीमक” हैं. शाह ने कहा था कि वो ऐसे दीमकों को समुद्र में डुबो देंगे. 2019 में भारतीय संसद से पारित भेदभावपूर्ण क़ानून नागरिकता (संशोधन) अधिनियम (CAA) का भी हुसैन ने उल्लेख किया. अमेरिकी अंतर्राष्ट्रीय धार्मिक स्वतंत्रता आयोग (USCIRF) के अनुसार भारत के 20 करोड़ मुसलमानों को मताधिकार से वंचित करने और उन्हें राज्यविहीन अनागरिकों में बदलने के लिए CAA का दुरुपयोग किया जा सकता है. ईसाइयों, सिखों, दलितों और मूल निवासियों से अपनी मुलाक़ात का ज़िक्र करते हुए हुए हुसैन ने कहा कि अमेरिका “भारत के तमाम धार्मिक समुदायों को लेकर चिंतित है,” और चुनौतियों से निपटने के लिए भारतीय अधिकारियों के साथ “सीधे बात” कर रहा है… कोई समाज अपनी क्षमता के अनुसार जी सके, इसके लिए हमें सभी लोगों के अधिकारों को सुरक्षित करना होगा.” हुसैन ने 2 जून को अमेरिकी विदेश विभाग की अंतर्राष्ट्रीय धार्मिक स्वतंत्रता रिपोर्ट 2021 जारी करते वक़्त “भारत में पूजा स्थलों और लोगों पर हमलों” के बारे में अमेरिकी विदेशमंत्री एंटनी ब्लिंकन की टिप्पणी का भी उल्लेख किया. हुसैन ने इस विचार को खारिज कर दिया कि अमेरिका के पास वैश्विक धार्मिक स्वतंत्रता का आकलन करने का कोई अधिकार नहीं है. “कुछ लोग कहते हैं अंतर्राष्ट्रीय धार्मिक स्वतंत्रता के लिए एक राजदूत के रूप में आप कौन हैं? या दुनिया के अन्य देशों के बारे में आकलन करने के लिए अमेरिका कौन होता है? इसका जवाब ये है कि अमेरिका धार्मिक स्वतंत्रता के आधार पर बना था. हमारे कई संस्थापक स्वयं धार्मिक उत्पीड़न का शिकार हुए थे. हमारे संविधान का पहला संशोधन धार्मिक स्वतंत्रता की रक्षा करता है. “अप्रवासियों के देश के रूप में अमेरिका उन लोगों से बना देश है जो ग्रह के हर कोने से यहाँ आते हैं. जब वे यहाँ आते हैं तो माँग करते हैं कि उनके चुने हुए प्रतिनिधि, उनकी सरकार न केवल यहाँ बल्कि पूरी दुनिया में हमारे मूल्यों के पक्ष में खड़ी हो.” हुसैन ने कहा कि वह एक भारतीय अप्रवासी हैं और “भारत एक ऐसा देश है जिससे मैं प्यार करता हूँ… कई मायने में, भारत मेरा भी देश है.” IRF गोलमेज के इंडिया वर्किंग ग्रुप में शामिल संगठनों के नाम हैं अमेरिकी धार्मिक स्वतंत्रता संगठन इंडियन अमेरिकन मुस्लिम काउंसिल, हिंदूज़ फ़ॉर ह्यूमन राइट्स, न्यूयॉर्क स्टेट काउंसिल ऑफ चर्चेस, फ़ेडरेशन ऑफ़ इंडियन अमेरिकन क्रिश्चियन ऑर्गेनाइज़ेशन्स ऑफ़ नॉर्थ अमेरिका, जुबिली कैंपेन, जस्टिस फ़ॉर ऑल, अमेरिकन मुस्लिम इंस्टीट्यूशन, एसोसिएशन ऑफ़ इंडियन मुस्लिम्स, इंटरनेशनल क्रिश्चियन कंसर्न, सेंटर फ़ॉर प्लूरलिज़्म, यूएस कॉन्फ़्रेंस ऑफ़ कैथोलिक बिशप्स और सनशाइन मिनिस्ट्रीज़. Read this Press Release in English here: https://test.iamc.com/us-concerned-at-open-calls-for-genocide-of-indian-muslims-us-ambassador-for-religious-freedom-rashad-hussain/

Press Release

US Concerned At Open Calls For Genocide Of Indian Muslims: US Ambassador For Religious Freedom Rashad Hussain

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Dehumanizing rhetoric with Muslims being called termites is a challenge for the US, which was now ‘dealing directly’ with the Indian Government FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington, DC (June 29, 2022) – The US is concerned at open calls being made for a genocide of Indian Muslims, US Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom Rashad Hussain has said. Dehumanizing rhetoric was escalating the persecution of India’s minorities, creating a challenge for the United States, Ambassador Hussain said at the three-day International Religious Freedom (IRF) Summit being held in the US capital. “We’ve had open calls for [a] genocide [of Muslims] in India. We’ve had demolitions of [Muslim] homes,” Hussain said at a panel discussion on Religious Freedom in India: Challenges for the US, organized by the Indian Working Group of the International Religious Freedom Roundtable, the world’s largest civil society collective on the issue. Noting that the Early Warning Project of the US Holocaust Museum had, “designated India as the number two country in the world at risk of mass killings,” Hussain said the “rhetoric” openly being used in India was “dehumanizing towards people, to the extent that one minister referred to Muslims as termites. When you have these ingredients, it’s important that we take note and we work to address the challenges that we face.” Though Hussain did not name the Indian minister he cited, his reference clearly was to Home Minister Amit Shah, who is Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s deputy. At a stump rally three years ago, Shah had said “illegal immigrants” – a Hindu nationalist code for Muslims – were “termites” and had vowed to drown them in the ocean. Hussain also referred to the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), a discriminatory law passed by India’s Parliament in 2019 that, according to the US Commisison on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), will likely be abused to disenfranchize India’s 200 millions and potentially turn many of them into stateless noncitizens. Saying that he had met with Indian Christians, Sikhs, Dalits and the indigenous people, Hussain said the US was, “concerned about a number of religious communities in India,” and was, “dealing directly” with Indian officials to, “address the challenges… In order for any society to live up to its potential, we have to secure the rights of all people.” Hussain also referenced US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s remarks, “about [the] attacks on places and people of worship… in India,” made while releasing the US Department of State’s 2021 International Religious Freedom Report on June 2. Hussain rejected the view that the US had no locus standi in assessing global religious freedoms. “Some people ask… “Who are you as an ambassador for international religious freedom,” or “who are you as the United States to make these assessments about other countries in the world?” The “fairly persuasive” answer was that the US was “founded on religious freedom: many of our founders were fleeing religious persecution themselves. The first amendment in our Constitution protects the freedom of religion.” As “a country of immigrants,” the US was “comprised of people that come here from every corner of the planet. When they come here, they demand [that] their elected officials, their government, not only stand up for our values here but all over the world.” Hussain said he was an Indian immigrant and “India is a country that I love… In many ways, India is my country as well.” The India Working Group of the IRF Roundtable comprises US-based religious freedom organizations including Indian American Muslim Council, Hindus for Human Rights, New York State Council of Churches, Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations of North America, Jubilee Campaign, Justice for All, American Muslim Institution, Association of Indian Muslims, International Christian Concern, Center for Pluralism, US Conference of Catholic Bishops, and Sunshine Ministries.

Press Release

Global Indian diaspora condemns arrests of Teesta Setalvad, Sreekumar, Mohammed Zubair on trumped-up charges

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Suspension of all norms of justice and gross violation of human and civil rights represents a state of undeclared emergency in India FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington, DC (June 28, 2022) Leading multi-faith and civil society organizations from the Indian diaspora around the world today unequivocally condemned the arrests of human rights defenders Teesta Setalvad and R. B. Sreekumar, as well as journalist Mohammed Zubair in India. Ms. Setalvad and Mr. Sreekumar were both pivotal in bringing justice to the victims of the pogrom against Muslims in 2002 in Gujarat. Mohammed Zubair is the co-founder of fact-checking website AltNews.in. Their arrests by Indian police on trumped-up charges are clearly retribution for their activism and struggle for truth and justice. Ms. Setalvad’s NGO, Citizens for Justice and Peace, was established to help victims prosecute officials, including then Chief Minister Narendra Modi, for the crimes of abetting the pogrom. She worked with Ms. Zakia Jafri, the widow of former Member of Parliament Ehsan Jafri, to pursue a case against Modi at the Supreme Court in 2013. On February 28, 2002, Mr. Jafri had provided shelter to Muslims at his home in Ahmedabad city from a mob of Hindu extremists. Mr. Jafri made calls, including to Modi, to Gujarat officials but to no avail. The mob set his housing complex on fire, killing 69 people, including Mr. Jafri. Ms. Jafri has maintained that Modi top Gujarat officials conspired in that violence. On June 25, however, India’s Supreme Court dismissed the case and virtually accused Ms. Setalvad of a “conspiracy” against Modi. Hours later, Ms. Setalvad was arrested in Mumbai after Home Minister Amit Shah, Modi’s second-in-command, publicly accused her of fabricating evidence and coaching Ms. Jafri to provide false testimony. Ms. Setalvad’s arrest is unmistakably politically motivated by Modi and Shah who stand the most to lose from her work. Former Director General of Gujarat Police R. B. Sreekumar, who testified that law enforcement were complicit in the pogrom, was also arrested on June 26. Former Indian Police Service Officer Sanjiv Bhatt, who is serving a life sentence on other bogus charges, was also named in the First Information Report (FIR) against Mr. Sreekumar. Mr. Bhatt’s real crime was highlighting Modi’s complicity in the Gujarat pogrom. The arrest of Ms. Setalvad and Mr. Sreekumar shows the Supreme Court lacks independence. It sets a dangerous precedent that will discourage individuals from petitioning the Supreme Court with complaints against the Government. It must be recalled that the US had punished Modi for his complicity in the anti-Muslim pogrom when the George W. Bush Administration denied him a US visa in 2005 designating him as an Individual of Particular Concern. Zubair’s arrest is an assault on freedom of the press and, indeed, on citizens’ right to the truth. Zubair, who is a co founder of the fact checking website AltNews.in, has played a key role in demolishing falsehoods spread by Hindu nationalists connected with Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party and its fascist paramilitary ideological parent, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). The arrests are a stark reminder that the US must actively and publicly combat India’s descent into fascism. Like with other arrested activists such as Anand Teltumbde, Javed Mohammed, Parveen Fatima and Umar Khalid, India’s government has arrested and is attempting to silence Setalvad, Sreekumar, Bhatt and Zubair. Indian American Muslim Council, USA India Civil Watch International, USA Hindus for Human Rights, USA Dalit Solidarity Forum, USA Ambedkar King Study Circle, USA Anti Caste Discrimination Alliance, UK Aotearoa Alliance of Progressive Indians (AAPI), New Zealand Boston South Asian Coalition, USA Coalition Against Fascism in India, USA CERAS (Centre sur l’Asie du sud / South Asia Center), Canada Center for Culture-Centered Approach to Research and Evaluation (CARE), Aotearoa New Zealand The Humanism Project, Australia International Council of Indian Muslims, Worldwide India Justice Project, Berlin, Germany India Solidarity Germany, Germany Indian Solidarity Finland, Finland International Solidarity For Academic Freedom, Worldwide International Society for Peace and Justice, USA Scottish Indians for Justice, United Kingdom South Asian Diaspora Action Collective, Canada South Asia Solidarity Group, UK Justice for All, Canada Coalition of Seattle Indian Americans (CSIA), USA Council on Minority Rights in India (CMRI), USA Community Rights Council of Piscataway, USA People Against Apartheid and Fascism, South Africa Ambedkarite Buddhist Association of Texas (ABAT), USA Periyar International USA South Asian Dalit Adivasi Network, Canada((SADAN) South Asian Amer­i­cans Lead­ing Togeth­er (SAALT), USA

Press Release

Statement on Heinous Murder of a Hindu Tailor in Rajasthan

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The Indian American Muslim Council strongly and unequivocally condemns the heinous murder of a Hindu tailor in Udaipur, Rajasthan, by extremists claiming to be acting in the name of Islam. The beheadings not only violate the law and the teachings of Islam but they have also been condemned unanimously by the entire Muslim community. As such this barbaric act is neither representative of Islam nor Muslims. “The tailor victim was a Hindu, attacked & beheaded for supporting former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma. We condemn this gruesome, horrifying murder and call upon Indian authorities to hold the perpetrators accountable while maintaining the peace & encouraging communal harmony,” said Rasheed Ahmed, IAMC Executive Director.   The Indian American Muslim Council strongly and unequivocally condemns the heinous murder of a tailor in #Udaipur, Rajasthan, by extremists claiming to be acting in the name of Islam. 1/2 — Indian American Muslim Council (@IAMCouncil) June 28, 2022

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Indian Americans in Houston protest human rights violations by the Indian government

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Indian Americans condemn violence in India, welcome Ilhan Omar’s resolution FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington, DC (June 24, 2022) – Hundreds of Indian Americans in Houston joined a coalition of Muslim community organizations in a protest against the recent human rights violations against Christians, Muslims & Dalits by the Indian government, as well as the insults by a member of the ruling BJP party toward the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him). The condition of Muslims in India has become appalling. The police and judiciary remain complicit to the Indian government’s brutal crackdown against its own Muslim citizens. In the month of June alone, Muslims in India have been killed, arbitrarily detained, and had their houses unlawfully demolished. The President of Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) Houston Chapter, Shakeib Mashood, said, “India is rapidly turning into a fascist state where minorities are facing humiliation and being harassed regularly. We call on the community to join our coalition protest and have your voices heard.” In its annual report released in April of 2022, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), listed India among its Countries of Particular Concern (CPC) for the systematic, ongoing, egregious violations of religious freedom for the third consecutive year. The deteriorating conditions for minorities, especially Muslims have drawn the attention of elected officials, including State Representative of Minnesota, Ilhan Omar. On June 21, Omar introduced House Resolution 1196 which condemns India for egregious violations of human rights and religious freedom. The resolution which was co-sponsored by Congressman Jim McGovern (MA), Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib (MI), and Congressman Juan Vargas (CA), also urges the State Department to act on the recommendations of USCIRF and designate India as a CPC under the International Religious Freedom Act. The Director of Operations of Council of American Islamic Relations (CAIR) – Houston, William White, said, “The authoritarian Islamophobia demonstrated by the government in these states and across India is the same across the globe: collective punishment of innocent civilians as a means of retribution on those that partake in public protest.” He also urged everyone to call their congressperson to pass House Resolution 1196. The Houston crowd chanted slogans of unity with Muslims in India, including, “We Stand with Afreen Fatima,” and “Stop Indian Muslim Genocide.” Islamic Society of Greater Houston (ISGH) President Ayman Kabire asked people to simply speak out against the barbaric violence against Muslims & Christians in India. “We stand for justice. We stand for human rights. The egregious acts perpetrated against Indian Muslims and minorities need to stop. People of all walks of life should be condemning and working to highlight the plight of Indian Muslims,” he said. Protests for this cause have already taken place in California and Dallas, with cities like Seattle and Indianapolis following suit with upcoming protests.

Press Release

Indian Americans commend Rep. Ilhan Omar for introducing House resolution to condemn persecution of Muslims in India

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington, DC (June 23, 2022) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) today commended Representative Ilhan Omar (D-MN) for introducing the House resolution 1196, which condemns India for egregious violations of human rights and religious freedom. Co-sponsored by lawmakers Rashida Talib and Juan Vargas, the resolution urges the State Department to act on the recommendations of US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), and designate India as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) under the International Religious Freedom Act. In its 2022 Annual Report, USCIRF recommended India to be designated as a CPC for the systematic, ongoing, egregious violations of religious freedom for the third consecutive year. The resolution, which relies heavily on USCIRF’s 2022 Annual Report and Department of State’s 2021 Annual Report on International Religious Freedom calls on the House of Representatives to condemn, “human rights violations and violations of international religious freedom in India, including those targeting Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Dalits, Adivasis, and other religious and cultural minorities.” It also calls on the House to express, “grave concern about the worsening treatment of religious minorities in India.” “It is indeed sad to see the country that we love and adore, discriminate and criminalize its most vulnerable citizens and head down the path of bigotry, intolerance and authoritarianism,” said Syed Afzal Ali, President of IAMC. “We are grateful to the congresswoman Ilhan Omar who introduced this resolution and urge other members of congress to support it to ensure that the human rights and religious freedom of all, including Christians and Muslims in India are respected, and protected,” Afzal Ali added. IAMC also lauded Congressman Jim McGovern (MA), Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib (MI), and Congressman Juan Vargas (CA) for co-sponsoring the resolution and sending a clear message to the Indian government that US won’t stay a mute spectator to the persecution of country’s 200 million Muslims.

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Indian-Americans condemn killing of a Sikh Devotee in Kabul

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington, DC (June 21, 2022) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) today unequivocally condemned the killing of a Sikh devotee in an attack on the Karteparwan Gurudwara, a Sikh temple in Kabul. The brutal attack (claimed by Islamic State) happened on Saturday, June 18, when an explosives laden car tried to storm the temple complex leaving two dead (including a Taliban fighter) and injuries to seven others. “This reprehensible attack violates the basic tenets of Islam and must be condemned in the strongest terms. Violence against innocent people in a house of worship is an attack on our collective humanity and common values,” said Syed Ali, President of Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) while expressing solidarity with the global Sikh community.” The fact that this brutal attack was carried out against a community that is always at the forefront of serving people, irrespective of their faith reflects the deep inhumanity of the perpetrators. IAMC has expressed its profound condolences toward the families of the victims and calls on the Afghan government to take immediate steps to ensure the safety of its minority communities.

Press Release

Indian Americans protest in Texas, California against arrests of Muslims, demolition of Muslim homes in India

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Prominent Islamic Scholar Omar Suleiman Calls Modi Wannabe Hitler FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington, DC (June 20, 2022) – Indian Americans in two of America’s largest states, Texas and California, protested last weekend against the increasing persecution of Muslims in India under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu extremist government led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Globally renowned US-based Islamic scholar Shaikh Omar Suleiman led the protest in Dallas, which was jointly organized by The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), and North Texas Peace Advocates (NTPA). Shaykh Alaeddin El-Bakri of the Islamic Society of North America led the Bay Area protest organized by IAMC, which drew over 500 protesters. “We will continue to tell Modi, who is a wannabe Hitler, that you are a coward and that you are not welcome in Texas,” Suleiman told a cheering crowd. “We will hold elected officials accountable. We will hold corporations accountable when they deal with [India’s] fascist regime. We will not stand for the genocide of our brothers and sisters.” Shaikh Suleiman spoke of the connections between the Hindu extremist ideology of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the ideological parent of Modi’s BJP, and Adolf Hitler’s Nazi Party, saying both promoted a hateful and shameless ideology. “When we talk about the RSS we are talking about the child of Nazism [which] continues to rear its ugly head on this earth,” he said. “We are talking about people that are proud of their fascism. “India says very openly it wants to follow the Israeli model. If India consider the Israeli model, expert a palestinian resistance.” Shaikh Suleiman also questioned why Modi, who was banned from entering the US during 2005-14, was now being embraced by politicians of both major political parties. “What changed to where now a man who once could not even enter this country could address Congress? What changed to where Barack Obama wrote the introduction for Modi as “reformer in chief” among Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world? What changed for President Joe Biden to do the exact same thing? What has changed about this man? Nothing has changed.” At the Bay Area protests, Shaykh Alaeddin El-Bakri condemned India’s persecution of Muslims, “I was talking to someone from Al-Aqsa Mosque in Palestine, and he told me to extend my support to the Indian Muslim brothers and sisters and tell them we are with them they are uniting us they are pushing us back,” he said. Protestors in Dallas’ Dealey Plaza withstood hours of sweltering heat to amplify their voices marching together and chanting slogans of support for Indian Muslims. The slogans included, “We Stand With Afreen Fatima,” and “Stop Indian Muslim Genocide.” Fatima, a 22 year-old activist saw her house razed to the ground by bulldozers deployed by the Uttar Pradesh government, after her father was falsely arrested and accused of being the mastermind behind communal riots. Protesters at both Dallas and the Bay Area called for a unified response from the American Muslim community to mobilize US Congress and the Biden Administration to pressure India to pull back from its severe persecution of its 200 million Muslims. Many protesters waved the Indian flag, the tricolor that is made of saffron, the color of Hinduism, green, the color of Islam, and white, the color of peace, with a wheel in it. Speaking at the Dallas protest, Sabiha Shariff, an Indian American, urged the community to speak up before it is too late. “Don’t wait for the day when the Indian national flag is changed to saffron and the chakra [wheel] is changed to bulldozers.” IAMC President Syed Afzal Ali urged the protesters to use social media to reach out to elected representatives and the Biden Administration asking them to act quickly. “Now is the time for the Biden administration to step in. No country, ally or otherwise, should be given a pass for genocidal policies against its minorities,” Ali said. “We call upon President Biden to immediately and publicly denounce the Indian government’s use of bulldozers and police violence against Muslims and to recognize India as a Country of Particular Concern for its ongoing and egregious violations of religious freedoms and human rights.” IAMC Bay Area President Jaweed Khan said, “the world may not know yet what is going on in India, but if we continue to put together protests like these for people to see how many are truly impacted, we will be able to make a change.”

Press Release

Winners Announced: Human Rights Religious Freedom Journalism Awards – 2022

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington, DC (June 19, 2022) The Indian American Muslim Council, a Washington D.C.-based advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos today announced the winners of the annual Human Rights and Religious Freedom Journalism Awards.  Extraordinary and in-depth reporting covering the targeting of religious minorities under the anti-conversion laws, persecution of Muslims during COVID-19, and human rights violations in Kashmir were among the stories that earned top honors at the virtual award ceremony held on Sunday, June 19. “We constituted these awards to highlight stories and amplify voices that are often missing from the mainstream/elite media. This year our jury chose winners in the extremely troubled times when media in India is under immense pressure from the ruling government,” said Syed Ali, President of IAMC  “The courage shown by the journalists to cover stories on pressing issues concerning Indian minorities and marginalized communities is commendable. We are honored to play our role in honoring and recognizing journalism that holds power to account and highlights how India is becoming extremely unsafe for its nearly 300 million religious minorities,” Ali added. Prominent American journalist Amy Goodman, who is the host and executive producer of the global news hour Democracy Now! while delivering the keynote speech expressed concerns about India’s disturbing trends toward authoritarianism and lauded journalists for their courageous work. “When powerful forces seek to suppress the truth, to censor information, the practice of journalism becomes even more difficult and all too often dangerous,” Goodman said in her keynote address.  “You all have registered win for democracy as you work under increasingly difficult circumstances often at great personal risk to bring central truths about India one of the most populous and diverse nations on the planet.” Dr. Yvonne Ridley, British Journalist, and author echoed Goodman’s views and said “India has become one of the dangerous places for journalists to write critically about certain aspects of India including the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led by Narendra Modi.” “HRRF Journalism awards give respite and hope to Indian journalists who work fearlessly on the ground delivering the unpalatable truth,” Dr. Ridley added. Gypsy Guillen Kaiser, the advocacy and communications director at the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) spoke about the persecution of Muslim journalists in India. “Our annual prison census found that India set a country record last year for the largest number of detained journalists and the vast majority of journalists detained in India as of December 1, 2021 are Muslims,”  “The worrying trends in India make HRRF Journalism awards all the more important to uplift and celebrate the invaluable work of the Indian journalist and to remind us of the responsibility that we all share in working to keep them safe,” Guillen Kaiser added. This year, we received more than 250 entries across five categories. The Human Rights and Religious Freedom Journalism Awards winners, sharing 300,000 INR in prizes, are: Best Text Reporting on Human Rights & Religious Freedom category (Winner) Akanksha Kumar (Newslaundry) The curious case of ‘1,000 conversions’: Who is Umar Gautam? » How did Mannu Yadav and Aditya Gupta convert to Islam? » ‘I don’t recognise the man on TV’: Meet the Muslim converts Umar Gautam helped » How some media reports on UP’s ‘conversion racket’ only focus on the police version » Use of psychological pressure by calling others ‘kafir’: UP ATS chargesheet in Umar Gautam case » Best Video Story on Human Rights and Religious Freedom (Joint Winner) Shahid Tantray (The Caravan Magazine) “Dirty design”: Is India trying to create a Shia-Sunni divide in Kashmir?» Priyanka Thirumurthy (The News Minute) Battling Hate and a Virus » Best Photo Story on Human Rights and Religious Freedom (Winner) Syed Shahriyar (The New Issue Magazine UK) Body of Evidence » HRRF Young Journalist of the Year Award (Joint Winner) Ismat Ara (The Wire) In Delhi’s Jamia Nagar, Muslim Residents Move Court to Protect Temple from Encroachment » UP: Family Awaits Compensation, Struggles to Get By After Losing Son to Police Torture » From ‘Gang Buddies’ to ‘Hum Hindu, Tu Mulla’: The Many Sides of Rahul Khan’s Murder » In New India, Muslims Break Part of Mosque To Avoid Conflict With Temple Authority » My Boy Is Mentally Unstable Minor’: Mother of Muslim Teen Accused of ‘Love Jihad’ in UP » Aishwarya S Iyer (Scroll.in) Two years after Delhi violence, riots accused from RSS-BJP aim to be elected civic leaders » Two years after Delhi violence, what explains the police’s continued ‘defence of the accused’?» Investigation: How VHP and Madhya Pradesh police colluded to put a Christian pastor in jail » In Gurugram, the number of namaz sites has shrunk to 20 from over 100 in three years » How Hindutva hijacked India’s child protection body » Best Media Organisation Covering Human Rights and Religious Freedom Journalism (Joint Winner) Article 14 » The Mooknayak » Watch the video presentation on IAMC youtube channel:

Press Release

Demolition of Muslim homes is illegal “collective punishment,” says Muslim activist Afreen Fatima

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington, DC (June 16, 2022) – A Muslim activist whose house was illegally demolished by the Uttar Pradesh government over the weekend has slammed the authorities, saying they razed her home to “punish, humiliate, and harass” her family for being active Muslims. “It is an alarming trend that… law enforcement, the government, and development authorities arbitrarily, unjustly, illegally, and lawlessly demolish Muslims households. They also punish and incarcerate Muslims for no crime at all,” Afreen Fatima, the activist, said at an online Congressional Briefing organized by 18 US-based civil rights organizations on Wednesday. “This [demolition] was just a way to punish my father for being an active local member of the Muslim community,” she added. The police in Prayagraj city, where Fatima lives, first detained her parents and a sister on June 12. Subsequently, district authorities razed their home even as television cameras rolled on. Earlier, on Friday, June 11, the city’s Muslims had marched to protest BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma’s hateful and blasphemous comments about Islam and Prophet Muhammad last month. Without offering any evidence, the district authorities blamed Fatima’s father, Javed, claiming he masterminded Friday’s violence. The BJP has since expelled Sharma but the police have failed to arrest her under Indian law. At the same time, Muslims across India who continue to call for Sharma’s arrest have been subjected to police brutality, unlawful arrests, and having their homes razed to the ground by Hindu extremist authorities. In Fatima’s case, her father, diabetic mother, and younger sister were all detained after the police scapegoated her father as being the mastermind behind the Pragyaraj protests. “There was no warrant when [my father] was taken away,” said Fatima, a student leader and vocal critic of the BJP. She was at the forefront of the protests called nationwide in 2019 to protest the Citizenship (Amendment) Act protests that introduced, for the first time, a religious test in citizenship laws. “The detention of my mother and my sister was illegal because in order to detain females for any inquiry or any investigation, the police first had to get a certain permission from the Magistrate, which was never done.” Fatima emphasized that the family had been paying all of their taxes and utility bills, and had never received any notice that their home was illegally constructed. “There is collective punishment to the entire Muslim community which says that you cannot speak up… I urge everyone to not just speak up about this, but to hold authorities and law enforcement and governments accountable for the arbitrary and lawless power that they exercise over Muslim bodies, Muslim houses, and Muslim lives.” Govind Acharya, India/Kashmir specialist at Amnesty International, said that the Modi government is, “selectively and viciously cracking down on Muslims who dare to speak up and peacefully express their dissent against the discrimination faced by them… which is in complete violation of India’s commitments under international human rights law.” “We at Amnesty are calling on Indian authorities to immediately put an end to the excessive use of force in response to large scale protests in the country… We also call for the immediate release of those who have been arbitrarily arrested solely for peacefully exercising the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, which are guaranteed by India’s constitution,” said Acharya. “This is not just affecting activists. You do not need to be a vocal Muslim to have a target placed on your back,” said Amin Zama, Associate Director for the Indian American Muslim Council, an advocacy organization dedicated to upholding civil and human rights in India. “The BJP have proved this by demolishing the homes of poor Muslims in Delhi, Gujarat, and Madhya Pradesh with only the flimsiest evidence connecting them to riots or illegal construction. This is clearly another step towards the genocide of 220 million Muslims, and India is drawing closer to it by the day.” According to Ria Chakrabarty, Policy Director at Hindus for Human Rights, a nonprofit, India seemed to be, “taking notes from the Israeli hard right and pursuing a similar strategy to create an ethnonationalist apartheid state, where religious and cultural minorities live a separate and unequal existence.” “The US government should use its human rights toolbox, especially through the International Religious Freedom Act, to punish individuals who have clearly persecuted India’s religious and cultural minorities,” Chakrabarty said. The briefing was co-sponsored by Genocide Watch, World Without Genocide, Indian American Muslim Council, Hindus for Human Rights, International Christian Concern, Jubilee Campaign, 21Wilberforce, Dalit Solidarity Forum, New York State Council of Churches, International Commission on Dalit Rights, Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations of North America, India Civil Watch International, Center for Pluralism, American Muslim Institution, Students Against Hindutva Ideology, International Society for Peace and Justice, The Humanism Project and Association of Indian Muslims of America.

Press Release

Murder of 2 Muslim teen protesters in Jharkhand; Indian diaspora aghast

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington, DC (June 10, 2022) – The Indian American Muslim Council, an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos today unequivocally condemned the murder of two Muslim teens named Mudasir, 15 and Sahil, 19 from Ranchi, Jharkhand who were killed by the police during a protest against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Nupur Sharma’s blasphemous remarks against Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). IAMC has further condemned the violence and police brutality unleashed upon Muslim protestors across India, including in Uttar Pradesh, where police in multiple cities charged at Muslims with batons, pelted stones, and beat several individuals with sticks before arresting them. In Allahabad city, now officially known as Prayagraj, the Uttar Pradesh police illegally arrested the family members of prominent Indian Muslim activist Afreen Fatima including her father Javed Mohammed, mother Parveen Fatima, and younger sister Sumaiya Fatima. “We are extremely concerned for the safety of my family whose whereabouts we are unaware of and for the safety of our own selves and our houses as all of us, including women and children are being forcefully evicted from our house in the middle of the night without providing any reasons,” Afreen said in a statement. Similarly, in Hyderabad, police charged at protesters with batons to disperse them, while the Srinagar district in Kashmir was subjected to an internet blackout to quash any form of dissent. “There is a clear double standard in the way protesters and Hindu supremacist rioters are treated by the Indian law enforcement,” said Husnaa Vhora, spokesperson for IAMC. “While Muslims protesting against hate speech are murdered by police gunfire, weapon-wielding Hindu supremacists are allowed to wreak havoc on Muslim neighborhoods and walk away with no consequences.” “It is now the norm to find that police are complicit in furthering anti-Muslim violence across India. This is unacceptable and must be condemned at the highest levels of government,” said Syed Afzal Ali, President of IAMC. Just last week Rashad Hussain, the Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom while releasing the US State Department’s 2021 International Religious Freedom Report called out the Indian government officials, who he said are “ignoring or even supporting rising attacks on people and places of worship.”

Press Release

India’s rejection of US State Department Report on Religious Freedom is flimsy say Indian Americans

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OIC’s condemnation of derogatory statements against the Prophet a step in the right direction FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington, DC (June 7, 2022) – The Indian American Muslim Council, an advocacy organization dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos today characterized the Indian government’s response to the US State Department Report on Religious Freedom as flimsy and illogical. The report only contained information that has been widely reported by media around the world, around escalating attacks on India’s religious minorities. In fact, India’s Ministry of Home Affairs has reported in the country’s Parliament that India witnessed as many as 3,399 cases of sectarian riots in the five year period from 2016 through 2020. Human rights organizations around the world have repeatedly emphasized that the victims of such riots are predominantly religious minorities, including Christians and Muslims. The spokesperson for India’s External Affairs Ministry, Mr. Arindam Bagchi, expressed an intriguing sentiment earlier this week, stating that the US State Department’s critique of the spiraling human rights violations in India meant that, “vote bank politics is being practiced in international relations.” “Mr. Bagchi’s assertion of vote-bank politics playing a role in the State Department’s report is essentially a self-incriminating statement, since the Modi administration’s own divisive and sectarian policies is an integral element of its vote-bank driven political strategy,” said Mr. Rasheed Ahmed, Executive Director of IAMC. “The administration would be well-advised to heed the larger message of the State Department’s report, which is that it risks becoming an international pariah if it continues on the current trajectory,” added Mr. Ahmed. In a welcome development, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation issued a strong denunciation of the denigration of Prophet Muhammed by then BJP spokesperson Ms. Nupur Sharma. “OIC’s statement is a belated recognition of the religious persecution and victimization of India’s 200 million Muslims,” said Mr. Syed Afzal Ali, President of IAMC. IAMC has also noted with satisfaction that the recent State Department report referred to one of the Congressional briefings hosted by the organization and its allies. The Department of State noted that a session hosted by the “U.S.-based nonprofit Indian American Muslim Council on Religious Freedom in India, Amnesty International USA said the organization was forced to halt all operations in the country in 2020 because of the FCRA requirements. The Amnesty representative said the FCRA requirements were one example of “the Indian government activating their overall governmental framework” to crush opportunities for upholding religious freedom.” The Department’s inclusion of IAMC’s name in its report represents a firm rejection of the sustained smear campaign launched against IAMC by the Indian government and Hindutva propagandist Indian news media, including TV news stations such as Republic TV, CNN News 18, and Times Now, as well as newspapers such as The Indian Express and The Economic Times. In January, after India’s former Vice-President Hamid Ansari participated in a virtual briefing organized by IAMC and its allies, India’s federal minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, a member of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu extremist Bharatiya Janata Party, outrageously and falsely accused IAMC of being connected with Pakistan’s government and with terrorist groups. “Years of sustained attacks on IAMC by rabid Sangh-leaning media outlets in India and shady Hindutva outfits in the US have not dented our credibility one bit,” noted Mr. Khalid Ansari, Vice-President of IAMC. “We look forward to continued engagement with the US State Department towards holding human rights abusers accountable,” added Mr. Ansari.

Press Release

Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) is thrilled to announce the shortlist across five categories of the first-ever Human Rights & Religious Freedom Journalism Awards-2022 (HRRF).

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Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) is thrilled to announce the shortlist across five categories of the first-ever Human Rights & Religious Freedom Journalism Awards-2022 (HRRF). The shortlist, which was announced on Sunday, June 5 has created a lot of buzz among journalists in India. The idea to constitute the HRRF Journalism Awards was conceived last year during the IAMC annual retreat in Chicago to honour, recognize and highlight journalism that accentuates the challenges faced by the religious minorities undergoing immense persecution in India. We were able to implement the project within six months. This year, we received hundreds of entries that delve deeper into the question of human rights and the lived reality of religious minorities and marginalized communities in India. The quality and diversity of the entries were outstanding and it was tough for our diverse jury members from across the world to choose finalists in each category. But the results are in now. We will honor the winners across all categories on Sunday, June 19, 2022. Here is the shortlist: Best Text Reporting on Human Rights & Religious Freedom Best Photo Story on Human Rights and Religious Freedom Best Video Story on Human Rights and Religious Freedom HRRF Young Journalist of the Year Award 2022   HRRF Best Media Organization Award Click Here for Full ShortList

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US Hindu extremists funding Congressmen such as Raja Krishnamoorthi, says Indian American Activist

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington, DC (June 3, 2022) – Hindu extremist groups in the United States are funding members of Congress such as Illinois representative Raja Krishnamoorthi (8th District) and pressuring President Joe Biden’s administration to avoid condemning India’s attacks on minorities, a leading Indian rights activist said at a Congressional Briefing this week. This Islamophobic and anti-Christian agenda is being driven by “very well funded Hindu nationalist extremist groups operating in the US as advocacy organizations [and] as business entities,” said John Prabhudoss, Chairman of the Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations (FIACONA), a Washington DC-based advocacy organization. “We need to recognize that before it gets really too out of hand,” Prabhudoss added. “Hindu nationalism has infiltrated the US establishment very well, very succinctly.” One example, he said, was the support and funding of Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi by “proxies of the Hindu nationalist radical groups that want to make India as a Hindu nation state.” “In December, 2021, there were calls [from Hindu nationalists] to kill 2 million Indian Muslims — that is twice the number of people killed in the Rwandan genocide in 1994,” said David Anderson, Outreach Director for the International Society for Peace and Justice, an advocacy organization. Members of Congress and their staffers “in private” say” they are monitoring human rights in India and were “deeply concerned” about it, Anderson said. “It is great that members of Congress and the Biden administration are concerned, but what are they willing to say about it publicly? Do not wait until there is a crisis to act.” “It is not just a fringe minority who have become radicalized against Muslims and Christians,” said Rasheed Ahmed, Executive Director of the Indian American Muslim Council, an advocacy organization that campaigns to uphold the religious freedoms and human rights of all Indians. “The ideology of Hindu supremacism has poisoned every aspect of Indian democracy, from the central government, to schools, to the film industry, to law enforcement agencies, to the justice system. Every Muslim in India is under attack simply because they exist.” “We believe it’s important to stand up as Hindus from across the world, from the diaspora as well as in India, and raise our voices against this ideology of hate which is coming from our own community,” said Nikhil Mandalaparthy, Advocacy Director with Hindus for Human Rights, an advocacy organization aimed at countering Hindu nationalism and Islamophobia. The US government must look at what “your own government agencies are saying about India… There’s a strong consensus that India is going farther and farther from being a democratic country where rights of minorities are guaranteed, and it’s time for everyone to wake up and take a more proactive role in challenging this injustice,” Mandalaparthy added. The briefing was co-sponsored by Genocide Watch, World Without Genocide, Indian American Muslim Council, Hindus for Human Rights, International Christian Concern, Jubilee Campaign,  21Wilberforce, Dalit Solidarity Forum, New York State Council of Churches, Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations of North America, India Civil Watch International, Center for Pluralism, International Commission for Dalit Rights, American Muslim Institution, Students Against Hindutva Ideology, International Society for Peace and Justice, The Humanism Project and Association of Indian Muslims of America.

Press Release

IAMC applauds criticism of India’s anti-minority persecution by US Secretary of State Blinken, and Ambassador Rashad Hussain at annual IRF report release

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington, DC (June 2, 2022) – The Indian American Muslim Council, an advocacy organization dedicated to maintaining India’s constitutional values of pluralism and democracy, today commended the US State Department on its 2021 International Religious Freedom Report, which represents a detailed account of massive violations of religious freedom and persecution of 280 million religious minorities in India. “The report documents how religious freedom and rights of religious minorities are under threat around the world. In India, the world’s largest democracy and home to great diversity of faiths, we have seen a rise in attacks on people and places of worship,” Secretary Blinken said while delivering the remarks. In addition to covering the issues of harsh anti-conversion laws, cow vigilantism and mob lynchings, anti-Muslim attacks in Tripura state, detention of non-Hindus for imagined offenses, and mosque vandalisms, the report also mentioned several Hindu extremist leaders by name. These include hate speaker Yati Narasinghanand, Hindu Mahasabha general secretary Sadhvi Annapurna, World Hindu Congress leader Swami Paramatmananda, and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, a close ally of Narendra Modi. IAMC also welcomed the statement by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken for naming India alongside China, Myanmar, Nigeria, Eritrea, Afghanistan, and others for threatening the rights of religious minorities during the release of the report. IAMC further commended Rashad Hussain, the Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom for calling out the Indian government officials, who he said are “ignoring or even supporting rising attacks on people and places of worship.” “We welcome the US State Department’s thorough coverage of the dangerous consequences of Hindu extremism in the 2021 Report on International Religious Freedom,” said Syed Ali, President of IAMC. “It is important that the Biden administration now formally recognize Hindutva as a major threat to Indian democracy.” “We applaud Secretary Blinken and Ambassador Hussain for breaking the silence and publicly expressing concern regarding India’s ongoing persecution of religious minorities,” said Rasheed Ahmed, Executive Director of IAMC. “This is a major step in the right direction, and allows us to begin the long-overdue conversation about what the United States must now do to ensure the protection of India’s 280 million minorities.” IAMC reiterates and calls on the US Department of State and Secretary Blinken to designate India a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) and apply sanctions for violations of religious freedom and state-sponsored persecution of Muslim and Christian minorities.

Press Release

Protesters rail against human rights abuses under Modi/BJP authoritarian regime in India

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington, DC (May 31, 2022) – Protesters gathered near the Embassy of India in Washington, D.C., on Sunday afternoon, calling for an end to human rights abuses and assaults on religious freedom in India. The participants, who included people of multiple faiths, gathered at the base of the statue of Mahatma Gandhi in Gandhi Memorial Plaza. The Indian embassy along Massachusetts Avenue was in the background as people took part in a Muslim prayer service, chanted and gave speeches. Speakers emphasized that they are not against India as a nation, but they issued pleas to restore India to a secular democracy where people of many faiths live together, rather than its current state as an autocracy governed by the far-right Hindu extremist BJP. There have been multiple reports of persecution of Muslims, Christians, Dalits and other minority groups in recent years. These incidents have increased significantly since the election of the BJP, with Narendra Modi as prime minister, to national office in 2014. India’s Muslims, the country’s largest minority group with more than 200 million adherents, have received the brunt of the persecution, including demolitions of their homes, businesses and places of worship by local authorities, acts of deadly violence and calls for genocide. Mosques around the country, including those that have stood for centuries, are at risk of demolition as Hindu activists who want to use the sites for their worship – citing the Hindu temples that were there prior to construction of the mosques – file civil suits. The fate of hundreds of Indian mosques, such as the Gyanvapi masjid in the city of Varanasi, could be tied up in the courts. Christians also face persecution, such as assaults and mob violence at houses of worship. An 84-year-old Jesuit priest who was an advocate for the Adivasi indigenous people was imprisoned under anti-terrorism laws and died in police custody in 2021. Modi’s BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) controls the national government and that of multiple states such as Uttar Pradesh – India’s largest state in terms of population and the home state of the Gyanvapi mosque. The BJP is the political wing of the RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh), the nearly century-old fascist-inspired paramilitary organization that has spent decades trying to turn India from a secular state with constitutional guarantees of religious freedom into a Hindu-supremacist nation. The pillars of democracy in India are crumbling under Modi’s rule. The Indian diaspora living in the United States of America wants to see India progressing and thriving under a prime minister who will restore democracy. We want to protect India from fascism, and we urge Indian citizens to unite and protect their country from falling into civil strife.

Reports, Weekly Roundup (Video)

IAMC Report: State of Religious Minorities in India (April 2022)

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As foreign governments and international human rights bodies, including the United Nations, are raising concerns over India’s treatment of its minorities, hate crimes and organised attacks against the Muslim community have only become more frequent. Professor Gregory Stanton, founding president of the research and advocacy organization Genocide Watch, has already placed India at the alarmingly high 8th stage of genocide. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government have not only turned a deaf ear to the escalating violence but are also accused of providing impunity to the Hindu extremist groups responsible, many of which have links to BJP’s parent organisation, the paramilitary Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). The increasing hate speeches and violence against Muslims, Christians, Dalits, and Adivasis in April reveals a more radical shift in the supremacist vocabulary of India’s Hindu nationalists, particularly against the Muslim minority. This escalation of hate speech can be best described by analysing the shift from slogans such as “Desh ke ghaddaro ko, Goli maaro saalo ko” (shoot the bastard traitors of the country) to a more direct and pointed slogan such as “Jab Mulley Kaate Jayenge, Tab Ram Ram Chillayenge” (When Muslims are be slaughtered, they will shout ‘Ram Ram’). The role of the police over the years, especially in April 2022, also indicates a more institutionalized form of violence mechanism being put into place in the Indian polity. This report shall elaborate more on the police’s role in not just downplaying the violent attacks against minorities but more often being an active participant in the violence. Discriminatory legislation against Muslims has increasingly been deployed in states where the BJP is in power. Laws that openly challenge the fundamental rights enshrined in the Indian constitution are aggressively used to push minorities further to the margins. Here is the report: [pdf-embedder url="http://3.145.57.38/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/April-2022.pdf%22] Click Here to Download

Press Release

Nupur Sharma’s hate speech against Islam and Prophet Muhammad is deplorable, say Indian Americans

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The Indian American Muslim Council, an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s constitutional values of pluralism and tolerance, today unequivocally condemned Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Nupur Sharma’s blatantly hateful and insulting comments against the Prophet Muhammad and Muslim beliefs during a TimesNow segment anchored by Navika Kumar. “Nupur Sharma’s hypocrisy is astounding,” said Rasheed Ahmed, Executive Director of IAMC. “In the same breath, she demands that Muslims not insult Hindu religious beliefs and then goes on to spew vicious and untrue claims about Islam, the Quran, and the Prophet Muhammad. TimesNow should immediately condemn her hate speech and apologize for giving her a platform to spread her venomous and incendiary views.” “The press and news media, which is a pillar of any healthy democracy, has a duty to speak truth to power, not urge politicians to spew hatred against an already vulnerable religious minority,” said Syed Afzal Ali, President of IAMC. “That TimesNow anchor Navika Kumar’s segment gives a platform to such vitriolic hate mongers isn’t just irresponsible; it’s highly dangerous in a country that is already backsliding towards a Muslim genocide.” IAMC also condemns the vicious attacks against journalist Mohammad Zubair and urges Indian authorities to ensure his safety.   Those interested in speaking with IAMC experts on how India’s media and democracy is collapsing under the influence of the Hindu supremacist movement, please contact: media.info@iamc.com.

Press Release

Letter Urging President Biden to Designate India as Country of Particular Concern

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President Joe Biden 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20500 May 23, 2022 Dear Mr. President, We were informed that you will be meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the Quad Leaders Summit in Japan this week. Under Mr. Modi’s leadership during the past eight years, India has slid from democracy to authoritarian rule, with flagrant and non-stop violations of the rights of religious minorities. We, the undersigned U.S. citizens, respectfully request that you convey to Mr. Modi that the bipartisan U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom has recommended that the United States designate India as a country of particular concern. This is the third year in a row that the commission has made this recommendation. India has been “engaging in and tolerating systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom,” according to USCIRF’s annual report for 2022. Religious minorities in India, namely Christians, Muslims, Sikhs and others, suffer discrimination, assaults, demolition of their homes, businesses and places of worship, plus acts of deadly violence on a daily basis. Journalists and critics of the government have been beaten, jailed and persecuted by groups supported by Mr. Modi and the BJP. There is a one-in-seven chance of a “new mass killing” happening in India this year, according to the Early Warning Project, a joint program of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum and Dartmouth College’s Dickey Center for International Understanding. This risk factor is the second highest in the world, according to the Early Warning Project’s rankings. Freedom House’s rating of India’s democracy dropped from “Free” in 2020 to “Partly Free” in 2021. The organization cited issues such as government crackdowns on social media content, monitoring of journalists, opposition figures and activists, arrests of opposition leaders, laws found to be discriminatory against Muslims, and the death of an 84-year-old Jesuit priest while in police custody. The priest had been an advocate on behalf of India’s Adivasi indigenous people. Designating India as a country of particular concern is not a Democratic or Republican issue, but an American issue. Our nation has a duty to stand with oppressed people throughout the world and ensure that their dignity, human rights and religious freedoms are protected, as you pledged during your campaign for president. The oppressed religious minorities of India are looking up to the United States of America for an end to their misery. America has always stood up in support of the oppressed when needed. Sincerely, David Anderson Outreach Director International Society for Peace and Justice Rehan Khan, MD, MS President International Society for Peace and Justice Koshy George President Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations John Prabhudoss Chairman Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations Ajit Sahi Advocacy Director Indian American Muslim Council Nikhil Mandalaparthy Advocacy Director Hindus for Human Rights The Rev. Peter Cook Executive Director New York State Council of Churches Amb. Islam Siddiqui President American Muslim Insitution Hena Zuberi Washington, DC Director Justice for All Kaleem Kawaja Executive Director Association of Indian Muslims of America

Press Release

IAMC Condemns Police Terror Against Muslims in Khargone, Madhya Pradesh

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington, DC (May 20, 2022) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, today strongly condemned the reign of terror unleashed by the police and city officials against Muslims in Khargone district of Madhya Pradesh, a state ruled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu supremacist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). In April, when Muslims were fasting during the holy month of Ramadan, Hindu extremist groups affiliated with the paramilitary Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), which is the BJP’s ideological parent, organized a series of rallies to celebrate the Hindu festivals of Ram Navami and Hanuman Jayanti in various cities across multiple Indian states. These police-protected rallies, which involved blasting anti-Muslim songs, chanting provocative and violent slogans, and wielding weapons, were deliberately routed through Muslim localities, resulting in violence, the arson of Muslim-owned properties and businesses, and injuries to dozens of Muslims. Several civil rights and advocacy organizations and news reports have extensively covered these violently Islamophobic processions and subsequent attacks by radical Hindu mobs in Muslim localities. On April 10, 2022, a Hindu mob leading a Ram Navami procession in Khargone took a violent turn, leading to attacks, vandalism of mosques and shrines, and the destruction and burning of Muslim-owned houses and businesses. According to the locals, at least two mosques, four shrines, and two Muslim cemeteries were either desecrated or set ablaze. The rampaging Hindu extremist mob attacked at least 50 Muslims, including ten women. Ibrez Khan, son of Kallu Khan, died after being tortured and attacked with swords. “Our boy had gone to deliver Ramzan iftar to the mosque when the violence started. He had been missing for two days, and he never returned… until locals found his dead body,” Ibrez’s uncle told IAMC. Locals told IAMC the Hindus from adjoining villages attacked their Muslim neighbors and threatened to rape Muslim women, forcing many Muslim families to abandon their villages and seek refuge in surrounding towns. Hindu organizations and groups also issued calls for an economic boycott of Muslims throughout the region. Following the violent attacks by Hindu mobs, the state initiated more attacks against the already victimized Muslim community. During the curfew, Muslim residences were illegally demolished by the Madhya Pradesh police after the state’s home minister Narottam Mishra called for Muslim homes to be “reduced to rubble.” At least 52 homes and businesses were demolished. The police arbitrarily arrested, imprisoned, and tortured Muslim men in the days that followed. At least 150 Muslim men, including 14 minors, are currently languishing behind bars, the locals told IAMC. In the middle of the night, police officers conducted raids on the Muslim homes, harassing and abducting the men and women. “Police are breaking into our homes illegally and harassing women. They torture the males brutally and detain them. This has to stop,” Dr. Sofia, a local resident, told the media. After her statement, the police booked Dr. Sofia along with nine other Muslim women for speaking up against the state persecution. Local Muslims have further accused police of threatening them and forcing them not to file complaints against the Hindu attackers. In some cases, the police have simply refused to entertain their complaints. “My friend Mohsin died three years ago. His name appeared on the FIR. That is enough to reveal how biased the police investigations are…they are booking Muslims from voter lists,” Rizwan, a local, told IAMC. As of now, police have booked 599 Muslims in 65 different FIRs, while only 6 FIRs have been lodged against Hindu extremists. “It clearly appears a fabricated and politically motivated investigation to further target the Muslim victims and force them into silence. We condemn such state aggression against any community. We demand an objective judicial review of the police investigation and the violence that occurred on April 10, 2022, if it is still possible in today’s India” said Rasheed Ahmed, Executive Director of IAMC.

Press Release

Court Order to Seal Historic Gyanvapi Mosque condemned by Indian Americans

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington, DC (May 16, 2022) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, today strongly condemned the order of an Indian court to seal part of the historic Gyanvapi mosque in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. On Monday, a lawyer commissioner Ajay Kumar Mishra, who was directed to survey the mosque — after a group of Hindu women filed a petition seeking permission to pray on the premises — submitted before the court that a Shiva Linga (an idol depicting the Hindu deity Shiva) was found in wazu khana (ablution tank) of the mosque. The lawyers representing the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee, which manages the Gyanvapi mosque, rejected the claim saying that the object is not a “shivling” but part of a fountain. In haste, the local court ordered the authorities to immediately seal a portion of the mosque, literally giving legal cover to the Hindu supremacist drives of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), and its militant affiliates. These Hindu extremist groups have long been targeting and trying to ignite a dispute by manipulating history and falsely claiming that Mughals destroyed a temple to build not only the Gyanvapi mosque but countless other mosques around the country. Apart from its explicit communal overtones, the latest court order completely violates the 1991 Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, which prohibits conversion of places of worship from one religion to another, except for the Babri Masjid dispute. The Babri Masjid was demolished in 1992 by a Hindu extremist mob who claimed — without evidence —  that the Mughal-era mosque had been constructed on land holy to Hindus. The mob was made up of 150,000 people, led by Hindu supremacists belonging to the paramilitary RSS, the BJP,  the extremist Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), and Bajrang Dal. Shockingly, India’s Supreme Court awarded that land to the Hindus even while acknowledging that no evidence existed that the mosque had been built by demolishing a temple and also ruling that its demolition was a criminal act. “Indian Americans are extremely alarmed by the latest court order, which could potentially pave the way for the replay of Babri Masjid. By playing into the hands of Hindu extremist groups and furthering their majoritarian agenda, this grave injustice by the court is yet another assault on India’s 200 million Muslims,” said Rasheed Ahmed, Executive Director of IAMC. “It also puts spotlight on the rot that infests the Indian judiciary, which is actively facilitating the Hindu rightwing’s project of converting India into a Hindu Rashtra (Hindu nation),” Mr. Ahmed added. “Gyanvapi mosque has long been on the hit list of the Hindu rightwing, especially after the favorable judgment given by the Supreme Court in the Babri Masjid case in 2019. In all possibilities, the latest development could be used to whip up the communal sentiments and further the genocidal campaign against the Muslims of India,” said Syed Ali, President of IAMC.

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Profiting Off of Hate: How anti-Muslim Rhetoric in BJP Election Campaigns Brings India One Step Closer to Genocide

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By Noelle Jones Not only have Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) failed to condemn the calls for genocides against Muslims at the dharma sansads (Hindu Religious Parliament) held in Haridwar (Uttarakhand), Delhi, and Raipur in December 2021, but they have actively profited from perpetuating Hindutva (Hindu-nationalist) anti-Muslim myths, stereotypes, and rhetoric in their 2022 election campaigns.  In Hindutva rhetoric, Muslims are portrayed as the antithesis to Hindus and their presence a threat to establishing a purely Hindu nation and society. Hindus are painted as civilized, virtuous, clean, and enlightened while Muslims are seen as barbaric, backward, immoral, violent, and dirty. According to Hindutva ideology, Islam is a foreign religion that does not call India its holyland. Followers of Islam, therefore, are painted as having allegiances to foreign entities and are “anti-national” or “traitors” to India.  Echoing this belief, in a campaign speech in the recently culminated elections in Uttar Pradesh state, BJP candidate Raghvendra Pratap Singh, claimed that “any Hindu who doesn’t vote for me has Miyan [slur for Muslim] blood in his veins. He’s a traitor.” Singh also emphasized his hard stance on “Muslim terrorism,” asserting that since Muslims had been “driven out of power,” “Women and children are able to roam around safely on the streets.”   This reflects Hindutva myths about Muslim men who are portrayed as a dangerous threat to Hindu women, and in turn, Mother India. Hindutva rhetoric promotes the stereotype that Muslim men are hypersexual and seek to seduce or rape innocent Hindu women. This then feeds into the myth of the “love jihad”  in which Muslims seduce Hindu women into marriage with the aim of converting them to Islam. Many BJP ruled states have passed “love jihad” laws on the basis of this conspiracy theory. Per Hindutva ideology, in order to make India a purely Hindu nation or Hindu Rashtra, religious minorities must assimilate into the Hindu way of life or leave. Religious minorities who remain in India without assimilating would be considered second-class citizens.  Mayankeshwar Sharan Singh, another BJP candidate from Uttar Pradesh, was filmed saying in a campaign speech, “If you have to live in Hindustan you have to say ‘Radhe Radhe‘ [Hindi salutation], else, like those who went to Pakistan during the partition, you can go too… you have no use here.” In the same vein, Hindutva rhetoric also portrays Muslims as a competing force for the soul of India, threatening to outnumber Hindus and establish a purely Muslim state. Recently, Bihar state BJP legislator, Hari Bhushan Thakur perpetuated this message, stating, “They (Muslims) are increasing population and want to make India a Muslim state…We cannot allow that to happen. Hence we have demanded from the government the withdrawal of voting rights from them and make them second-class citizens.”  These anti-Muslim Hindutva talking points are not isolated to just campaign speeches. This rhetoric gains new life online through the sharing of content on social media (Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, etc), which the BJP exploits to exponentially spread their message, reach more people, and garner support. In both the 2014 and 2019 general election campaigns, Modi and the BJP utilized social media campaigns, resulting in the development of the “IT cell” wing of the party composed of paid core staff, internet volunteers, and troll farms. These internet volunteers spread the BJP’s Hindutva rhetoric through posting, tweeting, commenting, and tagging the content sent out by the IT cell. Through the social media activity of this “IT cell,” journalists and activists critical of the Modi government, the RSS, and the Sangh Parivar are harassed; political adversaries are trolled; “fake news” is spread, and offensive content targeting religious minorities is perpetuated.  Like other right-wing groups who use alternative social media, such as Gab, Parler, BitChute, MeWe, and GETTR, Hindu nationalists also gravitate to the social media platform “Koo,” a Bengaluru-based micro-blogging service pitched as an alternative to Twitter that was specifically designed to meet India’s multilingual communication “needs”. Modi and BJP members have accounts on Koo which they use to provide their followers with exclusive first access to press releases and government updates, allowing them to develop a following.  With its projected 100 million users by the end of 2022, Koo serves as an echo chamber for right-wing Hindutva content as like-minded Indians can connect and share content with little overhead content moderation. Additionally, in order to have direct access to BJP supporters and potential voters, Modi released the Narendra Modi or “NaMo” app where users can volunteer for BJP programs, actively participate in BJP policy, and listen to Modi’s Maan ki Baat radio talk show. The app also includes a citizen “To Do” list for users and user participation is incentivized by the earning of “citizenship points.” Like Koo, this app has also become a place for the sharing of increasingly polarizing content among like-minded users.  The result is a combination of a top-down and bottom-up generation and the spread of Hindutva anti-Muslim content by BJP leaders and their followers that feed off of one another. This perpetuation and pervasiveness of anti-Muslim hate speech, while benefitting the BJP politically, has real-world consequences for India’s Muslims who are the targets of discriminatory policies, harassment, and violence carried out by mobilized Hindu nationalists. The continual and strategic use of anti-Muslim rhetoric in campaign speeches and online content after calls for genocide further demonstrates the real threat of genocidal calls becoming genocidal actions and the complicity of BJP government officials in this process.  Like the speakers at the dharma sansads, BJP candidates like Raghvendra Pratap Singh, Mayankeshwar Sharan Singh, and Hari Bhushan Thakur face little to no tangible repercussions for their hate speech which only serves to embolden their rhetoric. If there is any hope of de-escalation, the international community and Indian society must put pressure on the Indian government and election officials to hold those who commit hate speech responsible and ensure a free and fair election. If left unchecked, the same cycle of hate speech will replicate in 2024 election

Press Release

India’s attacks on press freedoms similar to a dictatorship, says Reporters Without Borders Asia-Pacific Director

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington, DC (May 5, 2022) – The Indian government has begun mirroring China in its dictatorial treatment of journalists through harassment as well as forcing them into self-censorship, said Daniel Bastard, Asia-Pacific Director of Reporters Without Borders (RSF), in a Congressional Briefing titled “India’s Crackdown on Free Speech” on May 4. “Nobody wants to see India become a very strong dictatorship like China, but… the situation is becoming more or less the same in some aspects,” he added, saying that India’s aggressive attempts to silence and imprison Kashmiri media persons was similar to China’s treatment of Tibetan journalists. The briefing mainly focused on India’s steep decline in the latest Press Freedom Index ranking by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), which plunged from 142 in 2021 to 150 in 2022 among 180 countries. The accompanying report lambasts India for “violence against journalists, the politically partisan media and the concentration of media ownership,” which “all demonstrate that press freedom is in crisis.” “We have received a lot of testimonies from journalists who were working for mainstream media who tell us there are many subjects that they don’t dare to tackle anymore… it’s safer for the journalists and [their] chief editors not to mention these embarrassing problems for the government,” said Bastard. “We have reached a stage where there are large sections of the government who believe that they can bludgeon the  small section of the media that’s still trying to hold truth to power… Those who are in power are not just intolerant; they’ve become vengeful,” said Paranjoy Guha Thakurta, a veteran journalist and filmmaker. “Journalists who ask questions are immediately branded as traitors [and] anti-nationals… we’ve seen the laws on defamation misused, we’ve seen law enforcement agencies – including the Income Tax Department [and] the Enforcement Directorate – becoming weapons to target those who are critical of the government,” Thakurta  said. It is not alarmist, he added, to claim that the Indian government is sliding towards a dictatorship: “The media has played a sterling role, a most important role, in spreading Islamophobia in India. One out of seven Indians in a country of close to 1.4 billion has been demonized and made to feel they are second-class citizens.” “Narendra Modi started his tenure in 2014 by attacking journalists… As far as I know, talking [about] criticizing policies of the government has become a crime,” said Niranjan Takle, investigative journalist and author of the upcoming book Who killed Judge Loya. “[There are] physical attacks on the journalists, physical attacks on the family members, attempts to humiliate them, attempts to control them on social media.” “The media, instead of being the watchdogs, have become amplifiers of the government narrative. And it has led to the creation of an ecosystem of vigilantes loyal to the ruling dispensation, which serves to intimidate and punish independent journalists,” said Pamela Philipose, public editor of The Wire. “You find that in the last seven, eight years, investigative journalism [has been] killed… The irony is that when we are talking about attacks on free speech, not a single [government] agency or a single pillar of democracy… will come to rescue you,” said Bhasha Singh, a Consulting Editor with the web portal Newsclick. “It is a great shame that India has slipped to 150 in the latest press freedom report… India doesn’t need state broadcasters because Republic TV and Times Now are precisely doing the same job,” said Salil Tripathi, Chair of PEN International’s Writers in Prison Committee. “US government agencies such as USCIRF have specifically drawn attention to violence against journalists for the past 3 years as a reason for the State Department to designate India as a Country of Particular Concern,” said Nikhil Mandalaparthy, Advocacy Director at Hindus for Human Rights. “Given that Secretary Blinken has recently stated that the US government is monitoring human rights violations in India, it’s time to put these words into action.” The briefing was co-hosted by Genocide Watch, World Without Genocide, Indian American Muslim Council, Hindus for Human Rights, International Christian Concern, Jubilee Campaign, 21Wilberforce, Dalit Solidarity Forum, New York State Council of Churches, Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations of North America, India Civil Watch International, Center for Pluralism, American Muslim Institution, Students Against Hindutva Ideology, International Society for Peace and Justice, The Humanism Project and Association of Indian Muslims of America.

Press Release

IAMC Joins White House Eid Celebration, Urges Biden To Press India To Stop Persecution Of Muslims

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington, DC (May 3, 2022) – The Indian American Muslim Council, an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, on Monday joined the celebrations of the Muslim festival of Eid-ul-Fitr at the White House at the invitation of US President Joe Biden and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden. Eid-ul-Fitr marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan, during which Muslims around the world fast from dawn to dusk and focus on spirituality as well as charity. IAMC Executive Director, Rasheed Ahmed, was among the invitees that included Congressman Andre Carson and Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib and others from the Legislative and Executive branches, as well as leaders of the American Muslim community. “We are grateful to the US President for recognizing and celebrating Islam and Muslims as an integral part of the American life,” Mr. Ahmed said at the event at the majestic East Room. “On behalf of IAMC, the largest civil rights organization of Indian Muslims in America, it is my honor to represent the community at the White House on this holiest of days.”   Speaking to American Muslims invited from across the country at the Eid celebration, President Biden said: “Today, around the world, we’ve seen so many Muslims that have been targeted by violence. No one, no one should discriminate against or be oppressed, or be repressed, for their religious beliefs. We have to acknowledge that an awful lot of work remains to be done, abroad and here at home. Muslims make our nation stronger every single day, even as they still face real challenges and threats in our society, including targeted violence and Islamophobia.” At the event, IAMC’s Ahmed also met and spoke with US Ambassador for International Religious Freedom Rashad Hussain as well as other federal officials from the US Department of State and the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF). Mr. Ahmed updated them on the escalation of Hindu extremist violence against Muslims in India during the holy month of Ramadan that concluded with Eid. “We discussed the widespread violence against India’s Muslims in Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Delhi, among others, including the illegal and hateful demolition of Muslim homes, businesses and mosques in recent days,” Mr. Ahmed said.

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Why the International Community Must Take Repeated Calls for Genocide in India Seriously

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By Noelle Jones In December 2021, Hindu nationalist leaders gathered at dharma sansads in Haridwar, Delhi, and Raipur, where the speakers not only painted Muslims as a “violent threat”  but asserted that the only solution was to establish India as a Hindu nation by organizing the mass killing of Muslims. Not only do Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) continue to fail to condemn this genocidal rhetoric, but have actively profited from this polarizing rhetoric in their 2022 election campaigns, allowing said rhetoric to continue and escalate.  Recently, in the wake of the Hijabi Row controversy, which resulted in the court upholding schools’ ability to ban students from wearing the hijab, a Bajrang Dal teenager, Pooja, expressed genocidal sentiments during a Bajrang Dal protest. She claimed: “if you want the hijab all over India, we will chop you (Muslims) all with Shivaji’s sword…Let the government give us just one hour and not just these six girls in hijab, we’ll cut 60,000 in hijabs into pieces…” These recent genocidal sentiments propagated by Hindu extremists in India are not the empty ravings of a fringe extremist group but reflect the systematic anti-Muslim discrimination and violence fueled by Hindutva ideology under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his BJP.  The pervasiveness of Hindu nationalist or Hindutva ideology, pattern of anti-Muslim discrimination and mass violence, and the culture of impunity in conjunction with these calls for genocide demonstrate that the situation in India has parallels with the trajectory of past genocides and, if left unchecked, has the capability to escalate even further. This is why the Indian government and police as well as the international community must take these recent calls for genocide seriously and take action before this escalation occurs.  The genocidal process begins with the classification of “us and them” in which perpetrators define who belongs in society while labeling those who do not as “other.” In the perpetrators’ founding narrative for their utopian vision of society, the existence of the “other” is irreconcilable and poses a tangible threat to achieving this vision.  Nazis portrayed Jews as the source of all ills in German society and the antithesis to the future of a racially pure Aryan society. Much like the ethno-nationalist ideology of the Nazis, Hindu-nationalist or Hindutva ideology seeks to turn India into a Hindu Rashtra (Hindu Nation) and paints religious minorities (Muslims, Christians etc.) as a threat to this utopic vision for Indian society.  Hindutva ideology has become pervasive in India’s legislative, executive, judiciary, and media. This ideology serves as a base ideology for the Hindu-nationalist paramilitary group Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) as well as the collection of fellow Hindu-nationalist groups inspired by the RSS, the Sangh Parivar. Not only is India’s governing party, the BJP, a member of the Sangh Parivar, but Prime Minister Modi is reportedly a longtime member of the RSS. Under Modi and the BJP, Hindutva ideology has been codified in recent legislation and policy that threatens to disenfranchise Muslims such as the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), the National Register of Citizenship (NRC), and the National Population Registry (NPR). The CAA fast-tracks citizenship for Hindu, Sikh, Zoroastrian, Jain, and Buddhist refugees from Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Bangladesh while excluding Muslim refugees. Those who qualify for citizenship are then included in the NRC while those who do not face expulsion or being held in a detention center. The NPR is a precursor to the NRC by listing every resident of India, allowing officials to identify and target those who may need to prove their citizenship to qualify for the NRC, namely Muslims. This is similar to the Nuremberg Laws in Nazi Germany which stripped German Jews of their citizenship before they were confined to ghettos and deported to concentration camps.  Anti-Muslim discrimination and violence have also intensified with the polarizing Hindutva rhetoric condoned and propagated by Modi and the BJP in addition to that of the RSS and the Sangh Parivar.  Since Modi’s election in 2014, DOTO (Documentation of the Oppressed) Database has documented 1324 incidents of hate crimes against religious minorities resulting in 18,968 victims, 249 of which were killed and 2,343 of which were injured. According to DOTO, 16, 305 of the reported victims were Muslims and the majority of perpetrators were Hindu nationalists.  These calls for genocide also come after incidents of mass violence against Muslims such as the 2020 Delhi Pogrom which resulted in 53 dead, 250 injured, and around 2,000 displaced as well as the vandalization of Muslim homes, shops, and places of worship. The explicit and systematic targeting of Muslims, their property, and places of worship is reminiscent of pogroms against Jews in Nazi Germany and Nazi-occupied Europe in which Jews were attacked and arrested, Jewish businesses were vandalized, and synagogues were destroyed.   Overall, perpetrators of anti-Muslim discrimination and violence have enjoyed a culture of impunity due to a lack of condemnation from Modi, his party and effective police action investigating and prosecuting those that incite and commit hate crimes.  Not only have BJP leaders failed to condemn hate crimes against Muslims but have actively encouraged and incited them, emboldening perpetrators. Furthermore, the lack of effective response by police, Modi, and BJP leaders to recent genocidal sentiments suggests that this pattern of impunity will continue, allowing the situation to escalate if immediate action is not taken.  After the Holocaust, the collective promise from the international community was “never again.” However, since the crime of genocide was codified in the 1948 Genocide Convention, the world has seen several genocides. As State Parties to the 1948 Convention, India and the international community have an obligation to prevent genocide.  Furthermore, the situation in India is yet another development in the global rise in Islamophobia which has already resulted in the genocide of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar and Uyghurs in China. While it will take more than the condemnation of recent genocidal rhetoric to undo the influence of Hindutva ideology in India, the Indian government and the police as well as the

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For the third year in a row, we recommended that India be designated as a country of particular concern for systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom

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In response to USCIRF’s 2022 Annual Report that recommends the US government to designate India as a Country of Particular Concern, IAMC, Hindus for Human Rights, and 16 other American human rights organizations held a special Congressional Briefing. Anurima Bhargava, Commissioner for USCIRF, addressed the briefing and explained the underlying reasons for that recommendation.   [mkdf_highlight background_color=”#2851a1″ color=”#fff” padding=”3px”]Anurima Bhargava[/mkdf_highlight] Commissioner, USCIRF Apr 26, 2022 Washington, DC I appreciate this opportunity from Indian American Muslim Council and many others to be able to speak about the report and what it is that we documented and recommended to the US government. For the third year in a row, we recommended that India be designated as a country of particular concern for systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom. I want to talk about what are the underlying reasons for that recommendation, and I think we can talk about them in three different categories. Certainly one of the first and most pressing (reasons) in 2021 is the ways in which there were laws that were used to silence critical voices.That does not only include voices of religious communities around India, but also those who are advocating for religious communities around India, and or supporting those communities. These laws have been around for a long time, but the ways that they’re being implemented right now is what we’re concerned about. The Unlawful Activities Prevention Act and Sedition Law are ways in which there have been many who have been detained, threatened with formal complaints, and have been harassed because of the ways in which they’ve spoken out or documented violence, hate, the intimidation, and fear that is going on in religious communities. We’ve also seen the same thing happen for those who are part of those religious communities where these laws are being used to really intimidate and create a different kind of climate for those who are trying to just go about their everyday living in India right now. One of the places that we have certainly seen an uptick would be an understatement in terms of the ways in which those laws are being used, as well as the Foreign Contributions Regulations Act which has been around for some time. There were amendments made to it last year or in 2020. But in some ways, what’s happening with FCRA is the way in which it also has been used to cut off support and funding. At the end of 2021 it included 6000 organizations. A number of those organizations are ones that work in and support religious minority communities. There are also organizations that are themselves just trying to provide basic services and to have a situation in which their lifeline is being cut off and questioned. We don’t know why these 6000 organizations were targeted under the FCRA. For example, human rights organizations like Oxfam and the most prominent example, Missionaries of Charity, were denied a license. After an outcry, they ended up getting that license renewed under the FCRA. However we see how that played out, particularly during the time of covet in which people are trying to support organizations that are in communities. This includes Christian communities, Muslim communities, Sikh communities, and many others who are trying to support those communities and their ability to thrive. The second way, which has been the focus of some of our reports in the last couple of years, is the way in which the government is not only engaging in, but determining whether or not a country is engaging in systematic, ongoing, egregious violations. The question is not only if they’re engaging in it, but if they’re tolerating those kinds of violations as well. One of the other areas in which we’re seeing this is the move towards India being seen and this vision of an overtly Hindu state. This includes the ways in which other communities are not just being communities within India, but are being offered by the government. We see that in a couple of different ways. We’ve seen it with the Citizenship Amendment Act and this questioning of the citizenship of those who have resided within India for decades, and the suggestion that those who are non Hindu, their citizenship is in question. That has been done in Assam and continues. One of the things that we document in our report is the ways in which those harms have reverberated for those whose citizenship and right to belong within India have been questioned. It has allowed for people to believe that those who are part of non Hindu communities somehow have open season in terms of violence or targeting of those communities. We’re also seeing the ways in which the continued passage at the state level of anti-conversion laws may look as if they are treating everyone equally. Unfortunately the ways in which they are being used, for example in interfaith marriage, has suggested that the very idea that someone would convert to a different religion is something that should be treated as a security threat. They also believe it is something that should be seen as a target for government violence. The proliferation of anti-conversion laws that are broad in terms of what it is that they prohibit, and the ways in which they’re creating this feeling. There is a connotation that they should be stopped from conversation, and that in doing so, they are somehow engaging in dangerous or prohibited behavior. That is another way in which there is a very different kind of environment being created within India. The last place which is being facilitated by the laws and the way in which they’re being implemented is certainly the kind of violence that we’re seeing around India and that means the attacks on places of worship. Part of what we’re seeing under this idea that conversion is a problem in and of itself is that there are reports in Karnataka, for example, of officials going door to door and checking whether people

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Indian Government Engaging In Prolific Mob Violence Against Muslims, Christians: USCIRF Commissioner

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  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington, DC (April 26, 2022) – Indian government officials were tolerating and engaging in religious persecution of Muslims and Christians with “prolific mob violence,” a Commissioner with the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) said on Tuesday. “This environment that we’re in, is creating a situation in which there is a prolific amount of violence going on around India that is targeting and focused on mob violence but also violence that is being tolerated and engaged in by officials at different levels. This violence is being perpetrated around India and particularly, again against Muslims, Christians, and other religious communities,” Commissioner Anurima Bhargava said at a Special Online Congressional Briefing. The way in which mob violence was “playing out across India, not just in some of a few States, is of grave concern to USCIRF.” Not only was the Indian government “engaging in systematic, ongoing, egregious violations” of religious freedom but it was also pursuing an “an overtly Hindu state,” she said. The Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) was undermining the citizenship of non-Hindus who have resided in India for decades, and created an “open season in terms of violence or targeting” of those communities, Ms. Bhargava added. India’s government had also weaponized laws such as the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, the sedition laws, and the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) to attack human rights defenders and critics of the government, she added. “One of the first and most pressing [issues] in 2021 was the ways in which there were laws that were used to silence critical voices, not only of religious communities but also those who are advocating for religious communities,” Bhargava said. While these laws “have been around for a long time,” they were now implemented in a way to detain, harass and threaten critics because “they’ve spoken out or documented violence, hate, the intimidation, fear that is going on in religious communities.” These laws were also being misused to “really intimidate and create a different kind of climate for those who are trying to essentially just go about their everyday living in India right now,” she added. The Special Congressional Briefing was organized a day after the USCIRF – a federal commission constituted by US Congress with the US President and bipartisan leadership of US Congress nominating its Commissioners – released its 2022 Annual Report making wide recommendations to the US Government. For the third straight year, the USCIRF recommended that India be designated as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC), which is the US Government’s list of the world’s worst offenders of religious freedom. Currently, this list includes Russia, China, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Iran and Pakistan, among others. The Briefing was organized by 18 civil rights organizations, including Genocide Watch, World Against Genocide, Indian American Muslim Council, Hindus for Human Rights, New York State Council of Churches, India Civil Watch International, Dalit Solidarity Fourm, International Christian Concern and Federation of Indian American Christians. Bhargava said the Indian government had abused the FCRA to “cut off support and funding” for 6,000 nongovernmental organizations, including Oxfam and Missionaries of Charity, founded by St. Teresa. “A number of those organizations work in and support religious minority communities,” and to have “their lifeline” cut off was questionable. Bhargava also criticized the “continued passage at the state level of anti-conversion laws,” saying that while they “may look as if they are treating everyone equally. Unfortunately, the ways in which they are being used, for example in interfaith marriage, have suggested that the very idea that someone would convert to a different religion is something that should be treated as a security threat. They also believe it is something that should be seen as a target for government violence.” “There are reports in Karnataka, for example, of officials going door to door and checking whether people have converted, which is something that has come from a tactic in a process that has been used in authoritarian regimes in the past to great danger and violence,” Bhargava added. Other co-hosts of the Briefing were: Jubilee Campaign,  21Wilberforce, Center for Pluralism, American Muslim Institution, International Commission for Dalit Rights, Students Against Hindutva Ideology, International Society for Peace and Justice, The Humanism Project and Association of Indian Muslims of America.

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USCIRF’s decision to recommend India as a Country of Particular Concern welcomed by Indian Americans

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US body’s designation of India as CPC third year in a row widely expected given the rapidly deteriorating situation in India FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington, DC (April 25, 2022) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s constitutional values of pluralism and tolerance, today welcomed the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom’s (USCIRF) designation of India as a Country of Particular Concern for the third consecutive year. Such a designation for India, a land with a rich heritage of pluralism and religious diversity, while deeply saddening for Indians worldwide, was widely expected, given the rapidly escalating persecution of religious minorities and the Indian government’s complicity in massive violations of religious freedom. According to the report, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and affiliated Hindu extremist groups have “advocated, instituted, and enforced sectarian policies seeking to establish India as an overtly Hindu state… at grave danger to India’s religious minorities.” The report has further condemned the numerous attacks on Muslims and Christians in 2021, pointing out that “many of these incidents were violent, unprovoked, and/or encouraged or incited by government officials.” “IAMC commends USCIRF for refusing to cave to the lobbying of US-based right-wing Hindu nationalist groups and making clear that the ground reality of minorities in India is of constant harassment and violence,” said Rasheed Ahmed, Executive Director of IAMC. “Given the damning information presented in this report, US State Department officials must now act on the recommendations made by USCIRF by officially designating India as a CPC and by imposing targeted sanctions upon the Indian government to hold officials responsible for encouraging hate,” said Syed Afzal Ali, President of IAMC. For those interested in speaking with IAMC experts on deteriorating human rights and religious freedoms in India, please contact: media.info@iamc.com  

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Kashmir is a prime example of how Prime Minister Modi is taking India in the wrong direction in terms of human rights and democracy

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In a special congressional briefing organized by IAMC, Hindus for Human Rights, and 15 other American civil rights groups, US Congressman Andy Levin rebukes PM Modi for trampling human rights of Kashmiris [mkdf_highlight background_color=”#cc0000″ color=”#FFF” padding=”2px”]ANDY LEVIN[/mkdf_highlight] Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Michigan‘s 9th district Warren, Michigan APRIL 20, 2022 Greetings, everyone. I’m so grateful to the Indian American Muslim Council for bringing us together today for a Congressional briefing on Kashmir. India is near and dear to my heart, and I’m always thankful for the opportunity to discuss how Congress can support human rights and democracy there. My first visit to India was way back in when I was a teenager, yet I had the amazing opportunity to travel to Asia with my dad for his work as the assistant administrator of the US Agency for International Development in India. We visited Delhi, Agra, Hyderabad, and Calcutta, and I also got to go to Nepal, Bangladesh, Thailand, and Indonesia as well. As many of you may know, that trip literally changed my life. I fell head over heels in love with India and with its religious philosophies in particular, but everything food, art, languages, the whole thing. When I went to College, I became a religion major with a focus on the Buddhist philosophies of India and Tibet. I went back again and again, spending a year in Utah Pradesh during College and a summer in Karnataka and traveling around, including Kashmir and Ladakh during graduate school. What struck me most during my trips was the religious pluralism and Democratic culture I experienced. I truly felt that I was witnessing a remarkable example of peaceful coexistence in the world’s largest democracy. It’s still amazing to me the way India conducts elections in such a huge and poor country. After all, I was studying Tibetan and Buddhism, learning enough Hindi to get by, living mostly amongst Hindus and making friends with Muslims as well. Sadly, I fear that many years later, India’s current leadership is backtracking on this legacy. Instead of expanding India’s historically robust democracy, its pluralism, its famous tolerance, Prime Minister Modi’s legacy seems to be to undo or diminish this proud tradition. What’s happening in Kashmir is emblematic of these concerns. In 2019, Prime Minister Modi stripped the region of the privileged status it had held under India’s Constitution for 70 years. At the time, I condemned this move for trampling Democratic norms and fundamental human rights, and I was deeply concerned that it would heighten tensions between India and Pakistan, two nuclear armed neighbors. Two years on, my fears have not been allayed substantially. While Kashmir may not be in the nightly news, what’s happening there deserves the world’s attention, and it’s still a prime example of how Prime Minister Modi is taking India in the wrong direction in terms of human rights and democracy. Human rights groups have documented how the Indian government has intensified its crackdown in Kashmir after revoking the territory’s special autonomous status. In 2019, the State Department’s annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, which were just released for this year, listed numerous abuses in Kashmir, including killings by government and nongovernmental forces, arbitrary arrest and detention of local politicians and human rights defenders, and harassment and intimidation of journalists in the region. Human Rights Watch has documented at least 35 journalists in Kashmir who faced police interrogation, raids, threats, physical assault, or fabricated criminal cases just for trying to do their job reporting the news. These abuses in Kashmir matter because they’re not happening in a vacuum. What happens in Kashmir and in India more generally should matter to all of us. The UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention both expressed concerns about these attacks on journalists and noted that they seem to be part of a broader pattern. That, and I’m quoting may ultimately deter other journalists and civil society more broadly from reporting on issues of public interest and human rights in the region. In other words, the impact is felt not just by journalists themselves in Kashmir, but by everyone in the region, and, I would argue, everyone in India who will suffer without the accountability of a free and independent press. More broadly speaking, these abuses are part of a worrying trend towards authoritarianism and disregard of universal human rights protections around the world. I’m a firm believer in calling out abuses no matter where they occur and no matter who commits them. And at this point, let me just say this is something I do in terms of our own country, and I’ve been doing it for years. So almost 20 years ago, I led an effort at the AFLCIO, our national umbrella group of unions in the United States, to point out that the United States is not in compliance with fundamental human rights norms, the norms of the International Labor Organization when it comes to freedom of association at work, the freedom of Americans to form unions and bargain collectively. And friends, we’re still not in compliance. And look at the attacks on LGBTQ plus people on trans kids in particular going on in our country right now. So we’ve got to be honest about the rights of everyone everywhere. That’s why we must insist on shining a spotlight on abuses in Kashmir. And I’m grateful to the Indian American Muslim Council that you’re doing this event today, that you’re giving members of Congress the opportunity to speak out against these human rights violations. And for all of your work as a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and as the vice chair of its Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific, Central Asia, and Non Proliferation, I remain committed to speaking up for democracy, tolerance, and pluralism in my beloved India and to calling out abuses in Kashmir and elsewhere throughout India, the subcontinent, all of Asia, and the whole

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Modi taking India away from democracy, Kashmir crackdown is authoritarianism: US Congressman

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington, DC (April 21, 2022) – US Congressman Andy Levin, member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific, and Nonproliferation, strongly condemned the human rights abuses committed by Indian security forces against Kashmiri Muslims. During a special Congressional Briefing titled “India’s Brutal Persecution of Kashmir,” organized by 17 American human rights groups, including the Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), on April 20, Congressman Levin called for international attention on the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Kashmir. “While Kashmir may not be in the nightly news, what’s happening there deserves the world’s attention, and it’s still a prime example of how Prime Minister Modi is taking India in the wrong direction in terms of human rights and democracy,” said Congressman Levin. Quoting reports of various human rights groups documenting the rights abuses and intensified crackdown in Kashmir after revoking the territory’s special autonomous status,  he cautioned that abuses were “not happening in a vacuum… these abuses are part of a worrying trend towards authoritarianism.” Congressman Levin further emphasized the need for the United States to take a clear stance on India’s human rights violations and make clear that “the US cares about what happens in Kashmir and that we expect better of democracies like India.” Other prominent academics and activists echoed Congressman Levin’s concerns, including Govind Acharya, the India/Kashmir Specialist and previous board member of Amnesty International USA. “We just cannot forget the victims of these human rights violations of the past, because it really impacts what’s happening now, where Indian authorities have repeatedly denied justice on a wide variety of grounds. We also can never forget the families and friends who will never see their loved ones. We must demand accountability and justice for those perpetrating these abuses,” said Acharya. Sonali Dhawan, who is Asia Researcher with the Committee to Protect Journalists (CJP), highlighted the individual cases of media persons targeted in Kashmir, including photojournalists Kamran Yousuf and Manan Dar, trainee reporter Sajad Gul, journalist Fahad Shah, and prominent founder and editor of the newspaper Rising Kashmir Shujaat Bukhari, labeling the attacks as “extremely disturbing.” “Legal harassment, physical attacks, threats, and raids on their homes and those of their family members have become the new norm for Kashmiri journalists since August 2019,” said Dhawan. Zaki Barzinji, Board Member for Americans for Kashmir, followed up with strong calls to action from members of Congress, particularly those who are planning visits to India in the near future. “We know that we cannot together confront global authoritarianism when our own so-called democratic allies are not acting like democracies… We call on [Congressional] offices to stand up and directly hold the Indian government accountable for its actions,” said Barzinji. “We also urge you to make public statements, especially when it comes to the detention of journalists and human rights defenders,” he added. “I promise you, you will not be going out on a limb to tweet a statement from CPJ about Faisal Shah or from Amnesty about Khurram Parvez. But your voice, in particular, has immense weight.” “It is important to frame [these issues] as part of—if not integral to—the increasingly violent, virulent, and fascist Hindu Nationalism championed by Indian Prime minister Narendra Modi… Since 2019, the Indian government has pursued policies to sell Kashmir out from under Kashmiris—by military force if necessary– impoverish native Kashmiris, and repopulate Kashmir with loyalists of the Hindu Nationalist government,” said Dr. Dean Accardi, Assistant Professor of History at Connecticut College. “It is well-documented that across India the BJP runs on an anti-minority agenda, and that the erasure of Kashmir’s autonomy and dilution of its Muslim majority by way of settler colonialism has been one of its rallying cries,” said Dr. Ather Zia, Associate Professor of Anthropology at the University of Northern Colorado. “Peace or justice or accountability in Kashmir requires addressing the violent role of the state in the protracted conflict, the mass crimes committed by state forces in Kashmir, [and] the precise targeting of Kashmiri Muslims,” said Dr. Angana Chatterji, co-founder of the People’s Tribunal on Human Rights and Justice. Raids on human rights defenders and journalists, said Dr. Mona Bhan, Ford Maxwell Professor of South Asian Studies at Syracuse University, “are carried out under the pretext of investigating terror funding circuits, a smokescreen that India has used to shield itself from international outrage against the systematic denial of fundamental human rights and dignity to Kashmiris.” “From 2016 to the present, India has refused to allow access to UN fact-finding missions, prompting the OHCHR to issue these reports on the human rights situation in Kashmir through remote monitoring mechanisms,” said Dr. Haley Duschinski, associate professor of Anthropology at Ohio University. Ashok Kumar Pandey, author and historian, addressed the misinformation presented by the propaganda film The Kashmir Files, supported and promoted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party. “The fact is there was a warlike situation in the 1990s, and whoever was considered to be pro-India was attacked. The truth is more than 50,000 Kashmiri Muslims also fled from Kashmir… the tragedy of killings did not stop, even after the Pandit exodus. And for the last 32 years we are regularly witnessing killings of general people… in Kashmir,” said Pandey. “Standing up for the rights of majority Muslim community in Kashmir today does not mean that we do not recognize and empathize with the Kashmiri Pandit community,” said Raju Rajagopal, co-founder of Hindus for Human Rights. “Human rights is not a zero-sum game. Those who may accuse us of being ‘anti-Pandit’ and ‘anti-Hindu’ only show their own ignorance of our world view of human and civil rights.” The briefing was co-hosted by Genocide Watch, World Without Genocide, Indian American Muslim Council, Hindus for Human Rights, International Christian Concern, Jubilee Campaign,  21Wilberforce, Dalit Solidarity Forum, New York State Council of Churches, Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations of North America, India Civil Watch International, Center for Pluralism, American Muslim Institution, Students Against Hindutva Ideology, International Society for

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Indian Americans condemn Hindu extremist violence against Muslims across India during the holy month of Ramadan

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington, DC (April 19, 2022) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s constitutional values of pluralism and tolerance, today unequivocally condemned the large-scale day’s long Hindu extremist violence against Muslims across several Indian states during the holy Muslim month of Ramadan. Starting the first week of April, the violence has spread far and wide with targeted street violence against Muslims and their places of worship as well as their homes, stores and businesses especially during the Hindu festivals of Ram Navami on April 10 and Hanuman Jayanti on April 16. Viral videos that have flooded social media show Hindu extremist mobs armed with swords, guns and rods, taking out processions through Muslim areas, blasting Islamophobic songs, chanting Hindu religious slogans, attacking mosques, shrines, Muslim families, homes and their businesses. The news reports and videos circulating on different social media platforms clearly suggest that the violence was orchestrated by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the Hindu supremacist paramilitary organization and its militant affiliates like Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal. The RSS is the ideological parent of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Most incidents were reported in the Indian capital of New Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Uttarakhand, Goa, Bihar and West Bengal. Muslim homes, businesses, mosques and shrines were attacked, vandalized and burnt in the BJP ruled Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat. In Madhya Pradesh’s Khargone city, the epicenter of violence, the local administration demolished Muslim homes and shops, doubly victimizing them after Hindu extremist mobs had terrorized and targeted them. In Gujarat’s Himmatnagar, the Hindu extremists set fire to a Muslim shrine. In Delhi’s Jahangirpuri, VHP and Bajrang Dal militants, armed with swords, tridents and guns, took out a rally on Hanuman Jayanti and tried to hoist saffron flag and pelted stones at a mosque. The ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Delhi has blamed the BJP for instigating the violence, stating that the AAP’s Hanuman Jayanti procession had been entirely peaceful. In Roorkee, Uttarakhand, Muslims reported that Hindu extremist mobs stormed Muslim dominated areas of the city, petling stones at properties, attempting to break into homes, and chanting hateful slogans. Hindu extremists threatened to bulldoze Muslim-owned homes and forced several Muslim families to flee. In Mulbagal, Karnataka, the police assaulted Muslim residents during a Hindu extremist rally. They police included a boy who was on his way home from offering prayers. Raja Singh, a BJP leader from Telangana state, was booked by Hyderabad police for leading a Hindu extremist rally and delivering an anti-Muslim hate speech. Singh had claimed that Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, a close ally of Prime Minister Modi, would “use a bulldozer to clean the country” and “turn it into a Hindu Rashtra (nation) very soon.” Instead of holding the Hindu extremists accountable, the police in the states ruled by the BJP have arrested Muslims on false and fabricated charges of violence. Local state authorities have also ordered the demolition of Muslim-owned homes and shops, punishing poor Muslims for resisiting the violent Hindu mobs. It is noteworthy that no Hindus who set mosques on fire, pelted stones, beat Muslim, or robbed Muslim homes have had their homes bulldozed. “Every religious group has a right to celebrate their festivals. However, it is shameful and despicable that Hindu extremists in India are using their festivals to terrorize Indian Muslims with physical assaults, vandalism, and arson. It is alarming that these acts of large-scale violence are being committed in the presence of the police,” said Rasheed Ahmed, Executive Director of IAMC. Ahmed further termed the bulldozing of Muslim houses and shops as “complete injustice” and “grave breach of Indian and international law.” IAMC urges the international human rights organizations & civil society groups to take note of the deteriorating situation in India, which has a potential to turn into a full-blown Muslim and Christian genocide in the coming months IAMC also call on the US State Department to ask the Indian government to stop stoking the anti-Muslim sentiment, punish the Hindu extremists involved in the anti-Muslim violence, and accept the recommendation of the United States Commission for International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) to designate India as Country of Particular Concern (CPC).

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Statement on Violence Against Sikh Community in New York

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The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) strongly denounces the brutal assault on two Sikh men in Richmond Hill, New York. In recent weeks, three elderly Sikh men have been victims of physical violence in the same New York neighborhood. The victims of the most recent assault on April 13 were in their 60’s and 70’s. They were robbed, beaten, and had their turbans ripped off. This comes less than ten days after 70-year-old Nirmal Singh, who was visiting from India, was punched in the face while on a walk. The two men were taken to the hospital in stable condition.  The New York City Police Department (NYPD) is investigating these incidents as possible hate crimes. IAMC stands in solidarity with the Sikh community and urges the NYPD to conduct a thorough investigation to prosecute the accused to the full extent of the law.

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IAMC Report: State of Religious Minorities in India (March 2022)

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By Noelle Jones As Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) still have not effectively condemned recent and past calls for mass violence against Christians and the genocide of Muslims, this report details the continuing hate speech (including renewed calls for mass violence and genocide), discriminatory policies, harassment, and violence targeting Christians and Muslims over March 2022. Utilizing news reports and data from human rights organizations, this report outlines how the events of March 2022 display the multilevel complicity of the Indian government and society in the cycle of systematic and widespread persecution of religious minorities.   This multi-level complicity, the environment of impunity, and continuing pattern of persecution of religious minorities illustrate the potential of genocidal sentiments being realized by right-wing Hindu nationalists who seek to establish a purely Hindu nation (Hindu Rashtra). To combat the escalating persecution of religious minorities, the report includes recommendations for the US government, the international community, and India to de-escalate the situation and prevent impending mass categorical violence and genocide. [pdf-embedder url="http://3.145.57.38/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Mar-2022-report.pdf" title="Mar-2022 report"]   [mkdf_button size="" type="" text="Download Here" custom_class="" icon_pack="font_awesome" fa_icon="" link="http://3.145.57.38/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Mar-2022-report.pdf" target="_self" color="" hover_color="" background_color="" hover_background_color="" border_color="" hover_border_color="" font_size="" font_weight="" margin-top="5px"]   (Noelle Jones is a genocide researcher at the Indian American Muslim Council)

Press Release

Indian Americans slam prosecution of Amnesty India Chair Aakar Patel

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington, DC (April 13, 2022) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, today condemned the Indian government’s sanctions to prosecute activist and head of Amnesty International India, Aakar Patel. On Tuesday (April 12, 2022), the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) told a New Delhi court that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government had granted its approval to prosecute Patel as well as Amnesty India for alleged financial crimes. Patel and Amnesty have vehemently denied the accusations that they violated the Foreign Contributions Regulation Act (FCRA) by receiving foreign funding. “The hounding of Aakar Patel is typical of the crackdown by the Modi government on civil rights activists, human rights defenders, and social and religious minorities,” Rasheed Ahmed, Executive Director, IAMC, said in the statement. “The illegal action against Mr. Patel is part of India’s targeting of Amnesty International.” News reports on Tuesday said the Indian Government had issued a “look out circular” (LOC) against Patel, which ensures that an individual under the watch of law enforcement agencies is not able to leave the country. Patel has said he was not aware of a LOC against him. Patel has been denied from leaving India twice, the most recent of which was just days ago at Bangalore airport. This came despite a judicial order which permitted him to travel to the US for speaking engagements. He was scheduled for multiple conferences on the use of social media as a tool for advocacy and political change. The prestigious organizations that Patel was to visit on his trip University of Michigan, The University of Berkeley, and New York University, Amnesty International said there was no legal basis for the law enforcement action against Patel. “For Aakar, who dares to raise his voice peacefully and consistently against injustice, a travel ban is nothing but retaliation from the Indian government against his activism. It must be immediately revoked,” said Kyle Ward, Deputy Secretary-General of Amnesty International. Patel has been a vocal critic of Modi since the time Modi was Chief Minister of Gujarat from 2001-2014. IAMC calls upon the court to dismiss the false case against Patel and Amnesty International.

Press Release

Indian Americans Ask Biden To Raise Persecution Of Muslims, Christians In Meeting With Indian PM Modi Today

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington, DC (April 11, 2022) – Leading American civil rights organizations have urged US President Joe Biden to directly raise the issue of escalating persecution of religious minorities, especially Muslims and Christians, and human rights defenders, in his meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 12, Monday. “The Biden Administration has disappointingly failed to address the issue of human rights violations in India and this is the opportunity to right that wrong,” Rasheed Ahmed, Executive Director, Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), said in a statement. “By not speaking up explicitly on India’s increasing attacks on minorities and human rights defenders, President Biden is virtually emboldening the Modi Administration to escalate such persecution,” Nikhil Mandalaparthy, Advocacy Director, Hindus for Human Rights (HfHR), added. On Monday, Biden and Modi will hold a virtual meeting prior to the “2+2” Foreign and Defense ministerial meeting in Washington to discuss bilateral relations and cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, the U.S. White House announced Sunday. Roja Singh, President, Dalit Solidarity Forum in the USA, said the horrific attacks on Dalits in India had sharply increased during Modi’s eight-year rule, and yet the US had kept silent on the worsening situation. “The US has a duty to raise the issues of attacks on Dalits and the failure of the Indian criminal justice system to bring them relief,” she said. Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its ideological parent, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), as well as other Hindu extremist affiliates such as the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal, have been carrying out a vicious campaign of attacks on Muslims, Christians and Dalits in India with impunity. The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), an autonomous federal panel, has for two years recommended that the US Department of State designate India as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC), the US government’s nomenclature for the worst offenders of religious freedom in the world, and sanction guilty officials and government agencies. In December, Secretary of State Anthony Blinken declined to accept that recommendation. Indian American civil rights organizations have been increasingly critical of the Biden Administration’s failure to hold the Indian government accountable for widespread religious persecution in India. Last week, US Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, too, slammed the Biden Administration for this failure, saying, “Why has the Biden administration been so reluctant to criticize Modi’s government on human rights? what will it take for us to outwardly criticize the actions that the Modi administration is taking against its Muslim minorities in India?” Genocide Watch, a prominent US-based watchdog, has said that a genocide of Muslims is underway in India. Earlier this year, Washington, D.C.-based US Holocaust Memorial Museum said India was the second likeliest place in the world after Pakistan. Several US lawmakers, including Senators Bernie Sanders, Chris Van Hollen, and Bob Menendez, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee chair, have repeatedly slammed Modi’s government for the violence against minorities and demanded that the US Government take action against India on this issue.

Press Release

US Rights Groups Ask USCIRF To Withstand Hindu Nationalist Pressure To Dilute Recommendations On India In 2022 Report

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington, DC (April 10, 2022) – Hundreds of U.S.-based civil rights and faith groups and individuals from across the country have condemned the pressure being placed on a prominent federal commission to dilute its reporting on religious persecution in India. In a letter to the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) on Sunday, these organizations and individuals said the commission must withstand the pressure from US-based Hindu nationalists and recommend again that the US Department of State designate India as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC), its harshest nomenclature for the world’s worst persecutors of religious minorities. “It is clear that those seeking to obfuscate the reality of India’s persecution of its religious minorities are now using intense lobbying and combative communication with the goal of preventing USCIRF from recommending India’s designation as a CPC for the third straight year,” the letter said. “We have also learned that such pressure includes attempts to influence USCIRF Commissioners and officials to exclude even a mention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi or his Hindu supremacist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the 2022 report.” The USCIRF has announced it will release its Annual Report for 2022 on April 25. Its last two reports in 2020 and 2021 had recommended that India be designated as CPC, along with China, Pakistan, Iran, Vietnam, Nigeria and several other countries. Both the Trump Administration and the Biden Administration did not accept that recommendation. Leading organizations that have signed the letter include Indian American Muslim Council; Hindus for Human Rights; Jubilee Campaign USA; International Christian Concern; India Civil Watch International; Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations; Dalit Solidarity Forum in the USA; Cameroon American Council; Asian Children Education Fellowship; Association of Indian Muslims of America; International Society for Peace and Justice; Justice For All; Dar El Eman; Coeur d’Alene Bible Church; New Life Church; Fresh Heart Ministries; Director of Governmental Affairs, Greentree Global; pokane Fatherhood Initiative; Indian Muslim Association of Carolinas; Christian Freedom International; and International Asian Christian Front. “We urge you to not allow Hindu supremacist individuals or organizations to influence the integrity of USCIRF in general and your annual report in particular. As you must know, religious persecution in India has only escalated since last year’s publication of USCIRF’s Annual Report 2021. More than ever before, Muslims, Christians and Dalits are under intense attacks and are experiencing massive human rights abuses as well as diminishing space for religious freedom,” their letter said. Thousands of Muslims,Christians, and human rights advocates had been jailed under “draconian laws” such as the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. “Vigilante mobs connected to Prime Minister Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its ideological parent, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), have mushroomed across the country, attacking Christians ,Muslims, and Dalits, often lynching them to death. “Karnataka, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, three states under BJP rule, have passed highly discriminatory laws targeting these two minority communities in the name of anti-conversion. Churches and mosques are vandalized and outrightly demolished by officials, as happened near the Indian capital of New Delhi and in Uttar Pradesh. “In December 2021, repeated calls were made by saffron-robed Hindu “monks” calling for a genocide of millions of Muslims, for sexual violence against Muslim women, and much more. The past year also saw the highest attacks on record on Indian Christians, including large-scale assault and vandalism on Christmas Day, December 25. “The Religious Liberty Commission of the Evangelical Fellowship of India recorded 505 incidents of hate against Christians in 2021, including threats and harassment, physical violence, false accusations of conversion, desecration of houses of worship, arbitrary arrests, hate campaigns, and more. USCIRF must not ignore the significant  decline of democracy in India that is accompanied by most horrific forms of religious persecution. “We urge you to duly record in your Annual Report 2022 the role of the Modi Government, the RSS, the BJP, the VHP, the Bajrang Dal and the various state governments, especially in Assam and Uttar Pradesh that are BJP-ruled, in the sharp escalation in the violence against India’s religious minorities. “We urge you to recommend this year, as you did in 2020 and 2021, that the U.S Department of State designate India as a Country of Particular Concern, and sanction officials and organizations that are involved in religious persecution. India’s persecuted millions are counting on the international community to defend their right to life and dignity. They desperately need USCIRF to play its part in this regard,” the letter said.

Press Release

IAMC condemns physical assault on Muslim Journalists by Hindu extremists in India

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington, DC (April 5, 2022) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, today unequivocally condemned the Hindu supremacist event Hindu Mahapanchayat in India’s capital city of New Delhi, where at least seven journalists, mostly Muslims, were physically assaulted and harassed by a mob of extremist attendees. Two Muslim journalists reported that the Hindu mob nearly lynched them. Hindustan Gazette reporter Meer Faisal, photojournalist Md Meharban, and Newslaundry journalists Shivangi Saxena and Ronak Bhat were all physically assaulted at the event. Article 14 reporter Arbab Ali and The Quint reporter Meghnad Bose and a fifth unnamed journalist were verbally abused. Ali and Faisal, both Muslim, were further attacked with Islamophobic slurs, called “jihadis,” had their phones and cameras snatched, had their footage deleted, and were pushed around. Ali reported that had the police not intervened and removed them from the scene, they might have been lynched by the mob, which was growing increasingly agitated with the presence of Muslim journalists. Hindu Mahapanchayat, which was held illegally without permission from the authorities in Delhi, was similar to the Dharma Sansad (Hindu religious parliament) genocidal meet held in Uttarakhand state’s Haridwar city last year in December. On Sunday, the inflammatory speeches made by Hindu militant leaders like Yati Narsinghanand and Suresh Chavhanke, included calls for Hindus to “take up weapons” against Muslims and other minorities in defense of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s extremist Hindu nationalist ideology. “As horrific as this incident was, it is not surprising. The dangerous decline of democracy and restriction on press freedom in India should be a cause of concern for everyone,” said Rasheed Ahmed, Executive Director of IAMC. “This is the latest in a series of attacks against journalists in India, where the state and non-state actors are actively using different methods including violence to silence those critical of the BJP government and its hateful Hindu nationalist ideology,” Ahmed added. IAMC calls upon Delhi law enforcement to investigate the matter impartially and take strict action against all the organizers of Hindu Mahapanchayat and arrest those who assaulted and threatened to kill the journalists. IAMC further calls upon Indian civil society, media watchdogs, and the international community to take a strong stand against the persecution of journalists and the stifling of free press in India, which is the cornerstone of any democratic society.

Press Release

Indian judiciary is complicit in systemic violence and discrimination against minorities: Congressional Briefing

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington, DC (March 25, 2022) – Far from upholding the democratic values of justice and impartiality, the Indian judiciary is complicit in allowing India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its Hindu extremist supporters to lay the ground for a genocide of India’s 200 million Muslims, prominent human rights activists and lawyers said at a Congressional Briefing. “The Indian Judiciary is being used as a puppet machinery by the Modi regime to ensure that the voices of truth and dissent are shackled and silenced,” said Pranay Somayujala, Advocacy and Outreach Coordinator for Hindus for Human Rights. “[This] poses a unique challenge given the inherent conflict of interest. The state is prosecuting the state, and by extension every officer of the prosecuting state possibly is undertaking every effort to ensure the acquittal of accused officers of the state,” said senior journalist and human rights defender Teesta Setalvad. “The behavior of the judiciary, all the up from the trial court to India’s Supreme Court, has not inspired confidence in the autonomy and independence of the judiciary,” said Dr. Mike Ghouse, founder-president of the Center for Pluralism. “Courts in India have historically given a wide latitude to state agencies to arrest and incarcerate people in the name of ‘national security’ concerns, especially when those being accused come from minority or marginalized communities… A more recent worrying phenomenon has been its tactic of delay and virtual abrogation of responsibility in matters concerning the political agenda of the ruling party,” said Fawaz Shaheen, an India-based human rights attorney. “If the Supreme Court of a country is refusing to actually restore the constitutional rights [and] denies people their fundamental rights, which court will we go to?” said Kavita Srivastava, a veteran human rights activist in India. “International accountability needs to be brought towards the government of India and also expose what is happening through the Supreme Court.” Speakers discussed several different cases where the Indian judiciary failed its minorities due to being compromised by the influence of the BJP, which is at the forefront of India’s dangerous Hindu supremacist movement. “In 1979, India ratified the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Article 18 affirms that everyone shall have the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion,” said Dr. Ellen Kennedy, founder and Executive Director of World Without Genocide. However, she added, court-approved policies such as the discriminatory Citizenship Amendment Act and the National Registry of Citizens have been “a license for anti-Muslim violence.” “These two current policies violate International human rights laws and norms. India is subject to the standards set in United Nations documents because India is party to these covenants and declarations,” Dr. Kennedy said. “Many people hoped that the Supreme Court, when faced with 143 challenges to the Citizenship Amendment Act, would order a temporary stay; the Court did not… India’s Supreme Court [also] ordered the state of Assam to complete a National Registry of Citizens.” When breaking down the discriminatory verdicts passed by the Gujarat High Court following the 2002 pogroms, during which over one thousand Muslims were slaughtered by Hindu extremist mobs, Ms. Setalvad stated that there is a pattern of “jail being an exception and bail being the norm” for those accused of violence against minorities. “This verdict raised important points about the rotting illness of our system. The high court [and] even public prosecutors… function more like defense counsel… and [are] far from impartial,” she said. Speaking on the Delhi 2020 violence, during which mainly Muslims were killed after BJP leaders made inflammatory hate speeches, Dr. Ghouse said, “It has been repeatedly established through independent investigations, including by Amnesty International, that that violence was actually carried out by Hindu extremists with the full support of and participation from uniformed personnel of Delhi Police.” Adding that court justices who attempted to do their judicial duty were swiftly punished by the Modi government, Mr. Ghouse continued, “When family members of those killed in the violence by Hindu extremists brought their case before the then Chief Justice of India, S. A. Bobde, he refused to take any action either to stop the violence or to order police action against the instigators of the violence, including BJP leader [Kapil] Mishra and BJP parliamentarians Pravesh Verma and Anurag Thakur.” Also commenting on the Delhi 2020 case, Mr. Shaheen said, “The violence in the North East District of Delhi was preceded by days of incendiary speeches and open calls to violence against Anti-CAA protesters, mostly targeting Muslims, by senior members of the ruling BJP… To date, no FIR has been registered against the BJP leaders. Instead, in subsequent months the Special Cell of the Delhi Police began detaining and arresting a large number of students and activists, many of whom have now been incarcerated for over two years.” Mr. Somayujala discussed the judicial harassment of Sanjiv Bhatt, a 1988 batch officer in the Indian police Service, who was the primary witness and whistleblower regarding the Gujarat state government’s role in the 2002 Gujarat Pogrom, during which thousands of people, mostly Muslims, were killed and injured in horrific communal riots. “In an attempt to permanently silence and discredit the only person who can link Narendra Modi to the 2002 Gujarat Pogrom [and] in a gross miscarriage of justice, Mr. Sanjiv Bhatt was maliciously and falsely framed in a three decade old fabricated case and convicted to life imprisonment for a crime he did not commit,” he said. Rev. Dr. Sarah Anderson-Rajarigam covered the tragic case of Father Stan Swamy, an elderly Jesuit priest and rights advocate who died in prison after being arrested on baseless terrorism chargers and stripped of his fundamental human rights. “Father Stan’s case shows a distinct pattern of judicial failure to safeguard the rights of Indian citizens and human rights defenders in the face of persecution by the State… right from the point of investigation report when his name wasn’t even listed, through unlawfully holding, and transporting, without the bail option, the Judiciary has failed on so many levels,” Rev. Anderson-Rajarigam said.

Press Release

Uttarakhand state’s decision to implement Uniform Civil Code is another step towards Muslim erasure, says IAMC

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington, DC (March 24, 2022) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, today unequivocally condemned the BJP-ruled Uttarakhand state’s decision to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC). The UCC mandates the formulation of a law, in which all communities would be forced to adhere to a common law in matters such as marriage, divorce, inheritance, adoption, regardless of their religious practice. This is an alarming deviation from the current system, which has different laws for different faiths, including the Hindu Marriage Act, Indian Christian Marriages Act, and the Parsi Marriage and Divorce Act. Muslim personal laws are based on religious texts and are not codified. Implementing the UCC is a violation of freedom of religion and an invasion in the private lives of citizens, particularly Muslims and Christians, who are already severely marginalized in India. Far from being a step towards progressiveness, the UCC is another avenue for Hindu supremacists to attack and prosecute Muslims and Christians for practicing their faith in their private lives. Under the BJP’s Hindu supremacist agenda, the UCC will neither liberate nor unite, but rather push a Hindu-centric idea of uniformity. This phenomenon can already be seen in the aftermath of the Karnataka state High Court’s ban on religious dress in schools, which unfairly discriminates against Muslims under the guise of secularism, while Hindu festivals and religious texts are incorporated into curriculum’s. “UCC is one more step in the direction of turning India into a Hindu majoritarian state where minorities are relegated to second class citizenship,” said Mr. Rasheed Ahmed, Executive Director of IAMC. “The Hindu nationalist BJP has long been a proponent of the UCC precisely because it is an effective erasure of Muslim and other minority religious practices. True secularism is the acknowledgement and celebration of differences. The UCC is a tool that forces a minority to conform to the standards of uniformity set by an extremist majority.” IAMC remains committed to upholding India’s secular and pluralistic ethos, and urges the international community to be vocal in condemning this latest move by the BJP to intimidate India’s religious minorities.

Press Release

Leading activists and academics call on all groups to stand up against impending Muslim genocide in India

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Attendees at event organized by San Diego Coalition For Human Rights pledge solidarity with India’s Muslims and persecuted minorities FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington, DC (March 19, 2022) – Leading activists and academics raised awareness about the threat of mass violence faced by Indian Muslims during an event titled “The Impending Indian Muslim Genocide and Global Islamophobia,” hosted in San Diego, California. The event was hosted by the San Diego Coalition For Human Rights, comprising of the Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) -San Diego Chapter, the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR), Jewish Voice for Peace, Pillars of the Community San Diego, Muslim American Society–PACE, and the Muslim Leadership Council of San Diego. “India is subsumed in a momentous political crisis, the most daunting since 1950,” said Dr. Angana Chatterji, co-founder of the International People’s Tribunal on Human Rights and Justice in Kashmir. “The practice of illiberal democracy today is accompanied by the call to fascism and the extermination of Muslims…. The BJP manifests caste oppression in the violent relationship of dominant caste privileged Hindus to Adivasis and Dalits, supports forcible conversions of Christians to Hinduism… and prohibits Muslim women’s right to wear the hijab.” “The amplification of the reach of state power over minority lives has propelled an unabating emergency wherein the Indian government has exceeded its authority, extreme xenophobia in India today organizes Islamophobia as ostracization and racialism denigrates Indian Muslims as the enemy of Hindus,” Dr. Chatterji added. “Many of us need to understand the replacement theory, which has been developed in France, but the Hindu nationalists are using the same type of argument,” said Dr. Hatem Bazian, Professor of Islamic Law and Theology at Zaytuna College. “[They say] that the minorities who are coming to Europe, or the Mexicans who are coming to the United States, are attempting to replace the white race. In a similar way, Hindu nationalists [say] that the Muslims are attempting to replace Hinduism.” “I [have written] about American political candidates and elected officials and their links or ties, their interactions with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), especially with their RSS and BJP affiliates here in the US,” said Pieter Friedrich, a freelance journalist specializing in analysis of affairs in South Asia. “Thanks to my relentless efforts to expose the RSS-BJP agenda in India and abroad, I was named in a press conference by Delhi police a year ago, and I am now presumably and sadly banned from India.” “Hindus everywhere need to stand up and speak up against this really poisonous variant of Hindu nationalism that threatens to destroy not just the wonderful civilization and ethos that is India, but really a lot of communities everywhere in the world,” said Prof. Rohit Chopra, Associate Professor in the Department of Communication at Santa Clara University. “How can I represent an India where Muslim girls and Muslim women are stripped of their head covering, which is part of their clothing, in the middle of the streets before they step into their schools and colleges? How can I represent an India where Muslim women are sold on an app on other online platforms?” said Dr. Samina Salim, Associate Professor in the College of Pharmacy at the University of Houston. “I do not represent this India where Muslim women are raped, killed, and burned alive. I am not proud of that India. This is an India I did not grow up in; this is an India that I do not identify with.” The organizers of the event also stressed the importance of international solidarity with Indian Muslims. Our rich heritage as Muslims can be seen from West Africa to East Asia. Unfortunately, “Muslims in India, who have contributed so immensely to India’s civilization, are being threatened and assaulted by Hindu extremists,” said Malcolme Morgan, Public Relations Director of Muslim Leadership Council of San Diego. “We must unite together, whether we are Muslim or not, to hold the oppressive Indian government accountable for  spreading Islamophobia and inciting violence against Muslims minorities. This is not merely a case of religious rights being violated. This is an egregious human rights violation that must not be ignored,” added Mr. Morgan. “Our event… was an important reminder that we must all be vocal and insistent on the need to bring attention to the dire situation of Muslims in India,” said Khalid Alexandre, President of Pillars Of The Community, San Diego. The San Diego Coalition For Human Rights has reaffirmed its commitment to upholding India’s constitutional values of tolerance, pluralism, and secularism, where the human rights of all communities are upheld.  

Press Release

Karnataka High Court’s verdict to uphold hijab ban is deplorable, say Indian Americans

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington, DC (March 15, 2022) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, today strongly and unequivocally condemned the Karnataka High Court’s verdict to uphold the discriminatory ban on hijabs in schools, which has been affecting students since December 2021. The court’s reasoning for upholding the ban was based on the interpretation that hijab is not an essential practice in Islam. The court also upheld a Karnataka government order stating that uniforms must be worn where policies exist, and that no exceptions should be given for the hijab. “There is no evidence that the petitioners chose to wear their headscarf as a means of conveying any thought or belief on their part or as a means of symbolic expression… It can hardly be argued that hijab being a matter of attire, can be justifiably treated as fundamental to Islamic faith,” the court stated in its verdict. However, the role of the Indian judiciary is not to interpret religious texts; nor is it qualified to pass judgment on the petitioners’ intentions for wearing the hijab. The role of the court is simply, to uphold the rights of the Indian people based upon the pluralistic and secular values inscribed in the Constitution. The court further claimed that the hijab ban falls under the prescription of school uniform, which “is only a reasonable restriction that is constitutionally permissible which the students cannot object to.” This logic not only singles out the hijab in a blatantly discriminatory manner, but also conflicts with Article 21 of the Constitution, which guarantees the right to privacy, including through clothing. The court defended the hijab ban imposed by schools as a protection against “divisive lines,” arguing that it cannot be “gainfully argued that prescription of dress code offends students’ fundamental right to expression or their autonomy.” The implication that hijab is a “divisive” symbol runs contrary to India’s post-Independence history, where not only hijab but other religious garments such as the turban, mangalsutra, sindoor and bindi were – and still are – considered non-issues and freely worn by people of the respective faiths in all sectors of society, including educational institutions. What is truly divisive is not the innocuous hijab or any other religious attire, but the anti-Muslim hate speech, lynchings and discriminatory policies that are being normalized by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and its affiliates including the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. The court’s decision to side with Islamophobic bigotry only exacerbates the divisions. Lastly, the court claimed that “some ‘unseen hands’ are at work to engineer social unrest and disharmony,” echoing rhetoric used by the BJP to suggest that the Muslim students who have been harassed, threatened, and doxxed for seeking their constitutional rights are part of a greater plot to destabilize India. This ludicrous statement is based on the bizarre idea that 200 millions Muslim citizens of India are a dangerous “other” and somehow pose a threat to Hindu society. The judiciary perpetuating such myths increases the risk of further anti-Muslim violence and persecution. “By attacking Muslim women’s freedoms, Hindutva forces have found a quick and cheap means of demoralizing and invisibilizing the Muslim identity in India,” said Dr. Samina Salim, Associate Professor at University of Houston. “The argument is to ‘liberate’ women from ‘regressive’ customs, but at the same time, their freedom is encroached by telling these women what they can or cannot wear, while also denying them the freedom to practice their faith and the right to seek education,” added Dr. Salim. “It is not the place of the High Court, or any government institution in a secular democracy to regulate women’s attire,” said Mr. Rasheed Ahmed, Executive Director of IAMC. “Moreover, it is deplorable for the judiciary to flaunt such blatant support for an extremist ideology over the text of the Constitution itself. Whether or not hijab is an essential practice of Islam is not the issue at stake. The issue is that Muslim women who freely choose to wear the hijab, and are proud to do so, are being told to choose between their clothing and their education. The Karnataka High Court has sided with those who wish to bar scores of marginalized women from education or alter their garments by upholding a discriminatory stance that singles out hijab as a religious garment.” This has set a dangerous precedent for the treatment of Muslim women all over India. As student activist Afreen Fatima put it, this verdict judicially sanctions apartheid and has the potential to embolden Hindutva fanatics to further harass and demean Muslim women in schools and public spaces. IAMC has called upon the Indian Supreme Court to uphold the sanctity of the Indian Constitution and reverse the decision of those attempting to create division in society and further marginalize an already vulnerable group. IAMC has also urged civil society groups to stand in solidarity with the Muslim students who have been affected by this decision.

Press Release

Call For Submissions: Human Rights & Religious Freedom Journalism Awards 2022

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 06, 2022, Washington, DC: The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), a Washington, DC-based advocacy group today announced the establishment of the annual Human Rights & Religious Freedom Journalism Awards, with the goal of recognizing courageous, groundbreaking, and in-depth reporting on pressing issues concerning Indian minorities and marginalized communities. The awards will be adjudicated by an international panel of judges. The panel is seeking submissions for the 2022 awards, from journalists who report on human rights and religious freedom issues in India. Submissions must be received no later than April 12, 2022. Through the sponsorship of these awards, IAMC aims to enable and amplify journalism that underscores the challenges faced by the communities that are victims of immense persecution in India. In all categories, the independent panel of judges will give weight to the stories that highlight issues that are either missing from mainstream media coverage or covered inadequately; explore new angles on familiar topics, challenge misconceptions, and counter stereotypes about the marginalized communities. This year there are four categories to choose from: Best Text Reporting on Human Rights & Religious Freedom  This category honors the best text reportage (1000 words or longer) on unreported or under-reported human rights and religious freedom issues in India. This award includes a cash prize of INR 50,000 and a plaque. Best Photo Story on Human Rights and Religious Freedom This category honors exceptional photo-journalism on human rights and religious freedom issues in India. Single photos are not allowed in this category. Entrants must submit a piece with a minimum of three and a maximum of 10 photographs. The photos must be accompanied by captions. This award carries a cash prize of INR 50,000 and a plaque. Best Video Story on Human Rights and Religious Freedom This category is for the best video report on human rights and religious freedom issues in India. The video story must be of 4 minutes to 25 minutes in duration. This award carries a cash prize of INR 50,000 and a plaque. HRRF Young Journalist of the Year Award 2022 The Human Rights & Religious Freedom Young Journalist of the Year Award recognizes a young journalist (28 years of age or under as of March 12, 2022) in any medium (text, photo, video, or multimedia) who has made a substantial contribution to Indian journalism during 2021 in defense of human rights and religious freedom. Journalists can submit three to five best stories. All media formats are acceptable. This award carries a cash prize of INR 50,000 and a plaque. IAMC will also honor independent media organizations (news websites, newspapers, or magazines) with the Human Rights and Religious Freedom Journalism Bravery Award that exhibit exceptional courage in the pursuit of bringing truth to the masses. The selected organization must use media to address social, political, cultural, and economic issues concerning Indian minorities and marginalized communities. This category does not require submissions from news organizations and will be selected by the panel of judges. The winner will be announced during the virtual award ceremony. This award carries a cash prize of INR 100,000 rupees and a plaque. In case of a tie, the award money will be equally shared between the winners. Journalists who meet the criteria of awards may submit their entries online by Tuesday, April 12, 2022. We will announce the first shortlist on June 5, 2022, and the winners will be announced during the virtual award ceremony on Sunday, June 19, 2022. For more information, visit: www.hrrfjawards.com To enter the awards, visit: https://hrrfjawards.com/submission/ For any queries or questions, write to us at contact@hrrfjawards.com

Press Release

US lawmakers must condemn persecution of women in India: Congressional Briefing

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington, DC (March 10, 2022) – US lawmakers should stand up in support of Indian Muslim women being forced by Hindu extremists to remove their religious clothing, a leading American Muslim woman’s rights activist has said. “As a Muslim American woman, as a woman who wears hijab proudly… we need American legislators to stand up and say that women should be allowed to choose what they wear anywhere around the world,” Linda Sarsour, co-founder of Women’s March and an award-winning activist for racial justice and civil rights, said at a Congressional Briefing on Wednesday (March 9). “What we are seeing is the targeting of Muslims across the country… I’m watching [Muslim] women literally fight off others [who are] literally ripping their hijabs off or telling them in order to set foot into the school, you need to take your hijab off,” she added. Adding that Hindu extremist Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s policies are “divisive” and “extremely dangerous,” Sarsour said Modi was “a fascist and is allowing for policies across India to target minority groups.” This Congressional Briefing was organized to commemorate the International Women’s Day, which fell on March 8. “The BJP and the RSS [Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh] are fundamentally Brahmanical and patriarchal… They hate dissent, but they hate dissenting women even more,” said Akriti Bhatia, founding partner of Jan Ki Baat, a public opinion media platform in India. The Hindu nationalist movement targeted not just Muslim and Christian women but also Hindu women, she said. “If you talk about laws like the Love Jihad law, which completely criminalizes Hindu Muslim marriages, interfaith marriages, especially when the man is a Muslim, they essentially believe that Hindu women have no agency or even choosing their life partners and that they have no agency over their own bodies.” “When we look at the commonalities and identify the patterns of violence, I see the body as the site of violence [and the] impunity of the perpetrators of violence, meaning those who you may look at or imagine as those protectors of the Constitution… turn out to be either silent or tacit supporters of violence; and very often the state becomes a supporter or a silent spectator,” said Rev. Dr. Evangeline Anderson-Rajkumar, a Lutheran pastor in Indiana who is herself a Dalit woman. “We see the commonality of experiences between the African American struggle, struggle for identity, struggle for justice, the voices for equality and equity that scream for justice and scream for democracy. The basic point is this democracy and diversity are a threat to patriarchy. And if we have to look at the violence that is perpetrated against these bodies, especially the Christian and Dalit bodies… [we] realize that these boundaries are intentionally drawn between us.” Speaking on the oppression of Dalit communities by upper-caste Hindu extremists, Bindu Ammini, an Indian lawyer and Dalit activist, called upon the international community to create a better support system for caste oppressed groups, particularly women. “Dalits, Adivasis, and other marginalized women are facing two types of discrimination, one is based on gender and the other based on their religion or caste,” she said. “I [and] other women have… been attacked by these [Hindu extremist] groups both physically and in cyber spaces. This is done as an organized crime, there is no one person doing this. Most of the atrocities against marginalized sections are always done by organized groups… They are trying to destroy our constitutional morality by their efforts to create a Hindu Rashtra (nation).” Sydney Kochan, Government Relations & Special Projects Coordinator at Jubilee Campaign, a Washington, DC-based Christian advocacy organization, said the Modi government’s discriminatory policies encouraged violence and discrimination against Indian Christian women across India. “Violence and discrimination against Indian Christian women does not occur in a vacuum but is part of two broader trends: the pattern of violence and discrimination against Christians in general and any individual who does not subscribe to the majority Hindu faith, and the pattern of subjugation of women in a society that devalues them,” Kochan said. Citing 505 anti-Christian hate crimes in 2021 alone, Kochan said, “A dangerous combination of factors makes it both very easy for crimes to be committed against Indian Christian women with impunity and very difficult for survivors of such crimes to seek justice… Christian women have been targeted by state anti-conversion laws, [which] have been misused to falsely accuse faith minorities of coercive conversion.” The briefing was co-hosted by Amnesty International USA, Genocide Watch, 21Wilberforce, Hindus for Human Rights, Indian American Muslim Council, International Christian Concern, Jubilee Campaign, Dalit Solidarity Forum, New York State Council of Churches, Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations of North America, India Civil Watch International, Students Against Hindutva Ideology, Center for Pluralism, American Muslim Institution, International Society for Peace and Justice, Association of Indian Muslims of America, the Humanism Project (Australia).

Op-Eds

Scroll.in: With Karnataka’s hijab ban, the US stands at crossroads over its relationship with the Modi regime

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By Mehmet Ali Schubel After hearings, the Karnataka High Court has moved to reserve its official decision regarding the “hijab row”, upholding the interim ban prohibiting students from wearing Islamic head coverings on school grounds. What started as the local protest of Muslim students advocating for their right to wear headscarves on campus in the Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled state has erupted into an international incident – the outcome of which sets a dangerous precedent for the expressive rights of India’s Muslim minority going forward. Read More >>

Exclusive, Reports, Weekly Roundup (Video)

IAMC Report: State of Religious Minorities in India (February 2022)

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By Noelle Jones In light of the lack of condemnation and prosecution of the calls for mass violence against Christians and the genocide of Muslims at the Dharma Sansads (Hindu Religious Parliament) held in Haridwar (Uttarakhand), Delhi, and Raipur in December 2021, this report details the continuing escalation of hate speech, harassment, and violence committed by right-wing Hindu-nationalists against Muslims and Christians over February 2022. Relying on news reports and data of human rights organizations, this report demonstrates how Hindu nationalist leaders, groups, and rhetoric have become pervasive in the Indian government and society and raises the concern of genocidal sentiments turning into genocidal action as these forces aim to turn India into a purely Hindu Nation or Hindu Rashtra. To combat the escalating persecution of religious minorities, the report includes recommendations for the US government, the international community, and India to de-escalate the situation and prevent impending mass categorical violence and genocide. ”   [pdf-embedder url="http://3.145.57.38/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Feb-2022-Report.pdf" title="Feb 2022 Report"] Click Here to Download   (Noelle Jones is a genocide researcher at the Indian American Muslim Council)

Press Release

हरिद्वार में नरसंहार के लिए उकसाने वालों को अंतरराष्ट्रीय संधि जेनोसाइड कंवेशन के तहत सज़ा मिलनी चाहिए: अमेरिकी विशेषज्ञ

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तात्कालिक प्रेस रिलीज के लिए   वाशिंगटन डीसी, मार्च 2, 2022 – दिसंबर में हरिद्वार शहर में मुस्लिमों के नरसंहार का आह्वान करने वाले अपराधियों को अंतरराष्ट्रीय संधि जेनोसाइड (नरसंहार) कंवेशन के तहत सज़ा मिलनी चाहिए. ये बात दुनिया के जाने-माने जेनोसाइड विशेषज्ञ डॉ. ग्रेगरी स्टैंटन ने कही है. “नरसंहार के लिए उकसाना जेनोसाइड कंवेशन के अनुच्छेद 3 के तहत अपराध है,” डॉ. स्टैंटन ने एक वैश्विक शिखर सम्मेलन के समापन भाषण में कहा. “हरिद्वार शहर में मुसलमानों की सामूहिक हत्या के लिए दिए भाषण को नरसंहार के लिए उकसाना ही कहते हैं.” डॉ. स्टैंटन ने ये बात तीन दिवसीय ग्लोबल वर्चुअल समिट “इंडिया ऑन द ब्रिंक: प्रिवेंटिंग जेनोसाइड” के दौरान कही. वह जेनोसाइड वॉच के संस्थापक-अध्यक्ष हैं जो यूएस स्थित एनजीओ है. वह नरसंहार (जेनोसाइड) के ख़िलाफ़ वैश्विक गठबंधन (Global Alliance Against Genocide) के संस्थापक भी हैं. पिछले सालों में डॉ. स्टैंटन कश्मीर और असम में भारतीय मुसलमानों के नरसंहार की भविष्यवाणी कर चुके हैं. डेढ़ महीने पहले उन्होंने ये कह कर सनसनी मचा दी थी कि अब पूरे भारत में मुसलमानों के नरसंहार का माहौल बन चुका है, ठीक वैसे ही जैसे अफ़्रीकी देश रवांडा में 1994 के नरसंहार का माहौल पहले से ही बना दिया गया था. डॉ. स्टैंटन ने रवांडा के नरसंहार की भविष्यवाणी उसके अंजाम से पाँच साल पहले ही कर दी थी. इस तीन-दिवसीय ग्लोबल वर्चुअल समिट का आयोजन अमेरिका, यूरोप, ऑस्ट्रेलिया और न्यूज़ीलैंड के बीस से अधिक संगठनों ने 26-28 फ़रवरी को किया. इसमें 17 पैनल डिस्कशन हुए जिसमें दुनिया के 50 से अधिक मानवाधिकार कार्यकर्त्ता, वकील, बुद्धिजीवी, एक्टिविस्ट, छात्र आदि शामिल हुए. पिछले दिसंबर हरिद्वार में एक कट्टरपंथी कार्यक्रम में हिंदू महासभा की भगवाधारी नेता पूजा शकुन पांडे ने बीस लाख भारतीय मुस्लिमों के नरसंहार का खुला आह्वान किया था. सार्वजनिक दबाव के चलते कार्यक्रम के आयोजक यति नरसिंहानंद को पुलिस ने गिरफ़्तार तो किया लेकिन कुछ ही दिनों में उसे ज़मानत मिल गई. न पांडे को गिरफ़्तार किया गया और न ही उस पर कोई कार्रवाई हुई. “नरसंहार के अपराध की रोकथाम और सज़ा पर कन्वेंशन” (The Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide) पिछली शताब्दी में 60 लाख से अधिक यहूदियों के नरसंहार के बाद आयोजित किया गया था. इस संधि को संयुक्त राष्ट्र की मान्यता प्राप्त है. इस पर भारत समेत दुनिया के डेढ़ सौ देशों ने साइन किया है. इसके अनुच्छेद 3 में “नरसंहार करने के लिए भड़काने” को अपराध कहा गया है. हरिद्वार में जनसंहार के आह्वान की भारत के बाहर भी निंदा हुई है. फिर भी भारतीय प्रधानमंत्री नरेंद्र मोदी ने इस पर चुप्पी साध रखी है और उनकी सरकार ने कोई कदम नहीं उठाया है. नरसिंहानंद और पांडे दोनों हिंदू चरमपंथ की विचारधारा, हिंदुत्व, से जुड़े हैं. यही राष्ट्रीय स्वयंसेवक संघ (आरएसएस) की विचारधारा है जो 96 साल पुरान संगठन है. आरएसएस भारत को सेक्युलर देश से बदलकर हिंदू राष्ट्र बनाना चाहता है, और मुसलमान और ईसाईयों को समान नागरिक अधिकारों से वंचित करना चाहता है. प्रधानमंत्री मोदी आरएसएस के सदस्य हैं. उनकी भारतीय जनता पार्टी (भाजपा) आरएसएस का राजनैतिक दल है. अपने भाषण में डॉ. स्टैंटन ने कहा नस्लवाद नरसंहार का एक बड़ा कारण है. उन्होंने कहा “नस्लवाद का सबसे घातक रूप राष्ट्रवाद है. यह एक तरह से स्टेरॉयड पर तैयार नस्लवाद है.” स्टैंटन ने कहा, “नरसंहार की तैयारी में पहला कदम ये है कि जिसे मारा जाना है उसे ही हत्यारे के रूप में चित्रित किया जाता है. लोगों के मन में ये बैठाया जाता है कि अगर हमने दूसरी कौम को पहले नहीं मारा तो वो हमें मार डालेगी. इस प्रक्रिया को mirroring (दर्पण) कहते हैं. यानी नरसंहार की सोच रखने वाली कौम जो दूसरे के बारे में सोच रही है दरअसल वो ख़ुद उसी काम को अंजाम देने जा रही है. Mirroring उन इरादों की भविष्यवाणी है.” स्टैंटन कहते हैं “नरसंहार की तैयारी में जिस कौम का सफ़ाया करना है सबसे पहले उसे dehumanize किया जाता है. यानी ये कहा जाता है कि वो कौम इंसान ही नहीं है. जैसे भारत के गृह मंत्री अमित शाह ने मुसलमानों को दीमक कहा है. लोगों के मन में बैठाया जाता है कि जो इंसान ही नहीं है उसकी हत्या करना भी अपराध नहीं है.” डॉ. स्टैंटन ने सोशल मीडिया को भी “घातक प्रचार” के लिए दोषी ठहराया. उन्होंने कहा, “फ़ेसबुक और व्हाट्सएप भारत में नरसंहार भड़काने के मुख्य प्लेटफ़ॉर्म बन चुके हैं.” हिंदू राष्ट्रवाद का मुकाबला कैसे करें? डॉ. स्टैंटन ने कहा, “भारत में असली राष्ट्रवाद दोबारा लाना होगा और राष्ट्रवाद से धर्म हटाना होगा. राष्ट्रवाद को भारत के संविधान निर्माताओं की धर्मनिरपेक्ष दृष्टि पर फिर से केंद्रित करना होगा. ये काम उन भारतीयों को करना होगा जो मानते हैं भारत को धर्मनिरपेक्ष लोकतंत्र रहना चाहिए.” डॉ. स्टैंटन ने कहा धर्मनिरपेक्ष भारतीय राष्ट्रवाद को दोबारा खड़ा करने में प्रवासी भारतीय मदद कर सकते हैं. “मोदी के धर्मकेंद्रित राष्ट्रवाद की हार के लिए हमें सतत आंदोलनो आयोजित करना चाहिए. इस बाबत हमने एक अभियान शुरू करने की घोषणा की है.” Read this in English here: https://test.iamc.com/india-must-punish-incitement-to-genocide-at-haridwar-under-genocide-convention-gregory-stanton/

Press Release

The process of genocide is well underway in India, experts say at final day of global summit

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   Washington, DC / Montreal / London / The Hague / New Delhi, March 1-2, 2022 Since genocide is a process and not an event, India is not merely at the brink of a genocide of its Muslims. The process of genocide is, in fact, already underway in that country, experts said at the conclusion of a three-day global summit, titled, India On The Brink: Preventing Genocide held virtually. Participating in a panel on “Dehumanization & Polarization: Hindutva Hate Speech,” Greg Gordon, a former attorney with the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, said prosecution for hate speech should be made through the lens of incitement to genocide. “We have had direct calls [for genocide] in India recently,” he said. “Conditional calls – ‘If they do this, we will do that’ – are also incitements.” “As dehumanization turns into actual incitement to genocide, the process reaches the ‘twilight phase,’ which is when legal action in the genocide framework should commence,” Gordon said. “Abetting” the incitement should be legislated as a new offense to prosecute incitement “in a more comprehensive manner.” Jean-Damascene Gasanabo, the Director-General of the National Research and Documentation Center on Genocide at Rwanda’s National Commission for the Fight Against Genocide, recalled how the news media in Rwanda played a central role in enabling the genocide of 800,000 Tutsis at the hands of the Hutus. While the actual genocide occurred in 1994, the process had already begun as early as 1957 when Hutu “intellectuals” published the hate-filled “Hutu manifesto” that intended to “exclude the other groups” and was endorsed by political elites, Gasanabo said. The “10 commandments of the Hutu” published in 1959 stressed that a relationship between the Hutus and the Tutsis was impossible and was like “a chronic illness.” During the 1994 genocide, Rwandan newspapers linked to the militias re-published the “10 commandments of the Hutu” from 40 years earlier. During those years, political leaders directly funded hate propaganda in the newspapers. Political speeches and slogans “transformed into songs” and radicalized the Hutu youth, Gasanabo said. When the genocide intensified in March 1994, foreign embassies in Rwanda noted “increased incitement to genocide.” Hate speech continued after the launch of genocide. Rwanda’s president asked the public to “actively participate in the killings.” Veteran human rights attorney Meetali Jain said she had earlier published a report on hate speech and misinformation in India “of a genocidal character, very much akin” to what has been seen in Myanmar and Ethiopia. Her report listed hundreds of hate-filled posts with millions of views on Facebook during the time India legislated the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) that “codified Islamophobia and culminated in violence in Delhi that killed many people, most of them Muslim,” she added. “We advocate for a nuanced understanding of hate speech that takes into account the kind of speech that may not technically qualify as hate speech but still gives people the feeling of wanting to do harm offline,” Jain said. “We need much more experts on staff in social media companies who understand the nuances.” Jain slammed Facebook for behaving arbitrarily. “We have not seen Facebook taking meaningful action in removing or de-platforming some of the most egregious manifestations of hate speech by others, for example Hindu priests.” Manavi Atri, a human rights lawyer said India’s Karnataka state, where last month Muslim girls were banned from wearing the hijab to school, had become “a hot spot for hate speech. If this kind of dehumanization continues, we are sure to see similar patterns emerge across Karnataka.” Participating in a panel titled, “Genocidal Hate Speech & State Responsibility,” Adama Dieng, former Special Advisor to the Prosecutor at the International Criminal Court (ICC), said though India had a long and cherished history of peaceful coexistence, intolerance and discrimination on the grounds of religion and belief had increased. “The tragedy is that the authorities seem to be indifferent,” he said. The international community must “work together to advance tolerance.” Saying that the world needs to recommit to the motto of “Never Again,” Dieng said. “We should move to action.” Alishaan Jafri, an Indian journalist who documents anti-Muslim violence in India, said such violence was applauded by the Indian government and federal ministers. He pointed out that attacks on Muslims took various forms. At the time of the covid crisis, prominent Muslims were attacked. There is “no dog whistle. People can simply say, ‘I want to kill Muslims and this is how I will kill Muslims,’ and they get away with it.” Kaushik Raj, another Indian journalist, said mob lynchings of Muslims shot up after Modi became prime minister in 2014. The government’s response was that after one lynching, of Mohammad Akhlaq in Uttar Pradesh, the government offered jobs to the killers. In a false case of violence in Delhi, 16 of the 18 accused are Muslims. “Police did not consider the role of those who openly incited violence,” Raj said. Participating in a panel titled, “The Big Lie: Power of Propaganda,” Dr. Angana Chatterji, researcher-scholar at UC Berkeley, said persecution in India was targeting not just Muslims, but Dalits, Adivasis, and others, too. “The campaign is driven on the ground and social media, and it also has branches in the UK and the US.” Jason Stanley, a professor of philosophy at Yale University, said Hindutva was part of a “global fascist movement. Ultra-nationalists see this as their time.” There was a “direct causal link” between the Nazis and Hindutva. “The early thinkers of the RSS made explicit suggestions that India should follow the Nazi’s model,” he said. “The CAA looks frighteningly like the Nuremberg laws. There is a movement to strip from Muslims the right to have rights. The map is extremely clear.” Saying that his parents were Holocaust survivors, Prof. Stanley said the “structure” of persecution in India was “classic fascism… The Hindutva ideology tells us there was a mythical history, where India was pure. They use the language of corruption and infestation. We know that pre-genocide, there are years. It takes years before it unfolds.

Press Release

India Must Punish Incitement To Genocide At Haridwar Under Genocide Convention: Gregory Stanton

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   Washington, DC, February 28, 2022 – The Indian Government has a duty under the Genocide Convention to immediately punish those who have called for a genocide of India’s Muslims at Haridwar city in December, the world’s foremost genocide expert, Dr. Gregory Stanton, has said. “Genocide does not already have to be underway to be punishable,” Dr. Stanton said delivering a plenary address at the end of a three-day global summit. “Incitement to commit genocide is covered under the Genocide Convention, Article 3. Incitement to commit genocide is exactly what was preached at the Haridwar congregation.” Dr. Stanton’s reference was to a Hindu religious gathering organized in December at the north Indian city of Haridwar where a speaker openly called for the killing of two million Muslims. The self-styled Hindu monk, Yati Narasinghanand, who organized that meeting, was bailed by a court within days of arrest. Pooja Pandey, a saffron-robed female monk who gave the call for genocide, is yet to be charged or arrested. The Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide – the Genocide Convetion – was conceived in response to last century’s Holocaust in which over six million Jews were killed. India has ratified the Convention and is therefore covered under it. Article 3 covers “direct and public incitement to commit genocide.” Prime Minister Narendra Modi has maintained a silence on the calls for genocide. His government has rejected international calls to act against hate speeches. Narasinghanand and Pandey are well known affiliates of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), India’s 96-year-old Hindu supremacist movement that wants to convert India into a Hindu nation and strip Muslims and Christians of equal rights. Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is an affiliate of the RSS. Modi himself is an RSS member. While identifying “ethnocentrism” as the cause of genocide, Dr. Stanton said nationalism was the “most deadly form of ethnocentrism… It is racism on steroids.” Genocide begins by portraying “as the real killers – that they will kill us, if we don’t kill them first,” he said. This is “mirroring,” a “most accurate prediction of what the perpetrators intend to do themselves,” which is genocide, he added. Dr. Stanton is the founder-president of Genocide Watch, a US-based nonprofit that has issued an alert for genocide of Muslims in India. Thirty years ago he had predicted the genocide in Rwanda. He is also the founder of the global Alliance Against Genocide. He made his remarks bringing up the concluding day of the three-day summit, titled India On The Brink: Preventing Genocide, where over 50 panelists spoke on 17 panels. Genocide also involves dehumanizing a community. For example, India’s home minister Amit Shah has “called Muslims: termites. It renders other people not human, and killing them not murder. Dehumanization overcomes the normal human revulsion of committing murder. Exclusion becomes a religious doctrine ordained by God,” he said. Dr. Stanton blamed social media for making “propaganda fast, and deadly. Facebook and WhatsApp, which is owned by Facebook, are now the main platforms for incitement to genocide in India.” To counter Hindu majoritarian nationalism, India “must re-center nationalism. It must take the religion out of India’s nationalism. It must be re-centered on the secular vision of India’s founders. This movement must be led by people in India that believe India must remain a secular democracy.” Dr. Stanton said the Indian diaspora can help the “movement for a secular Indian nationalism. We should organize a continuing movement to keep the defeat of Modi’s nationalism at the top of the policies around the world. We have therefore announced the launching of a campaign to counter Modi’s nationalism.”

Image Credits: Hindustan Times
Press Release

Under PM Modi Millions Of Indian Muslims Risk Losing Citizenship, Scholars Say

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Second day of global summit on preventing genocide of Indian Muslims sees panelists call upon international community to pressure India FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington, DC / Montreal / London / The Hague / New Delhi, February 27-28, 2022 Preventing genocide of Muslims in India is an urgent need and the international community must rally to pressure Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government to ensure the safety of India’s Muslims, genocide experts, human rights defenders, scholars and journalists from around the world said. Participating in various panel discussions on Saturday, the second day of the three-day virtual conference, India On The Brink: Preventing Genocide, panelists said hate speech and violence, fueled by social media, was prepping India’s masses to commit a genocide of the Muslims. British journalist-author Yvonne Ridley lauded the hijab-wearing students in Karnataka state who have challenged the ban on the hijab. “I personally salute the Muslim girls for their courage and the girl who shouted Allahu Akbar in her belief in her God for inspiring people around the world,” she said, referring to Muskan, the student whose video of responding to Hindu extremists stalking her has gone viral globally. “Lioness Muskan disrupted the narrative of Muslim women as oppressed, weak and submissive.” Speaking at a panel titled, “Indian Muslim Genocide: A Clear and Present Danger,” Ridley said there was a “genuine concerns” of threat of a genocide of India’s Muslims, as has been voiced lately by Dr. Gregory Stanton, President of Genocide Watch. “India was even warned before Gujarat 2002 of the genocide of Muslims but the warnings were ignored even then,” Ridley said. “Under Modi and his Hindu nationalist party BJP, India is once again on the brink of genocide. There is a fear of Muslims’ existence and millions of Muslims are facing the threat of losing their citizenship.” She said journalists that deliver Modi’s propaganda were “delivering hate speeches” and were “ruining India’s reputation globally.” Ridley said the British government should “stop sending weapons to India” as they use it on Kashmir’s civilian population. Indian Dalit rights activist Kancha Ilaiah likened Russian President’s demonization of Ukraine’s people to the demonization of Muslims and Dalits under Modi’s right-wing rule. A Hindu religious leader’s call to kill two million Muslims, made at a religious conclave at Hardiwar city in December, had created fear in the minorities, he said. Speaking at a panel titled, “India’s Nuremberg Laws: Legalizing Genocide,” Nadim Khan, convenor of United Against Hate, an Indian human rights platform, said there was a “deep state working in India that is Islamophobic, anti-Muslim and anti-Dalit.” The victims of the crimes of lynching themselves are accused as criminals, he added. “The laws and courts have been discriminatory in these cases. The burden of proof is now on the victims,” he said. Khan provided several examples of how the courts have appeared to be biased against Muslims. He cited the case against a Muslim in Gujarat, who is still in prison, without evidence, on charges of serving beef at a wedding. “We have seen the saga of discrimination and hatred in the cases of lynchings and Love Jihad which gives a free hand to Hindu right-wing goons,” he said. The Assam government was refusing to renew the contracts of judges of the “foreigner tribunals” who did not send many Muslims to the detention centers, Khan said. Prof. Apoorvanand, a noted Indian human rights defender, said, “Muslims and Christians are systematically being attacked in India by the use of laws, hate propaganda and street violence. The laws are used to illegalize the food habits of Muslims, Dalits and Christians that affect them adversely in economic terms.” He condemned the so-called “Love Jihad” laws that virtually criminalize marriages between Muslim men and Hindu women and placed the onus to prove innocence on the accused Muslim men. “The idea is to push Muslims in ghettos and disconnect them from the rest of the society. Many states are trying to bring laws that would further marginalize Muslims.” Muslims were also being denied the use of public spaces to pray. “They want to expel all the Muslim symbols from public spaces.” He said the “Hindu society at large and Indians in general were used to the idea of isolation and considering other human beings as “inferiors” since it is a hierarchical society that believes in the idea of seeing others as polluters… What’s happening in India is serious and the world must stop it before it’s too late.” Muslim student activist Afreen Fatima said Muslims and Christian were being isolated in India. “Muslim men are depicted as savages trying to abduct the Hindu women and this propaganda is spread further by the media,” Fatima said. “In the post-colonial country, India, it is ironic that imperial and colonial ideas are being used against its minorities.” It was “worrying and problematic” that laws against Muslim-Hindu marriages, triple talaq and cow protection were being legislated. “We need to think about the ways in which the society can be de-radicalized and these laws not considered okay.” India’s news media had become a “Radio Rwanda, that is not only furthering the agenda of Hindutva but it has become a lynching mob itself.” Participating on a panel titled, “Whatsapp As A Weapon, Hate Speech And Violence,” Ram Bhat, a Fellow at the London School of Economics, said television news depended on trending news on social media “that can be easily manipulated. Any violence that becomes symbolic feeds the profit-making technology companies.” Added Avinash Kumar, former Executive Director of Amnesty International India, technologies and tools such as WhatsApp and Facebook were “used for spreading propaganda.” Suchitra Vijayan, New York-based attorney and author, said the anti-Muslim pogrom in Gujarat in 2002 and in Delhi in 2020 “give us the way to think about the condition of society that leads to a point where such violence occurs.” Such violence was “not only inflicted on the bodies of people but also on the Constitution of India.” Vijayan said surveillance was being implemented in unconstitutional ways, she said. “The biggest terror is the state terror. Technology is only

Press Release

Scholars, experts say Indian Muslims face imminent threat of genocide, mass persecution

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First day of global summit on preventing genocide in India brings home the reality of India’s rapid descent into fascism FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington, DC / London / The Hague / New Delhi, February 26-27, 2022 India’s 200 million Muslims are facing a dire and existential threat following genocidal calls given by powerful non-state actors closely linked with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu supremacist government. Genocide experts, human rights defenders, scholars and journalists from around the world essentially all concurred on this assessment at a three-day virtual conference, India On The Brink: Preventing Genocide, that started on Saturday. “India is occupied by an alien regime who does not care about its people,” said Jan Breman, a Professor at the Institute of Social Studies at the Hague. “There is a similarity between the foreign occupation [of India] and [the] current regime” of Prime Minister Modi, he added, speaking at a session titled “Gujarat: Cradle and Harbinger of Identity Politics,” which is the name of a new book he has published this year. Prof. Breman, who has done extensive fieldwork in India’s Gujarat state, said the doctrine of Hindutva – Hindu nationalism – “excludes not only the Muslims but the laborers, Dalits, adivasis and the poor… from protection and resources.” Prof. Breman said there were similarities between Hindutva and Adolf Hitler’s Nazi period: the idea of “superiority of genetic supremacy,” that “Hindutva is hierarchical” creating the “idea of superiority and inferiority;” and the idea of segregating “those who are considered the enemies” who are then “deported and exterminated.” “People who have been keeping a low profile and keeping silent, increasingly are getting frustrated by the Hindutva and its inability to create income, employment, and a dignified standard of life,” Prof. Breman said. Speaking at a panel titled “Gujarat 2002: The Beginning of Genocide,” noted human rights defender Teesta Setalvad said “hate speeches and hate crimes enabled the genocide in Gujarat” in the year 2002, where over 2,000 people, most of them Muslims, were killed. “For three months, Muslims were not allowed to go back to their villages,” she said recalling the aftermath of the mass violence that was carried out by Hindu extremists under the rule of Mr. Modi, who was Gujarat’s chief minister at that time. She added that those who organized the religious gathering at the north Indian city of Haridwar in December 2021, where calls to kill two million Muslims were given, had been “trying to get support from right wingers right from 2017… We tried to complain but got the reply from Facebook that they can block the users.” Setalvad said social media was “amplifying the hate.” She said civil society needed to “build a movement by journalists, activists and academics against hate speeches by analyzing these speeches.” She said there was a “lack of desire to recognize the calls for genocide.” Veteran Indian journalist Prem Shankar Jha said India was on the brink of “losing its soul, saying that he feared that a large part of India “will break away.” He detailed his findings about a train fire in February 2002, in which nearly 60 people were killed, that was used as a pretext to launch the violence against Muslims across the state. The findings that Muslims were responsible for the train fire were utterly wrong, he said. Former top police officer from Gujarat, R.B. Sreekumar, who, as a whistleblower, exposed Mr. Modi’s role in the 2002 violence, said he had sent an anonymous message informing India’s President of the complicity of police officers in that violence. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), organized the violence and facilitated the crimes. For his honesty and courage, Mr. Shreekumar was continuously hounded and persecuted even as he submitted several affidavits affirming the truth of his allegations. “I was pressured to not speak the truth.” Eventually, no action was taken, he said. Aakashi Bhatt, a surgeon in the UK and the daughter of jailed whistleblower police officer Sanjiv Bhatt, said, “We live in a world where systematic genocide takes place and the perpetrators are scott free and continue to live freely for decades. The virtue of non-violence and  tolerance burnt with Gujarat riots.” Her father was wrongfully convicted three years ago of murdering a man he had never even met. This was actually punishment because Mr. Bhatt told India’s Supreme Court that Modi had explicitly ordered the police to stand down and let mobs kill Muslims. “For the past twenty years my father has been paying the price for fighting for justice. It takes courage to fight a long lonely battle.” Speaking at a panel titled “Hijab Ban, Hounding & Hate Speech: Targeting of Muslim Women in the Long Shadow of Gujarat 2002,” panelists condemned the ban on the wearing of hijab by Muslim school and college students in Karnataka. “Muslim women have woken up in India to find their names on auctioning apps… The call to rape and kill Muslim women is routine, and efforts to dehumanize Muslim women is on the rise,” said Sabika Abbas Naqvi, a gender rights activist and poet. “Hijab is not the issue. The issue is the rising hate the Muslim women are facing.” The Hindu right-wing “fear our ability to write, to speak, to journal, to dream, articulate, assert, organize, and fiercely fight the oppressors. They either sexualize us, try to act as our messiahs or plot to kill. But we are here to conquer the world. We are lawyers, poets, journalists, actors, activists, entrepreneurs, scholars and the only hope that our country has. Fierce and fearless in the face of hate and discrimination,” she added. Nitasha Kaul, a professor at University of Westminster, condemned the “moral policing of women’s behavior… People must stop and think why it is necessary to be ‘othering’ the Muslims. The aim of these majoritarian  projects  is to perpetuate the Hindu identity of India.” Rights activist Kavita Krishnan said the hijab had become the “latest pretext for Hindu supremacist governments and mobs to harass and attack Muslims. The same BJP leaders who are declaring that the

Press Release

Global Conference: India on the Brink – Preventing Genocide

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A three-day virtual summit jointly organized by international diaspora led organizations and allies around the globe FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 21, 2022 What: Virtual summit titled “India on the Brink – Preventing Genocide” When: February 26 through February 28, 2022 Where: Online (zoom link emailed to registrants) Co-sponsored by: A global coalition of over 20 organizations Registration: Visit https://indiaonthebrink.com/ Background: The rapid escalation of human rights abuses against India’s religious minorities and marginalized communities has reached a breaking point. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s anti-Muslim policies, the daily incidents of violence and hate speech against Muslims and minorities, and government apathy over open calls for genocide of Muslims have created a deeply repressive and dangerous situation for India’s 200 million Muslims. Experts from leading global human rights watchdogs such as Amnesty International USA, Genocide Watch and the US Holocaust Memorial Museum have said the government’s Hindutva driven agenda is pushing India further down the abyss of hate and violence and creating conditions where a genocide of Muslims and Christians has become a real possibility. In this backdrop, Indian diaspora organizations around the world are partnering with globally acclaimed human rights organizations to host a three-day virtual summit titled “India on the brink – Preventing Genocide.” The Summit, co-sponsored by a global coalition of over 20 organizations, is joined by leading international human rights lawyers, genocide prevention experts, faith leaders, activists, lawmakers and human right defenders from around the world. The goal of the summit is to bring awareness to the situation in India, to advance the discourse on the international community’s role in safeguarding lives, and to facilitate deeper conversations about a vision for India that builds on its longstanding tradition of pluralism and respect for diversity. “The international community has a moral obligation to act now to prevent a cataclysmic turn of events in India, where millions of Muslims and other marginalized communities are already living in fear and experiencing the rapidly shrinking space for civil rights and religious freedom,” said Dr. Gregory Stanton, President of Genocide Watch and a co-chair of the Summit. “The far-right political leadership in India has fueled the ongoing crisis with vitriol and the dehumanized representation of Indian Muslims,” said Dr. Ritumbra Manuvie, Executive Director of Stichting The London Story, a Europe based human rights organization, and a co-chair of the Summit. “The Summit will bring credible and authoritative voices from around the world to shine a light on India’s rapid descent into fascism,” added Dr. Manuvie. “This Summit is an urgent call to action to safeguard peace, pluralism and justice for all Indians,” said Mr. Rasheed Ahmed, Executive Director of the Indian American Muslim Council, and co-chair of the Summit. “We yearn for a better world where religion and spirituality are wellsprings of love, compassion and a shared ethic of the sanctity of life, and not of hate and mass violence,” added Mr. Ahmed. We invite all who care about India and the world, to register for this summit and be part of an event that can help push back against bigotry and the potential for mass violence against hapless millions. [mkdf_button size=”medium” type=”” text=”Register here ” custom_class=”” icon_pack=”font_awesome” fa_icon=”” link=”https://indiaonthebrink.com/register” target=”_blank” color=”#fff” hover_color=”” background_color=”#2851a1″ hover_background_color=”” border_color=”” hover_border_color=”” font_size=”” font_weight=”” margin=””]

Reports

Descent of Democratic into Fascism

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India has seen drastic backsliding of democracy since Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power in 2014. His ascension has seen the rise of Hindu nationalism or Hindutva, a political ideology that advocates for turning India into a Hindu majoritarian country, where social and religious minorities, especially Muslims, Christians, and Dalits, are relegated to second class citizens, depriving them of all the basic rights. For nearly a century the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a paramilitary group whose founders were open supporters of ethno-fascism in Europe,1 has preached and practiced the Hindutva ideology. PM Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is the political wing of the RSS. It now claims to be the world’s largest political party. Founded as a constitutionally secular democracy in 1947, India is increasingly being flagged as a dangerous place for minorities. [pdf-embedder url="http://3.145.57.38/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/DDIF-Final.pdf%22] Download the report here.

Press Release

Noam Chomsky, Nobel Nominee Harsh Mander Call Modi’s crimes Against Indian Muslims ‘Horrific, Lethal’

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington, DC (February 10, 2022) – The treatment of Indian Muslims during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rule was “lethal,” “horrific,” and a threat to democratic values, globally renowned intellectuals and activists said at a Congressional Briefing on February 9. “[Islamophobia is] taking its most lethal form in India, where the Modi government is systematically dismantling Indian secular democracy and turning the country into a Hindu ethnocracy, with almost 250 million Muslims becoming a persecuted minority,” said Prof. Noam Chomsky, one of the world’s leading public intellectuals and Professor Emeritus at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. “The assault is taking other forms as well, including a general attack on independent thought and the educational system primarily directed against Muslim victims, but by now expanding beyond. That’s apart from India’s terrible crimes in Kashmir, those crimes have a long history. They’ve been sharply escalated by Modi’s rightwing Hindu nationalist regime.” Harsh Mander, a prominent Indian activist now based in Berlin, Germany, and nominated last week for the Nobel Peace Prize, said India’s “immense tragedy” was that people “steeped deeply in the Hindu supremacist ideology that spurred Gandhi’s killing are in fact ruling India today. India’s leaders are more determined than ever to push the country down this horrific path of hate, fear and blood.” Mander, who was nominated for the Nobel Prize for his work on the Karwan-E-Mohabbat program that helps provide support to the families of mob lynching victims, said India was witnessing early signs of an impending genocide. “It is tempting for supporters of the ruling establishment to dismiss claims of possible genocide as alarmist… and ‘foreign’ interference, and not efforts ‘to alert the national conscience,’” Mander said. “But the Holocaust Memorial Museum Report warns of the dangers of such denial. ‘We know from the Holocaust what can happen when early warning signs go unheeded.’” Mander also pointed out the vast number of ways India’s general public had become desensitized to Hindu supremacist ideals. “Online and in public gatherings, a range of other extreme right-wing supporters… are even more candid in spouting their hate, openly calling for boycotts and expulsions, mass killing, genocide and mass rape. Sometimes for the record a thin official line is drawn, claiming official distance from these ‘fringe’ elements. But this claim wears thin because hatemongers are rarely punished, get bail quickly if at all they are arrested, many are instead inducted into party positions.” Also speaking at the Congressional Briefing, which was organized by a coalition of 17 civil liberties and human rights organizations, John Sifton, Washington, D.C.-based Asia Advocacy Director of Human Rights Watch, said the “greatest threat” to India’s Constitution today was the Modi government’s “promotion of India’s majority religion, Hinduism, at the expense of the country’s secular foundation and its religious minorities. Worse still, there are growing concerns over the independence of Indian institutions. The Election Commission, the judiciary, and the National Human Rights Commission are all facing increasing scrutiny under implications of bias.” Emphasizing the need for global outcry in order for the Indian government to take heed, Sifton added, “These deterioration’s are threatening India’s underlying identity—the very idea of India as a diverse, pluralistic nation state—and they harm India’s global standing as a functioning, rights-respecting democracy. In every opportunity that presents itself, US officials, citizens, members of Congress, should forcefully communicate concerns about these deterioration’s to the Indian government.” Speaking on the increased mobilization of Hindu supremacists as upcoming state elections in India draw nearer, Angana Chatterji, who is a scholar at University of California at Berkeley and a co-founder of the International People’s Tribunal on Human Rights and Justice in Kashmir said: “At the onset of critical state-level elections in India, Hindu nationalist leaders are energizing their constituents with calls for massified violence against Muslims and promises to deliver on hate. Minority communities and allies are urgently concerned that, should a BJP victory fail to materialize in state elections, aggravated antipathy to Muslims will inspire Hindu nationalists to take up arms.” Even as hate speech increases, press freedoms and the right to freedom of expression among human rights defenders have been repressed by the Modi regime, she added. “Journalists have been exposed to all kinds of dangers – police violence, reprisals instigated by local officials/ministers, illegal detentions, slapping them with sedition and so on,” said Annapurna Menon, a doctoral researcher and visiting lecturer at the University of Westminster. “[Because] India’s ranking has slipped to 142 on the [the World Press Freedom] Index, the situation on ground is extremely alarming.” The briefing was co-hosted by 17 organizations, including Amnesty International USA, Genocide Watch, 21Wilberforce, Hindus for Human Rights, Indian American Muslim Council, International Christian Concern, Jubilee Campaign, Dalit Solidarity Forum, New York State Council of Churches, Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations of North America, India Civil Watch International, Students Against Hindutva Ideology, Center for Pluralism, American Muslim Institution, International Society for Peace and Justice, Association of Indian Muslims of America, and the Humanism Project (Australia).

Press Release

Violence Breaks Out In Karnataka Over Hijab Protest; Student Beaten As BJP Leader Watches; Police Teargas, Baton-Charge Students

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Violence broke out across Karnataka state over the raging debate over Muslim women’s right to wear the hijab in college in several instances. After Hindu extremists protesting the hijab began to clash with a group of Muslim protestors on a college campus in the state’s Davanagere district, violence broke out, resulting in the police shooting the students with tear gas shells and charging at them with batons. Several students were injured, leading to prohibitory orders being clamped on two towns.   In the Bagalkot district, Manjunath Naik, a teacher, was beaten over the head with iron rods after an outbreak of violence following a student protest. He sustained severe injuries and is now being treated at a hospital. Though state leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist and extremist-affiliated party, have been vocal in condemning the hijab-wearing students as “indisciplined” and telling them to go to Pakistan, many of them have been silent regarding the public shows of hatred against Muslims and the hijab. BJP official Haratalu Halappa was surrounded by students, both Muslim and Hindu, outside a hospital where students injured in the protests were being treated. When the group of Hindu extremists suddenly attacked a Muslim student, Halappa watched silently and did nothing to dispel the violence, leading to outrage after a video of the incident went viral. Meanwhile, Asaduddin Owaisi, chief of the opposing All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen party and a member of the Indian Parliament, slammed Modi and the BJP over Twitter for their silence.  “The PM has spoken twice since in Parliament but, amidst his political tirade, could not find a word to speak about the situation in Karnataka. What does his silence tell us?” he tweeted.  Hearing a plea against the hijab ban, Karnataka High court judge Krishna Dixit said: “We’re being observed internationally, not a good development… We have to act according to the Constitution.”  [mkdf_separator class_name=”” type=”full-width” position=”center” color=”#efefef” border_style=”dashed” width=”” thickness=”3px” top_margin=”” bottom_margin=””] Without Disclosing Reason, Court Upholds Modi’s Ban On Muslim-Owned TV News Station The High Court of Kerala state dismissed the petition of MediaOne TV, a prominent Malayalam-language news channel that was shut down by the Modi government’s Information & Broadcasting Ministry (I&B), asking the court to override the government’s decision.  On January 31, the I&B Ministry cited vague and baseless “security concerns” to justify its shutdown, despite the fact that the channel has won many awards and accolades, including from the State Government. C. Dawood, Managing Editor at MediaOne TV, believes MediaOne was shut down due to the channel’s critical, objective coverage of Modi, the BJP, and the paramilitary Hindu supremacist organization Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). “I find that there are inputs which justify the decision… Therefore, I propose to dismiss the petition,” the judge said, upholding the Modi government’s ongoing crackdown on press freedoms. The petition was dismissed despite the protests of several Kerala elected officials, who warned of the dangerous precedent being set by upholding the ban. “Tomorrow any media channel can be attacked. Last week almost 200 YouTube channels [were] banned. These are BJP’s political moves of silencing differing and disagreeing voices. We all are nationalistic. It is not BJP alone that can define what nationalism is,” said MP Shreyams Kumar. Since Modi became prime minister in 2014, the freedom of the press has sharply declined. Hundreds of journalists and news organizations have come under direct attack, mainly for criticizing Modi and the BJP for their rampant displays of anti-minority hatred, tolerance of genocidal rhetoric, attacks on pluralism, and aversion to legitimate criticism. [mkdf_separator class_name=”” type=”full-width” position=”center” color=”#efefef” border_style=”dashed” width=”” thickness=”3px” top_margin=”” bottom_margin=””] Hindu Extremists Destroy 40-Year-Old Catholic Center In Karnataka  In Karnataka state, where anti-Christian hatred has skyrocketed after an anti-conversion law was passed weeks ago, a mob of Hindu terrorists destroyed a 40-year-old Catholic center in Mangalore city, illegally ramming into the structure with a bulldozer and leaving 30 Christian families homeless. The St. Anthony’s Holy Cross Center had long served as a gathering place for the local Christian community, and had offered its support to people in need and those seeking asylum.    “This illegal action is creating discord in a peace-loving community. This act is against the law, it is a blatant abuse of power, in complete violation of the orders issued by the Court,” said the chairman of the St. Anthony’s Holy Cross Center building committee.  2021 was the most violent year on record for Christians in India, with over 500 incidents of anti-Christian violence and hate crimes recorded. 2022 seems to be on a similar trajectory as Hindu extremism continues to grow in popularity.  [mkdf_separator class_name=”” type=”full-width” position=”center” color=”#efefef” border_style=”dashed” width=”” thickness=”3px” top_margin=”” bottom_margin=””] Assam High Court Upholds Act To Convert Muslim-Run Madrassas Into Public Schools The High Court in Assam state has upheld a bigoted and discriminatory act passed by the state legislature in 2020, which seeks to convert Muslim-run madrassa schools into public schools. According to Muslim Mirror, an Indian news outlet, “all government-run madrassas in Assam were abolished, and over 620 such institutions converted into general schools from April 2021.”  The court also completely dismissed the right of minorities to operate their own schools amid a vicious climate of Hindu supremacy, saying, “Consequently, the claim of the petitioners that these madrasas are minority institutions and were established and administered by the minority is a claim which has no foundation, hence it is not acceptable.” Though the managing committees of several madrassas pointed out that the government’s bigoted act violated more than one article of the Indian Constitution, the court claimed that shutting down madrassas was a form of “secularism.” However, the majority of public schools in India openly display Hindu deities, participate in Hindu religious festivals, and teach basic Hindu theology. 

Important Stories, Reports, Weekly Roundup (Video)

IAMC Report: State of Religious Minorities in India (December 2021 – January 2022)

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By Noelle Jones Since the election of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 2014, the influence of Hindutva ideology and the militant Hindu nationalist groups has grown stronger in India, resulting in the intensification of discrimination and violence targeting religious minorities (Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, etc). The events of December 2021 and January 2022 demonstrate a continuation of this pattern.  Utilizing news reports and data from human rights organizations, this report details the recent instances of hate speech advocating for genocide against Muslims and Christians as well as the instances of anti-Muslim and anti-Christian violence perpetrated by extremist Hindu groups over these past two months.  In order to address this escalating persecution of religious minorities, the report includes recommendations for the US government, international community, and India to de-escalate the situation and prevent impending mass categorical violence and genocide.   (Noelle Jones is a genocide researcher at the Indian American Muslim Council) [pdf-embedder url="http://3.145.57.38/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Resized-monthly-report.pdf" title="Resized monthly report"] Download the report here

Press Release

Unconstitutional & Islamophobic Hijab Bans in Karnataka must go, say Indian Americans

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington, DC (February 07, 2022) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, today unequivocally condemned the discriminatory treatment and denial of educational opportunity being inflicted on Muslim students wearing the hijab at various colleges in Karnataka state. The discrimination faced by these students is severe, humiliating, and dehumanizing. In the past few weeks, Muslim students have been kicked out of classes, verbally threatened by teachers, and marked as absent simply for choosing to wear the hijab, that comprises of modest clothing including a headscarf, and that has never been a contentious issue throughout Indian history. At one college, Muslim students were pressured to write an apology letter to the faculty for their supposed lack of discipline. At another college, Muslim girls pleaded with a faculty member as he closed the school gates in their faces; later, a group of Hindu extremists threatened the Muslim students’ with a knife. When the students were admitted back to campus, they were segregated away from their peers into a separate classroom. Such discrimination is not only sickening, but also unconstitutional and illegal. Even more disturbing is the fact that Hindu extremist leaders and politicians have used the students’ plight to further their hateful sectarian agendas. Karnataka’s state government is dominated by the Hindu Nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, whose officials have been quick to lambast the Muslim students with all manner of bigoted statements. State Education Minister B.C. Nagesh has called the students’ commitment to wearing hijab “indiscipline.” BJP official Raghupathy Bhat has accused the students of an “international conspiracy.” BJP state chief Nalin Kumar Kateel made the bizarre claim that hijab in schools was a sign of “Talibanisation.” Pramod Muthalikpramo, chief of the Hindu supremacist group Shri Ram Sena, claimed the students have a “terrorist mindset” and told them to “go to Pakistan.” Some Hindu extremist students have been provoked into turning on their own classmates, marching in protest against the hijab while wearing saffron scarves. The indoctrination of young minds that believes the expression of another faith is somehow a threat to their own augurs ill for the type of education system visualized by Hindutva. “Hijab is celebrated and respected globally by Muslims and non-Muslims alike. Muslim women have competed in and won medals at the Olympics, raised their voices as activists, risen to social media stardom, taken to the screen as reporters, become United Nations ambassadors, and even walked the halls of the US Congress as elected representatives and top aides, all while wearing the hijab,” said Mr. Syed Ali, President of IAMC. “The fact that Hindutva supremacists in India refuse to see hijab as anything more than a tool to rally fellow extremists against Muslims is not only shameful, but indicative of a much deeper malaise plaguing the Hindutva mindset,” added Mr.Ali. Recently, February 1st was observed as the first annual World Hijab Day, a day that is meant to raise awareness about the reality of hijab, that according to the Islamic faith, cannot be forced upon anyone. Hijab is also more than just a scarf. For millions of Muslim women who freely choose hijab, it is a visible marker of their faith, without in any way being an impediment to their personal empowerment or self-confidence. The ban on hijab in some schools is reflective of how the supremacist ideology of Hindutva insidiously seeks to afflict every aspect of public life throughout India. Denial of education to women of a specific community in order to compel them to give up a part of their attire, is bigotry and denial of fundamental rights at its worst. This is completely antithetical to the fundamental idea of India as a diverse, multicultural, and multifaith democracy, whose Constitution guarantees every Indian the right to practice their religion. On the other hand, the heartening show of solidarity for the Muslim students from many people across the faith spectrum shows that the core humanism of India’s traditionally diverse society continues to push back against Hindutva. Celebrities and media personalities have taken to social media to protest the treatment of Muslim students wearing the hijab. Dalit students, who face discrimination on a daily basis for being of a “lower” caste, held a march in support of Muslim women, wearing blue and chanting “Jai Bhim” to show their solidarity. Their admirable courage is a reflection of India’s true Constitutional ideals. IAMC has called upon the college officials that are attempting to ban the hijab to abandon their discriminatory and Islamophobic policies. IAMC has also urged civil society institutions to take up the cause of protecting the right to education and right to dignity for all students.

Press Release

Indian American Muslim Council Condemns Tripura Police For Making False Allegation Before the Supreme Court

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington, DC (February 03, 2022) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), a US-based non-profit advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, has unequivocally condemned the baseless claims made by Tripura Police in an affidavit submitted to India’s Supreme Court that IAMC was connected with Pakistan’s Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) and had “terrorist links.” “It is shocking that a law enforcement agency in India has made absolutely unfounded and baseless allegations against us at India’s highest court,” Syed Ali, IAMC President, said in a statement on February 3. “Tripura Police must furnish evidence to back their allegations or expunge them from the affidavit.” The Tripura Police’s allegations, contained in a 61-page affidavit submitted at the apex court last month, made outlandish and patently false claims. It said “there is information of [IAMC’s] connivance with Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) of Pakistan and has link with Pan-Islamist networks-Jamaat & terror-linked groups.” It added: “Preliminary inquiry from internet corroborates the information from another Twitter Account Disinfo Lab. The matter is under further investigation.” IAMC absolutely denies these patently false allegations. The organization has no connection with Pakistan’s ISI or any terror groups. Remarkably, none of India’s federal or state law enforcement agencies has ever before alleged that IAMC was connected with the ISI or terrorist groups. In 20 years of its existence as a U.S.-based registered nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization,not once has any U.S. law enforcement agency ever suggested that IAMC may be linked with terrorism, let alone investigate it for such bizarre charges. It is pathetic that Tripura Police is sourcing its spurious information from www.thedisinfolab.org, an anonymous propaganda website that is a fake news factory of the Hindutva disinformation universe. This website provides no names for a registered owner, directors, editors, other functionaries, nor any for the authors of its many propaganda reports. It has no official address anywhere. In fact, EU Disinfolab, which is a globally-renowned nonprofit organization that exposes global disinformation, just yesterday (February 2) tweeted that www.thedisinfolab.org was “mimicking” its name and was unconnected with it. In 2020, the EU Disinfolab exposed a massive 15-year disinformation campaign by proxies connected with India’s Government, run via 750 fake media outlets. The www.thedisinfolab.org, run by Hindutva supremacists to target critics of the hateful ideology, has published false allegations against the US Commission for International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), an autonomous bipartisan federal commission that has recommended that the U.S. Government should designate India as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) for religious freedom violations. The Tripura Police’s affidavit comes weeks after the Supreme Court barred them from further action on their malicious First Information Report (FIR) against dozens of individuals and entities, including IAMC, who had exercised their Constitutional Right to Free Speech by tweeting about the anti-Muslim violence in Tripura carried out by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, a terrorist group, in October. In that FIR, Tripura Police had booked those named, including IAMC, under the draconian Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), which Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s federal government as well as the Tripura government, which is led by his Hindutva affiliated Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), have weaponized against Muslims, human rights defenders, students, activists and other opponents. IAMC’s tweet tagged U.S. President Joe Biden, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and the U.S. Department of State asking them to condemn the Hindu terrorist violence in Tripura. It is telling that nearly all others named in the Tripura Police’s FIR are Muslims. The real reason that the Tripura Police are targeting IAMC is that it is relentlessly driving a global expose of the Modi Government’s widespread crackdown on civil and political liberties, human rights and religious freedom. The Modi government’s ire comes from the fact that many members of the U.S. Congress as well as USCIRF commissioners regularly address Congressional Briefings organized by IAMC and leading human rights organizations such as Amnesty International and Genocide Watch. IAMC has extensive partnerships with faith-based and non-faith-based organizations such as Hindus for Human Rights, International Christian Concern, Jubilee Campaign, 21Wilberforce, New York State Council of Churches, and Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations of North America. Tripura Police’s allegations against IAMC are meant to cover up their failure to prevent the anti-Muslim hate crimes last October, when VHP extremists, who are aligned with the Modi Government, went on a spree vandalizing and arsoning Muslim homes, shops, and mosques. Rather than penalize these extremists for inflaming communal tensions and destroying the property of innocents, Tripura Police had falsely claimed that no violence ever occurred, despite the evidence.

Press Release

दुनिया के 60 संगठनों ने IAMC का समर्थन किया, भारत सरकार के आरोपों को निराधार बताया

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE वाशिंगटन, डीसी (02 फ़रवरी, 2022) — भारत सरकार लगातार इंडियन अमेरिकन मुस्लिम काउंसिल (IAMC) को निशाना बना रही है. कई राजनेताओं और चर्चित मीडिया हस्तियों ने अमेरिका-स्थित इस संगठन को टार्गेट करने की कोशिश की है. लेकिन अब इसके समर्थन में अलग-अलग देशों की सम्मानित हस्तियां और तमाम नागरिक संगठन खड़े हो गए हैं. इसी कड़ी में 11 देशों के 63 नागरिक समाज संगठनों और लगभग एक दर्जन प्रमुख व्यक्तियों नेIAMC के समर्थन में एक बयान जारी किया है जिसमें उन्होंने भारत सरकार द्वारा IAMC के विरुद्ध लगाए गए निराधार और झूठे आरोपों को इस्लामोफ़ोबिया करार दिया है. इससे पहले IAMC ने भी उसपर लगाए आरोपों का विस्तृत रूप से जवाब दिया था. इन संगठनों द्वारा जारी इस बयान में कहा गया है: ” IAMC के इवेंट और अन्य आयोजकों पर भारतीय राजनीतिक और मीडिया हस्तियों के साथ-साथ भारतीय विदेश मंत्रालय के द्वारा हमलों की बौछार की जा रही है. ये हमले IAMC के ख़िलाफ़ एक कुत्सित, इस्लामोफ़ोबिक अभियान के रूप में सामने आए हैं. IAMC पर पाकिस्तानी सरकार द्वारा प्रायोजित होने और आतंकवादी संगठनों से संबंध होने का बेबुनियाद आरोप लगाया गया है. “ये घृणित आरोप, जो मुख्य रूप से हिंदुत्व से जुड़े हुए फ़ेक न्यूज़ आउटलेट द्वारा लगाए जा रहे हैं, पहले ही IAMC द्वारा पूरी तरह से खारिज किये जा चुके हैं.” पूरा स्टेटमेंट इस प्रकार है: 26 जनवरी, 2022 यानी भारत के 73वें गणतंत्र दिवस के दिन 17 संगठनों के एक अंतर-धार्मिक समूह ने “भारत के बहुलवादी संविधान की रक्षा” विषय पर अमेरिकी संसद के लिए एक विशेष ब्रीफि़ंग का आयोजन किया था. इस कार्यक्रम में अमेरिकी कांग्रेस (संसद) के सदस्यों, शीर्ष मानवाधिकार वकालत संगठनों के वरिष्ठ नेताओं, और भारत के पूर्व उपराष्ट्रपति हामिद अंसारी सहित अन्य लोगों के बयान शामिल थे. कार्यक्रम में वक्ताओं ने गणतंत्र दिवस पर भारत गणराज्य के लिए अपनी शुभकामनाएं साझा की और भारतीय संविधान में व्यक्त धर्मनिरपेक्ष, बहुलवादी दृष्टि के लिए बढ़ते ख़तरों पर चर्चा की थी. इस विशेष कांग्रेस ब्रीफिंग की मेज़बानी कई संगठनों द्वारा की गई थी जिसमें हिंदूज़ फ़ॉर ह्यूमन राइट्स (Hindus for Human Rights), IAMC, एमनेस्टी इंटरनेशनल यूएसए (Amnesty International USA), जेनोसाइड वॉच (Genocide Watch), 21 विल्बरफोर्स (21Wilberforce), इंटरनेशनल क्रिश्चियन कंसर्न (International Christian Concern), जुबिली कैंपेन (Jubilee Campaign), दलित सॉलिडेरिटी फ़ोरम (Dalit Solidarity Forum), न्यूयॉर्क स्टेट काउंसिल ऑफ़ चर्चेज़ (New York State Council of Churches), फ़ेडरेशन ऑफ़ इंडियन अमेरिकन क्रिश्चियन ऑर्गनाइज़ेशन ऑफ़ नॉर्थ अमेरिका (Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations of North America), इंडिया सिविल वॉच इंटरनेशनल (India Civil Watch International), स्टूडेंट्स अगेंस्ट हिंदुत्व आइडियोलॉजी (Students Against Hindutva Ideology), सेंटर फॉर प्लूरलिज़्म (Center for Pluralism), अमेरिकन मुस्लिम इंस्टीट्यूशन (American Muslim Institution), इंटरनेशनल सोसाइटी फ़ॉर पीस एंड जस्टिस (International Society for Peace and Justice), एसोसिएशन ऑफ़ इंडियन मुस्लिम ऑफ़ अमेरिका (Association of Indian Muslims of America), और ह्यूमनिज़्म प्रोजेक्ट (the Humanism Project) जैसे अंतर-धार्मिक समूह शामिल थे. इस विशेष कांग्रेस ब्रीफिंग के बाद, हमने देखा है किस प्रकार भारतीय राजनीतिक और मीडिया हस्तियों के साथ-साथ भारत सरकार के विदेश मंत्रालय द्वारा इस कार्यक्रम और इसके आयोजकों पर किये जाने वाले हमलों की बाढ़ आ गई है. ये हमले IAMC के ख़िलाफ़ निर्देशित एक घृणित, इस्लामोफ़ोबिक अभियान के रूप में सामने आए हैं. इस अभियान में IAMC पर पाकिस्तानी सरकार द्वारा प्रायोजित होने और आतंकवादी संगठनों से संबंध रखने का आधारहीन आरोप लगाया गया है. इन घृणित आरोपों को, जो मुख्य रूप से हिंदुत्व से जुड़े हुए फ़ेक न्यूज़ आउटलेट द्वारा लगाए जा रहे हैं, IAMC पहले ही पूरी तरह खारिज कर चुका है. ये आरोप और प्रतिक्रिया दिए जाने लायक नहीं हैं. इस तरह के आरोप उसी घिसे-पिटे हुए इस्लामोफ़ोबिक मेटाफ़र का हिस्सा हैं जो दशकों से भारत और विदेशों में मुसलमानों के ख़िलाफ़ हथियार बनाए गए हैं. हम खुले तौर पर ऐसे घृणास्पद प्रचार की निंदा करते हैं. जनवरी 26 (बुधवार) की विशेष कांग्रेस ब्रीफ़िंग का आयोजन करने वाले 17 संगठनों के व्यापक गठबंधन में हिंदू, मुस्लिम और ईसाई संगठनों के साथ-साथ दुनिया के कुछ प्रमुख अंतरराष्ट्रीय मानवाधिकार वकालत समूह भी शामिल थे. लेकिन तथ्य यह है कि इस इवेंट पर हमला करने वालों ने विशेष तौर पर- अमेरिका में भारतीय मुसलमानों का सबसे बड़ी वकालत करने वाले संगठन और वैश्विक मानवाधिकारों की लड़ाई में हमारे करीबी और भरोसेमंद साथी IAMC को निशाना बनाया है.  इस शक्तिशाली आयोजन की मेज़बानी करने के लिए साथ आए 16 अन्य संगठनों की अनदेखी की गई है. ये साबित करता है कि इन दक्षिणपंथी मीडिया हस्तियों और राजनेताओं की तथाकथित “देशभक्ति” एक प्रबल इस्लामोफ़ोबिया से ज्यादा कुछ नहीं है. इसकी दृढ़तापूर्वक और स्पष्ट रूप से निंदा की जानी चाहिए. भारत में हिंदू उग्रवाद (Hindu extremism) और दक्षिणपंथी सरकार की ताक़तें हमें सांप्रदायिक और धार्मिक आधार पर बांटना चाहती हैं. हम उन्हें ऐसा करने की अनुमति नहीं दे सकते हैं. IAMC के ख़िलाफ़ हमलों की तीव्रता और पैमाना केवल एक महत्वपूर्ण संदेश को उजागर करने का काम करता है जो बुधवार की ब्रीफ़िंग में वक्ताओं द्वारा स्पष्ट रूप से दिया गया था: भारत में मुस्लिम और अन्य अल्पसंख्यक अपनी सुरक्षा और सुरक्षा के लिए गंभीर ख़तरों का सामना कर रहे हैं. ये ख़तरे तब और भी अधिक बढ़ जाते हैं जब वे (अल्पसंख्यक) बढ़ती नफ़रत और असहिष्णुता के ख़िलाफ़ बोलने की हिम्मत करते हैं. भारतीय संविधान में दी गई धर्मनिरपेक्षता, बहुलवादी लोकतंत्र की रक्षा की लड़ाई में एक भागीदार के रूप में हम अपने साथियों के साथ इस घृणास्पद अभियान के विरोध में IAMC के दृढ़ और अडिग एकजुटता के साथ खड़े हैं. हस्ताक्षर करने वाले संगठन: हिंदूज़ फ़ॉर ह्यूमन राइट्स (यूएसए) पीपल अगेंस्ट अपार्टाईड एंड फ़ासिज़्म (दक्षिण अफ़्रीका) पालो ऑल्टो लीगल ग्रुप, पी.सी. (यूएसए) सॉलिडेरिटी बेल्जियम (बेल्जियम ) Aotearoa एलायंस ऑफ़ प्रोग्रेसिव इंडियंस (न्यूजीलैंड) द ह्यूमनिज़्म प्रोजेक्ट (ऑस्ट्रेलिया) इंडिया सॉलिडेरिटी जर्मनी (जर्मनी) विस्कॉन्सिन अलायंस फ़ॉ सिविल राइट्स इन इंडिया (यूएसए) जर्मन इंडियन अलायंस फ़ॉर पीस (जर्मनी) इंटरनेशनल काउंसिल ऑफ़ इंडियन मुस्लिम्स (वर्ल्डवाइड)द क्रिसेंट हब (कुवैत) कौर रिपब्लिक मीडिया ग्रुप (यूएसए) एमसीसी (यूएसए) स्कॉटिश इंडियंस फ़ॉर जस्टिस (यूके) मीट ए मुस्लिम (यूएसए) सेंटर फ़ॉर प्लुरलिज्म (यूएसए) ग्रीनफ़ेथ (यूएसए) इंडियन मुस्लिम एसोसिएशन ऑफ़ कैरोलिनास (यूएसए)पोएटिक जस्टिस फ़ाउंडेशन (कनाडा) जस्टिस फ़ॉर ऑल कनाडा (कनाडा) न्यू यॉर्क स्टेट काउंसिल ऑफ़ चर्चेज़ (यूएसए)ज्यूइश वॉइस फ़ॉर पीस (यूएसए) द लिबरल इंडियन्स – फ़्रांस (फ़्रांसजस्टिस फ़ॉर ऑल (अमेरिका) बोस्टन साउथ एशियन कोएलिशन (यूएसए) तौहीद सेंटर (यूएसए) इस्लामोफ़ोबिया स्टडी

Press Release

Over 60 Organizations In 11 Countries Support IAMC, Reject Indian Government’s Baseless Attacks

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington, DC (February 01, 2022) – More than 60 civil society organizations from 11 countries and nearly a dozen prominent individuals have released a statement in support of the India American Muslim Council (IAMC), terming the baseless and false allegations leveled by the Indian Government against the organization as Islamophobic. “[W]e have seen a barrage of attacks on the event and its organizers by Indian political and media figures alike, as well as the Indian government’s Ministry of External Affairs. These attacks have manifested almost exclusively in the from of a vile, Islamophobic smear campaign directed against the Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), which has been baselessly accused of being sponsored by the Pakistani government and having links to terrorist organizations,” the statement said. “These disgusting accusations, which are primarily being peddled by a Hindutva-affiliated fake news outlet, have already been thoroughly refuted by IAMC, and do not deserve to be dignified by any further response.” Full text of the statement: On January 26, 2022—India’s 73rd Republic Day—an interfaith coalition of 17 organizations organized a Special Congressional Briefing on “Protecting India’s Pluralist Constitution.” The event featured recorded remarks by members of the United States Congress, senior leaders from top human rights advocacy organizations, and the former Vice President of India Hamid Ansari, among others. Speakers at the event shared their well wishes for the Republic of India on its Republic Day, and discussed the rising threats to the secular, pluralist vision expressed in the Indian Constitution. The briefing was hosted by: Hindus for Human Rights, Indian American Muslim Council, Amnesty International USA, Genocide Watch, 21Wilberforce, International Christian Concern, Jubilee Campaign, Dalit Solidarity Forum, New York State Council of Churches, Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations of North America, India Civil Watch International, Students Against Hindutva Ideology, Center for Pluralism, American Muslim Institution, International Society for Peace and Justice, Association of Indian Muslims of America, and the Humanism Project (Australia). In the days since this Special Congressional Briefing, we have seen a barrage of attacks on the event and its organizers by Indian political and media figures alike, as well as the Indian government’s Ministry of External Affairs. These attacks have manifested almost exclusively in the from of a vile, Islamophobic smear campaign directed against the Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), which has been baselessly accused of being sponsored by the Pakistani government and having links to terrorist organizations. These disgusting accusations, which are primarily being peddled by a Hindutva-affiliated fake news outlet, have already been thoroughly refuted by IAMC, and do not deserve to be dignified by any further response. Such allegations play into the same tired Islamophobic tropes that have been weaponized against Muslims both in India and abroad for decades, and we unequivocally condemn them as the hateful propaganda that they are. The broad coalition of 17 organizations that organized Wednesday’s Special Congressional Briefing included Hindu, Muslim, and Christian organizations alike, as well as some of the world’s leading international human rights advocacy groups. The fact that those attacking this event have singled out IAMC—the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in America, and our close and trusted partner in the fight for global human rights—as a target, while ignoring the 16 other diverse organizations that came together to host this powerful event, is proof that the so-called “patriotism” of these far-right media and political figures is nothing more than blatant Islamophobia, and should be forcefully and explicitly condemned as such. The forces of Hindu extremism and the far-right government in India want to divide us along communal and religious lines. We refuse to allow them to do so. The swiftness, scale, and severity of the attacks against IAMC only serves to highlight the critical message, delivered loud and clear by the speakers at Wednesday’s briefing, that Muslims and other minorities in India face increasingly dire threats to their safety and security—threats that are compounded when they dare to speak up against growing hatred and intolerance. As partners in the fight to defend the secular, pluralist democracy guaranteed in the Indian Constitution, we stand in firm and unyielding solidarity with our comrades at the Indian American Muslim Council in the face of this baseless smear campaign. ORGANIZATIONAL SIGNATORIES Hindus for Human Rights (USA) People Against Apartheid and Fascism (South Africa) Palo Alto Legal Group, P.C. (USA) Solidarity Belgium (Belgium) Aotearoa Alliance of Progressive Indians (New Zealand) The Humanism Project (Australia) India Solidarity Germany (Germany) Wisconsin Alliance for Civil Rights in India (USA) German Indian Alliance for Peace (Germany) International Council of Indian Muslims (Worldwide) The Crescent Hub (Kuwait) Kaur Republic Media Group (USA) MCC (USA) Scottish Indians for Justice (UK) Meet a Muslim (USA) Center for Pluralism (USA) GreenFaith (USA) Indian Muslim Association of Carolinas (USA) Poetic Justice Foundation (Canada) Justice for All Canada (Canada) New York State Council of Churches (USA) Jewish Voice for Peace (USA) The Liberal Indians – France (France) Justice For All (USA) Boston South Asian Coalition (USA) Tawheed Center (USA) Islamophobia Studies Center (USA) CAPI (USA) Hindus for Human Rights-ANZ (Australia/New Zealand) Association of Indian Muslims of America (USA) Treasure Coast Interfaith Community (USA) Ambedkar King Study Circle (USA) International Solidarity for Academic Freedom in India (Worldwide) Students Against Hindutva Ideology (USA) Chicago Coalition for Human Rights in India  (USA) United Madrassi Association Inc (USA) Khudai Khidmatgar (India) Black Lives Matter Of Greater New York (USA) International Network of Democratic Indians Abroad (UK) Amnesty International USA (USA) BhaktiVersity (India) Sadhana: Coalition of Progressive Hindus (USA) Hindus for Human Rights-UK (UK) AwaazNetwork Facebook Page Dalit Solidarity Forum (USA) Genocide Watch (USA) Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations of North America (USA) National Solidarity Forum (India) Interfaith Assembly on Homelessness and Housing (USA) Friends of India – Texas (USA) Voices Against Fascism in India (USA) Mahatma Gandhi Foundation (India) Turbine Bagh (UK) Mahdavia Islamic Center of Chicago (USA) Masjid al Huda (USA) Iman Publications International Commission for Dalit Rights (USA) India Justice Project, Berlin (Germany) Ambedkar International Center (USA) India Civil Watch International (India) Periyar International (USA)

Press Release

इंडियन अमेरिकन मुस्लिम काउंसिल (IAMC) ने मुख़्तार अब्बास नक़वी द्वारा लगाए आरोपों को फ़र्ज़ी बताया, कहा भारत सरकार उसके ख़िलाफ़ दुष्प्रचार कर रही है

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE वाशिंगटन, डीसी (जनवरी 29, 2022) – इंडियन अमेरिकन मुस्लिम काउंसिल (IAMC), एक अमेरिका-स्थित एडवोकेसी NGO जो भारत को विविध और सहिष्णु बनाए रखने के लिए समर्पित है, ने भारत सरकार के मंत्री मुख़्तार अब्बास नक़वी द्वारा उस पर लगाए आरोपों को निराधार बताया है. 27 जनवरी को श्री नक़वी ने एक प्रेस वार्ता  में IAMC पर पाकिस्तानी ख़ुफ़िया एजेंसी ISI (Inter Services Intelligence) के साथ सम्बंध होने का आरोप लगाया था. साथ ही कहा था कि वैश्विक शांति भंग करने की साज़िश करने वाले संगठनों के साथ IAMC सम्बंध रखता है. उन्होंने कहा था कि IAMC के संबंध सिमी (Students Islamic Movement of India) के साथ भी थे जो भारत में प्रतिबंधित संगठन है. श्री नक़वी ने ये भी कहा था कि IAMC लंबे समय से एंटी-इंडिया प्रॉपोगैंडा में लिप्त है. साथ ही उस साज़िश में शामिल है जिसने दावा किया था कि अक्तूबर में त्रिपुरा में हिंसा हुई थी. नक़वी ने आरोप लगाया था कि IAMC का भारत में सांप्रदायिक हिंसा फैलाने का इतिहास रहा है और कहा था कि सभी जानते हैं कि IAMC पाकिस्तान द्वारा स्पॉन्सर्ड है. IAMC इन सभी आरोपों का खंडन करता है और श्री नक़वी और प्रधानमंत्री मोदी की सरकार को चुनौती देता है कि वे एक भी आरोप को साबित करने के लिए सबूत पेश करें. IAMC का पाकिस्तान, ISI या SIMI से कोई संबंध नहीं है. IAMC का भारत में सांप्रदायिक हिंसा फैलाने का कोई इतिहास नहीं रहा है. यूएस में 501(c)(3) संगठन के रूप में रजिस्टर्ड IAMC 20 साल पुरानी वास्तविक गैर-लाभकारी संस्था है. वैश्विक नागरिक समाज से मिलकर अमेरिकी कांग्रेस और अमेरिकी सरकार के साथ मानवीय मूल्यों की वकालत करने का IAMC का मज़बूत इतिहास रहा है. भारतीय अमेरिकियों के रूप में हम मानते हैं कि आज के दौर में ये ज़रूरी है कि जो लोग भारत और भारतीय लोगों की परवाह करते हैं, चाहे वो कहीं भी रह रहे हों, उन्हें भारत के धर्मनिरपेक्ष लोकतंत्र को बचाने के संघर्ष में शामिल होना चाहिए. IAMC समुदाय के कई सदस्य भारत में पैदा हुए और पले-बढ़े. हमने अमेरिका को अपना घर चुना है लेकिन भारत के साथ हमारे गहरे सांस्कृतिक, पारिवारिक और भावनात्मक संबंध हैं. यही संबंध आज भारतीय समाज के सामने आने वाले गंभीर ख़तरों के बारे में बोलने के लिए हमारी पहली प्रेरणा हैं. शायद भारत सरकार को सबसे बड़ा मलाल ये है कि IAMC उन प्रमुख नागरिक अधिकार संगठनों में से एक था जिन्होंने साल 2005 में नरेंद्र मोदी (जो उस समय गुजरात के मुख्यमंत्री थे) को साल 2002 के गुजरात दंगों में उनकी भूमिका के कारण अमेरिका में प्रवेश करने से प्रतिबंधित करने की वकालत की थी. याद हो कि साल 2002 में गुजरात में हिंदुत्व आतंकवादियों ने 2,000 से अधिक मुसलमानों का नरसंहार किया था. देखा जाए तो भारत सरकार के आधिकारिक रिकॉर्ड ही IAMC के बारे में नक़वी के कपटपूर्ण और स्पष्ट रूप से फ़र्ज़ी दावों को ग़लत साबित करते हैं. साल 2001 से लेकर अब तक SIMI को ग़ैरकानूनी (गतिविधि) रोकथाम अधिनियम (UAPA) के तहत आठ बार प्रतिबंधित किया गया है. हर बार उच्च न्यायालय के न्यायाधीश की अध्यक्षता में एक ट्राइबुनल ने इस प्रतिबंध को न्यायायिक मान्यता दी थी. लेकिन इन वर्षों में एक बार भी भारत की केंद्र सरकार ने अदालत में यह दावा नहीं किया है कि IAMC का SIMI से कोई भी संबंध है. जहाँ तक IAMC को जानकारी हासिल है, भारत में कहीं भी एक भी सरकारी या पुलिस दस्तावेज़ नहीं है जो दावा करता है कि IAMC सिमी से, किसी भी सांप्रदायिक हिंसा से, पाकिस्तान से, ISI से, भारत में या भारत के बाहर किसी भी आतंकी समूह से जुड़ा है. अपने 20 साल के इतिहास में किसी भी अमेरिकी क़ानून प्रवर्तन एजेंसी ने कभी भी दूर-दूर तक यह नहीं कहा है कि IAMC प्रत्यक्ष या अप्रत्यक्ष रूप से आतंकवाद से जुड़ा है. अमेरिका में किसी भी क़ानून प्रवर्तन एजेंसी ने कभी IAMC की जांच तक नहीं की है. यह निंदनीय है कि मंत्री नक़वी ने त्रिपुरा पुलिस के उस FIR का हवाला दिया जिसमें अक्टूबर में त्रिपुरा में हुए मुस्लिम विरोधी हिंसा के संबंध में अन्य लोगों के साथ IAMC का नाम शामिल है. इस दुर्भावनापूर्ण FIR के मामले में भारत के सर्वोच्च न्यायालय ने पहले ही दो वकीलों और एक पत्रकार को राहत प्रदान की हुई है, जिनका नाम IAMC के साथ उस FIR में शामिल था. जब त्रिपुरा पुलिस ने उस FIR में शामिल लोगों के विवरण प्रदान करने के लिए ट्विटर पर दबाव बनाने की कोशिश की तो सुप्रीम कोर्ट ने फिर से कदम उठाया और उस अवैध और आपराधिक पुलिस अधिनियम के तहत पुलिस की कार्रवाई पर रोक लगा दी. पिछले सप्ताहर त्रिपुरा पुलिस ने भारत के सर्वोच्च न्यायालय के समक्ष एक हलफ़नामा में डिसइन्फ़ोलैब (Disinfolab) नाम की एक वेबसाइट के आधार पर IAMC के बारे में फ़र्ज़ी दावे किए. दरअसल त्रिपुरा पुलिस www.thedisinfolab.org का हवाला दे रही है जो हाल में हिंदुत्ववादी दुष्प्रचार से जुड़ी एक फ़ेक न्यूज़ फ़ैक्ट्री के रूप में सामने आई है. इस वेबसाइट पर इसकी रजिस्टर्ड मालिकाना संस्था के बाबत कोई जानकारी नहीं है, कोई पंजीकृत पता या कोई कार्यालय का पता नहीं है, निदेशकों या संपादकों या किसी अन्य पदाधिकारियों के भी कोई नाम नहीं हैं, किसी रिपोर्ट के किसी लेखक के नाम नहीं हैं. हैरत की बात है कि त्रिपुरा पुलिस अदालत में हमारे ख़िलाफ़ ऐसी भ्रामक वेबसाइटों को सबूत के तौर पर पेश कर रही है जिनका कोई अता-पता ही नहीं है. IAMC से प्रधानमंत्री मोदी की चिढ़ का असली कारण ये है कि जबकि उनका निरंकुश शासन भारतीय मुसलमानों के मानवाधिकारों का हनन कर हजारों को जेल भेज देता या मार देता है, वह IAMC को नहीं छू सकते क्योंकि हम अमेरिका में स्थित हैं जहां क़ानून का राज है जिसके चलते सत्ताधारी उसका दुरुपयोग नहीं कर सकते हैं. श्री मोदी और उनके चरमपंथी साथियों को याद रखना होगा कि वो IAMC को चुप नहीं करा सकते. बड़ी संख्या में अमेरिकी सेनेटर और सांसद भी भारत के बहुलवादी संविधान की रक्षा करने और मोदी के लोकतंत्र विरोधी व्यवहार के ख़िलाफ़ आवाज़ उठाने के हमारे एजेंडे का समर्थन करते हैं. Black Lives Matter से

Press Release

Indian American Muslim Council Condemns Indian Government’s Smear Campaign, Rebuts False Allegations Of Terror Links

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington, DC (January 28, 2022) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), a US-based non-profit advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, condemns the baseless allegations made against it by Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, a minister in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s cabinet. On January 27, Mr. Naqvi addressed a press conference alleging that IAMC was linked with Pakistan’s Inter Services Intelligence (ISI), several organizations “conspiring to disrupt global peace,” and the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), an organization India has proscribed. Mr. Naqvi said IAMC was “long involved in spreading anti-India propaganda” and “part of a conspiracy that claimed violence had occurred in Tripura;” that IAMC had “a history of spreading communal violence in India;” and that “everyone knows” IAMC was “Pakistan-sponsored.” IAMC categorically denies all these allegations and challenges Minister Naqvi and Prime Minister Modi’s government to furnish evidence to prove even one of these baseless and fraudulent claims. IAMC does not have ties to Pakistan, ISI or SIMI. IAMC has zero history of spreading communal violence in India. IAMC is a 20-year-old bonafide nonprofit registered as a 501(c)(3) organization in the United States with a strong history of advocacy with the US Congress and the US Government in partnership with global civil society. As Indian Americans we believe this is the time for all who care about India and its people, wherever they may live, to stand up and be counted in the struggle to save India’s secular democracy. Many of us were born and raised in India and although we have chosen to make America our home, we have deep cultural, familial and emotional ties to India. These ties to the country of our birth are our primary impetus to speak up in regards to the grave dangers that confront Indian society today. Perhaps the biggest pain point for the Indian government is that IAMC was among the leading civil rights organizations that successfully advocated in 2005 with the U.S. Government to ban Mr. Modi, who was then Gujarat Chief Minister, from entering the US due to his role in the massacre of over 2,000 Muslims by Hindutva terrorists in Gujarat in 2002. Unfortunately for Mr. Naqvi, the official records of the Indian government falsify his pathetic and obviously fraudulent claims about IAMC. SIMI has been banned eight times under the Unlawful (Activities) Prevention Act since 2001. Each time, the ban was adjudicated upon at a tribunal constituted under a high court judge. Not once in all these years has India’s federal government claimed at the court that IAMC is linked with SIMI. To IAMC’s knowledge, there is literally not a single governmental or police document anywhere in India claiming IAMC was linked to SIMI. To IAMC’s knowledge, there is no governmental or police document, or a court ruling, anywhere in India connecting the IAMC to any communal violence, to Pakistan, to the ISI, to any terror group, in or out of India. In 20 years of its existence as a bonafide nonprofit organization in the US, no American law enforcement agency has ever remotely suggested that IAMC was connected with terrorism, directly or indirectly. No law enforcement agency in the US has ever even investigated IAMC. It is disingenuous and pitiful that Minister Naqvi referenced Tripura Police’s FIR that names, among others, IAMC in regards to the anti-Muslim violence in Tripura in October. In an indication of what might be the eventual fate of that absurd and malicious FIR, India’s Supreme Court has already provided relief to two Supreme Court lawyers and a journalist who are also named in the same FIR besides IAMC. When Tripura Police tried to pressure Twitter to provide them details of the user names targeted in that FIR, the Supreme Court again stepped in and ordered an end to that illegal and criminal police act. Last weekend the Tripura Police filed an affidavit before India’s Supreme Court making fraudulent claims about IAMC on the basis of a website named Disinfolab. We are aware that the Tripura Police is referring to www.thedisinfolab.org, which has emerged in recent months as a fake news factory connected to the Hindutva disinformation universe. This website provides absolutely no information regarding the name of any registered entity that owns it; no registered address or any office address; no names for directors or editors or any other functionaries; no names of any authors of its reports. It is incredible that Tripura Police are actually offering such shady websites as proof against us in the court. The real reason why Prime Minister Modi is deeply troubled by the IAMC is that even as his authoritarian rule commits widespread human rights abuses against Indian Muslims, jailing and killing thousands of them, he cannot touch IAMC because we are based in the United States where we take pride in the Rule of Law and protection from abusive State action. Mr. Modi and his extremist cohorts cannot silence IAMC. Their Islamophobia does not inform either the American State or its people. An overwhelming number of American Senators and Congressmen support our agenda of protecting India’s pluralist Constitution and calling out Mr. Modi’s virulent anti-democratic behavior. American civil society ranging from Black Lives Matter to Amnesty International, from Genocide Watch to Human Rights Watch, are fully committed to supporting us. IAMC will continue to shine even brighter light on the egregious behavior of Prime Minister Modi’s government, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and their network of terrorists from the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the Bajrang Dal. We are committed to protecting a Constitutional, Secular, Pluralist, Democratic India as envisioned by Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Maulana Azad and B. R. Ambedkar. India belongs to every Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Christian, Jain, Buddhist, Dalit and others equally.

Press Release

U.S. Senator, Congressmen Say India’s Constitution Under Threat From Hindu Nationalist Ideology, Persecution Under Modi Government

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington, DC (January 26, 2022) – A United States Senator and three Members of the United States Congress have condemned the escalating violations of human rights, civil and political liberties, and religious freedom under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rule. The widespread persecution of India’s religious minorities and human rights defenders and the rash of anti-democratic legislation in India threatens and undermines India’s pluralist Constitution, these officials said at a Special Congressional Briefing called to commemorate India’s 73rd Republic Day on January 26. Saying he was “concerned” about the Modi government’s “efforts to peel back the rights of religious minorities in India,” U.S. Senator Ed Markey said that the “laws on religious conversion, citizenship and other restrictive measures fly in the face of India’s inclusive secular Constitution and core tenets of any democracy.” “As the Indian government continues to target the practices of minority faiths, it creates an atmosphere where discrimination and violence can take root. In recent years, we have seen an uptick in online hate speech and acts of hate, including vandalized mosques, torched churches, and communal violence,” Senator Markey said. U.S. Congressman Jim McGovern, who is the Co-Chair of the powerful Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission of the U.S. House of Representatives, listed several warning signs that showed India’s alarming backsliding on human rights. “For the first time in 2019, a law was passed that links citizenship to religious identity. There is every reason to fear that this change combined with the proposal for a National Register of Citizens institutionalizes discrimination against Muslims,” Congressman McGovern said. The “concern about discrimination based on religious identity [was] so great that the US Commission on International Religious Freedom has recommended that India be designated a Country of Particular Concern,” McGovern added, referring to the premier federal commission that tracks global religious persecution. He quoted USCIRF to say the Modi government “promoted Hindu nationalist policies, resulting in systemic, ongoing and egregious violations of religious freedom.” Condemning the abuse of harsh anti-terror laws to crack down on journalists, activists, lawyers, and other civilians, Congressman McGovern said, “This kind of misguided anti-terrorism legislation is not the sign of a healthy democracy. We cannot be silent when measures are taken that discriminate against whole populations or when inflammatory language is used that could incite violence against those populations.” U.S. Congressman Andy Levin said he had loved India since he first traveled there at 17 years old, but also warned that he was closely monitoring the recent threats to Indian pluralism: “India, as the world’s largest secular democracy, was such a source of pride to me as a ‘Bharat wala,’ a friend of India… Regrettably, today, the world’s largest democracy is seeing backsliding, human rights under attack, and religious nationalism. Since 2014, India has fallen from 27 to 53 on the Democracy Index. And Freedom House downgraded India from free to partly free.” He added, “As a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and Vice Chair of its Asia Subcommittee, a longtime human rights activist and a proponent of democratic values all over the world, please know that I’m closely following events in India in any way. The country is in danger of becoming less free and less representative for all the people who live there.” U.S. Congressman Jamie Raskin, a member of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission and Chair of the House Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties in the US House of Representatives, spoke on India’s continuing struggle for human rights, especially under Prime Minister Modi, which affects not just India’s Muslim, Christian, and Sikh minorities, but also Hindus who dissent against the Hindu supremacist movement. “There have been a lot of problems with the issue of religious authoritarianism and discrimination taking place in India,” he said. “So we want to make sure that India… stays on the path of respecting religious liberty, freedom, pluralism, toleration and dissent for everybody. And we don’t want to see discrimination against any minority religious group or any majority religious group, for that matter. That is the road to authoritarianism and destruction of civil liberty.” Nadine Maenza, Chair of the United States Commission for International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), spoke on USCIRF’s recommendation to label India as a Country of Particular Concern for the past two years. This recommendation was based on repeated offenses by the Indian government against its vulnerable minority populations. “Since 2014, the BJP-led Indian government has increasingly institutionalized its ideological vision of a Hindu state at both the national and state levels through a foundation of laws and structural changes hostile to the country’s religious minorities, which include Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Dalits, and adivasis,” she said. “For this reason, since 2020, USIRF has recommended that the State Department designates India as a Country of Particular concern or a CPC for engaging in tolerating systemic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom.” She said that ever since Modi became prime minister, “Hindu nationalist groups have launched inflammatory campaigns decrying interfaith relationships, including calling for censorship of media depictions of these relationships… Mobs empathetic with Hindu nationalism acted with impunity and at times were assisted by authorities, even police, in targeting religious minorities in places of worship. Sectarian violence is enabled by hate speech and disinformation propelled by government officials. Civil society lacks the freedom to document or raise their voices against gross human rights and religious freedom violations.” Hamid Ansari, former Vice President of India, expressed his concern over the rising trend of Hindu nationalism: “In recent years, we have experienced emergence of trends and practices that dispute the well-established principle of civic nationalism and interposes a new and imaginary practice of cultural nationalism…. It wants to distinguish citizens on the basis of their faith, give vent to intolerance, insinuate otherness, and promote disquiet and insecurity.” He also urged taking action against these human rights offenses by saying, “These trends need to be contested legally and contested politically.” Kerry Kennedy, President of Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, reflected on her longtime friendship with Kashmiri human rights defender Khurram Parvez, whose recent arrest under

Reports

104 Organisations Resist Anti-Conversion Laws through a Poster Campaign

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104 organisations have endorsed the poster campaign against the Anti-Conversion Laws in India. We request you to circulate, release and share the material. Karnataka Legislative Assembly has passed the Anti-Conversion Bill despite stiff opposition from the opposition parties. However, it is not yet tabled in the upper house to make it a law. The Anti-Conversion Law affects Christians, Muslims, Dalits, Adivasis and Women. In this context, the National Solidarity Concerns has initiated this campaign, not just against the Anti-Conversion Bill in Karnataka, but also against all Anti-Conversion Laws in India. The organisations argue that these Laws are not just a violation of Freedom of Religion, but also a violation of various clauses of the Indian Constitution. The National Solidarity Forum appeals to all those who believe in democracy, pluralism and secularism to use this material in your network, share and circulate widely. The organisations which have stood up for this campaign are: Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR) All India Secular Forum Anti-Jindal and Anti-POSCO Movement, Odisha AKHRA (Jharkhand) All India Network of Individuals and NGOs working with National and State Human Rights Institutions (AINNI) All India Catholic Union Alternative Front for Dalit Christian Liberation’ Aadhi Tamilar Viduthalai Iyakkam. Tamil Nadu All India Progressive Writers’ Association (PWA) All India Progressive Women’s Association) AIPWA Association for the Protection of Civil Rights (APCR Goa) Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Andolan Bahujan Students and Youth Front, Odisha. Bebaak Collective Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Andolan (BMMA) Bangalore South Christian Welfare Association Bembala, St Joseph’s Outreach Center Bangla Sanskriti Manch BADAYL Counter Currents Centre for Study of Society and Secularism Coorg Organization for Rural Development (CORD) Critics.in Citizens for Justice and Peace Citizens Forum for Mangalore Development Citizens’ Initiatives for Communal Harmony, Goa Civil Society Forum on Human Rights (CSFHR), Bhubaneswar, Common Concern, Bhubaneswar, Odisha Chhattisgarh Nagrik Sanyukta Sangarsh Samiti (CNSSS) Center for Public Policy Alternatives. Bhubaneswar Centre for study of Philosophy and Humanities Christian Dalits liberation Movement Council for Social Justice and Peace, Goa Dalit Mukti Morcha, Chhattisgarh Ecumenical Council for Drought Action and Water Management 36 .Forum for Democracy and Communal Amity (FDCA) Fraternity Movement, Kerala FORWARD TRUST Forum against Oppression of Women 40 .Hindus for Human Rights Human Rights Defenders’ Alert-India (HRDA) Humanitarian Relief Society – Goa Indian Social Action Forum (INSAF) Indian American Muslim Council INSAF, Odisha Indian Writers’ Forum, Delhi Indian Social Institute, Bangalore Indian Muslims for Secular Democracy Indian people’s theatre association. Indo Palestine Solidarity Network (ISPN) India Civil Watch International Justice Coalition of Religious -West India Justice and Peace Regional Commission, Bengaluru. Karwan e Mohabbat Khudai Khidmatgar Karnataka Peace Organisation Konkani Shanti Publications – Goa Lok Shakti Abhiyan Legal Forum Mysore Madhu Bhaduri, Former Ambassador of India Mulnivasi Samata Parishad, Odisha Mulnivasi Students and Youth Front, Odisha Mulnivasi Mahila Mahasangh, Odisha Movement for Justice Mahila sangharsh Sampark Samiti National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM) NAPM, Karnataka National Solidarity Forum (NSF) National Adivasi Alliance New Socialist Alternative Naveddu Nilladiddare Karnataka National Confederation of Human Rights Organizations –GOA Orissa Development Action Forum, Odisha Oikotree India Odisha Manav Adhikar Manch, Bhubaneswar One Billion Rising Campaign PRASHANT, Ahmedabad People’s Watch Patabhedam Magazine Progressive Christian Alliance PUNARCHITH, Chanarajanagar district, Karnataka People’s Action in Development, Andhra Pradesh Parisara Shanthi Reach Lawyer Socialist Party (India) Sahayatrika for Human Rights, Kerala Social Justice and Ecology Secretariat (SJES) SC, ST, OBC and Minorities Join Action Committee, ODISHA. Student Christian Movement of India (SCMI) Sadhana Mahila Sangha Social Justice Action Committee – Goa Swasthya Shiksha Nirman Saheli Women’s Resource Centre-New Delhi, Social Harmony Federation-Tamil Nadu & Puduchery, The Humanism Project- Australia The Bombay Catholic Sabha United Minority Forum, Odisha United Christian Forum, India (UCF India) Visual Search Vidhrohi Mahila Manch Veshya Anayay Mukti Paraishad Women’s Voice YWCA of Goa 104.Budakattu Krishikara Sangha, Kodagu This article originally appeared in Counter Currents

Press Release

U.S. Religious Freedom Commission Lists Khurram Parvez, Siddique Kappan As Freedom of Religion or Belief Victims

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington, DC (January 20, 2022) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) welcomes the decision of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) to list human rights defender Khurram Parvez and journalist Siddique Kappan on the Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) Victims List. The FoRB list is a database of persons who have been imprisoned or detained in a Country of Particular Concern (CPC), which USCIRF defines as a country that has engaged in or tolerated “systematic, ongoing, and egregious” violations of religious freedom. India has been recommended as a CPC for two years in a row. Khurram Parvez, who was arrested by Indian police in November, is a globally-renowned human rights defender from Kashmir, India’s only Muslim-majority province. He is the coordinator of the Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS), an organization that has repeatedly criticized the human rights abuses committed by Indian security forces in Kashmir on the orders of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Parvez has played an instrumental role in documenting serious human rights abuses committed by Indian forces in Kashmir, particularly after the Indian government revoked the region’s special autonomy in late 2019. On November 22, 2021, Parvez was arrested under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), India’s draconian anti-terror law on baseless charges of “terror-funding,” “conspiracy,” and “waging war against the government of India.” On December 4, 2021, he was transferred to a maximum security prison in New Delhi to await hearing, despite the flimsiness of the charges against him. His current location is unknown. His arrest sparked international outrage and concern. On December 22, 2021, the office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights called for Parvez’s release in a statement. “We are concerned that one month after Mr. Parvez’s arrest, he is still deprived of liberty in what appears to be a new incident of retaliation for his legitimate activities as a human rights defender and because he has spoken out about violations,” the statement said. According to USCIRF, “Human Rights organizations allege Parvez’s arrest is motivated by his work documenting human rights violations committed by authorities in Kashmir, a Muslim-majority area.” Siddique Kappan is a Muslim journalist who is currently being held in a jail in Uttar Pradesh state since his arrest in October 2020. Kappan was arrested while on his way to Hathras, a district in Uttar Pradesh, to report on the brutal rape and murder of a teenage Dalit girl. Authorities stated that Kappan was being held on baseless charges of “sedition,” “promoting enmity between groups,” “outraging religious feelings,” and “knowingly holding property derived or obtained from the commission of a terrorist act.” The chargesheet against Kappan attempted to paint him as a journalist with an anti-Hindu agenda: “These writings of Siddique Kappan, to a great extent, can be classified as communal… During riots, taking the name of a minority and talking about events related to them can incite sentiments. Responsible journalists do not do such communal reporting. Kappan only and only reports to incite Muslims.” Despite the weakness of the case against him, Kappan was charged under the UAPA, and has remained imprisoned for over a year. According to USCIRF, “In addition to catching COVID-19 [in prison], Kappan reportedly suffers from depression, anxiety, and poor eyesight.  He has reportedly been unable to receive adequate medical care.” IAMC is committed to campaigning for justice for these activists and others who are wrongfully imprisoned for working to uphold India’s constitutional values of secularism and pluralism.

Press Release

IAMC Condemns Witch Hunt Against Human Rights Organization Led By Henri Tiphange

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IAMC condemns the Indian government’s witch hunt against the Centre for Promotion of Social Concerns and its programs unit People’s Watch, a national human rights organization led by activist Henri Tiphange. The judicial harassment against an organization that monitors human rights and provides aid to victims of human rights abuse, as well as the baseless accusation of “criminal conspiracy,” should not be tolerated. CBI registers case against CPSC; NGO alleges ‘witch-hunt’ The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a case against Madurai-based Centre for Promotion of Social Concerns (CPSC) and its unit People’s Watch for allegedly violating the provisions of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 1976. A First Information Report (FIR) was registered by EOB, Chennai on January 6, 2022, based on a complaint filed by A K Sinha, Director (MU&I), Ministry of Home Affairs, New Delhi in 2014. The complaint said during inspections conducted by the MHA officials on CPSC led by human rights activist Henri Tiphagne, it was found that after the suspension of FCRA registration, the organisation had withdrawn Rs 28 lakhs in July 2012 and the association withdrew Rs 1.69 crore cash from 2008 to 2012 which did not tally with the available vouchers. The FIR also quotes the complaint to say People’s Watch, the programme unit of the CPSC was functioning as a separate entity and communicating directly with the Foreign Contribution grantee organisations and that most of the bills or receipts are in the name of People’s Watch and not in the name of CPSC. The complaint also alleged that the association used foreign contributions for a purpose other than “for which it was received”. “The allegations mentioned in the complaint prima facie discloses that CPSC represented by its Trustees and its Program Unit represented by its Executive Director and other unknown persons have committed offences punishable under section 120-B r/w,. 420 IPC, section 33,35 39, r/w 7, 8 and 13 of FCRA 2010,” the FIR said. It also added that the Tamil Nadu government on February 2, 2020, conveyed its consent for investigation of the matter by the CBI. However, Henri Tiphagne termed the filing of the FIR by CBI as a “witch-hunt”, saying the Delhi High Court had ordered the opening of the FCRA account of People’s Watch in 2014 following three successive suspensions each lasting 180 days. “CPSC received funds in 2015 & 2016 till October. FCRA suspension orders issued by the MHA in 2017 (was) withdrawn. FCRA Account frozen now for more than 2,500 days. If this is not vindictiveness, what is it? We are willing to still cooperate because of our trust in the rule of law. But can anyone explain why an FIR u/s 120B & 420 IPC? What is the conspiracy? Cheating?” he wrote on Twitter. Click Here to Read

Press Release

Amnesty International, Genocide Watch Experts Say Modi Pushing India To Massacre Of Muslims

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington, DC (January 13, 2022) – Experts from Amnesty International USA and Genocide Watch, leading global human rights watchdogs, have said Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Islamophobic policies and tolerance of open incitement by Hindu extremists for a genocide of Muslims are pushing India towards mass violence against and massacres of Muslims. Because of Modi’s failure to condemn and act against anti-Muslim bigotry, hate speeches by leading religious and political figures had proliferated in recent weeks specifically aimed at inciting such mass violence against Muslims, the experts said at a Congressional Briefing organized in Washington, D.C., on January 12, Wednesday. A gathering of saffron-robed Hindu monks held last month at the north Indian Hardiwar city “was exactly aimed at inciting the genocide of Muslims,” said Dr. Gregory Stanton, President of Genocide Watch. “As the leader of India he has an obligation to denounce this genocidal speech… Yet, Narendra Modi has not spoken against it.” “That the participants [at the gathering] would openly urge Hindus to emulate the violence against Rohingya Muslims and boast about it in the days afterwards in the media is illustrative of the atmosphere of bigotry that pervades these groups,” added Govind Achayra, India/Kashmir Specialist with Amnesty International USA. “The calls to large-scale massacres of Muslims [aim] to institute Hindu supremacy over India.” The fact that Keshav Prasad Maurya, a leader of Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the deputy chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, had this week defended the “open incitement and hate from the dharma sansad in an interview to the BBC speaks to the current atmosphere” of peak hatred and bigotry against India’s Muslims, Acharya said. At the Haridwar event a top religious leader of the Hindu Mahasabha openly called for raising an “army” of Hindus to “kill two million Muslims.” At another event held in New Delhi, hundreds of participants took a public oath to kill in order to protect Hinduism. Elsewhere, schoolchildren were recorded taking similar oaths to “kill and die” to create a Hindu nation. Politicians have defended the right to incite violence against Muslims. Cautioning that “genocide is not an event” but “a process,” Dr. Stanton noted that Prime Minister Modi had a long history of presiding over mass violence against Muslims, beginning with the Gujarat pogroms of 2002 and continuing into the present day. “Under the [Bharatiya Janata Party’s] policies, Modi has used anti-Muslim, Islamophobic rhetoric to build his political base,” he said. Stressing that the U.N. Genocide Convention covered genocides specifically “aimed at the destruction, in whole or in part, of a national, ethnic, religious, or racial group,” he said that was “exactly what the Myanmar government did against the Rohingya” and “we’re now facing [in India] a very similar kind of plot… and the victims are the 200 million Muslims who live in India.” Genocide Watch had warned of impending genocide in India since 2002, when anti-Muslim violence in Gujarat occurred. “There is a lot of evidence that [Modi as Gujarat chief minister then] actually encouraged those massacres.” Upon becoming India’s prime minister, Mr. Modi had “used anti-Muslim Islamophobic” policies such as the revocation of Kashmir’s autonomous status and the passage of the Citizenship Amendment Act that excludes Muslims, “to build his political base,” Dr. Stanton said. “The idea of India as a Hindu Nation, which is the Hindutva movement, is contrary to the history of India and to the Indian constitution. The Indian constitution is specifically set up to make India a secular country to allow for equality between all religions. It was not aimed at making a Hindu Nation.” With Modi as prime minister, an “extremist has taken over the government,” Dr. Stanton added. The ten processes of genocide begins with classification by “trying to exclude people from citizenship.” Dehumanisation involves calling people terrorist, separatist and criminals. This language is used by the Indian Government against the Muslims. Polarisation leads to hatred for all Muslims hatred, and preparation for genocide is what “we are seeing right now.” Added Govind Acharya of Amnesty: “This bigoted law specifically discriminates against Muslims seeking citizenship. When you combine it with the CAA, the NRC is weaponized against Muslims in India. Because of the bigotry of these laws, India stands to create the biggest statelessness crisis in the world which will create unimaginable suffering. And of course the vast majority of those affected would be Muslims.” “Once an organization has the support of the state machinery, or if the state machinery is willing to look away, it does not remain a fringe organization,” said Anas Tanwir, a lawyer for the Indian Supreme Court and founder of the Indian Civil Liberties Union. “The speeches made in Haridwar are an explicit call for genocide against Muslims by religious leaders who are close to the ruling party, the government,” said Sunita Viswanath, Executive Director of Hindus for Human Rights. “According to research from the US Holocaust Memorial Museum, India is at a high risk – number two in the world – for a genocide… We call on all of you to recognize that the hatred being expressed in India is at a very serious level. We can’t let the Biden Administration repeat the mistakes of the past.” Also speaking at the briefing was Amina Kausar, an IT entrepreneur who was one of the many victims of Bulli Bai, an app that was designed by Hindu extremists to “auction” and harass vocal Muslim women. “The sheer humiliation of being put up for ‘sale,’ and called a ‘Bulli Bai,’ a vulgar slang phrase implying a woman is a prostitute, is hard to describe in words,” she said. “Being objectified, being reduced to a virus, normalizing the abuse, is one of the decisive stages of genocide… These online abusers are not fringe elements. Many of them are backed by none other than the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi. I urge US government to take note of the systemic violence that Indian Muslim women are subjected to.” The briefing was cosponsored by a group of 17 human rights and interfaith

Press Release

Shaheen Bagh Activists Call For Diaspora Action To Support Indian Muslims Against Impending Genocide

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington, DC (January 10, 2022) – In an event held by the Indian American Muslim Council on Jan 9, 2022 a panel comprising of reknowned activists, authors, and journalists discussed the continuing impact of India’s Shaheen Bagh protest, a peaceful sit-in protest which lasted from December 2019 to March 2020. Over the course of nearly 4 months, Muslims took to the streets almost daily in large crowds in protest of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s discriminatory Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), the revocation of Muslim-majority Kashmir’s semi-autonomy, and other government policies discriminatory towards Muslims. The Shaheen Bagh protest is also notable for being led largely by Indian Muslim women, ranging from students to stay-at-home mothers, who came out in droves to protest the Modi government’s discriminatory treatment against Muslims. “People who have gotten their first political pushback [from this movement] have never forgotten what Shaheen Bagh did to them,” said Arfa Khanum Sherwani, senior editor of The Wire, a major Indian news publication. Referring to the Hindu nationalist goal of turning India into a Hindu rashtra (nation), she added, “Shaheen Bagh women came and built a wall between a democratic secular country and a theocratic rashtra.” Other activists joining the panel repeatedly stated the need for the global community to not only remember Shaheen Bagh, but also to take action before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government allows for a full-on genocide of Muslims. “One thing that requires focus is the flagging of India as a high alert situation, where an impending genocide is there,” said Safoora Zargar, a student at Jamia Millia Islamia University who was arrested during the Anti-CAA protests. “People like me who are here, and who see all of this every day – the hate on social media, the hate on the ground, the hate that we face in everyday life… we [see that] we are very, very close to a genocide.” “We are sitting on a genocidal time bomb, and it’s ticking very fast. And in less than a year, you’ve seen these genocidal calls,” said Aasif Mujtaba, an author and activist at the forefront of Shaheen Bagh, referring to the instances across India during which Hindu extremist leaders have called for Hindus to take up weapons and “cleanse” India of its Muslims. “It is high time that people really start concerted efforts to highlight this,” added Zargar. Ziya Us Salam, author and journalist with The Hindu, stated that it was in part due to international outrage, protests, and advocacy on part of the diaspora that stopped Prime Minister Modi from implementing the CAA, even after it was passed by Parliament. “This is precisely because of all the international pressure, which was generated because of the Shaheen Bagh movement back home,” he said. “Nothing is small. Every little drop counts.” The Indian American Muslim Council is committed to raising awareness about the issue of impending genocide in India, which has already been flagged by several human rights organizations as a real and urgent threat to Indian democracy and pluralism.

Reports

Early Warning Project: COUNTRIES AT RISK FOR MASS KILLING 2021–22 STATISTICAL RISK ASSESSMENT RESULTS

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India is the world’s second most dangerous country for religious minorities, with an alarmingly high threat of mass genocidal violence. This is the assessment of the globally renowned Early Warning Project, an initiative co-headed by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum that assesses the risk of genocide around the world. India has also been labeled as “already ongoing mass killing” episodes, highlighting the need for immediate global intervention. [pdf-embedder url="http://3.145.57.38/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Early-Warning-Project-Statistical-Risk-Assessment-2021-22.pdf%22] Click Here to download the report

Press Release

IAMC Participates In Twitter Storm Calling For Global Intervention Against Calls for Genocide in India

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington, DC (January 09, 2022) – On January 8, the Indian American Muslim Council partnered with over 28 diaspora advocacy groups worldwide to create a Twitter storm with the hashtags #StopIndianMuslimGenocide. The global showcasing of outrage was in response to a recent string of events in India calling for a Muslim genocide, including a hate speech assembly known as the Haridwar Dharam Sansad, during which several Hindu extremist leaders called for Hindus to take up weapons and “cleanse” India of its 200 million Muslims. Those who participated in the Twitter storm hailed from all over the world, including the USA, the UK, Australia, Germany, Scotland, Finland, the Netherlands, South Africa, and New Zealand. Over the course of 4 hours, the campaign created 200,000 impressions and garnered over 35,000 total engagements. The diaspora representatives used the Twitter storm to demand a global intervention from India’s allies, especially the United States, to put an end to what activists have referred to as an impending genocide. The coalition also demanded the arrest of all Haridwar Dharam Sansad speakers for blatant and public calls for Hindus to kill Muslims en masse. As of right now, all these speakers continue to walk free, while other extremists all over India continue to lynch, harass, and boycott Muslims, as well as take public oaths to “kill and die” to make India into a Hindu nation. “Sometimes, after atrocities happen, people ask: Why didn’t anyone warn us? We are warning you about Modi’s India,” tweeted Dr. Audrey Truschke, associate professor of South Asian history at Rutgers University. “Speak out and act now to stop Hindu nationalist hate and violence.” “What is unfolding in India is a prelude to a genocide,” tweeted Rana Ayyub, a columnist for the Washington Post. IAMC tweeted a video that showcased the hate speeches with calls for the economic boycott of Muslims and an incitement to commit a Genocide of 2 Million Muslims in India. IAMC’s tweet quoted Adama Dieng, Former UN Special Advisor on the prevention of Genocide that “Genocide is a process. The Holocaust did not start with gas chambers. It started with hate speech.” “India is a signatory to Article 3 of the Genocide Convention. The international community must hold the Indian Administration accountable for its silence on the Genocidal rhetoric to continue unabated with impunity. The offenders must be held accountable and punished whether they are constitutionally responsible rulers, public officials or private individuals,” said Syed Ali, President of IAMC Over 28 diaspora advocacy groups participated in the campaign, including Hindus for Human Rights, International Council of Indian Muslims, International Solidarity for Academic Freedom in India, India Alliance, Stichting London Story, and Dalit Solidarity Forum. The campaign also voiced concern for the persecution of Christians and Dalits and trended the hashtags #StopPersecutingIndianChristians and #StopPersecutingDalits. The Twitter storm made headlines in several prominent Indian publications, including Al Jazeera India, The Wire, The Hindu, Telegraph India, Tribune India, Deccan Herald, The Print, Indian Express, The World News, and The Week    

Press Release

IAMC’s Ajit Sahi Receives Inaugural Swami Agnivesh Memorial Award From Hindus For Human Rights

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington, DC (December 21, 2021) – Hindus for Human Rights (HfHR), a prominent U.S.-based nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting pluralism and civil and political rights, has awarded its inaugural Swami Agnivesh Memorial Award to Ajit Sahi, journalist and civil rights activist who is Advocacy Director with Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC). “Ajit is a veteran journalist, and he has been a dedicated campaigner for civil liberties, human rights and religious freedom in India for over three decades,” the HfHR said in a statement. “He has been a trusted mentor and close partner to HfHR, and, most inspiringly, being a Hindu, he has worked tirelessly for the rights of Muslim Indians.” HfHR said Sahi had testified before the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission of the U.S. Congress and “spoken boldly about human rights violations in India.” The award was presented to him at a virtual event organized on December 18. A Hindu religious leader inspired by the Hindu teaching of vasudhaiva kutumbakam (“the world is one family”), Swami Agnivesh (1939-2020) spoke out against Hindu nationalism and caste, the HfHR statement said. He fought for the “rights of communities who were not necessarily his own: bonded laborers, religious minorities, Adivasis, and caste-oppressed communities,” it added. “We at IAMC are incredibly proud of Ajit Sahi’s achievements, who is a fearless defender of civil liberties and human rights. Over the years, he has been engaging with the US Congress and Government to bring awareness on issues of civil and political liberties in India. He exemplifies the courage and diversity of the people we are honored to work with,” IAMC President Syed Afzal Ali said. Receiving the award, Sahi, who is based in Washington, D.C., recalled his association with Swami Agnivesh going back over three decades when as a journalist he reported on Agnivesh’s work in rescuing bonded laborers and later became friends with him. In recognition of Agnivesh’s fearless commitment to human rights for all, the Award recognizes one individual and one organization continuing his legacy by fighting for justice for all, the HfHR said in a statement. In the second category, the HfHR awarded Dhanak, a nonprofit organization in India that facilitates interfaith, inter-caste, same-sex, and other non-traditional marriages despite familial, societal and legal obstacles, its statement said. “(Swami Agnivesh) was a giant. People like him inspired tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, in my generation. And I hope that he’ll continue to inspire many more,” Sahi said while receiving the award at the virtual event. HfHR advocates for pluralism, civil and human rights in South Asia and North America rooted in the values of the Hindu faith. It opposes Hindu supremacist ideology propagated by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the 96-year-old fascist organization that wants to terminate India’s pluralist Constitution and usher Hindu theocratic rule that will deny non-Hindus, especially Muslims and Christians, equal rights as citizens. HfHR is critical of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government’s policies that discriminate against Muslims and Christians, such as the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), the National Register for Citizens (NRC), the anti-conversions laws, and the so-called “Love Jihad” laws, and has condemned the complicity of the Indian officials in providing impunity to Hindu vigilante groups that attack and lynch Muslims.

Press Release

IAMC mourns the loss of prominent Islamic scholar Maulana Yusuf Islahi

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE WASHINGTON, DC (December, 21 2021) – Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos today expressed grief over the demise of prominent Islamic scholar Maulana Yusuf Islahi in India, yesterday. Maulana Islahi was a renowned scholar, speaker, writer and educationist who dedicated his life to the service of Islam and humanity. In India he founded several institutions, including an Islamic seminary for girls. He authored over 60 books in his lifetime, including renowned works like “Easy Jurisprudence” and “Etiquettes of Life in Islam.” Several of his works were translated into other languages and continue to guide and inspire millions around the world. Maulana Islahi also spoke up against injustice and oppression and was a champion of interfaith harmony around the world. On several occasions he shared a platform with IAMC, and his concern for the future of minorities in India was a major impetus for many of his endeavors. “Maulana Islahi has left behind a rich legacy of dedication and selfless service spanning an entire lifetime,” said Khalid Ansari, Vice-President of the Indian American Muslim Council. “He was an exemplary Muslim, in his piety, humility and profound sensitivity for the human condition,” added Mr. Ansari.

Press Release

IAMC Welcomes House Passage Of Islamophobia Bill, Confirmation of Rashad Hussain As Ambassador For Religious Freedom

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WASHINGTON, DC (Dec. 17, 2021) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), a Washington, D.C. based advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, today welcomed the passage of Combating International Islamophobia Act in the U.S. House of Representatives as also the Senate confirmation of Rashad Hussain as Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom. On Tuesday (December 14), the House chamber cleared the bill authored by Rep. Ilhan Omar’s (D-MN) and Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) with 219 votes in favor. The law will establish a Special Envoy at the U.S. State Department to monitor and combat Islamophobia, and include state-sponsored Islamophobic violence and impunity in the Department’s annual human rights reports. It will also help the US policymakers to better understand the “interconnected, global problem of anti-Muslim bigotry, and will establish a comprehensive strategy for U.S. leadership in combating Islamophobia worldwide.” “This bill will go a long way in countering Islamophobia, anti-Muslim violence and discrimination that are rampant around the world, especially in India, where Muslims are regularly and openly targeted because of their faith,” said IAMC Executive Director Rasheed Ahmed, welcoming the passage of the bill. “The anti-Muslim hate crimes across India have surged since Narendra Modi became India’s prime minister over seven years ago. Lynchings, physical assaults, attacks on Muslim houses, business, and their places of worship have become the new normal.” He added: “The United States, which was founded on the principle of religious liberty, has a moral obligation to combat Islamophobia both domestically and globally.” On Thursday, the Senate bipartisan majority voted to confirm the nomination of Mr. Rashad Hussain to serve in a key religious freedom role at the U.S. Department of State. Mr. Hussain, who has served in various roles including Senior Counsel at the Department of Justice’s National Security Division, will lead the position of Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom. He is the first South Asian, first Indian American, and first American Muslim to be nominated for the job. “We at IAMC look forward to working with Ambassador Hussain to promote and safeguard human rights and religious freedoms of minorities in India, who are currently facing extreme persecution at the hands of Hindu nationalist government and its supporters due to their faith,” IAMC President Syed Afzal Ali said.

Reports

Criminalizing the Practise of Faith – A report by PUCL Karnataka on Hate Crimes against Christians in Karnataka

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The point this report seeks to make is that the myth of conversion remains a bogey which is used to target the constitutional right to practice, profess and propagate religion as recognized under Article 25. What emerges in shocking detail in that in today’s Karnataka, using the language of ‘conversion’, Christians constitutional right to practice and profess their religion is being curtailed. Even with respect to conversion it should be noted that theright to choose remains a core part of one’s fundamental right to freedom of religion, expression and dignity and ought not be curtailed under the Indian Constitutional framework. Click here to read the report

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22 Organizations Write to U.S. Secretary of State Over India’s CPC Designation

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WASHINGTON, DC (Dec. 9, 2021) – A coalition of 22 human rights and faith-based organizations and 14 individuals have sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken over his refusal to designate India as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC). For the last two years, in 2020 and in 2021, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has noted that the Indian government has been “engaging in and tolerating systematic, ongoing, and egregious religious freedom violations, as defined by the International Religious Freedom Act (IRA).” In recognition of this situation, the USCIRF recommended in its 2020 and 2021 annual reports that the U.S. Department of State declare India as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC). Despite these recommendations, Secretary Blinken refused to designate India as a CPC in his November 15 announcement. In response, Hindus for Human Rights and Indian American Muslim Council drafted a joint letter stating that “The national security and strategic imperatives of the United States are not strengthened but actually undermined if the U.S. government continues to ignore rising religious persecution and human rights abuses in India.” The letter urges Secretary Blinken to reconsider his decision and “designate India as a CPC at the earliest.” The letter was signed by leading human rights organizations, including Dalit Solidarity Forum in the USA, Genocide Watch, India Civil Watch International, and the Tom Lantos Foundation For Human Rights and Justice. The letter also received endorsements from religious denominations and faith-based organizations such as the Federation of Indian American Christians of North America, International Christian Concern, Islamic Circle of North America’s Council for Social Justice, Islamic Society of North America, New York State Council of Churches, and the Orthodox Public Affairs Committee.   FULL LETTER December 9, 2021 The Honorable Antony Blinken Secretary U.S. Department of State 2201 C Street NW Washington, DC 20520 Subject: Urging designation of India as Country of Particular Concern (CPC) Dear Secretary Blinken, We, the undersigned organizations and individuals, are deeply disappointed by your decision to not designate India as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC), as recommended by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) earlier this year. It is unfathomable that the United States does not recognize the Indian government’s systematic, ongoing, and egregious violation of religious freedoms, when the Department of State’s own report on religious freedom in India that you had released in May 2021 clearly described the escalating violence against India’s religious minorities, especially Muslims and Christians. The USCIRF’s annual reports, both in 2021 and 2020, have established beyond doubt that the Indian Government was “engaging in and tolerating systematic, ongoing, and egregious religious freedom violations, as defined by the International Religious Freedom Act (IRA).” The national security and strategic imperatives of the United States are not strengthened but actually undermined if the U.S. government continues to ignore rising religious persecution and human rights abuses in India. President Biden himself reminded Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi of Mahatma Gandhi’s message of “tolerance, nonviolence and diversity” in their meeting at the White House in September. We, therefore, urge you to reconsider your decision and designate India as a CPC at the earliest. With greatest appreciation for your attention to these matters, Organizational Endorsements: American Muslim Institution Dalit Solidarity Forum in the USA Federation of Indian American Christians of North America Genocide Watch Greentree Global Hindus for Human Rights Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) Council for Social Justice India Civil Watch International Indian American Muslim Council International Christian Concern International Society for Peace and Justice Islamic Society of North America Jubilee Campaign USA Justice For All Law and Liberty Trust New Wineskins Missionary Network New York State Council of Churches Parity Prayer Pioneers Red Eagle Enterprises The Orthodox Public Affairs Committee Tom Lantos Foundation For Human Rights and Justice Individual Endorsements: Institutional affiliation is provided for identification purposes only and does not constitute institutional endorsement. Amb. Islam Siddiqui, President, American Muslim Institution Ann Buwalda, Executive Director, Jubilee Campaign USA David Kimball, Humanist Chaplain, Cleveland Clinic, Vero Beach, FL Jennifer Noyes, Executive Director, New Wineskins Missionary Network Imam Saffet Catovic, Islamic Society of North America Office for Interfaith and Community Alliances Katrina Lantos Swett, President, Tom Lantos Foundation For Human Rights and Justice Lauren Homer, President, Law and Liberty Trust Rehan Khan, MD, President, International Society for Peace and Justice Rev. Marian Edmonds-Allen, Executive Director, Parity Rev. Susan Taylor, National Public Affairs Director, Church of Scientology National Affairs Office Scott Morgan, President, Red Eagle Enterprises Sunita Viswanath, Executive Director, Hindus for Human Rights Victor Begg, Interfaith Community Leader, Interfaith Alliance of the Treasure Coast Zahrah Mir, Communications Specialist, Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) Council for Social Justice

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IAMC, HfHR Welcome Release Of Sudha Bharadwaj

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IAMC & HfHR reiterated the demand for the release Of Umar Khalid, Khalid Saifi, Sharjeel Imam and hundreds of other Muslims. WASHINGTON, DC (Dec. 10, 2021) – Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), an advocacy group committed to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, and Hindus for Human Rights (HfHR), an advocate for pluralism, civil and human rights in South Asia and North America, rooted in the values of the Hindu faith, have welcomed the release of renowned Indian human rights defender and lawyer Sudha Bharadwaj on December 9 after being incarcerated for more than three years without trial. Ms. Bharadwaj’s release from prison rekindles the ever waning hope in the Indian judiciary’s ability to withstand fascist pressures from the Indian government that has, in recent years, falsely accused and jailed tens of thousands of human rights defenders, students, farmers, lawyers, and journalists, many of whom come from religious minority and caste-oppressed communities such as Muslims, Christians and Dalits. “The release of Sudha Bharadwaj proves that the charges against her and thousands others are false and entirely political,” Rasheed Ahmed, Executive Director, IAMC, said. Added Sunita Viswanath, Executive Director, HfHR: “It is time that the Indian courts acknowledge the enormity of the crimes against India’s Constitution being committed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Government by targeting these communities.” IAMC and HfHR demanded that the Indian courts should also rule immediately to also release several Muslim political prisoners who have been incarcerated under draconian laws, including Sharjeel Imam, Umar Khalid, Khalid Saifi, Ishrat Jahan, Siddique Kappan, and countless others. On November 17, IAMC, HfHR, and 16 other human rights organizations held a Congressional Briefing with family members of political prisoners. “It is abundantly clear that India’s Hindu extremist government, in collusion with state and local police departments,  has falsely implicated Muslims in various cases of terrorism, sedition, and unlawful criminal activity,” Mr. Ahmed added. “The slow pace of the cases against them keeps them in prison for years, denying them justice and destroying their lives.” The arrest of Ms. Bharadwaj was condemned widely internationally, including by  United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders Mary Lawlor. Ms. Bharadwaj is an accused in what has come to be known as the “Bhima-Koregaon” case, named after the a township where nearly four years ago Hindu extremists had attacked a gathering of the Dalit community for an annual celebration. In addition to Ms. Bharadwaj, 15 other people, including leading public intellectuals, poets and authors, have been accused and incarcerated in this case. One of these activists, Jesuit priest Father Stan Swamy, 84, who was a decades-long champion of civil rights and liberties for India’s Adivasi (Indigenous) communities, was denied adequate medical provisions and died while under state custody. In a series of news reports published this year, the Washington Post has exposed that malware had been used to insert fake evidence in the laptop of one of the accused.

Press Release

Biden’s Summit for Democracy: International NGOs express concern that Summit will ignore India’s descent to fascism

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Groups extend offer to Biden to provide input to help make the summit a success WASHINGTON, DC (Dec. 7, 2021) – A consortium of 34 international multi-faith human rights NGOs have written a letter to President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris expressing their deep concern that the president’s Summit for Democracy Dec. 9-10 will ignore the widespread violations of human rights, persecution, physical attacks and murder of members of minority religions in India as the government devolves from democracy to fascism. The letter, at more than 1,500 words, provides details and indisputable facts for 14 instances in which democracy is under attack or being abused by the government of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and members of his BJP/RSS party. The letter also expresses regret that more members of the international civil society were not included in planning for the summit, and those who were involved were warned that specific instances of member nations’ internal affairs, abuses, discrimination and persecution will be off limits. “While your organizing principles are commendable, the process has been weak and exclusionary,” the letter states. “… We are committed to working with your administration to strengthen the Democracy Summit process. We therefore seek urgent consultation with your administration, not only to ensure that the Democracy Summit gets off to a meaningful start, but also that the process going forward gains in strength at every stage.” HERE IS ITS FULL TEXT Dear President Biden and Vice President Harris, We, the undersigned organizations, are writing to express deep concern about the minimal public consultation with civil society in the run up to the Democracy Summit. We write also to outline some critical considerations that will help the Summit process attain your goals of returning the US to a “position of trusted leadership among world democracies,” particularly with countries with whom the US shares “interests and values.” Unfortunately, the present Indian government cannot be considered one that shares the democratic values of your administration. While our two countries could never have claimed to be perfect democracies, it is important that the Summit start from acknowledging one key fact: the past seven years of BJP/RSS rule in India have seen a sharp and dramatic backsliding when it comes to democratic norms. Take the case of the Farm Laws: after passing sweeping laws as an ordinance without any consultation with farmers or the opposition, the government brutally repressed and demonized the farmers’ movement against the laws. Even the repeal of the three laws occurred in a manner suited to strongmen: instead of communicating with farmers, or following parliamentary process, Mr. Modi unilaterally announced the repeal. Not a word was said by Mr. Modi about the 700+ deaths that his government’s intransigence and authoritarian approach in the matter had produced. We appreciate the three organizing principles around which the summit is organized, but urge you to attend to our critical concerns regarding India under each of these pillars: 1. Defending against Authoritarianism: Freedom House has downgraded India’s democracy to “partly free.” International commentators from every major media publication have consistently raised the issue of India’s authoritarian turn over the last seven years. Three specific issues must be raised with Mr. Modi: Anti-Minority Laws: The Modi government began its second term with the passage of the Citizenship Amendment Act. Together with its corollary processes of the National Register of Citizens and the National Population Register, the CAA/NRC/NPR create a framework for the active disenfranchisement of India’s largest minority—Muslims—stripping away their voting and citizenship rights. Not challenging these would be the equivalent of abetting conditions for a future genocide. All this is playing out in the context of a series of other laws targeting religious minorities, including anti-conversion and anti-inter religious marriage laws, which also target Christians. In addition, Christian institutions are under attack, with International Christian Concern counting India among the seven worst persecutors of Christians in the world. Kashmir: The sudden revocation of Article 370 of the Indian Constitution, and the overwhelming use of the military in Kashmir, with there being one soldier for every seven Kashmiris at one stage, is already being acknowledged internationally as the single most visible and unambiguous sign of BJP/RSS authoritarianism and its willingness to run roughshod over constitutional protections and guarantees. Dissent, Political Prisoners, and Draconian Laws: The last 7 years has seen a continuous and rising tide of arrest and imprisonment of dissenters under draconian anti-terror laws such as UAPA and the NSA in India. The Bhima Koregaon 16 case, the arrests of students, activists, and journalists in the wake of the Northeast Delhi violence, and most recently the arrests of journalists reporting on religious violence in Tripura, are just the most known instances. Those jailed without trial include some of India’s most prominent public intellectuals, poets, writers, journalists, lawyers, and leaders of the women’s movement. At least one prominent arrestee, Jesuit priest Father Stan Swamy, passed away while still in custody due to the effects of being incarcerated during a global pandemic in his 80s. If dissent is the most important aspect of an active democracy, then PM Modi has a unique record in its repression. This includes significant evidence that in the landmark BK-16 case, evidence was falsely planted on defendants’ computers through malware, opening up a new vector of attack on critics of the government. 2. Addressing and Fighting Corruption: While the Modi government first came to office on an anti-corruption plank, it has since proven to be one of the most opaque and nontransparent governments India has known. Three issues of international scale and core to American interests and values must be raised with PM Modi at the summit: Electoral Bonds: The Modi government introduced electoral bonds in 2015, sneaking them in as part of the budget process. This set into place the most opaque electoral finance system in the democratic world. It allows for national and international corporations to pay into party funds with no oversight and no transparency. From summary figures available, it is clear that large numbers of international shell companies are involved in financing Indian

Press Release

Letter to Scroll.in Urging Removal of baseless defamatory allegations against IAMC

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To Mr. Naresh Fernandes Editor, Scroll.In   Subject: Urging removal of baseless defamatory allegations against IAMC   Dear Mr. Fernandes,   Greetings. I represent Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), a bona fide 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization registered in Washington, D.C. Since its founding in 2002, IAMC has been widely recognized in the US Congress, the US Government and other key stakeholders for its advocacy on human rights, civil and political liberties, and religious freedom in India and the U.S. I write to you in reference of a news item, “Tripura violence: Chief minister asks police to review UAPA cases against lawyers, journalists,” authored by “Scroll Staff” and  authored by Debraj Deb and published on www.scroll.in website.  Quoting The Indian Express, your article says that “an unidentified official from the chief minister’s office said that the photos and videos shared from the social media accounts were fake and a part of the conspiracy to disturb the law and order in Tripura.” It is disappointing that a fair and balanced news outlet such as yours, which we in the civil society respect greatly, failed to do a basic fact check. Had your staff searched on Twitter they would have found that the @IAMCouncil twitter handle belongs to IAMC. By providing a hyperlink to the news article on The Indian Express, you have served to validate the baseless and patently false statements included in that article without any basis in fact. We categorically state that IAMC is not linked with any terrorist network of Pakistan, it does not support the Taliban, and it has no connection with the ISI. Your staff could have easily reached out to us, via Twitter or via our website, www.iamc.com, which prominently lists our email and phone number. It was incumbent upon you to reach out to IAMC before echoing another news organization’s baseless allegations that themselves are sourced to unnamed sources. Neither The Indian Express article nor yours has offered no evidence to support the defamatory claims. This mala fide conduct violates the essential principles of journalism: fairness, balance and truth and has damaged IAMC’s reputation and goodwill globally. In nearly 20 years of IAMC’s existence, no U.S. law enforcement agency or any department of the U.S. federal government or state governments or county administrations has ever investigated, leave alone accuse, IAMC of any wrongdoing or associating with any foreign government or its agencies or terror groups. No Indian law enforcement agency has ever accused IAMC or cited any evidence against it for alleged connections with any terrorist group. For nearly two decades, IAMC has steadfastly advocated to uphold India’s pluralist, secular Constitution inspired by the ideals preached and practiced by Mahatma Gandhi. For years, numerous U.S. Congress members have commended and supported IAMC’s advocacy and campaigns. In July, US Senator Ed Markey, Congressman Andy Levin and Congresswoman Marie Newman joined a Congressional Briefing organized by IAMC at the International Religious Freedom Summit held in Washington, D.C. The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) Chair Nadine Maenza and Commissioner Anurima Bhargava, too, have addressed such briefings. IAMC addressed the National Prayer Breakfast as part of a global panel of human rights defenders organized by the U.S. Department of State in February 2020. IAMC works with global organizations such as Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Genocide Watch, The Advocates for Human Rights, Open Doors, International Christian Concern, 21Wilberforce, among many others.  IAMC’s thousands of volunteers are proud of their Indian origin and have deep connections with India. It is preposterous to suggest that IAMC is anti-India. I urge you to immediately withdraw the false and fabricated allegations against IAMC from the above-mentioned news article and publish my letter prominently on your website.   Rasheed Ahmed Executive Director Indian American Muslim Council  

Press Release

Letter to Indian Express Urging removal of baseless defamatory allegations against IAMC

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To Mr. Rajkamal Jha Executive Editor The Indian Express   Subject: Urging removal of baseless defamatory allegations against IAMC   Dear Mr. Jha,   Greetings.   I represent Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), a bona fide 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization registered in Washington, D.C. Since its founding in 2002, IAMC has been widely recognized in the US Congress, the US Government and other key stakeholders for its advocacy on human rights, civil and political liberties, and religious freedom in India and the U.S. I write to you in reference of a news item, “Tripura violence: Biplab Deb directs DGP to review UAPA cases against social media accounts,” authored by Debraj Deb and published on The Indian Express website on November 27, 2021.  Citing an unnamed Tripura Police official, this article alleges that “at least one post by a handle ‘IAM Council’ had links with a terrorist network of Pakistan and was allegedly supporting Taliban and lobbying with a foreign organisation against India in connivance with Pakistan’s spy agency Inter Services Intelligence (ISI).” This is a patently false statement with no basis in fact. We categorically state that IAMC is not linked with any terrorist network of Pakistan, it does not support the Taliban, and it has no connection with the ISI. As a reputed publication, it was incumbent upon you to reach out to IAMC before echoing the allegations from unnamed sources. Yet, your reporter failed to contact us even though our phone number and email ID are listed on our website, www.iamc.com. Astoundingly, your article has offered no evidence in support of its defamatory claims. This mala fide conduct violates the essential principles of journalism: fairness, balance and truth. This defamatory article has damaged IAMC’s reputation and goodwill globally. In nearly 20 years, no U.S. law enforcement agency, or any department of the U.S. federal government or state governments or county governments, has ever investigated, leave alone accuse, IAMC of any wrongdoing or associating with any foreign government or its agencies or terror groups. No Indian law enforcement agency has ever accused IAMC or cited any evidence against it for alleged connections with any terrorist group. Had your reporter done even elementary research, they would have found that, for two decades, IAMC has steadfastly advocated to uphold India’s pluralist, secular Constitution inspired by the ideals preached and practiced by Mahatma Gandhi. Over decades, numerous U.S. Congress members have commended and supported IAMC’s advocacy and campaigns. In July, US Senator Ed Markey, Congressman Andy Levin and Congresswoman Marie Newman joined a Congressional Briefing organized by IAMC at the International Religious Freedom Summit held in Washington, D.C. The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) Chair Nadine Maenza and Commissioner Anurima Bhargava, too, have addressed such briefings. IAMC addressed the National Prayer Breakfast as part of a global panel of human rights defenders organized by the U.S. Department of State in February 2020. IAMC works with global organizations such as Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and The Advocates for Human Rights, among others. IAMC’s thousands of volunteers are proud of their Indian origin and have deep connections with India. It is preposterous to suggest that IAMC is anti-India. I urge you to immediately withdraw the false and fabricated allegations against IAMC from the above-mentioned news article and issue a public apology to IAMC.   Rasheed Ahmed Executive Director Indian American Muslim Council

Press Release

Biden’s Summit for Democracy: International NGOs express concern that Summit will ignore India’s descent to fascism

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Dear President Biden and Vice President Harris, We, the undersigned organizations, are writing to express deep concern about the minimal public consultation with civil society in the run up to the Democracy Summit. We write also to outline some critical considerations that will help the Summit process attain your goals of returning the US to a “position of trusted leadership among world democracies,” particularly with countries with whom the US shares “interests and values.” Unfortunately, the present Indian government cannot be considered one that shares the democratic values of your administration. While our two countries could never have claimed to be perfect democracies, it is important that the Summit start from acknowledging one key fact: the past seven years of BJP/RSS rule in India have seen a sharp and dramatic backsliding when it comes to democratic norms. Take the case of the Farm Laws: after passing sweeping laws as an ordinance without any consultation with farmers or the opposition, the government brutally repressed and demonized the farmers’ movement against the laws. Even the repeal of the three laws occurred in a manner suited to strongmen: instead of communicating with farmers, or following parliamentary process, Mr. Modi unilaterally announced the repeal. Not a word was said by Mr. Modi about the 700+ deaths that his government’s intransigence and authoritarian approach in the matter had produced. We appreciate the three organizing principles around which the summit is organized, but urge you to attend to our critical concerns regarding India under each of these pillars: 1. Defending against Authoritarianism: Freedom House has downgraded India’s democracy to “partly free.” International commentators from every major media publication have consistently raised the issue of India’s authoritarian turn over the last seven years. Three specific issues must be raised with Mr. Modi: a. Anti-Minority Laws: The Modi government began its second term with the passage of the Citizenship Amendment Act. Together with its corollary processes of the National Register of Citizens and the National Population Register, the CAA/NRC/NPR create a framework for the active disenfranchisement of India’s largest minority—Muslims—stripping away their voting and citizenship rights. Not challenging these would be the equivalent of abetting conditions for a future genocide. All this is playing out in the context of a series of other laws targeting religious minorities, including anti-conversion and anti-interreligious marriage laws, which also target Christians. In addition, Christian institutions are under attack, with International Christian Concern counting India among the seven worst persecutors of Christians in the world. b. Kashmir: The sudden revocation of Article 370 of the Indian Constitution, and the overwhelming use of the military in Kashmir, with there being one soldier for every seven Kashmiris at one stage, is already being acknowledged internationally as the single most visible and unambiguous sign of BJP/RSS authoritarianism and its willingness to run roughshod over constitutional protections and guarantees. c. Dissent, Political Prisoners, and Draconian Laws: The last 7 years has seen a continuous and rising tide of arrest and imprisonment of dissenters under draconian anti-terror laws such as UAPA and the NSA in India. The Bhima Koregaon 16 case, the arrests of students, activists, and journalists in the wake of the Northeast Delhi violence, and most recently the arrests of journalists reporting on religious violence in Tripura, are just the most known instances. Those jailed without trial include some of India’s most prominent public intellectuals, poets, writers, journalists, lawyers, and leaders of the women’s movement. At least one prominent arrestee, Jesuit priest Father Stan Swamy, passed away while still in custody due to the effects of being incarcerated during a global pandemic in his 80s. If dissent is the most important aspect of an active democracy, then PM Modi has a unique record in its repression. This includes significant evidence that in the landmark BK-16 case, evidence was falsely planted on defendants’ computers through malware, opening up a new vector of attack on critics of the government. 2. Addressing and Fighting Corruption: While the Modi government first came to office on an anti-corruption plank, it has since proven to be one of the most opaque and nontransparent governments India has known. Three issues of international scale and core to American interests and values must be raised with PM Modi at the summit: a. Electoral Bonds: The Modi government introduced electoral bonds in 2015, sneaking them in as part of the budget process. This set into place the most opaque electoral finance system in the democratic world. It allows for national and international corporations to pay into party funds with no oversight and no transparency. From summary figures available, it is clear that large numbers of international shell companies are involved in financing Indian political parties, and that the BJP is by far the single largest recipient of such funds. While US funders of electoral bonds in India must be revealed, this assault on the financial underpinnings of India’s democracy must stop. b. Rafale and Crony Capitalism: India’s position as a valued member of the Quad is premised on transparent and incorruptible trade, particularly in the arms sector. The Rafale deal with France is a subject of an ongoing French investigation. What has already been revealed about the deal, including data submitted to the Comptroller and Auditor General in India, points to a specific corporation being favored, and millions of dollars of graft money being at play. Democracy cannot survive in an atmosphere of crony capitalism. c. PMCARES Fund: The PMCARES fund is at the center of the financial scandal that emerged even as India faced two devastating waves of the pandemic. Under Indian law and as per the government’s own promotional material while raising money for PMCARES, this fund meets the definition of a government fund. And yet, today, the government of India claims the fund is not a government fund, and refuses to release any details about it, even though several government agencies, including the Indian consulate in Washington, DC, and in 26 other countries, advertised PMCARES and helped raise funds for it! 3.

Press Release

Statement on the 29th Anniversary of Babri Mosque Demolition

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE WASHINGTON, DC (Dec. 6, 2021) – Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), an advocacy group committed to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, reminded the Indian judiciary on the 29th anniversary of Babri Mosque’s demolition, that denial of justice and failure to hold people responsible for criminally razing down the mosque and lawlessness which followed, was its “biggest failure.” On December 6, 1992, the historic mosque was demolished by Hindu extremists affiliated with the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS), Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), Bajrang Dal, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and Shiv Sena in full view of the national and international audiences, television and print journalists. The violence that followed the incident killed thousands of people, mostly Muslims. But after nearly three decades of tortuous legal process, the Supreme Court of India in November 2019 unjustly handed over the disputed site to Hindus to build a temple, legitimizing one of the most criminal acts of destroying a Muslim place of worship in the history of independent India. In its judgment, the court also termed the demolition of Babri mosque a “calculated act.” “During the pendency of the suits, the entire structure of the mosque was brought down in a calculated act of destroying a place of public worship. Muslims have been wrongly deprived of a mosque which was constructed over 450 years ago,” said the order of the then Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, and Justices S A Bobde, D Y Chandrachud, Ashok Bhushan and S A Nazeer. Nevertheless, the judgment paved way for targeting of other Muslim religious sites especially in Kashi and Mathura in the Uttar Pradesh state. In November 2020, a special court in India ignored glaring evidence and acquitted 32 accused, including senior RSS and BJP leaders like former Union ministers Lal Krishna Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi and Uma Bharti of criminal conspiracy, thus denying justice to more than 200 million Indian Muslims. While acquitting the RSS and BJP leaders, the CBI court not only ignored the previous Supreme Court orders, but also the findings of the Liberhan Commission which was set up by the government of India in 1992 to probe the demolition of the mosque. The Commission had concluded that the demolition of the Babri mosque was meticulously planned. The Commission had said the mobilization of the cadres of RSS, Bajrang Dal, BJP and Shiv Sena in Ayodhya was neither “spontaneous or voluntary” but “orchestrated and planned.” The Commission in its report named over 60 people – including senior BJP leaders Advani, Joshi, Bharti and A B Vajpayee, RSS and VHP leaders, bureaucrats – as “culpable” for “leading the country to the brink of communal discord.” “Both the verdicts by Indian courts in 2019 and 2020 delivered victory to hate, bigotry and chauvinism, which intensified the Hindu nationalist efforts to turn India into a Hindu majoritarian nation in an attempt to reduce minorities especially Muslims to second class citizens. These judgments also caused the Indian judiciary to be perceived as a tool of political power” IAMC Executive Director Rasheed Ahmed said. “The dark day of December 6 will continue to remind us of the denial of justice to more than 200 million Indian Muslims,” IAMC President Syed Ali said. “It will go down in history as the biggest failure of the Indian judiciary to uphold the rule of law,” he added.

Press Release

Congressional briefing exposes widespread Christian persecution in India

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Speakers call for U.S. and other nations to sanction Indian political leaders FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE WASHINGTON, DC (Dec. 2, 2021) – After using most of an hour-long congressional briefing Wednesday to expose widespread and growing physical violence and persecution of Christians in India, including desecration of churches and beatings of clergy, presenters called on President Joseph Biden, the U.S. Congress and other nations enact sanctions on India and its political leaders to take steps to stop the violence. “Without international pressure … it is not going to stop,” declared Sean Nelson, Legal Counsel for Global Religious Freedom, ADF International. “We need members of congress and people who have influence with the Indian national government who can say, ‘hey, we need this to stop, you have to quit it. Put a stop to these acts of violence that are happening all across the country.’” “A week from now, on December 9 and 10, the Biden Administration will be hosting the Summit for Democracy, with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi as an advisor. The U.S. government must state to him clearly that it will not tolerate continued religious violence in India,” said Rasheed Ahmed, Executive Director of the Indian American Muslim Council. A graphic video narrated by Jeff King, President International Christian Concern, was played during the webinar showing Christians being stoned and beaten for offering public prayers for Covid-19 victims. “This is not just a Christian thing or a Muslim thing. We are seeing widespread persecution and discrimination happening against all minority religions in India at an alarming, increasing rate,” said Jeff King, president of the International Christian Concern. “The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom has twice now recommended that India be designated a Country of Particular Concern, and that should show Congress that this is a very serious issue, something that is well-documented, and action should be taken.” Webinar participants shared details of a recent report by the International Christian Concern naming Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi among the world’s worst persecutors. A Congressional Briefing on “India Among Top Persecutors of Christians: ICC Report” The speakers provided a lengthy list of intentional acts of intimidation, violence, home invasions, church desecration and national laws enacted to discriminate against Christians and members of other minority religions, including but not limited to: Anti-conversion laws designed to limit or prohibit people converting to Christianity, which have led to mob violence against Christian clergy wrongfully accused of forced conversions. Potential converts must be able to convince local authorities that they wish to convert to Christianity voluntarily and are often denied the right to do so. Local governments are enacting ordinances outlawing Christianity. Local regulations prohibiting Christians from gathering water at communal wells. Social boycotts in which people stop buying from Christian businesses. The Foreign Contribution Regulation Act that limits and can prohibit financial support for Christian organizations in India. When police are called to stop mob violence at churches, the Christians are often arrested, and their churches padlocked. Christian families are driven from their homes and often must live without shelter in jungles. Ahmed urged Americans to initiate grass-roots movements at the local government level to begin to educate their elected officials about the escalating violence against all religious minorities in India, and then begin to put pressure on members of congress and the Biden Administration. “We need to focus on the U.S. government and congressional representatives, yes, but we can start with your mayors and city councils. Talk to your civic leaders about what is happening in India. It won’t change things in a week or months, but it could be a very effective approach,” he said. “You need to know who your member of Congress is, and you contact your member either at their local office or their D.C. office,” commented Matias Perttula, Advocacy Director for the International Christian Concern. “Staff people dealing with Indian issues or matters should know the situation so they can act appropriately. When the U.S Congress speaks, everybody listens.” Speakers strongly urged the Biden Administration to declare India a Country of Practical Concern for its state-sanctioned human rights abuses, a recommendation already made twice by the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF). The briefing is co-hosted by Amnesty International USA, 21 Wilberforce, Hindus for Human Rights, Indian American Muslim Council, International Christian Concern, Jubilee Campaign, Dalit Solidarity Forum, New York State Council of Churches, Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations of North America, India Civil Watch International, Students Against Hindutva Ideology, Center for Pluralism, American Muslim Institution, International Society for Peace and Justice, Association of Indian Muslims of America and the Humanism Project.

Reports

Report: PERSECUTOR OF THE YEAR 2021

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This report by the reputed global Christian organization International Christian Concern (ICC) is a summation of insights and analysis compiled from countless victim interviews, 50 indigenous international ICC staff, and their massive network of contacts in numerous countries throughout the world. The report also has section for the 2021 Persecutor of the Year Awards. ICC chose the top persecutors in three categories: country, entity, and individual. [pdf-embedder url="http://3.145.57.38/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/2021-Persecutor-of-the-Year-Awards_compressed.pdf" title="2021 Persecutor of the Year Awards_compressed"] Click Here to download the report

Press Release

IAMC Asks Economic Times To Withdraw Defamatory & False Allegations Against IAMC

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE WASHINGTON, D.C., (November 22, 2021) – The Indian American Muslim Council, an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, has asked The Economic Times newspaper to withdraw defamatory and false allegations it has published against the organization. The allegations in “Tripura violence: Police identifies social media conspiracy posts originating outside India,” authored by Bikash Singh and published on the Economic Times website on November 15, 2021, were “patently false… with no basis in fact,” IAMC Executive Director Rasheed Ahmed wrote in a letter to the newspaper’s editors. Citing unnamed government sources, the news article alleged that IAMC had “links with the Jel network of Pakistan and of supporting Taliban and lobbying with foreign organizations against India in connivance with the ISI.” Ahmed wrote: “We categorically state that IAMC is not linked with JEI (Jamaat-e-Islami) in Pakistan, it does not support the Taliban, and it has no connection with the ISI. The article falsely claims IAMC is part of an “anti-India” lobby.” Noting that the Economic Times report “offered no evidence in support of its defamatory claims,” Ahmed wrote the newspaper’s “mala fide conduct violates the essential principles of journalism: fairness, balance and truth” and had “damaged IAMC’s reputation and goodwill globally.” Ahmed also criticized the newspaper for failing to “reach out to IAMC before echoing the allegations from unnamed sources.” The newspaper’s reporter “failed to contact” IAMC, a bona fide nonprofit organization registered in Washington, D.C., although its phone number and email ID were listed on its website, Ahmed wrote. As such, Ahmed urged the newspaper to “immediately withdraw the false and fabricated allegations… and issue a public apology to IAMC.” The letter has been sent to The Economic Times Executive Editor Bodhisatva Ganguli and Associate Executive Editor Javed Sayed. Since its founding in 2002 IAMC had been “widely recognized in the US Congress, such as from US Senator Ed Markey, Congressman Andy Levin and Congresswoman Marie Newman, the US Government and other stakeholders for its advocacy on human rights, civil and political liberties, and religious freedom in India and the U.S,” Ahmed wrote. Over two decades, no law enforcement agency either in the U.S. or in India had ever investigated or accused IAMC “of any wrongdoing or associating with any foreign government or its agencies or terror groups,” Ahmed wrote. IAMC had addressed the National Prayer Breakfast as part of a global panel of human rights defenders organized by the U.S. Department of State in February 2020. IAMC works with global organizations such as Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and The Advocates for Human Rights, among others. Ahmed cited IAMC’s long standing association with the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), whose Chair Nadine Maenza and Commissioner Anurima Bhargava have addressed several briefings organized by IAMC. The Economic Times’s baseless attacks against IAMC only serve to diminish the publication’s credibility and validate India’s 142nd ranking in the World Press Freedom Index.

Press Release

Open letter to Economic Times

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To Mr. Bodhisatva Ganguli Executive Editor The Economic Times Mr. Javed Sayed Associate Executive Editor The Economic Times Subject: Urging removal of baseless defamatory allegations against IAMC Dear Editor, I represent Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), a bona fide 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization registered in Washington, D.C. Since its founding in 2002, IAMC has been widely recognized in the US Congress, the US Government and other key stakeholders for its advocacy on human rights, civil and political liberties, and religious freedom in India and the U.S. I write to you in reference of a news item, “Tripura violence: Police identifies social media conspiracy posts originating outside India,” authored by Bikash Singh and published on The Economic Times website on November 15, 2021. Citing unnamed government sources, this article alleges that IAMC has “links with the Jel network of Pakistan and of supporting Taliban and lobbying with foreign organisations against India in connivance with the ISI.” This is a patently false statement with no basis in fact. We categorically state that IAMC is not linked with JEI (Jamaat-e-lslami) in Pakistan, it does not support the Taliban, and it has no connection with the ISI. The article falsely claims IAMC is part of an “anti-India” lobby. As a reputed publication, it was incumbent upon you to reach out to IAMC before echoing the allegations from unnamed sources. Yet, your reporter failed to contact us even though our phone number and email ID are listed on our website, www.iamc.com. Astoundingly, your article has offered no evidence in support of its defamatory claims. This mala fide conduct violates the essential principles of journalism: fairness, balance and truth. This defamatory article has damaged IAMC’s reputation and goodwill globally. In nearly 20 years, no U.S. law enforcement agency, or any department of the U.S. federal government or state governments or county governments, has ever investigated, leave alone accuse, IAMC of any wrongdoing or associating with any foreign government or its agencies or terror groups. No Indian law enforcement agency has ever accused IAMC or cited any evidence against it for alleged connections with any terrorist group. Had your reporter done even elementary research, they would have found that, for two decades, IAMC has steadfastly advocated to uphold India’s pluralist, secular Constitution inspired by the ideals preached and practiced by Mahatma Gandhi. Over decades, numerous U.S. Congress members have commended and supported IAMC’s advocacy and campaigns. In July, US Senator Ed Markey, Congressman Andy Levin and Congresswoman Marie Newman joined a Congressional Briefing organized by IAMC at the International Religious Freedom Summit held in Washington, D.C. The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) Chair Nadine Maenza and Commissioner Anurima Bhargava, too, have addressed such briefings. IAMC addressed the National Prayer Breakfast as part of a global panel of human rights defenders organized by the U.S. Department of State in February 2020. IAMC works with global organizations such as Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and The Advocates for Human Rights, among others. IAMC’s thousands of volunteers are proud of their Indian origin and have deep connections with India. It is preposterous to suggest that IAMC is anti-India. I urge you to immediately withdraw the false and fabricated allegations against IAMC from the above-mentioned news article and issue a public apology to IAMC.   Rasheed Ahmed Executive Director Indian American Muslim Council

Press Release

Muslim Prisoners of Conscience in India Are Persecuted For Their Faith, Families Tell U.S. Congressional Briefing

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Journalists also are targets of police for reporting the news FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE WASHINGTON, D.C., (November 17, 2021) – Muslim Prisoners of Conscience incarcerated in India on false criminal charges continue to face beatings, torture and other forms of violence for speaking out against the government’s persecution of religious minorities, their families said Wednesday at a U.S. Congressional Briefing titled “Prisoners of Conscience in India”. Attendees at the virtual Briefing learned firsthand from family members of such POCs how the Indian government has been jailing human rights defenders, religious minorities, journalists, students and activists in false criminal cases — often charging them with blasphemy, terrorism and sedition. “My brother was always a man who spoke against injustice. He went to visit the family of the young girl who was brutally raped and murdered. His only intention was to fight for justice, and they arrested him as if he was a terrorist,” said Monis Khan, the brother of Masud Ahmad. Ahmad, a student leader, was arrested by Uttar Pradesh in October last year while he was on his way to meet with the family of a Dalit woman who had been raped and brutally murdered by upper caste men in Hathras district. Ahmed has been charged under the draconian Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and has been denied bail. He was a student at New Delhi’s prestigious university, Jamia Millia Islamia. Khan rejected the police’s allegation that Ahmed had planned to incite violence at Hathras. “It has been one year, and they still have no evidence [against him] to produce in court. He is being treated like a terrorist for speaking up for the rape victim.” Nargis, the wife of Khalid Saifi, a human rights defender in prison since February 2020, said: “My husband is getting punished for raising his voice against the government. It breaks my heart narrating this incident, which made our lives miserable, and made us feel how helpless we are.” Saifi was arrested on false charges of planning sectarian violence. Ironically, that violence itself was directed against Muslims in India’s capital, New Delhi, and has been widely reported to have been carried out by Hindu extremists affiliated with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). A mobile phone video showed that Saifi had merely approached the police on a street to speak with them, which is when they literally kidnapped him and took him away. The next morning when the police brought him to a court he was in a wheelchair with broken legs. The police have charged him under UAPA. Saifi’s sister added: “He has three small kids. They all miss their father. He is a great man who does everything for his children and his wife. His children ask about him every single day — when will we be able to see our father? When will we eat food with him? When will we play with him? And we can’t even reply to this question.” Speaking at the Briefing, Syed Qasim Rasool Ilyas, a veteran Muslim leader, journalist and activist, said the international community should demand that India immediately free its political prisoners on bail. “The way the government is moving here in India, we fear that more hard times are going to come. This is a fascist government. This is an authoritarian government. Democracy is threatened, civil society is threatened,” Ilyas said. “India is turning into an autocracy. And that is a concern for all of us, because India was the second-largest democracy in the world. Now we are losing that status.” Ilyas’s son, Umar Khalid, too has been in prison since September 2020, also under UAPA for allegedly planning Delhi’s anti-Muslim violence. A speech that the police have cited as evidence actually shows Khalid exhorting the protesters against India’s anti-Muslim citizneship law to continue their demonstrations in a nonviolent manner. “The UAPA was used against a journalist without any evidence. In India, it is not possible for a journalist to work freely from the ground. He went through a lot of harsh human rights violations in jail,” said Raihanath Kappan, the wife of Siddique Kappan, a journalist from Kerala, who was arrested along with Masud Ahmed and has been in prison despite failing health and even the loss of his mother during incarceration. Raju Rajagopal, a cofounder of Hindus for Human Rights, cited reports to say that Indian police had charged over 10,000 people under the UAPA, a law that Prime Minister Modi’s government has modified to allow “anyone to be charged as a terrorist, even if they are merely protesting unjust laws or reporting on anti-minority violence.” Co-hosts of the congressional briefing include Amnesty International USA, 21Wilberforce, Hindus for Human Rights, Indian American Muslim Council, International Christian Concern, Jubilee Campaign, Dalit Solidarity Forum, New York State Council of Churches, Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations of North America, India Civil Watch International, Justice for All, Center for Pluralism, American Muslim Institution, International Society for Peace and Justice, Association of Indian Muslims of America, and The Humanism Project.

Press Release

Hundreds of demonstrators across U.S. protest Facebook’s role in Anti-Muslim Hate Speech, Violence by Hindu extremists in India

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE WASHINGTON, DC (Nov. 14, 2021) – Hundreds of people of different faiths, professions and backgrounds gathered in eight major U.S. cities Saturday and Sunday to protest Facebook allowing hate speech to be freely posted in India, resulting in persecution, physical attacks and killings of members of non-Hindu minority religions. The protests, organized by a coalition of Indian diaspora organizations, featured speakers demanding that Facebook’s founder-CEO Mark Zuckerberg end his company’s complicity in extreme Hindu rightwing incitement to violence, proliferating on Facebook and WhatsApp, as exposed by whistleblower Frances Haugen. Protest demonstrations, that also included women and children, were held in Atlanta, Chicago, Charlotte, Houston, Los Angeles, San Diego, Seattle and San Francisco’s Menlo Park, where Facebook is headquartered. Many of the protesters, who can never return to India, have family in India who are targets of state-sanctioned persecution, discrimination and physical violence. SPEAKERS CONDEMN FACEBOOK INACTION ON HATE SPEECH “We demand that Facebook designate as dangerous organizations Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party, its Nazi-inspired ideological parent Rashtriya Swayamasevak Sangh and their armed affiliates, Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal,” declared Rasheed Ahmed, Executive Director of the Indian American Muslim Council. At a protest at Menlo Park in California, outside the global headquarters of Meta, the new name for Facebook, Inc., Javid Ali of Bay Muslims for Human Rights, said, “Facebook deliberately and knowingly refused to block Islamophobic hate enabling fascist violence against India’s Muslims. Facebook has blood on its hands.” Added Karthic of Ambedkar King Study Circle, “The algorithms used in Facebook are biased against the religious minorities and the socially oppressed. We condemn Facebook for failing to fix these proven issues.” As protesters braved the rain to march to Facebook’s office in Seattle chanting “Facebook Hatebook,” Kshama Sawant, a member of the Seattle City Council, said, “Companies such as Facebook, Google, Microsoft and Amazon are participants… in the state forces of bigotry, hate, religions and caste oppressions.” Added Hira Singh Bhullar of Khalsa Gurmat Center, a Sikh NGO: “This hate is coming from politicians promoting hate. Shame on Facebook.” Said Javed Sikander, a Muslim activist: “The hatred is destroying the fabric of Indian society.” At Charlotte, North Carolina, protester Elyas Mohammed said, “Facebook provided a platform for the right-wing hate-mongering elements to flourish. Had it taken stringent action on fake accounts things could have been different.” Shakeib Mashhood, a protester at Houston, Texas, said: “Facebook is becoming a tool to spread hate In India, which is very outrageous. More concerning is that Facebook knew that this was happening but it did not take any action. They did not block it.” At Chicago, Syed Shoaib Qadri said, “We want accountability from Facebook for its criminal behavior.” Added Musaddique Thange, a protester at San Diego, California, “Facebook is enabling inflammatory and violent rhetoric against Muslims in India and around the world. Facebook should designate RSS, Bajrang Dal and all its affiliates as dangerous and terrorist organizations.” Zameer Khan, organizer of the Atlanta protest, declared: “Public protests and demonstrations are needed to begin to galvanize the American people and politicians especially into taking action against Facebook for poor management of its social media platform.” PROTESTERS’ SLOGANS SEND POWERFUL MESSAGES TO POWER Some of the posters and placards held up by marchers said: FACEBOOK ENABLES RACISM FACEBOOK ENABLES FASCISM FACEBOOK UNDERMINES DEMOCRACIES FACEBOOK PROMOTES ISLAMOPHOBIA FACEBOOK HATE SPEECH RULES HELP BJP IN INDIA FACEBOOK FAILED ITS USERS INDIAN POLITICAL PARTIES USING FACEBOOK TO SPREAD HATE SPEECH As Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen and Facebook’s own internal documents have revealed, the vast RSS-BJP network is running fake pages and deliberately spreading misinformation, hate speech and incitement to violence, abetted by Facebook’s algorithms. India is Facebook’s biggest market, with at least 340 million Facebook accounts and 400 million WhatsApp users. The social media giant has increasingly prioritized business interests in India, failing to act against the tsunami of hate and violence enabled by its platforms.   FACEBOOK ACCUSED OF STALLING INDIA REPORT An article in the weekend edition of the Wall Street Journal quoted human rights advocates as accusing Facebook of stalling its report on steps it is taking to identify and delete hate speech. Detailed coverage in Washington Post, New York Times, and Associated Press have quoted extensively from whistleblower Haugen’s submissions to the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission and other documents to reveal how Facebook knowingly allowed anti-Muslim hate speech and incitement to violence to proliferate in India.

Press Release

Statement on Tripura Police Slapping UAPA on IAMC for Speaking up Against Anti Muslim Violence

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The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) has been booked by the Indian Police under draconian provisions of anti-terror law UAPA for urging the US President Joe Biden and Secretary Antony Blinken to condemn the Hindu extremist violence against Muslims in the state of Tripura. Along with IAMC, more than 68 Twitter handles mostly belonging to the members of Muslim community have been booked under the draconian law with the sole intention of muzzling the voices that criticised the BJP led Tripura government’s response and complicity in the anti-Muslim violence. IAMC strongly condems these tactics and calls on Tripura Police to immediately withdraw these false charges against everyone and instead redirect these resources on investigating Hindu extremists who were involved in the targeted attacks against the members of Muslim community. IAMC also reiterates its earlier calls and urges US President Joe Biden and Secretary Antony Blinken to immediately condemn the violence in Tripura and convey to the Indian Government unequivocally that the US will not tolerate such violence against Muslims.

Press Release

Facebook must stop facilitating India’s genocidal rhetoric against minorities, say Indian Americans

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   WASHINGTON, D.C., (November 4, 2021) – Whistleblower Frances Haugen has thrust Facebook under international scrutiny with her testimony, revealing the media giant’s direct role in facilitating anti-minority violence worldwide. In a Congressional Briefing today, experts discussed the way Hindu supremacists in India have thrived off Facebook and its related platforms, using social media to make anti-minority hatred mainstream. “The Facebook paper confirms what we have been saying for a long time in terms of the harm the social media platform is doing to Muslims, Dalits, women and refugees,” said Meetali Jain, Deputy Director of Reset.Tech with two decades of experience as a lawyer, academic, and campaigner. “Politicians and celebrities can share hateful content with impunity. There is inadequate attention and lack of investment by Facebook in India to address these issues.” “Social media and online platforms share responsibility… for physical violence and even murder,” said Rohit Chopra, Associate Professor specializing in global and postcolonial media at Santa Clara University. “It is not hyperbole to say that in the Indian context, social media platforms already have blood on their hands.” “The use of Whatsapp is behind almost each and every hate crime that has happened in India over the last few years,” said Paranjoy Thakurta, veteran journalist and co-author of The Real Face of Facebook in India. “Whatsapp is being used for criminal offenses. Some of the top executive officials of Facebook’s India team are very close to the ruling BJP and top officials in the government.  [Young people in India] have been fed and indoctrinated on Facebook propaganda.” Dr. Ritumbra Manuvie, a Co-Founder and Executive Director of The Foundation London Story, who has conducted empirical investigations into the effect of misinformation and hate speech on societies worldwide, stated that Facebook’s India platforms are awash with content that is both hateful and widely shared. There are dozens of live posts, with over millions of views, which remain in circulation on the platform despite flagrantly violating community standards. One popular post she discovered read, “In the world, places where Quran or Hadith are being taught should be shut down,” while a widely posted video shows a Hindu supremacist leader announcing, “My only goal in life is to exterminate Islam and kill Muslims.” The reactions are filled with likes, hearts, and laughing emojis. Neither post has been taken down by Facebook. Samina Salim, Associate Professor at the University of Houston, stated that India has moved away from its pluralistic roots, normalizing open anti-Muslim and anti-minority hate speech. “India operates on hate,” she said. “This is not a problem that can be solved by ignoring it. We need policy interventions and international pressure. Lynching after lynching, pogrom after pogrom… this is no accident. This is deliberate.” The briefing was co-hosted by 16 organizations, including Amnesty International USA, 21Wilberforce, Hindus for Human Rights, Indian American Muslim Council, International Christian Concern, Jubilee Campaign, Dalit Solidarity Forum, New York State Council of Churches, Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations of North America, India Civil Watch International, Students Against Hindutva Ideology, Center for Pluralism, American Muslim Institution, International Society for Peace and Justice, Association of Indian Muslims of America, and the Humanism Project (Australia).

Reports

Riots Tripura (October 2021) Lawyers Fact Finding Report

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Lawyers for Democracy released their fact-finding report about the anti-Muslim violence in Tripura, during a press conference in Delhi yesterday. The report detailed mosques, shops and houses damaged by the rioters. The report demanded the govt to constitute an enquiry committee; police to file separate FIRs for each incident; compensation for all losses; govt to rebuild damaged religious places; removal of police officers who did not take action to stop the rioters; action against persons and organisations which raised slogans against the Prophet; legal action against people misusing social media to vitiate the communal situation in the state. Click here to read the report

Reports

Report: Extrajudicial Killings in BJP Ruled Uttar Pradesh

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Published by: Youth for Human Rights Documentation Extinguishing Law and Life is an important report published by Youth for Human Rights Documentation, Citizens Against Hate and Peoples Watch that explores the police killings and cover up in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. The state is ruled by a Hindu militant monk, Yogi Adityanath, a senior leader in Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP), the party of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This Report examines the death of 18 young men in 17 instances of alleged extrajudicial killings by UP police, which were investigated by the NHRC. Spread across six districts in western UP, these killings took place between March 2017 and March 2018. The report evaluates the investigations and inquiries conducted in these 17 cases and examines the role of the investigating agency, Executive Magistrates, Judicial Magistrates and the NHRC, to assess whether they complied with the existing legal framework. [pdf-embedder url="http://3.145.57.38/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Extinguishing-Law-and-Life-Police-Killings-and-Cover-up-in-the-State-of-Uttar-Pradesh.pdf" title=" Extinguishing Law and Life – Police Killings and Cover-up in the State of Uttar Pradesh"] Click Here to download the report

Press Release

Facebook must stop facilitating India’s genocidal rhetoric against minorities, say Indian Americans

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE WASHINGTON, D.C., (October 25, 2021) – The Indian American Muslim Council, an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, today called on Facebook to take immediate action against India’s hate speech epidemic, which has directly led to violence in the past and will continue to have deadly consequences if left unchecked. Whistleblower Frances Haugen, a former Facebook product manager, has exposed the company’s failure to curb hate speech, which has led to societal division and violence against vulnerable populations in multiple countries, including India. Within Facebook groups and WhatsApp chats, most instances of fake news, fear-mongering propaganda, lynching videos, gory images, and hateful content are freely circulated with no pushback. India is Facebook’s largest market, with 340 million active users, and yet the company allocates only scant time and resources towards monitoring India-specific hate speech and fake news. As a result, such content has resulted in real-life consequences for minorities in India, especially Muslims. The Wall Street Journal reports that “inflammatory content on Facebook spiked 300% above previous levels at times during the months following December 2019, a period in which religious protests swept India.” The sheer volume of anti-Muslim hate speech culminated in the 2020 Delhi pogroms, according to a report reviewed by the Wall Street Journal. “Rumors and calls to violence” were spread widely in the lead up to the clashes, which left 53 dead. The majority of the victims were Muslims, beaten and lynched at the hands of Hindu supremacist mobs. According to Haugen, Indian Facebook is awash with “dehumanizing posts comparing Muslims to ‘pigs’ and ‘dogs’ and misinformation claiming the Quran calls for men to rape their female family members.” Rumors that “Hindus are in danger” are common, padded by unfounded claims that Muslims were responsible for the spread of Covid-19, that Muslim men have an agenda to seduce and convert Hindu women to Islam, and that Muslims are generally anti-nationals who hate all Hindus. “Facebook’s continued dereliction of duty in the face of mounting evidence of how its platform is enabling violence and genocide, is an alarm bell for all who care about human rights and democracy,” said Mr. Rasheed Ahmed, Executive Editor of IAMC. “As Facebook has failed to clean house despite multiple exposes, it is time for regulators to step in.” This report is consistent with criticisms human rights organizations have made of India since the election of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014. John Sifton, Asia Advocacy Director for Human Rights Watch, writes: “This divisive political discourse has served to normalize violence against minorities, especially Muslims, in India. Prejudices embedded in the government have infiltrated independent institutions, such as the police, empowering nationalist groups to threaten, harass, and attack religious minorities with impunity.” This rhetoric trickles down from some of the most powerful figureheads of the Indian government, which in turn normalizes extremism among the general population. A leaked document shows that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the ideological offspring of the RSS and the party of Narendra Modi, encourages the use of multiple accounts under a single user, which aids in the spread of propaganda. The Bajrang Dal, a Hindu extremist group with links to the BJP, frequently posts anti-Muslim hate speech on the platform. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the umbrella organization of the Hindu supremacist movement, was specifically called out by Hagen for promoting “fear mongering” and “anti-Muslim narratives,” and targeting propaganda towards “pro-Hindu populations with V&I (violent and incendiary) intent.” Facebook’s failures in India mirror its deadly role in the ethnic cleansing of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar. If left unchecked, India’s hate speech problem could likely culminate in a similar genocide. The Indian American Muslim Council is committed to working with human rights advocates in the US and in India to safeguard India’s pluralism and religious freedom for people of all faiths.

Press Release

Christians under Attack in India: Joint fact-finding Report

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Against Hate Along with Association for Protection of Civil Rights and United Christian Forum organised a joint Press Conference addressing a series of attacks against Christians and Churches in UP and other parts of the country. Three Hundred and Five (305) incidents of violence 273 Days of 2021 were reported on UCF toll-free helpline number 1-800-208-4545 , a helpline number launched on 19th January 2015 with the aim of helping people in distress, especially those who are not aware of he law of the land and the system by providing them the way to legal remedies and reaching out to public authorities. September 2021 witnessed the highest number of incidents with 69 followed by 50 in August , 37 in January, 33 in July , 27 in March, April and June, 20 in February and 15 in Month of May. Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh recorded 169 incidents of Violence against Christians in total in the last nine months with Karnataka with 32 incidents of hate incidents against Christians. Over one thousand (1331) women were injured in these incidents and over four hundred Tribals (588) and Dalits (513). Nearly Three hundred incidents of mob attacks/violence were reported in these eight months. Twenty-Three(28) incidents of causing damage to the places of worship/Churches too were reported. Police or/other concerned authorities disallowed 85 times the assembly of people for religious activities under one pretext or the other. Ten Fresh cases were filed under the Freedom of Religion Act in this year. Recent one is the attack by over 200 Hindutva mobs in a Church in Roorkee, Uttarakhand on 3rd October, 2021. The Press Conference was moderated by Banojyotsna Lahiri, who addressed the increasing attacks on minorities in South Asia and the lack of action on the part of the government and its police. Mr. A.C. Michael, National Coordinator of United Christian Forum, defined the term “minority” and addressed how minorities under attack are not allowed to practice their faith. The religious gatherings are attacked and police pressure forces them into silence. Pearl, Sadhana and Eva, the victims of violence that took place in Roorkee on October 3, 2021 described the horrific incident. A mob of around 300 people, barged in the church and vandalised it. CCTV cameras were destroyed, Christian worshippers molested and beaten. They pointed out that the attackers were people from the neighbourhood and well educated. No arrests have been made and the harassment hasn’t stopped even after two weeks of the violence. Ms. Minakshi Singh, President of Unity in Compassion, pointed out that the Christian community is being accused of carrying out ‘conversions’ on a large scale but numbers state otherwise. Over the years, a reduction in the Christian population has been noted. She pointed out the police atrocities against minorities. Nadeem Khan, Founder of United Against Hate, compared the state’s attitude towards attacks on a minorities in India and Bangladesh. The Indian government is ‘protecting’ these groups as if they belong to a party. He pointed out that this non-responsive government must be questioned. Prashant Tandon (Senior Journalist), addressed the modus operandi of the attacks on minorities. He pointed that either RSS or any of its sub groups, puts allegations of conversion against minorities. Later, they are attacked and there is no action taken against these acts of violence. The Fact Finding Report by the team including members of United Against Hate, Association for Protection of Civil Rights and United Christian Forum recording testimonies of victims during vandalisation of Church in Roorkee noting that despite prior complaints by Lance family Roorkee Police did not provide security to the Church and family prior to attack, at the time of attack police were informed and calls were made to Civil Lines police station which is less than a kilometer away from the Church but the police team arrived when the violent mob dispersed on its own after the attack and prima facie attack looked meticulously planned to build a fake narrative of conversion. Breaking of CCTV cameras at the entrance of the prayer hall and taking away the DVR indicate the planning and motive of not leaving evidence behind. The Report records that the daughter of the pastor was molested by a man with the mob while some women slapped and abused her and also snatched her phone away . The Report also records the testimonies of victims of 89 other incidents of hate crime against Christians like the recent attack of Hindutva Mob on Christians at Mau, targeting of two nuns at Mau by extremist groups etc. in different parts of the country in recent past.   _______ Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR) +91 9911525155

Press Release

Panelists At Congressional Briefing Highlight the Ongoing Denial of Caste Discrimination in Modern India

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   WASHINGTON, D.C., (October 22, 2021) – Millions of Dalits in India are suffering widespread persecution with governments not only failing to protect them but actively collaborating in their persecution and exploitation, leading civil rights experts said at a Congressional Briefing here this week. The Dalits, who are socially condemned to the lowest rung of the rigidly hierarchical Hindu society, are increasingly facing hostility and rejection from the government and its agencies, including the criminal justice system, the district, state and federal administration, and even the lawmakers, panelists said at the Briefing. Calling the caste system the world’s “most irrational practice of social hierarchy,” Jebaroja Singh, President of Dalit Solidarity Forum said, “Dalits have always been marginalized, treated as the different ‘other,’ who deserve no opportunities, no privileges, no place in society, and [no] basic human rights. “That train of thought continues today…. The more Dalits are speaking up and fighting for their rights, the more the backlash [at them] today.” Joining the Briefing from New Delhi, India’s capital, Abirami Jotheeswaran, General Secretary of the All India Dalit Mahila Adhikar Manch, said the rate of violence against Dalit women remains alarmingly high. “When we speak about Dalit women, it is not just patriarchy [they face], it is Brahminical patriarchy,” Jotheeswaran said. “The manifestation of the patriarchy is based on caste. Every day, more than nine Dalit women are raped.” The average conviction rate for all offenses from 2014 to 2020 — including rape, kidnapping, assault, and attempt to rape — was less than 29 percent, she added. Bezwada Wilson, co-founder of the National Convenor of the Safai Karmachari Andolan (SKA), an Indian human rights organization that campaigns against manual scavenging, pointed out the reluctance of general Indian society to discuss or even accept the reality of ongoing casteism. “It is so sad to say that we live together, and we say that [India] is fraternity, liberty, freedom – such big words in our constitution,” he said. “But when it comes to our life… the treatment that we [Dalits] recieve is so cruel.” Despite the high rates of violence against Dalit communities, recieving justice remains difficult due to structural ineqaulities within the judicial system. “In the higher judiciary, the benches are mostly represented by upper-caste judges,” stated Neil Modi, Assistant Professor at the O.P. Jindal Global University and an affiliate faculty at the Harvard Law School Center on the Legal Profession. In the seven decades since India became a free country, “there continues to be no public data on judges from the Dalit community in different courts.” “The representation of Dalits in legal professions and higher judiciary is dismal,” said Anurag Bhashkar, a lawyer & SJD Candidate at Georgetown University Law Center, USA. “Unlike other public sectors, where we have affirmative action for Dalits, in higher judiciary we do not have that representation. Without [Dalits and minorities] expressing their belief or trust in these institutions, the institutions cannot be considered credible.” Sunita Viswanath, Executive Director of Hindus for Human Rights, pointed out that Dalit Muslims and Christians are “still barred from accessing affirmative action benefits” that are available to Dalit Hindus, Sikhs, and Buddhists. “This is a major religious freedom issue. Millions of people in India are unable to freely change their religious identity because they will lose access to crucial affirmative action policies,” she said. “We are talking about a sixth of India’s population. This is more than the population of most countries… The United States wants to see a thriving India. But India cannot thrive unless Dalits are thriving.” The briefing was co-hosted by 16 organizations, including Amnesty International USA, 21Wilberforce, Hindus for Human Rights, Indian American Muslim Council, International Christian Concern, Jubilee Campaign, Dalit Solidarity Forum, New York State Council of Churches, Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations of North America, India Civil Watch International, Students Against Hindutva Ideology, Center for Pluralism, American Muslim Institution, International Society for Peace and Justice, Association of Indian Muslims of America, and the Humanism Project (Australia).

Reports

Challenges for Dalit Justice Defenders in India

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The American Bar Association (ABA) released an important three-part report that examines the challenges and opportunities available for the Dalit justice defenders’ community across South Asia. This part of the report (Part III) specifically discusses the justice sector for Dalits in India. It concludes with regional lessons learned and recommendations for policymakers, judges, bar councils, and other governmental agencies. The report utilizes desk research and structured interviews with the Dalit justice defenders’ community. Further, the report’s authors are either members of the Dalit community or have worked directly with the community to assist in issues related to the justice sector. [pdf-embedder url="http://3.145.57.38/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/dalit-india-chapter-3.pdf%22] Click here to download the report

Reports

Eviction, State Violence and Hate: Fact Finding Report From Darrang, Assam

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Following reports about the brutal deaths of Moinul Haque and Shaikh Farid in the course of an 'eviction drive' in Assam's Darrang district on September 23, a team of six people from Delhi, Mumbai and Assam visited Dhalpur and met and interacted with a range of people from all communities. In an age of fake news, and many distorted versions of the context and these events, a rapid assessment of the ground situation was necessary so that the facts, as they are, can be placed before the people of India, as well as before the Government of India and State Government of Assam. [pdf-embedder url="http://3.145.57.38/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Assam-Report.pdf" title="Assam Report"] Click here to download the report

Press Release

IAMC condemns attack on Durga Puja in Bangladesh

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   WASHINGTON, D.C., (October 14, 2021) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), an advocacy organization dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, today unequivocally condemned the desecration of Durga Puja pandals in Bangladesh. The  attacks on the festivities, during which Hindu idols were vandalized, have reportedly led to the deaths of four people. IAMC has welcomed the arrest of 100 people for their role in the attacks and urged the Bangladesh Government to ensure that all the perpetrators of this cowardly attack are punished to the full extent of the law. “The wanton destruction of places of worship goes against the principles of Islam,” said IAMC Executive Director Rasheed Ahmed. “It is especially upsetting that these attacks were carried out during what should have been a happy and festive occasion for the Bengali Hindu community. No group should feel unsafe or ostracized in their home country.” As a minority community in Bangladesh, Hindus must not  be subjected to violence and discrimination, a concern that has been documented by prominent human rights organizations, as well as the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF).  

Reports

India: Government Raids Targeting Critics

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Stop Harassment of Activists, Journalists, Peaceful Protesters (New York) – Indian authorities are using politically motivated allegations of tax evasion and financial irregularities to silence human rights activists, journalists, and other critics of the government. In September 2021, government financial officials have carried out raids in Srinagar, Delhi, and Mumbai on journalists’ homes, news offices, an actor’s premises, and the home and office of a human rights activist. The raids are part of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led national government’s escalating crackdown on freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly since coming to power in 2014. The authorities have brought politically motivated criminal cases, including under broadly worded terrorism and sedition laws, against activists, journalists, academics, students, and others. They have also used foreign funding regulations and allegations of financial misconduct to target outspoken groups. “The Indian government’s raids appear intended to harass and intimidate critics, and reflect a broader pattern of trying to silence all criticism,” said Meenakshi Ganguly, South Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “These abuses weaken India’s core democratic institutions and break down fundamental freedoms.” Journalism organizations, such as the Editors Guild and Press Club of India, have repeatedly called for an end to harassment of independent media, saying that it is a blatant attack on press freedom. In the most recent incident, on September 16, officials from the Enforcement Directorate, which investigates financial crimes, raided the home and office of Harsh Mander, an activist, in Delhi, alleging financial and administrative irregularities. Mander was in Germany on a fellowship at the time of the raid. A joint statement by activists, academics, and former civil servants condemned the raid as part of “a continuing chain of abuse of state institutions” to curtail rights. The authorities have repeatedly targeted Mander, who has been a vocal critic of the BJP government’s discriminatory policies against religious minorities and works with victims of communal violence. Delhi police, instead of taking action against BJP leaders who incited communal violence in Delhi in February 2020, filed a fabricated case of hate speech and inciting communal violence against Mander. On September 8 the police in Jammu and Kashmir raided the homes of four Kashmiri journalists – Hilal Mir, Shah Abbas, Showkat Motta, and Azhar Qadri – and confiscated their phones and laptops. Mir reported that they also took his and his wife’s passports. The authorities summoned all four to a Srinagar police station for questioning and told them to return the next day. Journalists in Kashmir face increased harassment by the authorities, including arrest under terrorism charges, since the BJP government revoked the state’s autonomous constitutional status in August 2019. In June, the United Nations special rapporteur on freedom of expression and the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention wrote to the Indian government expressing concerns over “alleged arbitrary detention and intimidation of journalists covering the situation in Jammu and Kashmir.” The letter cited the cases of Fahad Shah, Auqib Javeed, Sajar Gul, and Qazi Shibli, and also raised concerns over the closure of the outspoken newspaper Kashmir Times in October 2020. It noted that these violations “may be part of a broader pattern of silencing of independent reporting in Jammu and Kashmir, which in turn may ultimately deter other journalists and civil society more broadly from reporting on issues of public interest and human rights in the region.” On September 10, authorities from the Income Tax Department raided the offices of the news websites Newslaundry and Newsclick, in Delhi, as part of an investigation into alleged tax evasion. Both are known for criticizing the government. During the raids, officials downloaded data from office computers and the personal cell phone and laptop of the Newslaundry editor-in-chief, Abhinandan Sekhri, and took various financial documents as well as email archives from the Newsclick editor-in-chief, Prabir Purkayastha, and another editor. Financial authorities had previously targeted both media outlets in June. In February, Enforcement Directorate officials raided Purkayastha’s office and home. In July tax authorities raided about 30 offices of one of India’s most widely read newspapers, Dainik Bhaskar, in Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Maharashtra states, after months of critical coverage of the government’s handling of the Covid-19 pandemic. In 2017, the authorities raided the television news channel NDTV, also critical of the government’s policies, over allegations of financial impropriety. On September 7, police in Uttar Pradesh state filed a criminal case against the journalist Rana Ayyub, an outspoken critic of the BJP government, for alleged money laundering, cheating, dishonest misappropriation of property, and criminal breach of trust. The complaint, brought by a group called the “Hindu IT cell,” accused her of committing these crimes during fundraising campaigns for flood victims and people affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. Uttar Pradesh police accused Ayyub of promoting enmity between religious groups and insulting religious beliefs in another criminal case in June, for sharing a video on social media. In the video, a Muslim man accuses Hindu men of beating him up and forcing him to chant Jai Shri Ram, a phrase used by Hindus to pray or as a greeting, but has also become a rallying cry used by Hindu nationalists. Government supporters and Hindu nationalist trolls on social media have repeatedly abused and threatened Ayyub. In 2018, after she received death threats, UN human rights experts called on the Indian authorities to protect her. On September 15, tax authorities searched the premises of Sonu Sood, an actor, in Mumbai, alleging tax evasion on a real estate deal. The raids appeared to be politically motivated because the actor had received widespread praise from the general public, media, and opposition politicians across the country for his philanthropic work during the pandemic, especially to address the gaps created due to government’s lockdown policies and healthcare shortages. The UN high commissioner for human rights and various UN human rights experts have repeatedly raised concerns in the last few years over shrinking space for civil society groups, and increased harassment and prosecution of human rights defenders and other critics. They have called on the government to ensure that no one is detained for exercising their basic human rights, and to protect the country’s civil society groups. “By stifling fundamental freedoms at home, India is undercutting its influence as a world leader promoting human rights,” Ganguly said. “The government needs to change course and uphold the basic rights of its people.” This Report originally

Press Release

Panelists at Congressional Briefing on Assam Urge US Government to Designate India as CPC

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE WASHINGTON, D.C., (October 6, 2021) – In a Congressional Briefing today, ​​leading Indian American human rights defenders have condemned an Indian government drive to forcibly remove hundreds of thousands of Muslims from their homes in the Indian state of Assam, calling the move a brazen attempt at turning millions of Indian Muslims into non-citizens. The briefing was cosponsored by a group of 17 human rights and interfaith organizations, including the Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), Amnesty International USA and Hindus for Human Rights.  In the wake of this targeted anti-Muslim discrimination, the speakers of the briefing demanded that the United States designate India a Country of Particular Concern, or CPC. According to the US Department of State’s Office of International Religious Freedom, a CPC is a nation that is “engaged in or [tolerates] particularly severe violations of religious freedom,” including “flagrant denial of the right to life, liberty, or the security of persons.” India has been recommended by the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) to be placed on the CPC list for two years in a row.  Aman Wadud, Fulbright Scholar at UT Law and defense lawyer for multiple NRC victims, spoke on the fear of mass statelessness that is growing among Muslims in the region.  “This reverification is not because of any demand for excluding illegal migrants that have crept in. It is a political demand,” said Wadud, who in 2020 testified before the USCIRF on India’s alarming rates of anti-Muslim discrimination. If this process of asking India’s own citizens to prove their citizenship [begins] again, [all] people will live in fear. [All] people’s dignity will be stripped.” Siddhartha Deb, journalist and author, pointed out the discriminatory nature of the eviction drives. “With or without the NRC, or with endless NRCs going on, Bengali Muslims in Assam are targets,” he said. “The US government needs to make it very clear to Modi that this kind of targeting of Muslims in Assam, around the country, is not acceptable. I think there is a very good reason to declare India a Country of Particular Concern.” “In recent years, the BJP’s aggressive CAA-NRC politics has exacerbated the divisions stemming out of the common belief that ‘indigenous’ Assamese are losing their land to ‘illegal Bangladeshi migrants’ and has overlaid a unique Hindutva agenda on top of them,” said Nadim Khan, cofounder of the United Against Hate campaign and secretary of the Association for Protection of Civil Rights in India. “The BJP has been exploiting the ethnic and religious fault lines in Assam for electoral gains, and running a hate campaign against Muslims, who account for one-third of the state’s population.” Even Hindus who find themselves left off the registry face difficulties. Under the anti-Muslim Citizenship Amendment Act, Bengali-speaking Hindus do have the option to reapply for citizenship. However, even if they have been living in Assam for generations, the rules of the CAA force them to claim that they are Bengali refugees and not Indians by birth.   Deb who has written on the Assam evictions for the New York Times, emphasized that the discrimination does not stem from a vacuum. “In India, when we say Muslims are under attack, we also need to be saying that democracy is under attack, freedom is under attack. It all goes together.”  The Indian American Muslim Council is committed to working with human rights advocates in the US and in India to safeguard India’s pluralism and religious freedom for people of all faiths.

Press Release

IAMC Celebrates Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary with events in multiple cities honoring his legacy

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Hundreds join in calling for greater striving towards peace, pluralism and justice FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE WASHINGTON, D.C., (October 3, 2021) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), an advocacy organization dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, participated yesterday in events across the nation marking the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, including celebrations in Dallas and Chicago. The birth anniversary, commonly referred to as Gandhi Jayanti, is a homage to the life and legacy of one of modern history’s most iconic human rights defenders.  The celebrations saw participation by hundreds of people, and included food and other festivities. In Dallas, around 200 attendees listened to speeches by IAMC National executives, chapter leaders, youth volunteers, as well as from the Mayor of the City of Kennedale, Brian Johnson. The Dallas event included performances of patriotic songs on India as well as poems honoring Mahatma Gandhi. IAMC chapter president Yusuf Dadani also introduced the IAMC Dallas team to the community. “[Today’s celebration] was an excellent outdoor event on a beautiful day that pulled the community together,” said Noor Baig, Vice President of IAMC Dallas. “We had a great turnout with a lot of energy and enthusiasm.”  “As we [gather] here today, we have to be vigilant,” said Mayor Johnson, referring to the rise of nationalistic movements in Europe, the United States, and India. “What authoritarian governments tend to do is take people that are different and make them the enemy. They make them the outsiders. And we have to unite – if we stay silent, then this is going to continue to grow.” Syed Ali, President of IAMC stated in his remarks, “Mahatma Gandhi and non-violence are synonymous. During India’s struggle for independence from British rule, Gandhi taught the world how to stand up for one’s rights and achieve victory over a formidable enemy without resorting to violence.” He also reiterated that in India today, “the values that Gandhi stood for – namely, peace, pluralism, social justice, and equality for all citizens – are being undermined and threatened by an ideology that was responsible for his assassination and one that is aiming to subvert India’s constitution.”  Less than six months after India’s  Independence, Gandhi was assassinated by Nathuram Godse, a fanatic Hindu nationalist and a staunch supporter of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), who believed that Gandhi’s efforts to bring peace between Hindus and Muslims were detrimental to the goals of Hindutva, the supremacist ideology that is driving much of the religious persecution and mass violence against minorities in India. Throughout his life, Gandhi consistently advocated for Hindu-Muslim unity and the preservation of a pluralistic and secular India. By contrast, the Hindutva movement seeks to transform India, a constitutionally secular state, into an ethno-religious “Hindu Rashtra (Hindu nation).” India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi has himself been a member of the RSS since the age of eight, and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is an affiliate subsidiary of the RSS. Mr. Modi has paid the usual perfunctory tribute to Gandhi. In a telling sign of how far India has gone down the path of fascism, it was Gandhi’s assassin Nathuram Godse who was trending on Twitter.  IAMC has reaffirmed its commitment to the values Gandhi upheld and laid down his life for: the values of peace, pluralism, justice, equality, and unity among all Indians.

Reports

USCIRF Annual Report (India)

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[pdf-embedder url="http://3.145.57.38/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/India-Chapter-AR2021.pdf" title="India Chapter AR2021"] Click Here To Download The Report

Press Release

As Modi addresses UN, human rights groups decry “monstrosity” of persecution of Muslims, Christians, Dalits, and other minorities in India

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Demonstrators gathered outside UN to protest fascism, hate campaigns, weaponized rape, apartheid, lynchings, unlawful arrests, attacks on the media, and other abuses in India as Indian PM Modi addressed UN General Assembly FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE NEW YORK CITY (Sept. 26, 2021) – While observers said it was “shameful” that President Biden failed to publicly address widespread persecution of religious minorities in India when he met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday, more than 100 members of interfaith and human rights groups spoke out as Modi addressed the United Nations General Assembly. Speakers condemned the egregious human rights violations and murders of religious minorities in India under a government that openly supports Hindu supremacy. The rally was sponsored by 21 organizations under the banner of Coalition to Stop Genocide in India, including Ambedkar International Center, Ambedkar King Study Circle, Black Lives Matter, Coalition Against Fascism in India, Dalit Solidarity Forum, New York City Democratic Socialists’ Racial Justice Working Group, Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations of North America, Hindus for Human Rights, Indian American Muslim Council, India Civil Watch International, International Commission for Dalit Rights, Jewish Voice for Peace, MICAH Faith Institute, Muslim Community Network, National Coalition against Caste Discrimination in the USA, NY Sikh Council, New York State Council of Churches, SALAM, Students Against Hindutva Ideology, and Voices Against Fascism in India. BRAD LANDER, NYC COUNCILMAN AND COMPTROLLER ELECT “As religious people, we have a responsibility to build an inclusive multi racial democracy. So when Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu comes to New York in the name of perverting my religious tradition, Judaism, it is a way of creating religious oppression, and it is important for me to stand here. And when Indian Prime Minister Modi comes here, we organize in solidarity to demand that we build a world not on theocratic or fascist principles,” said Brad Lander, New York City Councilmember and comptroller elect. IMAM SALMAN SHEIKH “The Prophet Muhammad – peace be on him – is perhaps the earliest known person in history to have recorded a clear statement against racism when he is reported to have said in his famous sermon: ‘All mankind is from Adam and Eve, an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab, nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over black, nor a black has any superiority over white except by righteousness and good action,’” declared Imam Salman Sheikh of ICOB (Islamic Center of Old Bridge-New Jersey). “But now it is up to us to continue the march for equality, justice and peace. I don’t see this as a fight against any people. Rather I see this a battle which all humanity has to fight together against the racism, which is the handiwork of Satan the accursed.” PANDIT SANJAI DOOBAY Hindu Pandit Sanjai Doobay: “As Hindus, we salute the light, ‘Shubham Karoti Kalyanam.’ As Muslims, ‘Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth.’ And the Christian Bible says God said, ‘Let there be light, and there was light.’ If we are together, our light will always be brighter. We will pray for that light, for that peace. Mr. Modi, your Hindutva is not my Hinduism. You are not Hindu. A Hindu is a brother or sister of Humanity.” NEW YORK STATE COUNCIL OF CHURCHES “As Christians, we grieve for many Hindus who watch their faith being co-opted and distorted by nationalist government using Hinduism to oppress people of other faiths,” declared Rev. Peter Cook, New York State Council of Churches. “In Jesus’ name, I condemn the government of any country which uses the dominant faith of its people to destroy democracy and deny the freedom and human rights of religious minorities. In this spirit, we call on the Modi government to stop distorting Hinduism to give tacit approval to the burning and desecration of churches, mosques and temples.” INDIAN AMERICAN MUSLIM COUNCIL “Today, India is a far cry from what was envisioned by its founding fathers. Attacks on and killings of Muslims has become the norm. Mosques and churches are routinely vandalized and often demolished even as the police stand by. Tens of thousands of Muslims have been incarcerated across India under the worst of charges such as sedition and terrorism without any evidence. India must stop discriminating against its minorities, give equal rights to all its Citizens, and uphold the Indian Constitution.” exclaimed Syed Ali, president of the Indian American Muslim Council. ASSAULT ON PRESS FREEDOM: AATISH TASEER “We came for myriad reasons to protest Modi today, said author/writer Aatish Taseer. ”I came because of the unprecedented assault on press freedom. I have been the target of this regime. I can no longer go back to the country I grew up in—can no longer see my 91-year-old grandmother. But what Modi has done to me he has done to millions of my countrymen and that is why there is now so broad a coalition of people who want to see him go.” U.S. HOSTED A FASCIST: JAPNEET SINGH “The United States of America and the Joe Biden administration shamelessly hosted a fascist and murderer who was responsible for killing thousands of Muslims as the CM of Gujarat, and now as the PM of India has violated numerous human rights of protesting farmers!” declared Japneet Singh of the New York City Sikh Council. DALIT SOLIDARITY FORUM “Lynching of specific groups of people considered physically and morally dirty and ideologically dunce and are therefore dispensable as accidental beings,” exclaimed Roja Singh of the Dalit Solidarity Forum. “Such monstrosity has heightened since Modi came to power.” JEWISH VOICE FOR PEACE Stephan Shaw of Jewish Voice of Peace compared Indian apartheid to Israeli apartheid. “I’m here today because the opposition to Jewish supremacy is the same as the opposition to Hindu supremacy,” he told the group. “I’m here because a bond of solidarity has formed between those who fight for equality in Israel/Palestine and those who fight for equality in India. I am a Jew, and

Press Release

Biden Must Raise India’s Human Rights Abuse, Persecution of Muslims in Dialogue With Indian PM Modi: USCIRF

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE WASHINGTON, D.C (Sept. 23, 2021) – US President Joe Biden must confront Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the escalated violations of human rights and persecution of religious minorities in India, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has said. Mr. Biden must raise  the issue of India’s discriminatory citizenship law, the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam, the “restrictions on religious freedom” in Kashmir, the “deadly crackdowns” on protesters, the attacks on press freedom when he meets Mr. Modi on Friday, USCIRF Chair Nadine Maenza said here at a Congressional Briefing. “An essential issue to be raised in the [Biden-Meeting] meeting is the discriminatory Citizenship Amendment Act or CAA,” Ms. Maenza said at the Congressional Briefing titled Biden-Modi Meeting Must Focus on Human Rights Violations in India. “The reality is that the CAA, in conjunction with the NRC may subject Muslims to statelessness, deportation or prolonged detention.” Ms. Maenza said President Biden must discuss with Mr. Modi the “spread of hate speech and false information against religious minorities [as] government officials and societal actors continue to spread fear amidst and disinformation against religious minorities, including Dalits, Adivasis, Christians, Sikhs, and Muslims.” In his meeting with Mr. Modi, President Biden should also raise concerns regarding the continued enforcement of anti-cow slaughter and anti-conversion laws, she said. “Twenty-one of 28 Indian states criminalize cow slaughter in various forms. These laws are often enforced against religious minorities, including Christian, Muslim, Dalit, or Adivasi (indigenous) communities, under the guise of protecting cattle. Ten Indian states possess anti-conversion laws prohibiting religious conversion based on force, allurement, inducement, or fraud; however, some contain such broad definitions that they can be interpreted as prohibiting any kind of conversion, whether consensual or not. These laws are predominately used to arrest Christians and Muslims.” Ms. Maenza said Facebook and its messenger service WhatsApp continued to be used to “target and facilitate violence” against India’s religious minorities, especially during COVID. Civil society-journalists and advocates documenting religious violence, too, were being targeted, she added. Representatives of two of the world’s most prominent rights watchdogs, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International USA, also spoke at the briefing, which was organized by 16 civil rights organizations and was attended by, among others, Congressional staffs and officials from the US Department of State. Amnesty International India was targeted in a series of raids over a course of several years culminating in our closure in September 2020. “The prime minister should hear from President Biden about the grave concerns we have raised about the Indian government’s misuse of the police and judiciary to punish dissent and facilitate violations of human rights, “declared Govind Acharya of Amnesty International. “The Biden administration has the perfect opportunity this week to convey its displeasure over these human rights violations and to ask PM MODI to end these violations immediately.” “The facts are clear: attacks against religious minorities in India, especially Muslims, have increased especially since the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power in 2014,” commented John Sifton, Asia advocacy director, Human Rights Watch. “Prejudices embedded in the government have infiltrated independent institutions, such as the police, empowering nationalist groups to threaten, harass, and attack religious minorities with impunity.” “The Indian Republic is passing through a moment of immense crisis of democracy of a depth of ferocity and a reign unmatched in the 75 years of the existence of India as an independent modern nation,” declared Harsh Mander of the Robert Bosch Academy. “Large scale jailing of the political opposition, and suspension of media, and judicial Independence. We do see in India today what is described by many as an undeclared emergency, but because it is undeclared, it is so much more sinister. Unlike the earlier emergency. It has no end. It has a much wider, deeper social base.” “When President Biden meets Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi this week, we hope he understands that he is also hosting, shaking hands and breaking bread with someone who has earned titles like butcher of Gujarat, modern day Nero, whom Time Magazine called Divider in Chief, under whose watch India is downgraded as Partly Free and turned India into an autocratic democracy,” said Rasheed Ahmed, Executive Director of the Indian American Muslim Council.

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IAMC condemns forced evictions and police brutality in Assam

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE WASHINGTON, D.C., (September 24, 2021) – The Indian American Muslim Council unequivocally condemns the violent eviction drive that began on September 20 in Assam, which was aimed at driving mainly Bengali-speaking Muslims out of their homes. Nearly 800 families were evicted in the drive, and four “illegally constructed” religious structures were demolished. The raid occurred despite the fact that 246 people had filed a petition for a stay, and a hearing scheduled for today had been deferred. Videos of the incident show police firing at civilians as they hid behind trees and huts, with two people confirmed dead from the gunfire. One of the victims was Sheikh Farid, a 12-year-old boy. The other victim, Moinul Haque, was shot in the chest and beaten to death with sticks. Even after Haque’s death, a photographer on the scene was filmed repeatedly kicking and jumping on his body. His wife, children, and parents have lost both their home and the only breadwinner of their family. “The violent eviction drive in Assam’s Darrang district follows a pattern of state action against minority communities by treating them as ‘illegal encroachers,’” tweeted Indian journalist Mahmodal Hassan in a condemnation of the evictions. Both Farid and Haque were carriers of Aadhaar cards, proof of both their identification and their right to live in their homes. The fact that they were targeted as “illegal immigrants” shows that BJP leadership in Assam uses the term as a smoke screen for inflicting violence on Muslims. The use of such terms adds fuel to the Hindutva rhetoric that Muslims are foreigners in India. Under the Citizenship Amendment Act, Muslims are already under additional pressure to prove their citizenship through legal documentation, despite the fact that families like those in Assam have been living in India for decades, and such documentation is difficult to obtain. Even for those with documentation, such as Haque and Farid, identity cards do not guarantee protection against a discriminatory state. “Today’s eviction drive is a symptom of Narendra Modi and the BJP’s fixation on rendering Indian Muslims stateless in their own homeland,” said Rasheed Ahmed, Executive Director of IAMC. “If India wants to remain a secular democracy, then it must shift its focus away from unilaterally declaring Indian citizens as ‘illegal’ and repeal the discriminatory laws that lead to this scale of brutality.”

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As Dismantling Global Hindutva conference opens today, participants tell of threats, intimidation, lies and smears from Hindu nationalist right-wing supporters of Hindutva

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE WASHINGTON, D.C (Sept. 10, 2021) – As the Dismantling Global Hindutva online global conference begins today, participants are coming forward to share with the world the threats of physical harm, state-sponsored disinformation campaigns, Indian right-wing media bias and cyber attacks from Hindu nationalist groups hoping to scuttle the conference.   Meanwhile, the National Confederation of Human Rights Organizations has condemned the attacks on the conference by the Hindu right wing, Hindutva. Despite the massive campaign of disinformation and intimidation, support for the conference has only grown. When the attacks began, the conference was backed by more than 45 departments and centers from 41 universities. Now, the conference has the support of 70 cosponsoring units and centers from 53 universities. More than 10,000 have registered to attend the three-day online conference. ROHIT CHOPRA ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF COMMUNICATION, SANTA CLARA UNIVERSITY “The level of hate has been staggering. Organizers and speakers have received death threats, threats of sexual violence, and threats of violence against their families. Women participants have been subjected to the vilest kind of misogynistic threats and abuse, and members of caste and religious minority groups associated with the conference have been targeted with casteist and sectarian slurs in the ugliest sorts of language.” “Each such instance of violent and forced censorship is meant to create a chilling effect. The hope of the Hindu Right is to intimidate and bully scholars so that no one dares analyze Hindutva in any manner other than the unequivocally laudatory or hagiographic.” PROFESSOR GYAN PRAKASH DAYTON-STOCKTON PROFESSOR OF HISTORY AT PRINCETON UNIVERSITY “This conference takes place at an urgent moment in my country’s history at a time when farmers, workers, women, Dalits, Adivasis, Bahujans, Muslims, religious and sexual minorities, are opposing the project of Hindu majoritarian nationalism being put into practice by the Sangh Parivar,” wrote Professor Gyan Prakash, Dayton-Stockton Professor of History at Princeton University. “As education is an arena where Hindutva seeks to establish its dominance and control, such a conference is a collective intellectual exercise to plot and imagine our way out of this caste-fanatic, misogynist nightmare.”   MEENA KANDASAMY, POET AND AUTHOR “The conference is an opportunity to understand how Hindutva poses itself as Hinduism and identifies India with its undemocratic ideology and politics. This is important because Hindutva has become the ideology of the Indian state with all its undemocratic implications for women, Dalits, Muslims, and the right to dissent.” DEEPA KUMAR, PROFESSOR OF MEDIA STUDIES AT RUTGERS UNIVERSITY Congressional testimony: “This conference has been subjected to overwhelming attack both in India and in the United States. Fringe groups have placed immense pressure upon universities to back out of the conference. Their line of attack has been to falsely characterize the conference as anti-Hindu, even though conference organizers have made clear on the website for the conference from the start that they are critiquing the 100-year-old, fascist-inspired Hindutva ideology.” Cyberattacks “I was informed that Hindu supremacists have bombarded university servers with this disinformation, sending close to one million emails to the Presidents, Provosts, and other officials at cosponsoring universities.” “At Drew University for example, the servers registered over 30,000 emails within a few minutes. University servers were overwhelmed and had to block all emails containing the conference title in them, including legitimate emails.” “Electronic attacks on the conference have included attempts to shut down the Eventbrite registration page; the Facebook page was shut down, but conference organizers are working to reinstate it; the conference website was taken down for a period of two days, and there was a successful attack on the conference email address, shutting it down for a day.” Indian Right-Wing Media Lies “In India, the conference was attacked on prime-time television shows run by known far-right and Hindutva-affiliated news anchors. The have claimed that the conference is funded by everyone from George Soros to the CIA to other foreign governments.” THOMAS BLOM HANSEN CHAIR AND PROFESSOR, DEPARTMENT OF ANTHROPOLOGY, STANFORD UNIVERSITY Congressional testimony: “It is clear that the campaign to suppress critical scholarship and discussion of Hindutva has escalated over the past decades, in particular since Prime Minister Narenda Modi’s victory in 2014, which has given many Hindutva activists a sense of impunity. However, such abuse are illegal acts that need to be reported to the police and to campus security immediately.” “Hindutva activists do not represent Hindus as such. They actually represent the interests of a foreign government. The true face of the Hindutva project in India and the rest of world needs to be understood and documented, relentlessly. U.S. based academics are well positioned to be part of this work and uphold the value of fact-based scholarship against partisan forces that are trying to manipulate how Indian society and Indian history are understood in the wider public, in India, and in the U.S.” AUDREY TRUSCHKE ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF SOUTH ASIAN HISTORY AT RUTGERS UNIVERSITY Congressional testimony: “I am the target of repeated smears and misinformation campaigns. Hindu nationalist groups have tried, unsuccessfully so far, to prompt my employer, Rutgers University, to take punitive action against me. Many Hindu supremacists openly discuss trying to influence the New Jersey state government, elected officials, and Rutgers administrators in order to silence me, a scholar.” “While I am a favorite target of US-based Hindu supremacists, I am not exceptional. Many other scholars of South Asia have been targeted as well – not only by nationalists overseas but also by U.S. citizens who are part of this homegrown form of Hindu supremacist hate. In fact, Hindu supremacists based in the United States have led the campaign of fear and intimidation against the academic conference, Dismantling Global Hindutva.” APOORVANAND PROFESSOR AT THE HINDI DEPARTMENT, FACULTY OF ARTS UNIVERSITY OF DELHI Congressional testimony: “The idea of academic freedom has now become redundant in India barring one or two states. The primary reason is the complete takeover of all institutions by the ruling Bhartiya Janata Party, which is the political wing of the Rashtriya Swaymsevak Sangh, a fascist organization which works in the

Press Release

California Democratic Party’s designation of caste as a protected category hailed by Indian Americans

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE WASHINGTON, D.C., (August 31, 2021) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), an advocacy organization dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos today hailed the California Democratic Party’s decision to designate caste as a protected category. The California Democratic Party is the largest state party in the nation to take a stance on caste discrimination, marking an important step forward in the fight against caste-based oppression in the United States. By adding caste as a protected category to the Party Code of Conduct, the Democratic Party has made history, especially in light of opposition from Hindutva front organizations based in the US against such a designation. Equality Labs and other prominent Dalit activists led the push for this change. As Thenmozhi Soundararajan, Equality Labs’ Executive Director, stated: “This is a powerful validation of the caste equity civil rights movement. Caste is so deeply alive in the diaspora and it impacts so many parts of the South Asian American experience. Our report showed the prevalence of caste discrimination with 1 out of 4 Dalits experiencing physical assault, 2 out of 3 experiencing workplace discrimination, and 1 out of 3 experiencing discrimination in education. The Democratic party is leading the conversation by recognizing that caste oppressed Americans deserve protection and that the time for its addition in all American institutions is long overdue. We look forward to continuing to work with even more elected officials around the state and the country.” “We would like to extend our heartfelt congratulations to our Dalit allies for this victory in the state of California,” said Mr. Rasheed Ahmed, Executive Director of IAMC. Amar Singh Shergill, California Democratic Party Executive Board Member and Progressive Caucus Chair, stated, “With the addition of caste protections to our Party Code of Conduct, the Democratic party recognizes that California must lead in the historical battle for caste equity and ensure we acknowledge the need for explicit legal protections for caste-oppressed Americans. We understand that protection from caste discrimination may be accessed under preexisting categories of ancestry, religion, and race, yet many caste-oppressed people do not report discrimination because this explicit legal protection is not yet widely recognized.” “The addition of caste based protections is crucial as the United States ratified international human rights treaties that require us to be committed to protections of all marginalized people,” said Govind Acharya of Amnesty International USA. “Protections for caste oppressed communities are a vital global human rights issue and it is time that California once again leads the nation in making human rights history.” While the caste system originated in India, diaspora communities in the West have imported discriminatory practices and implemented them in their adopted homelands. Most notably, Cisco was sued by the state of California for reports of discrimination against a Dalit engineer, who “received less pay, fewer opportunities, and other inferior terms and conditions of employment” due to his caste. Caste discrimination has been reported within the giants of Silicon Valley, including Facebook, Google, Microsoft, IBM, Apple, and Amazon. IAMC has reaffirmed its solidarity with the global Dalit community  and pledged its continued commitment to justice for all marginalized communities, whether they are oppressed on the basis of caste, religion, or other minority status.

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Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) commemorates 75th Independence Day with online celebration

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE WASHINGTON, D.C., (August 19, 2021) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, marked India’s 75th Independence Day on Sunday, August 15, 2021, with an online celebration, featuring prominent historians and human rights activists from India and the US. The online event was marked with high energy and rousing speeches, punctuated with resolutions and pledges to uphold India’s pluralistic democracy. The 90-year liberation struggle that started in 1857 under the leadership of Bahadur Shah Zafar, the last Moghul Emperor, eventually culminated in India’s independence under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi in 1947. In those many decades, Muslims have contributed to the freedom struggle with their words, their actions, and their lives. IAMC’s event sought to highlight these contributions, while also spotlighting modern-day Muslim activists who are following in the footsteps of yesteryear’s freedom fighters. The  program featured presentations on the extensive role of Muslims in India’s freedom struggle, delivered by two esteemed authors, Dr. Shamsul Islam and Syed Ubaid-Ur Rahman.   In his presentation, Dr. Islam described the fierce opposition led by Muslims against the British, the coining of the phrase “Inqilab Zindabad” by Maulana Hasrat Mohani, the Muslim artillery chief (Ghulam Ghaus Khan) and chief of cavalry (Khuda Bakhsh) of Rani of Jhansi, and other endeavors that showed the strength of the historical unity between Muslims, Hindus, and Sikhs. “What was the level of unity between Hindus and Muslims could be gauged by the fact that when a new artillery gun was introduced in the presence of Bahadur Shah Zafar, Quran was recited by the maulvis and aarti was performed by Brahmin priests, [who] also garlanded it,” he stated. Mr. Ubaid-Ur Rahman also shared several historic incidents of Muslims who had fought, struggled and died during the anti-colonial movement: “Without [these Muslim leaders] and their sacrifices, it is completely unthinkable that the nation would have won freedom.” The program also featured speeches from several prominent Indian Muslim activists. These included remarks from Dr. Zafarul-Islam Khan, ex- Delhi Minority Commission Chairman, activist Safoora Zargar, student leader Fayiza CA, poet Hussain Haidry and Nabiya Khan. Their remarks covered the way India is failing its Muslim population, and how their struggle for religious freedom and democratic rights plays a role in helping preserve India’s constitutional values, its democracy, and its pluralistic ethos. To close off, poet and Bollywood lyricist Mr. Haidry recited his viral poem, “Hindustani Musalman,” driving home the fact that the two identities have never been mutually exclusive. Syed Ali, President of IAMC, congratulated all Indians as well as their friends and well-wishers on reaching the anniversary of 75 years of freedom from British colonial rule. In his remarks, he invoked the words of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, freedom fighter who determinedly opposed Partition and exhorted his fellow Muslims to choose to stay in India: “Rest assured, if you do not wish to flee from this scene, nobody can make you flee. Come, today let us pledge that this country is ours, we belong to it and any fundamental decisions about its destiny will remain incomplete without our consent.” The event ended with a virtual flag hoisting ceremony and singing of the Indian national anthem.

Press Release

Congressional Briefing highlights issue of prisoners of conscience and the intimidation of human rights defenders in India

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Eminent activists and lawyers raise awareness about the draconian laws India uses to imprison and intimidate civilians FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE WASHINGTON, D.C., (August 11, 2021) – In a Congressional Briefing today, the Indian American Muslim Council and several other human rights organizations hosted a panel of several esteemed activists and lawyers, who raised awareness on the growing number of prisoners of conscience in India under Modi’s regime. Included on this panel were Vrinda Grover, a Senior Advocate in the Supreme Court of India, researcher, and human rights activist; Dr. Waris Husain, a human rights attorney and adjunct professor at the Howard University School of Law; Suchitra Vijayan, Executive Director of the Polis Project; and Rashmi Singh, an advocate and lawyer practicing primarily in the Supreme Court of India. Amnesty International defines a prisoner of conscience as “someone who has not used or advocated violence or hatred, but is imprisoned because of who they are, or what they believe (religious, political or other conscientiously held beliefs).” In India today, a growing number of human rights defenders are being arrested for alarmingly frivolous charges, including for giving speeches encouraging peaceful dissent and putting up posters critical of the government. Even more alarmingly, several activists in India have been detained under false or planted evidence. Dr. Husain touched upon this issue: “In some instances, the unauthorized and illegal monitoring of phones is used to collect sensitive private information that could be used to blackmail or publicly malign the character of human rights defenders.” Once an individual is charged with a crime, often under India’s sweeping anti-terrorism laws, it is of little consequence whether or not the person is innocent. As Ms. Grover stated: “Very often now in India, we hear the phrase ‘the process is the punishment.’ This is a sentence that [people] have suffered without due process or trial. In a country where the Modi regime enjoys a brute majority in parliament, the opposition today is provided by civil society. So targeting them should be understood in that context.” Dr. Husain added, “Whenever someone speaks against this current ruling administration, they are likely to face social pressure to quiet them and attack their dignity. When it comes to human rights defenders working for the Muslim community, they will be called terrorists; when it comes to defenders working to assist workers or students, they will be called drug addicts…. And the prisoner is not the only target: the government is creating a chilling factor for any young person or student to refrain from human rights advocacy lest they be subject to the same Orwellian justice – or rather, injustice – system.” Ms. Singh remarked, “Draconian laws such as the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Amendment Act, 2019 and the NSA are used rampantly by authorities to lock up people who express their dissent and question the policy or laws framed by the government.” Ms. Vijayan summarized the state of affairs in India: “A state that sees its citizens as an existential threat is not a democracy. We must name the beast in order to fight the beast.” The Indian American Muslim Council has reiterated its call for the US State Department to declare India as a country of particular concern where religious freedom is severely at risk, and has called on people of conscience around the world to speak out against the rapidly escalating situation with respect to human rights abuses in India.

Press Release

Indian Americans welcome the nomination of Rashad Hussain as Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 30, 2021) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), a Washington, D.C. based advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos today commended President Biden’s administration for nominating Mr. Rashad Hussain to serve in key religious freedom role at the U.S. Department of State. On Friday, the White House nominated Mr. Hussain, who has served in various roles including Senior Counsel at the Department of Justice’s National Security Division, for the position of Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom. He is the first American Muslim to be nominated for such role. IAMC also welcomes the appointment of Mr. Khizr Khan and Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum to the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF). Mr. Khan, who is one of the prominent advocates for religious freedom in the country and Sharon Kleinbaum, a spiritual leader of Congregation Beit Simchat Torah (CBST) in New York City were appointed as the Commissioners of the USCIRF. Welcoming the nomination and new appointments, Syed Afzal Ali, President of IAMC said: “The deep experience of Mr. Rashad Hussain and Mr. Khizr Khan in advocating for rights of minorities will further bolster religious freedom for all people, especially in India, where Muslims and Christians are facing continuous persecution due to their faith.” “While IAMC welcomes the latest nominations and appointments,  more needs to be done by President Biden’s administration to ensure that  human rights and religious freedom is part of its broader diplomacy. It is in the US interest to have geopolitical stability around the world, and especially in South Asia. IAMC is eager to help the incoming Ambassador and the two USCIRF appointees in addressing the issues of minorities in India.”

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Persecution of Christians in India highlighted at Congressional Briefing

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Prominent Interfaith organizations call on US State Department to take definitive action to safeguard India’s minorities FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 28, 2021) – In a Congressional Briefing today cosponsored by a group of 17 human rights and interfaith organizations, including the Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), Amnesty International and Hindus for Human Rights, a panel of eminent speakers raised awareness on the escalating persecution of Christians in India, and urged the US government to take definitive action in this regard. The briefing was held as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken wraps up his visit to India. Advocacy organizations across the United States including IAMC, have called on Mr. Blinken to raise the issue of religious persecution; they have also urged the US State Department to formally designate India as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC). India is home to 30 million Christians, who have peacefully coexisted alongside other faith groups for centuries. With the rise of Hindu nationalism, however, attacks against Christians have increased at an alarming rate, taking the form of physical violence, disruptions of church services, restrictions on access to food and water, and false accusations of forced conversions. According to the Evangelical Fellowship of India (EFI), the first half of 2021 saw 145 cases of violence against Christians nationwide. As EFI General Secretary Reverend Vijayesh Lal stated, “These incidents are all verified… this is only the tip of the iceberg.” Rev. Lal also highlighted the hypocritical nature of India’s religious freedom laws, which in practice are anti-conversion laws that are weaponized against minority groups. “Anti-conversion laws are being used against Christians in a major way in the eight states where they are enforced. All you need to do is put forth an allegation – [this person] tried to convert me, and they’ll be grappling for the rest of their life, trying to prove themselves innocent in the process, and the process becomes punishment.” Isaac Six, Advocacy Director of Open Doors USA, stated, “India has a commitment to religious freedom. It’s enshrined in its constitution. Over the last few years, the situation for Christians is getting worse. It has become increasingly difficult to practice faith as a Christian in India… We would like to see Secretary Blinken raise the issue of religious freedom with Indian officials during his current visit, [and] we would also recommend that the State Department implement the USCIRF’s recommendation to designate India as Country of Particular Concern.” Rev. Peter Cook, Executive Director of the New York State Council of Churches, recounted what he calls a traumatizing encounter with Hindu nationalism in an Indian airport. “I led a team of 10 people to India in 2018,” he said. “All of us were heavily interrogated at the airport in Chennai. One officer straight up told a team member that ‘Christians were not welcome in India.’” Sydney Kochan, Government Relations and Special Projects Coordinator of the Jubilee Campaign USA, highlighted the importance of recognizing India’s severe human rights violations at a government level: “Yes, it is true that India is the largest democracy in the world, and that it is one of the United States’ primary strategic partners; however, this should not serve as a justification for overlooking the accelerating persecution of India’s religious minorities… We must ensure that our diplomacy and dialogue with India is contingent upon concrete improvements in religious freedom and human rights.” Matias Perttula, the Director of Advocacy for International Christian Concern, stated: “This is not about hating India, but about encouraging our dear friend and ally [Secretary Blinken] to cultivate a climate that embodies the highest standards of our mutually loved values of our precious democracies.” The Indian American Muslim Council is committed to working with human rights advocates in the US and in India, to safeguard India’s pluralist ethos and religious freedom for people of all faiths.

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Eminent speakers at Washington, DC event cite widespread persecution of religious minorities in India

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Laws designed to deny citizenship, control marriages, marginalize minority groups U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom: Catholic priest, Father Stan Swamy, died in incarceration, after being moved to a hospital from the prison and was denied even a simple straw he needed to drink with because of his Parkinson’s, and later diagnosis of COVID-19. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 18, 2021) – Speakers at the International Religious Freedom summit here this week detailed how the Indian government is intentionally stoking Hindu nationalism, which has caused widespread persecution of religious minorities, enactment or reactivation of laws designed to curtail or deny citizenship, control or prohibit interfaith marriages, silence NGOs by freezing their bank accounts, and state-sponsored Islamophobia campaigns that encourage mob violence against non-Hindus. They were speaking at a panel discussion on “Religious Freedom in India: Challenges & Opportunities,” organized by the Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), a Washington, DC-based nonprofit that advocates for human rights, religious freedom and civil liberties in both the US and India. Click here to see their presentations. (Note: Presentations by U.S. Senator Markey and Reps. Newman and Levin were the subject of a separate news release.) Anurima Bhargava, a commissioner with the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, said that for the past two years, the commission has recommended the U.S. State Department designate India as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC), like Pakistan and Burma, because of the systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom in India. IAMC this week led an initiative to have a Joint Resolution approved at the summit that also calls for the State Department to designate India a CPC. The resolution was supported by more than 30 signatories and is being transmitted to the office of Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Ms. Bhargava pointed out that the Citizenship Amendment Act and the National Register of Citizens are limiting or eliminating pathways for Muslims to be able to demonstrate their citizenship, which can lead to them being wrongfully detained, deported, or worse, rendered stateless. With those laws, India is acting much like Myanmar, in how the latter systematically discriminated against the Rohingyas leading up to their genocide. Further, the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act is designed to limit or eliminate dissent, while the Foreign Contributions Regulation Act can freeze the bank accounts of NGOs and religious organizations that traditionally have worked to promote unity, harmony and understanding in India. “The other area that is of concern, which we have documented in our reports, are the anti-conversion laws,” she said. “Essentially how I describe this is an attack on any kind of interfaith, interreligious engagement. A third of Indian states have these kinds of laws that limit or prohibit religious conversion to protect the dominant religion from any perceived threats from religious communities and religious minorities.” “And so we’re seeing a situation the UAPA (Unlawful Activities Prevention Act) doesn’t really allow dissent and it is very high standard for someone to get bail or to be able to come out of being incarcerated, so people can be detained and held for quite a long time without being charged, as in the case of 84-year-old Father Stan Swamy, who lost his life last week in an Indian prison because of Parkinson’s and COVID,” she said. In addition to naming India a CPC, the USCIRF has also recommended that individuals at the state and the national level who have fomented hate, but also have implemented policies that are targeting religious communities, be sanctioned, whether in economic or in visa actions.   Joanne Lin, National Director of Amnesty International USA, detailed how the Indian government used the Foreign Contributions Regulation Act and other means to essentially shut down Amnesty International’s offices in India by freezing its bank account. “The shuttering of Amnesty India is just one example of the Indian government activating an overbroad legal framework to crush human rights defenders who dare to challenge grave abuses of state authorities,” she declared. “The Indian government has leveraged financial and other institutions to strip human rights from religious minorities, to crush dissent and to silence advocates for freedom of religion and expression. “The U.S. government should call for the release of human rights defenders and other critics, many of whom have been held for over a year without being charged,” she said. “In addition, Amnesty calls for the investigation and prosecution of those responsible for attacks carried out by vigilante mobs, and police officers against Muslims during the February March 2020 violence in Delhi, which occurred in the context of protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act.  These steps are necessary to ensure that religious freedom is a reality for all people in India regardless of their religion.” State-sponsored Islamophobia in India is anti-Muslim racism and a tool of oppression, declared Tabassum Haleem, CEO, Islamic Networks Group. In her presentation, Ms. Haleem pointed out tropes used to denigrate and motivate hatred of Muslims include, “Muslims don’t belong” in India, and “Muslims are terrorists,” with some Hindu nationalists calling for a Trump-like Muslim ban, and others declaring “Muslims did no favor by staying here,” and “very few Muslims are patriotic.” It was even widely alleged that Muslims were intentionally spreading COVID-19, an enormous lie that resulted in discrimination, repression, persecution and violence against Muslims. And sadly, interfaith marriages have been criminalized clearly as a means of ensuring racial and ethnic “purity,” of the majority.   The Rev. Evangeline Anderson-Rajkumar of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, who is a Dalit (the lowest class), referring to the ruling Hindu class, declared, “In this class hierarchy, to consider oneself upper class is such a myth. There is nothing upper about the upper class.” She lamented that because freedoms for religious minorities are being so eroded, and in many cases eliminated, the Indian Constitution is becoming increasingly irrelevant.   “We know that for people to have dignity and worth is a God-given reality. But we have a situation in India where the prominent Hindutva forces can actually challenge that

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Members of U.S. Congress express concern about religious repression in India

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During IAMC panel discussion at International Religious Freedom summit members of U.S. Congress express concern about religious repression in India FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 15, 2021) – A United States Senator and two members of Congress were among panelists at the International Religious Freedom summit here this week who voiced their concerns about how the Indian government is promoting the widespread practice of religious discrimination, intolerance and violence. “I remain seriously concerned about the Indian government’s commitment to protecting the rights of minorities, including the 200 million Muslims in India,” said U.S. Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA).   “The government’s targeting of social and political activities and crackdown on free speech and their religiously motivated discrimination against minorities cannot be viewed in isolation as escalating nationalism threatens to undermine India’s longstanding oath to democratic values. I will continue to stand up for these principles in the United States Senate, and I will encourage India to do the same.   “India has long had an admirable commitment to pluralism. It is the world’s largest democracy, whose bonds with the American people continue to grow, but the United States is right to speak up and speak out when a fellow democracy and strategic partner fails to protect the rights of all their people,” he said. U.S. Rep. Marie Newman (D-IL) declared: “In the last seven years, hundreds of Muslims just walking down the street have been attacked by vigilante mobs, they have been lynched. It is a travesty of justice, and I am horrified by it.” She noted that acts of violence are not only targeting religious minorities, but social and political activists, lawyers, journalists and students. “Our own report from the U.S. Department of State, released by Secretary Blinken in 2020, speaks at length about the persecution of India’s Muslims and Christians. The report said, and I quote, ‘there were reports of religiously motivated killings, assaults, riots, discrimination, vandalism, and actions restricting the right of individuals to practice and speak about their religious beliefs.’ “India has long had an admirable commitment to pluralism. It is the world’s largest democracy, whose bonds with the American people continue to grow, but the United States is right to speak up and speak out when a fellow democracy and strategic partner fails to protect the rights of all their people,” she said. “India’s equity and standing in the eyes of the world are severely damaged already. Freedom House has downgraded its rating for India’s democracy from being free to partly free. That is heart breaking. Persecution of the entire sections of society especially, when backed by governments, is a recipe for a future filled with disaster. We must do better. We must pressure both our adversaries and our allies to support human rights around the world.” U.S. Rep. Andy Levin (D-MI), who sits on the House Foreign Affairs Committee and is vice chair of the subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific, Central Asia, and nonproliferation, first visited India in 1978 fresh out of high school. Since then, he has traveled, studied and worked throughout the country. As a panelist, he expressed sadness that, “The India of Narendra Modi today is not the India I fell in love with.” Levin referred a report released by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom released describing Hindu nationalist policies resulting in systemic ongoing and egregious violations of religious freedom. The report describes attacks on religious freedom in India that occurred throughout 2020. From disinformation about the COVID-19 pandemic that targeted religious minorities, to attempts to ban interfaith marriages, to riots in Delhi where more than 50 people died and 200 were injured, most of them Muslims. “All of these examples are deeply upsetting, but perhaps what is most alarming about this report to me is the fact that these attacks are not new.” Levin declared. “They are part of a pattern we have seen becoming increasingly clear and prevalent under Prime Minister Modi. “Why would I be so critical and so publicly critical of a country that I love?” he asked. “The answer is it is because I love India that I am committed to ending these attacks on its people. It is because I am so passionate in my support for the vibrant democracy I came to know as a young man, that I want to see that democracy flourish for generations to come.” Levin pledged to continue to work with the Biden Administration and his Democratic and Republican colleagues to determine how US policy can help bring an end to the abuses in India today. “And I will hold tight to the belief that India is a democracy and can and will be a democracy for all of its people, one that embraces the human rights and dignity of every single person.”

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Group of interfaith world leaders jointly sign resolution Urging U.S. to sanction India for religious persecution

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Interfaith world leaders urge U.S. to sanction India for religious persecution FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 17, 2021) – A union of more than 30 religious, secular, academic and political leaders of diverse faiths and backgrounds from around the world have issued a joint resolution, strongly urging the U.S. State Department to designate India as a Country of Particular Concern, and to sanction officials promoting religious discrimination and persecution of non-Hindu minorities in India. The resolution was coordinated by the Indian American Muslim Council (www.iamc.com), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos. The 11-point joint resolution, issued during the International Religious Freedom Summit, listed specific instances and evidences of government-backed harassment, oppression, and intimidation of Christians, Jews, Muslims, and others, who are now facing a growing threat from the Hindu nationalism movement. Leading this movement is the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the right-wing Hindu nationalist group that claims it has more than 6 million direct or affiliate members, and is the ideological mother-ship of India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). One of the points in the resolution details how the founders of the RSS supported the Holocaust. It states: “Most frightening of all, the BJP is an affiliate of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, which adheres to the Hindutva-ideology of Vinayak Damodar Savarkar and MS Golwalkar, who were open-admirers of Hitler and Mussolini, of Nazism and Fascism, and who wrote: ‘To keep up the purity of its race and culture, Germany shocked the world by her purging of the country of the Semitic races— the Jews. Race pride at its highest has been manifested here … a good lesson for us in Hindustan to learn and profit by.’” Fearing losing India as a trusted ally and bulwark against China in South Asia, the Biden administration is following the policies of previous U.S. administrations in avoiding criticism of the Indian government for its open promotion of religious discrimination. “We find it hypocritical that the U.S. champions civil rights and human rights causes around the world and criticizes other countries for violations of those rights, but not India,” said Rasheed Ahmed, the Executive Director of the Indian American Muslim Council. “Our hope is that by pointing out the ongoing, open persecution of non-Hindus in India that the President and the State Department will take appropriate action.” A JOINT RESOLUTION Washington, D.C., July 15, 2021   Calling on the United States Department of State To Designate India as a Country of Particular Concern For Systematic, Egregious Violations of Religious Freedoms WHEREAS, the Indian government, led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is promoting Hindu nationalist policies that are resulting in systematic, ongoing and egregious violations of religious freedoms, and, WHEREAS, mobs sympathetic to Hindu nationalism operate with impunity, persecuting and injuring Muslims, attacking mosques, and destroy homes and businesses in majority-Muslim neighborhoods, and, WHEREAS, in February 2020, the worst anti-Muslim Hindu violence killed more than 50 and injured more than 200 mostly Muslims, and, WHEREAS, disinformation and intolerant content have emboldened intimidation, harassment and mob violence against Dalits, Muslims, Christians, Adivasis and other religious communities, and, WHEREAS, the government of India has fostered and even supported a growing climate of hostility and violence against religious minorities, human rights advocates and others speaking out against such violations, and, WHEREAS, government officials and nonstate actors continue to use social media and other forms of mass communication to harass and spread hatred and disinformation against minority communities, and primarily Muslims, and, WHEREAS, despite India’s constitutional protections for religious freedom, approximately one-third of India’s 28 states limit or prohibit religious conversion (primarily interfaith marriages) to protect the dominant religion from perceived threats from religious minorities, and, WHEREAS, these anti-conversion laws are too often the basis for false accusations of forced conversion, harassment and violence against non-Hindus, including inciting mobs to attack Christians, destroy churches and disrupt non-Hindu religious worship services, and, WHEREAS, members of civil society, including human rights advocates and the news media reporting on religious freedom violations, faced intimidation and harassment, and often physical attacks, and, WHEREAS, the passage in 2020 of the Citizen Amendment Act (CAA) – a fast-track to citizenship for non-Muslim migrants from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan residing in India – led to nationwide protests against the CAA and spurred state and non-state violence, largely targeting Muslims, and, WHEREAS, the government of India is openly attempting through harassment and other means, often by physical force, to limit press freedom in India because the news media is regularly covering news of its violations of human rights, civil rights and its persecution and harassment of non-Hindu religious practices, and, WHEREAS, most frightening of  all, the BJP is an affiliate of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, which adheres to the Hindutva-ideology of Vinayak Damodar Savarkar and MS Golwalkar, who  were open-admirers of Hitler and Mussolini, of Nazism and Fascism, and who wrote:  “To keep up the purity of its race and culture, Germany shocked the world by her purging of the country of the Semitic races— the Jews. Race pride at its highest has been manifested here … a good lesson for us in Hindustan to learn and profit by.” NOW, THEREFORE, a union of concerned religious, secular and political leaders support this Joint Resolution strongly urging the U.S. Department of State to declare India a Country of Particular Concern under the guidelines of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, and impose targeted sanctions on individuals and entities responsible for severe violations of religious freedom. RESOLVED this 15th day of July, 2021 Signatories: Action Alliance to Redress 1219 Ambedkar International Center American Muslim Institution Association of Indian Muslims of America Cambodian Development Foundation Center for Pluralism Church of Scientology National Affairs Office Coalition Against Fascism in India Coalition of Seattle Indian Americans Council on American Islamic Relations Dalit Solidarity Forum Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations of North America For the Martyrs Hindus for Human Rights The Humanism Project, Australia India Civil Watch International Indian American Muslim Council Indo-US Democracy Foundation

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Media Invite: Panel Discussion on Religious Freedom in India at IRF Summit

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Government-backed religious nationalism is recipe for disaster for hundreds of millions of non-Hindus in India WASHINGTON, D.C (July 13, 2021) – Hosted by the Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), religious, secular, academic and political leaders will gather today at 4 p.m. in the Governor’s Boardroom at the Omni Shoreham Hotel for “Religious Freedom in India: Challenges and Opportunities” a one-hour panel discussion about the egregious human rights and religious freedoms violations by the Indian government in the name of Hindu nationalism. The discussion is a part of the opening-day events during the 2021 International Religious Freedom Summit and is open to all IRF Summit registrants. “The culture of impunity and Indian government’s complicity led to the open persecution and killing of Indian Muslims, Indian Christians and other non-Hindus across India,” said Rasheed Ahmed, executive director of IAMC. “In our panel discussion, we will discuss India’s diminished standing in the world because of the religiously motivated killings, assaults, discrimination and actions that restrict the right of people to practice their religious beliefs in India. We will debate solutions, and we will call upon world leaders to support human rights and religious freedoms.” Speakers at the panel discussion include: Joanne Lin, national director, Amnesty International USA Anurima Bhargava, commissioner, U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom Sravya Tadepalli, board member, Hindus for Human Rights Evangeline Anderson-Rajkumar, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Tabassum Haleem, CEO, Islamic Networks Group Anantanand Rambachan, professor of religion, St. Olaf College in Minnesota Neha Sahgal, associate director, Pew Research Center Participating members of Congress include: S. Rep. Andy Levin (Michigan) S. Sen. Ed Markey (Massachusetts) S. Rep. Marie Newman (Illinois) [mkdf_separator class_name=”” type=”normal” position=”center” color=”” border_style=”dashed” width=”” thickness=”” top_margin=”” bottom_margin=””] Media Contact:   Jennifer McLucas / Clearview Communications + PR                             828-335-2514, jennifer@clearviewcom.com      

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India Government is Abusing Anti-Terror Law UAPA to Imprison Activists and Critics: US, UK Legal Experts

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 1, 2021, Washington, D.C. Legal experts from the US, the UK and India have said India is abusing its anti-terrorism law to imprison human rights defenders and civil activists for years on false charges, without bail or even a trial. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government was abusing this law, the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), even more aggressively than did the previous governments, and so it should be repealed, the experts said at a Congressional Briefing in Washington, DC, on Wednesday. “The Government of India has been engaging in increasing and severe crackdowns on freedom of speech, routinely responding to peaceful critics with abuse of excessive penal actions,” John Sifton, the Washington, DC-based Asia Advocacy Director of Human Rights Watch, said. It was abusing the law “more aggressively to criminalize dissent and press freedom, undermine rights, freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.” The UAPA defines terrorism in an “entirely vague and overbroad manner, encompassing a wide range of activities, including nonviolent… political protests,” Mr. Sifton, who holds a law degree from New York University, added. Mr. Modi’s government was abusing the UAPA also to target “members of the marginalized groups, including Dalits, tribal communities and religious minorities, in particular Muslims.” The UAPA violated the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which India is a party, and which “outlines the fundamental due process and fair trial protections that are applicable at all times in all countries that have signed that treaty even during the states of emergency,” Mr. Sifton said. UN Security Council Resolution 1456 mentions that a country’s counter-terrorism measures must comply with their international obligations under human rights law. “India has failed in those regards,” he added. “Ban on organizations, making membership of groups a criminal offense, conducting warrant-less searches, seizures and arrests, compelling third parties to provide information without a court order, in camera hearings, secret witnesses and evidences, and most troublingly of all… detention without charge for up to 180 days [are] major procedural problems that create a… presumption of guilt,” Mr. Sifton added. Waris Hussain, Adjunct Law Professor at Howard University, Washington, DC, said denial of bail and incarceration without trial constituted “the whole point of the UAPA,” and “the process was the punishment.” While the Indian judiciary had in the past passed “very brave” decisions protecting human rights, it was now “less independent to check the abuses of human rights that take place from the current administration. “The criminal justice apparatus that includes the police, the prosecution and the investigatory agencies is complying with the problematic strategy of the government to silence dissent and diminish the right of free speech and other civil and political rights,” said Dr. Hussain, who is also Senior Staff Attorney at the American Bar Association. The US Government and Congress, and the global community, needed to “apply countervailing pressure to tell [the judges] to step up to their reputational values.” Dr. Mayur Suresh, Senior Lecturer in Law at SOAS University of London, said India’s police and prosecution “attempt to use speech acts to bring charges of membership of terrorist organizations” so as to ban those organizations, which is allowed under the UAPA. Police cite possession of literature as proof of terrorist activity to charge the accused under UAPA. “Apart from the fact that the charges [under UAPA] are not aimed at obtaining a conviction, and are used to detain people for as long as possible, the mere charges filed for speech and membership cases serves to justify the further ban on the organizations,” Dr. Suresh said, citing the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) whose banning in 2001 was followed by charges against individuals accused of being its members. “These charges – not convictions, since there were none – were used to argue for a subsequent ban on SIMI… which in turn justified further membership charges” creating a “self-fulfilling circularity.” It was “abundantly clear” that the UAPA and its power to ban organisations posed a “fundamental threat to both the freedom of association and the freedom of speech and expression,” Dr. Suresh said. Joining the Briefing from India, veteran lawyer Indira Jaising, a former Additional Solicitor General of India, said the UAPA’s sweepingly defines terrorism as any action done “with the intent to threaten or is likely to threaten the unity, integrity, security, sovereignty of India.” But dozens had been charged under UAPA in two recent prominent cases — the sectarian violence in Delhi in February 2020 and the so-called Bhima Koregaon case from Maharashtra — when even the prosecution had not alleged any such threats. “In the Delhi riots case, the young people were protesting against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, which is highly discriminatory. There is no law that says you cannot protest against a law.” In the Bhima-Koregaon case, the “laughable” objections against one accused is that he “recited a poem by Bertolt Brecht” at a public meeting organized by a former Supreme Court judge. The poem called for rebellion against oppression, “which was a poetic way of saying we must all protest repression. It was taken to be an act of terrorism.” Ms. Jaising said the UAPA denies pretrial bail “unless an accused person shows that there is reason to believe that he or she is not guilty. That is like asking to prove that I am not guilty whereas we know that the burden of proof is on the prosecution and that we are entitled to the presumption of innocence.” Policy staffers from various Members of Congress as well as officials from the US Department of State attended the virtual Briefing. It was organized by Amnesty International USA, Hindus for Human Rights, Indian American Muslim Council, International Christian Concern, Jubilee Campaign, Dalit Solidarity Forum, New York State Council of Churches, Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations of North America, India Civil Watch International, Justice for All, Center for Pluralism, American Muslim Institution, International Society for Peace and Justice and Association of Indian Muslims of America. Safoora Zargar,

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Love Jihad law, mosque demolitions, hate speech against minorities in Uttar Pradesh particularly concerning: USCIRF official

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 19, 2021, Washington, D.C. A new law criminalizing inter-religious marriages in India’s Uttar Pradesh state on grounds of “unlawful religious conversions” is discriminatory and impacts religious freedom, an official with the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has said. “It often results in violence and [abets] efforts to prohibit interfaith marriages using the false narrative of false conversions,” Niala Mohammad, Senior Policy Analyst, USCIRF, said at a Congressional Briefing at Washington, D.C., this week. The law was “particularly concerning not just for its discriminatory purpose but also because of its vague and… potentially wide-reaching impacts on religious freedoms in the state.” Hindu nationalists had launched “inflammatory campaigns decrying interfaith relationships or engagement, including calling for boycotts and censorship’s of media depictions of interfaith relationships. These efforts targeting and de-legitimizing interfaith relationships have led to attacks and arrest of non-Hindus and violence towards any interfaith interaction,” she said. Ms. Mohammad said the demolition of two mosques in Uttar Pradesh last month, one by officials defying a court order, was “particularly alarming for USCIRF.” Indian Supreme Court’s verdict last year handing the site of a mosque, demolished in 1992 by Hindu extremists, for building a Hindu temple in its place, was also alarming, she added. USCIRF was “concerned about religious freedom conditions in India, particularly in Uttar Pradesh.” The Briefing, titled “State Repression on Civil Liberties in Uttar Pradesh,” was attended by policy staff of Members of US Congress and officials from the US Department of State, among others. It was organized by Amnesty International USA (AIUSA), Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), Hindus for Human Rights (HfHR), India Civil Watch International (ICWI), Dalit Solidarity Forum (DSF), International Christian Concern (ICC), Justice for All (JFA), and Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations of North America (FIACONA). Ms. Mohammad said India’s restrictions on foreign funding of NGOs had impacted religious freedoms in UP with the result that “religious minority rights violation is occurring frequently and civil society lacks the freedom to document these or raise voice against them.” That is why, she said, USCIRF had recommended that the US Department of State designate India as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC), for “engaging in and tolerating systemic, ongoing and egregious violation of religious freedom,” and “impose targeted sanctions on individuals and entities responsible for severe violations of religious freedom by freezing those individuals’ or entities’ assets and/or barring their entry into the United States.” Ms. Mohammad said disinformation and “intolerant content” about Muslims, Christians, Dalits had “emboldened intimidation, harassment and created incidents of mob violence.” She cited “hateful rhetoric” from government officials and images circulated on social media at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic last year for spreading such hate. Govind Acharya, India Specialist with Amnesty International USA, referenced the brutal police attack at Aligarh Muslim University, a historic educational institution in Uttar Pradesh, following peaceful protests against the CAA-NRC. Amnesty’s investigation showed that the police blocked ambulances, he said. “The crackdown at AMU and other parts of Uttar Pradesh is one way to violate human rights using police brutality during the CAA protests.” Joining the briefing from Uttar Pradesh’s capital city of Lucknow, human rights activist and Magsaysay Award winner, Sandeep Pandey said Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s government had turned Uttar Pradesh into a “police state where every problem is viewed as a law and order problem and functions in a way in which victims are made into accused and ordinary citizens are criminalized.” He recalled that UP Police killed 22 Muslims, many in firing on protesters who had hit the streets against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and the National Register of Citizens (NRC) “which were perceived to be discriminatory in nature especially against the Muslim community… Over 700 people were arrested on charges of destruction of property, rioting and attempt to murder in what were mostly false cases.” Nikhil Mandalaparthy, Advocacy Director, HfHR, said the “love Jihad” laws had “led to mass arrests of young Muslim men and empowered Hindu extremist groups to carry on attacks.” Hena Zuberi, Washington, D.C. Director for JFA, said the BJP had “used communalism and anti-Muslim rhetoric in the past and that rhetoric has led to the attacks and deaths.” Citing lawsuits against mosques across Uttar Pradesh, she said such “petitions will evolve as an issue in central politics and we feel these will be used by the BJP to attract the majority Hindu population and cause violence against the Muslim community and their places of worship.” John Prabhudoss, FIACONA Chairman, said Christian organizations were “literally choking” in Uttar Pradesh as “village churches are being burnt and [Christian] families are beaten.” Many lawyers defending such victims were being targeted and had gone into hiding, he added. Roja Singh, DSF President, said dominant caste members were assaulting Dalits in Uttar Pradesh to wield power. “Anti-Dalit violence, including rapes, which has one of the highest crime rates against Dalits, is a manifestation of entitlement and ownership of Dalit bodies.” Joining the Briefing from New Delhi, Indian journalist and author Bhasha Singh said Uttar Pradesh had become “an ideal laboratory” for converting India into a Hindu nation in which “there should be no dissent, no space for a woman, no space for a dalit, for a minority, there is no space to express or to do their rightful duties.”

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Indian Americans condemn Modi Government for excluding Muslim migrants from citizenship process

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   June 2, 2021, Washington, D.C. The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC – www.iamc.com), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, today  condemned the Indian Government’s move to  press  ahead with its plan for  inviting  applications for citizenship from non-Muslim foreigners despite there being  a challenge to the law  pending before the courts. The order from India’s Ministry of Home Affairs last week directing  officials in five states to accept applications for citizenship from non-Muslim migrants from the neighboring countries of Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan violates the ethos of India’s Constitution which guarantees equality before law regardless of religion, IAMC said. The federal government’s order is  nothing but a deceitful means to bring in from the backdoor the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), the infamous law that Parliament enacted in 2019 that convulsed Indian society and that has been challenged in India’s Supreme Court, the IAMC said. “Instead of focusing on saving lives of all Indians from the scourge of Covid-19, the Government is busy implementing its supremacist agenda by subverting Constitutional secularism that has long guaranteed equal rights for India’s 280 million non-Hindu minorities,” said Rasheed Ahmed, Executive Director. “The Government should withdraw this order and wait for the Supreme Court of India to rule on the various legal challenges to the CAA that have been brought before it,” added Mr. Ahmed. The federal government’s order of May 28 is the second such decision. In 2016, the government had similarly ordered officials to accept such applications from non-Muslim migrants. With Friday’s order, 29 districts (administrative units) in nine states are processing such applications. According to the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), the CAA and the NRC, that will require “all residents to provide documentation of citizenship… could subject Muslims, in particular, to statelessness, deportation and prolonged detention.” Mr. Ahmed said the Government’s true intent in bringing the CAA, which the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has described as “fundamentally discriminatory,”, is to combine it with the proposed National Register of Citizens (NRC) to have India’s 200 million Muslims fear for their citizenship, lest the government  turn them into foreigners in their own country. This scenario has already played out in the northeastern state of Assam, providing a “chilling example: in 2019, a statewide NRC was implemented in Assam that ultimately excluded 1.9 million residents” including, in some cases, “families who had resided in India for generations,” according to the USCIRF report released earlier this year.  

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Indian American Muslim Council issues legal notice to CNN-NEWS18 editors for false reporting, flouting of journalistic norms

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Defamatory rant that gave us no opportunity to respond shows channel’s true colors FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   May 20, 2021, Washington, D.C. The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, today issued a legal notice to three senior editors of the CNN-NEWS18 news channel: executive editor Anubha Bhonsle, deputy executive editor Zakka Jacob, and anchor Anand Narsimhan- for making false claims about IAMC with no supporting evidence during a program aired on April 21, 2021. These defamatory remarks were based on the writings of an anonymous blog with no known authors or organizations behind it. The notice highlighted  CNN-NEWS18 editors’ actions in  “deliberately, intentionally, mischievously and wrongfully,” airing a program called “The Right Stand” in regards to  the report released by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) on April 21. USCIRF’s report recommended that the US government designate India as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) for “engaging in and tolerating systematic, ongoing and egregious religious freedom violations.” As an advocacy organization working towards upholding the constitutional freedom and civil liberties of India’s marginalized, minorities, Dalits and the lower castes, and towards exposing the nefarious designs of Hindutva, both in India and the US, IAMC is often the target of such misinformation campaigns. The fact that a supposedly “professional” news channel like CNN-NEWS18, that is riding on the brand of the world famous CNN channel, has been co-opted to advance such misinformation is noteworthy. The goal of the lawsuit is to hold CNN-NEWS18 accountable and to give global exposure to the state of affairs of Indian media. Once widely recognized as fiercely independent, the Indian media, with some notable exceptions, has been reduced to singing hosannas to the Modi regime or peddling lies about activists, human rights organizations and critics of the government. Not surprisingly, India ranks 142nd in the World Press Freedom Index. “Instead of focusing on USCIRF’s thorough analysis of India’s rapid descent into fascism, CNN-NEWS18 chose to create imaginary connections between IAMC and some Pakistani extremist outfits, in order to smear IAMC as an “anti-India” organization,” said Mr. Khalid Ansari, Vice-President of IAMC. “This is part of a long established Hindutva practice of suppressing any dissent and characterizing any critique of the current administration and its supremacist agenda as ‘anti-India’. This is the language of bullies who know they cannot win with reason and logic,” added Mr. Ansari. CNN-NEWS18 used the brand of CNN to indulge in codswallop journalism by sourcing information from “Disinfo Lab”, a fake organization whose website provides no names of office bearers, journalists and investigators, postal address or phone number.  Needless to say, the program offered no evidence to support any of its silly claims, nor did the channel have the courage to reach out to IAMC for comment. The legal notice issued on May 18, calls upon the editors to immediately withdraw the program from every platform, and issue an unconditional apology to IAMC in writing as well as by airing on CNN-NEWS18 within a week. IAMC is not only supportive of the USCIRF recommendation to list India as a country of particular concern, the organization believes the US State department’s scathing report on persecution of religious minorities in India, was a step in the right direction. IAMC works closely with international rights based organizations like Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, American Bar Association and the Advocates for Human Rights. IAMC representatives have testified before the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, a bi-partisan Commission that was established with the unanimous consent of the United States House of Representatives in 2008. The Commission is charged with promoting, defending and advocating for international human rights as enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other relevant human rights instruments.  

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US State Department’s Scathing Report On Persecution of Religious Minorities in India a step in the right direction, say Indian Americans

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 12, 2021, Washington, D.C.   The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, today welcomed the US State Department’s report that represents a scathing and comprehensive account of religious persecution and violence faced by India’s 280 million religious minorities. Released on Wednesday, May 12, the 2021 Report on International Religious Freedom, provided an in-depth coverage of massive rights violations faced by religious minorities, especially Muslims, Christians and Dalits or the “lower-caste” formerly known as untouchables. The Department of State report highlighted the state-sponsored massacre of Muslims in India’s capital city, New Delhi, last year in which 53 people died and hundreds were injured, mostly Muslims. “Witnesses accounts and video evidence showed police complicity in the violence,” the report noted while quoting Human Rights Watch. “Muslim academics, human rights activists, former police officers, and journalists alleged anti-Muslim bias in the investigation of riots by New Delhi Police,” the report said. Over the hateful rhetoric during COVID-19 pandemic that targeted religious minorities especially the Islamic Tablighi Jamaat organization for spreading the coronavirus, the report mentioned the use of terms like “terrorism” and “Corona Jihad” by the members of ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and some of the mainstream media outlets. “There were reports of religiously motivated killings, assaults, riots, discrimination, vandalism, and actions restricting the right of individuals to practice and speak about their religious beliefs,” the report noted. The report also highlights the specific examples of violations of civil liberties and religious freedom including the storming of mosque and killing of Muezzin (the person who gives call to prayers) in New Delhi by Hindutva mob during anti-CAA protests, murder of two Christians in custody of Tamil Nadu Police, inflammatory public remarks and social media posts by political party leaders, the intimidation of Muslim residents by police and the use of discriminatory cow slaughter laws to target minorities  by the BJP government in Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. “We welcome the US Department of State report and its affirmation of the unprecedented levels of persecution of India’s minorities under the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government,” said Rasheed Ahmed, Executive Director of Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC). “Over the last seven years, India has become one of the world’s worst violators of religious freedoms. We urge the State Department to accept the recommendations from the United States Commission for International Religious Freedom ((USCIRF) and designate India as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) this year, however, any resulting sanctions must exclude Covid19 relief efforts and poverty alleviation policies” Mr. Ahmed added. Last month, the USCIRF released its Annual International Religious Freedom report designating India as CPC for the second consecutive year. The report also urged the US government to impose sanctions on the officials and agencies responsible for violations of the religious freedoms.    

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Government of India censoring criticism of its pandemic response shows misplaced priorities say Indian Americans

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IAMC’s tweet among many government of India ordered Twitter to block    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 24, 2021 The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC – www.iamc.com), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, today expressed dismay over the government of India’s continued obsession with managing the news coverage of the pandemic instead of the pandemic itself. As the pandemic rages across India accounting for almost half of all new cases globally, the government ordered Twitter to block over 50 tweets that criticized its complete mismanagement of the pandemic. Among them was a tweet by Indian American Muslim Council, comparing the rabid Islamophobia targeting the Tablighi Jamaat and all Indian Muslims in the early days of the pandemic with the near silence over government support for the massive Kumbh Mela, that has endangered the lives of millions of Hindu devotees and their fellow citizens. Today hundreds of thousands of Indians belonging to all faiths are literally gasping for breath, afflicted by a virus that makes no distinction on the basis of religion or caste. In this horrifying scenario, the government’s alacrity in pressuring Twitter to block tweets critical of its handling of the crisis shows the administration’s moral compass continues to point in a direction that is shamelessly self-serving. “The catastrophic surge in Covid-19 cases across India and the collapse of the country’s healthcare system is a monumental albeit avoidable tragedy for which the responsibility lies squarely on the government’s misplaced priorities,” said Mr. Khalid Ansari, Vice-President of IAMC.  “Many precious lives lost to the pandemic might have been saved had the government not been obsessed with advancing the Hindutva agenda of subjugating minorities, and focused instead on governing for all Indians,” added Mr. Ansari. Far from leading by example to overcome the crisis, the Modi administration promoted the spread of the virus by organizing countless super spreader events in the form of election rallies where masking was not enforced and where Mr. Modi as well as Home Minister Amit Shah addressed massive crowds. IAMC has urged Indian Muslims, especially Muslim healthcare workers and relief organizations to rise to the occasion by serving their fellow citizens. Observance of civic duties, a commitment to defending the country and selfless service towards people of all faiths is the need of the hour.

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USCIRF report placing India in religious freedom blacklist for second year in a row is justified say Indian Americans

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Bipartisan Federal Commission recommends India’s designation as Country of Particular Concern (CPC), urges US Congress, State Department to impose sanctions    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 21, 2021   The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC – www.iamc.com), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, today welcomed a report on religious freedom issued by the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), in which the US body has called on the State Department to place India in a list of “countries of particular concern,” for the second consecutive year, based on the sharp escalation in violations of human rights and religious freedom in India. The USCIRF is an independent, bipartisan US federal government commission. It makes policy recommendations based on its review of global religious freedom to the US President, the Secretary of State and the US Congress. Last year, USCIRF had placed India in CPC, which is the list of countries with the worst record of religious freedom violations. It is saddening to see India, a land with a rich tradition of pluralism, listed as an egregious violator of religious freedom. However, the worsening situation of minorities in India has made it clear that international visibility and recognition of the persecution of Dalits, Christians, Muslims and Sikhs in India is the need of the hour. “Designating India as one of the world’s worst violators of religious freedoms, while unfortunate, is expected and justified,” said Rasheed Ahmed, Executive Director, IAMC. ‘We hope the US Department of State will accept the USCIRF’s recommendations and designate India as a CPC this year.” In its Annual International Religious Freedom Report released on Wednesday, USCIRF has made five key recommendations to the US Department of State and US Congress. It said the US should designate India as CPC “engaging in and tolerating systematic, ongoing, and egregious religious freedom violations, as defined by the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA).” The USCIRF report also recommended that the US Government impose “targeted sanctions on Indian government agencies and officials responsible for severe violations of religious freedom by freezing those individuals’ assets and/ or barring their entry into the United States.” The report further said the US Government must “promote religious freedom and dignity and interfaith dialogue through bilateral and multilateral forums and agreements, such as the ministerial of the Quadrilateral” and continue to “raise religious freedom concerns in the U.S.-India bilateral relationship and highlight concerns through hearings, briefings, letters, and congressional delegations.” It also said that the US Government must condemn the “ongoing religious freedom violations and support religious organizations and human rights groups being targeted for their advocacy of religious freedom.” The USCIRF Report has also highlighted the massacre of Muslims in India’s capital, New Delhi, last year in which  50 people died and hundreds were injured, mostly Muslims. “Mobs sympathetic to Hindu nationalism operated with impunity, using brutal force to single out Muslims, attack mosques, and destroy homes and businesses in majority-Muslim neighborhoods,” the report said. Along with several US-based rights organizations, IAMC had this month written to USCIRF urging it to retain its last year’s recommendations to designate India as CPC. That letter was co-signed by leading rights organizations, including International Christian Concern (ICC), Christian Solidarity Worldwide (UK), Hindus for Human Rights (HfHR), Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations of North America (FIACONA), Justice For All, American Muslim Institution, American Sikh Council, Church of Scientology National Affairs Office and Just Law International. Prominent individuals who signed the letter included Rev. Dr. Daniel L. Buttry, Genesis the Church; Nehemiah Christie, Co-Chair, Global Christian Ministers Federation; Peter Kovach, former Director, Office of Religious Freedom, of the US Department of State. On the subject of the CAA and the NRC, both deeply repressive moves that caused convulsions across Indian society in the form of mass protests, the Commission noted that these were poised to put citizenship of millions into question, but “could subject Muslims, in particular, to ‘statelessness, deportation or prolonged detention.’” It also expressed concern over the crackdown on activists spearheading the peaceful protest movement against CAA and NRC. Over the acquittal of all individuals accused of demolishing the Babri Masjid mosque, the report rightly says that “government inaction to address religious violence contributed to a culture of impunity for those promulgating hate and violence toward religious minorities.” After India’s crackdown on Kashmir following the revocation of the region’s special Constitutional status in August 2019; the legislation of the anti-Muslim law, the Citizenship (Amendment) Act in December 2019; and the State-sponsored pogrom of Muslims in Delhi, India’s capital, in February 2020; IAMC had led a signature campaign in March 2020 before the USCIRF recommended India as CPC in its April 2020 report. The USCIRF 2021 report also raised significant concerns over the  passage of laws to prohibit interfaith marriages or relationships using the false narrative of forced conversion. “These efforts targeting and de-legitimizing interfaith relationships have led to attacks and arrests of non-Hindus and to innuendo, suspicion, and violence toward any interfaith interaction,” the report said. The commission has also sharply rebuked the Indian government officials for disinformation and hateful rhetoric during COVID 19 pandemic targeted religious minorities. The report also criticized the crackdown on Amnesty International and made mention of  amendment to the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) that further stifles the work of various nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) working within the country.  

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Indian Americans welcome State department’s scathing indictment of deteriorating human rights situation in India

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 5, 2021 Leading Indian American civil rights organizations have welcomed the US Department of State’s Annual Report on Human Rights in India that has detailed the massive violations of civil liberties by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government and its failure to prevent such violations and hold the perpetrators to account. The Department of State’s report, released March 30, was a scathing account of the ground situation in India, where millions of social and religious minorities, including Muslims, Christians, Dalits, and Adivasis, as well as the 8 million residents of Kashmir, are facing ongoing brutal State repression, the organizations said on Sunday. The organizations that released the statement include Hindus for Human Rights, Dalit Solidarity Forum, International Christian Concern, Indian American Muslim Council, India Civil Watch International, Students Against Hindutva Ideology, and Federation of Indian Christian Organizations of North America. The 68-page report, released by US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, observed that a “lack of accountability for official misconduct persisted at all levels of government, contributing to widespread impunity” in India during the year 2020. The Department of State’s report on India documents unlawful and arbitrary killings; torture, arbitrary arrest and detention; impunity for police, paramilitary, and military violence; persecution of Dalits, Adivasis, Muslims, and Christians; attacks on the news media and the internet and site blocking; criminalizing free speech and restricting freedom of expression; excessive curbs on NGOs; and restrictions on academic freedom. The report also highlights the brutal police crackdown on the “legitimate and peaceful protests” by students at Aligarh Muslim University, Jamia Milia Islamia, and Jawaharlal Nehru University, which the government “portrayed as terrorist activities.” The Delhi police also “selectively pursued cases against Muslims and anti-CAA protesters.” “The Modi government’s discriminatory citizenship law, the persecution of Muslims and other minorities, the pogrom against Muslims in Delhi and the manufacturing of criminal cases against Muslims for the violence, and the judiciary’s failure to provide justice all clearly indicate an alarming decline in civil liberties,” IAMC Executive Director Rasheed Ahmed said. Raju Rajagopal, co-founder of Hindus for Human Rights, said the State Department report was especially significant as it was the first such report under President Biden’s Administration. “We expect that President Biden will act on this report and raise the issues of human rights abuses with the Indian government,” Mr. Rajagopal said. Feroz Mehdi, Secretary-Treasurer at India Civil Watch International, said, “The most disturbing facet of the human rights situation in India is the systematic muzzling of all kinds of dissent. The Indian state has arrested renowned activists, artists, and scholars who speak up for the underprivileged, has turned the media from watchdog to lapdog, and used procedural attacks to shut down civil society organizations, notably Amnesty International. Indian democracy is facing an existential crisis: it cannot survive if these checks and balances are destroyed.” “India’s religious freedom has been on a steady decline for years, and the manifestations of this deterioration is now more clear than before,” Matias Perttula, Advocacy Director with International Christian Concern (ICC), said. “Christians are a constant target of persecution and discrimination within India. One of the greatest culprits of this injustice comes powered by laws known as the anti-forced conversion laws as well as the blasphemy laws that only serve as a source of courage for Hindutva radicals to attack and persecute Christians. More needs to be done to hold India accountable for their ongoing human rights violations.” The report said societal violence based on religion and caste and by religiously associated groups continued to be a serious concern. Muslims and lower-caste Dalit groups continued to be the most vulnerable. Dalits, Tribals and Muslims led the list of those killed in police custody. The report also quoted the high court in Telangana state that held the police to account for arresting a “disproportionately high number of Muslims” for violating COVID-19 lockdown restrictions. The court noted police often used excessive force when enforcing the lockdown rules. A Muslim volunteer arrested while distributing food to migrants required 35 stitches on his face due to police brutality, the report said. In its annual report on global political rights and liberties, US-based non-profit Freedom House downgraded India from a free democracy to a “partially free democracy.” The Sweden-based V-Dem Institute in its latest report on democracy said India had become an “electoral autocracy.” And last month, India, described as a “flawed democracy,” slipped two places to 53rd position in the latest Democracy Index published by The Economist Intelligence Unit.  

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International Human Rights Organizations write to Rutgers University in support of Dr Audrey Truschke

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March 19, 2021   FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   Over two dozen US and international civil and human rights organizations have expressed solidarity with Dr Audrey Truschke, Associate Professor of South Asian History at Rutgers University against the ongoing systematic campaign of vilification against her including vile threats of extreme violence. In a remarkable build up of broad support for Dr. Truschke, the joint letter thanks Rutgers for unequivocally supporting Dr. Truschke while debunking the claims made against her. Furthermore, the letter declares the campaign attacking Dr. Truschke’s scholarly integrity an attempt to silence her, curtail her academic freedom as well as her advocacy for peace and pluralism.   Organizations and individuals that sent a joint letter to Rutgers University thanking them for unequivocally supporting Dr. Truschke include Hindus for Human Rights, Students Against Hindutva Ideology, Ambedkar International Center, Ambedkar King Study Circle, Dalit Solidarity Forum, Boston South Asian Coalition, Council on American Islamic Relations – CAIR (New Jersey), Islamic Society of Central Jersey, Indian American Muslim Council, India Civil Watch International, Coalition to Stop Genocide, ICNA Council for Social Justice, Justice for All, Center for Pluralism, South Asian Left Activist Movement, API Chaya, Stand With Kashmir, The Humanism Project, Australia, Dr. Chloe Breyer, The Interfaith Center of New York, Dr Aslam Abdullah, Interim President, World Council of Muslims for Interfaith Relations (WCMIR), and Dr Rehan Khan, President, International Society for Peace and Justice.   Dr. Truschke is no stranger to controversy, having attracted the ire of the Hindu nationalist organizations in India and the US, for her commitment to scholarly integrity and her ability to make her research accessible to the masses. Not surprisingly, Dr. Truschke’s work is at odds with the Hindu right’s grand project to revise India’s history to align with the Hindutva narrative. On March 9, Rutgers University tweeted that it has received, “expressions of concern from members of the Hindu community about views expressed by Professor Truschke on Twitter.”   The University, however, in the same tweet said, “it emphatically supports Dr. Truschke’s academic freedom in pursuing her scholarship and, and abhors the vile messages and threats that are being directed at her and calls for her an immediate end to them.”   The letter is remarkable in that it is a collaborative effort among many organizations in order to defend Dr. Truschke, and refute the claims made against her in the complaint from the Hindu students. The letter terms some of these claims as outright lies. For instance, the letter states that the “complaint against Dr Truschke claims that the ‘perpetrators’ at the January 6, 2021 insurrection at the US Capitol in Washington, D.C. did not include any Hindus.” “That is a lie,” states the letter, and adds, “One perpetrator, Krishna Gudipati, is associated with the Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America (VHPA), an affiliate of the VHP in India, which the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has classified as a ‘religious militant organization’ for its violence against Muslims and Christians.   “Gudipati is an associate of the infamous Member of India’s Parliament, Subramanian Swamy, who heads the Virat Hindustan Sangam of which Gudipati is a member. Dr Swamy wants Muslims denied voting rights, a view that prompted Harvard University to drop his course,” the letter says.   The complaint of the Hindu students against Dr Trushchke, author of two books on Aurangzeb, includes the claim that, “reputable sources have demonstrated that [17th-century Mughal emperor] Aurangazeb enslaved and murdered 4.6 million Hindus.” The organizations have refuted this in their joint letter with the fact that “the link for ‘reputable sources’ is not a scholarly paper but a New York Times infographic, which is based on The Great Big Book of Horrible Things by Matthew White, a librarian who does not have any degree or formal training in history or statistics.”   Author-historian Manimugdha Sharma of The Times of India has tweeted that Manucchi did not claim Aurangzeb killed 4.6 million Hindus but only that Aurangzeb lost 100,000 soldiers a year in a war, which, too, has never been validated, the letter points out.   The organizations that are coming out in full support of Dr. Truschke have stated in the joint letter that the real reason behind the campaign of intimidation against Dr Truschke is her courageous and unwavering opposition to Hindutva, the supremacist ideology espoused by the RSS and its affiliates.   “It is this hateful ideology that is the driving force behind the rapidly escalating bigotry and horrific violence in India. The campaign attacking her scholarly integrity is intended to silence her, curtail her academic freedom as well as her advocacy for peace and pluralism,” it says.   Hindutva’s propagandists loathe Dr Truschke deploying her scholarship to devastating effect in debunking its supremacist myths they are desperate to perpetuate, declared the joint letter. Commenting on their spurious claim that India is foremost a country of Hindus and that Muslims and Christians are outsiders, the letter states that these claims are made by India’s Hindu nationalists to justify violence against these minorities. A key aspect of the enormous vitriol being poured against Dr. Truschke is the fact that she has exposed the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), the anti-Muslim citizenship law designed to strip many Indian Muslims of citizenship.   The signatory organizations noted that over time, Dr. Truschke’s powerful voice has helped to bring increased global attention to — and scrutiny of — India’s persecution of its religious minorities.   The letter goes on to give a picture of the state of India’s minorities under Modi’s rule, stating that in June 2020, the US Department of State’s annual report on global religious freedom recorded “mob attacks by violent Hindu groups against minority communities, including Muslims,” as well as, “religiously motivated killings, assaults, riots, discrimination, vandalism and actions restricting the right of individuals to practice and speak about their religious beliefs.”   The recent Freedom House report, a reputed American research institute founded by former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, which downgraded India’s status from “Free” to “Partly Free”

Letter to Rutgers University in Support of Dr. Audrey Truschke
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Letter to Rutgers University in Support of Dr. Audrey Truschke

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March 17, 2021 To Jonathan Holloway President, Rutgers University Nancy Kantor Chancellor, Rutgers University Enobong (Anna) Branch Senior Vice-President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Rutgers University Jacquie Mattis Dean, School of Arts and Sciences, Newark   Subject: Malicious campaign of intimidation against Dr. Audrey Truschke, Associate Professor Dear Rutgers Executives,   We, the undersigned organizations and individuals based in the United States and beyond, are writing to thank you for unequivocally supporting Dr. Audrey Truschke, Associate Professor of South Asian History at Rutgers University, against an ongoing systematic campaign of vilification against her including vile threats of extreme violence against her and her family.   This letter’s purpose is not to defend Dr. Truschke’s scholarship — which, to use your words, she “pursues rigorously” — for she is competent to defend herself. Yet, we must point out that many claims in the complaint from the Hindu students are dubious or outright lies.   The letter against Dr. Truschke claims that the “perpetrators” at the January 6, 2021 insurrection at the US Capitol in Washington, D.C. did not include any Hindus. That is a lie.   One “perpetrator”, Krishna Gudipati, is associated with the Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America (VHPA), an affiliate of the VHP in India, which the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has classified as a “religious militant organization” for its violence against Muslims and Christians.   Gudipati is an associate of the infamous Member of India’s Parliament, Subramanian Swamy, who heads the Virat Hindustan Sangam of which Gudipati is a member. Dr. Swamy wants Muslims denied voting rights, a view that prompted Harvard University to drop his course.   Dr. Swamy belongs to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which, along with the VHP, is an offshoot of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a 95- year-old paramilitary Hindu nationalist outfit that wants to convert India into a Hindu nation where non-Hindu minorities are subjugated and relegated to the status of second-class citizens. Mahatma Gandhi’s assassin belonged to the RSS. Mr. Modi, India’s President and Vice-President, and many Indian ministers are lifelong RSS members.   The letter of complaint against Dr. Truschke also claims that “reputable sources have demonstrated that [17th-century Mughal emperor] Aurangazeb enslaved and murdered 4.6 million Hindus.” However, the link for “reputable sources” is not a scholarly paper but a New York Times infographic, which is based on The Great Big Book of Horrible Things by Matthew White, a librarian who does not have “any degree or formal training in history or statistics.” Mr. White based this figure not on any scholarly work by a historian but on his reading of 17th- century European traveler Niccolao Manucci’s memoirs, which are considered to be “full of factual errors and colorful lies.” Author-historian Manimugdha Sharma of The Times of India has tweeted that Manucchi did not claim Aurangzeb killed 4.6 million Hindus but only that Aurangzeb lost 100,000 soldiers a year in a war, which, too, has never been validated.   The real reason behind the campaign of intimidation against Dr. Truschke is her courageous and unwavering opposition to Hindutva, the supremacist ideology espoused by the RSS and its affiliates. It is this hateful ideology that is the driving force behind the rapidly escalating bigotry and horrific violence in India. The campaign attacking her scholarly integrity is intended to silence her, curtail her academic freedom as well as her advocacy for peace and pluralism.   Hindutva’s propagandists loathe that Dr. Truschke deploys her scholarship to devastating effect in debunking its supremacist myths they are desperate to perpetuate. These include the spurious claim that India is foremost a country of Hindus and that Muslims and Christians are outsiders, claims that India’s Hindu nationalists use to justify violence against these minorities.   Dr. Truschke has exposed the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), the anti-Muslim citizenship law that is “designed to strip… many Indian Muslims of citizenship.” In February 2020, she attended a solidarity protest at Rutgers-New Brunswick where she received a copy of the Indian constitution’s preamble, which she joined in reading aloud with other protesters.   In 2019, Dr. Truschke’s wrote that the India’s Supreme Court ruling that a Hindu temple be built where stood a 16th-century mosque that Hindu mobs razed it in 1992 “abjures both historical reality and any pretense of equal treatment of religious communities.” The ruling was “based on modern faith and has nothing to do with history before the nineteenth century,” she added.   In 2018, Dr. Truschke wrote about anti-Semitic attacks on her by Hindu nationalists. One tweet read: “I hope another Hitler comes back and finishes off your people.” “These ugly attacks use vicious anti-Semitic slurs,” she wrote, “frequently invoke the Holocaust, and draw on crude anti-Semitic tropes such as that I am somehow pursuing my academic research for money.”   Those attacking Dr. Truschke and Rutgers Administration for backing her are intimately connected with the RSS and Mr. Modi. Before becoming Prime Minister, Mr. Modi was denied a US visa for nine years for his role in the massacre of 2,000 Muslims in India in 2002. Over time, Dr. Truschke’s powerful voice has helped to bring increased global attention to — and scrutiny of — India’s persecution of its religious minorities, who are 260 million of its 1.3 billion citizens.   Last June, the US Department of State’s annual report on global religious freedom recorded “mob attacks by violent Hindu groups against minority communities, including Muslims,” as well as “religiously motivated killings, assaults, riots, discrimination, vandalism and actions restricting the right of individuals to practice and speak about their religious beliefs.”   Genocide Watch, a global watchdog on genocides founded by academician, international activist and former US diplomat Gregory Stanton, has categorized India as being at an advanced stage in the “10 Stages of Genocide” due to the violent conflict in Kashmir, preparations to deport Bengali Muslims in Assam, and anti-Muslim violence in north India.   In April, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) recommended that

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IAMC Issues Detailed Rebuttal to Defamatory Islamophobic Article in Newsweek

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   March 9, 2021   The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, on Thursday issued a detailed rebuttal to an Islamophobic article published in Newsweek in December and asked the newsmagazine to publish the rebuttal immediately.   The defamatory piece, titled “COVID Relief Funds Went to Violent Extremists” and published by Newsweek website on December 7, 2020, had alleged that IAMC was connected with the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), an organization that the Indian Government has banned.   “It is disappointing that Newsweek, once one of America’s best news organizations, chose to publish an allegation of terrorism against us without first reaching out to us for comment,” Mr. Rasheed Ahmed, Executive Director, IAMC, wrote to Newsweek Editor-in-Chief Nancy Cooper. “Providing the opportunity to respond to an allegation — especially one so grave as to accuse an organization of being linked with terrorism — is a fundamental principle of journalism, something that Newsweek has clearly failed to uphold in this case.”   Mr. Ahmed reminded Ms. Cooper that she had herself sought the same privilege in response to a piece that Columbia Journalism Review published against Newsweek. “Your failure to provide us that opportunity is especially hypocritical considering that you demanded a similar opportunity when Daniel Tovrov a detailed report against Newsweek in Columbia Journalism Review in October 2019,” Mr. Ahmed wrote.   “If you deserve an opportunity to set the record straight on allegations against you, so do we on allegations against us.”   Mr. Ahmed added that it was “truly ironic” that while Newsweek’s article criticized IAMC for receiving Covid relief stimulus worth $1,000, Newsweek itself had faced heat for receiving a whopping $350,000 of the same relief, in violation of the stimulus provisions.   Mr. Ahmed said that the allegations against IAMC contained in the Newsweek article, authored by Sam Westrop of the Middle East Forum, an Islamophobic organization that has been repeatedly called out by the Southern Poverty Law Center, were false.   “We challenge you to provide a single piece of evidence in support” of the allegation that IAMC was connected with SIMI, Mr. Ahmed wrote. He added that the claim was based entirely on a report from the Hindu American Foundation (HAF), a US-based organization that is “as Islamophobic” as the MEF.   The HAF is tied to the RSS, the Hindu supremacist organization to which Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his political party belong. It has continued to support Mr. Modi despite his government’s “massive persecution of its non-Hindu minorities,” Mr. Ahmed wrote.   Mr. Ahmed pointed out that the cofounders of HAF were former executive council members of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad of American (VHPA) which is allied with the Indian Vishwa Hindu Parishad (World Hindu Council) that has been classified by the Central Intelligence Agency as a “religious militant” organization.   “The VHP has also been denounced by Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International for orchestrating mass violence against India’s Christians and Muslims. In a report on violence agaisnt women in India, Amnesty wrote that “calls to rape Muslim girls and women were contained in pamphlets produced by the VHP and the RSS and distributed in Ahmedabad months before the violence was started in 2002. The International General Secretary of VHP called for a new law that would behead anyone attempting to convert a Hindu,” Mr. Ahmed wrote.   The only claim that HAF report made was that IAMC had hosted Mohammad Siddiqi, SIMI’s founder. But after founding SIMI in 1977 Dr. Siddiqi left it in 1980, 21 years before the Indian Government banned it, and migrated to the US becoming a US citizen and retiring in 2015 after 28 years as a tenured Professor of Journalism and Public Relations at the Western Illinois University.   “Not once in the 44 years since SIMI was founded in 1977, or in the nearly two decades since SIMI was banned in 2001, has any law enforcement agency or prosecution, either in the US or in India, named Dr. Siddiqi as an accused or as a person of interest,” Mr. Ahmed wrote. “Dr. Siddiqi’s name has not featured as an accused or as being connected, even indirectly, to SIMI in the court filings India’s Government has submitted for each of the eight times it has banned SIMI, the last in 2019.”   In fact, Dr. Siddiqi had never been accused by police in any part of India of any crime. As a US citizen of Indian origin, he had traveled to India multiple times to meet with his extended family, including after SIMI’s ban in 2001, but not once did Indian law enforcement agencies question him.   “Not only did Dr. Siddiqi have nothing to do with SIMI, he criticized it for its turn to extremism. In an interview headlined “The SIMI I founded was completely different” published by Rediff, a leading Indian news website, in 2003, Dr. Siddiqi said he believed that SIMI had been “hijacked by elements in other countries and other Muslim societies” and that “some of them at least have become misguided and radical in their beliefs.”   Mr. Westrop’s article also accused IAMC of being an Islamist organization. But Mr. Ahmed wrote that “IAMC is as Islamist as Christian Science Monitor is Christian.”   “In fact, IAMC does not even engage in the propagation of Islam or Islamic theology. In nearly 19 years of its existence, IAMC has consistently worked for human rights, civil and political liberties, and religious freedom. Moreover, it has explicitly and repeatedly condemned violence perpetrated in the name of Islam,” Mr. Ahmed wrote.  

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Freedom House report declaring India only a “partly free” democracy a recognition of reality say Indian Americans

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 8, 2021 Indian American Muslim Council (www.iamc.com) an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos today expressed its concurrence with the annual report of Freedom House, the Washington-based pro-democracy think tank which designated India as only a “partly free,” democracy. Freedom House is a preeminent think tank in the US with significant influence on the discourse around American foreign policy. The report on the global political rights and liberties, downgraded India, numerically the world’s largest democracy, from “Free” to “Partly Free” while highlighting a steady erosion of democracy increasingly manifested through pressure on human rights groups, the intimidation and harassment of journalists and academics, policies that target and harm religious minorities, particularly Muslims, and the politicization of the Indian judiciary. “Under Modi, India appears to have abandoned its potential to serve as a global democratic leader, elevating narrow Hindu nationalist interests at the expense of its founding values of inclusion and equal rights for all,” said the Freedom House report titled “Democracy under Siege.” The report reflects the worst four year decline in India’s Freedom House ranking- in 2018 it was 77th, the next year it was 75, in 2020 71 and in 2021 it is 67. The report referred in detail to atrocities against Muslims highlighting the fact that “the ruling Hindu nationalist movement also encouraged the scapegoating of Muslims, who were disproportionately blamed for the spread of the virus and faced attacks by vigilante mobs.” “Last year, the government intensified its crackdown on protesters opposed to a discriminatory citizenship law and arrested dozens of journalists who aired criticism of the official pandemic response. Judicial independence has also come under strain; in one case, a judge was transferred immediately after reprimanding the police for taking no action during riots in New Delhi that left over 50 people, mostly Muslims, dead,” said the Freedom House report. In December, Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populous state, approved a law that prohibits forced religious conversion through interfaith marriage, which critics fear will effectively restrict interfaith marriage in general; authorities have already arrested a number of Muslim men accusing them of “forcing” Hindu women to convert to Islam. The report situates India’s status as part of a global shift in the balance between democracy and authoritarianism. It warns that India’s “fall from the upper ranks of free nations” could have damaging consequences for the prospect of world’s democratic standards. “Rather than serving as a champion of democratic practice and a counterweight to authoritarian influence from countries such as China, Modi and his party are tragically driving India itself toward authoritarianism,” it said. “The alarming report of the Freedom House is not surprising given the rapidly escalating situation in India that has gotten alarm bells ringing across the United States and other Western European democracies,” said Ahsan Khan, President of IAMC. Various American newspapers and magazines have questioned if India could still be called a democracy given Mr. Modi’s persecution of free speech and dissent and targeting of its minorities. The Editorial Board of the Washington Post in February called into question India’s status as a democracy, highlighting the clampdown on dissent, especially in reference to the arrest of a 22-year-old climate and animal rights activist Disha Ravi. Similarly, the NYT and the Economist in the past questioned Mr. Modi’s pretense of a democratic government. “Arresting those who have expressed dissent, on false and fabricated charges is pervasive. Merely giving a speech or protesting, legitimate rights of citizens under the Constitution, can land people in jail,” said Mr. Khan while highlighting the situation of student leader Umar Khalid and anti-CAA protester Gulfisha, both of whom are in jail on fabricated charges. “Many experts in the United States have raised concerns that India’s rapid transformation into a fascist state is following a genocidal trajectory, against Muslims, minorities as well as Hindus opposed to the Hindutva movement,” added Mr. Khan. IAMC is dedicated to promoting the common values of pluralism, tolerance, and respect for human rights that form the basis of the world’s two largest secular democracies – the United States and India.

Press Release

Letter Requesting NewsWeek to publish rebuttal to false allegation against IAMC

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To Ms. Nancy Cooper Global Editor-in-Chief Newsweek Subject: Requesting Newsweek to publish rebuttal to false allegation against Indian American Muslim Council Dear Ms. Cooper, Greetings. This is my third letter to you since last December in reference to an online piece headlined “COVID Relief Funds Went to Violent Extremists” published on your website on December 7, 2020 at 6:30 AM EST (https://www.newsweek.com/covid-relief-funds-went-violent-extremists-opinion-1552485). Since you have chosen not to remove the above “Opinion” article from your website as I had urged in my previous two letters, I now ask you to publish this rejoinder from me on your website, giving it the same prominence as was given to the above-mentioned piece. In addition, I reiterate our demand that you withdraw the defamatory article by Mr. Westrop immediately. It is disappointing that Newsweek, once one of America’s best news organizations, chose to publish an allegation of terrorism against us without first reaching out to us for comment. Providing the opportunity to respond to an allegation — especially one so grave as to accuse an organization of being linked with terrorism — is a fundamental principle of journalism, something that Newsweek has clearly failed to uphold in this case. Your failure to provide us that opportunity is especially hypocritical considering that you demanded a similar opportunity when Daniel Tovrov published a detailed report against Newsweek in Columbia Journalism Review in October 2019. If you deserve an opportunity to set the record straight on allegations against you, so do we on allegations against us. What is truly ironic is that you have published an article about IAMC getting Covid relief stimulus worth $1,000, whereas Newsweek itself has faced heat for receiving a whopping $350,000, in violation of the stimulus provisions. Both my previous letters to you explained that the allegation in Mr. Sam Westrop’s “opinion” article that IAMC has “alleged ties with SIMI”, a banned terrorist organization in India, is patently false and baseless. We challenge you to provide a single piece of evidence in support of that allegation, or even to prove that IAMC is an Islamist organization, another allegation from Mr. Westrop. Following my first letter, you added a hyperlink to the word “alleged” before the words “ties to SIMI,” linking a report from the Hindu American Foundation (HAF), a US-based organization that is as Islamophobic as is Mr. Westrop’s Middle East Forum. The HAF is tied to the RSS, the Hindu supremacist organization to which Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his political party belong. The HAF has continued to support Prime Minister Modi despite his government’s massive persecution of its non-Hindu minorities, including 200 million Muslims and over 30 million Christians. The cofounders of HAF were former executive council members of the American branch of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (World Hindu Council), which has been classified by the Central Intelligence Agency as a “religious militant” organization. The VHP has also been denounced by Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International for orchestrating mass violence against India’s Christians and Muslims. In a report on violence agaisnt women in India, Amnesty wrote that “calls to rape Muslim girls and women were contained in pamphlets produced by the VHP and the RSS and distributed in Ahmedabad months before the violence started in 2002. The International General Secretary of VHP called for a new law that would behead anyone attempting to convert a Hindu. Even the HAF report that was hyperlinked in the article only says that IAMC “previously hosted” Mohammad Siddiqi, the founder of Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI).  After founding SIMI in 1977 Dr. Siddiqi left IT in 1980, fully 21 years before the Indian Government banned the organization. In 1981, Dr. Siddiq migrated to the US, where he became a US citizen and retired in 2015 after 28 years as a tenured Professor of Journalism and Public Relations at the Western Illinois University, an institution he had joined after receiving his PhD from Temple University, Philadelphia, in 1987. Not once in the 44 years since SIMI was founded in 1977, or in the nearly two decades since SIMI was banned in 2001, has any law enforcement agency or prosecution, either in the US or in India, named Dr. Siddiqi as an accused or as a person of interest. Dr. Siddiqi’s name has not featured as an accused or as being connected, even indirectly, to SIMI in the court filings India’s Government has submitted for each of the eight times it has banned SIMI, the last in 2019. Dr. Siddiqi has never been accused by police in any part of India of even the smallest of crimes, much less terrorism. As a US citizen of Indian origin, he has traveled to India multiple times to meet with his extended family, including after SIMI’s ban in 2001, but not once have Indian law enforcement agencies even questioned him. Not only did Dr. Siddiqi have nothing to do with SIMI, he criticized it for its turn to extremism. In an interview headlined “The SIMI I founded was completely different” published by Rediff, a leading Indian news website, in 2003, Dr. Siddiqi said he believed that SIMI had been “hijacked by elements in other countries and other Muslim societies” and that “some of them at least have become misguided and radical in their beliefs.” (https://www.rediff.com/news/2003/sep/02inter.htm) From 2009 to 2015, Dr. Siddiqi was a member of the Board of Trustees of the Parliament of the World’s Religions, the world’s largest global body for people of different faiths. He chaired the Program Committee at the Parliament’s international conference held in October 2015 at Salt Lake City, which had more than 10,000 attendees from over 50 faiths and countries. Dr. Siddiqi is a Board Member of the World Council of Muslims for Interfaith Relations set up in 2001 in London, UK. From 2009 to 2015, Dr. Siddiqi served the State of Illinois as an honorary Interfaith Chaplain, in which role he visited the state’s various Correction Centers and spoke with inmates to help them along a path

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IAMC (Indian American Muslim Council)Statement on ludicrous attacks from Middle East Forum and their American Hindu nationalist allies

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February 9, 2021 The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC – www.iamc.com), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, has responded to a ludicrous attack from the Middle East Forum (MEF), a widely discredited Islamophobic organization, recently published online by “Sunday Guardian Live.” The response is in the form of a letter to the publication ridiculing the attack against IAMC and its coalition partners, comprising of prominent human rights defenders in the US and India. The Sunday Guardian Live article, written by Benjamin Baird of the MEF makes baseless allegations about IAMC having links with “violent and extremist” entities, which includes individuals such as India’s Vice President Dr. Hamid Ansari as well as prominent writer and social activist Mr. Harsh Mander, who is a featured speaker at Amnesty International. The pathetic attacks published in this barely known online publication, are astounding for their sheer absurdity. However they also demonstrate the desperation of Hindu nationalist front organizations in the US to besmirch IAMC, even at the expense of collaborating with racist and xenophobic organizations like MEF that have no credibility. They are a continuation of the attacks initiated by MEF in an “opinion” piece published by Newsweek in December. What is the Middle East Forum? Middle East Forum has earned well-deserved notoriety as a well-funded racist group with a track record of xenophobia, bigotry, racism and hate-mongering. It has been called out by the Southern Poverty Law Center as well as the Center for American Progress, and is widely acknowledged as a rabid Islamophobic organization that revels in peddling hate and disinformation. MEF is not only notorious for its Islamophobic views but has also inspired terror attacks in the past. The MEF and its founder Daniel Pipes were cited sixteen times in far-right mass murderer Anders Breivik’s manifesto detailing his motivations for his July 2011 attack that resulted in the killing of 77 people. Multiple female employees at MEF have accused Daniel Pipes, MEF’s President, of having protected his second-in-command, himself accused of serial sex offenses in at least four cases of sexual harassment in the US. MEF is now embroiled in multiple sexual assault, sexual harassment and gender discrimination lawsuits by several female employees. Additional details about MEF and its reputation for having “spent the better part of three decades vilifying Muslims,” can be found in the open letter. Why are they attacking IAMC?   Hindu nationalist front organizations in the US have entered into a collaboration with MEF, in order to blunt the impact of IAMC and other organizations advocating for the defense of human rights and religious freedom in India. In December 2020, Newsweek published a piece by Sam Westrop, who works for the MEF, alleging IAMC to be an “anti-Hindu, Islamist organization” with alleged links to an extremist organization in India. This is the same Sam Westrop who was ordered by a British court in 2017, to pay damages of £140,000 for falsely claiming in an article that a Tunisian Muslim man was a “convicted terrorist.” Notably, after IAMC tweeted its second letter to Newsweek expressing displeasure with Westrop’s canard, the editor-at-large of Newsweek Naveed Jamali, wrote on Twitter that “people like Sam Westrop or the Middle Eastern Forum shouldn’t be given a platform.” The piece published in Sunday Guardian Live is written by another MEF employee Benjamin Baird. Baird builds on Westrop’s distortions to craft an image of IAMC with the goal of undermining our advocacy for peace, pluralism and justice. Far from hurting IAMC, the piece is a classic example of cyber-lynch mobs that Hindu nationalist front organizations are now unleashing in the US, imitating the physical lynch mobs that countless Muslims and Dalits have fallen victim to in India. One of the leading Hindu nationalist organizations in the US that is visibly collaborating with MEF to attack US groups working for human rights in India is the Hindu American Foundation (HAF). Who is Hindu American Foundation?   Hindu American Foundation (HAF) is an apologist for Hindu nationalism and the RSS-BJP ideology of Hindutva in the US. Since its inception HAF has worked to deflect any scrutiny of the rapidly deteriorating situation in India with respect to human rights and religious freedom.  Recently HAF staff have spoken at an MEF event, peddling the same lies about IAMC that are now being regurgitated by their partners at MEF. The reason for HAF’s ire against IAMC? The fact that IAMC has testified before the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission of the US House of Representatives and works closely with members of Congress, Congressional Committees, US Department of State, the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and the UN Special Rapporteur to bring international attention to the plight of India’s social and religious minorities, including Muslims, Christians, Sikhs and Dalits. An HAF surrogate is now desperately trying to malign IAMC’s allies in civil society, including credible Hindu organizations such as Hindus For Human Rights. Allegations against IAMC   Before addressing the allegations, which are detailed in the open letter to Sunday Guardian Live, it is important to first highlight the deceptive methods used by Benjamin Baird and his colleagues at MEF. These include extensively referring to discredited, disinformation websites, providing links to their own articles that provide no proof for their claims and relying on quotes provided by anonymous sources in biased articles. Mr. Baird takes issue with IAMC for having invited noted columnist and internationally acclaimed activist Harsh Mander. Mr. Mander served as Special Commissioner to the Supreme Court of India and was a member of the National Advisory Council of the Government of India. He was a member of one of the core groups that are part of the National Human Rights Commission of India and has been conferred with multiple awards for his significant contributions to peace and social justice. Mr. Baird’s attack on Harsh Mander references an opinion piece from a well known Hindu nationalist fake news factory called OpIndia, which has been rejected

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Rejoinder to “Chicago’s Indian American Muslim Council doth protest too much”

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To, The Editor, Sunday Guardian Live New Delhi, India   February 9, 2021   Dear Editor, This bears reference to an article published by Sunday Guardian Live, headlined “Chicago’s Indian American Muslim Council doth protest too much,” authored by Benjamin Baird of the Middle East Forum (MEF). I am writing to point out the lies, fallacies and ludicrous distortions in the article about IAMC, the organization that I represent, in the hope that you may do the right thing by removing Mr. Baird’s trash from your website. Firstly, are you sure you want to associate with the Middle East Forum (MEF), an organization that is known to have inspired mass murder? You should know that Anders Behring Breivik, the Norwegian terrorist who killed 77 people in 2011, cited the Middle East Forum and its founder, Daniel Pipes, 16 times in his 1,500-page “manifesto” as his inspiration for committing the terror acts.  Even if you are all in with the Hindutva fascists with all their baloney, you need to reconsider hanging out with MEF. Besides inspiring a mass murderer, MEF has long been outed as one of the worst xenophobic and racist organizations that revels in peddling hate and disinformation. The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), the hugely-respected US nonprofit that works against white supremacy and tracks hate groups, describes MEF as a “think tank run by anti-Muslim provocateur Daniel Pipes”. The SPLC has written that Pipes is an “anti-Muslim activist” who has “spent the better part of three decades vilifying Muslims”. Likewise, the Bridge Initiative of Washington, D.C.-based Georgetown University, has called the MEF “a right-wing anti-Islam think tank that spreads misinformation, creates “watchlists” targeting academics… provides funding to numerous anti-Muslim organizations and has provided legal services to a number of anti-Muslim activists including [Islamophobic Dutch politician] Geert Wilders and [British far right anti-Islam activist] Tommy Robinson.” In 2018, Mr. Pipes financed a violent far right rally in support of Tommy Robinson who had been sentenced to imprisonment for violating court orders. Those marchers had attacked the police and were widely condemned internationally. You should also know that in 2017 a British court ordered Sam Westrop, the MEF’s “Islamist Watch Director”, to pay damages of £140,000 for falsely claiming in an article that a Tunisian Muslim man was a “convicted terrorist”. The judge wrote that not only did Mr. Westrop fail to provide any evidence to back his claim, he refused to take down the article until the court forced him to do so. Eventually, Mr. Westrop acknowledged the man was not a terrorist. Incidentally, this bogus Mr. Westrop is the one who wrote the defamatory Newsweek article about IAMC in December, which Mr. Baird, his colleague, references in his piece on your website. Indeed, falsification and spurious garbage are a recurring trait with MEF folks. In 1995, after domestic terrorist Timothy McVeigh carried out a deadly bombing at Oklahoma killing 168 people, Mr. Pipes, in an interview with USA Today, suggested that Muslims were behind the terror act. He never apologized even after it was known that the perpetrator was not Muslim but a White terrorist. I hope you know that Mr. Pipes has been accused by multiple female employees of protecting a serial sex offender, Gregg Roman, in at least four lawsuits in the US. Mr. Roman is the MEF Director and the second-in-command to Mr. Pipes. You might want to read all the lawsuits here. At least nine women have claimed that every time they brought the issue of sexual harassment by Mr. Roman to Mr. Pipes’s attention, he was not only dismissive of the allegations but was openly hostile to the complainants.   Following are a few quotes from the lengthy lawsuits:   “Defendant, Daniel Pipes suggested that because priests who molest children were permitted by the Catholic Church to remain priests, Defendant, Greg Roman should be permitted to continue his employment at the MEF.” “At every opportunity, Defendant, Daniel Pipes has introduced policies, procedures, and protocols designed to punish the victims (female employees of The Middle East Forum) who have claimed abuse and sexual abuse, while rewarding the individual accused of abusing these same female employees.”   According to one of the lawsuits, Greg Roman was alleged to have sexually harassed and/or forcibly had sex with no less than 14 employees reporting to him at MEF, including an 18 year old intern. Moreover, at a meeting called by Daniel Pipes to address the issue of sexual harassment by Greg Roman, one of the participants accused the victims of “wearing revealing cloths” and attracting Roman’s attention. Oh, by the way, Mr. Pipes has no love for brown desi types such as you and me. The Harvard University’s Pluralism Project Archive notes that in 1990 Mr. Pipes wrote in the National Review that “Western societies are unprepared for the massive immigration of brown-skinned peoples cooking strange foods and maintaining different standards of hygiene.” You should also read the seminal report by the Center for American Progress (CAP), the respected Washington, D.C.-based advocacy organization that was until recently run by Neera Tanden. Ms. Tanden is now the Director of the US Office of Management and Budget in President Biden’s administration. The CAP report calls Mr. Pipes a “misinformation expert,” recalling that he had been part of the campaign that spread the lie about former President Barack Obama being a Muslim.   Now let’s come to Mr. Baird’s article you have published. Firstly, it is not “Chicago’s” IAMC. IAMC is registered in Washington, D.C., and it has two dozen chapters across the US, Chicago being one. Next, Mr. Baird writes that my comment on Facebook against drinking cow urine to cure coronavirus amounts to “spouting repugnant anti-Hindu slurs and mocking Hindu tradition.” However, this dangerous idea of using cow urine both as a prevention of Covid-19 infection and as a treatment for the disease is exactly what the RSS and BJP have been advocating. In July, BJP West Bengal President Dilip Ghosh urged people to “drink cow urine to

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Desecration of Mahatma Gandhi’s statue an attack on the ideals of pluralism say Indian Americans

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Indian American Muslim Council (http://www.iamc.com) an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos today strongly condemned the vandalization and destruction of Mahatma Gandhi’s statue in the city of Davis in California. The heinous act has hurt the sentiments, not just of the Indian American community, but of millions of people in the United States who continue to be inspired by Mahatma Gandhi’s struggle for peace, pluralism and justice. On the occasion of his death anniversary, IAMC has also drawn attention to the fact that the same hateful and divisive ideologies that claimed the Mahatma’s life continue to plague the world, albeit in different forms. “Gandhiji was assassinated, not just by Nathuram Godse (a member of RSS), but by the Hindu nationalist movement that continues to be characterized by its deep animus towards minorities and towards India’s cherished tradition of tolerance and pluralism,” said Mr. Rasheed Ahmed, Executive Director of IAMC. “The destruction of Mahatma Gandhi’s statue in California is an outcome of the relentless assaults on the peace icon’s legacy including the glorification of his murderer by the RSS and it’s affiliates, such as the BJP, the ruling party of the current Indian administration” added Mr. Ahmed.

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Renowned historians urge Hindus and Muslims to recognize shared heritage

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Scholars repudiate myths fueling Islamophobia in India FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 27, 2021 Prof. Harbans Mukhia and Dr. Audrey Truschke, and a prominent political scientist Dr. Shamsul Islam, came together during a webinar on the subject of “Examining Muslims in Indian History,” to emphasize the shared heritage of all South Asians and to reject myths that are fueling Islamophobia in India. The webinar was organized on January 26, India’s Republic Day by Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos. Prof. Mukhia, who spoke on the subject of “how Muslim was the medieval Indian state?” categorically asserted there was no historical evidence to suggest that the medieval Indian Muslim state was engaged in large scale conversion of Hindus to Islam. Prof. Mukhia, a former professor of medieval history at Jawaharlal Nehru University in Delhi, said, “There is no evidence as there is no data because these conversions took place over centuries, over three or four or five centuries. Very slowly, gradually and at the hands of many many agencies and many motivations. It was not as if the state was out to convert people and they converted.” He also rejected the portrayal of Aurangzeb as a fanatic. He based his assessment  on the accounts of historians like Sujan Rai Bhandari, Bhem Sen, none of whom describe Aurangzeb as a bigot. “They speak of him as a good ruler, bad ruler, efficient ruler, inefficient ruler, but they don’t portray him as an Islamic zealot.” Prof. Mukhia recounted that the first recorded communal riots took place in 1714, seven years after Auragzeb died. “Communal riots as we understand them today did not happen in all of medieval India. In the whole of the 18th century, five riots took place. So that is the record of the relations between the common Hindus and common Muslims,” he added. On the subject of Babri Mosque, Prof. Mukhia asserted that there was no evidence whatsoever of the existence of a Ram temple, or any other temple that was demolished by Babur. It was only at the beginning of the 19th century that a popular belief began to grow, linking the Babri Mosque site with the birthplace of Ram. Dr. Audrey Truschke picked up on the theme of Babri mosque, and characterized Indo-Muslim history as the heritage of all South Asians and not just that of Muslims. “When a violent mob pulled down the Babri masjid, brick by brick, in 1992, this was not just a loss for Indian Muslims. This was an act that destroyed a part of the heritage of all Indians and all South Asians,” she said. She bemoaned the narrative that is designed to spur hatred towards Indian Muslim rulers. “This hatred is not based on real history. This is based on some toxic cocktail of half truths, cherry picked tid-bits and straight up lies,” asserted Dr. Truschke. Dr. Truschke argued that no one can really understand modern India without understanding the Indo-Muslim history. Without it we would be at a loss to explain tens of thousands of Persian manuscripts of Ramayana and Mahabharata that are today across archives in South Asia and far beyond. “PM Narendra Modi has stood in front of that Mughal monument (Red Fort) to address the Indian nation using Persian words which are now part of Hindi precisely because of Indo-Muslim rule. Without Indian Muslim history we cannot understand the words of a man who espouses such ignorance about his own heritage. And it is Modi’s heritage, whether he likes it or not,” added Dr. Truschke. Dr. Shamsul Islam, a former associate professor at Delhi University, also expounded on the subject of the Babri mosque, and wondered how Goswami Tulsi Das who wrote Ram Charit Manas 40 years after the building of Babri mosque in Ayodhya, does not mention that a Ram temple was destroyed or some mosque had come up at the birth place of Ram. Dr. Islam who spoke on the role of Muslims in India’s freedom struggle, named all major events during the freedom movement, starting from the First War of Independence in 1857,recounting the names of almost equal number of Muslims who fought shoulder to shoulder with their fellow Hindu revolutionaries against the British. He made a point of discussing Ayodhya in Faizabad in order to highlight what was happening there during the freedom struggle of 1857.  “In 1857, Maulana Ameer Ali, a scholar, and a pandit Ramcharan Das of Hanuman Garhi, organized a resistance army. They were caught due to the treachery of a British insider in the community, and they were hanged from a tamarind tree in Faizabad where now stands the Faizabad jail,” he said, adding that every part of India witnessed thousands of such examples.   Dr. Islam highlighted that Hindutva proponents lie when they claim all Muslims supported Muslim League. Only 8% Muslims had a right to vote. One had to be a revenue payer and degree holder to vote. He went on to add details of Muslim opposition to the idea of Pakistan and the Partition. He was frank in equating Hindutva with Brahminism, calling it the biggest threat against the integrity of India. IAMC is dedicated to promoting the common values of pluralism, tolerance, and respect for human rights that form the basis of the world’s two largest secular democracies – the United States and India.

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American NRIs mark Indian Republic Day with joy, pledges to defend the Constitution

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Diaspora expresses solidarity with Farmers’ Protest and other agitations to defend pluralism in India FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 26, 2021 The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, has congratulated all Indians and people of Indian descent on the occasion of India’s 72nd Republic Day. IAMC is organizing the Republic Day Video Contest (www.iamc.com/republicday) and online celebration to mark the occasion will be held on Sunday, January 31. The celebrations have been punctured by the relentless attacks of forces seeking to subvert India’s secular moorings with a narrow, bigoted worldview that divides people on the basis of religion and caste. For millions of Indians, Republic Day is sadly an occasion to lament how far the country has deviated from the Constitution and its founding principles. “As we celebrate the great milestone of India adopting a Constitution that should be the pride of every Indian, the occasion is a grim reminder of how much the country is reeling under the onslaught of those whose mission is to undermine this very Constitution,” said Mr. Ahsan Khan, President of IAMC. “We would like to express our solidarity with Farmers’ Protest and the struggle for equity and justice that it represents,” added Mr. Khan. Thousands of farmers, who have gathered outside New Delhi, in order to protest the government’s anti-farmer and anti-people policies, represent the plight of millions, for whom the reckless jingoism, authoritarianism and crony capitalism of Hindutva has brought only misery and a constriction of their freedoms.

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India’s human rights situation is very serious says UN Special Rapporteur

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UN Special Rapporteur asks India to free 16 Human Rights Defenders accused in Bhima-Koregaon case FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 21, 2021 The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), an advocacy organization dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, today launched a report titled, “Crushing Dissent: 2021 Status Report on Human Rights in India,” detailing human rights abuses in India. At the launch of this report, UN Special Rapporteur Ms. Mary Lawlor called upon the Indian government to immediately release 16 human rights defenders who have been imprisoned on charges of terrorism in the ‘Bhima-Koregaon Case’.  “These people should not be in jail. They are our modern-day heroes and we should all be looking to them and supporting them and demanding their release,” Mary Lawlor, UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders, said on Thursday.Along with Father Stan Swamy, the octogenarian Jesuit priest against whose “arbitrary detention” in this case she has already written to the Indian Government, Ms. Lawlor said 15 others jailed in the same case must also be released. Ms. Lawlor while read out the names of the imprisoned rights activists who have worked to uphold the rights of the others should be acknowledged and they are Surendra Gadling, Rona Wilson, Sudhir Dhawale, Mahesh Raut, Vernon Gonsalves and Arun Fereria; Supreme Court lawyer Sudha Bharadwaj; authors Gautam Navlakha and Anand Teltumbde; poet Varvara Rao; academicians Hany Babu and Shoma Sen; and theater artistes Ramesh Gaichor, Sagar Gorkhe and Jyoti Jagtap. The so-called Bhima-Koregaon case refers to violence at a public meeting called three years ago by low-caste Hindus at a village known as Bhima-Koregaon in Maharashtra state. Several civil rights investigations have established that upper caste Hindus allied with India’s ruling party, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s BJP, carried out the violence. Police have, however, targeted human rights defenders, who deny their involvement.   Ms. Lawlor, whose three-year term as UN Special Rapporteur began last May, also called out the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), under which the Bhima-Koregaon accused have been charged, as among the “several prominent pieces of legislation that would appear on paper and in practice to undermine rights contained in the covenant and the work of human rights defenders.” Amendments to the UAPA made in 2019, which granted “greater powers” to designate individuals as terrorists “despite the definition of a terrorist act not being precise or concrete,” failed to “comply with the principles of legal certainty,” Ms. Lawlor said.“This has opened up the Act, which was already being used to target human rights defenders, to greater abuse. In 2020, it continued to be applied against human rights defenders with the extremely damaging effect of conflating the defense of human rights with terrorist activities,” Ms. Lawlor said, adding, there was “a very concerning deterioration of the environment for defending human rights” in India. Saying that India’s human rights “situation is very serious,” Ms. Lawlor said she sent “six communications” to the Indian Government since May to “convey our concerns on human rights issues”. India had responded to just one. In June she wrote to the Indian Government raising concerns over the arrest of 11 human rights defenders for protesting the Citizenship (Amendment) Act. “However, this communication has gone unanswered.”She added: “Defending human rights is not terrorism. We need to get that message out over and over again.”Noted human rights defender Teesta Setalvad said “among human rights defenders who are today incarcerated, besides those mentioned by Mr. Lawlor, we have a list of almost 23 very young and dynamic human rights defenders incarcerated in post February 2020 anti-Muslim pogrom in Delhi. Among the 23, almost 19 happened to be young Muslims activists, who actually came into the forefront of leadership to resist the draconian citizenship Amendment Act. These young activists were deliberately targeted by the state because of their clarity, courage and determination. “The lower caste (the untouchables) have been singularly targeted for thousands of years and subjected to othering and discrimination by the dominant caste. Then, it is the Muslim community who is facing discrimination and marginalization for the last 40 years. And since the 1990s, Indian Christian community has also been subject to this kind of othering. added Teesta. The Indian Government had arrested Father Stan Swamy only because he had worked for four decades for the uplift of the poor tribal people in Jharkhand state, Father Cedric Prakash, a Jesuit priest and a human rights defender, said. Fr. Swamy became an obstacle for successive governments who, “in collusion with vested interest, especially those who deplete the forests of the precious resources, like the mining mafia, the timber merchants,” wanted to wrest control of the forests from the tribal people. “Fr. Swamy was fighting for the release of more than 3000 tribal youth, struggling for their rights, accompanying them in their legal battles, and so on.”Former Australian Senator Lee Rhiannon said “the notion that India is a great secular democracy has become a cloak to conceal the extent of the injustice.” The foundation on which is India’s judiciary, parliamentary and education systems have been “extensively eroded” as Mr. Modi’s government’s “passing discriminatory laws, neutralizing judges and cultivating a BJP controlled police force is at an advanced stage.”  IAMC National General Secretary Mohammad Jawad said “This exhaustive report’s coverage of all the aspects — from the sedition laws and hate speech, to national security legislation and the criminalization of dissent, from the questions on the independence of the judiciary to the dilution of labor laws and the universal health policies — demonstrates how the Modi government is set to undo decades of positive and progressive work in India.” IAMC will share the 2021 Human Rights report, “Crushing Dissent”, with members of US Congress, the White House, the Department of State, the National Security Council, think-tanks, the US academia and research community and the civil rights activists and NGOs, he added.CONTACTIndian American Muslim Council Phone/Fax: 1-800-839-7270 Email: info@iamc.com Facebook: /IndianAmericanMuslimCouncil Twitter: @IAMCouncil Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295, Morton Grove, IL 60053.Indian American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in

Press Release

Letter urging Biden Campaign to Carefully Vet Political Appointees for Links to Religious Militant Organizations and Affiliates in India

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December 2020 Dear President-Elect Biden, We write to you as a broad coalition of community organizations in America that care about a principled relationship between the world’s two largest democracies, the United States and India. Specifically, we are concerned about certain Indian-American individuals who are proximate to your Presidential administration. These individuals purport to uphold the values of the Democratic Party in the context of American politics; however, they also advance the ideology and political interests of violent, extremist Hindu Nationalist groups in India, essentially serving as their foreign agents. They often claim to be anti-Trump, citing their minority status and the values of the Democratic party. But in India, they stand for the equivalent of Trumpism: Hindu supremacy. These far-right groups have engaged in organized violence and discrimation against a number of minorities, including Muslims, Sikhs, Buddhists, Dalits (formerly referred to as “untouchables”) and Christians. We declare our strong belief that such individuals should not be part of your administration. The United States and India have long shared a unique and important relationship. You have highlighted this in your own “ Agenda for the Indian-American Community” stating: “As the world’s oldest and largest democracies, the United States and India are bound together by our shared democratic values: fair and free elections, equality under the law, and the freedom of expression and religion. These core principles have endured throughout each of our nations’ histories and will continue to be the source of our strength in the future.” Today, however, the specter of authoritarianism hangs over India, as India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, threatens to abolish the cherished values of secularism, pluralism, and dignity of all communities — values that have defined the founding idea of modern India. Modi and his ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have seriously compromised India’s democratic institutions: its judiciary, free media, and even its education system, putting these to the service of an alarming right-wing ethnonationalist ideology, in which Hindus are considered racially and culturally superior to all other communities. Muslims, Dalits, and liberal/left activists have been particularly vilified and often even violently attacked, which has left them in constant fear for their safety. The BJP is an affiliate of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, a Hindu paramilitary organization that believes India is a country solely for Hindus, and views other minority groups as enemies or infiltrators. Many of its affiliate groups have been labelled “religious militant organizations” by the CIA. The BJP has nowhere disavowed the belief system of the RSS; on the contrary, its leaders borrow from both its discourse and its networks, passing legislation that targets minorities and emboldening various far-right Hindu militias. India’s Home Minister, Amit Shah, has used the word “termites” to describe both immigrants and long-dwelling Muslim Indians and cast them as “infiltrators.” Yogi Adityanath, the BJP Chief Minister of India’s most populous state, has publicly said that “If one Hindu girl marries a Muslim man, then we will take 100 Muslim girls in return…If they [Muslims] kill one Hindu man, then we will kill 100 Muslim men.” According to one Indian media organization, there have been over 113 lynchings—mainly of Muslims and Dalits—since 2015. The latest and perhaps most horrific instance of such vigilantism was an anti-Muslim pogrom that transpired in Delhi this February in which over fifty were killed. President Trump, whose reelection campaign was endorsed by Modi, was in Delhi as these attacks occurred, yet chose not to comment on it. In August 2019, the BJP passed legislation ridding the state of Jammu and Kashmir of its last vestiges of political autonomy. The region of Kashmir—already the most militarized region in the world—has since faced a severe lockdown, violations of basic human rights, and a near-total media blackout. In December of that year, the BJP passed its most ambitious legislation aimed at ending secularism in India— the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), which links citizenship to religion for the first time in India’s history. Together with plans for a nationwide National Registry of Citizens, the CAA threatens to disenfranchise millions of Indian Muslims, a move that you expressed concern about in your campaign: “Joe Biden has been disappointed by the measures that the government of India has taken with the implementation and aftermath of the National Register of Citizens in Assam and the passage of the Citizenship Amendment Act into law. These measures are inconsistent with the country’s long tradition of secularism and with sustaining a multi-ethnic and multi-religious democracy.” The BJP and RSS have long sought to influence—and infiltrate—American politics through its affiliate diaspora organizations. Worryingly, many South Asian-Americans individuals with ties to far-right Hindu organizations in India are affiliated with the Democratic party. They might not openly endorse Hindu supremacism (“Hindutva”) or call for violence against minorities, but they have often made their intentions clear in their mobilization against legislation that has sought to protect human rights in India. Indeed, they practice a peculiar form of identity politics, presenting themselves as spokespeople of the ethnic Hindu minority in the United States, while endorsing the worst forms of Hindu majoritarianism in India. They often use the pretense of fighting American racism, and espouse multiculturalism in the US, but perpetuate a racism of their own in India. It is our belief that anyone who receives funding from or makes public statements in support of the BJP, RSS, and its affiliates—including their American chapters—are entirely complicit in the rise of authoritarianism and ethnonationalist violence in India. (By admitting such individuals to your administration, you risks such complicity as well, which will fatally undermine the commitments promised in your campaign, where you promised the following: “As the world’s leading democracy, we have a responsibility to defend and advance rights and dignity, and work towards a more peaceful, more secure world. [Joe Biden] believes that what we say and do matters, and that we must not refrain from condemning violations of universal rights or from supporting economic and political reforms.” With this context in mind, we call on you to support

Press Release

Leading Indian American Organizations, Activists Urge Indian Supreme Court to Give Bail to Sanjiv Bhatt

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 18, 2021 The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, and Hindus for Human Rights (HfHR),  which is committed to the ideals of multi-religious pluralism in the United States, India and beyond, along with leading politicians, civil rights activists and organizations from India and the US today urged India’s Supreme Court in an online press conference to grant immediate bail to former police officer Sanjiv Bhatt, calling his conviction in a murder case wrong and based on fraudulent evidence.  IAMC and HfHR  were joined by leading personalities from India such as Member of Parliament Shashi Tharoor, renowned documentary filmmaker and human rights defender Anand Patwardhan, human rights activist and artist Mallika Sarabhai  and Magsaysay Award winner Sandeep Pandey in criticizing Mr. Bhatt’s conviction,  predicting that it would not stand under judicial scrutiny, and urging the Supreme Court to set him free immediately in order to uphold the rule of law. Sanjiv Bhatt is widely believed to have been targeted only because he had claimed to be an eyewitness to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s complicity in the mass violence against Muslims during the Gujarat pogrom of 2002. The horrific violence, perpetrated by Hindu nationalist forces owing allegiance to the supremacist ideology of Hindutva, claimed the lives of over 2,000 people many of whom were raped and burnt alive. It led to the US Department of State revoking Mr. Modi’s US visa under the International Religious Freedom Act. The revocation was in place until Mr. Modi became Prime Minister of India. The Supreme Court of India has scheduled a bail hearing for Mr. Bhatt on January 22. Under Indian law, courts can grant bail to those convicted of various crimes, including murder, pending their appeal at higher courts. Mr. Bhatt was convicted in June 2019 for the death of a man in 1990. His defense was not allowed to cross-examine prosecution witnesses during the brief trial, nor was it allowed to present its own witnesses or submit evidence. India’s human rights groups have called it a sham trial.Dr. Shashi Tharoor, currently a member of Parliament and formerly an Undersecretary General at the United Nations, said he was “outraged by the injustice meted out” to Mr. Bhatt, whose “conscientious service to society” and “indomitable capacity for speaking truth to power” had put him in jail. “Sanjiv’s case is a reflection of the grim times that we live in, where constitutional values and fundamental privileges that have been granted by the constitution to all Indians appear in many cases to be diluted and in many cases perhaps even supplanted by illiberal forces,” Dr. Tharoor said. “All Indians with a conscience like Sanjiv Bhatt’s must stand up and fight back against such challenges that threaten to undermine the very foundation of our republic.” Filmmaker and human rights defender Anand Patwardhan said Mr. Bhatt had been jailed “for no other reason than the fact that he opposed the massacre in 2002” and spoke against it. Mr. Patwardhan said the civil society “should build a movement for Mr. Bhatt’s release.” Human rights activist, classical dancer and actor Mallika Sarabhai said there was a “definite agenda” not only in the retribution against Mr. Bhatt but in the case of most critics of the Modi government. “If anyone speaks against the government or asks a question, which is a fundamental right of our democracy, they are somehow punished. Raids are carried out against them, false cases are brought up, fraudulent charges are made, and they are made to silence,” Ms. Sarabhai said.“I hope that today we will be able to appeal to the better sense of our great courts to say what is being done to Sanjiv is wrong and needs to be corrected immediately,” she said. “Vindictiveness should find no place in our courts or in any of the decisions taken. It is a sign of weakness and it is a sign of fear. And our courts can neither be weak nor fearful. I hope that our appeal will see that Sanjiv gets a fair trial and that this case is dismissed as the frivolous case that it is.” She said she was “deeply worried” as India’s “dependable” institutions such as the Supreme Court had “keeled over to the powers that be.” The Supreme Court was “today taking cases which are liked by the government on an urgent basis; and other cases which are extremely important and involve thousands of people have been left to stew,” she said. Dozens of human rights fighters, educators and writers were in jail without bail, “without even the slightest courtesy for their age of any other infirmity.” Gandhian activist and Magsaysay Award winner Sandeep Pandey said Mr. Bhatt was the “most courageous” of all police officers as he filed an affidavit stating that Narendra Modi had “chaired a meeting in which the police officers were told to go soft on the Hindutva brigade which was rampaging against the Muslims.” Mr. Pandey said that “manipulation of cases” was a “common story” in the Modi government. Mr. Pandey cited the case of Uttar Pradesh chief minister Adityanath, who had “16 cases against him, including a case of murder and inciting riot,” but the cases were withdrawn later. “They manipulate cases so that either the witnesses are threatened or the people who have filed the cases are threatened to withdraw the cases and the judges are influenced so that the people who have committed the crimes are not convicted.” If Mr. Bhatt’s affidavit was “taken seriously by the court”, proceedings will begin against Mr. Modi “and obviously that cannot happen because he is now Prime Minister. “Sanjiv is paying a price for what he did and the people who are in power are in a situation right now to be able to manipulate things, so that they can get away with their crimes. Everyone knows about it.” The crimes committed by Mr. Modi, India’s home minister Amit Shah and Mr. Adityanath

Press Release

Escalation in Hindutva violence an outrage against the Indian Constitution

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 4, 2021 The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, on Monday said that persecution of Muslims under the rule of militant Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, has increased beyond one’s imagination. “The Narendra Modi government must demonstrate to all Indians and the international community that the Constitution is still in effect,” said Mr. Ahsan Khan, President of IAMC. “This will require putting a stop to the violence against Muslims by groups affiliated to the larger ideological fraternity of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS),” added Mr. Khan. BJP is the political arm of RSS.  On January 26 India will celebrate its Republic day which honors the date on which India adopted the Constitution of India. The Constitution is a collective resolution of the people of India to secure for all its citizens justice, liberty and equality and to promote fraternity among them all, without regard to caste or creed. The strongly worded statement of the IAMC president, came after a series of incidents, suggesting Indian state legitimized the persecution of Muslims, encouraged, and enabled violence against the largest minority community in the country.  The vandalization of Brigadier Mohammed Usman’s grave marks yet another low in India’s rapid descent into fascism. The fact that the grave of a true national hero and martyr like Brigadier Usman was targeted shows that the nationalism of Hindutva is not about the nation at all, nor does it adhere to the norms of any religion. Rather, it is a narrow, bigoted creed that does not regard anything as sacred in its naked drive for power and supremacy. “Be it Uttar Pradesh or Madhya Pradesh, there is no limit to persecution of Muslims by the state. Being a Muslim in India has become a nightmare and that needs to stop,” said Mr. Khan. He referred to the anti-conversion ordinance passed by Uttar Pradesh which is being governed by the Islamophobic, hate mongering, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, now increasingly the poster boy for radical supremacist groups aligned with Hindutva.  The Ordinance targeted Muslim men who happened to marry Hindu women. In its aftermath numerous cases of harassment of interfaith couples were reported. Over a hundred former civil servants from the IAS, IFS, IPS and other branches of the services, declared that the Ordinance turned the state into “the epicenter of politics of hate, division and bigotry.” They wrote to the state chief minister Adityanath, urging him to withdraw the controversial law. These former civil servants include former National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon, former Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao and former Adviser to the Prime Minister TKA Nair. Mohammad Jawad, the national general secretary of the Indian American Muslim Council, referred to recent attack on Muslim households and places of worship in Ujjain, following rallies carried out by Hindu right wing groups. “In Ujjain district of Madhya Pradesh on January 31, police razed the house of a daily wager who had built his house over the past 35 years, pushing a family of 19 to the street. It was done in a one-sided action by the Police after the local Muslim community resisted vandalism of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha workers who tried to create communal disturbance by chanting Hanuman chalisa in front of a mosque, and later damaging its minaret,” said Mr. Jawad.  He said that members of right wing Hindu groups used collection of donations for the construction of Ram temple as a pretext to create fear among Muslims.  “The agitation for demolition of Babri mosque during the 1990s was turned into a source of majoritarian violence. Hindutva groups are following a familiar model of violence,” he added.  IAMC is dedicated to promoting the common values of pluralism, tolerance, and respect for human rights that form the basis of the world’s two largest secular democracies – the United States and India. CONTACTIndian American Muslim Council Phone/Fax: 1-800-839-7270 Email: info@iamc.com Facebook: /IndianAmericanMuslimCouncil Twitter: @IAMCouncil Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295, Morton Grove, IL 60053.

Press Release

Letter to NewsWeek for Publishing Defamatory Opinion Piece against IAMC and other Muslim American organizations

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To The Editor Newsweek Subject: Baseless allegations against IAMC and other Muslim American organizations Dear Sir, This bears reference to an online piece headlined “COVID Relief Funds Went to Violent Extremists” published on your website on December 7, 2020 at 6:30 AM EST (https://www.newsweek.com/covid-relief-funds-went-violent-extremists-opinion-1552485). This piece makes defamatory and patently false claims against several reputed and respectable Muslim American organizations including the Indian American Muslim Council. Specifically the piece refers to IAMC as “an anti-Hindu Islamist group with alleged ties to SIMI, a banned terrorist organization in India.” IAMC is not anti-Hindu. It is not an Islamist group. It has no ties to SIMI. It is hard to believe that a magazine of Newsweek’s stature has run so short of content that it is compelled to accommodate discredited ranters like Sam Westrop. The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), a respected organization working for racial justice and ending white supremacy, has described Middle East Forum, Westrop’s employer, as a “think tank run by anti-Muslim provocateur Daniel Pipes”, an “anti-Muslim activist” who has “spent the better part of three decades vilifying Muslims”. SPLFC says Pipes believes Islam will “replace” western civilization as a result of “unfettered immigration and blind multiculturalism.” According to a Georgetown University initiative, the MEF is “a right-wing anti-Islam think tank that spreads misinformation, creates “watchlists” targeting academics… provides funding to numerous anti-Muslim organizations and has provided legal services to a number of anti-Muslim activists including [Islamophobic Dutch politician] Geert Wilders and [British far right anti-Islam activist] Tommy Robinson.” A cursory Google check would have suitably informed your news desk of the utter lack of acceptability of MEF, Daniel Pipes or Sam Westrop in anything mainstream — US Congress, US Government, US think-tanks, or even the Intelligence Community. Westrop-Pipes-MEF have zero credibility in the human rights, civil liberties and religious freedom sector. Not quite the company Newsweek would like to keep. On the other hand, Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), has wide acceptability in the US Congress, US administration and global civil society. A registered 501(c)3 founded in 2002 and having 17 chapters and thousands of members across the US, IAMC is a rights-based advocacy organization that champions Constitutional and democratic values of freedom, justice and peace both in the US and India. IAMC interacts closely with members of Congress, Congressional committees, and other Congressional entities such as the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission. Over the years IAMC representatives have testified at Congressional hearings on human rights abuses in India, widely acknowledged to be facilitated India’s extreme right-wing Hindu nationalist government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Several US Senators and US Representatives regularly meet and interact with IAMC members to discuss the worsening situation in India in regards to human rights and religious freedom. At the 2020 National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, D.C., IAMC’s representative was one of six panelists from across the world at a discussion on religious freedom called by the US Department of State. The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, an independent federal body established by Congressional law that advises the President, US Congress and the Department of State on global religious persecution, works closely with IAMC. In just the last six months, two Vice-Chairs of USCIRF have headlined Congressional briefings organized by IAMC.  Earlier this year, IAMC was invited by the Harvard India Conference as a panelist to discuss human rights violations in India. IAMC has partnered with the University of Berkley on various projects over the years. IAMC regularly partners and/or collaborates with some of the most prominent rights organizations, including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, American Bar Association and The Advocates for Human Rights. IAMC also has wide-ranging relationships with faith-based as well as non-faith-based advocacy groups. Its collaborators/partners/allies include Jewish Voice for Peace and Hindus for Human Rights (HfHR). HfHR is a Hindu-only organization that opposes the destructive Hindu nationalism of India’s ruling party, with which the Middle East Forum has been hobnobbing. IAMC’s list of partners also includes Equality Labs and Dalit Solidarity Forum, two of America’s largest Dalit rights groups, and Students Against Hindutva Ideology, that started from Yale University earlier this year and spread to campuses around the country. All these organizations are bound by their common opposition to Hindutva, the ideology of Hindu nationalism that has wreaked havoc on India’s social and religious minorities since Mr. Modi became prime minister in 2014. It is because IAMC is at the forefront of a global fight against Hindutva that MEF, which is a steady partner of Hindu extremist organizations in the US, has started to write against us. It is shocking that Newsweek has published a defamatory and libelous piece without giving any opportunity to the organizations who it calls “violent extremists” to respond to the allegations. I urge you to immediately withdraw Sam Westrop’s piece from your website and apologize to all the organizations that the article has defamed. Rasheed Ahmed Executive Director Indian American Muslim Council

Press Release

Hundreds of Indian Americans protest across United States, demanding repeal of farm laws as well as CAA

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 15, 2020 The “Coalition to Stop Genocide in India”, a broad coalition of Indian American and US-based civil rights organizations organized protests on December 12, 13 and 15, in several cities across the US demanding repeal of the pro-corporate farm laws as well as the draconian Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC). The protests were organized in Austin, Atlanta, Dallas, Boston, New York City, Raleigh, Seattle, Chicago and several other cities by the diaspora community and the coalition partners included the Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) and the Boston South Asia Coalition (BSAC).  The protests were attended by hundreds of Indian Americans who braced freezing temperatures in some cities to express solidarity with protesting farmers and citizens in India. Loud cries of ‘Sadda Haqq ithe rakh’ (Give us back our rights) and ‘No Farmer, No Food’, rang out at the Dallas City Hall in Texas, the venue of protests by members of the Sikh community, to support the ongoing farmer protests in India. The severe cold and steady rainfall could not keep the determined lot from registering their protest against the farm laws which are expected to have a crippling effect on an estimated 16 million farmers and a couple million traders associated with agriculture across the country. The protesters highlighted that the farm laws which the Modi government passed would shrink farmers’ income by doing away with the minimum support prices (MSP) fixed by the government, and would leave them at the mercy of corporates.“The Modi government has proven to be the most anti-farmer regime in the history of India. The demonetization devastated the farmers badly, and Modi’s economic policies have enabled exponential increase in the wealth of billionaires and big business at the expense of the common public,” said Mohammed Jawad, National General Secretary of IAMC. “The new farm laws were not only anti-farmer, but they contain among the most sweeping exclusions of a citizen’s right to legal recourse in any law outside of the Emergency of 1975-77,” Mr. Jawad added. Tens of thousands of farmers who perceive these laws as highly detrimental to their interests, have been protesting for about two months in Punjab, before arriving on the borders of Delhi to launch their protests. Since November 26, hundreds of thousands of farmers have converged on Delhi borders in the face of the Modi government which prevented them from entering the national Capital. The support for them has swelled manifold not only in India with 250 million supporting the general strike called by the farmers, but around the world as well. Hundreds of protests have been held in different cities of the world with international media making a strong note of the protests, and the international solidarity it has evoked.Just like the daadis of Shaheen Bagh and Bibis of Punjab, have been winning hearts around the world, Dallas protest warmed up with the entry of 87-year-old Bibi Nachhater Banipal from Ludhiana, who insisted on being at the venue, despite the chilly weather to register her protest. Vijaya Nadar, a Dallas local said that “people of India- be it university students, doctors, employees from various public sectors, those from marginalized groups like Muslims, Christians and Dalits- face an unprecedented danger from an arrogant government, which has passed tyrannical laws to curb their rights and harm their interests. And now that farmers, who are one of the strongest communities, have jumped in to wage a battle against the Modi government, it is now or never to push back the dictatorial government. Amar Sandhu, a local singer who enjoys an impressive following among the South Asian American community, joined the protest with his passionate songs. Braving heavy rain and cold weather on December 12, a large number of residents of Greater Boston attended a protest in solidarity with farmers and anti-CAA activists. They chanted slogans and held placards in solidarity with the farmers who have set up an encampment in Delhi. The protesters marked the one-year anniversary of the discriminatory and unconstitutional Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). The speakers pointed out that the Modi government used the pandemic to impose draconian farm laws that will destroy the small and medium farmers while benefiting the large Indian corporations and multinationals. The speakers also saluted the brave women of Shaheen Bagh who led the equal citizenship movement against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and the National Population Register (NPR). Satya from the Boston South Asian Coalition said, “the CAA was a dress rehearsal for the BJP government to subjugate and divide the people of India along religious lines. Now the farm bills and the labor codes are BJP’s final act to exploit and subjugate the country. People in India are resisting this exploitation with farmer-worker unity. We will resist it in the diaspora as well.”Manisha from the Boston South Asian Coalition said, “the CAA combined with the National Register of Citizens (NRC) will render millions of people stateless and disenfranchised. At Shaheen Bagh a women’s led movement inspired us and people all over the world. We continue to raise our voices against the onslaught of these authoritarian regimes.”  In North Carolina, around 200 protesters gathered at a local Gurdwara. They organized a car rally before marching on foot around the Capitol building in Raleigh downtown raising slogans. One of the protesters, Safa Ahmed who graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hilt, said she wanted to express her solidarity with the farmers. “This is a movement against Modi and everything he represents. As a Muslim who has seen the Sikh community defend and mobilize for my people countless times, it’s my duty to mobilize for the rights of Punjabi farmers as well.”  Suvleen Singh, a senior at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, said the “new farm laws are an attack on our most basic rights, which is why it is so important for us to continue to raise awareness.” The “Coalition to Stop Genocide in

Press Release

Silicon Valley County passes resolution against draconian Indian laws

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Alameda County becomes seventh US body to denounce the draconian CAA-NRC that is targeting citizenship of Indian Muslims FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 11, 2020 Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos has welcomed the resolution passed by Alameda County in the state of California against the draconian Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and related initiatives such as the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and the National Population Register (NPR) that threaten to disenfranchise millions of Indian Muslims.  The Alameda County resolution refers to the fact that the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom designated India as “Country of Particular Concern ( CPC),” and that the Commission in its 2020 report, said that India was “engaging in and tolerating systematic, ongoing, egregious religious freedom violations.”  “Furthermore, it proclaimed that the Alameda County Board of Supervisors opposes the Citizenship Amendment Act, the National Population Register and the National Register of Citizenship in India which together are discriminatory towards Muslims, caste oppressed minorities, women and indigenous people,” the resolution concluded. Ahsan Khan, the President of Indian American Muslim Council, said, the “resolution passed by Alameda County, is consistent with the values of the American and Indian democracies. And hence, I strongly believe that such opposition of various city councils to Indian government’s exclusionary laws, should be a model for the incoming Biden administration to follow and uphold.” This is a major setback for proponents of Hindu Nationalism in the United States, as Alameda County is one of the largest counties in Silicon Valley with a population of over 1.6 million. The county is counted as the seventh most populous county in the state and incorporates 14 cities in the San Francisco Bay Area. Alameda County’s opposition to the discriminatory citizenship provisions of the Indian government, comes in the series of stands taken by various cities in the United States. Six city councils- San Francisco, Seattle, Cambridge, Albany, Saint Paul and Hamtramck- opposed the exclusionary citizenship laws and provisions of the Narendra Modi government. IAMC is dedicated to promoting the common values of pluralism, tolerance, and respect for human rights that form the basis of the world’s two largest secular democracies – the United States and India. References:“Shoot the Traitors” – Discrimination Against Muslims under India’s New Citizenship Policy Report by Human Rights Watch Infographic: Why Is The CAA And NRC Problematic? Amnesty InternationalSan Francisco Becomes Sixth US City to Officially Condemn CAA-NRC – The laws represent an “exclusionary and bigoted worldview they represent”, the city council said in a resolution.The WIRE, India

Press Release

Video Proves Case Against Faisal Khan is False: Lawyer Colin Gonsalves — Indian, American activists demand Khan’s immediate release

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December 10, 2020  On this International Human Rights Day, Hindus for Human Rights (HfHR), Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), and Amnesty International USA (AIUSA) held a press conference to call on the Indian government to immediately and unconditionally release Gandhian peacemaker Faisal Khan from prison in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, India. Faisal Khan is the National Convener of Khudai Kidmatgar (Servants of God), an organization and movement devoted to interfaith harmony and peace. This movement was launched by freedom fighter Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan (also known as Frontier Gandhi and Badshah Khan) in 1929, and revived by Faisal Khan in 2011.   Sunita Viswanath of Hindus for Human Rights laid out the simple facts of the case, “Faisal Khan is a Muslim Gandhian peace activist. He was arrested because he did namaz, which means Muslim prayer, in the courtyard of a Hindu temple. The truth is that the priest invited him to pray there, but four days later the same priest filed a police complaint against Faisal Khan and he was arrested on November 3rd, more than a month ago.” Colin Gonsalves, Faisal Khan’s Legal Counsel, stated that even though evidence in the form of videos and photographs were made available to the court proving that Faisal Khan asked to go outside to offer namaz, and that it was the temple priest who instead asked him to pray on the temple premises, the judge refused to view the video and later wrote in his ruling that no evidence was offered by defense. Mr. Gonsalves expressed cautious optimism that the courts will soon release him.  Documentary maker and human rights defender Anand Patwardhan agreed that there is a strong case to free Faisal Khan, but expressed his concerns and emphasized the critical importance of global attention on human rights in India: “That doesn’t give me absolute confidence because we are in a very peculiar situation, an unprecedented one. So we can’t completely be sure that having a strong case means that we will win. So the pressure that you are putting is absolutely important. The world is watching, and this is something that will make the Indians stay in some check.”  Other highlights of the press conference: Colin Gonsalves, Senior Advocate of the Supreme Court of India, Founder of Human Rights Law Network, and Faisal Khan’s Legal Counsel, gave concrete details of charges against Faisal Khan: “Faisal Khan’s background, inspiring work, and the awards he has won, establish his credibility and the improbability that he would do anything to encourage a division between communities…He visited Mandir after Mandir speaking beautifully to the Pujaries, who received him warmly…The Court says that there was no video or photographs showing him reciting couplets [from Ram Charita Manas]…but the court did not bother to look at all the links we had provided. The video recording provided by Anand Patwardhan is so spectacular that it is clear that there was no crime.”  “On the Namaz: Our pleading is, he told the Pujari – ‘It is Namaz time and I want to go outside the Mandir and we will do our Namaz and come back for lunch.’ And the Pujari says, ‘Not necessary. We have a place at the back of the Mandir please do it there. It will save you some time’… The delay in the filing of the FIR (First information report) for three days shows that certain developments took place, conversations took place, certain people intervened. As a result of which a complaint which would normally be filled within 1 hour of the incident is filled 3 days later. A very important point…Then there is the accusation of him falsely appropriating the work of – Khudai Khidmatgar, which is not worth talking about at all. This is not a blasphemy case at all. It’s a hate speech case.”  “The evidence is totally in our favour. That this should happen shows the weakness of our legal system in Uttar Pradesh and the ability of political people linked to CM Yogi of course. Naturally, to influence or pressure the complainant – the Pujari, but also to bring pressure on the Judges…The photos are very clear, the recordings are very clear, the couplets are crystal clear and I think we have a pretty good chance of getting Faisal out, but keep your fingers crossed. You never know, nowadays with the judiciary; but the people who’ve got all the information together have done a spectacular job in giving us information for the Court case.”  Sunita Viswanath, Hindus for Human Rights, spoke of the importance of Hindus voices of resistance against Hindutva, “Hindus for Human Rights has a special voice in calling for his release as progressive and inclusive Hindus who live by the spirit of ‘vasudhaiva kutumbakam’ which means that all the universe is one family, and that we are one.” Minhaj Khan, Indian American Muslim Council, spoke of Faisal Khan’s arrest in the context of the targeting and arrests of Muslims across India, especially in the state of Uttar Pradesh: “The arrest of Faisal Khan by the Uttar Pradesh Government is a vindictive act of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, whose hatred for Muslims has long been well known. Even among the Hindu rightwing fascists belonging to the RSS parivar, Adityanath is the most vile example …Justice also demands that he spend not another night in a prison cell on these bogus charges against him. Equally important to point out now is that the blasphemy laws under which he has been accused are the laws that India should outlaw…In a robust democracy, people like Faisal Khan are feted, not imprisoned. He is a prisoner of conscience. We demand his immediate freedom.” Govind Acharya, Amnesty International-USA, connected the arrest of Faisal Khan to the spate of other arrests that we have seen in India and to the shutdown of Amnesty International-India: “We in Amnesty International got a taste of this as well. On September 30, we officially heard that Amnesty International India was forced to close because of a series of actions aimed at hindering our work. We

Press Release

Modi Govt must listen to protesting farmers, repeal pro-corporate farm laws: IAMC.

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Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), an advocacy group committed to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, came out in support of tens of thousands of protesting farmers in India, and said that government of India must listen to the farmers, and repeal the three pro-corporate farm laws it recently passed. Two weeks back thousands of farmers reached Delhi to protest against the farm laws which they say will shrink their income by doing away with the minimum support prices (MSP) fixed by the government, and leave them at the mercy of corporates. Even as the farmers protest has expanded to different parts of the country, at least five farmers have died since the protests began. “The Indian government claims the laws are part of agriculture reforms that will help farmers dispense with middlemen. But there is a strong merit in the argument of farmers that big corporate firms owned by the likes of Ambani and Adani will take over the role of middlemen, and that there will be no match to their power and grip over farmers,” said Ahsan Khan, the president of Indian American Muslim Council. “Modi government has allowed big corporations to take over areas which were earlier limited to government control. Farmers’ concern that both prices and demand will be pushed down after corporate firms buy in bulk, and they would be at the mercy of big private conglomerates, is totally understandable” added Mr. Khan. Modi government has been the most anti-farmer regime in the history of India. Despite promising to ensure “a minimum of 50 per cent profit over the cost of production” in the manifesto, the government went to the Supreme Court to declare it was difficult to fulfil. The Demonetization implemented by the Modi government devastated the farmers badly as it rendered all the cash in hand useless.  Mohammad Jawad, the national general secretary of the Indian American Muslim Council said, “The farmers of India have lost faith in the Modi government. They don’t think that the government will work in their interest. It is important that the laws are rolled back,” added Mr. Jawad. P. Sainath, a renowned writer and expert on agriculture, said, “the new laws were not only anti-farmer but they contain among the most sweeping exclusions of a citizen’s right to legal recourse in any law outside of the Emergency of 1975-77. ”IAMC is dedicated to promoting the common values of pluralism, tolerance, and respect for human rights that form the basis of the world’s two largest secular democracies – the United States and India. CONTACTIndian American Muslim Council Phone/Fax: 1-800-839-7270 Email: info@iamc.com Facebook: /IndianAmericanMuslimCouncil Twitter: @IAMCouncil Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295, Morton Grove, IL 60053. Indian American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with chapters across the nation. For more information, please visit our website at: www.iamc.com

Press Release

US NGOs Hindus for Human Rights, Indian American Muslim Council and Amnesty International USA Call a Press Conference on International Human Rights Day to #FreeFaisalKhan

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On Thursday December 10th, INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS DAY, members of the press are invited by Hindus for Human Rights, Indian American Muslim Council, and Amnesty International USA, to a press conference on the unjust arrest of Gandhian peace activist Faisal Khan in Mathura, Uttar Pradhesh, India. Thursday Dec 10, 20207 am PST/ 10 am EST /8:30 pm ISTLink to register: tinyurl.com/FaisalKhanPresser PRESS CONTACTS:Sunita Viswanath, Hindus for Human Rights, 001-917-518-2441, sunita@hindusforhumanrights.org Minhaj Khan, Indian American Muslim Council, 001-732-713-1515, minhaj.khan@iamc.com Govind Acharya, Amnesty International USA, 001-607-227-3477, govind73@gmail.com SPEAKER LIST (more may be added) Faisal Khan’s Legal Counsel Rajmohan Gandhi, Biographer, Scholar and grandson of Mohandas K. Gandhi Anand Patwardhan, Indian documentary member and human rights defender Medha Patkar, Veteran Indian social activist Shaffaq Mohammed, Member of the European Parliament since 2019 Dr. Anantanand Rambachan, Vedantic Scholar and Professor of Religion Rev Chloe Breyer, Executive Director, Interfaith Center of New York; Associate Minister, St. Mary’s Episcopal Church Rabbi Alissa Wise, Deputy Director, Jewish Voice for Peace and JVP-Action Ani Zonneveld, Founder and President of Muslims for Progressive Values (MPV) BACKGROUND INFORMATION The Situation Faisal Khan was arrested on November 3rd for doing namaz (Muslim prayers) in a Hindu temple in Mathura. Faisal Khan is the National Convener of Khudai Kidmatgar. He had revived this movement for peace and communal harmony, started by Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan (Frontier Gandhi) in 1929, and revived by Faisal Khan in 2011. Faisal and three other members of Khudai Kidmatgar were on a yatra (journey) through the area in Uttar Pradesh known as Brij, an area of pilgrimage for Krishna devotees, to promote the message of communal harmony. They visited many houses of worship over the 5-day yatra. On the last day, October 30, they arrived at Nand Baba Temple and spent several pleasant hours in discussions about theology and social harmony with the priest and others in the temple. When it was time for the midday namaz (Muslim Prayer) Faisal said he would go outside to pray. The priest invited him to pray right there in the temple compound. Four days later, the photos of Faisal and his colleague Chand Mohammed praying in the Hindu temple had gone viral, and an FIR (police complaint) was filed by the same priest who had invited him to pray. The charges against Faisal Khan were two-fold: 1) that he did namaz in a Hindu temple without permission, and with an intent to create disharmony; and 2) that he had revived Khudai Kidmatgar to raise funds from national and foreign sources for nefarious activities.Our press conference calls for the release of Faisal Khan, who has been unjustly arrested, and the dropping of all changes against him.HELPFUL LINKS #FreeFaisalKhan petition  Web page on Faisal Khan arrest: https://www.hindusforhumanrights.org/freefaisalkhan Short video by Anand Patwardhan (English): https://youtu.be/3pTlAd92ibY Short video by Anand Patwardhan (Hindi): https://youtu.be/7pUZovebdOQ Hindustan Times, In memory of Frontier Gandhi, a plea for justice for Faisal Khan, Oped by Rajmohan Gandhi, Nov 29. 2020 Indian Express, Why is Faisal Khan, a human rights activist, in prison for an act of peace?, Oped by Anand Patwardhan, Dec 5, 2020 Scroll.In, The Heroism of Khudai Khidmatgars in today’s India, Oped by Anand Patwardhan, Dec 5, 2020 The Wire, Why I Think All Hindus Should Fight Against Faisal Khan’s Arrest, Oped by Sunita Viswanath, Dec 8, 2020 Solidarity statement signed by Hindu clergy and community members: https://www.hindusforhumanrights.org/freefaisalkhan CONTACTIndian American Muslim Council Phone/Fax: 1-800-839-7270 Email: info@iamc.com Facebook: /IndianAmericanMuslimCouncil Twitter: @IAMCouncil Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295, Morton Grove, IL 60053. Indian American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with chapters across the nation. For more information, please visit our website at: www.iamc.com

Press Release

Denial of justice in Babri Mosque demolition case remains Indian Judiciary’s biggest failure

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December 7, 2020 Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), an advocacy group committed to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, reminded Indian judiciary on the occasion of historic Babri Mosque’s demolition in 1992, that denial of justice in the demolition case, and failure to hold people responsible for the lawlessness which followed, was its “biggest failure.”  A special CBI court in India had declared the demolition of the mosque on December 6, 1992 as “spontaneous act” while acquitting 32 accused including senior RSS and BJP leaders like former Union ministers Lal Krishna Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi and Uma Bharti of criminal conspiracy in September. Interestingly, the verdict was in complete contrast to the stands taken by the Supreme Court.  The historic mosque was demolished in full view of the national and international audiences, television and print journalists. Thousands of people, majority of them Muslims, were killed during the communal violence which followed. But after three decades of tortuous legal process, the CBI court held no one responsible or punishable for the demolition, despite every existing evidence against it.  “The day of December 6 will continue to remind us the biggest failures of Indian judiciary when it failed to uphold justice, ignoring evidence of criminal conspiracy against RSS and BJP leaders, noted and highlighted by the Supreme Court,” said Ahsan Khan, President of the Indian American Muslim Council, while urging the Indian government to appeal against the verdict in this case. There are two orders of the Supreme Court of India, which pointed to the charge of criminal conspiracy. In an acknowledgment of the gravity of the crime, the Constitution Bench of the Apex Court on November 9, 2019, termed the demolition of Babri mosque a “calculated act” and the obliteration of the Islamic structure was an egregious violation of the rule of law,” . “During the pendency of the suits, the entire structure of the mosque was brought down in a calculated act of destroying a place of public worship. Muslims have been wrongly deprived of a mosque which has been constructed over 450 years ago,” said the order of the then Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, and Justices S A Bobde, D Y Chandrachud, Ashok Bhushan and S A Nazeer. It was the Supreme Court which, more than two years ago, revived the charges of criminal conspiracy against the BJP and RSS leaders. “In the present case, crimes which shake the secular fabric of the Constitution of India have allegedly been committed almost 25 years ago. The accused persons have not been brought to book largely because of the conduct of the CBI in not pursuing the prosecution of the aforesaid alleged offenders in a joint trial, and because of technical defects which were easily curable, but which were not cured by the State Government,” the bench of Justices Pinaki Chandra Ghose and Rohinton F Nariman had said on April 19, 2017. While acquitting the RSS and BJP leaders, the CBI court not only ignored the Supreme Court orders, but also the findings of the Liberhan Commission which was set up by the government of India in 1992 to probe the demolition of the mosque. “The findings of the Commission make it very clear that the preparation and conspiracy to execute the demolition was underway months before the actual demolition took place.” Liberhan Commission Report: https://test.iamc.com/liberhan_comission_report_inquiring_the_destruction_of_babri_masjid_in_ayodhya_on_dec_6th__1992/ The Liberhan Commission had concluded that the demolition of the Babri mosque was meticulously planned. The Commission had said the mobilization of the cadres of RSS, Bajrang Dal, BJP and Shiv Sena in Ayodhya was neither “spontaneous or voluntary” but “orchestrated and planned.” The Commission in its report named over 60 people – including senior BJP leaders Advani, Joshi, Bharti and A B Vajpayee, RSS and VHP leaders, bureaucrats – as “culpable” for “leading the country to the brink of communal discord.” “Judiciary is the ultimate protector of people’s right to justice. Ignoring the facts of the demolition case, and the bloodshed which followed, was the judiciary’s way of suggesting that the majority and the mobs have the right of way. Muslims were conveyed that Justice turned majoritarian.” IAMC is dedicated to promoting the common values of pluralism, tolerance, and respect for human rights that form the basis of the world’s two largest secular democracies – the United States and India. CONTACTIndian American Muslim Council Phone/Fax: 1-800-839-7270 Email: info@iamc.comFacebook: /IndianAmericanMuslimCouncil Twitter: @IAMCouncil Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295, Morton Grove, IL 60053. Indian American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with chapters across the nation. For more information, please visit our website at: www.iamc.com

Featured, Press Release

Employment discrimination against Muslim Americans at Indian American IT companies causes outrage

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Nityo Infotech’s direction to recruiter to exclude Muslim candidates only the latest in a pattern of bigotry in professional settings  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  December 1, 2020  The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, has condemned an increasing pattern of discrimination against Muslims at Indian American IT companies. The now infamous incident at Nityo Infotech is one example of blatant expression of bigotry against Muslims, driven by Hindu nationalist narratives and Islamophobic stereotypes.    Mohammad Tarique Anwar (name changed) had applied for a job in the IT sector in California a few months ago using his first name Mohammad. He did not get any call for an interview. A month later he applied at the same firm using “not so Muslim sounding” name of Tarique. He got the call and subsequently the job. Tarique’s case was one of several instances of subtle and not so subtle religious discrimination prevailing in the US tech industry that has come to light through an informal survey carried out by the Indian American Muslim Council. IAMC initiated this survey among Muslims working in the tech sector after a New Jersey based IT services company Nityo Infotech, a global IT company, sent a memo to a recruiter asking her not to “submit Muslim candidates.” Allegations of religious discrimination against Nityo Infotech became widely known after a screenshot of this memo went viral in the tech circles. The firm tried to save face claiming the recruiter’s email was hacked. However its alleged attempt to discriminate against Muslims are part of a larger malaise of brazen Islamophobia in Indian American IT companies. Pervasive discrimination against Muslims in the tech industry violates the law as well as basic principles of fairness and religious freedom. IAMC has called upon the Attorney General of New Jersey to investigate the complaint against Nityo Infotech. IAMC has also urged Nityo Infotech to carry out a diversity, equity and inclusion audit, and to take immediate corrective and preventive steps in order to address the issue.   “The Nityo Infotech case should serve as a wake up call for everyone interested in keeping our workplaces free from religious bigotry and hate,” said Mr. Ahsan Khan, President of the Indian American Muslim Council. “The fact that the firm felt emboldened to openly ask the recruiter to exclude Muslim candidates shows the extent to which Islamophobia has now been normalized,” Mr. added. “As evident from Tarique’s case, this level of discrimination is not limited to Muslims from India, but anyone with Muslim sounding name or Muslim appearance,” said Mr. Rasheed Ahmed, Executive Director of IAMC. “A scrutiny of the hiring practices of Indian American IT companies is long overdue,” Mr. Ahmed said. IAMC will continue its campaign against bigotry and hate in the workplace and will work with individuals who have come forward with allegations of discrimination in order to secure justice and fairness. CONTACTIndian American Muslim Council Phone/Fax: 1-800-839-7270 Email: info@iamc.com Facebook: /IndianAmericanMuslimCouncil Twitter: @IAMCouncil Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295, Morton Grove, IL 60053. Indian American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with chapters across the nation. For more information, please visit our website at: www.iamc.com

Exclusive, Featured, Press Release

Antony Blinken’s nomination for US Secretary of State evokes optimism among Indian Americans

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New top diplomat under a Biden administration has the opportunity to advance global stability by fostering democracy, human rights and religious freedom around the world  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 23, 2020  The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, has welcomed President-elect Joe Biden’s nomination of Antony Blinken for the position of US Secretary of State.  Indian Americans are looking forward to Mr. Blinken as the nation’s top diplomat, particularly in building a strong US-India strategic partnership that is anchored in an understanding that the geopolitical interests of both countries are best served by advancing democracy, human rights and religious freedom.  Mr. Blinken has a long and distinguished career in public service, including as national security adviser and deputy Secretary of State under the Obama administration.  In April 2020, IAMC had the privilege to brief Mr. Blinken on the rapid deterioration of human rights and religious freedom in India, where rabid Hindu nationalism, embodied in the ideology of Hindutva, is actively engaged in violations of human rights and religious freedom. Besides providing detailed information and analysis on how the rise of an ultra-nationalist supremacist ideology in India is actively undermining peace and stability in South Asia, IAMC made the following recommendations to a future Biden administration:  Foreground “freedom of faith” and “equality of citizens” that are enshrined as fundamental rights in India’s Constitution in every aspect of bilateral relations and dialogue with India Include specific reference to shared commitments to pluralism and freedom in all U.S.-India agreements and pacts on economic, trade, security and defense cooperation;  Pursue modifications in CAA and NRC to end anti-Muslim bias inherent therein  “As a stepson of a Holocaust survivor and someone who was deeply involved in American interventions in Bosnia and Kosovo, we expect Mr. Blinken will elevate rather than diminish US involvement in advancing religious freedom, in South Asia and around the world,” said Mr. Rasheed Ahmed, Executive Director of IAMC. “We are also looking forward to President-Elect Joe Biden fulfilling his campaign promise to convene Democracy Summit and ‘Restore Our Moral Leadership,” added Mr. Ahmed. IAMC has called upon President-elect Joe Biden and US Secretary of State nominee Mr. Antony Blinken to implement the recommendations of the US Commission for International Religious Freedom, by putting India on the State Department’s list of countries of particular concern (CPC), a designation that USCIRF made over a year ago. “Given Mr. Biden’s decisive victory in the elections, we would like to urge Mr. Blinken to take up geopolitical stability of South Asia as a priority, given it is now one of the hotbeds of radical fanaticism and hate,” said Mr. Ahsan Khan, President of IAMC. “Without international accountability for countries that are egregious violators of human rights and religious freedom, millions of lives and livelihoods are at risk, which bodes ill for global peace,” added Mr. Khan.  IAMC is looking forward to working with President-elect Joe Biden’s administration and the new Secretary of State in upholding America’s commitment to democracy and human rights. CONTACT Indian American Muslim Council Phone Fax: 1-800-839-7270 Email: info@iamc.com Facebook: /IndianAmericanMuslimCouncil Twitter: @IAMCouncil Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295, Morton Grove, IL 60053. Indian American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with chapters across the nation. For more information, please visit our website at: www.iamc.com

Press Release

Indian Government using judiciary to persecute minorities, deny justice: Human rights activists

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 18, 2020 Various victims of persecution of the Indian government and global human rights activists on Wednesday declared that Indian judiciary has allowed itself to become an instrument in the hands of the Narendra Modi government to oppress minorities and deny them justice. While speaking at a panel discussion on “Indian Judiciary: Complicit in Religious Persecution,” they said the starkest representation of judiciary’s decline could be seen in its failure to perform as a counter-majoritarian court.  Abdul Wahid Shaikh was in the prime of his youth at the age of 28 when the Police falsely implicated him along with 12 others in the 7/11 Mumbai train bomb blast case. He was acquitted by the Maharashtra Control of Organized Crime Act court nine years later as the police failed to prove him guilty of the charges levelled on him. During the panel discussion, Wahid, now 42, shared his experiences from those horrifying nine years and disappointing role of judiciary as he witnessed.   “Muslim in India face the harsh brutality of the police administration in one hand and the biased approach of the courts on the other. It seems being a Muslim in India in itself has become a crime,” said Wahid who wrote a book titled Begunah Qaidi (Innocent Prisoner) documenting his experiences of nine years in prison. Mr. Wahid said that during every court hearing he and other accused used to complain about police torture but they fell on deaf ears. “We were assured that we would be able to prove our innocence in the courts of law. But the judiciary acted like a stooge of the administration with almost no concern for truth and justice.” He highlighted the hypocrisy and double standard of the Indian judicial system in granting bail to Pragya Thakur, an accused in serious terror charges, while denying bail to many Muslims who were accused in anti-CAA protest cases.  Mr. Wahid explained that human rights violations of religious minorities underway in India, cover a broad spectrum, from illegal detention, torture and fake encounter killings of detainees, to open assault against individuals, their sources of livelihood and in many cases their places of worship. “All the special laws which have been enacted over the years, have become instruments in the hands of police to falsely implicate Muslim youth and keep them behind bars for years without any hearing,” Mr. Wahid concluded.  Akashi Bhatt who is the daughter of whistleblower Sanjiv Bhatt, spoke in detail how her father was jailed by the Hindu nationalist BJP government in Gujarat under bogus charges. Mr. Bhatt is the former Indian Police Service officer of the Gujarat cadre who filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court of India against the then chief minister of Gujarat Narendra Modi about his alleged role in the 2002 anti-Muslim Gujarat pogrom.   “My father was the only police officer who deposed before the commission investigating the Gujarat riots. After Modi became Prime Minister in 2014, my father was dismissed from service on frivolous ground,” Ms. Bhatt said, highlighting that her father is the only man who can link Indian Prime Minister Modi to 2002 Gujarat pogrom.”  She said her family wants “a fair trial and that’s all we have been pleading for.” “As many as thirty three people who had nothing to do with my father’s case were called as witnesses. But we were not allowed to call any single defense witness and it was time to defend the defenders.” added Ms. Bhatt.Avani Bansal, advocate Supreme Court of India, told the audience that the challenge before the Indian judiciary was that “there seems to be a lack of predictability, uniformity and procedure being followed in the way it is supposed to be followed.”  “At least the perception is that the same judges are not uniformly applying the rules. That means that the old adage of the justice system that justice should not only be done but should also be seen to be done, has been terribly shaken. And that is bad news,” she said while giving real time examples of how the Supreme Court adopted different methods and its lack of action invoked criticism from people.   Ms. Bansal gave instance of the Apex court allowing a Hindu religious gathering at Jagannath temple at the peak of pandemic despite nationwide furore over Tablighi Jamaat gathering at the beginning of the pandemic. Similarly, she mentioned exceptional use of review petition by the Apex Court to review its own verdict on Sabrimala case which had questioned prohibition of menstruating women’s entry in Sabrimala temple.   She mentioned how no FIRs were registered against BJP leaders like Kapil Mishra and Anurag Thakur who delivered inflammatory speeches in the run up to the anti-Muslim pogrom in Delhi in February. But 3500 people, mostly from the Muslim community, were booked in false and fabricated cases. “A lot of criticism the Apex court invited, is due to lack of action or very slow action which practically amounts to no action.” Matias Perttula, the director of advocacy at International Christian Concern, expressed his concern over increasing cases of persecution against Christians under the Narendra Modi government.   “India has become a trouble spot for Christians after Narendra Modi took power in 2014. Christians are regularly marginalized and discriminated against, and their churches and property attacked. Anti blasphemy laws and anti-conversion laws are being used to target Christians,” he said. Sukhman Dhami, Director Ensaaf, talked about human rights violations that included custodial killings and enforced disappearances, in the Indian state of Punjab. “India has been plagued by mass atrocities. From Punjab to Kashmir to Assam, there are many stories of atrocities. The response of the judiciary most of the time has been to overlook these atrocities.” The discussion was organized by the Indian American Muslim Council, in collaboration with Hindus for Human Rights, Students Against Hindutva Ideology, Dalit Solidarity Forum, India Civil Watch International and International Christian Concern.   The event recording is available for viewing on IAMC’s YouTube channel. CONTACTIndian American Muslim CouncilPhone/Fax: 1-800-839-7270 Email: info@iamc.com Facebook: /IndianAmericanMuslimCouncil Twitter: @IAMCouncil Address: 6321 W Dempster St.

Press Release

Genocide of Indian Muslims supervised by Indian Government, declare global experts on genocide

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 17, 2020 Global experts researching genocidal violence raised an alarm that the international community needed to wake up to the impending genocide of India’s 200 Million Muslims under the watch of current Indian government. The panel discussion on “Ten Stages of Genocide and India’s Muslims,” expressed an urgent need to not only indict and sanction the Indian government, but to also expose it in the international community to prevent crimes against humanity. The discussion was organized by the Indian American Muslim Council. Dr. Gregory Stanton, the founder-president of Genocide Watch, an organization that works to predict, prevent and stop genocide and other forms of mass murder in the world said, “Preparation for a genocide is definitely under way in India.” He explained, “The persecution of Muslims in Assam and Kashmir is the stage just before genocide. The next stage is extermination—that’s what we call a genocide.” Dr. Stanton who served in the U.S. State Department in the 1990s when he drafted the UN Security Council resolutions that created the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, said that the “systematic crimes against humanity is already underway” in India. He mentioned the demolition of Babri mosque and building of a temple as “important in the development of cultural underpinnings for genocide.”Reacting to the fact that Delhi Police arrested hundreds of Muslims in Delhi riot cases and accused them of violence against themselves, Dr. Stanton termed it “denial,” the last stage in genocide. “Denial is the tenth stage of every genocide. It starts actually at the beginning and goes all the way through to the end and afterwards…That’s what is going on when they are charging Muslims with, would you believe it!, killing themselves? I don’t believe it! And I don’t think anybody should believe it,” Dr. Stanton said. Teesta Setalvad, a well-known human rights defender in India mentioned that violence against Muslims worsens their socio-economic conditions and enables genocidal targeting. “Lack of social and economic opportunities, constant fear and insecurity among the Indian Muslims which is generated through this abrasive exclusionary tactic of hate speech and othering, is something that could possibly fit in to the possible build-up of the genocidal situation,” said Ms. Setalvad who did years of pioneering work in exposing and bringing to justice the perpetrators of anti-Muslim violence in Gujarat. Dr. Qasim Rasool Ilyas, a veteran Muslim political activist, and the father of Dr. Umar Khalid, a globally recognized human rights defender who has been falsely accused of inciting violence and arrested just weeks ago, mentioned that Muslims of Uttar Pradesh are among the worst affected by the persecution and killings.   He summed it up, “The chief Minister Mr. Yogi Aditya Nath is a known enemy of Muslims, is the main architect of systematic targeting of the Muslim community through encounter killing to illegal arrests and falsely framing. Many Muslims were subjected to Mob lynching on the false accusations of trading and consuming beef and in many cases the victims succumbed to the torture while Police remained a mute spectator. Dr. Ilyas concluded his remarks with a question. “Can a country which claims to be the largest democracy, force its 14% of the population into suppression and submission and deny them their human and constitutional rights without inviting the wrath of the international community?”Among others who talked about India exhibiting various stages of genocide include Ritumbra Manuvie, the Executive Director of The London Story, a nonprofit foundation that works on hate speech and hate crimes. As a Commonwealth Scholar at the University of Edinburgh, Dr. Manuvie conducted research on the construction of citizenship in Assam, the Indian state where Mr. Modi’s government has controversially designated two million residents as foreigners following a dubious process called the National Register for Citizens.  Rasheed Ahmed, Executive Director of Indian American Muslim Council sharply criticized the silence of the United State government about the February 2020 anti-Muslim pogrom in Delhi not far from where President Trump held a press conference. Tina Ramirez, a Human Rights expert, who has travelled to India and knows all too well the deepening challenges to religious freedoms in India effectively moderated the panel discussion.The event recording is available for viewing on IAMC’s YouTube channel. CONTACTIndian American Muslim Council Phone/Fax: 1-800-839-7270 Email: info@iamc.comFacebook: /IndianAmericanMuslimCouncilTwitter: @IAMCouncil Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295, Morton Grove, IL 60053. Indian American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with chapters across the nation. For more information, please visit our website at: www.iamc.com

Press Release

Global human rights activists reiterate the demand to designate India a “Country of Particular Concern”

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  November 17, 2020 Leading American and global human and civil rights activists came together on Monday to reinforce the demand to designate India as a “country of particular concern” to prevent and combat ongoing persecution of its religious minorities. The discussion was organized by the Indian American Muslim Council in collaboration with Hindus for Human Rights, Students Against Hindutva Ideology, Dalit Solidarity Forum, India Civil Watch International and International Christian Concern. Anurima Bhargava, the vice-chair of United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), said that as an ally and as a friend of India, the United States “needs to take steps to make sure that India upholds the rights guaranteed to all of its citizens as enshrined in its own constitution.”  Ms. Bhargava, expressed the fear that the CAA in conjunction with the planned nationwide national register of citizens (NRC) and national population register (NPR), could result in “wide scale disenfranchisement of Indian Muslims which could lead them vulnerable to prolonged detention, deportation and violence.”  “We saw this process play out in Assam. Many Indian citizens had their citizenship questioned and challenged by local authorities who excluded them from the national register of citizens despite their families having lived in India for generations.”  “And for that reason,” she added, “we made the recommendation to the State Department of the United States that India should be designated as a ‘country of particular concern,’” based on the deterioration and concerns about new state policies of the Narendra Modi government on religious minorities.  Joanne Lin, National Director, Advocacy and Government Affairs, Amnesty International USA, spoke about Amnesty India being forced to shut down its operation in India in October 2020 after two years of relentless threats, intimidation, and harassment by the Indian government.  Ms. Lin reminded the audience that it was in the wake of two major human rights reports that Amnesty India’s bank accounts were frozen which forced Amnesty India to halt its human rights work and shut down its operations in India. The first report covered the February 2020 anti-Muslim pogrom in Delhi and documented police complicity in the violence against Muslims. The second report addressed arbitrary detentions and internet restrictions that persist in Kashmir, one year after it was stripped of its special status. Both reports contained findings critical of Indian authorities that were confirmed by other independent observers.The Indian government’s crackdown on civil society violated the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly which are guaranteed by the Indian Constitution and international human rights law. “Forcing Amnesty India to shut down its operations, is a devastating setback for Indian human rights defenders, civil society organizations, and most alarmingly, the millions of people in India who have been aided by Amnesty’s human rights work.” added Ms. Lin.  Ms. Lin reiterated that Amnesty USA urged Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun to demand Indian authorities to unfreeze Amnesty India’s bank accounts. Among others who raised their concern over the worsening religious persecution and civil rights violations in India, included Matias Perttula, Advocacy Director, International Christian Concern, Arjun Sethi, Adjunct Professor, Georgetown University Law Center, Salam Al Marayati, President, Muslim Public Affairs Council, and Roja Singh, President, Dalit Solidarity Forum. The recorded event can be found on IAMC’s YouTube Channel. The webinar was moderated by Rasheed Ahmad, executive director of Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC). IAMC is dedicated to promoting the common values of pluralism, tolerance, and respect for human rights that form the basis of the world’s two largest secular democracies – the United States and India.

Press Release

Indian American Muslim Council congratulates President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 09, 2020 The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, congratulates President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris for their historic victory in the Presidential elections. We look forward to working with the incoming administration to bring peace and healing, both in the US and around the world. IAMC has urged Indian Americans to be bridges of understanding and dialogue and to eschew hate and acrimony. Vice President-elect Kamala Harris’s historic election as the first woman, and woman of color and first individual of South Asian descent to hold the second highest office in the land, is a proud moment for all Indian Americans. All of us at IAMC are elated at her inspirational achievement. Her life story is sure to inspire millions of girls and all people of color to aspire to reach greater heights in this land of opportunity. IAMC has also congratulated all the Congresspersons and Senators who have been elected to office in the last elections. We hope the new Congress will usher in an era of constructive dialogue and forward looking engagement, to deal with the great challenges facing our country and the world. We call on the incoming administration as well as Congress to lead the international community in seeking redress for the persecuted millions around the world. While we welcome a strong bilateral relationship between India and the US, we urge both countries to make human rights, religious freedom and the rule of law the underpinning of this strategic relationship. The rapidly deteriorating situation of minorities in India calls for decisive action from the international community. We hope America will lead the way in holding accountable egregious violators of human rights and religious freedom. IAMC is the largest advocacy organization representing Indian American Muslims in the United States, dedicated to promoting the common values of pluralism, tolerance, and respect for human rights that form the basis of the world’s two largest secular democracies – the United States and India. CONTACTIndian American Muslim CouncilPhone/Fax: 1-800-839-7270Email: info@iamc.comFacebook: /IndianAmericanMuslimCouncilTwitter: @IAMCouncilAddress: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295, Morton Grove, IL 60053. Indian American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with chapters across the nation. For more information, please visit our website at: www.iamc.com See Also: NYTimes: Joy in India as Biden and Harris Win, but Questions, Toohttps://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/08/world/asia/kamala-harris-india.html HuffPost: Indians Celebrate Kamala Harris’ Win In Her Grandfather’s Hometownhttps://www.huffpost.com/entry/indians-celebrate-harris-win_n_5fa7fe8dc5b6f21920dcf728 NYTimes: Kamala Harris Makes History as First Woman and Woman of Color as Vice Presidenthttps://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/07/us/politics/kamala-harris.html

Reports

Human Rights Watch: India’s Use Of Authoritarian Tactics Against Outspoken Critics, Journalists Needs To Stop

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The organisation slammed the recent NIA raids on activists’ homes, NGOs and a newspaper office in Jammu and Kashmir, Delhi, and Bangalore. HRW is among several international organisations that have criticised the human rights situation in India. UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet had raised several concerns while pointing to three “problematic” laws: the FCRA, the Citizenship Amendment Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). The chair of the European Parliament’s Subcommittee on Human Rights had also raised concerns about seeing the “rule of law deteriorate” and the crackdown on dissent in the country. They called on India to uphold its pledge to “continue to foster the genuine participation and effective involvement of civil society in the promotion and protection of human rights”. The 2020 ‘Democracy Report’ by V-Dem Institute observed India was on the verge of losing its status as a democracy and referred to “the dive in press freedom along with increasing repression of civil society in India associated with the current Hindu-nationalist regime of Prime Minister Narendra Modi” as an early warning sign of autocratization.  Read full article at https://www.huffingtonpost.in/entry/india-counterterrorism-kashmir-human-rights-watch_in_5f9bf1d0c5b6df1b74603ede

Press Release

Indian American Groups Protest Government Coverup of Dalit Rape and Murder in India’s Hathras

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 19, 2020 Dallas (TX) — Leading Indian American civil rights groups, which are dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist, democratic and secular values, on Sunday protested against the massive governmental coverup of the brutal rape and murder of a Dalit woman in the Hathras district of India’s Uttar Pradesh state last month. Holding placards that said “Dalit Lives Matter” and “Stop Rape”, and chanting slogans, dozens of protesters assembled near the Dallas Municipal Court to assail the police for denying that the woman had been raped and for failing to investigate the crime in time. “That the police refused to hand over the victim’s body to her family and cremated it on their own without her family’s consent was a most brazen attempt at coverup,” said Sharib Haroon of Indian American Muslim Council. “It is shameful that the government has tried to suggest the victim’s family had killed her in an act of ‘honor killing’.” Dilip Gupta, an Indian American, said, “It would be naive and preposterous to assume that Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, whose government has gone to such length to deny the crime and protect the perpetrators, would ensure justice.” The protest was organized by Hindus for Human Rights, Ambedkarite Buddhist Association of Texas (ABAT), DFW Guru Ravidas Organization, Global Indian Progressive Alliance and IAMC, among other organizations.“ Rapes happen in India because of caste supremacy,” Jagdish Banker of ABAT said. “As much as swift justice is needed, wider awareness of caste-based atrocities, not just in India but also in the US, would also help to get rid of this horrific crime.” The victim, who belonged to the former “untouchables” Dalit caste, the lowest rung of the Hindu society, was brought to the hospital in a critical condition. She told a magistrate that she was raped by four upper caste men on September 14. She died two weeks after the rape. Initially, the police refused to register a case and investigate it. But after a national outcry, the four men accused of the rape were arrested. The protesters in Dallas also condemned the police for registering criminal cases against journalists and civil rights activists who reached Hathras to report the story and to express solidarity with the victims’ family. The protesters also said law and order had broken down under Adityanath’s rule. “On the same night the Hathras police cremated this victim, three more rapes were reported across the state. Just six days later, another rape occurred in Hathras, despite the heavy presence of media and police,” one protester said. Gurvinder Singh, an Indian American Sikh, said “Torture, oppression and terror have no religion, so you have to choose sides, either on the right side of history or the wrong side. If we do not stand for others then none will come for us.” Abdul Quadir, another Indian American, who drove four hours to join the protest, said, “As the father of a young girl, I could not sleep since I heard about this rape. That the police did not even let her mother prepare her daughter’s dead body for her last journey, as is customary among Hindus, is sheer cruelty.” CONTACTIndian American Muslim CouncilPhone/Fax: 1-800-839-7270 Email: info@iamc.com Facebook: /IndianAmericanMuslimCouncilTwitter: @IAMCouncil Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295, Morton Grove, IL 60053. Indian American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with chapters across the nation. For more information, please visit our website at: www.iamc.com

Press Release

Massive protest in New Jersey over the Hathras gang rape and killing of Dalit girl

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Indian Americans express outrage and call for action over the role of Adityanath’s state government in the travesty of justice FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  October 11, 2020 The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, organized a massive protest in New Jersey on October 10, 2020, over the gang rape and killing of a Dalit girl in Hathras, in the Indian State of Uttar Pradesh. The hasty and forceful cremation of the victim’s body by the Uttar Pradesh police has sent shock waves across India and indeed around the world. The inhumanity of the crime was amplified by the brazenness of the state government’s attempt to shield the perpetrators. The indifference shown to the value of human life by those in positions of power was the focus of the ire and outrage by protesters at the rally.The protest was organized by the New Jersey unit of IAMC, and was supported by members of other civil society groups such as Hindus for Human Rights, India Civil Watch, Sadhana, Students Against Hindutva Ideology, Muslims for Progressive Values, MANAVI, Dalit Solidarity Forum and Global Indian Progressive Alliance among others.   “The Hindu nationalist government in India protects perpetrators of brutal sexual crimes against Dalit women, because it doesn’t treat Dalits as equal citizens,” said Mr. Minhaj M Khan, President of the New Jersey chapter of the Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) at the rally on Saturday. He was addressing a large gathering of peaceful protesters from New Jersey and New York. The protestors; key demand was justice for the 19-year-old Dalit girl who was gang raped on September 14, 2020, by four men belonging to the influential upper caste Thakurs in Hathras district of Uttar Pradesh. The victim died two weeks later in a hospital in Delhi, after suffering paralysis due to severe injuries to her spinal cord, leading to national and international outrage and protests. “Dalit lives do not matter under India’s Hindu nationalist government and the state of Uttar Pradesh has only acted in a manner consistent with the national government’s repressive policies towards Dalits and religious minorities. Not only did the state’s chief minister Adityanath deny that the girl was raped, he refused a dignified death to her, and protected the culprits because they are from the same upper caste as him,” he said.   Jawad Khan, the national General Secretary of IAMC, highlighted the fact that according to India’s National Crime Records Bureau more than 500 Dalit women were raped in Uttar Pradesh under Adityanath regime in 2019 alone. In 2018 almost 3000 Dalit women were raped in UP of whom 871 were minors. On an average 8 Dalit women are raped everyday in India. “Adityanath is not capable of serving people in accordance with the Constitution. He protected the culprits of the gang rape and instead hired a public relations firm to push a narrative that the gang rape in Hathras, was a conspiracy of ‘outsiders’,” Mr. Khan said while addressing the protesters who wore masks, raising placards in their hands. They raised slogans against India’s Hindu nationalist government as well as Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath of Uttar Pradesh. Yogi Adityanath has been known to run private militias with a criminal record that goes back several decades.  “The unfortunate reality is that under the administration of Modi government, members of upper caste and of those who believe in the neo-Nazi ideology of Hindutva, are more equal than others. We are here to demand that the Indian state ensure justice to the family of the victim, in not only this case but in all other cases of sexual violence against Dalit women,” said Mr. Sheik, a board member of IAMC.  Dr. Murli Natarajan from India Civil Watch International, condemned the gang rape in Hathras and said that the “brutality that happened in Hathras, was yet another in a very long series of moral horrors perpetrated against Dalits by caste-supremacist patriarchs.” “We condemn their brazen denial of the rape, their cowardly cover-up of the frequency of rapes, their shameless glorification of the rapists, their bigoted denigration of rape victims, and their denial to the family of the right to grieve with dignity,” he added.A representative of Dalit Solidarity forum in the USA, said that the protest was an expression of condemnation of “the rapid increase in the unacceptable social condition of Dalit women unable to defend rights to our own bodies and self-respect. We are repeatedly devalued, raped and mutilated.”Nilab Nusrat, a representative from Hindus for Human Rights, said “I can’t stay silent when a 19-year-old girl is getting gang-raped and killed and the rapists are not brought to justice because they are members of the upper caste.” IAMC is dedicated to promoting the common values of pluralism, tolerance, and respect for human rights that form the basis of the world’s two largest secular democracies – the United States and India.CONTACTIndian American Muslim CouncilPhone/Fax: 1-800-839-7270Email: info@iamc.comFacebook: /IndianAmericanMuslimCouncilTwitter: @IAMCouncilAddress: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295, Morton Grove, IL 60053.Indian American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with chapters across the nation. For more information, please visit our website at: www.iamc.com

Press Release

Modi government must ensure justice to Dalits in Hathras rape case, say Indian Americans

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 October 4, 2020 The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), an advocacy group committed to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, expressed its shock at the brutal gang rape of a dalit (formerly known as untouchables) girl, her subsequent death in Uttar Pradesh, refusal of the government to take her rape claim seriously and the manner in which the state police forcefully cremated her body. A 19-year-old Dalit girl was gang-raped on September 14 by four men belonging to the influential Thakur caste near her house in a field in a village in Hathras district in Uttar Pradesh, 124 miles away from India’s national capital Delhi. She died two weeks later in a hospital in Delhi after suffering paralysis due to severe injuries to her spinal cord, leading to nationwide outrage and protests. Instead of protecting the family of the girl and bringing the perpetrators to justice, the administration of Uttar Pradesh, led by a Hindu Nationalist, Adityanath who belongs to Thakur caste, said the dalit girl was not raped. His government ordered that polygraph and narco tests would be conducted on her family. “The Uttar Pradesh government led by Adityanath should be ashamed that it failed to protect the girl. Barricading the village of a grieving family, locking the family in a room and cremating the girl’s body without consent of her family, shows how insecure the Adityanath government is,” said Ahsan Khan, president of the Indian American Muslim Council. “The fact that the perpetrators of this brutal and horrendous act belong to the same cast as Adityanath’s, gives a clue as to why his government failed to protect the girl and why he is yet to ensure swift justice in the case,” he added. This is not an isolated incident, as another Dalit woman, aged 22, was raped and killed in the most shocking manner just few hundred miles away from Hathras on Tuesday. She was cremated the very next day. More than 500 dalit women were raped in the state of Uttar Pradesh under Adityanath regime in 2019. Of total 32,033 cases of rape reported in India in 2019, Uttar Pradesh alone accounted for about ten percent of the cases. Mr. Khan demanded that the Narendra Modi government must step in to ensure justice to the aggrieved family. “Adityanath government has refused to accept that the dalit girl was raped, despite medical and legal experts confirming the crime. It would be naive and preposterous to expect him to ensure justice.” According to “The Wire”, Yogi government hired a public relations firm to push the narrative that the “Hathras dalit girl was not raped” in the foreign media. “It is outrageous that Adityanath government wants to force the victim’s family to take narco and polygraph test along with the perpetrators. It is evident that the state is not serious about bringing culprits to book but wants to punish the victim’s family and those protesting against the crime,” said Mohammed Jawad, the national general secretary of the IAMC. “The statements of the police and Adityanath made it clear that they will focus less on the Hathras crime and its perpetrators, and more on the alleged “conspiracy to push the state into caste turmoil,” added Mr. Jawad.“Police brutality in this case is very much sanctioned by the Yogi government which encouraged and provided impunity to the state police in killing members of Muslim and lower caste in illegal encounters. There is no distinction if the police is the protector or the oppressor of the people it is supposed to protect” said Mr Khan.IAMC is dedicated to promoting the common values of pluralism, tolerance, and respect for human rights that form the basis of the world’s two largest secular democracies – the United States and India. References: https://www.cnn.com/2020/09/29/asia/india-dalit-woman-gang-rape-murder-intl/index.html https://indianexpress.com/article/india/after-hathras-22-year-old-dalit-girl-raped-killed-in-uttar-pradesh-6655270 https://thewire.in/government/adityanath-government-hathras-case-rape-pr-firm https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/10/2/hathras-they-locked-us-inside-our-home-and-burnt-her-body CONTACTIndian American Muslim CouncilPhone/Fax: 1-800-839-7270Email: info@iamc.comFacebook: /IndianAmericanMuslimCouncilTwitter: @IAMCouncilAddress: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295, Morton Grove, IL 60053.Indian American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with chapters across the nation. For more information, please visit our website at: www.iamc.com

Press Release

Reclaiming India’ Conference: Leading Indian activists say Hindutva a threat to Indian Constitution

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Washington, D.C., October 3, 2020 Leading Indian activists, intellectuals and academicians made a unanimous declaration today that India’s constitutional democracy faces a serious threat from the rise of Hindu nationalism, and the only way that challenge can be combated was by a return to secular liberal pluralism and strengthening of the Constitution.Joining discussions on the first day of the two-day virtual conference, “Reclaiming India”, on Saturday, October 3, 2020, several speakers from both the United States and India drew a parallel between the ongoing assaults on civil liberties in both countries, and said it was important for activists in both societies to join hands in this struggle. The conference is being organized by five leading Indian American civil rights organizations: Hindus for Human Rights, Global Indian Progressive Alliance, India Civil Watch International, Students Against Hindutva Ideology, and Indian American Muslim Council.Conference Schedule and Speakers Renowned African American activist, Rev. William Barber, a US-based Protestant minister and co-chair of the Poor People’s Campaign, said both the US and India were seeing a battle of “human rights versus authoritarianism.” Just as some “moral considerations” were separated from economics to justify slavery in the US in the past, “immoral voices” were siding with “authoritarianism on the side of rugged raw nationalism,” he added.Rev. Barber recalled that just after America’s Civil War in the 1860s, the poor white people “who had been taught to hate black people came to see that, ultimately, injustice and slavery and authoritarianism would kill us all and first would always kill the poorest because the slaveholders used the poorest whites to fight the war.”Veteran Indian historian Rajmohan Gandhi noted that India was faced with a “very serious assault on our democracy” and a “destruction of democratic and human rights, of the notion of equality.” Although an attempt had not yet been made to change India’s Constitution, an “informal imposition of inequality, especially directed at the Muslims and the Christians” was already happening, he added. “People are being arrested without due process and detained without trial and charges,” Gandhi said of the current situation in India. “A whole propaganda is being unleashed to enable the actual end of democratic rights in India.” Gandhi, who is a grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, urged Rev. Barber to take up India’s dire situation “for the sake of humanity and raise your voices in defense of Gandhi’s values, in defense of universal values.” Rev. Barber responded by saying he would like to organize a visit of American activists to India to observe the situation firsthand.Renowned Indian historian and a biographer of Mahatma Gandhi, Ramchandra Guha blamed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for India’s all-round failures, saying Mr. Modi’s government had “conducted an assault on India’s already vulnerable social fabric. Modi is not only the divider-in-chief but also India’s destroyer-in-chief.” Discrimination against Dalits, Adivasis, Women and especially Muslims has massively intensified under Mr. Modi’s rule. “The persecution of Kashmiris and the abrogation of Article 370 of India’s Constitution was a clear message that Modi’s India cannot have a Muslim-majority state,” Guha added.He said the Modi government’s “malign economic policies had destroyed 30 years of economic growth.” Its other failures included “the further emasculation of public institutions; the corruption and corrosion of our democratic ethos; the attacks on minorities, and the destruction of the environment; and finally, our place as a country in the neighborhood and in the world.” That India had gone from being “one of the fastest growing countries in the world to having a negative growth rate of almost 24% in the last quarter is largely attributed to Modi and his grossly mistaken policies.” Guha added that India needed “not only a political opposition but a moral, intellectual, and ideological opposition, which the Reclaiming India conference is helping us build. Speaking on the scourge of casteism in Indian society, Martin Macwan, a Dalit rights activist and a winner of the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award, said, “We have two rules in India, the rule of the constitution and the rule of caste. The constitution did not end the rule of caste. And so, India cannot be reclaimed today, not until we liberate it from an inhumane caste system.” Added Roja Singh, Professor of sociology and anthropology at St. John Fisher College, New York, and founder of Dalit Solidarity Forum “The centrality of what was lost and what needs to be reclaimed by Dalit groups is personhood. Once your humanity is denied, all else is denied too.”Speaking on the subject of “Rescuing Hinduism from Hindu nationalism,” Anantanand Rambachan, Professor of Religion, Philosophy and Asian Studies at Saint Olaf College, in Minnesota, said the “proper role of Hindu tradition is not to be a servant of state, but to be moral conscience of human being. We cannot in the name of religion justify to honor the divine and dishonor, demean human beings and to be violent towards them.” Rambachan added that “casteism was human oppression that sanctified itself in the garb of religious validation. We should not idolize our community, past to represent ourselves to be perfect. We have to acknowledge our capacity for inhumanity, injustice and oppression of this hierarchical system.” Added Vishwambar Nath Mishra, an engineering professor at Indian Institute of Technology and head priest of Sankat Mochan Temple, Varanasi “You cannot bring Rama in a boundary line condition with a piece of land. He is in everybody’s hearts. All genders are the creation of the almighty and cannot be discriminated against. All are welcome in a temple.” Aishe Ghosh, President of the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) Students Union, said “India was currently experiencing a new form of imperialism and that India’s youth has to understand what the Constitution has given us.” Dipsita Dhar, a student activist from JNU, said the Modi government was diluting parliamentary procedures and stifling opposition voices, and had flouted constitutional protections with the passage of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in December and the farmer’s bill last month. The response of the BJP’s state government to the brutal rape

Babri Masjid
Press Release

Acquittal of RSS, BJP leaders in Babri mosque demolition is a travesty of justice say Indian Americans

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The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos today expressed its dismay over the acquittal of the leaders of the RSS and the BJP in the case of the demolition of the historic Babri mosque in 1992.A special court in India on Wednesday declared the demolition of the mosque as a “spontaneous act” while acquitting 32 accused including senior RSS and BJP leaders like former Union ministers Lal Krishna Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi and Uma Bharti of criminal conspiracy. The acquittal comes at the end of a torturous legal process spanning three decades at the end of which the Court held no one responsible or punishable for the demolition, despite every evidence fort it. IAMC has expressed its shock at the way justice was delayed and denied in the demolition of the historic mosque, done in full view of the national and international audiences and television and print journalists. Thousands of Muslims were killed during the communal violence which followed the demolition.  “Indian Americans and all people of conscience feel let down by the CBI court. The acquittal of RSS and BJP leaders suggests that under the current dispensation, the majority and the mobs have the right of way,” said Ahsan Khan, president of the Indian American Muslim Council. “This grave injustice is yet another assault on India’s 200 million Muslims,” added Mr. Khan. There are two orders of the Supreme Court of India which point to the charge of criminal conspiracy against the accused. In an acknowledgment of the gravity of the crime, the Constitution Bench of Supreme Court of India on November 9, 2019, termed the demolition of the Babri mosque a “calculated act” and “an egregious violation of the rule of law.” “During the pendency of the suits, the entire structure of the mosque was brought down in a calculated act of destroying a place of public worship. The Muslims have been wrongly deprived of a mosque which has been constructed well over 450 years ago,” said the order of then chief justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, justices S A Bobde, D Y Chandrachud, Ashok Bhushan and S A Nazeer. “On 6 December 1992, the structure of the mosque was brought down and the mosque was destroyed. The destruction of the mosque took place in breach of the order of status quo and an assurance given to this Court. The destruction of the mosque and the obliteration of the Islamic structure was an egregious violation of the rule of law,” the bench had further added. It was the Supreme Court which, more than two years ago, revived the charges of criminal conspiracy against the accused. “In the present case, crimes which shake the secular fabric of the Constitution of India have allegedly been committed almost 25 years ago. The accused persons have not been brought to book largely because of the conduct of the CBI in not pursuing the prosecution of the aforesaid alleged offenders in a joint trial, and because of technical defects which were easily curable, but which were not cured by the State Government,” the bench of justices Pinaki Chandra Ghose and Rohinton F Nariman had said on April 19, 2017. While acquitting the RSS and BJP leaders, the CBI court has not only ignored the Supreme Court orders, but also the findings of the Liberhan Commission which was set up by the government of India in 1992 to probe the demolition of the mosque. The findings of the Commission make it very clear that the preparation and conspiracy to execute the demolition was underway months before the actual demolition took place. The Liberhan Commission had concluded that the demolition of the Babri mosque was meticulously planned. The Commission had said the mobilization of the cadres of RSS, Bajrang Dal, BJP and Shiv Sena in Ayodhya was neither “spontaneous or voluntary” but “orchestrated and planned.”The Commission in its report named over 60 people – including senior BJP leaders Advani, Joshi, Bharti and A B Vajpayee, RSS and VHP leaders, bureaucrats – as “culpable” for “leading the country to the brink of communal discord.” Among many instances the Commission mentioned in its report to substantiate its finding, includes the one about Champat Rai, now general secretary of the Ram Janmabhoomi Trust that is in charge of the construction of the temple at Ayodhya. The Commission said Mr. Rai had “declared that guerrilla shaily (strategy) would be adopted on 6th of December 1992. This declaration was published and not contradicted or countered by any leader of the movement or political party.” “Prognosis of the evidence leads to the conclusion that the mobilization of the kar sevaks (volunteers) was neither spontaneous and voluntary. It was orchestrated and planned,” it said. Mohammed Jawad, national general secretary of the IAMC condemned the CBI which reports to the Narendra Modi government for “deliberately botching up the investigation” during the investigation stage. “The judgement delivered by the court on Wednesday, highlights among many other things, that CBI did not present crucial evidence before the court including the photos and videos recording the planning and conspiracy of the demolition by the RSS and BJP leaders. It seems India’s federal investigating agency wanted to ensure that the accused from the RSS and BJP, go scot free,” said Mr. Jawad while demanding an appeal against the acquittal in higher courts. For a factual account of what took place in December 1992 and how the Babri mosque was demolished, here is the link to the Liberhan Commission Report:https://test.iamc.com/files/Liberhan_Report_Chapter_01_of_16.pdf  IAMC is dedicated to promoting the common values of pluralism, tolerance, and respect for human rights that form the basis of the world’s two largest secular democracies – the United States and India.CONTACTIndian American Muslim CouncilPhone/Fax: 1-800-839-7270Email: info@iamc.comFacebook: /IndianAmericanMuslimCouncilTwitter: @IAMCouncilAddress: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295, Morton Grove, IL 60053.Indian American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with chapters across the nation. For more information, please visit our website at: www.iamc.com

Press Release

Strong Condemnation of Hathras, Balrampur, Azamgarh, Bulandshahar Caste motivated hate crimes such as rapes/murders in UP, India

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NRI Ambedkarites from USA, Canada, UK, Germany, France, Nederland, Ireland, Spain, Sweden, Japan, Korea, Singapore, New Zealand, Belgium, Hungary, Australia, UAE, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Malaysia During this distressing time, the NRI Ambedkarites are seething with rage, pain and sadness at the brutal caste hate crime against a 19 year old girl from the Scheduled Caste community (also referred to as dalits/backward castes in media). We offer our condolences to the family of our sister from Hathras, UP. Our sister lost her life on September 29th, 2020, in a Delhi hospital, after she succumbed to the injuries because of the hate crime where she was raped, her tongue was slashed, spinal cord broken and she was left to die by some men from the caste Hindu Thakur community. In an alleged attempt to destroy the evidence, her body was forcefully cremated by the UP police, which literally caused her second death. This happened against the wishes of the family, who were begging in front of the authorities to see their daughter one last time and who were then heckled and locked up. Even before the ashes from her pyre cooled down, there are reports of other heinous rape crimes again on Dalit girls in Balrampur, Azamgarh and Bulandshahar. What is even more shameful is the age of the victims is as low as 8 years. We demand immediate prosecution of the criminals under the SC/ST Atrocities Act As per the India Spend Analysis of the National Crime Records Bureau statistics, the crimes against dalits rose by 746% from 2006 to 2016. The caste motivated rapes and murders of dalit women form major proportion of such crimes against dalits. The cases pending investigations were up 99% and the police were half as likely to help. The NCRB report is here: Crimes in India. The subsequent reports only point to an upward trend in such crimes. This data only shows the reported crimes for which FIR’s were admitted. The actual number of such crimes against dalits are much more than these numbers. Since 2016, the NCRB used to give crimes recorded under POA, 1989 and overall crimes. However, since 2016, the overall figure is not being provided. Thus, there is a visible attempt at hiding the real data.The dalits have increased vulnerability to such crimes due to the casteist mindset of Caste Hindus, who have a predominant presence in the police force and administration. There have been malicious attempts at obstructing justice, in the form of refusal of the police to file FIR’s, refusal to use the POA Act, 1989, threatening of the victim’s families by the perpetrators and preventing the victim from seeking justice (For instance, the 17 year old Unnao dalit rape victim was burnt on her way to the court hearing. The convict is a member of the ruling dispensation). Thus, the obstruction of justice often happens with the complicity of the administration and government. The conviction rate for the men accused of raping dalit women is almost nil. In 2018, the only legal safeguard against the heinous caste crimes and atrocities against the dalits i.e.The Scheduled Castes and Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, was diluted by the Supreme Court of India diluted by the Supreme Court of India, whose independence and integrity has been severely compromised in the recent times. The difference between rape, murders and other from of atrocities against the dalits and similar crimes against other people, is that the crimes against dalits are caste  hate crimes arising out of casteist mindset of Caste Hindus. Such crimes are a reflection of jealousy, hate toward and intolerance of the little progress the dalits have been achieving. The NRI Ambedkarites strongly demand the Central government and the UP government, who have already been served NHRC notice to stop perpetuating such violence against dalit women and stop protecting the perpetrators of such crimes. The NRI Ambedkarite community demands strong punitive actions against the perpetrators of the crime and strong protection measures to safeguard the dalits, especially the women, and take steps to prevent such caste related hate crimes from happening in the future. The Scheduled Castes and Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, needs not just to be brought back in its original form but also given more teeth to tackle the rising caste hate crimes against dalits and offer protection to the dalit women and child victims. The  Indian government must take initiatives along with the community leaders to eradicate caste, restore law and order in the State of UP and country and create a safer space for women, and provide equal opportunities to all its citizens along with additional safeguards for the Scheduled Castes and Tribes. Our brave daughter will be in the hearts of all Ambedkarites. Justice shall be served! #Harthas ,#HathrasCase , HathrasHorrorShocksIndia;  #JusticeForHathrasVictim List of endorsing organization :- – Ambedkar Association of North America (AANA)– Ambedkar Buddhist Association of Texas ,USA (ABAT)– Ambedkar International Mission-USA (AIM)– Ambedkar International Mission, Japan (Japan)– Ambedkar International Center-USA (AIC)– Ambedkar King Study Circle -USA (AKSC)– Ambedkar Times ,USA– Ambedkar International Coordination Society(AICS),Canada– Ambedkar Mission Toronto, Canada– Ambedkar International Mission Society, Canada– Begumpura cultural society of New York USA– Boston Study Group, (BSG), USA– Coalition of Seattle Indian-American– International commission of Dalit rights (ICDR),USA– Indian Civil Watch (ICW)– Jaibhim Atlanta, USA– Periyar Ambedkarite Study Circle (PASC) ,USA– Periyar International ,USA– Shri Guru Ravidas Sabha of New York, USA– Shri Guru Ravidas Sabha of Bay Area, USA– Samaj Weekly of United Kingdom– Federation of Ambedkarite and Buddhist, United Kingdom– Anti Caste Discrimination alliance (ACDA),UK– Dr Ambedkar Mission Society, Europe (Germany)– Ambedkar Buddhist Society of Spain– The Asian Independent of United Kingdom– Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar International Association for Education, Japan

Communal harmony, Press Release

Reclaiming India is an initiative of committed voices from the global Indian diaspora who stand for a democratic, pluralistic, and progressive India.

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Reclaiming India is an initiative of committed voices from the global Indian diaspora who stand for a democratic, pluralistic, and progressive India. Reclaiming India@73 is an online conference organized by diverse Global Indian Diaspora organizations committed to democratic values, human rights and religious freedom in India, the United States, and the world. We are reclaiming India from the clutches of Hindu Nationalism and setting it on course to an inclusive democracy. Time: Oct 3, 2020 09:00 AM ; Oct 4, 2020 09:00 AM Register here: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_F4V2rZykTHSbij15U2T0hg For regular updates on the conference, follow us Reclaiming India on Facebook and Twitter.

Reports

Facebook’s Hate-Speech Rules Collide With Indian Politics

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Company executive in vital market opposed move to ban controversial politician; some employees allege favoritism to ruling party Aug. 14 In Facebook posts and public appearances, Indian politician T. Raja Singh has said Rohingya Muslim immigrants should be shot, called Muslims traitors and threatened to raze mosques. Facebook Inc. employees charged with policing the platform were watching. By March of this year, they concluded Mr. Singh not only had violated the company’s hate-speech rules but qualified as dangerous, a designation that takes into account a person’s off-platform activities, according to current and former Facebook employees familiar with the…TO READ THE FULL STORY https://www.wsj.com/articles/facebook-hate-speech-india-politics-muslim-hindu-modi-zuckerberg-11597423346?st=nczbr8ko9dcz4mj&reflink=article_copyURL_share

Reports

Report: BJP leaders responsible for anti-Muslim pogrom in Delhi

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A fact finding report on the north-east Delhi riots released on Thursday by the Delhi Minorities Commission (DMC) pointed fingers at BJP leaders for allegedly “inciting” people through speeches during the Assembly elections. The 130-page report, already submitted to Lt Governor Anil Baijal and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, in its findings also alleged “inaction” on the part of Delhi Police. The report was released at the DMC office here by chairman of the Commission, Zafarul Islam Khan, and MR Shamshad who headed the 10-member fact finding committee. The key findings of the report noted “repeated incitement” to violence. “Throughout the Delhi Assembly elections campaign from December 2019 to February 2020, there were a number of speeches by Delhi BJP leaders inciting people to violence against anti-CAA protesters,” a DMC statement said. “Violence broke out in different pockets in North East Delhi almost immediately after instigating speech of Kapil Mishra on February 23 at Maujpur, in which he openly called for forcefully removing the (anti-CAA) protesters at Jafarabad,” it said. Mishra, a BJP leader from north-east Delhi’s Karawal Nagar could not be contacted for his comment. The report stated that testimonies of affected people revealed that the violence was not spontaneous like a “riot”, it was “planned, organised and targeted”. “In several areas of North East Delhi, properties owned by Muslims were looted, burnt and completely destroyed. Armed mobs chanting slogans selectively attacked Muslim individuals, houses, shops, vehicles, mosques and other properties,” the statement said. The violence claimed over 50 lives besides injuries to scores of people.  “Multiple testimonies collected by the fact finding committee recount reports of police inaction even as violence unfolded, or of police not reaching despite repeated calls on emergency call number,” it said. The testimonies of victims also alleged delayed FIRs, police “complicity” in “abetting” attacks including on women, the report stated. The report also noted that even after four months of the violence, verification process for compensation to the riot victims has not been completed in many cases. “In many cases, after verification very small amount of interim compensation has been paid,” claimed the report. The committee was open to testimonies of all affected people, including those from the majority community, but they did not approach it, said Shamshad. The report recommended that the government form a five-member committee, headed by a retired High Court judge, to ensure proper registration of FIRs, recording of statements of victims, chargesheet review, probe of Delhi Police role, compensation to all the victims. It also recommended deputing trial court advocates to render legal aid to the victims.  News source: https://www.outlookindia.com/website/story/india-news-bjp-leaders-incited-people-delhi-minorities-commissions-report-on-february-riots/356856 Read full report here: https://ia801501.us.archive.org/28/items/dmc-delhi-riot-fact-report-2020/-Delhi-riots-Fact-Finding-2020.pdf

dr kafeel khan
Press Release

Indian Americans welcome release of Muslim doctor in India, demand freedom for other prisoners of conscience

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[vc_row full_width=”stretch_row” css=”.vc_custom_1602077007818{margin: 0px !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text]Indian Americans denounces the Indian government for filing false cases against Muslims, rights activists as vendetta FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 4, 2020 The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), an advocacy group committed to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos today welcomed the release from prison of Dr. Kafeel Khan, a whistleblower Indian Muslim doctor who has been repeatedly imprisoned by the government in Uttar Pradesh state on false criminal charges. IAMC also welcomes the release of Pinjra Tod activist Devangana Kalita and former AMU student leaders Sharjeel Usmani and Farhan Zuberi. IAMC lauded the High Court in Uttar Pradesh, which ordered his release this week, for rejecting the government’s claim that the 39-year-old pediatrician had tried to “increase hatred, enmity and disharmony towards Hindus” in a speech last December. The government had booked Dr. Khan under the draconian National Security Act. That the High Court unequivocally ruled that Dr. Khan “did not promote hatred or violence” but, in fact, gave a call for “unity among citizens” in his speech exposed that the state government’s true intent behind incarcerating Dr. Khan is to persecute India’s Muslims for protesting India’s new anti-Muslim citizenship law said IAMC. “In his speech from December that caused his arrest, Dr. Kafeel Khan had blamed Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government for its economic failures and rising unemployment, and criticized it for bringing the citizenship law with the sole aim of rendering millions of Muslims illegal migrants in their country of birth,” said Ahsan Khan, President of the Indian American Muslim Council. “As the high court said, he broke no law but actually performed his duty as a law-abiding citizen in a democracy, but was punished nonetheless,” added Mr. Khan. It is appalling that the Uttar Pradesh government has repeatedly filed false criminal cases against Dr. Khan over the last three years. He was jailed for seven months in 2017 on the false accusation that his negligence had caused the death of 70 minor patients at a government hospital when several investigations revealed that Dr. Khan had, in fact, worked day and night to save hundreds of children from certain death by arranging oxygen for them with his own money. “The Uttar Pradesh government, which is also run by Mr. Modi’s political party, the BJP, has viciously attacked, killed and imprisoned hundreds of Muslims over the last seven months in a bid to terrorize India’s largest religious minority and to browbeat it into submission to the new citizenship law,” said Syed Ali Vice President of IAMC. The Indian Government must immediately set free hundreds of other Muslim activists and human rights defenders such as Ishrat Jahan, Natasha Narwal, Meeran Haider, Sharjeel Imam, Khalid Saifi, Akhil Gogoi, Dhairjya Konwar, Bittu Sonowal, Manash Konwar, who were arrested during the anti-CAA protests. IAMC has also demanded the release of former Gujarat-cadre IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt, poet-activist Varavara Rao, Ex-DU professor GN Saibaba, social activists and intellectuals Anand Teltumbde and Gautam Navlakha, who were arrested in the 2018 Bhima Koregaon case. “Mr. Modi’s government is adamant at sabotaging the right to protest and the freedom of expression, which have long been the cornerstone of the Indian democracy,” Mr. Ahsan Khan of IAMC said. “As Dr. Khan said in his December speech, no matter how severe the repression, India’s Muslims will not flinch in fighting such persecution and will eventually defeat the repression.” IAMC is dedicated to promoting the common values of pluralism, tolerance, and respect for human rights that form the basis of the world’s two largest secular democracies – the United States and India. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Mark Zuckerberg and Modi
Reports

Facebook’s Ties to India’s Ruling Party Complicate Its Fight Against Hate Speech

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AUGUST 27 In July 2019, Alaphia Zoyab was on a video call with Facebook employees in India, discussing some 180 posts by users in the country that Avaaz, the watchdog group where she worked, said violated Facebook’s hate speech rules. But half way through the hour-long meeting, Shivnath Thukral, the most senior Facebook official on the call, got up and walked out of the room, Zoyab says, saying he had other important things to do. Among the posts was one by Shiladitya Dev, a lawmaker in the state of Assam for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He had shared a news report about a girl being allegedly drugged and raped by a Muslim man, and added his own comment: “This is how Bangladeshi Muslims target our [native people] in 2019.” But rather than removing it, Facebook allowed the post to remain online for more than a year after the meeting, until TIME contacted Facebook to ask about it on Aug. 21. “We looked into this when Avaaz first flagged it to us, and our records show that we assessed it as a hate speech violation,” Facebook said in a statement to TIME. “We failed to remove upon initial review, which was a mistake on our part.” Thukral was Facebook’s public policy director for India and South Asia at the time. Part of his job was lobbying the Indian government, but he was also involved in discussions about how to act when posts by politicians were flagged as hate speech by moderators, former employees tell TIME. Facebook acknowledges that Thukral left the meeting, but says he never intended to stay for its entirety, and joined only to introduce Zoyab, whom he knew from a past job, to his team. “Shivnath did not leave because the issues were not important,” Facebook said in the statement, noting that the company took action on 70 of the 180 posts presented during the meeting. The social media giant is under increasing scrutiny for how it enforces its hate speech policies when the accused are members of Modi’s ruling party. Activists say some Facebook policy officials are too close to the BJP, and accuse the company of putting its relationship with the government ahead of its stated mission of removing hate speech from its platform—especially when ruling-party politicians are involved. Thukral, for instance, worked with party leadership to assist in the BJP’s 2014 election campaign, according to documents TIME has seen. Facebook’s managing director for India, Ajit Mohan, denied suggestions that the company had displayed bias toward the BJP in an Aug. 21 blog post titled, “We are open, transparent and non-partisan.” He wrote: “Despite hailing from diverse political affiliations and backgrounds, [our employees] perform their respective duties and interpret our policies in a fair and non-partisan way. The decisions around content escalations are not made unilaterally by just one person; rather, they are inclusive of views from different teams and disciplines within the company.” Facebook published the blog post after the Wall Street Journal, citing current and former Facebook employees, reported on Aug.14 that the company’s top policy official in India, Ankhi Das, pushed back against other Facebook employees who wanted to label a BJP politician a “dangerous individual” and ban him from the platform after he called for Muslim immigrants to be shot. Das argued that punishing the state lawmaker, T. Raja Singh, would hurt Facebook’s business prospects in India, the Journal reported. (Facebook said Das’s intervention was not the sole reason Singh was not banned, and that it was still deciding if a ban was necessary.) https://time.com/5883993/india-facebook-hate-speech-bjp/

Independence Day
Press Release

US Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal resolves to stand with minorities in India at Independence Day event

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Event organized by Indian Muslims in US draws prominent activists from India and US as well as diaspora members from around the world FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, marked India’s 74th Independence Day on Saturday, August 15, 2020, with an online celebration featuring Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), as the keynote speaker and prominent human rights activists from India and the US. The online event titled, “Solidarity in Times of COVID-19,” intended to celebrate India’s Independence Day was marked with high energy and rousing speeches punctuated with resolutions and pledges to uphold India’s pluralistic democracy. A virtual flag hoisting ceremony was held at the start of the online event. Besides US Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, guest speakers included Mr. Harsh Mandar (noted human rights activist), Mr. Anil Wagde (Ambedkar International Center), Mr. Raju Rajagopal (Hindus for Human Rights), Ms Sujatha Ramni (Coalition of Seattle Indian-Americans), Ms. Ladeeda Farzana and  Ms. Ayesha Renna (Jamia Millia Islamia), and Mr. Ahsan Khan, President of IAMC.  Emceed by IAMC Youth leader, Ms. Aminah Ahmed, the event drew attendees from around the world. IAMC also marked the occasion of India’s Independence Day with an essay and video contest on topics relating to pluralism, democracy and religious freedom in India. Winners of respective contests can be found here Rep. Pramila Jayapal, the first South Asian American woman to be elected to the US House of Representatives called for India’s Independence Day to be “a time to reaffirm the democratic, pluralistic principles on which our countries were founded.” Bemoaning that “hate crimes are threatening Muslims in India”, she took pride in “speaking out for the rights of minorities in India” since she took office. “I also spoke out against Prime Minister Modi’s Citizenship Law that excludes Muslim migrants from a new pathway to citizenship, an unprecedented break from India’s secular constitution,” Rep. Jayapal said. “Taken together with the National Register of Citizens, I fear that this citizenship law could be used to prevent Muslim migrants from becoming citizens and voting,” she added. Her keynote address was noteworthy for many reasons, including her words of inspiration and resolve. “If there is anything I have found as an immigrant, advocate and woman of color, it is that nothing is stronger than committed and passionate people working together to do good and deliver justice….I will not stop fighting for justice for Muslims here and in India and I know you won’t either.” Mr. Harsh Mander, a noted Indian human rights activist, delivered a passionate speech on the ideals of Gandhi and the principles of non-violence that marked India’s freedom struggle. Mr. Mander urged that the “idea of India that was promised in the leadership of Gandhi belongs equally to people of every faith and emphasized that India was envisioned as a country where no one would be discriminated against, regardless of their caste, religion, gender, wealth or language.”  In response to mob lynchings around the country, Mr. Mander headed an initiative called “Karwan-e-Mohabbat”or “Caravan of Love,” that included visits to families of those who were lynched. “I said we would go to every home where anyone has been lynched in this country, like we would go to our loved ones and say, ‘we want you to know you are not alone. There are many people who care and stand with you in this moment of your pain. We seek forgiveness for  what we have become as a country. We will stand with you in your battle of your justice and tell your stories.’” Mr. Mander said. Ms. Sujatha Ramni, coordinator of the Coalition of Seattle Indian-Americans, emphasized that “American and Indian societies are each other’s analogues. While democracies are set in constitutions, we are very much a work in progress. Liberty, Equality and Fraternity are goals we still have to achieve.  It is a promise that we must dedicate and commit ourselves to do every day.” Mr. Anil Wagde, representing Ambedkar International Center, spoke of struggles of Dalits and minorities, and remarked, “the government has indeed left things “Ram Bharose” (in the hands of Ram). We need a government that is responsive to people’s needs and aspirations and not one that manages the headlines. We need a government that is interested in hospitals and not temples.” Two dynamic women activists who became iconic faces of the CAA/NRC protests, Ms. Ladeeda Farzana and Ms.Aysha Renna, also spoke passionately at this event. Ms. Ladeeda Farzana said, “As a student I believe that, as much as we celebrate independence, the idea of freedom must always be appraised critically. If we can’t critique an idea that we celebrate then we can’t evolve into a better democracy. If we cannot critique, we will find ourselves shrinking into existence, there is no growth there. That is the problem we face today; we don’t have the right to dissent anymore. Any semblance of dissent or critique instantly makes one an anti-national or a traitor.” Ms. Aysha Renna said, “August 15 is a special day for all of us. As Indians, we have loved it ever since as a child, flag hoisting, rallies, sweets. Growing up, I realized how fearlessly our forefathers fought for the freedom that we are enjoying.” Mr. Renna however bemoaned the fact that the “country today is not what the freedom fighters had fought for,”  and that Indian Muslims are told “to prove their patriotism, prove their love towards their country.” “The irony is that the people who are questioning the patriotism of Indian Muslims are those who had little to no role in the actual freedom struggle itself!” Ms. Renna said in her speech. Mr. Raju Rajagopal from Hindus for Human Rights, made an earnest plea to the attendees to make themselves part of “India’s Second Struggle for Independence.” “Do your bit to achieve ‘Independence’ from communal hatred; ‘Independence’ from ultra-nationalism that views some Indians as more equal than others; ‘Independence’ from corruption that is eating away our souls; and ‘Independence’ from caste discrimination that continue to haunt us decades

Times Square
Press Release

Massive protests disrupt Times Square celebration of hate and bigotry

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Broad coalition exposes Hindu nationalist front organizations in the US, and their agenda of normalizing human rights abuses in India FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  The “Coalition to Stop Genocide in India”, a broad coalition of Indian Americans and US based civil rights organizations and activists today organized a massive rally at Times Square, in order to protest the celebration of the destruction of the Babri Mosque in India. The celebrations were organized by an entity that calls itself the American Indian Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), a front for several Hindu nationalist (a.k.a. Hindutva supremacist) organizations in the US. Protesters in large numbers held placards and chanted slogans to highlight massive human rights abuses in India, by India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. For some who had gathered to celebrate the construction of the Ram Temple in India on the ruins of the Babri Mosque, the protests were a reminder that normalizing hate and bigotry would not go unchallenged in the US. The Babri Mosque was demolished by Hindutva supremacist forces in India in 1992, based on a campaign of hate, bigotry against the country’s Muslim minority and misinformation about the mosque’s origins. This is part of a larger and sustained campaign of historical revisionism that Hindutva relies on, in order to advance its virulent worldview. The Babri Mosque was demolished by Hindu nationalist militias as part of a political campaign by the BJP party, where the leader of the party Advani led a rally to demolish the mosque. The campaign was accompanied by the killing of hundreds of Muslims across India, both before and after the demolition of the mosque. The site is now in control of Hindutva supremacist litigants, following a Supreme Court judgement that said the destruction of the historic structure was illegal but still handed over the site to those who carried out the criminal demolition. “There is no doubt that Ram is a revered figure in Hinduism, and respect for all religions is part of our commitment to pluralism,” said Mr. Jawad Mohammed, General Secretary of the Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC). “However, people’s reverence for Ram has been manipulated in order to serve a vile and hateful agenda whose evil fruits are evident not only across India but now increasingly in the US as well,” added Mr. Mohammed. “We learn in the Ramayana that Lord Rama’s birthplace is Ayodhya. However, our scripture does not specify where in Ayodhya Lord Rama was born. The reality is that the Ram Temple issue was leveraged by Hindutva forces to polarize Indian society in a destructive campaign that has resulted in untold human suffering and that continues to this day.”said Ms. Sunita Vishwanath, President of Hindus for Human Right. It is alarming that an ideology that shows complete disregard for the value of human life, and the sanctity of all places of worship, is boasting of its evil deeds in India in the heart of New York City, which is so representative of our diversity and inclusiveness as Americans. “Sadly, far-right extremists in both India and the United States have especially taken to demonizing and denigrating Muslims. I condemn any attack on an individual or group because of their faith and stand with my Muslim siblings here in my district and in India as they fight for dignity and human rights,” said New York City Councilmember Daniel Dromm. “I also thank all the Hindus and others who have taken a stand against dog-whistle propaganda cloaked as cultural celebrations,” added Mr. Dromm.   “Islamophobia has escalated to the level of ethnic cleansing in numerous countries, including India. From lynchings, to pogroms, to the cultural genocide exemplified by the establishment of a temple on the site of a demolished mosque, anti-Muslim bigotry is government policy in India,” said Mr. Nihad Awad National Executive Director of the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR). “The Muslim world and the international community must unite in opposition to the far-right Modi government before its fascist, Nazi-inspired ideology causes further damage to religious minorities,” Mr. Awad added. Mr. Brad Lander, another New York City councilmember said, “We all have a responsibility for speaking out against Islamophobia, whether it comes from our country, or even our own community.” Mr. Lander further added, “As a New Yorker, and as a progressive Jew, I stand with our Muslim neighbors, here in NYC and those in Kashmir and throughout India who are facing nationalist and Islamophobic hatred and violence.”  “Political Hinduism is NOT a religious issue, it’s a class issue and final victory is possible by uniting the workers, peasants and the socially oppressed sections. Today’s protest in New York has brought various sections together to challenge the Hindutva project” said S. Karthikeyan of Ambedkar King Study Circle (AKSC). “The celebration of Ram temple by the Hindutva brigade and its Indian-American followers is a celebration of power: the power to hate and hurt with impunity, to  aggressively gloat over Indian Muslims and others who cherish our pluralistic society” said Ms. Ania of Coalition against Fascism in India (CAFI). “Choosing August 5 to celebrate is a new act of aggression against the Kashmiris. We reject this cynical use of religion to entrench hate and kill India democracy” added Ms. Ania. The Islamic Society of North America, the largest Muslim organization in North America in a statement said, “It applauds and supports Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) efforts toward preserving India’s democracy and pluralistic society.” The Coalition to Stop Genocide in India includes dozens of organizations, including Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), Islamic Soceity of North America (ISNA), Emgage, Coalition Against Fascism in India, Hindus for Human Rights (HfHR), Boston Coalition, Organization for Minorities in India (OFMI), South Asia Solidarity Initiative, Ambedkar Association of North America (AANA), Ambedkar King Study Circle (AKSC), Council for Minority Rights in India (CMRI), North American Indian Muslim Association (NAIMA), Ambedkar International Mission, Coalition of Seattle Indian Americans, Guru Ravidas Sabha, Periyar International USA, Ambedkar International Mission Society, Canada,

Babri Masjid
Press Release

Indian Americans to protest New York celebration of Babri Mosque demolition

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Broad coalition seeks to highlight massive human rights abuses of the Hindu nationalist organizations in India and the pernicious threat of their front organizations operating in the US FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 5, 2020 The Coalition to Stop Genocide in India, a broad coalition of Indian Americans and US based civil rights organizations and activists will hold a massive protest at Times Square on August 5 in response to a celebration of the construction of a Ram Temple in India. The celebration, reportedly organized by an entity that calls itself the American India Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), seeks to glorify the demolition of the historic Babri Mosque in India, on whose ruins the temple is going to be built. The Coalition to Stop Genocide in India includes dozens of organizations, including Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), Islamic Soceity of North America (ISNA), Coalition Against Fascism in India, Hindus for Human Rights (HfHR), Boston Coalition, Organization for Minorities in India (OFMI), South Asia Solidarity Initiative, Ambedkar Association of North America (AANA), Ambedkar King Study Circle (AKSC), Council for Minority Rights in India (CMRI) and North American Indian Muslim Association (NAIMA). What: Protest Display of Hindutva Supremacy in the United States When: Wednesday, August 5th, 2020, 6:30 PM Where: Times Square, Manhattan, New York City “We strongly reject such a vulgar celebration of hate, bigotry and chauvinism, and call upon all people of conscience to stand in solidarity with India’s religious minorities,” IAMC President Ahsan Khan said. “It is unfortunate that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who seized power by fanning Islamophobia and hatred for non-Hindus and has tacitly encouraged violence against minorities, has finally put his stamp on taking India back to the medieval ages when destruction of places of worship and mass murder of faith-based communities was the order of the day,” added Mr. Khan. Advocating for their own “religious freedom” in the US, these bigots are doing everything possible to turn India into a majoritarian Hindu state that relegates Muslims, Christians and other religious minorities to the status of second-class citizens. People of conscience need to protest the event in New York, because it is not a celebration of faith but a celebration of virulent hate and bigotry.“The celebration of the Ram temple by the Hindutva brigade and its Indian-American followers is a celebration of power: the power to hate and hurt with impunity, to aggressively gloat over Indian Muslims and all others who cherish our secular pluralistic culture, ” said Ms. Ania from Coalition Against Fascism in India (CAFI). “Choosing August 5 to do so is a new act of aggression against Kashmiris. We reject this cynical use of religion to entrench hate and kill Indian democracy,” added Ms. Ania.Mohammed Jawad, National General Secretary of IAMC said “Hindutva supremacists in India are akin to the Ku Klux Klan in the US. The Ram temple in Ayodhya is born out of their criminal acts. This bigoted celebration of hate in the US is an affront to American values and emboldens Hindutva extremists to advance their supremacist agenda in the US.”The fact that the Ram temple ceremony in India is happening on August 5 is inflammatory as well, as it is the one year anniversary of the revocation of Article 370 in Kashmir, which has led to the world’s longest and most brutal lockdown, causing untold human suffering in the region.The protest is also intended to highlight the human rights violations by India’s Hindu nationalist government, such as the legislation of the anti-Muslim Citizenship Amendment Act, the pogrom against Muslims in New Delhi in February led by goons of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and the arrests of thousands of innocent activists merely for exercising their democratic right to protest the draconian citizenship law.The Coalition to Stop Genocide in India is committed to ensuring that American institutions and discourse are safeguarded from the virulent Hindutva ideology. To that end, the coalition will continue to expose Hindutva front organizations in the US and their role in normalizing the human rights abuses and religious freedom violations in India.

Golden Bridge San Fransisco
Press Release

San Francisco becomes sixth US city to denounce the CAA-NRC human rights crisis in India

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South Asians welcome the international community’s growing expressions of solidarity with India’s persecuted minorities and caste oppressed FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  July 21, 2020  The Alliance for Justice and Accountability (AJA), an umbrella organization of progressive South Asian groups across the United States, in coordination with the local San Francisco community, today welcomed the resolution passed by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors denouncing India’s draconian Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and the National Population Register (NPR).  The CAA and NRC seek to render stateless millions of people among minorities and caste oppressed by demanding proof of citizenship from every Indian, in a country where the vast majority of people have lived in India for generations but do not have birth certificates. Their use of religion as a criterion for selectively granting citizenship to immigrants of certain communities is a flagrant violation of all norms of secular democracies besides being inconsistent with India’s Constitution that guarantees equality before the law for people of all faiths.  The resolution, passed by a unanimous vote at the Board’s meeting today, categorically opposes the CAA, NRC and NPR as “discriminatory to Muslims, caste oppressed, women, indigenous peoples, and the LGBTQ community.” Given these actions are part of a larger effort by the India’s Hindu nationalist government to persecute and marginalize entire sections of India’s population the resolution also denounces “any other efforts that render vulnerable populations anywhere to become stateless, scapegoated, and targeted for discrimination, violence, and the abrogation of human rights that are universal to one and all.” AJA constituent partners joined hands with local San Francisco organizations such as the American Institute of Islamic History and Culture, San Francisco Interfaith Council, the San Francisco Human Rights Commission and the San Francisco Muslim Community Center to work on this resolution.  “We are proud of the City and County of San Francisco for standing on the right side of history today. San Francisco is leading the moral consensus in the global outcry against the CAA,” said Hala Hijazi, a Commissioner on the San Francisco Human Rights Commission and a board member of the San Francisco Muslim Community Center as well as the San Francisco Interfaith Council. “When genocidal campaigns begin, one important intervention is international condemnation, and the Bay Area community feels a deep sense of solidarity with their electeds, as the time to stand against the Indian government’s Islamophobic policies is now,” Ms. Hijazi added. “These genocidal projects happen in the shadows and this resolution highlights the significance of standing up for South Asian minorities, Muslims, and caste oppressed communities,” said Thenmozhi Soundarajan of Equality Labs. “Thousands of organizers across the country have called, e-mailed, and organized to amplify this Resolution, and it sets an example to cities across the United States – that we do not stand on the side of genocide,” added Ms. Soundarajan. “India is creating a refugee crisis of biblical proportions. It will impact civil society in many parts of the world including the United States,” said Mr. Nazeer Ahmed of the American Institute of Islamic History and Culture.   The resolution, reaffirming San Francisco as a “welcoming city,” comes in the wake of five other cities (Seattle WA, Albany NY, St. Paul MN, Hamtramck MI, Cambridge MA) having passed similar resolutions denouncing the CAA and NRC and the exclusionary and bigoted worldview they represent. In addition, international human rights bodies as well as the US Commission for International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) have all condemned these moves. The USCIRF noted that these were poised to put citizenships of millions into question, but “Muslims alone would bear the indignities and consequences of potential statelessness.”  “Genocide Watch, an independent body that is widely considered to have expertise in the prediction of genocide in conflict-ridden areas around the world, has issued two separate genocide alerts for the states of Assam and Kashmir,” said Mr. Ahsan Khan, President of Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC). “In this context, San Francisco’s decision to stand with oppressed minorities in India sends a clear message on where people of conscience around the world stand in regards to the deepening crisis in India. Today’s development will resonate across the US and beyond,” added Mr. Khan. AJA has pledged to continue striving for international accountability of India’s repressive policies against minorities and caste oppressed. Full text of the resolution: https://sfgov.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=8675816&GUID=AC65D006-1F23-4D9E-A4AB-D7414605FD42

Press Release

Rights groups, activists ask US to designate India as CPC for religious violence, impose sanctions

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington, D.C., June 23, 2020 More than a thousand civil rights organizations, academicians and activists have written to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urging him to designate India as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC), which is the US Government’s list of the world’s worst offenders of religious freedom, and impose sanctions on the perpetrators in India. In an open letter submitted to the Department of State this week, they urged Secretary Pompeo to implement these recommendations that have been made by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), a federal body that advises US Congress and President, in regards to India in its Annual Report 2020. Implementing the recommendations “will send a clear message that the US believes religious freedom and peaceful coexistence of multiple faiths are the lynchpin of global stability.” Imposing “targeted sanctions” on Indian agencies and officials, including freezing of their assets and barring their entry into the US, would be “an effective measure against the State-backed assaults on religious minorities,” the letter said. Increased violence against India’s religious minorities, which include 200 million Muslims and 30 million Christians, is a “grave threat not only to its secular and pluralist polity but also to regional stability in South Asia, with implications for global peace and security and India’s ability to be an effective strategic partner for the US,” it added. “India’s failure to uphold its commitment to religious freedom negates its Constitution and the UN Declaration of Human Rights that India has signed,” the letter said. “It also contradicts the ideals of freedom and justice that the US and India share.” The organizations signing the letter included Indian American Muslim Council, Hindus for Human Rights, International Christian Concern, Emgage Action, Genocide Watch, Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations, The Sikh Coalition, Council on American-Islamic Relations, The Boston Coalition, Coalition of Seattle Indian-Americans (CSIA), American Muslim Institution, and Aligarh Alumni Association DFW. Representatives from Save the Persecuted Christians, Jubilee Campaign USA, Church of Scientology, Coordination des Associations et des Particuliers pour la Liberté de Conscience, Boat People SOS, American Humanist Association, Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam, Christian Freedom International, Institute on Religion and Democracy, The Interfaith Center of New York, Union of Council for Jews in the Former Soviet Union (UCSJ), New York Theological Seminary, Citizen Power Initiatives for China, Sikh National Center Inc., Law and Liberty International, Dallas Peace and Justice Center, Federation of Telugu Churches, among others, also signed the letter. The USCIRF report, released in April, called out Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government for “engaging in and tolerating systematic, ongoing, and egregious religious freedom violations” by way of instituting “national level policies violating religious freedom across India, especially for Muslims,” engaging in “hate speech and incitement to violence,” and allowing the violence to “continue with impunity.” The letter also urged Secretary Pompeo to ask India to “repeal” the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), which excludes Muslim migrants from expedited citizenship available to followers of other faiths. “India’s real motive in bringing this law last December was to combine it with a proposed National Register for Citizens (NRC) that purports to identify illegals on the basis of documents such as birth certificates that millions of bona fide citizens do not possess,” the letter said. The signatories also asked Mr. Pompeo to convey to India that its discriminatory treatment of Christians was “unacceptable.” “Since Mr. Modi took power in 2014, attacks on Christians have increased as has their harassment and targeting through layers of persecution. Church services are disrupted regularly and Christians brutalized and arrested on false evidence. Local, regional and national administrations work with political leaderships to systematically target Christians,” the letter said.

CAA NRC, Exclusive, Press Release

Religious Freedom, Equality and justice Under Threat : US Dept. of State releases 2019 India Report

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Religious Persecution and Minority Crimes – Bare Facts June 12, 2020 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), an advocacy group committed to preserving and promoting India’s secular and tolerant values, today welcomed the comprehensive and systematic reporting on Indian minorities by the office of International Religious Freedom, United States Dept. of State, in its 2019 report released on June 10. The report has provided an in-depth coverage and analysis of challenges faced by religious minorities, especially Muslims, Christians and lower caste Hindus (Dalit) in India. The State Department has highlighted rampant religiously motivated killings, assaults, discrimination, and vandalism. In addition it has referred to the Ministry of Home Affairs data, which reports 7,484 incidents of communal violence during 2008-2017 in which more than 1,100 people were killed. “We welcome the State Department report and its affirmation of what is widely known about unprecedented levels of persecution of India’s minorities,” said Mr. Ahsan Khan, President of IAMC. “However, the report can make a meaningful difference only if it is followed by definitive action on the part of the US government in holding the present administration in India accountable for escalating levels of violence and hate targeting Muslims and Dalits,” added Mr. Khan.  The report cites specific examples of horrific lynchings of Muslims, Christians and Dalits. “While the lynchings are atrocious in and of themselves, what should alarm and galvanize the international community to action is the continuing incendiary rhetoric that is now part of mainstream discourse,” said Mr. Syed Afzal Ali, Vice President of IAMC. “The environment of hate and violence it has created lends support to the perpetrators and explains why the vicious cycle of violence and social boycott continues to get worse,” added Mr. Ali. The report emphasizes the urgent need to put an end to the sectarian hate, and ensure full protection of minorities as guaranteed under the Indian constitution. It also notes with concern that 9 of the 28 states have laws restricting religious conversion, which does not comply with the secular character of India. The Indian Parliament’s passing of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) has rightly come in for heavy criticism by the State Department. The CAA which amends the 1955 Citizenship Act to provide an expedited path to Indian citizenship for Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi, and Christian migrants from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh who had entered India on or before December 31, 2014, while similarly-situated Muslims, Jews, atheists from these three countries were excluded.  The report recognized use of excessive force by police against protesters, particularly against Muslim university students in the campus of Jamia Millia Islamia University, New Delhi. It also highlights that CAA was part of an ongoing BJP effort to marginalize Muslim communities and does not rule out sinister designs of Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi and Home Minister Mr. Amit Shah.  The revocation of Article 370 and continuing violations of human rights in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, open legal and social biases against the minorities, and brutal clamp down on peaceful civil dissent, have all rightfully been highlighted in the report. It is noteworthy that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and another RSS affiliate called Hindu Maha Sabha have been named as being among the proponents of hate crimes against minorities. 

Exclusive, Featured, Reports

US State Department releases scathing report on Religious persecution of minorities in India

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Executive Summary The constitution provides for freedom of conscience and the right of all individuals to freely profess, practice, and propagate religion; mandates a secular state; requires the state to treat all religions impartially; and prohibits discrimination based on religion. It also states that citizens must practice their faith in a way that does not adversely affect public order, morality, or health. Nine of the 28 states have laws restricting religious conversions. In August the central government revoked the semiautonomous status of the Muslim-majority state of Jammu and Kashmir and split it into two union territories: Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh. The revocation sparked protests, criticism from Muslim leaders, and challenges filed in the Supreme Court from opposition politicians, human rights activists, and others. The government sent thousands of additional security forces to the region, shut down many internet and phone lines, and had not restored full service by year’s end. The government also closed most mosques in the area until mid-December. Seventeen civilians and three security personnel were killed during the protests. In December parliament passed the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), which accelerates citizenship for Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi, and Christian migrants from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan who entered the country on or before December 31, 2014, but not for similarly-situated migrants who are Muslims, Jews, atheists, or members of other faiths. The law generated widespread media and religious minority criticism, including legal challenges in the Supreme Court. Protests and violent clashes between protesters and security forces in Uttar Pradesh and Assam following the passage of the law resulted in 25 civilian deaths and hundreds of injuries. Issues of religiously inspired mob violence, lynching, and communal violence were sometimes denied or ignored by lawmakers, according to a number of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and media outlets. There were reports by NGOs that the government sometimes failed to act to prevent or stop mob attacks on religious minorities, marginalized communities, and critics of the government. Some officials of Hindu-majority parties, including from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), made inflammatory public remarks or social media posts against minority communities. Mob attacks by violent Hindu groups against minority communities, including Muslims, continued throughout the year amid rumors that victims had traded or killed cows for beef. Authorities often failed to prosecute perpetrators of such “cow vigilantism,” which included killings, mob violence, and intimidation. According to some NGOs, authorities often protected perpetrators from prosecution and filed charges against victims. In July Madhya Pradesh became the first state to set fines and prison sentences for cow vigilantism. Attacks on religious minorities in some cases included allegations of involvement by law enforcement personnel. According to the NGO Persecution Relief, on January 13, police disrupted a worship service in Uttar Pradesh and arrested six people, including the female pastor, who was beaten by the officers. In November the Supreme Court awarded the site of the destroyed Babri Masjid mosque in Ayodhya to Hindu organizations to build a temple there, while providing five acres of land elsewhere in the city for Muslims to build a new mosque. Leading national Muslim organizations and some Muslim litigants petitioned the court to review the decision and permit the mosque, which was destroyed by members of Hindu nationalist organizations in 1992, to be rebuilt on its original site. In December the Supreme Court dismissed these petitions and maintained its ruling. The government continued its challenge in the Supreme Court to the minority status of Muslim educational institutions, which affords them independence in hiring and curriculum decisions. In November the Supreme Court took up challenges to its 2018 reversal of a ban on females aged 10 to 50 years from entering the Hindu Sabarimala Temple in Kerala. There were reports of religiously motivated killings, assaults, riots, discrimination, vandalism, and actions restricting the right of individuals to practice and speak about their religious beliefs. According to Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) data, 7,484 incidents of communal violence took place between 2008 and 2017 in which more than 1,100 people were killed. MHA data for 2018-2019 was not available, but incidents of communal violence continued through the year. On June 18, a mob in Jharkhand killed Muslim Tabrez Ansari after forcing him to declare allegiance to Hindu deities. NGO Human Rights Watch (HRW) stated that through 2019, Hindu groups characterized as extremist, some of which, according to HRW, had links with BJP supporters, continued to perpetuate mob violence against minorities, especially Muslims, amid rumors they traded or killed cows for beef. According to NGO Hate Crime Watch, 123 incidents of cow-related mob violence, in which Muslims comprised 50 percent of the victims, took place between 2010 and the first half of 2019. Lower-caste Hindus were also victims of cow vigilantism. Hate Crime Watch reported 10 cow vigilante attacks, with one person killed between January and June. On April 10, Prakash Lakda of Jurmu village in Jharkhand was killed by a mob, and three others seriously injured, reportedly for butchering a dead ox. All four victims were Christians who were Scheduled Tribe members. On September 22, according to media reports, individuals from Suari Village in the Khunti District of Jharkhand beat three tribal Christians suspected of selling beef in the village market. One died in the hospital, while the other two sustained serious injuries. Media reported that local police arrested several individuals following the attack. Amnesty International (AI) in October recorded 72 incidents of mob violence in the first half of the year, of which 37 were directed at Muslims. AI recorded 181 alleged hate crime incidents overall in the first half of the year, compared with 100 during the same period in 2018. According to the NGO Persecution Relief’s annual report, 527 incidents of persecution of Christians took place through the year. In August Parvati Devi was killed by her husband’s relatives reportedly because she was a Dalit (lower caste) and the couple had converted to Christianity. In February Anant Ram, a Christian, was taken from his home in Odisha and beheaded. U.S.

Exclusive, Press Release

George Floyd murder sign of systemic racism say Indian Americans

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Community stands in solidarity with African Americans while urging police reforms. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEMay 31, 2020 Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, is shocked and outraged at the ruthless murder of George Floyd, an unarmed black man. IAMC condemns the police brutality and extends it’s deepest condolences to the family, friends, and to all the well wishers who are impacted by this loss. The treatment of minorities, especially blacks by police officers in the United States of America is a systemic problem that should not be tolerated or normalized. We demand that the officers responsible for the death of George Floyd be held accountable and prosecuted to the full extent of the law. We call for immediate reforms and training of police officers by installing a just system of law enforcement by creating structural changes through the lens of restorative justice (instead of punitive justice) and community-based models of policing in an effort to address deeper systemic issues that led to this and similar killings. As Indian Americans who are advocating for the human rights and religious freedom of minorities and other marginalized communities in India, the systemic prejudice that led to the cruel death of George Floyd is a painful reminder of the state sponsored hate that is responsible for the mass persecution of Muslims, Christians and Dalits in India. The brazen mob lynchings, the mass arrests under false charges, the suppression of dissent and the merciless brutality of police and other arms of the state represent horrific violations of human rights and religious freedom in India at a magnitude that is unprecedented in the country’s history. The cause of all people seeking justice is the same and we strongly oppose the discrimination and repression by law enforcement on the basis of race, ethnicity and religion. We stand in solidarity with those who are striving for equal rights and the fair treatment of minorities and the marginalized.  We must strive to bring about institutional changes and demand better for the sake of our shared humanity and for the sake of justice. IAMC also condemns the incidents of arson, looting and violence by those seeking justice and equality. IAMC urges them to stand firmly but with patience and without resorting to violence.  IAMC is dedicated to promoting the common values of pluralism, tolerance, and respect for human rights that form the basis of the world’s two largest secular democracies – the United States and India.

Exclusive, Press Release

Congressional Briefing calls for US action amid rapidly escalating violence against minorities in India

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Broad panel of experts urges the US government to implement the recommendations of the USCIRF The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, co-sponsored a virtual Congressional briefing yesterday, titled “USCIRF Recommendations on India – The Next Steps.” With “Hindus for Human Rights (HfHR),” and “International Christian Concern (ICC),” as the other co-sponsors, the briefing was organized with the intent to analyze the recommendations made by the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF). USCIRF is an independent, bipartisan U.S. federal government commission that reviews religious freedom violations and makes policy recommendations to the US President, the Secretary of State, and Congress. The briefing came on the heels of the USCIRF’s momentous decision to list India as a “Country of Particular Concern (CPC)” under the International Religious Freedom Act in its 2020 Annual Report. The briefing was chaired by IAMC and included several USCIRF Commissioners as the main speakers along with representatives from Amnesty International, IAMC, HfHR, and ICC. Besides representatives of prominent human rights organizations, the attendees included activists, representatives from congressional offices, and people from all walks of life that are concerned about the rapidly escalating violence against religious minorities in India. The erosion of religious freedom is apparent in the abrogation of Article 370 and the horrific violations of human rights in Kashmir, a brutal clampdown on peaceful civil dissent against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and the recent Delhi pogrom, among several other egregious instances of religious persecution. Ms. Nadine Maenza, Vice-Chair of USCIRF, delivered the keynote address, with an incisive assessment of the existential crisis facing India’s democratic polity. Ms. Maenza specifically bemoaned the “#CoronaJihad” social media campaign intended to scapegoat Muslims as responsible for the Covid-19 pandemic. She noted with alarm, the social and economic boycott of Muslims in some parts of the country as well as discrimination against Muslims in the context of medical treatment during the global pandemic. Dr. Harrison Akins, South Asia policy analyst with USCIRF, while recognizing India as an ally of the United States, noted that “members of the ruling BJP have used the symbols of Hinduism and policies aimed at their protection as weapons against minority communities in their quest to further marginalize religious minorities and shape a Hindu nation.” Mr. Akins further noted, “combined with the BJP’s inflammatory rhetoric, these coordinated actions strengthen the perception that minorities, especially Muslims and Christians, are outsiders with no legitimate place in Indian history or society and, by their mere presence, a potential threat from within to the project of making India a Hindu nation.” Mr. Francisco Bencosme, Asia Pacific Advocacy Manager of Amnesty International USA, shared concerns expressed by other panelists and highlighted the issue of activists imprisoned for peaceful dissent. He made a special note of Ms. Safoora Zargar, a pregnant student jailed for speaking up against the draconian citizenship law recently enacted in India. Mr. Bencosme remarked that “while the world faces a global pandemic, India has decided that now is the time to attack religious freedom.” Referring to the sinister design of the CAA-NRC-NPR, Mr. Aman Wadud, an attorney at the Gauhati High court in India, emphasized that the “right to a nationality is a basic human right which is fundamental to all accompanying political and civil rights. Denying individuals of fundamental recognition not only deprives them of their rights but also denies them the ability to participate in the political process and legalizes systematic discrimination and persecution.” He elaborated on the rampant misuse of a draconian anti-terror law, the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), under which the Indian government could designate any individual as a “terrorist” on mere suspicion. That the law was being used against students and journalists speaks volumes about the administration’s overt alignment with fascism. “Persecution, vigilantism, Hindutva and Hindu radicalism and the oppression of Christians is what characterizes India now,” stated Mr. Jeff King, President of International Christian Concern (ICC). Mr. Raju Rajgopal, co-founder of Hindus For Human Rights, urged everyone to distinguish between Hinduism and Hindutva. The true concept of “Hindu Rashtra,” as Mr. Rajgopal expounded, is actually one of inclusiveness and tolerance, while the “Hindutva Rashtra” that the RSS and its affiliates are clearly striving for, is violent, authoritarian and intolerant. Mr. Sean Nelson, Legal Counsel for Global Religious Freedom with ADF International, spoke about anti-religious conversion laws in India which prohibit conversions of Indian Hindus to Christianity or Islam. He was dismayed and concerned about the violence faced by converts who also face 3 to 7 years of imprisonment for their voluntary religious conversion. The briefing lasted for about 90 minutes and the panelists also took questions from the audience. IAMC, along with the other co-sponsors commended USCIRF for their crucial and important work in defending religious freedom around the world. They reiterated their commitment to petition the US government and lawmakers to foreground human rights, civil liberties, and religious freedom in US-India bilateral relations and dialogue. They also urged their grassroots organizers to reach out to their elected representatives to urge the US government to accept and implement the policy recommendations of USCIRF to categorize India as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) and to impose sanctions against Indian officials for “engaging in and tolerating systematic, ongoing and egregious religious freedom violations.” IAMC is committed to the idea of an inclusive India and believes India’s continued existence as a secular, democratic polity is essential for peace and stability in South Asia, and thus an imperative for US strategic interests in the region. An earlier version of this press release mentioned that Safoora Zargar was recently released on bail. Unfortunately that is not true and she is still in jail. We deeply regret the error.

Press Release

Arrest of hundreds of Muslim activists in India is a witch hunt driven by vendetta politics say Indian Americans

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington, D.C, Alliance for Justice and Accountability (AJA), an umbrella group of progressive South Asian organizations in the United States, today condemned the Indian Government’s actions in bringing false criminal charges against hundreds of Muslim activists, students, and intellectuals in India and arresting many of them.These individuals are being targeted for challenging the deeply repressive Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) brought by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Government last December that triggered mass protests and convulsions across Indian society. Activists are also being victimized as for exposing the complicity of Mr. Modi’s Government in the massacre of dozens of Muslims in religious violence against Muslims carried out in the Indian capital, New Delhi, this February.The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is conducting a campaign of vendetta politics to persecute Muslims who have for months braved police brutalities at their street protests that were demanding a repeal of the CAA, which discriminates against Muslims in the grant of citizenship.Their expression of dissent is now being labeled as “anti-national”, and the government’s treatment of Muslims betrays an appalling deterioration in human rights and religious freedom in India today. Mr. Modi’s Government is at the forefront of such human rights violations by providing total impunity to their perpetrators and protecting them from arrests and prosecution, while targeting Muslim activists and victims.Renowned Muslim intellectual, scholar and activist, Dr. Zafarul Islam Khan, who is currently the Chairman of the Delhi Minorities Commission, a statutory body, is only the latest name in the long list of those being persecuted by the Modi Government. On April 30, Delhi Police registered an FIR (First Information Report) against Dr. Khan on charges of sedition (Section 124A of Indian Penal Code) and for promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc. and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony (Section 153A)Dr. Khan has been charged for exercising his right to free speech in a Facebook post in which he thanked the Government of Kuwait for expressing solidarity with Indian Muslims. His post also mentioned the attacks by Hindu nationalists on Indian Muslims. In fact, since Mr. Modi announced a nationwide lockdown on March 24, his government has arrested hundreds of Muslim activisits on false criminal charges and with no evidence in a relentless witch-hunt. Such arrestees include Safoora Zargar, a prominent youth activist and research scholar who is four months’ pregnant, and Gulifsha, also a female student activistShafi ur Rehman, Jamia Millia Islamia Alumni Association president, and Sharjeel Imam, a student activist, have been charged under the draconian Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), along with scores of others Meeran Hyder, a student at New Delhi’s Jamia Milia University, has been arrested . Dr. Umar Khalid, one of India’s leading student activist, too has been charged under the UAPA, and faces the threat of imminent arrest.Under the Modi administration, criticizing Hindu nationalism is being considered sedition and treason. The ongoing crackdown against Indian Muslims is a textbook case of repression of civil dissenters at the behest of the Hindu nationalist Modi government.In its Annual Report 2020, the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has recommended to the Department of State to include India in its list of Countries of Particular Concern (CPC), alongside Iran, Pakistan, Saudia Arabia and North Korea. The targeting of activists in India only affirms the USCIRF’s findings and their decision to place India in the list of CPC. The USCIRF also recommended increased “US partnerships with Indian law enforcement to build capacity to protect religious minorities.” AJA has urged the U.S. Government to accept the recommendations from the USCIRF while calling upon the Government of India to eschew its divisive agenda and to work towards unifying Indian society. AJA has called for the immediate release of those arrested for merely exercising their constitutional right to free speech, and for dissenting peacefully against the CAA and against Hindu nationalism.The AJA is dedicated to promoting the common values of pluralism, tolerance, and respect for human rights that form the basis of the world’s two largest secular democracies – the United States and India. Contact:Alliance for Justice and AccountabilityPhone/Fax:  1-800-839-7270Email: outreach@iamc.com Alliance for Justice and Accountability is an umbrella coalition of various organizations dedicated to promoting the common values of pluralism, tolerance, social justice and respect for human rights that form the basis of the world’s two largest secular democracies – the United States and India.

Press Release

US Commission placing India in list of top violators of Religious Freedom is justified, say Indian Americans

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Bipartisan Federal Commission urges strong action by the State Department and the US Congress  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 28, 2020  The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC – www.iamc.com), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, today welcomed a report on religious freedom issued by the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), in which the US body has called on the State Department to place India in a list of “countries of particular concern,” based on a sharp uptick in violations of human rights and religious freedom in India. The USCIRF is an independent, bipartisan US federal government commission. It makes policy recommendations based on its review of global religious freedom to the US President, the Secretary of State and the US Congress. Until this year, USCIRF had placed India in Tier 2, which is the list of countries with the second-worst record of religious freedom violations. “As a part of the Indian diaspora that only wishes well for the country of our birth, we view international criticism of India’s religious freedom record as distressing but painfully necessary, given the escalating level of persecution of minorities,”  said Mr. Ahsan Khan, President of IAMC. “India being categorized as a top violator of religious freedoms while unfortunate, is expected and justified. We hope this report as well as recent concerns expressed by other countries, mark a turning point in the treatment of religious minorities as well as the caste oppressed in India ,” added Mr. Khan.  In its Annual International Religious Freedom Report released on Tuesday, USCIRF has made three key recommendations to the State Department and Congress:  To designate India as a CPC for “engaging in and tolerating systematic, ongoing, and egregious religious freedom violations, as defined by the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA).” To impose “targeted sanctions on Indian government agencies and officials responsible for severe violations of religious freedom by freezing those individuals’ assets and/ or barring their entry into the United States.” Strengthen the US Embassies’ and consulates’ engagement with religious communities, local officials and police; increase US partnerships with Indian law enforcement to build capacity to protect religious minorities. Along with its partners, International Christian Concern (ICC) and Hindus for Human Rights (HfHR), IAMC had in March written to USCIRF urging it to bring India into its list of the worst offenders of religious freedom violations in the world. That letter was co-signed by dozens of organizations and individuals, including Genocide Watch, Equality Labs, Jewish Voice for Peace, Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), Christian Solidarity Worldwide, UK, Emgage Action, and the Russian Orthodox Autonomous Church of America. Other organizations that had joined the appeal to USCIRF included The Boston Coalition, Alliance for Secular and Democratic South Asia, Organization for Minorities of India, Council on Minority Rights in India, India Civil Watch, Center for Pluralism, Indian Muslim Association of Greater Houston, Amnesty International (Houston Chapter), Coalition of Seattle Indian-Americans, and Muslim Public Affairs Council. A USCIRF official had also been the keynote speaker at a Congressional Briefing on Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register for Citizens (NRC) that had been organized on Capitol Hill by IAMC, HfHR, CAIR and Emgage Action on January 27, 2020. USCIRF has based its decision to move India to the CPC list on account of India taking a “sharp downward turn in 2019.” The report has rightly expressed concern that following the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) re-election in May, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s national government “used its strengthened parliamentary majority to institute national level policies violating religious freedom across India, especially for Muslims. The national government allowed violence against minorities and their houses of worship to continue with impunity, and also engaged in and tolerated hate speech and incitement to violence.” On the subject of the CAA and the NRC, both deeply repressive moves that caused convulsions across Indian society in the form of mass protests, the Commission noted that these were poised to put citizenships of millions into question, but “Muslims alone would bear the indignities and consequences of potential statelessness”. Every year since 2010, USCIRF has been placing India in Tier 2 of its list of CPC. After the Indian government carried out massive atrocities against Muslims in India following its revocation of Kashmir’s special status; the legislation of the anti-Muslim law, the Citizenship (Amendment) Act; and the State-sponsored pogrom of Muslims in Delhi, India’s capital, Indian American Muslim Council launched a signature campaign to urge USCIRF to elevate India to Tier 1. The USCIRF has been progressively more scathing in its assessment of the developments in India. In December, after the CAA was legislated by the Indian Parliament, USCIRF had urged the U.S. Government to sanction Indian Home Minister Amit Shah for his role in piloting the law, pointing out that the law set a “legal criterion for citizenship based on religion.” The USCIRF had also sharply criticized the violence against Muslims in Delhi in February, noting that reports were “mounting that the Delhi police have not intervened in violent attacks against Muslims, and the government is failing in its duty to protect its citizens. These incidents are even more concerning in the context of efforts within India to target and potentially disenfranchise Muslims across the country, in clear violation of international human rights standards.”Since 2011, the Indian Government has refused visas to USCIRF Commissioners to visit India.  IAMC has urged the  Government of India to pay heed to USCIRF’s observations and take necessary corrective action in order to safeguard the lives and liberty of millions of Indian citizens. CONTACT:  Indian American Muslim Council Phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 Email:info@iamc.com  Facebook: Indian American Muslim Council  Twitter: @IAMCouncil Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295, Morton Grove, IL 60053. References: India receives harshest rating from U.S. government watchdog in religious freedom report https://www.washingtonpost.com/religion/2020/04/28/india-receives-low-rating-us-government-watchdog-religious-freedom/ Delhi Rejects ‘Biased’ USCIRF Report Designating India as ‘Country of Particular Concern’ over Religious Freedom https://www.news18.com/news/india/us-panel-designates-india-as-country-of-particular-concern-over-religious-freedom-violation-govt-rejects-biased-report-2596737.html List India as a top religious freedom violator, says watchdog group https://www.sltrib.com/religion/2020/04/28/list-india-top-religious/ US Panel Flags India For ‘Violence’, ‘Hate Speech’ Against Religious Minorities;

Press Release

Indian American groups condemn scapegoating of Muslims for Coronavirus spread in India, urge PM Modi to stop hate

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  April 11, 2020 The Indian American Muslim Council ( www.iamc.com ), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, today joined hands with Hindus For Human Rights ( www.hindusforhumanrights.org ) an organization dedicated to advocating for an inclusive and egalitarian Hinduism in condemning the escalation of Islamophobia in India following the spread of COVID-19 across different parts of the country. The horrifying levels of vitriol poured on Muslims by several media outlets and some public figures has resulted in an alarming increase in assaults on Muslims. In parts of the country the social and economic boycott of Muslims is being openly pursued as a response to a healthcare and humanitarian crisis that requires a unified response from the entire populace. Islamophobia in India has risen exponentially since news broke that some members of the Tablighi Jamaat, a Muslim religious reform movement, had met at an annual conference in New Delhi in mid-March and later tested positive for the coronavirus. Absent from these reports was an acknowledgement of the fact that Tabligh Jamaat conference took place before the lockdown when it was business as usual for the entire country.  At the time of the Tablighi conference, India had not yet commenced social distancing. India’s Health Secretary Lav Agarwal told reporters , “It is important to understand that it [coronavirus] is not a health emergency,” cautioning against panic. It was at least four days after the conference ended that Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a daylong curfew for March 22. Air travel and trains halted only that day. Mr. Modi’s announcement of a 21-day lockdown came even later, on March 24. “It is shameful that the crisis of COVID-19 is being exploited by people in positions of power and influence in order to intensify religious divisions in India,” said Mr. Ahsan Khan, President of the Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC). “The absurdity of the idea that Muslims of a specific group are working to spread the deadly disease is matched only by the brazenness with which it is being vocalized by some politicians and influential media anchors,” added Mr. Khan.   “The Government of India must publicly condemn this falsehood about Muslims,” said Ms. Sunita Viswanath, Co-Founder, Hindus for Human Rights (HfHR). “The weaponization of COVID-19 as a means to advance Hindutva’s agenda of marginalizing Muslims is a travesty of Hinduism. Such propaganda and bigotry will only derail the work of healthcare workers working on the front lines to combat the disease,” added Ms. Viswanath. People believing the canard of “devious Muslims” working to spread the disease must ask themselves why on March 14, the first day of the two-day Tablighi event, India’s Home Minister Amit Shah was the chief guest at the convocation of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) at Rishikesh, 150 miles from New Delhi, with hundreds in the audience without social distancing. They must also ask why places of worship across India were open for days after the two-day Tablighi event ended on March 15. The Saibaba temple at Shirdi city in Maharashtra and the Venkateswara Temple at Tirupati city in Andhra Pradesh, each averaging over 50,000 pilgrims a day, closed only on March 17 and 19, respectively.  On March 17, the Uttar Pradesh government insisted it would go ahead with the 10-day Ramnavami celebrations from March 25 through April 4 at the temple town of Ayodhya, where a million Hindu pilgrims were expected. It was canceled only on March 21. On March 22, after a daylong national curfew called by Mr. Modi concluded, Indians thronged streets and public squares across India in response to Prime Minister Modi’s call to clap, violating social distancing protocols and thus endangering their own and others’ lives. Repeat behavior was seen across India on April 5, the day Mr. Modi asked Indians to light lamps at their homes.  Such is the extent of hate that has taken hold of the minds of some people that in parts of the country, Muslims are being prevented from entering their homes and villages , and signs have come up outside neighborhoods warning Muslims not to enter. Both IAMC and HfHR are united in their condemnation of the constant barrage of anger and hate being spouted by anchors on news channels such as Republic TV, Zee News, ANI and Times Now, as well as media outlets of some vernacular languages. It is a measure of the bias and irrationality that is being disseminated on these channels, that the police had to publicly debunk their propaganda on Twitter and warn them against spreading fake news.  Both IAMC and HfHR have also called upon the Indian Government to crack down on fake content that is making outrageous and patently false claims about Tablighi Jamaat members misbehaving with medical staff while in quarantine. Such fake content has been circulating on social media and shared by millions, not only slandering the Tablighi Jamaat and the entire Muslim community by extension, but creating a dangerous and volatile situation for millions of people.  Added Ms. Viswanath: “Our greatest ethical and civic responsibility at this time of a global pandemic is to ensure that social distancing is practiced everywhere possible, and that we take care of the poor, sick and needy. We must call out violations of social distancing protocols regardless of who the violators are.” Indian American Muslim Council and Hindus for Human Rights have jointly appealed to the people of India, to reject hateful politics that only serves the nefarious ends of a privileged few. They have called upon civil society to unite in a spirit of brotherhood in combating not only COVID-19 but also the bigotry and violence that represents as much of an existential threat to India as the coronavirus. Contact: Indian American Muslim CouncilPhone/Fax: 1-800-839-7270Email:  info@iamc.comFacebook: IndianAmericanMuslimCouncilTwitter: @IAMCouncilAddress: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295, Morton Grove, IL 60053. Hindus for Human Rights Phone: 917-518-2441Email: info@hindusforhumanrights.orgFacebook: /Hindus4HRTwitter: @Hindus4HRAddress: 361 Warren St, Brooklyn, NY 11201

Delhi Pogrom, Press Release

Brutal Delhi violence on peaceful protesters part of Hindutva’s merciless drive for supremacy say Indian Americans

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  February 25, 2020   The Indian American Muslim Council (www.iamc.com) an advocacy organization dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, today urged the international community to call out India for its relentless attacks on minorities and marginalized communities. The latest spate of violence in Delhi is a harbinger of things to come under an avowed Hindutva administration that is violating human rights and religious freedom at a pace rarely seen in history. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Kapil Mishra’s procession near the epicentre, Jaffrabad was the initiation of the preplanned violence. Mishra had shouted religious slogans and issued an ultimatum to police to clear protest sites within three days.  A mosque in Ashok Nagar was set on fire late on Tuesday afternoon. A mob shouting “Jai Shri Ram” and “Hinduon ka Hindustan” (India belongs to Hindus) paraded around the burning mosque, and a Hanuman flag was placed on the minaret of the masjid. In video footage that has since emerged on Twitter, one of the mob is seen climbing up the minaret with an Indian flag in his hand. He attempts to pull down a section of the minaret but does not apparently succeed. On Sunday night, video clips surfaced on social media of a group chanting “Jai Shri Ram”, collecting stones and loading on to a truck. In one clip, the group could be seen and heard cheering and sloganeering just as a tractor full of stones and bricks was unloaded. A tyre market was set on fire later on Monday, the Press Trust of India said. Several vehicles and a fire truck were torched in Jaffrabad and Maujpur in the northeastern parts of the capital as police fired tear gas to disperse the protesters. Police support for those attacking the protesters has been widely reported as a root cause of the issue including by witnesses from Reuters news agency. “Delhi and UP police acting as foot soldiers of the RSS is indicative of the extent of Hindutva infiltration in law enforcement, and other institutions of the state,” said Mr. Ahsan Khan, President of Indian American Muslim Council.  The fact that Kapil Mishra and other provocateurs continue to roam free shows that the state can no longer be trusted to guard the life and liberty of its citizens. Seven people, including a cop, were killed and nearly 100 were injured in Monday’s unprecedented violence. Genocide Watch, an independent body that is widely considered to have expertise in the prediction of genocide in conflict-ridden areas around the world, has issued two separate genocide alerts for the states ofAssam andKashmir. The government appears determined to replicate the situation all over India. IAMC has urged the protesters to exercise restraint in the face of these brutal attacks and to intensify its peaceful movement against the administration’s repressive policies.

Press Release

Opposing CAA, sanctioning Indian officials must be U.S. foreign policy priority: USCIRF tells Congressional Briefing

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Washington, D.C., January 29, 2020 The U.S. must oppose a new Indian law that aims to deny citizenship to Muslims and render them stateless, subject to detention and deportation, an official with the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has said. The U.S. Government must also consider the “use of targeted sanctions against Indian officials primarily responsible for religious freedom violations,” Harrison Akins, Policy Analyst (South Asia) with USCIRF, said at U.S. Congress on Monday. In conjunction with a potential nationwide National Register of Citizens and National Population Register, this law, the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, “could become a weapon to target millions of Indian Muslims, potentially leading to their disenfranchisement. This represents a significant downward turn in religious freedom that no government, including the United States government, can ignore,” Akins said. “In India today, the freedom of religion or belief is being decimated as individuals are targeted simply due to their religious identity, in violation of India’s own constitution,” Akins said at a Briefing titled “Implications of India’s Citizenship Law (CAA)”. “It is imperative that in U.S. government officials’ interaction with their Indian counterparts, these issues are elevated as a U.S. foreign policy priority, communicating the need to protect shared democratic values.” Akins said in its dealing with India U.S. should deploy “a vast array of tools [it] has in its arsenal to promote religious freedom abroad, both through positive engagement and punitive action.” Such tools include “the integration of religious freedom in U.S. development programs or law enforcement training” and “sanctions”. Last month after Indian Parliament passed CAA, USCIRF had called for the U.S. Government to sanction India’s Home Minister Amit Shah. Monday’s briefing was attended by staffs from the House Committee on Judiciary and from the offices of 20 Members of Congress, including seven U.S. senators. Officials from Department of State, which implements US-India policy, also attended it. The Briefing was organized by Indian American Muslim Council, the largest Indian American advocacy group in the US working for minority rights in India; Hindus for Human Rights; Council on American-Islamic Relations; and Emgage Action. In its Annual Report, special reports and public statements, USCIRF has “long expressed its concern that this law is part of an effort by [Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s party] BJP government to create a religious test for Indian citizenship in line with their vision of a Hindu state,” Akins said. “As is abundantly evident from the statements of BJP leadership, the CAA with its legal protections for non-Muslims is intended to ensure that those excluded from the NRC process, and therefore bearing the label of illegal migrant, are Muslims alone.” The NRC held in Assam last year showed the “process is rife for abuse by government officials for excluding individuals simply perceived to be foreign regardless of their citizenship status,” Akins said. “It is Muslims who will carry the threat of punitive action from the NRC, including prolonged detention, deportation, or statelessness.” Akins called out the ideology of Hindutva, professed by Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Shah, that perceives Islam and Christianity as “foreign religions”. “Conditions for religious minorities have deteriorated precipitously in India. BJP politicians have used the symbols of Hinduism and policies aimed at their protection as weapons against minority communities in their quest to shape a Hindu nation. “From instituting more aggressive bans and stricter punishments for cow slaughter and religious conversion activities, minorities are increasingly marginalized and discriminated against. “Combined with the BJP’s inflammatory rhetoric, these coordinated actions strengthen the perception that minorities are outsiders with no legitimate place in Indian history or society and, by their mere presence, a potential threat from within to the project of making India a Hindu nation. “This creates a culture of impunity for violence against minorities by both government authorities and non-state actors as a near daily reality for minority communities.”

Press Release

CAA violates international agreements India signed in 1967 and 1979, Human Rights Watch tells U.S. Congress

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Washington, D.C., January 29, 2020 The Citizenship (Amendment) Act of India violates at least two international treaties that India has signed and ratified in the past, Human Rights Watch has said. The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights that India ratified in 1979 “is very clear that you cannot deprive people of their citizenship on the basis of their race, color, descent, national or ethnic origins,” John Sifton, Asia Advocacy Director of the Human Rights Watch in the U.S., said at a briefing at U.S. Congress this week. Similarly, the International Conventions on Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD) that India signed in 1967 and ratified the next year “explicitly obliges India to guarantee the right of everyone to equality before the law, including in the enjoyment of the right to nationality,” Sifton said. The Committee created to safeguard that treaty “specifically added that the deprivation of citizenship on the basis of national and ethnic origin, race and color violates their obligations,” Sifton said at the Briefing titled “India’s Citizenship Law (CAA)”. “The treaty asks countries to take steps to address xenophobic attitudes and behavior towards non-citizens, in particular hate speech and racial violence, to promote a better understanding of the principle of non-discrimination in respect to the situation. In other words, this treaty obligates India to do everything it is not doing right now, which is to promote harmony, fight xenophobic attitudes towards non-citizens.” The international setting allows non-Indian human rights activists, civil society, Members of Congress, to “raise these issues with India and not have the Indian Embassy say you don’t have a right to raise this with us it is a domestic and internal issue,” Sifton said. “On the contrary, this is an international issue. These are international norms. You have every right to raise them whether you are Indian or not.” The Briefing was attended by Congressional staffs of Senators, Congresspersons and House committees, as well as by officials from the Department of State. It was organized by Indian American Muslim Council, the largest Indian American group advocating for Constitutional secularism in India; Hindus for Human Rights; Emgage Action; and Council on American-Islamic Relations.

Press Release

Indian government has become people’s enemy, Magsaysay Award winner Sandeep Pandey tells U.S. Congress

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Washington, D.C., January 29, 2020 India’s government has become “the enemy of the people” who are protesting the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), Magsaysay Award winning civil rights activist from India, Sandeep Pandey, said at a briefing at the United States Congress this week. The police have especially been targeting the Muslims even though those protesting the new citizenship law have included members of all faiths, Pandey said at the briefing, “Implications of India’s Citizenship Law (CAA)”, held here on Monday. “In 27 years of working as an activist I have experienced unprecedented curb on fundamental rights of freedom of expression, to assemble peaceably and to move about anywhere within India over the past six months,” Pandey said. He himself was put under house arrest in his hometown Lucknow twice in August when he planned a public event against the government’s crackdown in Kashmir, and again in December to protest the CAA. In August and this month, the police stopped him from visiting Ayodhya, where a Hindu temple is being built on the ruins of a mosque. “The ruling Bhartiya Janata Party government doesn’t want any alternative view on Kashmir, or CAA to be expressed,” Pandey said. “The Government has become the enemy of people who participated in protests against the CAA.” He said that although “common citizens” including non-Muslims have participated in the anti-CAA protests throughout India, the police and the administration have targeted “only Muslims to create an impression that it was the Muslims who created trouble.” Pandey also criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi for saying that those who indulged in violence “can be recognized from their dress.” The police and masked civilians attacked the Muslims and indulged in vandalism, arson and looting. Yet, the police filed FIRs (police complaints) against the Muslims. “The pattern is clear. The modus operandi is to make the victims the accused,” Pandey said. Of the more than 1,000 people now in jail, most were Muslims. Monday’s briefing was attended by officials from Congressional committees as well as the offices of at least 20 Members of Congress, including seven senators. Officials from the Department of State, which implements US foreign policy, were also in attendance. The Briefing was organized by Indian American Muslim Council, the largest US advocacy group for Indian Americans working on the protection of minorities in India; Hindus for Human Rights; Emgage Action; and Council on American-Islamic Relations. Pandey said the police lobbed tear gas shells and stun grenades at two universities: Jamia Milia Islamia, New Delhi and the Aligarh Muslim University in Uttar Pradesh, where a PhD student lost a hand and another student a thumb. Many activists in Lucknow were arrested merely for participating in the protests, or even for recording the police brutality on their cellphones. The police tortured four activists — Sadaf Zafar, Pawan Rao Ambedkar, Deepak Kabir and Robin Verma. Renowned human rights lawyer, Mohammad Shoaib, and retired top police officer S.R. Darapuri, both septuagenarians, were arrested from their homes without a warrant. Shoaib was not produced before a magistrate. Pandey also criticized Uttar Pradesh state chief minister Adityanath for publicly asking his police officers to “take revenge” against the protesters. “After this police went berserk and indulged in brutal repression.” The police vandalized Muslim homes, beat up Muslims coming home from mosques, and even discharged firearms at them. In Meerut city, the government acknowledged five men died of bullet wounds. The dead included a roti maker, a battery rickshaw puller, and a scrap dealer. In Kanpur city, three people died in police firing. The police used private firearms, Pandey alleged. In Muzaffarnagar, the local Member of Parliament Sanjeev Baliyan allegedly led a mob attack on an orphanage, Pandey said. Police illegally detained many orphans. Twenty-one-year-old clothes vendor Noor Mohammad died after being shot in his forehead. was killed by a bullet injury in his forehead. Another 13-year-old student and his older sister, who was to wed shortly, were wounded when the police attacked their home. All those who were killed in the firing were Muslims.

Exclusive, Press Release

Brutal Delhi violence on peaceful protesters part of Hindutva’s merciless drive for supremacy say Indian Americans

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  February 25, 2020   The Indian American Muslim Council (www.iamc.com) an advocacy organization dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, today urged the international community to call out India for its relentless attacks on minorities and marginalized communities. The latest spate of violence in Delhi is a harbinger of things to come under an avowed Hindutva administration that is violating human rights and religious freedom at a pace rarely seen in history. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Kapil Mishra’s procession near the epicentre, Jaffrabad was the initiation of the preplanned violence. Mishra had shouted religious slogans and issued an ultimatum to police to clear protest sites within three days.  A mosque in Ashok Nagar was set on fire late on Tuesday afternoon. A mob shouting “Jai Shri Ram” and “Hinduon ka Hindustan” (India belongs to Hindus) paraded around the burning mosque, and a Hanuman flag was placed on the minaret of the masjid. In video footage that has since emerged on Twitter, one of the mob is seen climbing up the minaret with an Indian flag in his hand. He attempts to pull down a section of the minaret but does not apparently succeed. On Sunday night, video clips surfaced on social media of a group chanting “Jai Shri Ram”, collecting stones and loading on to a truck. In one clip, the group could be seen and heard cheering and sloganeering just as a tractor full of stones and bricks was unloaded. A tyre market was set on fire later on Monday, the Press Trust of India said. Several vehicles and a fire truck were torched in Jaffrabad and Maujpur in the northeastern parts of the capital as police fired tear gas to disperse the protesters. Police support for those attacking the protesters has been widely reported as a root cause of the issue including by witnesses from Reuters news agency. “Delhi and UP police acting as foot soldiers of the RSS is indicative of the extent of Hindutva infiltration in law enforcement, and other institutions of the state,” said Mr. Ahsan Khan, President of Indian American Muslim Council.  The fact that Kapil Mishra and other provocateurs continue to roam free shows that the state can no longer be trusted to guard the life and liberty of its citizens. Seven people, including a cop, were killed and nearly 100 were injured in Monday’s unprecedented violence. Genocide Watch, an independent body that is widely considered to have expertise in the prediction of genocide in conflict-ridden areas around the world, has issued two separate genocide alerts for the states ofAssam andKashmir. The government appears determined to replicate the situation all over India. IAMC has urged the protesters to exercise restraint in the face of these brutal attacks and to intensify its peaceful movement against the administration’s repressive policies.

Press Release

Opposing CAA, sanctioning Indian officials must be U.S. foreign policy priority: USCIRF tells Congressional Briefing

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Washington, D.C., January 29, 2020 The U.S. must oppose a new Indian law that aims to deny citizenship to Muslims and render them stateless, subject to detention and deportation, an official with the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has said. The U.S. Government must also consider the “use of targeted sanctions against Indian officials primarily responsible for religious freedom violations,” Harrison Akins, Policy Analyst (South Asia) with USCIRF, said at U.S. Congress on Monday. In conjunction with a potential nationwide National Register of Citizens and National Population Register, this law, the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, “could become a weapon to target millions of Indian Muslims, potentially leading to their disenfranchisement. This represents a significant downward turn in religious freedom that no government, including the United States government, can ignore,” Akins said. “In India today, the freedom of religion or belief is being decimated as individuals are targeted simply due to their religious identity, in violation of India’s own constitution,” Akins said at a Briefing titled “Implications of India’s Citizenship Law (CAA)”. “It is imperative that in U.S. government officials’ interaction with their Indian counterparts, these issues are elevated as a U.S. foreign policy priority, communicating the need to protect shared democratic values.” Akins said in its dealing with India U.S. should deploy “a vast array of tools [it] has in its arsenal to promote religious freedom abroad, both through positive engagement and punitive action.” Such tools include “the integration of religious freedom in U.S. development programs or law enforcement training” and “sanctions”. Last month after Indian Parliament passed CAA, USCIRF had called for the U.S. Government to sanction India’s Home Minister Amit Shah. Monday’s briefing was attended by staffs from the House Committee on Judiciary and from the offices of 20 Members of Congress, including seven U.S. senators. Officials from Department of State, which implements US-India policy, also attended it. The Briefing was organized by Indian American Muslim Council, the largest Indian American advocacy group in the US working for minority rights in India; Hindus for Human Rights; Council on American-Islamic Relations; and Emgage Action. In its Annual Report, special reports and public statements, USCIRF has “long expressed its concern that this law is part of an effort by [Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s party] BJP government to create a religious test for Indian citizenship in line with their vision of a Hindu state,” Akins said. “As is abundantly evident from the statements of BJP leadership, the CAA with its legal protections for non-Muslims is intended to ensure that those excluded from the NRC process, and therefore bearing the label of illegal migrant, are Muslims alone.” The NRC held in Assam last year showed the “process is rife for abuse by government officials for excluding individuals simply perceived to be foreign regardless of their citizenship status,” Akins said. “It is Muslims who will carry the threat of punitive action from the NRC, including prolonged detention, deportation, or statelessness.” Akins called out the ideology of Hindutva, professed by Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Shah, that perceives Islam and Christianity as “foreign religions”. “Conditions for religious minorities have deteriorated precipitously in India. BJP politicians have used the symbols of Hinduism and policies aimed at their protection as weapons against minority communities in their quest to shape a Hindu nation. “From instituting more aggressive bans and stricter punishments for cow slaughter and religious conversion activities, minorities are increasingly marginalized and discriminated against. “Combined with the BJP’s inflammatory rhetoric, these coordinated actions strengthen the perception that minorities are outsiders with no legitimate place in Indian history or society and, by their mere presence, a potential threat from within to the project of making India a Hindu nation. “This creates a culture of impunity for violence against minorities by both government authorities and non-state actors as a near daily reality for minority communities.”

Press Release

CAA violates international agreements India signed in 1967 and 1979, Human Rights Watch tells U.S. Congress

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Washington, D.C., January 29, 2020 The Citizenship (Amendment) Act of India violates at least two international treaties that India has signed and ratified in the past, Human Rights Watch has said. The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights that India ratified in 1979 “is very clear that you cannot deprive people of their citizenship on the basis of their race, color, descent, national or ethnic origins,” John Sifton, Asia Advocacy Director of the Human Rights Watch in the U.S., said at a briefing at U.S. Congress this week. Similarly, the International Conventions on Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD) that India signed in 1967 and ratified the next year “explicitly obliges India to guarantee the right of everyone to equality before the law, including in the enjoyment of the right to nationality,” Sifton said. The Committee created to safeguard that treaty “specifically added that the deprivation of citizenship on the basis of national and ethnic origin, race and color violates their obligations,” Sifton said at the Briefing titled “India’s Citizenship Law (CAA)”. “The treaty asks countries to take steps to address xenophobic attitudes and behavior towards non-citizens, in particular hate speech and racial violence, to promote a better understanding of the principle of non-discrimination in respect to the situation. In other words, this treaty obligates India to do everything it is not doing right now, which is to promote harmony, fight xenophobic attitudes towards non-citizens.” The international setting allows non-Indian human rights activists, civil society, Members of Congress, to “raise these issues with India and not have the Indian Embassy say you don’t have a right to raise this with us it is a domestic and internal issue,” Sifton said. “On the contrary, this is an international issue. These are international norms. You have every right to raise them whether you are Indian or not.” The Briefing was attended by Congressional staffs of Senators, Congresspersons and House committees, as well as by officials from the Department of State. It was organized by Indian American Muslim Council, the largest Indian American group advocating for Constitutional secularism in India; Hindus for Human Rights; Emgage Action; and Council on American-Islamic Relations.

Press Release

Indian government has become people’s enemy, Magsaysay Award winner Sandeep Pandey tells U.S. Congress

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Washington, D.C., January 29, 2020 India’s government has become “the enemy of the people” who are protesting the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), Magsaysay Award winning civil rights activist from India, Sandeep Pandey, said at a briefing at the United States Congress this week. The police have especially been targeting the Muslims even though those protesting the new citizenship law have included members of all faiths, Pandey said at the briefing, “Implications of India’s Citizenship Law (CAA)”, held here on Monday. “In 27 years of working as an activist I have experienced unprecedented curb on fundamental rights of freedom of expression, to assemble peaceably and to move about anywhere within India over the past six months,” Pandey said. He himself was put under house arrest in his hometown Lucknow twice in August when he planned a public event against the government’s crackdown in Kashmir, and again in December to protest the CAA. In August and this month, the police stopped him from visiting Ayodhya, where a Hindu temple is being built on the ruins of a mosque. “The ruling Bhartiya Janata Party government doesn’t want any alternative view on Kashmir, or CAA to be expressed,” Pandey said. “The Government has become the enemy of people who participated in protests against the CAA.” He said that although “common citizens” including non-Muslims have participated in the anti-CAA protests throughout India, the police and the administration have targeted “only Muslims to create an impression that it was the Muslims who created trouble.” Pandey also criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi for saying that those who indulged in violence “can be recognized from their dress.” The police and masked civilians attacked the Muslims and indulged in vandalism, arson and looting. Yet, the police filed FIRs (police complaints) against the Muslims. “The pattern is clear. The modus operandi is to make the victims the accused,” Pandey said. Of the more than 1,000 people now in jail, most were Muslims. Monday’s briefing was attended by officials from Congressional committees as well as the offices of at least 20 Members of Congress, including seven senators. Officials from the Department of State, which implements US foreign policy, were also in attendance. The Briefing was organized by Indian American Muslim Council, the largest US advocacy group for Indian Americans working on the protection of minorities in India; Hindus for Human Rights; Emgage Action; and Council on American-Islamic Relations. Pandey said the police lobbed tear gas shells and stun grenades at two universities: Jamia Milia Islamia, New Delhi and the Aligarh Muslim University in Uttar Pradesh, where a PhD student lost a hand and another student a thumb. Many activists in Lucknow were arrested merely for participating in the protests, or even for recording the police brutality on their cellphones. The police tortured four activists — Sadaf Zafar, Pawan Rao Ambedkar, Deepak Kabir and Robin Verma. Renowned human rights lawyer, Mohammad Shoaib, and retired top police officer S.R. Darapuri, both septuagenarians, were arrested from their homes without a warrant. Shoaib was not produced before a magistrate. Pandey also criticized Uttar Pradesh state chief minister Adityanath for publicly asking his police officers to “take revenge” against the protesters. “After this police went berserk and indulged in brutal repression.” The police vandalized Muslim homes, beat up Muslims coming home from mosques, and even discharged firearms at them. In Meerut city, the government acknowledged five men died of bullet wounds. The dead included a roti maker, a battery rickshaw puller, and a scrap dealer. In Kanpur city, three people died in police firing. The police used private firearms, Pandey alleged. In Muzaffarnagar, the local Member of Parliament Sanjeev Baliyan allegedly led a mob attack on an orphanage, Pandey said. Police illegally detained many orphans. Twenty-one-year-old clothes vendor Noor Mohammad died after being shot in his forehead. was killed by a bullet injury in his forehead. Another 13-year-old student and his older sister, who was to wed shortly, were wounded when the police attacked their home. All those who were killed in the firing were Muslims.

Press Release

India must repeal CAA, stop crackdown on protesters, Amnesty International USA tells U.S. Congress

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CAA-NRC will create the world’s biggest crisis of statelessness’ Washington, D.C., January 29, 2020 Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi must repeal the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and stop the brutal crackdown on anti-CAA protesters, Amnesty International has said. The world’s premier civil rights watchdog has also said that the CAA and the National Register for Citizens (NRC) would create the world’s biggest crisis of statelessness. “The CAA, both in structure and in intent, is exclusionary and inconsistent with India’s Constitution and human rights obligation,” Francisco Bencosme, Asia Pacific Advocacy Manager, Amnesty International USA, said at a Briefing at U.S. Congress. It “may deprive minorities of their citizenship in India. If implemented, this stands to create the biggest stateless crisis of the world causing immense human suffering.” “We ask here today for the Modi government to repeal the CAA and stop cracking down on protesters and ensure that its citizens have the right to peaceful assembly.” Bencosme was speaking at a Briefing on “Implications of India’s Citizenship Law (CAA)” attended by dozens of Congressional staffs of Senators, Congresspersons and House committees. Also in the audience were officials of Department of State. The briefing, held on Monday, was organized by Indian American Muslim Council, the largest Indian American group advocating for Constitutional secularism in India; Hindus for Human Rights; Emgage Action; and Council on American-Islamic Relations. Bencosme said the prime minister’s “silence” on the police brutalities and crackdown “has spoken louder than his words”. “When he [Modi] has spoken about the protest he has been divisive, instead of healing the wounds of the country.” Bencosme also said Amnesty International had documented “a clear pattern of the use of excessive force during protests and arrests of peaceful protesters”. There were also instances of “delayed access to legal counsel, differential treatment of assemblies, and bias in police and administrative response.” Across India, anti-CAA protests had occurred in at least 94 districts across 14 states. At least 31 people have died in the violence. More than 110 have been arrested, and more than 600 have been kept in preventative detention, Bencosme said. Most deaths have occurred in Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populous state where Mr. Modi’s party is in power. “Arbitrary detention, use of excessive force, differential treatment of assemblies, and torture in custody have sadly become commonplace in Uttar Pradesh,” Bencosme said. “The way the state government has, by and large, chosen to respond to the anti-CAA protests has been massively disproportionate, unwarranted and unlawful. We call on them to end the brutal crackdown immediately.” Speaking of Prime Minister Modi’s parliamentary constituency, Varanasi, Bencosme police had continued their “intimidation and crackdown”. Many who were injured in December had left homes and sought medical treatment in other areas “due to fear of reprisals from authorities”. There was constant police patrolling even at night, he said. Houses have been vandalized across Varanasi. In at least two instances, the police broke into houses “in the middle of the night to make arrests, destroying property”. The police have “induced a climate of fear in citizens’ homes in India.” Bencosme quoted a Varanasi resident as saying, “if you are trying to participate in anti-CAA protests, the government will arrest you and threaten you and slap laws like sedition on you. But if you are pro-CAA, you can organize rally and solidarity events.” On October 22, Bencosme had testified on the ground situation in Kashmir before the U.S. House of Representatives’ Subcommittee on Asia, Pacific and Nonproliferation. He had at that time criticized the Modi government for curtailing civil rights in Kashmir.

Press Release

Alliance for Justice and Accountability: Indian Americans demand Yogi Adityanath’s resignation as UP Chief Minister

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Hindutva poster boy is accountable for the rising death toll, brutality against protesters and innocent civilians FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 21, 2019 The Alliance for Justice and Accountability (AJA), an umbrella organization of diverse South Asian groups across the United States today gave voice to the outrage within the Indian diaspora over police repression of protests against the draconian Citizenship Amendment Act, as well as escalating anti-Muslim violence across the state of Uttar Pradesh. The coalition has called for the resignation of UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and urged the Supreme Court of India to take suo motu cognizance of the killings, mass arrests and inhuman blockade imposed in various parts of the state. The situation is similar in several other BJP ruled states with the police playing the role of Hindutva (Hindu nationalist) foot soldiers. This latest wave of Hindutva supremacist repression is happening in the wake of a stunning eruption of massive protests against the deeply bigoted Citizenship Amendment Act, which will provide citizenship to Hindu, Sikh, Christian and Parsi migrants from neighboring countries, but denying the same to Muslims. People of conscience across the country are rightly outraged by a legislation that goes against not only India’s secular Constitution, but also against the country’s centuries old heritage of diversity and pluralism. Together with the National Registry of Citizens (NRC), the CAA threatens to disenfranchise millions of bonafide Muslim citizens of their voting rights. Already noted citizens such as the families of former Indian President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed as well as Muslim soldiers who gave their lives fighting the Indian side in the Kargil war have been targeted by this law. Massive detentions reminiscent of Nazi concentration camps are underway in the state of Assam.In just the last five days, the death toll in police led violence against protesters in Uttar Pradesh has mounted to 22 . An 8-year old boy in Varanasi was among the victims. The UP police have themselves acknowledged the arrest of 705 people in a massive crackdown on popular protests comprising of citizens from all walks of life.While news media has covered the death toll and the arrests, reports from people on the ground paint a very grim picture of the entire state machinery turning against Muslims and those looking to stand in solidarity with them. “Locals are calling in saying it is a carnage. Muzaffarnagar, Sambal and Kanpur right now are the hotbeds of anti Muslim violence. Cops barging into homes, destroying property, beating children, detaining youth,vandalizing. Calls not getting through. Many are calling in from landlines. Disturbing videos of bloodbath,” wrote noted journalist Rana Ayyub in a Facebook post today.Renowned historian of South Asian history, Dr. Audrey Truschke who has faced death threats for her candid assessment of both Indian history and the fascist roots of Hindutva supremacy, today deplored the violence in a powerful tweet.  “This is turning into a bloodbath. Key point, especially for media reporting on this: It’s the police, not the protesters, who are enacting systematic, targeted violence. There’s a history of this in India, and a specific history of Modi overseeing such violence (Gujarat, 2002),” wrote Truschke . Indeed the systematic nature of the police violence can be gauged from Prime Minister Modi’s absurd declaration that those committing arson could be identified by their clothes. ”Equally telling is noted Supreme Court lawyer and activist Prashant Bhushan’s comment , that “this is much worse than anything we saw during the Emergency of 1975. We are faced with a govt that devours it’s own people.”The entire BJP administration, most notably Yogi Adityanath as Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, have blood on their hands,” said Theresa Matthews of South Asia Solidarity Initiative. Noted activist Kanhayya Kumar has rightly pointed to the irony of those who were trying to protect the Constitution being termed “anti-nationals” while those who were destroying it calling themselves “patriots.”“We fully expect this evil law to eventually target all marginalized communities. This is why all caste oppressed communities are standing together with our Muslim brothers and sisters” said Thenmozhi Soundararajan the Executive Director of Equality Labs.AJA has lauded the courage of the protesters and called on the intern ational community to hold India accountable for its massive human rights violations. AJA is also leading protests against the CAA in several cities across the US. Contact:Alliance for Justice and AccountabilityPhone/fax:  1-800-839-7270Email: outreach@iamc.com References:Video Suggests UP Cop Opened Fire In Kanpur, Contrary To “No Police Firing” Claimhttps://www.ndtv.com/india-news/citizenship-amendment-act-protests-video-suggests-up-cop-opened-fire-in-kanpur-contrary-to-no-police-2152566?pfrom=home-topscroll As Modi talks of identifying violent protesters by their clothes, what should Indian Muslims do?https://scroll.in/article/947024/as-modi-talks-of-identifying-violent-protesters-by-their-clothes-indian-muslims-face-a-double-bind ‘Look at Their Clothes’: Modi Plays Communal Card on CAA, Targets Muslim Protestorshttps://thewire.in/communalism/narendra-modi-citizenship-amendment-act-protests-clothes India citizenship law protests leave 22 deadhttps://www.cnn.com/2019/12/21/asia/india-death-toll-protests-intl/index.html ‘Will Take Revenge’: Yogi Adityanath On Protesters Vandalisng Public Propertieshttps://www.outlookindia.com/website/story/india-news-will-take-revenge-yogi-adityanath-on-anti-caa-protesters-vandalisng-public-properties/344396 Activists, Muslim Groups Allege Indiscriminate, Mass Arrests; Urge SC Interventionhttps://caravandaily.com/activists-muslim-groups-allege-indiscriminate-mass-arrests-urge-sc-intervention/ Alliance for Justice and Accountability is an umbrella coalition of various organizations dedicated to promoting the common values of pluralism, tolerance, social justice and respect for human rights that form the basis of the world’s two largest secular democracies – the United States and India.

Press Release

Thousands of Indian Americans and US based civil rights activists gearing up for massive protests against Hindutva and racism

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Indian Americans Announce Protest Against Modi’s Houston Visit [See also: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/protesters-get-ready-for-narendra-modis-houston-rally/article29472579.ece ] Thousands of Indian Americans and US based civil rights activists gearing up for massive protests against Hindutva and racism at Modi event venue HOUSTON, (TX) FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE The Alliance for Justice and Accountability (AJA), a broad coalition of Indian American organizations, has announced it is leading a protest comprising of thousands of Indian Americans and US based civil rights activists to coincide with Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Houston on Sunday, September 22, 2019.  The protest will be against the Modi government’s repressive policies, and the Hindutva supremacist ideology whose agenda his administration is implementing, the AJA has announced. The AJA comprises of Hindu, Muslim, Dalit, Sikh and Christian groups, among others. They include the Hindus for Human Rights (HfHR), a progressive Hindu group that opposes Hindutva; the Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC); and the Organization for Minorities of India (OFMI). Several US-based civil rights organizations such as Jewish Voices for Peace (JVP) and Black Lives Matter have announced they will join AJA’s protests, besides local politicians and candidates who are running for local offices in Houston. “We are a bona fide group of Indian Americans with roots in India, and not connected with any other nationality or separatist causes,” the AJA said in a statement released here on Saturday. “We have one and only one goal: to expose the undemocratic, anti-people and anti-minorities agenda of Mr. Modi’s government and the Hindutva brigade that is effectively in power.” HfHR Co-Founder Sunita Viswanath said her organization was joining the protest because Hindus cannot accept human rights violations in the name of Hinduism. “We are horrified that our religion which teaches Vasudaiva Kutumbakam is being hijacked by extremists and nationalists who are lynching Muslims, trampling on democracy and law and order, and arresting if not murdering those who are speaking out,” Ms. Viswanath said. “We are especially appalled by the most recent nightmare of the Kashmiri people, and the situation of 1.9 million people in India who are rendered stateless due to the imposition of the travesty called the National Register of Citizens.” Added Ashton P. Woods, Co-founder of Black Lives Matter in Houston: “Prime Minister Modi has committed atrocities that cannot be overlooked. While I am fighting for my rights, and I ask people to support me, I also extend my support to the marginalized. My right to exist is contingent to everyone rights to exist. And we cannot allow those guilty of ethnic cleansing to enter our country.” On Mr. Modi’s event “Howdy, Modi”, Pieter Friedrich, an American author and activist who has exposed the Hindu rightwing operations in the U.S.,  decried the participation of American politicians at the event. Mr. Friedrich is the author of a detailed paper on how Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard was funded hugely by the Hindutva groups including the Hindu Swayam Sevak Sangh (HSS), the international wing of RSS in the US. “It’s shameful for any American politician to participate in a propaganda campaign by a pogrom-tainted foreign leader on US soil,” Mr. Friedrich said. Pieter’s talk at the Houston Town Hall meeting, a couple of days ago, where he made an impassioned plea, why the red carpet should not be laid out for Modi, has since then got viral. The AJA statement further said that the behavior of Mr. Modi’s administration and the BJP’s state governments is reflective of the long-held ideological agenda of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), which explicitly seeks to convert India into a Hindu supremacist nation with second-class status for Muslims and other minorities. “Over the last five years, Hindu extremist lynch mobs have killed nearly 100 Muslims in street across India simply because they were Muslims,” the AJA said. “In a number of such cases, the police have refused to bring criminal charges against the killer mobs.” Ayman Elsawa, Egyptian activist, in a reference to Mr. Trump bragging about Egyptian President Sisi being his favorite dictator wondered if President Trump was now looking to replace Sisi with Modi, as his favorite dictator. Sarah Philips, who represents student activist group, Azaad Austin, emphasized that espousing progressive politics in US, but not caring for rising Hindutva influence in India was a blatant contradiction. “Since Modi came to power, the atrocities against minorities has jumped up by 500%,” she stated Daniel Cohen, a Professional Communicator described Modi as someone who is building the world’s largest outdoor concentration camp. He thought it fitting that the US president would welcome him, because tyrants run together and will be on one stage. “Those who want to oppress, separate people, deny them their rights and liberties run together. What however doesn’t make sense is that the progressives who speak the same language as us, will join them, just to line their pockets”, he said. Reverend Lisa Hunt, Rector at the St. Stevens Episcopal Church, said in Modi’s India, minorities and Dalits are experiencing lynching and hate crimes. In the name of creating a Hindu country, despite the separation of religion and state in the Indian constitution, Modi and BJP are creating an atmosphere of hostility for religious minorities, leading to ethnic cleansing. She further stated that if Christians here ignore something like this in another country, they encourage something like this taking root in USA as well. Syed Ali, of the Indian American of Muslim Council, (IAMC), pointed out that there are a lot of separatists groups, including Khalistanis who have joined the protests, AJA does not endorse them. “We support the Kashmiris, the minorities and Dalits. This is a free country where everyone is allowed to protest, but AJA has a larger agenda of countering Hindutva.” Wasim Dhar, a Kashmiri Muslim, bemoaned the ongoing repression in Kashmir that has led to 90,000 Kashmiris killed, 8,000 women raped and about 10,000 buried in mass graves. Leading activists to participate in AJA’s protest will include: Sarah Philips, Director of Operations at the Asian Desi Pacific Islander American Collective; Prof. Samina Salim of University of Houston; Pawan Singh (OFMI);

Reports

Activists and Nobel Peace Prize winners protest Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation’s decision on award

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Interfaith Letter To The Gates Foundation on Modi’s Award September 11, 2019   https://www.stopgenocide.org/interfaith-letter-to-the-gates-foundation-on-modis-award/ Dear Mr. and Mrs. Gates: As diverse Americans, we very much appreciate that the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation helps fund numerous important grassroots programs each year. Nevertheless, we are deeply disturbed to discover that the Foundation will be giving an award to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi later this month. Whatever his positive contributions may be, Prime Minister Modi promotes a form of Hindu nationalism that systematically disenfranchises minority communities in India. Moreover, given Modi’s dramatic restriction of human rights in Kashmir, especially since August 5, 2019, celebrating his leadership at this time sends an insult not only to Kashmiris and Indian minorities, but to Muslims everywhere. Choosing this moment to honor such a controversial figure seems to us unnecessarily provocative. Under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership, India has descended into dangerous and divisive politics that have consistently undermined both human rights and democracy. Mobs are organized to respond to alleged sectarian “offenses” and the Indian Supreme Court has warned that these “horrendous acts of mobocracy cannot be permitted to inundate the law of the land,” according to Human Rights Watch. In Assam, 1.9 million Indians have been stripped of citizenship; in Kashmir, since August, 800,000 Indian soldiers have kept eight million Kashmiris without freedom of movement, phone or internet service for the last month. Because of these and ongoing human rights abuses, children in Kashmir from kindergarten to college are unable to attend school. As one of your organization’s goals is to “ensure that young people survive and thrive,” please consider this statistic: in 2016 (the year the most recent data has been available), schools in Kashmir were open for only four months out of the year. Human rights organizations, including Justice for All/Kashmir Action, are issuing genocide alerts for Assam and Kashmir. At the same time, experts inside and outside India have never cleared Prime Minister Modi for his role in the horrific 2002 sectarian massacres in Gujarat. As a result of his role, Modi was banned from entering the United States, the UK, and Canada for 10 years until he acquired diplomatic immunity by becoming India’s Prime Minister. This fact alone should have prevented your Foundation from honoring this man. We ask that you rescind this honor to a problematic head of state and instead choose other Indians who are doing noble work on the grassroots level. This is clearly the wrong time for the Foundation to send a signal that not all lives matter equally. Thank you for your time and attention. Sincerely, Justice For All Hindus for Human Rights Kashmir Global Council Win Without War Union Theological Seminary South Asia Solidarity Initiative Stand with Kashmir MPower Change International Center for Rights and Justice Indian American Muslim Council Muslim American Society Islamic Circle of North America Muslim Council of Britain Bethany Congregational UCC World Council of Muslims for Interfaith Relations Interfaith Center of New York, NY Luther Seminary, MN Catholic Theological Union, IL Emgage Action Labor Religion Alliance Harford County Education Society, MD One Sky International, Washington DC Center of Egyptian American Dialogue, VA Islamic Center of Maryland, MD The Shalom Center, PA Interfaith Institute of Islamic Center of Long Island, NY Centro de Trabajadores Unidos, IL MAS Maryland, MD Greater New York Labor Religion Coalition, NY Baltimore County Muslim Council, MD Masjid al Hedaya, GA Islamic Center of Naperville, IL Flushing Interfaith Council, NY World Human Right Development USA Judson Memorial Church, NY Pax Christi Metro, NY American Muslims For Democracy Muslim Community Center, Chicago, IL Muslim Social Services of Kitchener, Waterloo Avicenna Community Health Center, IL RadioTahrir, WBAI Radio, NY Islamic Council of New England. MA Pakistani Students Association, IL Bethak Interfaith Committee Lake Hills, St Louise, MI Greenbelt Climate Action Network, MD Islamic Society of Baltimore, MD Celeste Holmes Keith Emrich Shahul Hameed Carla Power, Author Reverend Fr. Jim Hoffman Chaplain Shareda Hosein Read more at: StopGenocide.org As Narendra Modi Heads to U.S., Controversy Follows Him https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/20/world/asia/narendra-modi-bill-gates-foundation.html By Ayesha Venkataraman and Jeffrey Gettleman Sept. 20, 2019 MUMBAI, India — As Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India prepares for a big trip to the United States, human rights groups and three Nobel Peace Prize winners have criticized the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for its plan to bestow a prestigious award upon Mr. Modi next week during his visit. The Nobel laureates sent a letter to the Gates Foundation stating that under Mr. Modi’s leadership, “India has descended into dangerous and deadly chaos that has consistently undermined human rights, democracy.’’ “This is particularly troubling to us as the stated mission of your foundation is to preserve life and fight inequity,” said the letter signed by Mairead Maguire, a peace activist from Northern Ireland; Tawakkol Abdel-Salam Karman, a Yemeni journalist and politician; and Shirin Ebadi, an Iranian lawyer and political activist. Read more at nytimes.com     Gates Foundation’s Humanitarian Award To India’s Modi Is Sparking Outrage https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2019/09/17/761664492/gates-foundations-humanitarian-award-to-indias-modi-is-sparking-outrage Activists are calling for the Foundation to rescind the award because of Modi’s human rights record. The protesters say that Modi’s government has created a humanitarian crisis in Kashmir, which has been under lockdown for six weeks. And Modi has long been criticized by human rights defenders for inciting violence against minorities, silencing dissent and undermining human rights. On Tuesday, a dozen demonstrators with Stop Genocide, a project of the American human rights group Justice For All, marched to the Gates Foundation headquarters in Seattle. They delivered a petition with more than 100,000 signatures, many from people of South Asian descent. In addition, three Nobel Peace Prize winners — Shirin Ebadi, Tawakkol Abdel-Salam Karman and Mairead Maguire — co-signed a protest letter addressed to Bill and Melinda Gates last week. Read more at npr.org   The Gates Foundation shouldn’t give an award to Narendra Modi https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2019/09/06/gates-foundation-shouldnt-give-an-award-narendra-modi/ By Suchitra Vijayan and Arjun Singh Sethi  September 6, 2019 at 12:47 p.m. PDT Suchitra Vijayan is a lawyer and executive director of the Polis Project. Arjun Singh Sethi is a human rights lawyer, adjunct professor of law at Georgetown University Law Center and

Press Release

Indian Americans condemn unconstitutional revocation of Article 370, massive repression in Kashmir

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IAMC calls on civil society to stand up to despotism that shows no regard for democracy and fairness FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 7, 2019 The Indian American Muslim Council ( IAMC ), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, has condemned the revocation of the special status of the state of Jammu and Kashmir that had been bestowed on the state under Article 370 of the Indian Constitution. IAMC has also condemned the Indian Government’s decision to bifurcate the state and downgrade its status from full statehood to a centrally-administered territory. The decision of the Indian Government announced August 5, 2019, to withdraw the special status by presidential diktat, without consultation with and participation from the people of the state, violates both the Indian Constitution and international law, and disregards the universal principles of liberty and justice, IAMC said today. IAMC also condemned the manner in which Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration rushed through Parliament the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Bill 2019, a law that has effectively abrogated Article 370 that had from 1954 recognized the special rights and citizenship of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. In bringing the law, Mr. Modi’s government kept hundreds of Members of Parliament in the dark until the last moment and refused to refer the issue to broader consultation in parliamentary committees to deliberate its constitutionality, legality and desirability. IAMC has long held that lasting peace cannot come to Jammu and Kashmir without active participation of, and consultation with, the state’s people in the formulation of any decision, executive and/or legislative, that aims to resolve the protracted conflict. Unfortunately, successive Indian Governments over the last 30 years have thrust one-sided diktat as policy. Unsurprisingly, all such efforts have failed to bring peace. Ahead of its announcement on Jammu and Kashmir, the Indian Government unleashed massive repression in the state bringing in tens of thousands of troops in addition to the hundreds of thousands that have been placed in the region for three decades, making Kashmir one of the world’s most militarized zones. Mr. Modi’s administration has arrested political leaders, including two former heads of state governments, and continues to blockade telephone and internet services and restrict peaceful assembly. This behavior of the Indian government’s is a hallmark of authoritarian despotism and not of Constitutional democracies. Veteran Indian lawyer and jurist A.G. Noorani has called the revocation of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status “utterly and palpably unconstitutional” and a “deed accomplished by deceitful means.” This revocation has also besmirched India internationally. Amnesty International said the revocation of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status was likely to inflame tensions in the area and increase the risk of further human rights violations. The Geneva-based International Commission for Jurists said the revocation violated the rights of representation and participation guaranteed by Indian Constitution and international law and was a blow to the rule of law and human rights in the state and in India. The Indian Government’s brazenly unlawful and undemocratic decision on Jammu and Kashmir also lends credence to the fears of India’s 180 million Muslims that Mr. Modi’s rightwing administration has a vile agenda to victimize and brutalize them in fulfillment of the long-held vision of Hindu supremacists to convert Indian into a Hindu nation. There is widespread concern that the recent change in India’s anti-terrorism law, the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), that allows the state wide authority to hold and jail people without charge, usually even before a crime has been committed, and to declare individuals as terrorists without a trial, will be largely used to target Muslims. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a self-styled social organization that is the ideological parent of Mr. Modi’s political party, the BJP, has for decades openly espoused the creation of a Hindu India where non-Hindus, including Muslims and Christians, would be second-class citizens. The decision to revoke the special status of Jammu and Kashmir, coming quickly after the UAPA amendment, strongly suggests that Mr. Modi’s administration is bent on delivering this Hindu supremacist agenda. IAMC, therefore, urges India’s and international civil society institutions to stand up for democracy and human rights in India and not give a free pass to the unconstitutional revocation of Article 370 and to the massive repression that has accompanied it. Reference: India Tempts Fate in Kashmir, ‘The Most Dangerous Place in the World’ https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/05/opinion/kashmir-article-370.html Constitution Torn to Shreds as RSS Indulges Article 370 Fantasy in Kashmir https://thewire.in/politics/constitution-torn-to-shreds-as-rss-indulges-article-370-fantasy-in-kashmir The story of Indian democracy written in blood and betrayal https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/jammu-kashmir-article-370-scrapped-special-status-amit-shah-narendra-modi-bjp-5880797/ ICJ Condemns Legislative Steps Taken by India in Kashmir, Says ‘All Eyes on Indian SC’ https://caravandaily.com/icj-condemns-legislative-steps-taken-by-india-in-kashmir-says-all-eyes-on-indian-sc/ Indian American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with chapters across the nation. For more information, please visit our website at: www.iamc.com

Press Release

Indian Americans condemn attack on Hindu priest in New York

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IAMC welcomes Governor Andrew Cuomo’s move to have state authorities assist in investigation of hate crime FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 23, 2019 The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC ), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, has expressed unequivocal condemnation for the cowardly attack on Swami Harischander Puri, a Hindu priest based in Queens, NY on July 22, 2019. The attack happened around 11 AM just blocks from the Shiv Shakti Peeth Temple near 85th Ave. on Glen Oaks. Swami Puri, a resident of Queens for 30 years, later said he does not know his attacker, raising the likelihood that he was attacked for his faith and ethnicity, which would be hate crime. The fact that NYPD made a swift arrest in the case and that Gov. Andrew Cuomo has directed state authorities to help NYPD investigate it as a hate crime are welcome developments. Although the Swami has forgiven his attacker, the law must take its course, so that justice is served. “The apparent hate attack on Swami Harish Chander Puri is reflective of the xenophobia and racism that is threatening  our shared American values,” said Mr. Ahsan Khan, President of the Indian American Muslim Council. “We call upon Indian Americans of all faiths, and indeed all people of conscience, to come together to combat bigotry in all its forms, whether it is in India or the United States,” added Mr. Khan. A delegation of IAMC volunteers from NY/NJ area visited Swami Puri and wished him speedy recovery. Indian-American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with chapters across the nation. For more information please visit our website at: http://www.iamc.com References: https://indianexpress.com/article/world/hindu-priest-attacked-near-temple-in-us-5840096/ CONTACT: Indian American Muslim Council Phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 Email:info@iamc.com Facebook: Indian American Muslim Council Twitter: @IAMCouncil Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295, Morton Grove, IL 60053.

Press Release

Indian Americans Protest Surge in Attacks on Minorities

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The Indian American Muslim Council and other coalition partner organizations held protests across various US cities to express outrage over the recent surge in attacks against minorities. In last few weeks, IAMC chapters organized protest demonstrations in New York, San Jose, Dallas, Seattle, Chicago and Boston to condemn the tactical support given by the leaders of ruling party that is emboldening such forces. The last few years have seen brutal killings of mostly Muslims and Dalits in the name of cow protection. In last few months, many minority community members were beaten across the country and forced to chant Jai Shri Ram by Hindutva fanatics. Since 2010, 97% of beef related violence has taken place after the BJP-led Hindu nationalist government came to power. Since 2015, an increasing number of Muslims have been lynched, hanged or brutalized in the cruelest manner on mere suspicion of possessing or cooking beef. Last month, Tabrez Ansari, 24, was beaten to death by a Hindu mob in Kharsawan district in Jharkhand on suspicion of theft, causing a public uproar. Holding “Stop India from Fascism” and “Stop Lynching” placards, hundreds of protestors from all walks of life and religious backgrounds demanded an immediate end to atrocities against Muslims and other marginalized groups in India.

Reports

US State Department Report: Extremist Hindu Groups Attacking Minorities in India

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Washington: Mob attacks by violent extremist Hindu groups against minority communities, particularly Muslims, continued in India in 2018, amid rumours that victims had traded or killed cows for beef, an official US report said on Friday. The state department, in its annual 2019 International Religious Freedom Report, also alleged that senior officials of the ruling BJP made inflammatory speeches against minority communities. The report says though India’s Constitution guarantees the right to religious freedom, “this history of religious freedom has come under attack in recent years with the growth of exclusionary extremist narratives”. The report praised India’s “independent judiciary” for often providing essential protections to religious minority communities through its jurisprudence. The “exclusionary extremist narratives”, the report says, includes “the government’s allowance and encouragement of mob violence against religious minorities”. The “campaign of violence” says involves intimidation, and harassment against non-Hindu and lower-caste Hindu minorities. “Mob attacks by violent extremist Hindu groups against minority communities, especially Muslims, continued throughout the year amid rumours that victims had traded or killed cows for beef,” it said. According to some NGOs, the authorities often protected perpetrators from prosecution, it said. The report said that as of November, there were 18 such attacks, and eight people killed during the year. On June 22, two Uttar Pradesh police officers were charged with culpable homicide after a Muslim cattle trader died of injuries sustained while being questioned in police custody, the report said. Mandated by the Congress, the state department in its voluminous report gives its assessment of the status of religious freedom in almost all the countries and territories of the world. Releasing the report at the Foggy Bottom headquarters of the state department, secretary of state Mike Pompeo said the report was like a report card which tracks countries to see how well they have respected this fundamental human right. Government’s failure to act In the India section, the state department said that there were reports by non-governmental organisations that the government sometimes failed to act on mob attacks on religious minorities, marginalised communities and critics of the government. The state department said that the Central and state governments and members of political parties took steps that affected Muslim practices and institutions. The government continued its challenge in the Supreme Court to the minority status of Muslim educational institutions, which affords them independence in hiring and curriculum decisions, it said. “Proposals to rename Indian cities with Muslim provenance continued, most notably the renaming of Allahabad to Prayagraj. Activists said these proposals were designed to erase Muslim contributions to Indian history and had led to increased communal tensions,” the state department said. There were reports of religiously motivated killings, assaults, riots, discrimination, vandalism and actions restricting the right of individuals to practice their religious beliefs and proselytise, the annual report said. However, noting the positive developments, the report says some government entities made efforts to counter increasing intolerance in the country. Citing Rajanth Singh, previously the home minister, it said there was a 12% decline in communal violence compared to the previous year. Senior US government officials underscored the importance of respecting religious freedom and promoting tolerance throughout the year with the ruling and opposition parties, civil society and religious freedom activists, and religious leaders belonging to various faith communities, the report said. India has 1.3 billion population as per July 2018 estimate. According to the 2011 national census, the most recent year for which disaggregated figures are available, Hindus constitute 79.8% of the population, Muslims 14.2%, Christians 2.3% and Sikhs 1.7%. Groups that together constitute less than one per cent of the population include Buddhists, Jains, Zoroastrians (Parsis), Jews, and Baha’is. Suggestions to the US government The document makes recommendations to the US government to improve religious freedom in India. It says the US should press India to allow a USCIRF delegation to visit the country and evaluate the conditions for freedom of religion. The report says since 2001, USCIRF has attempted to visit India in order to assess religious freedom on the ground. “However, on three different occasions—in 2001, 2009, and 2016—the government of India refused to grant visas for a USCIRF delegation despite requests being supported by the State Department,” it says. The US government could work with India to “create a multiyear strategy to ebb the flow of hate crimes targeting religious minorities”, the report says. It suggests measures such as pressing state governments to prosecute religious leaders, government officials and media personalities who incite violence against religious minority groups through public speeches or articles. The US should encourage India to pass the Protection of Human Rights (Amendment) Bill, 2018 to establish national and state human rights commissions and human rights courts, the report says. It also asked the US government to ensure that India’s Central government does not use the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) to “target international missionary and human rights groups”. The CBI recently registered a case against the Lawyers Collective, a NGO run by prominent advocates Indira Jaising and Anand Grover, for alleged misuse of the FCRA. The NGO denies these allegations and said its office bearers were “personally being targeted for speaking up in defence of human rights, secularism and independence of the judiciary in all fora”. Link: https://thewire.in/communalism/attacks-minorities-india-hindu-us-government

Countering the Hate, Reports

United Against Hate: Civil rights groups showcase their resolve to counter hate mongering and demand accountability

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Civil rights groups showcase their resolve to counter hate mongering and demand accountability March 18, 2019 Janpatr On Monday 18th March, several civil and human rights organizations came together to organize a day long convention in Delhi’s Constitution Club. The programme titled ‘Steps Towards Hope’ was aimed to take stock of the last four and a half years of the Narendra Modi led Government and the need to strengthen constitutionally mandated citizens’ rights. It was organized by United Against Hate along with PVCHR, PUCL(Delhi), United Christian Forum, Quill Foundation, Rihai Manch and APCR. The speakers for the programme included activists, journalists and lawyers who had brought to fore the issues where the current regime subverted rule of law. They pointed out instances where the current regime had either taken an active part in perpetuating lawlessness like the scores of extra-legal killings in UP or had been complicit in it by ensuring that perpetrators for violence against minorities roam free like Babu Bajrangi. Rajeev Yadav of Rihai Manch, an organization that has extensively worked on hate crimes and failure of law and order in UP pointed out the ways in which violence is being deliberately inflicted to reap political dividends as most of the victims of such violence are from marginalised communities. Most of the victims of alleged encounters were also from lower castes. Fawaz Shaheen of Quill foundation from the figures researched by his foundation gave an estimate of 759 hate crimes during the current regime. He stressed that crimes of this proportion is a national crisis that is being perpetuated in a very planned manner. He also spoke about the need to recognize religious hatred as being a prominent constituent of such violence. Niranjan Takle, the journalist who extensively reported on the suspicious manner in which Judge Loya died, spoke about the rewriting of history that is being done make heroes out of people who had capitulated in front of the British. These are symptoms of fascism that would engulf anyone and everyone who would come in its way. Member of fact finding team that had visited Sitamarhi in Bihar after the custodial death of two muslim youth spoke about the conspicuous nature in which Gufran and Tasleem died and there was no action on the part of the state government to deliver justice. Last several years were not just the times of assaults, they were also part of some spectacular movements. Activists and leaders also spoke about their struggle and the need to forge larger unity. Hannan Mollah, General Secratery of AIKS, under whose leadership many milestone Kisan marches were organised in various parts of the country gave solidarity to forging a larger unity of all the marginalised people to defeat the fascist powers. He gave importance to the need of mass movements and pointed out how because of the kisan marches, the plight of farmers has become a central election issue. This opinion was reiterated by Soni Sori, an Adivasi rights activist from Chhattisgarh working to save Adivasi land and livelihood. She narrated the way the government both at the centre as well as the state is pitting marginalised communities in Chhattisgarh in this case between Adivasis and Muslims to continue corporate plunders unabated. Activists spoke about the many anti-people policies of the government and how through collective mass movements, its agenda of furthering Brahmanism and cronyism was pushed back as happened in the 13 point roster issue in university appointment positions as elaborated by Dr. Ratan Lal. Sanjay Hegde, advocate of Supreme Court focussed on the legal battles for securing justice in cases of lynching and hate crime and even the need to bring new laws to curtail and prevent the same. A major part of deliberations in the programme though was perpetuation of hate and bigotry that has engulfed our civic life, its institutionalised nature and the need to counter it in a systemic manner. Manifesto Against Hate, a charter of demands and agenda against such systemic hate prepared by United Against Hate was discussed. Representatives of various opposition political parties were asked upon to respond with their agenda as to how are they going to counter such subversion of democracy with a definite political programme. Sachin Rao of the Indian National Congress stated that in the land of Gandhi, any revolutionary movement has to be fought through non-violence and every social and political change has to be based on constitutional morality. Ali Khan, spokesperson of Samajwadi Party stressed the need to address all the issues concerning the masses of this country. Yogendra Yadav stressed the need to reclaim the religion and composite culture of India by progressive and secular forces, something that has been high jacked by the fundamentalist forces. This was supported by Kavita Krishnan of the CPI(ML) who also said that laws like the Cow Protection Act that are used as a pretext for hate violence should have no place in our statute books. Aam Aadmi Party representative Dileep Pandey said that BJP, which claims to be a party of Hindus is working to further its own interests and has nothing to do with the welfare of Hindus themselves. Civil rights groups showcase their resolve to counter hate mongering and demand accountability

Press Release

Pulwama backlash – Terror unleashed against innocent Kashmiris must cease, demand Indian Americans

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Calls to boycott and harass Kashmiris are unacceptable and must be condemned by all parties February 25, 2019 The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), today called on the state and central governments in India to enforce law and order and defend ordinary Kashmiris from harassment and mob attacks in the wake of the Pulwama attacks in which over 40 Indian soldiers were killed. Kashmiri students and businessmen in other states have been attacked, and in some cases given ultimatums to go back to Kashmir within 24 hours. Dozens of cars have been set on fire in Jammu, while a helpline setup by the Jammu and Kashmir Student Organization received over 1,600 distress calls from Kashmiris across Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, Delhi, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and West Bengal. Perhaps one of the most condemnable action by a state leader came from the Governor of Meghalaya who has recently supported a call for boycott of “everything Kashmiri.” Such incendiary rhetoric further inflames passions, creates a dangerously divisive atmosphere and is ultimately a disservice to the memory of the soldiers who laid down their lives at Pulwama. It is such state-sponsored harassment and violence that has prompted the Supreme Court of India to order the government to protect Kashmiris from the backlash. “The attacks on Kashmiris across India are a result of vested interests politicizing the Pulwama attacks and using it to foment sectarian strife ahead of the elections, ” said Mr. Ahsan Khan, President of the Indian American Muslim Council. “The people of India must see through these divisive attacks and hold accountable those who are using human lives as pawns in a cynical abuse of state power,” added Mr. Khan. IAMC commends the actions of the ordinary citizens going out of their way to help Kashmiris who are under siege in various states, the Punjab police’s decision to setup a helpline for Kashmiris facing threats, should be emulated by other states. IAMC has called on civil society institutions to condemn not only the terror attacks of Pulwama but also the terror unleashed against innocent Kashmiris in the name of nationalism. Indian American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with chapters across the nation. For more information, please visit our website at: http://iamc.com/   CONTACT: Indian American Muslim Council Phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 Email: info@iamc.com Facebook: Indian American Muslim Council Twitter: @IAMCouncil Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295, Morton Grove, IL 60053.   REFERENCES: https://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2019/02/17/world/asia/17reuters-india-kashmir-backlash.html https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-47328214 https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/i-have-never-felt-so-insecure-kashmiris-face-backlash-after-unprecedented-attack/2019/02/19/4d0be2e4-3452-11e9-946a-115a5932c45b_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.3c15283ac6e3 https://indianexpress.com/article/india/pulwama-attack-dehradun-amid-fear-kashmiri-students-lock-themselves-in-hostel-rooms-5587421/ https://www.newsclick.in/pulwama-attack-aftermath-kashmiris-threatened-and-attacked-dehradun-and-jammu https://www.outlookindia.com/website/story/india-news-boycott-everything-kashmiri-meghalaya-governor-tweets-after-pulwama-attack/325779 https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/pulwama-attack-not-handiwork-of-single-man-says-former-raw-chief/articleshow/68036324.cms https://thewire.in/rights/as-hate-incidents-pile-up-modi-finally-breaks-silence-on-attacks-on-kashmiris

Reports

India: Vigilante ‘Cow Protection’ Groups Attack Minorities (Report)

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On March 18, 2016, a group of men murdered two Muslim cattle herders who were on their way to sell bulls at an animal fair in India’s Jharkhand state. The attackers, all linked to a local “cow protection” group, accused Mohammed Mazlum Ansari, 35, and Imteyaz Khan, 12, of selling the cattle for slaughter, then beat them to death and hanged their bodies from a tree. Imteyaz’s father, Azad Khan, said he watched helplessly as the attack took place: “I hid in the bushes when I saw them beating up Imteyaz and Mazlum. If I stepped out, they would have killed me too. My son was screaming for help, but I was so scared.” Members of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), since coming to power at the national level in May 2014, have increasingly used communal rhetoric that has spurred a violent vigilante campaign against beef consumption and those deemed linked to it. Between May 2015 and December 2018, at least 44 people—36 of them Muslims—were killed across 12 Indian states. Over that same period, around 280 people were injured in over 100 different incidents across 20 states. The attacks have been led by so-called cow protection groups, many claiming to be affiliated to militant Hindu groups that often have with ties to the BJP. Many Hindus consider cows to be sacred and these groups have mushroomed all over the country. Their victims are largely Muslim or from Dalit (formerly known as “untouchables”) and Adivasi (indigenous) communities. This report details 11 vigilante attacks that killed 14 people and the government response. It examines the link between cow protection and the Hindu nationalist political movement, and the failure of local authorities to enforce constitutional and international human rights obligations to protect vulnerable minorities. In most of the cases documented here, families of victims, with the support of lawyers and activists, were able to make some progress toward justice, but many families fear retribution and do not pursue their complaints. The report also examines the impact of the attacks and the government response on those whose livelihoods are linked to livestock, including farmers, herders, cattle transporters, meat traders, and leather workers. In almost all of the cases, the police initially stalled investigations, ignored procedures, or even played a complicit role in the killings and cover-up of crimes. Instead of promptly investigating and arresting suspects, the police filed complaints against victims, their families, and witnesses under laws that ban cow slaughter. In several cases, political leaders of Hindu nationalist groups, including elected BJP officials, defended the assaults. In a particularly egregious case of political opportunism, after two people including a  police officer were killed in mob violence in December 2018 in Uttar Pradesh state, the chief minister described the incident as an “accident,” and then went on to warn, “Illegal slaughtering, and not just cow slaughter, is banned in the entire state.” In July 2018, India’s Supreme Court issued a series of directives for “preventive, remedial and punitive” measures to address “lynching”—the term used in India for killing by a mob. While cow protection is an emotional issue for many Hindus, the Supreme Court denounced violent attacks by so-called cow protectors, saying: “It is imperative for them to remember that they are subservient to the law and cannot be guided by notions or emotions or sentiments or, for that matter, faith.” Human Rights Watch calls upon national and state governments to enforce the Supreme Court directives; ensure proper investigations to identify and prosecute perpetrators regardless of their political connections; initiate a public campaign to end communal attacks on Muslims, Dalits, and other minorities; reverse policies that are impacting livestock-linked livelihoods, particularly in rural communities; and hold to account police and other institutions that fail to uphold rights because of caste or religious prejudice. The Politics of Cow Protection Cow slaughter is forbidden in most parts of Hindu-majority India. However, over the last few decades, Hindu nationalists have led a political campaign complaining that the authorities do not do enough to enforce the ban and stop cattle smuggling. Since beef is consumed largely by religious and ethnic minorities, BJP leaders, in seeking to appeal to Hindu voters, have made strong statements about the need to protect cows that have enabled, and at times may have incited, communal violence. Narendra Modi, when he was chief minister of Gujarat state and during the 2014 national election campaign, repeatedly called for the protection of cows, raising the specter of a “pink revolution” that he claimed had endangered cows and other cattle for meat export. After he was elected prime minister, Modi did not robustly condemn vigilante attacks by cow-protection groups until as late as August 2018, when he finally said, “I want to make it clear that mob lynching is a crime, no matter the motive.” In January 2019, he said these attacks did not “reflect well on a civilized society.” He, however, appeared to dismiss claims of growing Muslim insecurity as being politically motivated. According to a survey by New Delhi Television, there was a nearly 500 percent increase in the use of communally divisive language in speeches by elected leaders—90 percent of them from the BJP—between 2014 and 2018, as compared to the five years before the BJP came to power. Cow protection formed an important theme in a number of these speeches. In addition to beating up cattle traders and transporters that have caused serious injuries, even fatalities, cow protectors have reportedly assaulted Muslim men and women in trains and railway stations in Madhya Pradesh state, stripped and beat Dalit men in Gujarat, force-fed cow dung and urine to two men in Haryana, raided a Muslim hotel in Jaipur, and raped two women and killed two men in Haryana for allegedly eating beef at home. In September 2015, a mob killed Mohammad Akhlaq, 50, in Uttar Pradesh state, and critically injured his 22-year-old son, over allegations that the family had slaughtered a calf for beef. Following public outrage—and because the state was then governed by an opposition party—the police made some arrests including of a local BJP

Press Release

IAMC condemns dastardly terror attack in Kashmir

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IAMC condemns dastardly terror attack in Kashmir The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC – www.iamc.com), today condemned in the strongest terms the dastardly act of terror in Kashmir that has claimed the lives of 40 personnel from India’s Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). The brave CRPF personnel who laid down their lives reflected the diversity of India united in their ultimate sacrifice for the nation.   IAMC calls for a thorough investigation and bringing the perpetrators to justice. IAMC also demands that swift action be taken against the terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed that has claimed responsibility for the attack.   IAMC recognizes that cross-border terrorism perpetrated by militant outfits like Jaish-e-Mohammed have only made matters worse in Kashmir. We condemn terrorism in all its forms, and call for a resolution to the Kashmir issue through a process of dialogue that reflects compassion, respect and a commitment by all parties to uphold human rights and religious freedom. Indian American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with chapters across the nation. For more information, please visit our website at: www.iamc.com CONTACT: Indian American Muslim Council Phone/Fax: 1-800-839-7270 Email: info@iamc.com Facebook: Indian American Muslim Council Twitter: @IAMCouncil Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295, Morton Grove, IL 60053.

Press Release

Indian-Americans celebrate Republic Day across USA, with pledges to uphold the Constitution and combat hate

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Indian-Americans celebrate Republic Day across USA with pledges to uphold the Constitution and combat hate The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, marked India’s 70th Republic Day on Saturday January 26, 2019, with celebrations at chapters across the United States. This year’s Republic Day celebrations continue in a tradition IAMC has established over the last 17 years of celebrating the adoption of India’s Constitution and its fundamental emphasis on pluralism and equality before the law for people of all faiths. At the chapter event in South Brunswick., NJ, board member Mr. Jawad Mohammed remarked, “The Constitution of India was shaped by the diverse nature of India; its diversity of languages, religions, and ethnic communities. Thus, with its adoption, India became a sovereign, secular, democratic Republic and its foundations of liberty, justice and equality became integrated into the fabric of the nation. It is truly an extraordinary document.” Mr. Mohammed also drew attention to the fact that the Constitution of India was under a sustained attack on account of the shrinking space for religious freedom of minorities and human rights violations of minorities, “lower castes” and women. The commemoration in Dallas was held at Fun Asia in Richardson, TX. IAMC-Dallas President Rahmath Baig said “We hold the constitutions of both the United States and India in high regard as Indian-Americans, and have a duty to preserve the ideals of both.” Richardson, TX, Mayor Mark Soloman, and City Councilman Bob Doobay were also in attendance. Councilman Doobay expressed his felicitations on the 70th Republic Day celebrations as well as his appreciation for the Indian American Muslim Council promoting peace, equality and a commitment to uphold civil liberties. IAMC-Dallas member Arshad Qawi noted, “We are extremely proud of our Indian heritage. India is blessed to have a constitution which protects basic civil liberties and secular principles. Unfortunately the socio-political environment in India today, is marked by an unprecedented level of intolerance and religious bigotry. It’s imperative upon all of us as responsible members of the diaspora ,to get involved and make a concerted effort to promote peace and social justice for all.” The four hour events included fun activities for children including a Drawing Competition, as well as Fancy Dress and Spot Quiz Contests based on Indian themes. The US national anthem was followed by the national anthem of India. Speaking on the theme for the occasion “Strength in diversity, IAMC Vice President, Syed Afzal Ali, said “we gather today to recommit ourselves to the founding principles of the Constitution of liberty, equality and justice for all. We want to leave the world better for our children and that requires us to push back against the tide of hate and destruction and continue to build bridge of unity and hope. As Indian Americans dedicated to pluralism and human rights, we have a double reason to celebrate the founding of the Indian Republic. IAMC’s Republic Day celebrations are an expression of profound appreciation for the ideals of justice, pluralism and democracy – the shared values of India and the United States.” Indian American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with chapters across the nation. For more information, please visit our website at: www.iamc.com Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter CONTACT: Indian American Muslim Council Phone/Fax: 1-800-839-7270 Email: info@iamc.com Facebook: Indian American Muslim Council Twitter: @IAMCouncil Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295, Morton Grove, IL 60053.

Press Release

Citizenship Bill excluding Muslim immigrants taking India further into an abyss of bigotry say Indian Americans

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    IAMC calls for US Senate to conduct hearing on sustained attacks on religious freedom and human rights in India   FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   January 09, 2019 The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, has called the bill passed by the lower house of India’s Parliament, granting citizenship to non-Muslim illegal immigrants from neighboring countries unconstitutional and reflective of the Modi administration’s deep animus towards Muslims and other minorities. In addition the IAMC has called on the US Senate to conduct a hearing on the sustained attacks against religious freedom of minorities in India. The issue of illegal immigration into India has long been a political flashpoint in India, especially in the northern states bordering Pakistan, Bangladesh and Myanmar, with the BJP and others in the Hindutva fraternity using it to label even Indian Muslim citizens as illegal infiltrators. In July 2018, the government published a draft of the National Citizenship Registry that excluded four million citizens, mostly Muslims, accusing them of being illegal immigrants.  The outrage was exacerbated by the fact that among those excluded from the registry was the family of the fifth President of India, Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed. This week India’s ruling party went a step further in its brazen attempts to detach India from its secular moorings and turn it into a Hindu state. The lower house passed a bill granting citizenship to non-Muslim illegal immigrants from neighboring countries. The bill seeks to permit illegal immigrants belonging to Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Parsi or Christian communities from neighboring countries to settle in India and avoid deportation. If the citizenship bill and the national citizenship registry are seen in conjunction, it becomes clear that the government is keen on keeping out only Muslim migrants to the country while actively seeking to strip millions of Indian Muslims of their citizenship. Article 14 of India’s Constitution declares, “The State shall not deny to any person equality before the law or the equal protection of the laws within the territory of India.” The shocking irony of Indian lawmakers attempting to legislate a violation of the Constitution has rightly generated outrage among minorities and people of conscience across India. The bill is also a violation of the Assam accord of 1985. The Accord requires that the government deport all illegal immigrants who came to the country after 1971 when Bangladesh gained independence. There is a strong possibility that this bill, given it is such an open exercise in religious discrimination, will not stand judicial scrutiny. However, the government’s actions are part of a larger pattern of shrinking religious freedom for India’s minorities. Recently the Chief Minister of a major state called on Muslims to refrain from using public spaces to offer prayers. This stunning comment was followed by a police directive to major companies holding them responsible if their employees were to use a public park for Friday prayers. “The fact that India’s right-wing Hindu nationalist administration has come this far in advancing its agenda of turning Indian Muslims into second-class citizens while legislating preferential treatment of Hindus should generate international concern over the future of India as a secular, democratic polity,” said Mr. Ahsan Khan, President of IAMC. “While the US Commission for International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) had consistently placed India in the Tier 2 list of countries where religious freedom is at risk even before the Modi administration came to power, it is time to acknowledge that the RSS and its ideological affiliates have taken India further down into the abyss of hate and religious bigotry, ” added Mr. Khan. IAMC has urged members of the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of India’s Parliament to reject the bill outright and prevent further division and tension in the country. IAMC has also called on protesters to maintain peace while expressing their outrage against the government’s unconstitutional actions. Indian-American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with chapters across the nation. For more information please visit our website at: http://www.iamc.com REFERENCES: 1. Four million people excluded from draft of India’s National Register of Citizens   https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/07/4-million-people-left-final-draft-nrc-list-assam-180730044002717.html 2. Family of India’s former President excluded from National Register of Citizens    https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/indias-5th-president-fakhruddin-ali-ahmeds-kin-excluded-from-assam-nrc/articleshow/65217721.cms 3. India’s lower house passes citizenship bill that excludes Muslims’ https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/01/india-house-passes-citizenship-bill-excludes-muslims-190108145755215.html 4. Times of India Editorial on Citizenship Bill   https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/blogs/toi-editorials/cynical-politics-citizenship-amendment-bill-could-be-disastrous-for-bjp-in-north-east/ 5. Haryana Chief Minister asks Muslims to not pray in public places   https://indianexpress.com/article/india/namaz-must-be-offered-in-mosques-not-public-places-says-haryana-cm-manohar-lal-khattar-5166136/ 6. Police warn companies about their employees praying in a park   https://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ani/noida-police-prohibits-religious-activity-like-friday-prayer-in-a-park-118122500412_1.html

Press Release

IAMCs Response to Times Now

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Press Releases Resources About Us News Digest Events Reports In-depth Coverage Lynchings Attacks on Journalists/Press My India Communal Harmony Submit your story Your Stories Sign Up   IAMCs Response to Times Now HomeIAMCs Response to Times Now 1) Times Now’s India Upfront program coverage of the Religious Freedom briefing in Capitol Hill : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qa31df3KRmQ Original Video of briefing: https://www.facebook.com/IndianAmericanMuslimCouncil/videos/1912060422205443?sfns=1 December 12, 2018 To Mr. Rahul Shivshankar Editor-in-Chief Times Now New Delhi Subject: India Upfront program coverage of the Religious Freedom briefing in Capitol Hill Dear Mr. Shivshankar, Greetings. We write to you with reference to your program “India Upfront” broadcast on Times Now network on November 30, 2018 at 7:55 PM, covering an event titled “Religious Freedom in India: A Briefing on Capitol Hill”. This event was held at the Russell Senate Office Building at the Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C., on November 29 and was organized by Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), an organization dedicated to promoting peace, pluralism, justice and liberty for all. We, the undersigned, were among the speakers at that event, and we are writing now to express our dismay and disappointment with the content of your aforementioned show which was, to say the least, duplicitous and defamatory towards us and our organizations. Firstly, as the newscaster, you repeatedly said that the views expressed at the briefing were akin to the positions held by India’s opposition parties. At one point in the show, you asked: “Is it a possibility that some of these [organizations] are sponsored by political opponents of the governments here [in India] because the points that were made were very political in nature?” The insinuation that political opponents in India might sponsor us or our organizations is not only preposterous but false and defamatory and we reject it outright. We advocate for freedom of religion and a free press as guaranteed in the Indian constitution and understood by the international community. We are not partisans and have worked to bring attention to violations of these principles under different Indian administrations. There is no question that any of us, individually or collectively, are linked with India’s political parties, ruling or in the opposition. The Briefing was headlined by Dr. Katrina Lantos Swett, a towering advocate for human rights and religious freedom and the daughter of Tom Lantos, the only Holocaust survivor to win a seat on U.S. Congress, and who created the Congressional Human Rights Caucus. To suggest that she would be fronting for any domestic stakeholders in India insults her global stature. Indeed, in speaking at the Briefing, all of us, the undersigned, were simply invoking our right to free speech guaranteed to us under the United States Constitution that allows its citizens unrestricted freedom to organize, demonstrate and propagate any cause or causes, domestic or international, they deem as critical to upholding America’s national and political interest. We believe that the RSS’s rising Hindutva majoritarianism that has unleashed violence against India’s social and religious minorities — notably, Dalits, Adivasis, Muslims, Christians and Sikhs — is antithetical to the moral commitments of the U.S. and Indian governments to democracy and the safety and security of social and religious minorities around the world. It is not only our right but also our duty to ask U.S. Congress and U.S. Government to hold the Government of India to account for failing to protect its social and religious minorities and uphold the constitutionally mandated guarantees of right to life and freedom of religion. Secondly, it speaks poorly of your journalistic values that though you made numerous allegations and insinuations against the briefing, your editorial team did not once reach out to any of us for our version. Balanced reporting, including the right to reply, is fundamental to free and fair journalism, and your program and your network clearly failed on that global standard. Thirdly, it is surprising that you allowed the Hindu American Foundation (HAF) to call IAMC anti- Hindu and anti-India without giving IAMC a chance to counter that blatant falsehood. IAMC believes India is strongest when it lives up to its democratic and inclusive promise. Fourthly, you and your program falsely claimed that “there was no conversation” at our Briefing “on attacks that have taken place on Hindus”. In fact, the Briefing prominently discussed the arson at the ashram of Swami Sandeepananda Giri, who has supported the entry of women at Kerala’s Sabarimala temple, and the physical violence against Swami Agnivesh, a Hindu monk. Fifthly, your program claimed that it had “access” to the footage of the event, insinuating that the Briefing was a secret venture. The fact is that this was a public briefing that had been well publicized ahead of its occurrence, including on social media platforms such as Facebook. Sixthly, it is surprising that throughout the program you chose to ignore the fact that a leading Hindu group in the U.S. — Sadhana: Coalition for Progressive Hindus — was also represented at the Briefing via its co-Founder Sunita Viswanath. Sadhana has been a leading Hindu voice expressing strong opposition to the politics of extremism and intolerance in the U.S. and India. You also belittled the fact that several speakers at the briefing are from the social and religious minorities facing the brunt of the Hindutva violence. They included Rev. Dr. Sarah C. Anderson- Rajarigam, who is a Dalit Christian woman and a Lutheran priest in the U.S.; Pawan Singh, who is Sikh by faith; and Vishavjit Singh, also a Sikh and a survivor of the mass violence against the Sikhs in India in 1984 following the assassination of then prime minister Indira Gandhi. It is no less astounding that your program did not address a single issue raised at the Briefing where the increasing violence against the religious minorities in India was graphically detailed. Indeed, this briefing has received wide coverage by leading news organizations in India, including by your sister organization, The Times of India, which fairly represented the briefing for what it was — a briefing on religious freedom in India

Lynching, Press Release

U.S. Groups Condemn PM Modi for Failure to Stop Attacks on Religious Minorities

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Religious freedom activists from across the U.S. have criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his failure to stop the violence carried out by Hindutva groups against religious minorities, including Muslims and Christians. At an event titled “Religious Freedom in India: A Briefing on Capitol Hill”, organized by the Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) on the Capitol Hill in Washington D.C., the activists urged the Indian prime minister to condemn such violence against religious minorities as well as take all necessary measures to curb the rise of Hindutva extremism and punish the Hindutva groups involved in violence. “The failure of Prime Minister Modi to definitively condemn and to definitively distance himself from the extreme elements of his party has played a substantial and significant role in bringing about the situation that we see today,” said Dr. Katrina Lantos Swett, former Chair of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), an independent bipartisan federal commission tasked with defending religious freedom outside the U.S. “Inflammatory rhetoric and a conception of India’s national identity increasingly based on religion have contributed to an atmosphere of intimidation, exclusion, and even violence directed at non-Hindus,” she added, saying Muslims and Christians are the “primary victims”. Dr. Lantos Swett, who is the daughter of Tom Lantos, the only Holocaust survivor to have ever been elected to U.S. Congress and who founded the Congressional Human Rights Caucus, said India’s religious freedom violation had a “long-standing pattern of impunity and immunity”. “We see it in the lack of accountability for large-scale communal violence such as the horrors we know took place in Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat, and in the more individualized crimes committed against members of minorities faiths,” she said. The briefing was held in a Senate Building before an audience that also included Congressional staffs, officials from the Department of State and USCIRF, and civil society members. Jeff King, President of International Christian Concern (ICC), quoted a survey saying 82% of Indian Christians were “very concerned” for their safety, 73% experienced discrimination “at least once” last year, 85% saw an “increase in aggression” by Hindu nationalists, and 84% said minorities were “less protected” under Modi. “If the prime minister were to condemn acts of aggression and violence and push for prosecution, this [violence] would fairly quickly dry up,” King said. “But it’s not happening.” He asked Modi to “use the bully pulpit and condemn acts of aggression and violence.” King urged the Indian Government to allow a team of USCIRF to visit India on a fact-finding mission. Matthew Bulger, Legislative Director of the American Humanist Association, a U.S. organization promoting theism and agnosticism since 1941, said that compared to global religious freedom standards, “India is failing”. Several Indian laws and policies “restrict religious freedom rights” and have led to arrests and prosecution of individuals, “which is just unacceptable”. He criticized Section 295A of the Indian Penal Code as a “relic” of British colonial law and “essentially a blasphemy and anti-religious incitement law “inconsistent with the pluralistic and democratic values India publicly accepts. Laws which restrict religious freedom can serve as a catalyst for vigilante violence, such as that seen in India recently regarding the lynchings by Hindu nationalists of people, most often Muslims, suspected of smuggling or killing cows.” Bulger noted that although Pehlu Khan, a Muslim dairy farmer murdered by cow vigilantes in April 2017, named six suspects in his “death-bed statement” criminal charges against them were dismissed. “Sadly, this is not an isolated case, as over a dozen similar murders have happened in the last two years alone.” Rev. Sarah C. Anderson-Rajarigam, a Dalit Christian Lutheran church priest from Philadelphia, said the status of Dalits had worsened under the Modi government. “Modi’s government has deliberately and openly made violence against Dalits a non-issue by offering impunity.” The perpetrators of violence against Dalits were not only free but “elevated to the status of a hero”, she said, adding: “The patter of violence continues unabated… But there is no shame experienced either by the perpetrators or by Prime Minister Modi and other ministers.” Pawan Singh, a Sikh representing the Organization for Minorities of India, said the “fascist ideology” of the RSS that “a small group of people are born superior to others… needs to be checked.” He said: “There is the curtain of democracy that they use, and then go on with their business of killing individuals of dissenting opinion, or because they do not like them.” Singh said the “pseudo institutions” connected with the RSS, such as the Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh, the Bajrang Dal and the Hindu American Foundation “were a threat to our freedom”. Citing the World Hindu Congress organized in Chicago in September, Singh said the spread of Hindutva was “not just India’s problem any more… That is what gives me the shivers: these rightwing saffron terrorists [are] roaming in the free world, threatening our free institutions.” He criticized the U.S. government for giving a visa to RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, who, he said, “should be tried for crimes against humanity”, and slammed Democratic Congressman Raja Krishnamurthy for speaking at the Hindu Congress. “These people are wearing facades, while they carry big knives to kill us, to kill the dissenting opinion, to kill anybody and everybody who will speak for equality, for justice and freedom for all.” Sunita Viswanath, Co-founder of Sadhana: Coalition of Progressive Hindus, a New York-based nonprofit, said the “chilling repression of open debate and political expression” in India and the violence against Muslims and Christians was alarming. “This repression and violence is taking place in the name of Hinduism, one that we do not recognize and cannot accept,” she said. Viswanath noted that the police had named the Sanatan Sanstha, an extremist right-wing Hindutva organization, for the September 2017 killing of Gauri Lankesh, a Bangalore-based activist and journalist. “The Sanatan Sanstha was also involved in the killing of other activists,” she said. “Despite this, it has not yet been banned or classified as a terrorist organization.”

Press Release

Activists disrupt Hindu supremacist conclave in Chicago, evoke violent reaction from extremists

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Anti-fascists slogans call for a stop to Hindu fascism during plenary session of World Hindu Congress September 9, 2018 The Alliance for Justice and Accountability (AJA), an umbrella organization of progressive South Asian groups across the United States in coordination with the local community, today lauded the activists who disrupted the plenary session of the World Hindu Congress, a conclave convened by organizations aligned with the Hindu supremacist ideology that is spearheading the violation of human rights and religious freedom of minorities in India. The event has been deeply mired in controversy since the Alliance for Justice and Accountability, along with a wide range of Indian diaspora organizations have denounced it as an attempt to mainstream Hindu fascism in the United States. Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard who had initially agreed to chair the three day Congress severed all connections with the event. On Friday evening, several young activists from Chicago South Asians for Justice raised signs and called out, “RSS Turn Around, We don’t want you in Our Town,” and “Stop Hindu Fascism.” Some conference attendees erupted in a violent rage, spitting on the protesters, shoving them to the floor, and choking one of them. Two protesters were arrested and charged with trespass and disorderly conduct, while one conference attendee was charged with battery. “We endured extremely violent and demeaning behavior from a bunch of self-righteous Hindutva fanatics who refuse to acknowledge their complicity in promoting and furthering fascism. Their response is indicative of their fascist mindset that brooks no dissent, and we refuse to allow it to be promulgated in our state without a fight,” said one of the protesters who courted arrest. “This is deeply significant,” said Nesamani Rajamani of AJA. “These young leaders did what Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi could not, which is to speak truth to power. This courageous act confronting hate on its own ground is the first direct action against caste in the diaspora. The brave hearts made a choice as people of conscience to stand up to Hindu Fascism and Brahminsm, and we believe that as long as the RSS and the Sangh continue to go after Dalit Bahujan peoples, people of conscience will stand up and resist together,” added Mr. Rajamani. Earlier on Friday, a truck bearing billboard size messages “Boycott World Hindu Congress” drove around the Lombard area. Hindutva is the term for a politicized ideology of Hindu ethno-nationalism associated with brutal violence toward India’s minority communities, particularly Dalits (those previously designated “untouchable” by the traditional caste system) and Muslims, as well as Sikhs, Buddhists, Christians, and secular critics. Some of the most virulent hatemongers of Hindutva are featured speakers at the WHC, such as RSS chief Mohan Rao Bhagwat and UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath, both of whom have a long public record of advancing misogyny, hate crimes and attacks on minorities, as well as assurances of impunity for its perpetrators. On Saturday, AJA held a protest outside the conference venue, with the stated goal of “standing in solidarity with our sisters and brothers in India who are fighting against the #HIndutva rule and will not be silent in the face of mob lynchings, rapes, murders, and the targeting of our leaders and academics.” AJA’s Ashwin Khobragade said, “Antifascists in the South Asian diaspora who care about racial and caste justice, and who disagree with the blanket criminalization of Muslims, have to be no less vigilant in standing against the VHP and RSS than we do against American neo-nazi, white supremacist, and ethno-nationalist groups. The time has come to organize, unite, and to win”. While the WHC promotes its agenda as “a global platform for Hindus” to network, inspire and strategize for “the common good,” its true agenda is to advance the jaundiced view of the world espoused by the VHP of America, American branch of the India-based Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP); the Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh, American branch of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), which was founded under the inspiration of Nazism; and the Hindu American Foundation (HAF). These groups are also affiliated with the ruling nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), under whose rule since 2014 there have been over a hundred lynchings of Dalits, adivasis and Muslims, often using the dog whistle of “cow protection.” Calling for a boycott of the event, AJA engaged in outreach to a number of US politicians including Tulsi Gabbard, Ash Kalra, Jay Chaudhuri and Raja Krishnamoorthy, who had initially been slated to participate under the guise of cultural pluralism and interfaith harmony. After learning of the partisan and extremist nature of the event, Gabbard, Kalra and Chaudhuri severed their connections with it. In a separate development, The Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago condemned the appearance of fascists speakers at the conference. Krishnamoorthi did attend, chairing a panel on political leadership, but indicated that he wishes to hold a meeting with Muslim groups in his constituency who have expressed their deep objections to his support for anti-Muslim activities in India. South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT) has issued a statement taking Krishnamoorthi to task for sharing a platform with RSS ideologues and rescinding their offer to him to speak at their Congressional Briefing on hate violence and post-9/11 policies. AJA has launched a twitter campaign #StopHinduFascism, to shed light on the violence and demand accountability from speakers and sponsors of the event. The impact of the twitterstorm awoke many Americans to the rising issues of #HinduFascism in the world. Contact: The Alliance for Justice and Accountability Phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 Email: stophindufascism@protonmail.com Alliance for Justice and Accountability, 6321 W. Dempster St., Suite# 295, Morton Grove, IL 60053-2848

kasganj, Reports

Investigative Report: Truth of Kasganj – Sham police probe

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Investigative Report: Truth of Kasganj – Sham police probe: Protects Hindus, Frames Muslims   Kasganj Report : Full English (Final) by IAMC on Scribd EXECUTIVE SUMMARY On January 26, 2018, communal violence broke out in Kasganj town of Uttar Pradesh during Republic Day celebrations. The police claimed that the violence began after a group of Muslims allegedly prevented a motorcycle rally of some Hindus from passing through their neighbourhood. A Hindu man named Chandan Gupta was shot dead in the violence. Holding the Muslims responsible the police arrested 28 Muslims and booked them for the violence. This independent investigation exposes the police attempt to frame the Muslims, against whom there is no evidence, and protect the Hindus, against whom there is substantial evidence. In truth, it were the Hindus who caused the violence at a place known as Abdul Hameed Chowk where the Muslims were preparing for a flag-hoisting ceremony to mark the Republic Day. The police effected this biased fraud from the beginning by registering two FIRs instead of one. The police should have registered only one FIR because this was a single incident of violence. While the 1st FIR they registered focused on the violence alone, the 2nd FIR focused on the death of Chandan Gupta. The 2nd FIR conveniently names only Muslims as the accused even though by the accounts of the police themselves the Hindus too were shooting from firearms. Both FIRs are, in fact, full of inaccuracies and contradictions. To begin with, although the violence occurred before noon, both FIRs were registered at delays of 12-14 hours. This despite the fact that the violence allegedly occurred barely 200 metres from the police station and a number of policemen claim to have witnessed that violence. Neither FIR mentions the violence at Abdul Hameed Chowk, which happened before Chandan was shot. The 1st FIR claims that violence occurred elsewhere, but does not mention Chandan being shot. The 2nd FIR mentions Chandan being shot but not the preceding violence. The 1st FIRs names only Muslims as accused even though it acknowledges Hindus too indulged in the violence. The 2nd FIR mentions no Hindus at all, claiming Muslims attacked Hindus. The police have not explained why they did not file an FIR when a wounded Chandan was brought by his Hindu co-marchers to the police station within minutes of being shot that morning. In fact, the police arranged for Chandan to be taken to the hospital where he was declared dead. By the afternoon, the hospital had sent a memo to the police station informing them of his death. Incredibly, Chandan’s autopsy was concluded without an FIR being registered. The police began arresting the Muslims from the very next day, January 27, arresting 19 of them within two weeks. But no Hindus were arrested for two months. In fact, the police made no effort to even inquire into the identity the Hindus who were members of the motorcycle rally. The 1st FIR’s investigating officer claimed the motorcycle rally organiser, Anukalp Chauhan, absconded on January 26. But the next day he led the pall-bearers at Chandan’s funeral. And the 2nd FIR’s investigating officer met Chauhan at his home on February 2 to record his statement. Chauhan surrendered in court two-and-a-half months after the incident. The Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) gave him bail the next morning. Chauhan’s father was a clerk in the court of the District Judge, who is the highest-ranking judge and the CJM’s supervising officer. While the police made Chauhan an accused in the case for the violence, they have made him a witness in the case for Chandan’s death. This is clearly a mockery of the judicial process. The statements of various police officers, the Hindus from the motorcycle rally and several “independent” witnesses cited in the charge-sheets of the two FIRs contradict each other. Some witnesses claimed that the Muslims attacked the Hindus at a place known as Bilram Gate crossing. Yet others said the Muslims attacked the Hindus before the latter reached Bilram Gate crossing. The 2nd FIR claimed the Hindus were attacked after they left Bilram Gate Crossing. Some policemen said when they reached Bilram Gate crossing they found only the Hindus. Others said they found both Hindus and Muslims there. At least two independent witnesses said the Muslims had already run away from Bilram Gate crossing before the police arrived there. The 1st FIR claimed the police were informed of the quarrel between Hindus and Muslims at 9.30 a.m. Several policemen also later made the same claim. But CCTV footage from Abdul Hameed Chowk shows that the first altercation between the two groups occurred about 25 minutes later. In some statements, the Hindus from the motorcycle rally claimed that after the Muslims attacked them at Bilram Gate crossing they ran away to the nearby Tehsil Road where Chandan was shot. In other statements, the Hindus make no mention of Bilram Gate crossing. Instead they claim they were chanting slogans when they reached Tehsil Road when the Muslims attacked them. Even the accounts of what happened at Tehsil Road are mutually contradictory. Some Hindus say the Muslims snatched the tricolour from their hands and ordered them to say “Pakistan Zindabad”, and when Chandan refused, they shot him. Others say that the Muslims first shot Chandan and then asked the Hindus of the motorcycle rally to chant “Pakistan Zindabad”. More implausible is the claim that the Muslim who attacked the Hindus on Tehsil Road were the same who attacked them at Bilram Gate crossing from where the Hindus had run to Tehsil Road. At least three accused Muslims have alibis of their presence elsewhere on January 26. One was in Hathras city as part of a touring religious group. Another was in Aligarh and a third in Lucknow. CCTV footage from Aligarh showing the accused there has been handed to the police. Yet the police have refused to take that evidence into account. In light of these many contradictions it is obvious that the

bhimakoregaon, Press Release

Persecution of activists an expression of fascism say Indian Americans

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Persecution of activists an expression of fascism say Indian Americans Arrest of prominent intellectuals and dissidents widely condemned by diaspora FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 28, 2018 The Alliance for Justice And Accountability (AJA), an umbrella coalition of progressive organizations across the United States, today condemned the sweeping attacks against activists and intellectuals in India, leading to the arrest of five prominent public figures known for their courage and tenacity in combating caste oppression. Sudha Bharadwaj, Vernon Gonsalves, Gautam Navlakha, Varavara Rao, Arun Ferreira were all arrested on the same day from their homes in different Indian cities on Tuesday, August 28, 2018. The arrests have been roundly condemned as a “massive crackdown” by prominent personalities across India, as well as by international human rights groups such as Amnesty International. The fact that the police waited for Republic TV to arrive after having arrested Sudha Bharadwaj, shows the intent was to sensationalize the arrest and demonize activists such as Ms. Bhardwaj. “It is deeply alarming to see the government arrest activists who seek to defend justice and human dignity, as opposed to arresting those who perpetrate violations of human rights and religious freedom, ” said Mr. Bhajan Singh, founding director of Organization of Minorities in India (OFMI). AJA has demanded dropping of all the false and malicious charges against these intellectuals and an investigation into the political motives behind their harrassment. “The fact that a BJP lawmaker from Karnataka recently advocated the killing of all intellectuals, is an indication of India’s accelerating trajectory towards mob rule, ” said Mr. Umang Kumar, a noted community activist who is part of AJA. “Attack on human rights defenders such as Swami Agnivesh and Umar Khalid are a direct outcome of such vitriol coming from the ruling party,” added Mr. Umang. “Clearly, the government seems to be playing to polarize the nation before the 2019 elections. Such open subversion of the rule of law does not help any community,” added Mr. Ahsan Khan, President Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC). The Alliance for Justice and Accountability has pledged to work with people of all faiths to defend India from the onslaught of hate and divisiveness. Contact: Alliance for Justice and Accountability Phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 Email:info@iamc.com References: 1) Indian activists decry police arrests and searches after caste riots https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/indian-activists-decry-police-arrests-and-searches-after-caste-riots/2018/08/28/d44e9a7a-aabf-11e8-8f4b-aee063e14538_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.0d1ab2b19a98 2) Top Indian activists held over caste violence https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-45328323 3) Intellectuals condemn arrest of activists, call it ‘perilous, chilling, fascist’ https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/intellectuals-condemn-arrest-of-activists-call-it-perilous-chilling-fascist/story-6e1jF1dPX9ZmQUA5HGwNOK.html

Press Release

IAMC celebrates 72nd India Independence Day – Diaspora pledges commitment to pluralism

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IAMC celebrates 72nd India Independence Day – Diaspora pledges commitment to pluralism August 15, 2018 The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC – www.iamc.com), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, today joined millions of people, in India and around the world, to celebrate the 72nd India’s Independence Day. While sharing in the joy of India’s independence from colonial rule, activists and community members marked the occasion as a sober reminder of how far India has come from its founding principles. The brutal mob lynchings, the shrinking space for a free press, and the incessant hateful rhetoric are all indicative of a nation under attack. “We need yet another freedom struggle,” said Mr. Ahsan Khan, President of IAMC. “We need to break ourselves free from the stranglehold of vicious ideology that is intent on turning Indians against one another on the basis of religion, caste and creed,” added Mr. Khan. Indian-American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with chapters across the nation. For more information please visit our website at: http://www.iamc.com CONTACT: Indian American Muslim Council Phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 Email:info@iamc.com Facebook: Indian American Muslim Council Twitter: @IAMCouncil Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295, Morton Grove, IL 60053.

Press Release

Exclusion of 4 million from Citizens’ Registry a horrible atrocity says Indian Americans

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Relatives of former President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed among those at risk of becoming stateless; Targeting of religious minorities apparent motive say Muslim organizations August 2, 2018 The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos has called for the immediate suspension of the National Registry of Citizens, until irregularities that have resulted in four million people being excluded from the list are resolved. The ethnic group that is the worst victim of this mass disenfranchisement is the Bengali speaking Muslim community in Assam, accused of being “infiltrators,” although they are Indian citizens. International bodies such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch as well as civil society institutions across India have expressed concern about the process that could render the four million people stateless. “It is possible that the process will arbitrarily deprive people, who have lived in India for decades, of their nationality,” Amnesty said in a statement.   “The fact that this is an exercise in subversion of democracy and has a clearly bigoted, discriminatory agenda, is reflected in the exclusion of the relatives of the former President of India,” said Mr. Ahsan Khan, President of IAMC. “The entire program should be suspended until the criteria for exclusion are clearly defined,” added Mr. Khan The stark contrast between the government’s warm welcome of the Hindu migrants from Bangladesh and its openly hostile attitude to Rohingya refugees reeks of bigotry and a penchant to view some refugees as less deserving of humanitarian treatment only due to the religion they practice. As local organizations have pointed out, the update process that was under the supervision of the Supreme Court experienced a number of interventions by the state government. Human rights activist Suhas Chakma rightly dubbed the NRC list the “biggest exercise for disenfranchisement in human history.” IAMC has called on the central government not to allow religious differences to define the socio-political landscape of the country, where something as basic as a citizen’s right to be called a citizen of the country is arbitrarily snatched away. Indian American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with chapters across the nation. For more information, please visit our website at: http://iamc.com/ CONTACT: Indian American Muslim Council Phone/Fax: 1-800-839-7270 Email: info@iamc.com Facebook: Indian American Muslim Council Twitter: @IAMCouncil Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295, Morton Grove, IL 60053. Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter REFERENCES:   As India Clamps Down on Migration, Millions May Lose Citizenship https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/30/world/asia/india-citizenship-assam-muslim.html   India’s crackdown on illegal immigration could leave 4 million people stateless https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/indias-muslim-migrants-fear-deportation-after-4-million-are-left-off-citizens-list/2018/07/30/0d5c28fc-bbd7-4934-821c-17e9520c0d60_story.html?utm_term=.35535ad0c0b2   Muslim survivors of Indian massacre shaken by citizenship test https://www.reuters.com/article/us-india-politics-religion/muslim-survivors-of-indian-massacre-shaken-by-citizenship-test-idUSKBN1KJ01L   Millions potentially excluded from Indian citizenship in controversial registry https://www.cnn.com/2018/07/30/asia/india-citizen-survey-intl/index.html   UN Urges India Not to Strip Millions of People of Their Rights https://www.voanews.com/a/un-urges-india-not-to-strip-millions-of-people-of-their-rights/4509015.html CONTACT: Indian American Muslim Council Phone/Fax: 1-800-839-7270 Email: info@iamc.com Facebook: Indian American Muslim Council Twitter: @IAMCouncil Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295, Morton Grove, IL 60053.  

Press Release

Waves of coordinated vigils continue across United States, denouncing the horrific rapes in Kathua and Unnao and stepping up calls for fair and speedy trials

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[smartslider3 slider=19] Indian Americans stand in disgust and shame at the horrific nature of rapes and the government’s subsequent handling of the cases which gave patronage to the accused. April 30, 2018 Hundreds of Indian Americans came together in cities across United States for candlelight vigils and demonstrations demanding fair and speedy trials of the accused in the now infamous Kathua and Unnao rape cases. Vigils were held over the weekend in San Jose (CA), San Diego (CA), and Ft. Lauderdale (FL), with hundreds of Indian Americans showing an outpouring of support for the rape victims. The vigils were marked with chants of “Justice for Asifa”, “Justice for Unnao”, and railed the Indian government’s failure to properly investigate the cases for several months after the crimes. In the previous weeks, similar vigils where held in several other cities including Washington D.C., New York (NY), New Jersey, Baltimore (MD), Boston (MA), Seattle (WA), Raleigh (NC) and Minneapolis (MN). Earlier this year, Asifa, an eight-year old girl was abducted in Kathua in Jammu and Kashmir state, imprisoned for a week in a temple, where she was starved, drugged and gang raped repeatedly before being murdered. According to the police charge sheet of those arrested, the rape and subsequent murder was planned and executed in order to terrorize the Bakarwal Muslim community and drive them out of the area. The attempts to file a charge sheet against the accused at a local court was repeatedly blocked and followed by violent protests in their defense by extremist groups aligned with the ruling Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP). Two BJP ministers who attended the protests urged the crowd to obstruct the prosecution of the accused. In yet another incident from Unnao, a powerful BJP lawmaker in the Uttar Pradesh State Assembly, Kuldeep Singh Sengar, is accused of raping a teenage girl, obstructing justice, and then conspiring with his brother to kill the girl’s father after the family filed a police report. “Words cannot do justice to the terror that the victims of these crimes have had to suffer. The preachers of Hindutva, who are feted not punished, are responsible for an epidemic of hate inspired brutal rapes and mob lynchings. Sometimes these crimes are justified on the pretext that the victims have consumed beef or slaughtered cows. Sometimes simply being a Muslim is enough to invite violence,” said Mr. Ahsan Khan, the President of Indian American Muslim Council and one of the organizers of yesterday’s candlelight vigil in San Jose (CA). “In the four years of Prime Minister Modi’s rule, the intimidation of religious minorities and violence against them have reached levels that have not been witnessed in the history of independent India. In both Kathua and Unnao rape case, we demand speedy trials free of all political interference as well as thorough investigations into the role of extremist outfits like Hindu Ekta Manch in spreading hate and obstructing justice,” added Mr. Khan. Indian American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with chapters across the nation. For more information, please visit our website at: http://iamc.com/ Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter REFERENCES: 1. An 8-Year-Old’s Rape and Killing Fuels Religious Tensions in India https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/11/world/asia/india-girl-rape.html  2. Child’s rape, killing in India mire in religious politics https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/childs-rape-murder-in-india-mired-in-religious-politics/2018/04/12/30f8956a-3e1d-11e8-955b-7d2e19b79966_story.html 3. Kathua rape case: Chargesheet filed by Jammu and Kashmir Police https://www.firstpost.com/india/kathua-rape-case-chargesheet-filed-by-jammu-and-kashmir-police-reveals-details-of-horrific-crime-4427405.html 4. Asifa, Betrayed Over And Over https://www.ndtv.com/blog/asifa-betrayed-over-and-over-1836718 CONTACT: Indian American Muslim Council Phone/Fax: 1-800-839-7270 Email: info@iamc.com Facebook: Indian American Muslim Council Twitter: @IAMCouncil Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295, Morton Grove, IL 60053.

Press Release

Peace Vigil in Seattle to demand justice for rape and murder victims in India

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[smartslider3 slider=17] Peace Vigil in Seattle to demand justice for rape and murder victims in India Protestors demand that the Government of India set up fast-track courts for trials in rape cases and expedite justice delivery to the victims.   FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   Seattle, USA,  Wednesday, April 25, 2018 The Seattle chapter of Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC, www.iamc.com), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, organized a candle light vigil on Saturday, April 21 at the Crossroads Park in Bellevue, Washington. The event was cosponsored by multiple groups across the spectrum: 1:Association for India’s Development (AID) – Seattle chapter (aidindia.org/seattle-chapter/) 2: Unity Across Identities 3: Tasveer (www.tasveer.org) 4: India Association of Western Washington (IAWW) (https://www.iaww.org/) 5: Brahma Kumaris – Washington (http://www.bkwashington.org/) 6: Eastside Refugee and Immigrants Coalition (ERIC) (http://ericmembers.org) 7: API Chaya (https://www.apichaya.org)     Local elected officials also attended the event. The keynote speakers were Ms. Manka Dhingra (State Senator. 45th Dist. – Redmond) and Ms. Kshama Sawant (Councilwoman, District 3, Seattle) “We are here to collectively demand justice for the victim girl”, said Ms. Kshama Sawant, Councilwoman in District 3, Seattle who was one of the keynote speakers at the event.   Ms. Sawant was joined by hundreds of Americans of Indian origin, living in the Seattle area. “It seems so incomprehensible that human beings could perpetrate such heinous acts against children,” she added.   “We as a society have to have zero tolerance for gender violence,” said Ms. Manka Dhingra who is a  State Senator in 45th District of Redmond. Ms. Dhingra, who spoke passionately at the event, further said that women bodies cannot be used to wage religious, political and economic warfare. She was referring to the politicization of the Kathua rape and murder and the various protest organized by the Hindu extremists group in India, in support of the accused.   Recently, on a visit to the UK, Mr. Modi did condemn the act but only to save face, after the incident received international attention.   “We have had enough of these belated remonstrations and promises to bring justice when the communal pot is forever kept boiling by his own ministers”, said Javed Sikander, a resident of Redmond, WA.   The group demanded  Mr. Modi immediately reach out to the families of the victims and apologize on behalf of all Indians as the society had failed to protect their loved ones. They also demanded the government of India to set up fast-track courts for trials in rape cases and expedite justice delivery to the victims.   Indian-American Muslim Council (formerly Indian Muslim Council-USA) is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States.   For more information please visit www.iamc.com     CONTACT: Indian American Muslim Council Phone/Fax: 1-800-839-7270 Email: info@iamc.com Facebook: Indian American Muslim Council Twitter: @IAMCouncil Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295, Morton Grove, IL 60053.   REFERENCES: 1.      NYTimes: An 8-Year-Old’s Rape and Killing Fuels Religious Tensions in India https://mobile.nytimes.com/2018/04/11/world/asia/india-girl-rape.html 2.      NYTimes: A young girl’s rape in India becomes a crisis for Modi https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/14/world/asia/india-girl-rape.html 3.      CNN: Rape cases spark political protest movement in India https://www.cnn.com/2018/04/16/asia/india-rape-bjp-protests-intl/index.html 4.      WashPost: Hindu ‘nationalists’ defend accused rapists and shame India https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/global-opinions/wp/2018/04/11/hindu-nationalists-defend-accused-rapists-and-shame-india/?utm_term=.c2489b08c33c 5.      BBC: Asifa Bano: The child rape and murder that has Kashmir on edge http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-43722714 6.      CBS: Young girl’s brutal rape and murder highlights a religious divide https://www.cbsnews.com/news/india-rape-murder-muslim-girl-asifa-bano-hindu-radials-rally-for-suspects/   ‌  

Press Release

Acquittals in Mecca Masjid blast and Naroda Patia massacre a travesty of justice say Indian Americans

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Acquittals in Mecca Masjid blast and Naroda Patia massacre a travesty of justice say Indian Americans ‘Justice should be delivered to the victim families so that their faith in judiciary is restored’ FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington D.C Sunday, April 22, 2018 The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos has strongly condemned the acquittal of accused in 2007 Mecca Masjid attack and 2002 Naroda Patia massacre case and termed it a travesty of justice. On April 16, five accused linked to extremist Hindutva organizations, including self-confessed perpetrator Swami Aseemanand, were acquitted by a special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Hyderabad. Under tremendous pressure from fellow Hindutva fanatics, Aseemanand retracted his confession about his role in the bomb blast which claimed nine lives and wounded 58 others.  Separately, on April 20, in a shocking judgement, the Gujarat High Court  acquitted former BJP minister Maya Kodnani, who was convicted in the 2002 Naroda Patiya riots case, in which 97 people, mostly women and children were cruelly massacred. Ms. Kodnani was termed the “kingpin” of the gruesome crime by the special fast-track court when it convicted her in 2012 and sentenced her to 28 years in prison. In both cases, survivors and families of victims have deplored the verdict and plan to appeal the judgements. “The acquittal of accused in both the cases, despite incontrovertible evidence and confessions, represents a failure of the judiciary in upholding the rule of law,” said Mr. Ahsan Khan, President of IAMC. On one hand, cases involving BJP and right wing leaders and their associates’ like Amit Shah, Aseemanand, Maya Kodnani, DG Vanzara etc. are increasingly resulting in acquittals, on the other hand, the victims of Muzaffarnagar riots, families of dozens of Muslims lynched by cow terrorists and killed in hate crimes are being denied justice through delayed trials, quick approval of bail, or judgements that outrightly fly in the face of reason, logic and basic norms of justice. The killers of Pehlu Khan as well as the infamous Colonel Purohit and Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, both accused in the 2008 Malegaon blasts case were granted bail last year despite facing stringent terror charges. Yogi Adityanath, accused in dozens of cases of rioting and murder, has now directed all cases against himself to be withdrawn, after his rise in the BJP culminated in his elevation to the post of Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh. Exacerbating the situation are endemic issues with the Indian judicial system, widely acknowledged as being among the most resource-starved in the world. Indian courts have a backlog of 30 million cases, four million of which are being adjudicated in its 24 high courts, while sixty thousand cases remain pending in the federal Supreme Court which has only 31 judges. “The rampant abuse of political power in a way that aims to shield the culprits, in the context of a judicial system that is not equipped to deliver justice, demonstrates the culture of impunity that has taken hold in India,” said Mr. Ahsan Khan. “This is why the international community needs to take notice of the rapidly declining state of human rights and religious freedom in India,” he added. Indian American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with chapters across the nation. For more information, please visit our website at: http://iamc.com/ REFERENCES: 1)https://www.news18.com/news/india/judge-who-acquitted-swami-aseemanand-4-others-in-mecca-masjid-blast-case-resigns-1720075.html 2)http://indianexpress.com/article/india/pehlu-khan-lynching-case-all-held-in-the-case-are-out-on-bail-4866368/ 3)https://thediplomat.com/2016/04/30-million-pending-cases-fixing-indias-overburdened-judiciary/ 4)https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/judge-who-delivered-the-verdict-on-mecca-masjid-blast-resigns/articleshow/63787242.cms 5)https://www.huffingtonpost.in/2018/04/20/maya-kodnani-acquitted-by-gujarat-high-court-in-2002-naroda-patiya-massacre-case_a_23415909/ 6)http://indianexpress.com/article/india/naroda-patiya-case-trial-court-presumed-maya-kodnanis-guilt-sought-reasons-to-support-its-belief-says-hc-5146807/ 7)https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/what-sort-justice-system-victims-mecca-masjid-blasts-flay-judgement-79679 8)https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/disappointed-with-verdict-naroda-patiya-riot-victims-to-move-supreme-court/story-7fWB0NTLJI7wACtm3usEPM.html 9)https://in.reuters.com/article/india-trial/amit-shah-acquitted-of-triple-murder-charges-idINKBN0K80N920141230   CONTACT: Indian American Muslim Council Phone/Fax: 1-800-839-7270 Email: info@iamc.com Facebook: Indian American Muslim Council

Press Release

Indian Americans Express Outrage over the Horror of child rapes in Kathua and Unnao; demand speedy trial and maximum punishment for the perpetrators

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[smartslider3 slider=18]   Indian Americans Express Outrage over the Horror of child rapes in Kathua and Unnao; demand speedy trial and maximum punishment for the perpetrators Fury in diaspora over the stomach-turning details of the heinous crimes, the political motives behind them, and the patronage given to the accused FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 14, 2018 The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos has joined millions of Indians and people of conscience across the world in expressing its outrage and disgust over the gang-rape and murder of 8-year old Asifa Bano in January, as well as the rape of the 17 year old Dalit girl in Unnao, UP. The ghastliness and brazenness of the crimes has been coupled with outrageous attempts by Hindutva goons to protect the perpetrators. Asifa Bano, belonging to the Bakarwal community in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, was kidnapped, drugged and brutally gang raped for three days. Her strangled body that was found on January 17, 2018 bore mute testimony to the inhumanity of her tormentors. Police reports indicate Asifa was locked inside a temple and repeatedly raped for three days and finally strangled to death. The perpetrators, including the temple custodian have been apprehended, and the police have DNA evidence linking the men to the crime. Their motive was apparently to push Asifa’s community away from the area. Furthering the violence carried out by the four men, a mob of BJP-affiliated lawyers blocked the police officers from making their way to file the police report, making bogus claims that the men would not get due process. This was done as part of a premeditated terror tactic to drive out a Muslim nomad community to which Asifa belonged. Different arms of the local government and political groups colluded to subvert the initial investigation and are using extrajudicial means to protect the accused. In the case the of 17-year Dalit girl from Unnao village in UP, a powerful BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sehgar raped her last year and intimidated her whole family against complaining to the police. The family had to flee for safety to Delhi but her old father persisted in lodging the complaint. As a result he was tortured and killed in cold blood while in police custody. Despite prima facie evidence, the administration of Yogi Adhityanath did not place the culprit under arrest, until after a week of sustained public outrage, and international media attention. During a recent interview given to media the girl broke down and even fainted while narrating the horror “Jaise papa ko maara tha. Woh joota pehan leta hai. Aur jalte hue cycle ka tyre chhua chhua ke maarta hai. Paani daal daal ke maarta hai” (He would torment people the way he killed my father. He puts on his boots and uses burning bicycle tyres to torture his victims).” In an act of extreme depression the victim even tried to burn herself outside the residence of UP Chief Minister Yogi Adithyanath. “Asifa’s and Unnao rape survivors horror stories are examples that illustrate cowardly attempts to protect the beasts who committed these heinous acts. Moreover the Hindu Ekta Manch rally in Jammu is a low point in the history of the country where obstruction of justice and rewarding rapists have become new benchmarks in service to religious fascism,” said Mr. Ahsan Khan, President of IAMC. “We call upon the state and central governments to demonstrate their own humanity, by holding the perpetrators accountable to the full extent of the law,” added Mr. Khan. This is the most ghastly tragedy in a pattern of brutalities against Muslims and Dalits under the current regime. Anti-Muslim and Dalit rhetoric has become mainstream. The political motivations behind these heinous crimes are often euphemistically expressed in prime time television by the ruling party’s spokespersons and associates. Indian American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with chapters across the nation. For more information, please visit our website at: http://iamc.com/ CONTACT: Indian American Muslim Council Phone/Fax: 1-800-839-7270 Email: info@iamc.com Facebook: Indian American Muslim Council Twitter: @IAMCouncil Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295, Morton Grove, IL 60053. REFERENCES: 1. An 8-Year-Old’s Rape and Killing Fuels Religious Tensions in India https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/11/world/asia/india-girl-rape.html 2. Child’s rape, killing in India mire in religious politics https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/childs-rape-murder-in-india-mired-in-religious-politics/2018/04/12/30f8956a-3e1d-11e8-955b-7d2e19b79966_story.html?utm_term=.779835af1e4a 3. Kathua rape case: Chargesheet filed by Jammu and Kashmir Police https://www.firstpost.com/india/kathua-rape-case-chargesheet-filed-by-jammu-and-kashmir-police-reveals-details-of-horrific-crime-4427405.html 4. Asifa, Betrayed Over And Over https://www.ndtv.com/blog/asifa-betrayed-over-and-over-1836718 5. Unnao Rape Case: What Has Happened So Far – A Timeline https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/unnao-rape-case-what-has-happened-so-far-a-timeline-1836833 6. India ruling party lawmaker arrested on rape allegation https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/indias-nationalist-lawmaker-arrested-on-rape-allegation/2018/04/13/dd143c98-3f83-11e8-955b-7d2e19b79966_story.html?utm_term=.c138fbdb207b

Press Release

IAMC led citizens consortium publishes Fact-Finding Report on 2016 Jharkhand lynching cases

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IAMC led citizens consortium publishes Fact-Finding Report on 2016 Jharkhand lynching cases Assalam-o-Alaikum All – Today marks yet another day in our struggle for justice for Indian Muslims. We are grateful to Allah swt as we complete a very important investigation about the gruesome Jharkhand lynching and bring the facts of this case to light. Earlier today, a consortium of citizens group led by IAMC published its fact-finding report on the 2016 Jharkhand lynching case where 2 Muslim cattle traders in the town of Latehar were mercilessly beaten up and hanged to death.  The report was released by a panel of eminent lawyers and human rights activists at a press conference in New Delhi. The panelists spoke out against the alarming nexus between law enforcement and members of the ruling BJP administration to obstruct justice and protect the accused in such cases.   In what has now become a predictable pattern, the report uncovers shocking levels of dereliction of duty by the police in properly investigating the murders despite several eye witness accounts and shoddy practices in recording police report and confessions, all of which were seemingly geared towards weakening the case and protecting the accused from prosecution. The report cites Vinod Prajapati, a local BJP leader as one of the perpetrators of the crime according to Mohammed Nizamuddin who was an eye witness and a business partner of one of the victims Mazloom Ansari. In his statement, Nizamuddin said as he reached the spot he found Prajapati standing near the oxen. Upon seeing him, Prajapati shouted to his companions that he (Nizamuddin) was the ‘real cattle trader’ and they should catch him,” the report said. Nizamuddin subsequently escaped on his motorcycle. The fact-finding report demands that in order for justice to be served, the Latehar police and the prosecution must take the following actions immediately: Arrest Vinod Prajapati and charge-sheet him for trial Move to Supreme Court for the cancellation of bail of eight accused Magistrate should record statements of the accused under section 164 of the Code of criminal procedure (CrPC) Include other IPC sections for conspiracy, abduction and assault, wrongful confinement, use of weapons, and promoting religious enmity Investigate Hindutva groups for possible link with the double murders Take action against police officers responsible for the delay in registration of FIR as well as failure to include all details in it The full report is available at IAMC’s web site and can be found here. The video recording of the press conference event in New Delhi is available on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/181102125240055/videos/2102279099789005/ This is the second fact finding report on the series of lynching cases that have rocked India since the administration of Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power in May 2014. The first report, released in October 2017, investigated the lynching of Pehlu Khan in Alwar, Rajasthan, and highlighted a similar pattern of cover-up and collusion between law enforcement officials and the members of the ruling BJP to protect the accused from prosecution. Indian American Muslim Council stands committed to advocating for peace and justice for Indian Muslims. We rely upon your financial support to advocate on behalf of Indian Muslims. Please consider making a donation today. An investment in IAMC is an investment towards justice and human rights of Indian Muslims. IAMC is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with chapters across the nation. For more information, please visit our website at: http://iamc.com. We are a 501c (3) non-profit organization.   From: IAMC Team   References:   Independent Investigation into Latehar Lynching Accuses Police Probe of Sabotage https://thewire.in/communalism/independent-investigation-latehar-lynching-police-probe-sabotage   Hanged by Gau Rakshaks, Denied Justice by the State” – An Investigative Report on Jharkhand Cow Lynching Released http://caravandaily.com/portal/hanged-by-gau-rakshaks-denied-justice-by-the-state-an-investigative-report-on-jharkhand-cow-lynching-released/   Jharkhand police sabotaged probe into 2 murders by cow vigilantes http://wap.business-standard.com/article/news-ians/jharkhand-police-sabotaged-probe-into-2-murders-by-cow-vigilantes-118040201049_1.html   Latehar lynchings: Independent investigation finds lapses in Jharkhand Police inquiry https://scroll.in/latest/874182/latehar-lynchings-independent-investigation-finds-lapses-in-jharkhand-police-inquiry

Press Release

Indian Americans mark Republic Day with pledge to safeguard India’s Constitution

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January 28 2018 The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, organized celebrations in two cities in the United States to commemorate the 69th anniversary of India’s Republic Day. The Republic Day marks the day when India’s Constitution came into effect, ushering in the birth of a modern, secular and democratic Republic. The celebrations were held in Washington, D.C. as well as in San Diego, California. Mr. Musaddique Thange, Trustee IAMC, speaking at the India Republic Day event in San Diego, California “The guarantees of Justice, Liberty and Equality for all citizens, enshrined in the preamble to the Constitution collectively represent one of the greatest accomplishments in the cause of pluralism. A remarkable document that should be cherished and celebrated and that represents the highest aspirations of the world’s largest democracy,” said Mr. Ahsan Khan, National President of IAMC. “These guarantees are also a reminder of the ideals we need to live up to and the promises we still need to keep,” added Mr. Khan. IAMC Washington, D.C. chapter celebrates Republic Day Commenting on the occasion, Ms. Seema Salim, the National Vice President of IAMC expressed pride over the ideals espoused by the Indian constitution as well as concern over the prevailing socio-political environment in India. She called for an awakening of the silent majority against the increasing divisiveness, violence and hate unleashed upon the religious minorities in India. “The Republic Day celebrations remind us yet again, that the foundations of the Indian Republic are based on the ideals of justice, pluralism and democracy,” said Ms. Salim. “Unfortunately, the Indian Constitution remains under threat, by the onslaught of a relentlessly divisive and hateful agenda, espoused by narrow sectarian interests. Certainly, we can’t achieve a real democracy when the nation is in the grips of a sectarian divide, with citizens pitted against each other on the basis of caste and religion,” Ms. Salim further added. IAMC has consistently marked Annual Republic Day celebrations in different cities across the US for over 11 years. This year’s festivities include speeches celebrating the Constitution, a fancy-dress competition, Impromptu speaking, Drawing competition and events highlighting India’s diversity. Indian American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with chapters across the nation. For more information, please visit our website at: http://iamc.com/ Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter CONTACT: Indian American Muslim Council Phone/Fax: 1-800-839-7270 Email: info@iamc.com Facebook: Indian American Muslim Council Twitter: @IAMCouncil Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295, Morton Grove, IL 60053.

Press Release

Indian Americans mark Republic Day with pledge to safeguard India’s Constitution

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[smartslider3 slider=12] Indian Americans mark Republic Day with pledge to safeguard India’s Constitution FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  January  28 2018   The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, organized celebrations in two cities in the United States to commemorate the 69th anniversary of India’s Republic Day. The Republic Day marks the day when India’s Constitution came into effect, ushering in the birth of a modern, secular and democratic Republic. The celebrations were held in Washington, D.C. as well as in San Diego, California. Mr. Musaddique Thange, Trustee IAMC, speaking at the India Republic Day event in San Diego, California “The guarantees of Justice, Liberty and Equality for all citizens, enshrined in the preamble to the Constitution collectively represent one of the greatest accomplishments in the cause of pluralism. A remarkable document that should be cherished and celebrated and that represents the highest aspirations of the world’s largest democracy,” said Mr. Ahsan Khan, National President of IAMC. “These guarantees are also a reminder of the ideals we need to live up to and the promises we still need to keep,” added Mr. Khan. IAMC Washington, D.C. chapter celebrates Republic Day Commenting on the occasion, Ms. Seema Salim, the National Vice President of IAMC expressed pride over the ideals espoused by the Indian constitution as well as concern over the prevailing socio-political environment in India. She called for an awakening of the silent majority against the increasing divisiveness, violence and hate unleashed upon the religious minorities in India. “The Republic Day celebrations remind us yet again, that the foundations of the Indian Republic are based on the ideals of justice, pluralism and democracy,” said Ms. Salim. “Unfortunately, the Indian Constitution remains under threat, by the onslaught of a relentlessly divisive and hateful agenda, espoused by narrow sectarian interests. Certainly, we can’t achieve a real democracy when the nation is in the grips of a sectarian divide, with citizens pitted against each other on the basis of caste and religion,” Ms. Salim further added. IAMC has consistently marked Annual Republic Day celebrations in different cities across the US for over 11 years. This year’s festivities include speeches celebrating the Constitution, a fancy-dress competition, Impromptu speaking, Drawing competition and events highlighting India’s diversity. Indian American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with chapters across the nation. For more information, please visit our website at: http://iamc.com/   CONTACT: Indian American Muslim Council Phone/Fax: 1-800-839-7270 Email: info@iamc.com Facebook: Indian American Muslim Council Twitter: @IAMCouncil Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295, Morton Grove, IL 60053.

Press Release

Heinous killing of cleric and desecration of Andhra Pradesh mosque trigger outrage, revulsion among Indian Americans

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December 31 2017 The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC – test.iamc.com/), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos today condemned yet another barbaric killing of a Muslim, in the heinous murder of Mohammed Farooq, a cleric at Noorani Mosque in Talacheru village in Rajahmundry district of Andhra Pradesh. According to media sources, Mohammed Farooq was bludgeoned to death and was found lying in a pool of blood inside the mosque. In addition, the mosque was desecrated by the attackers who left behind a trail of destruction including burnt pages of the Holy Quran, cigarette butts and signs of urination on the mosque floor. The year 2017 recorded the highest death toll (11 deaths) and the most number of incidents of hate violence (37 incidents) related to cows and religion since 2010, according to an IndiaSpend database that records cow-related hate crime. “This murder of an innocent cleric and the desecration of the mosque represents a worsening of the human rights situation of Dalits and minorities in India. We call upon the Andhra Pradesh administration not only to take every step to apprehend the killers of Mohammed Farooq, but also to check the hateful rhetoric and bigotry that enables such senseless and brutal violence” said Mr. Ahsan Khan, the National President of IAMC. “This hate crime is an aberration in an otherwise peaceful Rajahmundry district which has a history of peaceful coexistence amongst people from all religious communities. India has been gripped by an alarming rise in hate crimes and attacks on its religious minorities ever since the Narendra Modi administration came to power in May 2014. This year alone, there have been 28 recorded incidents of Hindutva vigilante led lynching and mob attacks on Muslims, Christians and Dalits. However, the continued failure of the law enforcement to prevent these attacks and bring the perpetrators to justice has emboldened the individuals and organizations behind such hate crimes. Earlier this month, Mohammed Afrazul, a migrant worker was hacked to death in Rajasthan by a self-styled Hindutva vigilante who recorded the killing on video and proclaimed that he committed the murder to stop Muslims from love-jihad – a fake claim made by Hindutva supremacist groups that Muslims are running some kind of campaign men to convert Hindu women to Islam through false expressions of love. Commenting on this issue, Ms. Seema Salim, National Vice President of IAMC, expressed grave concern at the rising tide of hate crimes across India. “Andhra Pradesh has traditionally been marked peaceful coexistence amongst communities of all religious backgrounds even as many of the BJP ruled states have been gripped by rising tide of Islamophobia and hate crimes against religious minorities. We call upon the Andhra Pradesh state administration for an impartial and expeditious investigation into this hate crime in Rajahmundry while ensuring that this incident is not used to spread hate and discord in the community”, Ms. Salim added. Indian American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with chapters across the nation. For more information, please visit our website at: http://iamc.com/ Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter Contact: Indian American Muslim Council Phone/Fax: 1-800-839-7270 Email: info@iamc.com Facebook: Indian American Muslim Council Twitter: @IAMCouncil Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295, Morton Grove, IL 60053. References: Muslim man found brutally murdered inside Masjid in Andhra https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/muslim-man-found-brutally-murdered-inside-masjid-andhra-police-probe-underway-73950  AP: Muazzin assassinated in attack on masjid, Quran desecrated https://www.siasat.com/news/ap-muazzin-assassinated-attack-masjid-quran-desecrated-1289808/ Cleric in Andhra Pradesh’s Rajahmundry found dead, protests erupt https://www.msn.com/en-in/entertainment/bollywood/cleric-in-andhra-pradeshs-rajahmundry-found-dead-protests-erupt/vp-BBHuUAT A Year of Hate Crimes in India http://www.firstpost.com/india/2017-a-year-of-hate-crimes-in-india-number-of-violent-incidents-related-to-cows-religion-is-rising-4278751.html

Press Release

Heinous killing of cleric and desecration of Andhra Pradesh mosque trigger outrage, revulsion among Indian Americans

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Heinous killing of cleric and desecration of Andhra Pradesh mosque trigger outrage, revulsion among Indian Americans FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 31 2017   The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC – test.iamc.com/), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India's pluralist and tolerant ethos today condemned yet another barbaric killing of a Muslim, in the heinous murder of Mohammed Farooq, a cleric at Noorani Mosque in Talacheru village in Rajahmundry district of Andhra Pradesh. According to media sources, Mohammed Farooq was bludgeoned to death and was found lying in a pool of blood inside the mosque. In addition, the mosque was desecrated by the attackers who left behind a trail of destruction including burnt pages of the Holy Quran, cigarette butts and signs of urination on the mosque floor. The year 2017 recorded the highest death toll (11 deaths) and the most number of incidents of hate violence (37 incidents) related to cows and religion since 2010, according to an IndiaSpend database that records cow-related hate crime. “This murder of an innocent cleric and the desecration of the mosque represents a worsening of the human rights situation of Dalits and minorities in India. We call upon the Andhra Pradesh administration not only to take every step to apprehend the killers of Mohammed Farooq, but also to check the hateful rhetoric and bigotry that enables such senseless and brutal violence” said Mr. Ahsan Khan, the National President of IAMC. “This hate crime is an aberration in an otherwise peaceful Rajahmundry district which has a history of peaceful coexistence amongst people from all religious communities. India has been gripped by an alarming rise in hate crimes and attacks on its religious minorities ever since the Narendra Modi administration came to power in May 2014. This year alone, there have been 28 recorded incidents of Hindutva vigilante led lynching and mob attacks on Muslims, Christians and Dalits. However, the continued failure of the law enforcement to prevent these attacks and bring the perpetrators to justice has emboldened the individuals and organizations behind such hate crimes. Earlier this month, Mohammed Afrazul, a migrant worker was hacked to death in Rajasthan by a self-styled Hindutva vigilante who recorded the killing on video and proclaimed that he committed the murder to stop Muslims from love-jihad – a fake claim made by Hindutva supremacist groups that Muslims are running some kind of campaign men to convert Hindu women to Islam through false expressions of love. Commenting on this issue, Ms. Seema Salim, National Vice President of IAMC, expressed grave concern at the rising tide of hate crimes across India. “Andhra Pradesh has traditionally been marked eaceful coexistence amongst communities of all religious backgrounds even as many of the BJP ruled states have been gripped by rising tide of Islamophobia and hate crimes against religious minorities. We  call upon the Andhra Pradesh state administration for an impartial and expeditious investigation into this hate crime in Rajahmundry while ensuring that this incident is not used to spread hate and discord in the community”, Ms. Salim added. Indian American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with chapters across the nation. For more information, please visit our website at: http://iamc.com/   CONTACT: Indian American Muslim Council Phone/Fax: 1-800-839-7270 Email: info@iamc.com Facebook: Indian American Muslim Council Twitter: @IAMCouncil Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295, Morton Grove, IL 60053. References: Muslim man found brutally murdered inside Masjid in Andhra https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/muslim-man-found-brutally-murdered-inside-masjid-andhra-police-probe-underway-73950 AP: Muazzin assassinated in attack on masjid, Quran desecrated https://www.siasat.com/news/ap-muazzin-assassinated-attack-masjid-quran-desecrated-1289808/ Cleric in Andhra Pradesh’s Rajahmundry found dead, protests erupt https://www.msn.com/en-in/entertainment/bollywood/cleric-in-andhra-pradeshs-rajahmundry-found-dead-protests-erupt/vp-BBHuUAT  A Year of Hate Crimes in India http://www.firstpost.com/india/2017-a-year-of-hate-crimes-in-india-number-of-violent-incidents-related-to-cows-religion-is-rising-4278751.html

Press Release

Murder of Muslim laborer in Rajasthan sparks outrage among Indian Americans

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Diaspora sees direct connection between culture of impunity and the reckless, incendiary rhetoric of the Hindutva complex December 8 2017 The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos today noted the sense of outrage among millions of Indians, both within India and across the diaspora over the heinous murder of Mohammed Afrazul, a Muslim migrant worker from West Bengal, who was hacked with a cleaver and his body set on fire in Rajasthan’s Rajsamand district. The accused in the case, Shambulal Regar, is captured on video committing the crime and claiming that he committed the murder to “stop Muslims from love-jihad” – a term publicized by Hindu supremacist groups to refer to Muslim men supposedly marrying Hindu women and converting them to Islam as part of some grand conspiracy. “We are appalled at the horrifying level of hate and violence that not only exists but is worsening by the day, particularly in the state of Rajasthan,” said Mr. Ahsan Khan, the National President of IAMC. “We call upon the Rajasthan Chief Minister Ms. Vasundhara Raje to uphold her constitutional duty to protect the lives of all citizens, regardless of caste and creed. This would include reining in organizations like RSS, Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad who have been on the frontlines of spreading hate and discord against the state’s Muslim minorities,” Mr. Khan further added. Mohammed Afrazul’s killing is the fourth hate crime against Muslims in Rajasthan in the last nine months. Earlier in April, Pehlu Khan was brutally assaulted by self-styled cow vigilantes that led to his death two days later. Later in June, Zafar Hussein was killed after he objected to city officials photographing women defecating in the open. In November, cow vigilantes attacked Mohammed Umar and his colleagues who were transporting cattle, and Umar was later found dead. The perpetrators of these hate crimes are emboldened by the failure of state administration to effectively prosecute these cases of hate crimes. In September, the Rajasthan police closed its investigation into murder of Pehlu Khan and exonerated all six individuals named by Mr. Khan in his dying declaration. Commenting on this issue, Ms. Seema Salim, National Vice President of IAMC, expressed grave concern at the rising tide of hate crimes in Rajasthan. “The Chief Minister, Ms. Raje must demonstrate the political will to ensure security of the state’s Muslim minorities and dismantle the culture of absolute impunity and protection accorded to the perpetrators of these hate crimes,” said Ms. Seema. Indian American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with chapters across the nation. For more information, please visit our website at: http://iamc.com/ Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter CONTACT: Indian American Muslim Council Phone/Fax: 1-800-839-7270 Email: info@iamc.com Facebook: Indian American Muslim Council Twitter: @IAMCouncil Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295, Morton Grove, IL 60053. References: 1. Rajasthan: Labourer burnt alive, video of the incident goes https://www.outlookindia.com/newsscroll/rajasthan-labourer-burnt-alive-video-of-the-incident-goes/1204300 2. As Filmed Murder of Muslim Man in Rajasthan Goes Viral, Official Culture of Impunity Towards Hate Crimes Blamed https://thewire.in/202831/rajasthan-muslim-man-hacked-to-death-video/ 3. Man hacked to death, set ablaze in Rajasthan: Nephew says Afrazul didn’t wrong anyone http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/smoking-was-afrazul-s-only-vice-says-nephew/story-Jt7LTzCcITMDIl21DmvlsI.html

Press Release

Explosive Fact-finding Investigation of Pehlu Khan’s murder shows high-level Police cover up of murderers

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Explosive Fact-finding Investigation of Pehlu Khan’s murder shows high-level Police cover up of murderers Renowned Human Rights Defenders and Activists weigh in on the path towards justice October 28 2017   IAMC is pleased to have been an active supporter of the momentous fact-finding investigation of the gruesome mob lynching of dairy farmer, Pehlu Khan, and the subsequent cover-up by Rajasthan police. The investigation’s report was endorsed by IAMC and several human rights organizations in India, US and UK and is making waves in India for its shocking expose of police complicity in cow terrorism. The report’s release was the culminated of a four-month investigation by independent journalist  Ajit Sahi. During the press conference organized at the Press Club of India in the nation’s capital New Delhi, human rights defenders and activists referred to the report’s findings as a watershed moment in the struggle to bring Pehlu’s killers to justice. The report highlights the role played by the Rajasthan Police in systematically sabotaging the case against the perpetrators of Pehlu’s cold-blooded murder and facilitating their “exoneration.”  The report is a powerful declaration by human rights defenders that the pursuit of justice will not be deterred. Widespread coverage of the report and the press conference has again brought Pehlu’s brutal killing, and the subsequent cover-up by the Rajasthan police back into the national conversation in India. The report has exposed blatant acts by the Rajasthan police and government institutions that has led to an intentional miscarriage of justice, with the killers not being arrested despite six of them being named in Pehlu’s “dying declaration.” The report and its impact on mainstream discourse in India has given a boost to Indian civil society as well as the Indian Muslim community to stay the course in demanding justice and equality before the law within the framework of the Constitution of India. Additionally, it has encouraged all in the pursuit of justice to push forward with other cases of lynching such as those perpetrated against Hafiz Junaid and Mohammed Akhlaq. The press conference with India’s top human rights advocates exposed the high level coordination and strategy used by cow vigilantes (gau rakshaks). It also demonstrated complicity between criminals and fanatics and individuals at the highest levels of state law enforcement machinery. The press conference and the ensuing social media campaign following the report’s release has put Indian Muslim issues on the global radar and influenced mainstream discourse in a positive direction. IAMC remains committed to the struggle for peace, pluralism and justice.   CONTACT: Indian American Muslim Council Phone/Fax: 1-800-839-7270 Email: info@iamc.com Facebook: Indian American Muslim Council Twitter: @IAMCouncil Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295, Morton Grove, IL 60053. References: Pehlu Khan lynching probe: 10 loopholes likely to be challenged in courts http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/pehlu-khan-lynching-gaurakshak-cow-vigilante-alwar/1/1076289.html Police Diluted Charges Against Accused in Pehlu Khan’s Murder Case: Fact-Finding Report https://www.scoopwhoop.com/Police-Deliberately-Protecting-The-Accused-In-Pehlu-Khan-Lynching-Case-Finds-Probe/#.1mzsd15wx Pehlu Khan’s son demands SC-monitored probe in lynching case http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/pehlu-khan-s-son-demands-sc-monitored-probe-in-lynching-case-117102601333_1.html Pehlu Khan’s family wants Supreme Court to order fresh murder probe http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/shaken-pehlu-khan-s-family-wants-sc-to-order-fresh-murder-probe/story-jEVhyBhUAIf6VQmAqSfw6M.html Alwar lynching: Pehlu Khan’s family demand case to be shifted out of Rajasthan, seek court-monitored probe http://www.firstpost.com/india/alwar-lynching-pehlu-khans-family-demand-case-to-be-shifted-out-of-rajasthan-seek-court-monitored-probe-4048009.html Rajasthan police deliberately weakened Pehlu Khan lynching case, says independent report; family sees little hope for justice http://www.firstpost.com/india/rajasthan-police-deliberately-weakened-pehlu-khan-lynching-case-says-independent-report-family-sees-little-hope-for-justice-4178381.html  गाय के नाम पर राजनीति का बदलता रंग http://www.bbc.com/hindi/india-41766947 Police diluted Pehlu Khan lynching case, finds independent probe http://www.timesnownews.com/%20india/article/pehlu-khan-%20alwar-lynching-case-cow-%20vigilantes-rajasthan/113670 Pehlu’s family wants justice, not compensation: Jaising http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Delhi/pehlus-family-wants-justice-not-compensation-jaising/article19928121.ece RAJASTHAN BJP GOVT, POLICE PROTECTING THE KILLERS OF PEHLU KHAN, REVEALS INDEPENDENT PROBE http://caravandaily.com/portal/how-rajasthan-bjp-govt-police-are-protecting-the-killers-of-pehlu-khan-reveals-independent-probe/ Police Deliberately Weakened Charges Against Accused In Pehlu Khan Lynching Case, Finds Probe https://www.scoopwhoop.com/Police-Deliberately-Protecting-The-Accused-In-Pehlu-Khan-Lynching-Case-Finds-Probe/ Gau rakshaks storm troopers from Hitler’s Germany: Activists http://twocircles.net/2017oct26/417909.html Pehlu killer shield slur on Rajasthan https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/pehlu-killer-shield-slur-on-rajasthan-181320

Press Release

Indian Americans express outrage over Nuh encounter killing; call for prosecution of police officers involved

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UP in the grip of an “encounter mania” under Yogi Adityanath September 21, 2017 The Indian American Muslim Council (http://www.iamc.com), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos has called for the immediate suspension, arrest and criminal prosecution of the four police officers of Haryana’s Central Investigation Agency, involved in the grisly murder and cover up of Munfaid Hussain, a 30-year old young farmer belonging to the Meo community in the Nuh district of Haryana. According to a report by a fact-finding team constituted by Citizens Against Hate, Munfaid was ordered by officers of the Haryana CIA to perform work for them on September 15, 2017 a day before he was brutally killed. The deceased was told if he complied they would remove false allegations from his records. Munfaid’s father and father-in-law told him to comply with the officers’ requests to have false accusations against him removed. However, the next morning, Munfaid’s family received the news of his killing. The fact-finding team found that the police took the victim’s body first to Nalhad Medical College Hospital, Nuh and then to CHC, Nuh and then to a private doctor to get the post-mortem performed before the victim’s family could arrive, in an apparent attempt to tamper with the evidence. Per the autopsy report, a reddish contusion and firearm entry wounds were found on the front side of the body, along with a deformed metallic bullet found over the right side of second thoracic vertebrae. “We condemn this police atrocity against an innocent man, in the strongest possible terms,” said Mr. Ahsan Khan, President of IAMC. “The members of the victim’s family should be given witness protection immediately, in order to ensure a thorough and independent investigation into this murder,” added Mr. Khan. What makes this encounter especially egregious are the discrepancies between the official police account and the corroborating accounts of the local physicians’ statement of not complying with an illegal post-mortem ordered by the police officers. In addition, the account of three witnesses, the father of the victim and the testimonies of the villagers speaks volumes about the high levels of impunity in the state apparatus, tasked with protecting the lives of citizens. Munfaid’s murder by the State is the sixteenth extrajudicial killing of young Muslim men by police in Mewat within the last few years. CONTACT: Indian American Muslim Council Phone/Fax: 1-800-839-7270 Email: info@iamc.com Facebook: Indian American Muslim Council Twitter: @IAMCouncil Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295, Morton Grove, IL 60053. References: 1. Nuh encounter: A night before killing, Munfaid was called by the police to do their work, reports fact-finding team http://twocircles.net/2017sep19/416789.html 2. Mewat, Haryana on the Boil After Another Muslim Youth Killed in Staged Encounter http://caravandaily.com/portal/mewat-haryana-on-the-boil-after-another-muslim-youth-killed-in-staged-encounter/  3. ‘Police Encounter’ Witnessed By 3 Friends of the Victim Who Have Gone Into Hiding, Says Fact Finding Report http://www.thecitizen.in/index.php/NewsDetail/index/2/11775/Police-Encounter-Witnessed-By–3–Frie  4. ‘Police Encounter’ Witnessed By 3 Friends of the Victim Who Have Gone Into Hiding, Says Fact Finding Report https://in.news.yahoo.com/killed-30-old-farmer-munfaid-145700432.html  5. Yogi Adityanath’s Uttar Pradesh is in the grip of an encounter mania; Ab tak Attharah (18) and counting http://www.firstpost.com/india/yogi-adityanaths-uttar-pradesh-is-in-the-grip-of-an-encounter-mania-ab-tak-attharah-18-and-counting-4062869.html 

Press Release

Indian Americans express outrage over Nuh encounter killing; call for prosecution of police officers involved

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Indian Americans express outrage over Nuh encounter killing; call for prosecution of police officers involved UP in the grip of an “encounter mania” under Yogi Adityanath FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 21, 2017   The Indian American Muslim Council (www.iamc.com), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos has called for the immediate suspension, arrest and criminal prosecution of the four police officers of Haryana’s Central Investigation Agency, involved in the grisly murder and cover up of Munfaid Hussain, a 30-year old young farmer belonging to the Meo community in the Nuh district of Haryana. According to a report by a fact-finding team constituted by Citizens Against Hate, Munfaid was ordered by officers of the Haryana CIA to perform work for them on September 15, 2017 a day before he was brutally killed. The deceased was told if he complied they would remove false allegations from his records. Munfaid’s father and father-in-law told him to comply with the officers’ requests to have false accusations against him removed. However, the next morning, Munfaid’s family received the news of his killing. The fact-finding team found that the police took the victim’s body first to Nalhad Medical College Hospital, Nuh and then to CHC, Nuh and then to a private doctor to get the post-mortem performed before the victim’s family could arrive, in an apparent attempt to tamper with the evidence. Per the autopsy report, a reddish contusion and firearm entry wounds were found on the front side of the body, along with a deformed metallic bullet found over the right side of second thoracic vertebrae. “We condemn this police atrocity against an innocent man, in the strongest possible terms,” said Mr. Ahsan Khan, President of IAMC. “The members of the victim’s family should be given witness protection immediately, in order to ensure a thorough and independent investigation into this murder,” added Mr. Khan. What makes this encounter especially egregious are the discrepancies between the official police account and the corroborating accounts of the local physicians’ statement of not complying with an illegal post-mortem ordered by the police officers. In addition, the account of three witnesses, the father of the victim and the testimonies of the villagers speaks volumes about the high levels of impunity in the state apparatus, tasked with protecting the lives of citizens. Munfaid’s murder by the State is the sixteenth extrajudicial killing of young Muslim men by police in Mewat within the last few years.   CONTACT: Indian American Muslim Council Phone/Fax: 1-800-839-7270 Email: info@iamc.com Facebook: Indian American Muslim Council Twitter: @IAMCouncil Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295, Morton Grove, IL 60053. References: Nuh encounter: A night before killing, Munfaid was called by the police to do their work, reports fact-finding team http://twocircles.net/2017sep19/416789.html     2.  Mewat, Haryana on the Boil After Another Muslim Youth Killed in Staged Encounter http://caravandaily.com/portal/mewat-haryana-on-the-boil-after-another-muslim-youth-killed-in-staged-encounter/     3.  ‘Police Encounter’ Witnessed By 3 Friends of the Victim Who Have Gone Into Hiding, Says Fact Finding Report http://www.thecitizen.in/index.php/NewsDetail/index/2/11775/Police-Encounter-Witnessed-By–3–Frie     4.  ‘Police Encounter’ Witnessed By 3 Friends of the Victim Who Have Gone Into Hiding, Says Fact Finding Report https://in.news.yahoo.com/killed-30-old-farmer-munfaid-145700432.html     5. Yogi Adityanath’s Uttar Pradesh is in the grip of an encounter mania; Ab tak Attharah (18) and counting… http://www.firstpost.com/india/yogi-adityanaths-uttar-pradesh-is-in-the-grip-of-an-encounter-mania-ab-tak-attharah-18-and-counting-4062869.html

Press Release

Indian Americans express outrage over mob lynchings in India through protests across US

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Government’s inaction and cruel politics of Hindutva focus of protests; protesters demand immediate action to restore the rule of law July 16, 2017 The Alliance for Justice and Accountability (AJA), an umbrella coalition of progressive organizations across the United States and various coalition partners today held protests in three cities across the US, to express their outrage over the growing mob rule against minorities in India and the policies of the government that are emboldening such forces. Protests were held in Washington, DC, San Diego and San Jose. A fourth protest is scheduled to be held in New York City on July 23, 2017. These protests are similar to the “Not In My Name” protests that have been held across various cities in India. Besides the AJA coalition, the protests in San Jose were jointly organized with the “Multifaith Voices for Peace and Justice.” The South Asia Solidarity Initiative (SASI), will be part of the protests in New York City on July 23rd. The last few years has seen brutal killings of mostly Muslims and Dalits in the name of cow protection, over a dozen of them only since September last year. These killings have been orchestrated by Hindu supremacist groups ideologically aligned with the BJP-led federal government and drawing inspiration from the beef ban imposed by the governments in various states. The increasing hostility towards minorities displayed by even central ministers in the form of incendiary rhetoric has only added fuel to the fire. Since 2010, 97% of beef related violence has taken place after the BJP-led Hindu nationalist government came to power. Since 2015, an increasing number of Muslims have been lynched, hanged or brutalized in the most cruel manner on mere suspicion of possessing or cooking beef. Protests in San Jose, CA Protesters carried signs, such as “India – Hostage to Hindutva?” and “Beef Ban is Cultural Fascism.” They came from various communities in the diaspora and were united in their condemnation of the killings and the beef ban. Protest in downtown San Diego, CA near the USS Midway Museum “The reign of terror unleashed by Hindu supremacist cow “vigilantes” is clearly targeted at browbeating the nation’s religious minorities into the status of second class citizens,” said Mr. Suhail Syed, one of the organizers of the protests in Washington, DC. “How can the government of India respond so casually to the mob lynchings of Muslims and Dalits?,” asked San Uddin, one of the organizers of the protests in New York. “That shows the killings are not spontaneous but executed with a tacit approval of Hindu supremacists that are an integral part of the ruling party,” added Ms. Sana. In a recent statement, Amnesty International India expressed deep worry over the “pattern of hate crimes committed against Muslims with seeming impunity – many of them in states where the Bharatiya Janata Party is in power.” Protest in Washington, DC In April 2017, a mob beat a 55-year-old Muslim man, Pehlu Khan, to death in Rajasthan after accusing him of transporting cows for slaughter. An exposé by a television news station showed the attackers belonged to the BJP and its affiliates. In a recent killing that shook India, 15-tear-old Junaid Khan was stabbed to death on board a train in northern India as he headed home from Eid shopping. While such killings have drawn international condemnation, the suffering of millions who have lost their source of livelihood as a result of the beef ban has not received adequate attention. In a bizarre and shocking expose of the Sangh Parivar’s hypocrisy, the BJP and RSS joined hands to sell beef in Kerala, the very act for which they are enabling the lynching of Muslims. The Alliance for Justice and Accountability has pledged to work with people of all faiths to defend India from the onslaught of hate and divisiveness. Contact: Indian American Muslim Council Phone/Fax: 1-800-839-7270 Email: info@iamc.com Facebook: Indian American Muslim Council Twitter: @IAMCouncil Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295, Morton Grove, IL 60053. Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter Alliance for Justice and Accountability, 6321 W. Dempster St., Suite# 295, Morton Grove, IL 60053-2848 [Back to Top]

Press Release

Capitol Hill briefing delivers scathing indictment of minority rights violations in India

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Capitol Hill briefing delivers scathing indictment of minority rights violations in India Alliance releases report as NDA government in India completes three years FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 23, 2017 The Alliance for Justice and Accountability (AJA), an umbrella coalition of progressive organizations across the United States, today held a briefing in Washington, DC at the Rayburn Building at the US Capitol on “Minority Rights Violations in India,” to mark the 3 year anniversary of BJP-led Hindu nationalist government in India. A key aspect of the briefing was the release of a comprehensive report on violation of human rights and religious freedom of minorities in India over the course of the last 3 years. Besides the coalition partners of AJA, the panelists at the briefing included Ms. Jennifer Prestholdt (Deputy Director, The Advocates for Human Rights), veteran journalist Mr. Kannan Srinivasan, and Mr. Ajit Sahi (Advocacy Director, Indian American Muslim Council). Each speaker highlighted different aspects of the multi-faceted issue of the rapid decline in human rights and religious freedom in India, for Dalits, Adivasis and religious minorities, especially over the course of the last three years. The organizations endorsing the report were Indian American Muslim Council, Dalit American Council, Organization of Minorities from India, TwoCircles.net and South Asian Solidarity Initiative. Among the attendees were representatives of US bodies such as the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission and the US Commission for International Religious Freedom, as well as personnel from various media outlets. The event was live streamed and made available to hundreds of supporters online. “The same forces that have perpetuated caste discrimination are also spearheading India’s seemingly relentless drift away from secularism and religious pluralism, especially over the course of the last three years. In 2016, a global index of human rights and social and religious freedoms by Pew Research Center placed India among the worst 10 of the world’s 198 countries when judged for ‘social hostilities,’” says the report. “Laws curbing religious conversion, the ban on sale and possession of beef in many states and the curbs placed on NGOs represent the state’s response to forced conversions, the brutal violence of “cow protection” groups and the harassment and intimidation of human rights defenders respectively. In all cases, the state has become an enabler of repression, often going to great lengths to defend and normalize the abuse,” the report further adds. “The release of this report is a plea to the international community for help in influencing the government of India to safeguard the rights of “lower” castes and religious minorities,” said Mr. Ajit Sahi, IAMC’s new Advocacy Director. The Alliance for Justice and Accountability has pledged to work with people of all faiths to defend India from the onslaught of hate and divisiveness. Contact: Mr.Ajit Sahi Tel: (571) 325-7997 Email: media@iamc.com REFERENCES:   Report on “Minority Rights Violations in India” https://www.scribd.com/document/349208337/India-Minority-Rights-Violations-Report-2017#from_embed Video Clips from Briefing http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/103598213

Reports

MINORITY RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN INDIA

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The worsening situation in India with respect to violations of human rights and religious freedom has alarmed Indians and people of conscience across the world. The three year anniversary of the NDA government in India marks a grim milestone in India’s seemingly relentless drift away from secularism and pluralism. It is in this context that various civil society organizations that are working to uphold pluralism and human rights in India have come together to prepare this report on the  “State of Minority Rights in India” under the BJP-led federal government, which completes three years on May 26, 2017. India Minority Rights Violations Report 2017 by Indian American Muslim Council on Scribd

Press Release

Teesta Setalvad delivers an indictment at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on the human rights situation in India

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Teesta Setalvad delivers an indictment at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on the human rights situation in India Renowned Indian activist speaks on behalf of IAMC, Advocates for Human Rights and other partner organizations FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 21, 2017   Indian American Muslim Council (http://www.iamc.com) a non-profit advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, today welcomed Ms. Teesta Setalvad’s hard hitting testimony at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on March 15, 2017. One of India’s most recognized activists and a strident voice against hate and sectarianism, Ms. Setalvad spoke on behalf of The Advocates for Human Rights, Indian American Muslim Council, Jamia Teachers’ Solidarity Association and the Quill Foundation.  Her testimony was part of a larger effort by IAMC and its partner organizations that includes a joint submission to the UN Human Rights Council for India’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) scheduled for May 4,2017.  IAMC has also made a separate joint submission with Ms.Setalvad’s organization “Citizens for Justice and Peace,” for the same UPR. Her brief testimony was before a full session of the UN Human Rights Council, with all the UN member countries in attendance, convened to review the report of the UN Rapporteur on Minority Rights. Ms.Setalvad noted that since the UN Special Rapporteur’s 2013 General Assembly report, the following developments had taken place in India: Speeches by political leaders and members of Parliament had exacerbated the violence in Muzaffarnagar that claimed over 60 lives and left thousands homeless The targeting of religious minorities accused of “improper” conversions from Hinduism In the wake of state laws banning the sale of beef, mob attacks on people alleged to have beef in their possession have becoming a recurring event The Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial or arbitrary executions noted that encounter killings “have become virtually a part of unofficial State policy” in India The above acts are often committed with impunity stemming in part from close alignment between the government and non-state actors Law enforcement agencies fabricate terrorism cases where Muslims are often targets Ms. Setalvad then went on to mention that “progress in minority rights protection is under threat, including by hate speech, xenophobic rhetoric and incitement to hatred against minorities.” She then voiced the partner organizations’ position, joining the Special Rapporteur “in calling on UN Member States and the Human Rights Council to recognize that States bear the primary duty to protect the security of religious minorities with positive and preventive actions, through active engagement with religious minorities.” “Ms. Teesta Setalvad’s testimony and the joint submissions of the partner organizations mark a turning point in international spotlight on the human rights situation in India”, said Mr. Ajit Sahi, noted journalist and Advocacy Director for the Indian American Muslim Council. Mr. Sahi, along with Jawad Khan, President of IAMC and Jennifer Presthold V.P. of AHR were also present at the Human Rights Council in Geneva. Indian American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with chapters across the nation. For more information, please visit our website at: http://iamc.com/   CONTACT: Indian American Muslim Council Phone/Fax: 1-800-839-7270 Email: info@iamc.com Facebook: Indian American Muslim Council Twitter: @IAMCouncil Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295, Morton Grove, IL 60053. References: Video of Teesta Setalvad Testimony at UN Human Rights Council at 22 minutes in link below http://webtv.un.org/meetings-events/human-rights-council/watch/id-sr-on-minority-issues-contd-39th-meeting-34th-regular-session-human-rights-council-/5359444074001   2.  Joint Submission of Indian American Muslim Council, The Advocates for Human Rights, Jamia Teachers’ Solidarity Association and the Quill Foundation https://www.scribd.com/document/342451699/India-UPR-Submission#from_embed   3.  UN Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Minorities/SRMinorities/Pages/SRminorityissuesIndex.aspx

Reports

27th Session of the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review, United Nations Human Rights Council, April-May 2017

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Joint Stakeholder Report submitted by The Advocates for Human Rights, an NGO in special consultative status, in collaboration with the Indian American Muslim Council Jamia Teachers Solidarity Association The Quill Foundation Founded in 1983, The Advocates for Human Rights (The Advocates) is a volunteer-based non-governmental organization committed to the impartial promotion and protection of international human rights standards and the rule of law. The Advocates conducts a range of programs to promote human rights in the United States and around the world, including monitoring and fact finding, direct legal representation, education and training, and publications. India UPR Submission by Indian American on Scribd Download and Read the Full Report    

Press Release

Indian Americans decry increasing hate crimes in the US; appreciate support from fellow Americans against bias and harassment

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Indian Americans decry increasing hate crimes in the US; appreciate support from fellow Americans against bias and harassment Multiple attacks on Indian Americans including shooting of Sikh man in Washington FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 06, 2017 Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC – test.iamc.com/) a non-profit advocacy group dedicated to promoting the shared values of pluralism, tolerance, and respect for human rights, today condemned increasing hate crimes in the US, including those targeting Indian Americans. On 22 February, Indian engineers Mr. Srinivas Kuchibhotla and Alok Madasani were shot by suspected gunman Adam Purinton in Kansas, who yelled “get out of my country,” when opening fire at them. Mr. Kuchibhotla died while Mr. Madasani was injured. Mr. Ian Grillot, who was shot while trying to intervene, has been rightly called a “hero” by Indians, including India’s foreign minister, Ms. Sushma Swaraj. On March 03, a Sikh man was shot and injured in Kent, WA, near Seattle, with the gunman yelling a similar hateful sentiment asking the victim to “go back to your own country.”  Police have confirmed the incident is being investigated as a hate crime. “We express our deepest condolences to the family of Mr. Kuchibhotla, and wish a speedy recovery for Mr. Madasani, Mr. Grillot and the Sikh victim who has chosen to not be identified publicly,” said Mr. Jawad Khan, President of IAMC. “We continue to work with our coalition partners in increasing interfaith and inter-community understanding in the US, with a particular focus on the Indian diaspora,” added Mr. Khan. In a separate incident, a businessman of Indian origin, Mr. Harnish Patel was shot dead in South Carolina, although its not clear at this point whether this was a hate crime. “IAMC expresses its utmost gratitude to countless fellow Americans who have openly expressed their rejection of anti-immigrant and Islamophobic sentiments emerging from the highest echelons of power. In this context, the outpouring of support for Indian Americans and Muslims is deeply heartening as they underscore diversity and religious freedom as core American values,” said Ms. Seema Sufia Salim, Vice-President of IAMC. “Thanks are especially due to a number of public-spirited non-governmental organizations such as the American Civil Liberties Union, the National Immigration Law Center, and the International Refugee Assistance Project, besides others, for their active and enthusiastic support for refugees, immigrants and Muslims,” added Ms. Salim. Indian–American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with chapters across the nation. For more information, please visit our website at: http://iamc.com CONTACT: Indian American Muslim Council Phone/Fax: 1-800-839-7270 Email: info@iamc.com Facebook: Indian American Muslim Council Twitter: @IAMCouncil Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295, Morton Grove, IL 60053.

Press Release, Reports

Uttar Pradesh Members of Parliament Performance Report

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Introduction   The study conducted by US-based news portal TwoCircles.net and commissioned by IAMC, finds that 71 crores of the unspent funds were in 17 Dalit-majority constituencies and over 64 crores unspent in 16 other constituencies where Muslims are over 20% of the population. The MPs in both cases are from the BJP. Every MP is given Rs. 5 crore per annum for development works in their respective constituencies.   BJP’s claim of inclusive development, as articulated in their slogan of “sabka saath sabka vikaas,” rings hollow in the face of such indifference and inaction. It is also an indication of what UP can expect, given BJP’s penchant for granting election tickets to criminals.   Report Observations:   There are a whopping 333.6 crores of MPLAD funds that remain unspent. 71 crores of these funds are allocated for 17 reserved seats.  All “Muslim and Dalit seats” are represented by BJP. Three “Muslim seats” are reserved i.e. only SC candidates can contest from there. Three ministers come from the “Muslim seats” but only one from “Dalit seats”. Krishna Raj, from Shahjahanpur(SC) was inducted in June, 2016 as Minister of State for Women and Children Development. BJP has 10 female MPs from UP and five of those are from reserved seats and three of those five seats are also “Muslim seats.” Average of the percent utilized for MPLAD funds drops for “Dalit seats” to 58.9% while it goes up significantly for “Muslim seats” to 67.8% while the average of all seats is 60.8%. Average of debate participation by MPs drops from 54 for all to 44 for “Muslim seats” and to only 29 for “Dalit Seats”. Average number of questions by all MPs is 99, for “Muslim seats” 98, and drops significantly for Dalit MPs with just 85 questions. Three Dalit MPs have zero questions asked; another Dalit MP has so far asked just one question in the last 2.5 years. Out of total of 93 private member bills presented in the parliament by UP MPs only four are from Dalit MPs.   Uttar Pradesh Members of Parliament Performance Report by Indian American Muslim Council on Scribd Download Report Click Here

Press Release

Report on performance of UP MPs shows shocking indifference say Indian Americans

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Report on performance of UP MPs shows shocking indifference say Indian Americans A whopping Rs. 333 crores of development funds unspent due to MP inaction FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 11, 2017 Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC – test.iamc.com/) a non-profit advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, today expressed dismay over the shocking indifference of Members of Parliament from UP, as demonstrated by a report it released yesterday. The report, titled “Uttar Pradesh Members of Parliament Performance Report,” shows Lok Sabha MPs, 71 of them from the BJP are responsible for over 333 crores of development funds lying unspent, only due to their inaction and indifference. The study, conducted by US-based news portal TwoCircles.net and commissioned by IAMC, finds that 71 crores of the unspent funds were in 17 Dalit-majority constituencies and over 64 crores unspent in 16 other constituencies where Muslims are over 20% of the population. The MPs in both cases are from the BJP. Every MP is given Rs 5 crore per annum for development works in their respective constituencies. BJP’s claim of inclusive development, as articulated in their slogan of “sabka saath sabka vikaas,” rings hollow in the face of such indifference and inaction. It is also an indication of what UP can expect, given BJP’s penchant for granting election tickets to criminals. “Elected officials have a duty to serve their constituents through every possible mechanism made available to them by the system,” said Mr. Jawad Khan, President of IAMC. “Funds allocated for development lying unspent due to MP inaction is highly deplorable,” added Mr. Khan. In the face of upcoming elections in UP, the BJP’s strategy of unleashing fierce Hindutva through shutting down of slaughterhouses and threatening to use vigilantes, is cynical and dangerous. It also points to the party’s desperate efforts to deflect attention from the demonetisation disaster. Indian–American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with chapters across the nation. For more information, please visit our website at: http://iamc.com CONTACT: Indian American Muslim Council Phone/Fax: 1-800-839-7270 Email: info@iamc.com Facebook: Indian American Muslim Council Twitter: @IAMCouncil Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295, Morton Grove, IL 60053. REFERENCES:   1. Uttar Pradesh Members of Parliament Performance Report https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B86nQzYvtbBQV3hfblNKSDkwNjA/view   2. Uttar Pradesh: Lok Sabha MPs, 71 of them from BJP, could not spend Rs 333 Cr of development fund http://www.indiatomorrow.net/eng/uttar-pradesh-lok-sabha-mps-71-of-them-from-bjp-could-not-spend-rs-333-cr-of-development-fund 3. BJP tops list of candidates with criminal charges  http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/uttarakhand/bjp-tops-list-of-candidates-with-criminal-charges/360947.html  

Press Release

Bhopal “encounter” killings; Indian Americans demand Chief Minister’s resignation, judicial probe

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Shocking videos show cold-blooded execution; ATS Chief justifies killing unarmed men FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 03, 2016 The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC – test.iamc.com/), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos today demanded the resignation of Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mr. Shivraj Singh Chouhan, over the shocking and audacious killing of 8 unarmed undertrials in Bhopal. IAMC also joined activists, opposition parties and people of conscience in demanding a judicial probe into the gruesome incident. Videos of the killing show the men were unarmed, and were even waving to the policemen in an apparent attempt to surrender. Demonstrating a shocking level of impunity, the chief of Madhya Pradesh’s Anti-Terror Squad Mr. Sanjeev Shami confirmed the men were unarmed and defiantly maintained the killing was justified. The official account that these eight men escaped from a high-security jail by making keys out of toothbrushes and scaling walls 30 ft high using bedsheets defies logic. Added to these outrageous fabrications, is the idea that the “escaped” undertrials all stayed together after their escape until they were conveniently found in one place to be done to death by the police. It also flies in the face of videos showing the men were unarmed, and the police fired even after the men were mowed down, including at a man who happened to be grievously injured but still alive. The motive behind this fake encounter appears to be the fact that the case against at least four of the undertrials was drawing to a close, with a judgement expected in their favor.  This was articulated by Tahawwur Khan, one of the defence lawyers of the men killed in the encounter. The killings fit a pattern of ongoing state repression of minorities, including fake encounters, abductions and denial of justice. The disappearance of JNU student Najeeb Ahmad who went missing after an assault on the campus, is only the latest in a series of shocking incidents involving activists and whistleblowers. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who has lost the moral legitimacy to continue in office, appears to be following the “Gujarat Model,” in its pattern of framing innocent youth and engaging in extrajudicial killings. “The cold-blooded execution of these eight men before the court pronounced its judgement on them, is a grim demonstration of the state-sponsored repression of minorities and Dalits in India, even by law enforcement that is sworn to protect all citizens, regardless of caste or creed,” said Mr. Umar Malick, President of IAMC. “A high-level judicial probe should be constituted immediately to unearth all the facts surrounding this incident. The justification of this gruesome killing by the ATS chief is an open admission of impunity, and the extent to which police forces consider themselves above the law. This does not bode well for the country,” he added. Among those condemning the staged encounter are opposition parties, and top media commentators such as Shekhar Gupta and academic organizations like the Jamia Teachers’ Solidarity Association. As Rahul Kanwal, Managing Editor of India Today said in his tweet, “Exposing a fake encounter is not anti-national. Staying silent when you know that an encounter appears fake is what is truly anti-national.” Indian American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with chapters across the nation. For more information, please visit our website at: http://iamc.com/ CONTACT: Indian American Muslim Council Phone/Fax: 1-800-839-7270 Email: info@iamc.com Facebook: Indian American Muslim Council Twitter: @IAMCouncil Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295, Morton Grove, IL 60053. REFERENCES: Did Indian police just gun down 8 prison fugitives in cold blood? The government would prefer you didn’t ask. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2016/11/01/did-indian-police-just-gun-down-8-prison-fugitives-in-cold-blood-the-government-would-prefer-you-didnt-ask/Bhopal encounter appears staged, say Jamia teachers http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/Bhopal-encounter-appears-staged-say-Jamia-teachers/articleshow/55191251.cmsYes, SIMI Men Were Unarmed When Shot; So What, Asks Anti-Terror Top Cop http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/8-simi-men-had-no-weapons-at-encounter-spot-anti-terror-chief-tells-ndtv-1620458The bogey of SIMI: Bhopal killings must not be allowed to fall into a legal blackhole http://scroll.in/article/820462/the-bogey-of-simi-bhopal-killings-must-not-be-allowed-to-fall-into-a-legal-blackholeBhopal, eight SIMI men killed in encounter, but video clips raise doubts http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/8-simi-operatives-killed-near-bhopal-video-clips-raise-questions-on-encounter/story-4LYve4qXXA4UxXgSkXO7gJ.htmlEncounter or Cold Blooded Murder? Lawyer Speaks Out http://www.thecitizen.in/index.php/NewsDetail/index/2/9087/Encounter-or-Cold-Blooded-Murder-Lawyer-Speaks-OutIndia: More than half of undertrials are Dalits, Muslims and tribals http://www.aljazeera.com/blogs/asia/2016/11/trial-india-dalits-muslims-tribals-161101150136542.html  

Press Release

Bhopal “encounter” killings; Indian Americans demand Chief Minister’s resignation, judicial probe

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Bhopal “encounter” killings; Indian Americans demand Chief Minister’s resignation, judicial probe Shocking videos show cold-blooded execution; ATS Chief justifies killing unarmed men FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 03, 2016 The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC – test.iamc.com/), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos today demanded the resignation of Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mr. Shivraj Singh Chouhan, over the shocking and audacious killing of 8 unarmed undertrials in Bhopal. IAMC also joined activists, opposition parties and people of conscience in demanding a judicial probe into the gruesome incident. Videos of the killing show the men were unarmed, and were even waving to the policemen in an apparent attempt to surrender. Demonstrating a shocking level of impunity, the chief of Madhya Pradesh’s Anti-Terror Squad Mr. Sanjeev Shami confirmed the men were unarmed and defiantly maintained the killing was justified. The official account that these eight men escaped from a high-security jail by making keys out of toothbrushes and scaling walls 30 ft high using bedsheets defies logic. Added to these outrageous fabrications, is the idea that the “escaped” undertrials all stayed together after their escape until they were conveniently found in one place to be done to death by the police. It also flies in the face of videos showing the men were unarmed, and the police fired even after the men were mowed down, including at a man who happened to be grievously injured but still alive. The motive behind this fake encounter appears to be the fact that the case against at least four of the undertrials was drawing to a close, with a judgement expected in their favor.  This was articulated by Tahawwur Khan, one of the defence lawyers of the men killed in the encounter. The killings fit a pattern of ongoing state repression of minorities, including fake encounters, abductions and denial of justice. The disappearance of JNU student Najeeb Ahmad who went missing after an assault on the campus, is only the latest in a series of shocking incidents involving activists and whistleblowers. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who has lost the moral legitimacy to continue in office, appears to be following the “Gujarat Model,” in its pattern of framing innocent youth and engaging in extrajudicial killings. “The cold-blooded execution of these eight men before the court pronounced its judgement on them, is a grim demonstration of the state-sponsored repression of minorities and Dalits in India, even by law enforcement that is sworn to protect all citizens, regardless of caste or creed,” said Mr. Umar Malick, President of IAMC. “A high-level judicial probe should be constituted immediately to unearth all the facts surrounding this incident. The justification of this gruesome killing by the ATS chief is an open admission of impunity, and the extent to which police forces consider themselves above the law. This does not bode well for the country,” he added. Among those condemning the staged encounter are opposition parties, and top media commentators such as Shekhar Gupta and academic organizations like the Jamia Teachers’ Solidarity Association. As Rahul Kanwal, Managing Editor of India Today said in his tweet, “Exposing a fake encounter is not anti-national. Staying silent when you know that an encounter appears fake is what is truly anti-national.” Indian American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with chapters across the nation. For more information, please visit our website at: http://iamc.com/   CONTACT: Indian American Muslim Council Phone/Fax: 1-800-839-7270 Email: info@iamc.com Facebook: Indian American Muslim Council Twitter: @IAMCouncil Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295, Morton Grove, IL 60053. REFERENCES: Did Indian police just gun down 8 prison fugitives in cold blood? The government would prefer you didn’t ask. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2016/11/01/did-indian-police-just-gun-down-8-prison-fugitives-in-cold-blood-the-government-would-prefer-you-didnt-ask/ Bhopal encounter appears staged, say Jamia teachers http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/Bhopal-encounter-appears-staged-say-Jamia-teachers/articleshow/55191251.cms Yes, SIMI Men Were Unarmed When Shot; So What, Asks Anti-Terror Top Cop http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/8-simi-men-had-no-weapons-at-encounter-spot-anti-terror-chief-tells-ndtv-1620458 The bogey of SIMI: Bhopal killings must not be allowed to fall into a legal blackhole http://scroll.in/article/820462/the-bogey-of-simi-bhopal-killings-must-not-be-allowed-to-fall-into-a-legal-blackhole Bhopal, eight SIMI men killed in encounter, but video clips raise doubts http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/8-simi-operatives-killed-near-bhopal-video-clips-raise-questions-on-encounter/story-4LYve4qXXA4UxXgSkXO7gJ.html Encounter or Cold Blooded Murder? Lawyer Speaks Out http://www.thecitizen.in/index.php/NewsDetail/index/2/9087/Encounter-or-Cold-Blooded-Murder-Lawyer-Speaks-Out India: More than half of undertrials are Dalits, Muslims and tribals http://www.aljazeera.com/blogs/asia/2016/11/trial-india-dalits-muslims-tribals-161101150136542.html

Press Release

Indian Americans demand withdrawal of sedition case against Amnesty International India

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Malicious case is intended to stifle dissent and create fear among NGOs and activists FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 21, 2016 The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), an advocacy organization dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, has condemned the filing of a case of sedition against Amnesty International India over claims that slogans favoring Kashmiri independence were raised at an event organized by the reputed human rights organization in Bangalore last Monday. “The fact that the Bengaluru Police has registered the said case at the behest of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the student wing of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), is indicative the political and ideological motivations behind it,” said Mr. Umar Malick, President of IAMC. “Clearly, the aim is to silence views and opinions contrary to the shrill nationalist construct of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS),” added Mr. Malick. IAMC has expressed solidarity with Amnesty and demanded the immediate withdrawal of the case. Not only does the police action violate India’s constitutional promise and premise of free speech, it is significant to note that Amnesty’s event had been called to discuss the issue of human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir, a topic by no means anti-national or seditious. The violation of human rights in Jammu and Kashmir over several decades, both by State and non-State actors, is a matter of fact and has been acknowledged and accepted even by the Indian judiciary, from time to time. The international community, too, has been unsparing in its criticism of such violations. It may be recalled that last March the ABVP had leveled a similar allegation of “azadi” slogans being raised at a public event in New Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru University that had led to the arrests of JNU students, including its current students’ union president. That illiberal, anti-democratic campaign by the ABVP too was widely condemned and eventually exposed as nothing more than a brute attempt by show of strength to forestall any discussion of the state of affairs in Jammu and Kashmir. The police action against Amnesty is completely characteristic of the regressive attitude of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government which has, since taking power in May 2014, carried out a witch hunt and vendetta against hundreds of national and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Many of these have long worked in India across various social sectors, especially in human rights and civil liberties. CONTACT: Indian American Muslim Council Phone/Fax: 1-800-839-7270 Email: info@iamc.com Facebook: Indian American Muslim Council Twitter: @IAMCouncil Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295, Morton Grove, IL 60053. REFERENCES: 1. Amnesty International India Denies Sedition Allegations http://www.wsj.com/articles/amnesty-international-india-denies-sedition-allegations-1471359235 2. Space for Civil Society and dissent is shrinking; Amnesty International India Executive Director https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2016/08/aakar-patel-answers-questions/ 3. Amnesty shuts office on police advice http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/amnestyabvp-row-amnesty-india-asks-employees-to-work-from-home/article9002766.ece

Press Release

Indian Americans demand withdrawal of sedition case against Amnesty International India

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Indian Americans demand withdrawal of sedition case against Amnesty International India   Malicious case is intended to suppress dissent and create fear among NGOs and activists FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 21, 2016   The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), an advocacy organization dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, has condemned the filing of a case of sedition against Amnesty International India over claims that slogans favoring Kashmiri independence were raised at an event organized by the reputed human rights organization in Bengaluru last Monday. “The fact that the Bengaluru Police has registered the case at the behest of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the student wing of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), is indicative of the political and ideological motivations behind it,” said Mr. Umar Malick, President of IAMC. “Clearly, the aim is to silence views and opinions contrary to the shrill nationalist construct of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS),” added Mr. Malick. IAMC has expressed solidarity with Amnesty and demanded the immediate withdrawal of the case. Not only does the police action violate India’s constitutional promise of free speech, it is significant to note that Amnesty’s event had been called to discuss the issue of human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir, a topic by no means anti-national or seditious. The violation of human rights in Jammu and Kashmir over several decades, both by State and non-State actors, is a matter of fact and has been acknowledged even by the Indian judiciary, from time to time. The international community too has been unsparing in its criticism of such violations. It may be recalled that last March the ABVP had leveled a similar allegation of “azadi” slogans being raised at a public event in New Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru University that had led to the arrests of JNU students, including its current students’ union president. That illiberal, anti-democratic campaign by the ABVP too was widely condemned and eventually exposed as nothing more than a brute attempt by show of strength to forestall any discussion of the state of affairs in Jammu and Kashmir.  The police action against Amnesty is completely characteristic of the regressive attitude of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government which has, since taking power in May 2014, carried out a witch-hunt and vendetta against hundreds of national and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Many of these have long worked in India across various social sectors, especially in human rights and civil liberties. Indian American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with chapters across the nation. For more information, please visit our website at: http://iamc.com CONTACT: Indian American Muslim Council Phone/Fax: 1-800-839-7270 Email: media@iamc.com Facebook: Indian American Muslim Council Twitter: @IAMCouncil Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295, Morton Grove, IL 60053. REFERENCES:  Amnesty International India Denies Sedition Allegations http://www.wsj.com/articles/amnesty-international-india-denies-sedition-allegations-1471359235 Space for Civil Society and dissent is shrinking; Amnesty International India Executive Director https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2016/08/aakar-patel-answers-questions/ Amnesty shuts office on police advice http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/amnestyabvp-row-amnesty-india-asks-employees-to-work-from-home/article9002766.ece

Press Release

Indian Independence Day celebrations marked by solemn pledges to protect pluralism

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Indian American Muslims organize celebratory event in Florida; participate in protests against targeting of Dalits and minorities in the name of cow protection FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 15, 2016 The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC – test.iamc.com/), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos today joined millions of people in India and around the world, in celebrating India’s 70th Independence Day. Activists and community members across the US marked the occasion by resolving to continue the struggle for justice, and for defending pluralism in India. A celebratory event was organized by IAMC in Florida on August 14th, the eve of the Independence Day, with participation from broad sections of the Indian American community, including Hindus, Muslims, Christians and Sikhs. In the days leading up to Independence Day, IAMC volunteers and office bearers participated in protests against increasing attacks on Dalits and other minorities in India. The event included a flag hoisting ceremony at Gandhi Square in Fort Lauderdale. “IAMC congratulates all Indians and people of Indian origin on this joyous occasion of India’s 70th Independence Day. Indeed, India has made great strides in many areas of endeavor since breaking free from British rule. However, Independence Day is also a sober reminder of how far we have come from our founding principles, with the increasing assaults on pluralism and the secular ethos of our constitution,” said Mr. Umar Malick, President of IAMC. “The deepening divides in Indian society along caste and religious lines demand that all people of conscience join hands to engage in yet another freedom struggle; the struggle to free India from caste discrimination and violations of religious freedom,” added Mr. Malick. In Florida, Mr. Victor Swaroop, the President of Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO) was one of the chief guests and a keynote speaker. A community activist and founding member of Gandhi Square, Mr. Swaroop shared how he lives by Mahatma Gandhi’s motto, “In order to find yourself, lose yourself in the service of others.” Imam Zakaria, another keynote speaker, reminded the audience of how Indian Muslims were an integral part of India’s freedom struggle, and read out a long list of prominent Muslims who made the ultimate sacrifice for India’s Independence. The celebration was marked with festivities and the singing of songs expressing deep love for India and its people. Indian-American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with chapters across the nation. For more information, please visit our website at: http://iamc.com CONTACT: Indian American Muslim Council Phone/Fax: 1-800-839-7270 Email: info@iamc.com Facebook: Indian American Muslim Council Twitter: @IAMCouncil Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295, Morton Grove, IL 60053. REFERENCES: 1) Full Text: President Pranab Mukherjee’s speech on the eve of Independence Day http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/pranab-mukherjee-speech-independence-day-2975379/

Press Release

Indian Independence Day celebrations marked by solemn pledges to protect pluralism

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Indian Independence Day celebrations marked by solemn pledges to protect pluralism Indian American Muslims organize celebratory event in Florida; participate in protests against targeting of Dalits and minorities in the name of cow protection FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 15, 2016 The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC – test.iamc.com/), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos today joined millions of people in India and around the world, in celebrating India’s 70th Independence Day. Activists and community members across the US marked the occasion by resolving to continue the struggle for justice, and for defending pluralism in India. A celebratory event was organized by IAMC in Florida on August 14th, the eve of the Independence Day, with participation from broad sections of the Indian American community, including Hindus, Muslims, Christians and Sikhs. In the days leading up to Independence Day, IAMC volunteers and office bearers participated in protests against increasing attacks on  Dalits and other minorities in India. The event included a flag hoisting ceremony at Gandhi Square in Fort Lauderdale. “IAMC congratulates all Indians and people of Indian origin on this joyous occasion of India’s 70th Independence Day. Indeed, India has made great strides in many areas of endeavor since breaking free from British rule. However, Independence Day is also a sober reminder of how far we have come from our founding principles, with the increasing assaults on pluralism and the secular ethos of our constitution,” said Mr. Umar Malick, President of IAMC. “The deepening divides in Indian society along caste and religious lines demand that all people of conscience join hands to engage in yet another freedom struggle; the struggle to free India from caste discrimination and violations of religious freedom,” added Mr. Malick. In Florida, Mr. Victor Swaroop, the President of Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO) was one of the chief guests and a keynote speaker. A community activist and founding member of Gandhi Square, Mr. Swaroop shared how he lives by Mahatma Gandhi’s motto, “In order to find yourself, lose yourself in the service of others.” Imam Zakaria, another keynote speaker, reminded the audience of how Indian Muslims were an integral part of India’s freedom struggle, and read out a long list of prominent Muslims who made the ultimate sacrifice for India’s Independence. The celebration was marked with festivities and the singing of songs expressing deep love for India and its people. Indian–American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with chapters across the nation. For more information, please visit our website at: http://iamc.com CONTACT: Indian American Muslim Council Phone/Fax: 1-800-839-7270 Email: info@iamc.com Facebook: Indian American Muslim Council Twitter: @IAMCouncil Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295, Morton Grove, IL 60053. REFERENCES: Full Text: President Pranab Mukherjee’s speech on the eve of Independence Day                                              http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/pranab-mukherjee-speech-independence-day-2975379/

Press Release

Indian Americans demand CBI inquiry into atrocities against Dalits and Muslims under the pretext of cow protection

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Justifiable outrage over open flogging of Dalit youth for skinning dead cows July 25, 2016 The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC – test.iamc.com/), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos today joined millions of Indians and people of conscience across the world, in expressing outrage over the ongoing atrocities against Dalits and minorities by “cow protection” extremists in India. Recent violence in the state of Gujarat on July 11 triggered a wave of mass protests and suicide attempts by Dalit youth, only to be followed by more atrocities in the states of Karnataka and Maharashtra. IAMC has called for a CBI enquiry that would cover not only the recent atrocities against Dalits but also include a full investigation into the functioning of “cow protection” groups and their near total disregard for the law. Violence against Dalits and minorities have intensified under the BJP-led administration, whose worldview is aligned with the ideology of upper caste Hindu supremacy, known as Hindutva. While the protests continue to spread, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is yet to make a statement, much less commit to any action. The Gujarat protests were in response to the public flogging of four Dalit youth by a “cow protection” group, when the youth were found skinning a dead cow. The flogging was recorded by the perpetrators themselves and circulated to serve as a lesson for others. The sheer viciousness and impunity of the crime has inflamed Dalit and other “lower caste” communities. Violence by militant groups related to cow slaughter, possession of beef and transport of cattle has assumed an organized and institutionalized character under the present administration. On the India-Bangladesh border, Home Minister Rajnath Singh had in fact instructed the Border Security Force to stop cow transport as a top priority. News reports have indicated the involvement of India’s paramilitary force in at least one instance of the killing of cattle traders, shot down while attempting to transport cattle across the border. Cattle traders often come from impoverished Muslim or Dalit households. Although the Gujarat Chief Secretary G. R. Aloria acknowledged hooliganism in the name of “cow protection,” the role of the Sangh Parivar in granting legitimacy to such hooligans and the complicity of officials in enabling their violence needs to be fully exposed and prosecuted under the law. “We demand that those brought to book for the anti-Dalit atrocities should include, besides the perpetrators of the crimes, those who seek to create conditions that enable and justify such violence, in the name of protecting the cow,” said Mr. Umar Malick, President of the Indian American Muslim Council. “The latest round of atrocities against ‘lower caste’ communities that have endured centuries of cruelty, should serve as a unifying call to all who care about justice and the rule of law,” added Mr. Malick. Among the anti-Dalit atrocities that grabbed international attention was the suicide of Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula, driven to taking his own life after a witch-hunt by officials in the University of Hyderabad and the burning alive of two children from a Dalit family in the state of Uttar Pradesh. Indian American Muslim Council has made the following recommendations: 1. The Central administration should institute a CBI inquiry whose mandate should go beyond the recent atrocities against Dalits, and include the investigation of “gau raksha” or “cow protection” committees set up across the country 2. Global human rights organizations as well as international media should intensify their scrutiny of the treatment meted out to India’s Dalits and religious minorities. India is a signatory to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, but has been regularly cited as a country with one of the world’s poorest records on human rights. While atrocities against “lower castes” are unfortunately common across India, Gujarat in particular is worse off than the rest of the country. The state has a mere 2.33 per cent of the country’s Dalit population, but ranks in the top half of the country in the percentage of crimes against Dalits, according to the National Commission for Scheduled Castes and National Crimes Record Bureau. It may be recalled that intense media spin pursued by Mr. Narendra Modi, then Chief Minister of Gujarat, touted the state as a model of development, which contributed to his party’s success in the country’s general election and his elevation to the post of Prime Minister of India. Indian American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with chapters across the nation. For more information, please visit our website at: http://iamc.com/ CONTACT: Indian American Muslim Council Phone/Fax: 1-800-839-7270 Email: info@iamc.com Facebook: Indian American Muslim Council Twitter: @IAMCouncil Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295, Morton Grove, IL 60053. REFERENCES: 1. Video of public flogging of Dalit youth in Una district of Gujarat https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfcNNfNlaok 2. Dalit family in Karnataka attacked over rumors of eating beef http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/dalit-family-attacked-in-karnataka-over-beef-rumours-1435399m 3. Dalit men in Maharashtra beaten up by 25 people for overtaking http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/dalit-men-beaten-up-by-25-people-allegedly-for-overtaking-in-maharashtra-1435546 4. Paramilitary forces kill cattle smugglers https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFyedFrS2aI 5. In Gujarat, 95 of 100 suspects in crimes against Dalits acquitted http://twocircles.net/2016jul23/1469258201.html 6. Protect us from cow vigilante groups, trade hit: Punjab soap industry to police http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/protect-us-from-cow-vigilante-groups-trade-hit-punjab-soap-industry-to-police/ 7. BSF must check cow smuggling, says Rajnath http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/bsf-must-check-cow-smuggling-says-rajnath/article8627344.ece 8. Modi Should Have Spoken In Parliament On Dalit Attacks http://www.ndtv.com/opinion/modi-should-have-spoken-in-parliament-on-dalit-attacks-1435303 9. Atrocities, discrimination led to Dalit wave of anger in Gujarat: Martin Macwan http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/una-incident-martin-macwan-on-dalit-wave-of-anger-in-gujarat/article8887091.ece 10. India Report 2015 / 2016 – Amnesty International https://www.amnesty.org/en/countries/asia-and-the-pacific/india/report-india/ [Back to Top]

Press Release

Indian Americans demand CBI inquiry into atrocities against Dalits and Muslims under the pretext of cow protection

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Justifiable outrage over open flogging of Dalit youth for skinning dead cows FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 25, 2016 The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC – test.iamc.com/), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos today joined millions of Indians and people of conscience across the world, in expressing outrage over the ongoing atrocities against Dalits and minorities by “cow protection” extremists in India. Recent violence in the state of Gujarat on July 11 triggered a wave of mass protests and suicide attempts by Dalit youth, only to be followed by more atrocities in the states of Karnataka and Maharashtra. IAMC has called for a CBI enquiry that would cover not only the recent atrocities against Dalits but also include a full investigation into the functioning of “cow protection” groups and their near total disregard for the law. Violence against Dalits and minorities have intensified under the BJP-led administration, whose worldview is aligned with the ideology of upper caste Hindu supremacy, known as Hindutva. While the protests continue to spread, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is yet to make a statement, much less commit to any action. The Gujarat protests were in response to the public flogging of four Dalit youth by a “cow protection” group, when the youth were found skinning a dead cow. The flogging was recorded by the perpetrators themselves and circulated to serve as a lesson for others. The sheer viciousness and impunity of the crime has inflamed Dalit and other “lower caste” communities. Violence by militant groups related to cow slaughter, possession of beef and transport of cattle has assumed an organized and institutionalized character under the present administration. On the India-Bangladesh border, Home Minister Rajnath Singh had in fact instructed the Border Security Force to stop cow transport as a top priority. News reports have indicated the involvement of India’s paramilitary force in at least one instance of the killing of cattle traders , shot down while attempting to transport cattle across the border. Cattle traders often come from impoverished Muslim or Dalit households. Although the Gujarat Chief Secretary G. R. Aloria acknowledged hooliganism in the name of “cow protection,” the role of the Sangh Parivar in granting legitimacy to such hooligans and the complicity of officials in enabling their violence needs to be fully exposed and prosecuted under the law. “We demand that those brought to book for the anti-Dalit atrocities should include, besides the perpetrators of the crimes, those who seek to create conditions that enable and justify such violence, in the name of protecting the cow,” said Mr. Umar Malick, President of the Indian American Muslim Council. “The latest round of atrocities against ‘lower caste’ communities that have endured centuries of cruelty, should serve as a unifying call to all who care about justice and the rule of law,” added Mr. Malick. Among the anti-Dalit atrocities that grabbed international attention was the suicide of Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula, driven to taking his own life after a witch-hunt by officials in the University of Hyderabad and the burning alive of two children from a Dalit family in the state of Uttar Pradesh. Indian American Muslim Council has made the following recommendations: 1. The Central administration should institute a CBI inquiry whose mandate should go beyond the recent atrocities against Dalits, and include the investigation of “gau raksha” or “cow protection” committees set up across the country 2. Global human rights organizations as well as international media should intensify their scrutiny of the treatment meted out to India’s Dalits and religious minorities. India is a signatory to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, but has been regularly cited as a country with one of the world’s poorest records on human rights. While atrocities against “lower castes” are unfortunately common across India, Gujarat in particular is worse off than the rest of the country. The state has a mere 2.33 per cent of the country’s Dalit population, but ranks in the top half of the country in the percentage of crimes against Dalits, according to the National Commission for Scheduled Castes and National Crimes Record Bureau. It may be recalled that intense media spin pursued by Mr. Narendra Modi, then Chief Minister of Gujarat, touted the state as a model of development, which contributed to his party’s success in the country’s general election and his elevation to the post of Prime Minister of India. Indian American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with chapters across the nation. For more information, please visit our website at: http://iamc.com/ CONTACT: Indian American Muslim Council Phone/Fax: 1-800-839-7270 Email: info@iamc.com Facebook: Indian American Muslim Council Twitter: @IAMCouncil Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295, Morton Grove, IL 60053. REFERENCES: 1. Video of public flogging of Dalit youth in Una district of Gujarat https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfcNNfNlaok 2. Dalit family in Karnataka attacked over rumors of eating beef http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/dalit-family-attacked-in-karnataka-over-beef-rumours-1435399 3. Dalit men in Maharashtra beaten up by 25 people for overtaking http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/dalit-men-beaten-up-by-25-people-allegedly-for-overtaking-in-maharashtra-1435546 4. Paramilitary forces kill cattle smugglers https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFyedFrS2aI 5. In Gujarat, 95 of 100 suspects in crimes against Dalits acquitted http://twocircles.net/2016jul23/1469258201.html#.V5WB66KVlX- 6. Protect us from cow vigilante groups, trade hit: Punjab soap industry to police http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/protect-us-from-cow-vigilante-groups-trade-hit-punjab-soap-industry-to-police/ 7. BSF must check cow smuggling, says Rajnath http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/bsf-must-check-cow-smuggling-says-rajnath/article8627344.ece 8. Modi Should Have Spoken In Parliament On Dalit Attacks http://www.ndtv.com/opinion/modi-should-have-spoken-in-parliament-on-dalit-attacks-1435303 9. Atrocities, discrimination led to Dalit wave of anger in Gujarat: Martin Macwan http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/una-incident-martin-macwan-on-dalit-wave-of-anger-in-gujarat/article8887091.ece 10. India Report 2015 / 2016 – Amnesty International https://www.amnesty.org/en/countries/asia-and-the-pacific/india/report-india/

Press Release

Indian Americans demand CBI inquiry into atrocities against Dalits and Muslims under the pretext of cow protection

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Indian Americans demand CBI inquiry into atrocities against Dalits and Muslims under the pretext of cow protection Justifiable outrage over open flogging of Dalit youth for skinning dead cows FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 25, 2016 The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC – test.iamc.com/), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos today joined millions of Indians and people of conscience across the world, in expressing outrage over the ongoing atrocities against Dalits and minorities by “cow protection” extremists in India. Recent violence in the state of Gujarat on July 11 triggered a wave of mass protests and suicide attempts by Dalit youth, only to be followed by more atrocities in the states of Karnataka and Maharashtra.  IAMC has called for a CBI enquiry that would cover not only the recent atrocities against Dalits but also include a full investigation into the functioning of “cow protection” groups and their near total disregard for the law. Violence against Dalits and minorities have intensified under the BJP-led administration, whose worldview is aligned with the ideology of upper caste Hindu supremacy, known as Hindutva. While the protests continue to spread, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is yet to make a statement, much less commit to any action. The Gujarat protests were in response to the public flogging of four Dalit youth by a “cow protection” group, when the youth were found skinning a dead cow. The flogging was recorded by the perpetrators themselves and circulated to serve as a lesson for others. The sheer viciousness and impunity of the crime has inflamed Dalit and other “lower caste” communities. Violence by militant groups related to cow slaughter, possession of beef and transport of cattle has assumed an organized and institutionalized character under the present administration. On the India-Bangladesh border, Home Minister Rajnath Singh had in fact instructed the Border Security Force to stop cow transport as a top priority. News reports have indicated the involvement of India’s paramilitary force in at least one instance of the killing of cattle traders , shot down while attempting to transport cattle across the border. Cattle traders often come from impoverished Muslim or Dalit households. Although the Gujarat Chief Secretary G. R. Aloria acknowledged hooliganism in the name of “cow protection,” the role of the Sangh Parivar in granting legitimacy to such hooligans and the complicity of officials in enabling their violence needs to be fully exposed and prosecuted under the law. “We demand that those brought to book for the anti-Dalit atrocities should include, besides the perpetrators of the crimes, those who seek to create conditions that enable and justify such violence, in the name of protecting the cow,” said Mr. Umar Malick, President of the Indian American Muslim Council. “The latest round of atrocities against ‘lower caste’ communities that have endured centuries of cruelty, should serve as a unifying call to all who care about justice and the rule of law,” added Mr. Malick. Among the anti-Dalit atrocities that grabbed international attention was the suicide of Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula, driven to taking his own life after a witch-hunt by officials in the University of Hyderabad and the burning alive of two children from a Dalit family in the state of Uttar Pradesh. Indian American Muslim Council has made the following recommendations: The Central administration should institute a CBI inquiry whose mandate should go beyond the recent atrocities against Dalits, and include the investigation of “gau raksha” or “cow protection” committees set up across the country 2. Global human rights organizations as well as international media should intensify their scrutiny of the treatment meted out to India’s Dalits and religious minorities. India is a signatory to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, but has been regularly cited as a country with one of the world’s poorest records on human rights. While atrocities against “lower castes” are unfortunately common across India, Gujarat in particular is worse off than the rest of the country. The state has a mere 2.33 per cent of the country’s Dalit population, but ranks in the top half of the country in the percentage of crimes against Dalits, according to the National Commission for Scheduled Castes and National Crimes Record Bureau. It may be recalled that intense media spin pursued by Mr. Narendra Modi, then Chief Minister of Gujarat, touted the state as a model of development, which contributed to his party’s success in the country’s general election and his elevation to the post of Prime Minister of India. Indian American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with chapters across the nation. For more information, please visit our website at: http://iamc.com/   CONTACT: Indian American Muslim Council Phone/Fax: 1-800-839-7270 Email: info@iamc.com Facebook: Indian American Muslim Council Twitter: @IAMCouncil Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295, Morton Grove, IL 60053. REFERENCES: 1. Video of public flogging of Dalit youth in Una district of Gujarat https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfcNNfNlaok 2. Dalit family in Karnataka attacked over rumors of eating beef http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/dalit-family-attacked-in-karnataka-over-beef-rumours-1435399 3. Dalit men in Maharashtra beaten up by 25 people for overtaking http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/dalit-men-beaten-up-by-25-people-allegedly-for-overtaking-in-maharashtra-1435546 4. Paramilitary forces kill cattle smugglers https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFyedFrS2aI 5. In Gujarat, 95 of 100 suspects in crimes against Dalits acquitted http://twocircles.net/2016jul23/1469258201.html#.V5WB66KVlX- 6. Protect us from cow vigilante groups, trade hit: Punjab soap industry to police http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/protect-us-from-cow-vigilante-groups-trade-hit-punjab-soap-industry-to-police/ 7. BSF must check cow smuggling, says Rajnath http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/bsf-must-check-cow-smuggling-says-rajnath/article8627344.ece 8. Modi Should Have Spoken In Parliament On Dalit Attacks http://www.ndtv.com/opinion/modi-should-have-spoken-in-parliament-on-dalit-attacks-1435303 9. Atrocities, discrimination led to Dalit wave of anger in Gujarat: Martin Macwan http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/una-incident-martin-macwan-on-dalit-wave-of-anger-in-gujarat/article8887091.ece 10. India Report 2015 / 2016 – Amnesty International https://www.amnesty.org/en/countries/asia-and-the-pacific/india/report-india/

Press Release

California makes important corrections to history of Islam and South Asia

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State Board of Education accepts some recommendations from scholars to reverse Islamophobic edits pushed by US based Hindu nationalist groups FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 16, 2016 The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC – test.iamc.com/), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos expressed satisfaction that progress was made in reversing some of the Islamophobic content that had been injected into the California curriculum. At the public hearing in Sacramento on July 14th, the Board of Education responded positively to a letter by the Muslim Studies Faculty Group, a formidable collective of 25 scholars on Islam and Muslim Civilization from premier institutions such as Harvard, UCLA, Georgetown University and Berkeley. The scholars had called on the Board to delete Islamophobic content from the curriculum, while also urging a reversal of false and malicious statements on Islamic history introduced by the Hindu nationalist lobby in the US Adding to the weight of scholarship represented by the letter from the Muslim Studies Faculty Group, was a letter from the major American Muslim organizations , urging the State Board of Education to reverse the factually incorrect and biased edits that had made their way into the curriculum framework during the review process. These edits comprised of painting Islamic history in the Indian subcontinent as one of forced conversions, and projecting Islam as an inherently war-mongering religion. The hearing witnessed a large turnout from the American Muslim community, who were motivated by the desire to ensure that their faith was not misrepresented in order to serve an Islamophobic and Hindu supremacist narrative. Essentially, the State Board of Education accepted three of the five edits recommended by the Muslim Studies Faculty Group, and overturned several edits proposed by the alliance of Hindu nationalist organizations comprising of Hindu American Foundation (HAF), Uberoi Foundation and the Hindu Education Foundation (HEF). IAMC has expressed its sincere appreciation for all the coalition partners in the “South Asian Histories For All” (SAHFA) coalition, a broad-based interfaith and inter-caste alliance comprising of Dalits, Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs and Christians, as well as the American Muslim organizations whose support was instrumental in achieving this progress. Despite much pressure brought upon the State Board of Education (SBE) by the Hindu nationalist groups, the SBE accepted alternative language recommended by the Muslim Studies Faculty Group that represent a more accurate and balanced portrayal of the faith and its complex history. “It is ironic that while publicly claiming to seek a fair portrayal of Hinduism, Hindu nationalist organizations expended considerable resources in order to inject Islamophobia into the California curriculum,” said Mr. Umar Malick, President of the Indian American Muslim Council. “The State Board of Education’s courageous stance in resisting political pressure and a well-funded PR machinery demonstrates that those seeking to normalize anti-Muslim bigotry are running a fool’s errand,” added Mr. Malick. Indian American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with chapters across the nation. For more information, please visit our website at: http://iamc.com/ CONTACT: Indian American Muslim Council Phone/Fax: 1-800-839-7270 Email: info@iamc.com Facebook: Indian American Muslim Council Twitter: @IAMCouncil Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295, Morton Grove, IL 60053. REFERENCES: 1. Full text of scholars’ letter to Board of Education https://drive.google.com/a/iamc.com/file/d/0B-8zLJH_QRTzMWY4UzJtZThXeW5Bak9yVTJ6aENBNmYyNExB/view 2. Full text of letter by American Muslim organizations https://drive.google.com/a/iamc.com/file/d/0B-8zLJH_QRTzRGpwU0dxZ2Q3YkUzSUt5S3dpRnZWendPcXcw/view 3. California removes “forced conversions” from textbooks http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/california-removes-forced-conversions-from-textbooks/article8856104.ece 4. Scholars concerned over reference to “forced conversions” in California curriculum http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/scholars-concerned-over-reference-to-forced-conversions-in-california-curriculum/article8844854.ece 5. After hours of testimony, State Board adopts history guidelines https://edsource.org/2016/after-hours-of-testimony-state-board-adopts-history-guidelines-history-and-social-studies-framework/567055 6. California textbooks: The next stage of the battle http://indianexpress.com/article/blogs/california-textbooks-the-next-stage-of-the-battle/

Press Release

IAMC testifies before Congressional Human Rights Commission on “Challenges and Opportunities: The Advancement of Human Rights in India”

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Testimony on the eve of Modi’s address to US Congress highlights his administration’s active contribution to religious freedom violations in the face of judicial ineffectiveness FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Wednesday June 8, 2016 The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC – test.iamc.com/), today joined representatives of internationally recognized institutions such as Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International to testify before the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission in Washington DC at the hearing titled ‘Challenges & Opportunities: The Advancement of Human Rights in India.‘ IAMC’s testimony, delivered by its Communications Director, Mr. Musaddique Thange, was a forthright exposition of the role played by India’s current administration and its espousal of the divisive Hindutva ideology in brutal human rights violations of religious minorities. The testimony included recommendations on how the US could play a constructive role in improving the situation while respecting India’s sovereignty. Besides IAMC, other witnesses that testified at the hearing were Mr. Jeff King, President, International Christian Concern; Mr. John Sifton, Asia Advocacy Director, Human Rights Watch; Mr. T. Kumar, Asia Advocacy Director, Amnesty International; Ms. Martina E. Vandenberg, Founder & President, The Human Trafficking Pro Bono Legal Center; Mr. Raj Cherukonda, Representative, Dalit American Federation and Mr. Ajit Sahi, human rights activist & investigative journalist, formerly with the Tehelka Magazine. The hearing, chaired by Rep. Joseph Pitts (R-PA) and Rep. James McGovern (D-MA), sought to “provide concrete recommendations for how U.S. policy makers can most effectively encourage the protection of human rights given the strategic importance and continued growth of the U.S. – India bilateral relationship.” Mr. Musaddique Thange, Communications Director of IAMC provided oral testimony to the commission and submitted a written testimony detailing the systematic erosion of the legacy of respectful coexistence of many faiths. In a passionate plea to the commission, Mr. Thange called for human rights to be included as part of the annual US-India Strategic Dialogue and called out the ineffectiveness of the Indian judiciary as enabling and perpetuating the human rights violations. The written testimony also recommended the recognition of the work of the vast network of NGOs that are at the forefront of upholding the constitutional values despite persistent targeting and harassment by the Modi led government. It also appealed to take up at the highest levels of government, for USCIRF and other institutions to be able to freely assess the situation in India first hand, without any hindrance from the government of India. Congressional Letter to Speaker on Human Rights in India In a separate development, eighteen members of the United States Congress led by Rep. Trent Franks and Rep. Betty McCollum wrote a letter to Speaker Paul Ryan urging him to take up the issue of rapidly eroding religious freedom in India. “Human rights groups in India have reported extensively on these types of attacks, and have traced many of them to Hindu nationalist groups and to government officials supportive of those groups.  As a result of those groups and officials supporting extremists, Muslims, Christians, Sikhs and other religious minority communities continue to experience incidents of discrimination, intimidation, harassment and violent attacks. Unfortunately, because of India’s current climate of impunity with regard to such attacks, many victims may never receive justice.” asserted the congresspersons in their letter. Letter by 18 members of US Congress to Speaker Ryan urging him to take up the issue of religious freedom in India when he meets with Indian PM Modi “In February of this year, 34 Members of the House and Senate wrote to Prime Minister Modi urging him to take steps to ensure the fundamental rights of religious minorities are protected and perpetrators of such violence are held accountable. In 2015, President Obama acknowledged concerns related to religious freedom in his remarks at the National Prayer Breakfast following his visit to India, stating, ‘…in past years, religious faiths of all types have, on occasion, been targeted by other peoples of faith, simply due to their heritage and their beliefs — acts of intolerance.’” the letter further stated. IAMC welcomed the letter as a much needed reminder to Prime Minister Modi on the deteriorating situation of human rights under his regime. Indian American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with chapters across the nation. For more information, please visit our website at: http://iamc.com/ CONTACT:Indian American Muslim Council Phone/Fax: 1-800-839-7270 Email: info@iamc.com Facebook: Indian American Muslim Council Twitter: @IAMCouncil Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295, Morton Grove, IL 60053. REFERENCES: 1. Challenges & Opportunities: The Advancement of Human Rights in India. Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission. 07 Jun 2016. https://humanrightscommission.house.gov/events/hearings/challenges-opportunities-advancement-human-rights-india 2. Video recording of the hearing session. YouTube. 07 Jun 2016. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbmY9wcYFFM 3. Oral testimony of Musaddique Thange (IAMC). 07 Jun 2016. https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-8zLJH_QRTzZjNpOWhCeFdUanc/view?usp=sharing 4. Written testimony of Musaddique Thange (IAMC). 07 Jun 2016. https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-8zLJH_QRTzeUFfWlRRNUlGTm8/view?usp=sharing 5. While PM Modi meets Obama, US human rights commission to discuss India. Indian Express. 01 Jun 2016. http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/us-commission-to-hold-hearing-on-indias-human-rights-record-during-modis-visit-to-meet-obama-2828318/ 6. US Commission To Hold Hearing On India’s Human Rights Record. NDTV. 01 Jun 2016. http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/us-commission-to-hold-hearing-on-indias-human-rights-record-1414303

Press Release

IAMC testifies before Congressional Human Rights Commission on “Challenges and Opportunities: The Advancement of Human Rights in India”

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IAMC testifies before Congressional Human Rights Commission on “Challenges and Opportunities: The Advancement of Human Rights in India” Testimony on the eve of Modi’s address to US Congress highlights his administration’s active contribution to religious freedom violations in the face of judicial ineffectiveness FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Wednesday June 8, 2016 The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC – test.iamc.com/), today joined representatives of internationally recognized institutions such as Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International to testify before the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission in Washington DC at the hearing titled ‘Challenges & Opportunities: The Advancement of Human Rights in India.‘ IAMC’s testimony, delivered by its Communications Director, Mr. Musaddique Thange, was a forthright exposition of the role played by India’s current administration and its espousal of the divisive Hindutva ideology in brutal human rights violations of religious minorities. The testimony included recommendations on how the US could play a constructive role in improving the situation while respecting India’s sovereignty. Besides IAMC, other witnesses that testified at the hearing were Mr. Jeff King, President, International Christian Concern; Mr. John Sifton, Asia Advocacy Director, Human Rights Watch; Mr. T. Kumar, Asia Advocacy Director, Amnesty International; Ms. Martina E. Vandenberg, Founder & President, The Human Trafficking Pro Bono Legal Center; Mr. Raj Cherukonda, Representative, Dalit American Federation and Mr. Ajit Sahi, human rights activist & investigative journalist, formerly with the Tehelka Magazine. Video of Musaddique Thange (IAMC) testifying at the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission hearing on human rights in India The hearing, chaired by Rep. Joseph Pitts (R-PA) and Rep. James McGovern (D-MA), sought to “provide concrete recommendations for how U.S. policy makers can most effectively encourage the protection of human rights given the strategic importance and continued growth of the U.S. – India bilateral relationship.” Mr. Musaddique Thange, Communications Director of IAMC provided oral testimony to the commission and submitted a written testimony detailing the systematic erosion of the legacy of respectful coexistence of many faiths. In a passionate plea to the commission, Mr. Thange called for human rights to be included as part of the annual US-India Strategic Dialogue and called out the ineffectiveness of the Indian judiciary as enabling and perpetuating the human rights violations. The written testimony also recommended the recognition of the work of the vast network of NGOs that are at the forefront of upholding the constitutional values despite persistent targeting and harassment by the Modi led government. It also appealed to take up at the highest levels of government, for USCIRF and other institutions to be able to freely assess the situation in India first hand, without any hindrance from the government of India. Congressional Letter to Speaker on Human Rights in India In a separate development, eighteen members of the United States Congress led by Rep. Trent Franks and Rep. Betty McCollum wrote a letter to Speaker Paul Ryan urging him to take up the issue of rapidly eroding religious freedom in India. “Human rights groups in India have reported extensively on these types of attacks, and have traced many of them to Hindu nationalist groups and to government officials supportive of those groups.  As a result of those groups and officials supporting extremists, Muslims, Christians, Sikhs and other religious minority communities continue to experience incidents of discrimination, intimidation, harassment and violent attacks. Unfortunately, because of India’s current climate of impunity with regard to such attacks, many victims may never receive justice.” asserted the congresspersons in their letter. Letter by 18 members of US Congress to Speaker Ryan urging him to take up the issue of religious freedom in India when he meets with Indian PM Modi “In February of this year, 34 Members of the House and Senate wrote to Prime Minister Modi urging him to take steps to ensure the fundamental rights of religious minorities are protected and perpetrators of such violence are held accountable. In 2015, President Obama acknowledged concerns related to religious freedom in his remarks at the National Prayer Breakfast following his visit to India, stating, ‘…in past years, religious faiths of all types have, on occasion, been targeted by other peoples of faith, simply due to their heritage and their beliefs — acts of intolerance.’” the letter further stated. IAMC welcomed the letter as a much needed reminder to Prime Minister Modi on the deteriorating situation of human rights under his regime. Indian American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with chapters across the nation. For more information, please visit our website at: http://iamc.com/   CONTACT: Indian American Muslim Council Phone/Fax: 1-800-839-7270 Email: info@iamc.com Facebook: Indian American Muslim Council Twitter: @IAMCouncil Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295, Morton Grove, IL 60053. REFERENCES: 1. Challenges & Opportunities: The Advancement of Human Rights in India. Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission. 07 Jun 2016. https://humanrightscommission.house.gov/events/hearings/challenges-opportunities-advancement-human-rights-india 2. Video recording of the hearing session. YouTube. 07 Jun 2016. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbmY9wcYFFM 3. Oral testimony of Musaddique Thange (IAMC). 07 Jun 2016. https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-8zLJH_QRTzZjNpOWhCeFdUanc/view?usp=sharing 4. Written testimony of Musaddique Thange (IAMC). 07 Jun 2016. https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-8zLJH_QRTzeUFfWlRRNUlGTm8/view?usp=sharing 5. While PM Modi meets Obama, US human rights commission to discuss India. Indian Express. 01 Jun 2016. http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/us-commission-to-hold-hearing-on-indias-human-rights-record-during-modis-visit-to-meet-obama-2828318/ 6. US Commission To Hold Hearing On India’s Human Rights Record. NDTV. 01 Jun 2016. http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/us-commission-to-hold-hearing-on-indias-human-rights-record-1414303

Press Release

Indian Americans express shock, disgust over horrific church attack in Chhattisgarh; demand justice for victims

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Suspected Hindutva activists from Bajrang Dal doused pastor and his pregnant wife with petrol in an attempt to burn them alive    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 23, 2016 The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC – test.iamc.com/), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos has joined millions of Indians and people of conscience around the world, in strongly condemning the barbaric attack on a Christian pastor and his wife, in the state of Chhattisgarh in India. The incident took place last Sunday, April 17th, and reported in the media a few days thereafter. Two attackers stormed into the church in Bastar district, set ablaze a Bible and other articles, before viciously assaulting the pastor and his pregnant wife. The couple managed to escape alive, after the men doused them in petrol in an attempt to burn them alive. News reports indicate the assailants were armed with a gun, rods and knives. Their brutal assault on Pastor Dinbandhu Sameli, his 7-month pregnant wife and daughter Roushni Vidya, represents an escalation of attacks on minorities in India since the government of Mr. Narendra Modi came to power. Instead of filing charges of attempted murder, causing grievous injury, etc, the police have filed lesser charges  such as house trespass, dacoity, committing mischief by fire and injuring or defiling a place of worship. Mr. Arun Pannalal, the President of Chhattisgarh’s Christian Forum stated in a quote appearing in the media, “Around 15-20 men with saffron bands on their forehead entered the church while Sunday prayer was under way at around 12 pm, and started vandalising the premises and started breaking everything,” Pannalal said and claimed that the “Bajrang Dal youth indulged in sloganeering and were raising Jai Shree Ram slogans. They started damaging chairs and fans. They did not spare women and even tore up their clothes. They also thrashed an infant,” he said. Mr. Pannalal further referred to the perpetrators of the murderous assault as members of the Bajrang Dal, a radical Hindu supremacist organization affiliated to the RSS.The RSS is the fountainhead of Hindutva and the ideological reference point for the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government headed by Mr. Narendra Modi. The increasing attacks on minorities and lower castes in recent years are consistent with the extremism and intolerance Mr. Modi and his party have espoused. Mr. Modi himself has been a lifelong worker of the RSS. “The hate and venom spewed by the RSS and its affiliates and echoed by prominent members of Mr. Modi’s administration are directly responsible for this barbaric attack on Pastor Sameli and his family, ” said Mr. Umar Malick, President of Indian American Muslim Council. “Those who felicitate Mr. Modi during his foreign jaunts, should seriously consider the implications of what they are tacitly endorsing,” added Mr. Malick. The attack in Chhattisgarh is part of a pattern of violence and hateful rhetoric against minorities in India. There have been scores of attacks on Christians and Muslims since India gained independence. However, the violence has gained in intensity, and the discourse become more vitriolic since the political ascendancy of the Hindu nationalist movement in the late-1980s. The situation has become even more dire with Mr. Modi’s victory in the 2014 general elections on promises of economic development that have been largely unfulfilled. Leading global human rights groups such as Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, have expressed grave concern over the worsening situation of religious minorities in India. Prime Minister Modi’s government, “failed to address increasing attacks on free expression and against religious minorities,” Human Rights Watch stated in its recent 659-page World Report. “We demand not only that the perpetrators be held accountable, but also those who are engaging in a cover-up of the gruesome episode, and those that are enabling the sectarian hate that leads to such crimes,” Mr. Khalid Ansari, Vice-President of IAMC. Indian-American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with chapters across the nation. For more information, please visit our at: http://www.iamc.com CONTACT: Indian American Muslim Council Phone/Fax: 1-800-839-7270 Email:info@iamc.com Facebook: Indian American Muslim Council Twitter: @IAMCouncil Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295, Morton Grove, IL 60053. REFERENCES: Chhattisgarh: Church attacked in Bastar, pastor and pregnant wife barely escape http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-church-attacked-in-bastar-pastor-and-pregnant-wife-barely-escape-2203684 Youths vandalize Church, thrash worshippers in Chhattisgarh http://www.news18.com/news/india/youths-vandalise-church-thrash-worshippers-in-chhattisgarh-1212813.html Why it is no longer safe to be Christian in Chhattisgarh http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/patrick-goodenough/indias-refusal-admit-us-religious-freedom-watchdog-seen-attempt-hide Indian government failed to address attacks on minorities: Human Rights groups http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2016-01-27/news/70120366_1_meenakshi-ganguly-human-rights-watch-rights-groups Revoke NSA charges against right-wing leader: Home Ministry reportedly issues diktat to UP govt http://www.firstpost.com/india/mha-reportedly-asked-up-to-revoke-nsa-charges-against-right-wing-leader-accused-of-assaulting-muslim-man-2571114.html Rohith Vemula’s death sparks outrage within Indian diaspora http://twocircles.net/2016jan28/1453995780.html#.Vxxeh_krJzV 110 Journalists Killed In 2015, India Deadliest Asian Nation For Reporters: Study http://www.ndtv.com/world-news/110-journalists-killed-in-2015-most-in-peaceful-countries-reporters-without-borders-1260240    

Press Release

Indian Americans express shock, disgust over horrific church attack in Chhattisgarh; demand justice for victims

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Indian Americans express shock, disgust over horrific church attack in Chhattisgarh; demand justice for victims Suspected Hindutva activists from Bajrang Dal doused pastor and his pregnant wife with petrol in an attempt to burn them alive  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 23, 2016 The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC – test.iamc.com/), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos has joined millions of Indians and people of conscience around the world, in strongly condemning the barbaric attack on a Christian pastor and his wife, in the state of Chhattisgarh in India. The incident took place last Sunday, April 17th, and reported in the media a few days thereafter. Two attackers stormed into the church in Bastar district, set ablaze a Bible and other articles, before viciously assaulting the pastor and his pregnant wife. The couple managed to escape alive, after the men doused them in petrol in an attempt to burn them alive. News reports indicate the assailants were armed with a gun, rods and knives. Their brutal assault on Pastor Dinbandhu Sameli, his 7-month pregnant wife and daughter Roushni Vidya, represents an escalation of attacks on minorities in India since the government of Mr. Narendra Modi came to power. Instead of filing charges of attempted murder, causing grievous injury, etc, the police have filed lesser charges  such as house trespass, dacoity, committing mischief by fire and injuring or defiling a place of worship. Mr. Arun Pannalal, the President of Chhattisgarh’s Christian Forum stated in a quote appearing in the media, “Around 15-20 men with saffron bands on their forehead entered the church while Sunday prayer was under way at around 12 pm, and started vandalising the premises and started breaking everything,” Pannalal said and claimed that the “Bajrang Dal youth indulged in sloganeering and were raising Jai Shree Ram slogans. They started damaging chairs and fans. They did not spare women and even tore up their clothes. They also thrashed an infant,” he said Mr. Pannalal further referred to the perpetrators of the murderous assault as members of the Bajrang Dal, a radical Hindu supremacist organization affiliated to the RSS.The RSS is the fountainhead of Hindutva and the ideological reference point for the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government headed by Mr. Narendra Modi. The increasing attacks on minorities and lower castes in recent years are consistent with the extremism and intolerance Mr. Modi and his party have espoused. Mr. Modi himself has been a lifelong worker of the RSS. “The hate and venom spewed by the RSS and its affiliates and echoed by prominent members of Mr. Modi’s administration are directly responsible for this barbaric attack on Pastor Sameli and his family, ” said Mr. Umar Malick, President of Indian American Muslim Council. “Those who felicitate Mr. Modi during his foreign jaunts, should seriously consider the implications of what they are tacitly endorsing,” added Mr. Malick. The attack in Chhattisgarh is part of a pattern of violence and hateful rhetoric against minorities in India. There have been scores of attacks on Christians and Muslims since India gained independence. However, the violence has gained in intensity, and the discourse become more vitriolic since the political ascendancy of the Hindu nationalist movement in the late-1980s. The situation has become even more dire with Mr. Modi’s victory in the 2014 general elections on promises of economic development that have been largely unfulfilled. Leading global human rights groups such as Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, have expressed grave concern over the worsening situation of religious minorities in India. Prime Minister Modi’s government, “failed to address increasing attacks on free expression and against religious minorities,” Human Rights Watch stated in its recent 659-page World Report. “We demand not only that the perpetrators be held accountable, but also those who are engaging in a cover-up of the gruesome episode, and those that are enabling the sectarian hate that leads to such crimes,” Mr. Khalid Ansari, Vice-President of IAMC. Indian–American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with chapters across the nation. For more information, please visit our website at: http://www.iamc.com CONTACT: Indian American Muslim Council Phone/Fax: 1-800-839-7270 Email:info@iamc.com Facebook: Indian American Muslim Council Twitter: @IAMCouncil Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295, Morton Grove, IL 60053. REFERENCES: 1. Chhattisgarh: Church attacked in Bastar, pastor and pregnant wife barely escape http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-church-attacked-in-bastar-pastor-and-pregnant-wife-barely-escape-2203684 2. Youths vandalize Church, thrash worshippers in Chhattisgarh http://www.news18.com/news/india/youths-vandalise-church-thrash-worshippers-in-chhattisgarh-1212813.html 3. Why it is no longer safe to be Christian in Chhattisgarh http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/patrick-goodenough/indias-refusal-admit-us-religious-freedom-watchdog-seen-attempt-hide 4. Indian government failed to address attacks on minorities: Human Rights groups http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2016-01-27/news/70120366_1_meenakshi-ganguly-human-rights-watch-rights-groups 5. Revoke NSA charges against right-wing leader: Home Ministry reportedly issues diktat to UP govt http://www.firstpost.com/india/mha-reportedly-asked-up-to-revoke-nsa-charges-against-right-wing-leader-accused-of-assaulting-muslim-man-2571114.html 6. Rohith Vemula’s death sparks outrage within Indian diaspora http://twocircles.net/2016jan28/1453995780.html#.Vxxeh_krJzV 7. 110 Journalists Killed In 2015, India Deadliest Asian Nation For Reporters: Study http://www.ndtv.com/world-news/110-journalists-killed-in-2015-most-in-peaceful-countries-reporters-without-borders-1260240 CONTACT: Indian American Muslim Council Phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 Email:info@iamc.com Facebook: Indian American Muslim Council Twitter: @IAMCouncil Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295, Morton Grove, IL 60053.

Press Release

Indian Americans condemn Saudi award for Prime Minister Modi

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Award defies logic given Mr. Modi’s record before and after taking office as Prime Minister FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 04, 2016 The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC – test.iamc.com/), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos has condemned the Saudi government’s decision to confer Indian Prime Minister Modi with the nation’s highest civilian award. “It is expected that the Indian Prime Minister is accorded the respect befitting a head of state. However, conferring of the highest civilian award on Mr. Modi by those who claim to be the custodians of the two Holy Mosques is a slap in the face of survivors of the Gujarat pogroms of 2002. It is also a demonstration of indifference to the increased attacks and threats against the religious minorities and Dalits in India,” said Mr. Umar Malick, President of IAMC. Mr. Modi and the Saudi monarchy have much in common. As Chief Minister of Gujarat, Mr. Modi presided over one of the worst episodes of sectarian violence in independent India, when over 2,000 people were massacred by mobs instigated by the Hindu-supremacist groups. The horrific killings were accompanied by rape and pillage, resulting in the displacement of over 150,000 Muslims from their homes, many of whom are still struggling to pick up the pieces of their lives. Mr. Modi continues to have a case pending against him in the Gujarat High Court and a tainted Special Investigation Team failed to initiate prosecution of Mr. Modi. The handful of convictions in the cases related to the pogroms in Gujarat have happened as a result of tireless and courageous work by activists and whistleblowers, whom the Modi government has harassed and intimidated. Since coming to power, the Modi administration has worked steadily to erode religious freedom and India’s long-cherished traditions of tolerance among its diverse populace. Ranging from attacks on churches and mob violence against Muslims and Dalits, to felicitating the killer of Mahatma Gandhi, Mr. Modi’s administration and its supporters have relentlessly pursued a divisive agenda, that is antithetical to the country’s Constitution and its egalitarian ideals. The demonization of intellectuals, the vigilantism encouraged by the state, and the weakening of institutions are all indications of a besieged Indian democracy. Saudi forces are conducting indiscriminate airstrikes in Yemen that are widely acknowledged to have caused huge loss of civilian lives, creating an ongoing humanitarian catastrophe. Incidentally, the monarchy had conferred the same award given to Mr. Modi, on Mr. Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi of Egypt. “Coming from the Saudi monarchy, which is known for its repressive domestic policies and human rights violations, the award itself is of dubious value. It diminishes, rather than enhances the office of the Prime Minister of India,” added Mr. Malick. Indian-American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with chapters across the nation. For more information, please visit our website at: http://www.iamc.com   CONTACT: Indian American Muslim Council Phone/Fax: 1-800-839-7270 Email:info@iamc.com Facebook: Indian American Muslim Council Twitter: @IAMCouncil Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295, Morton Grove, IL 60053.   REFERENCES: 1.Indian government failed to address attacks on minorities: Human Rights groups http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2016-01-27/news/70120366_1_meenakshi-ganguly-human-rights-watch-rights-groups 2. India Gov’t Turning a Blind Eye to Religious Attacks http://www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2016/march/india-govt-turning-a-blind-eye-to-religious-attacks 3. India’s Refusal to Admit U.S. Religious Freedom Watchdog Seen As Attempt to Hide ‘Crimes’ Against Religious Minorities http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/patrick-goodenough/indias-refusal-admit-us-religious-freedom-watchdog-seen-attempt-hide 4. Two Muslim Cattle Traders Hanged To Death In Jharkhand By Suspected ‘Cattle-Protection Vigilantes’ http://www.indiatimes.com/news/india/two-muslim-cattle-traders-hanged-to-death-in-jharkhand-by-suspected-cattle-protection-vigilantes-252255.html 5. Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighting the “growing attacks” on the minority community, including the latest Latehar killings. http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/latehar-killings-ghulam-nabi-azad-letter-pm-modi-jharkand-cattle-traders/ 6. The BJP has Unleashed the Bhasmasura of Aggressive Nationalism. Good Luck Controlling It. http://thewire.in/2016/02/25/the-bjp-has-unleashed-the-bhasmasura-of-aggressive-nationalism-good-luck-controlling-it-22643/ 7. Modi government’s AYUSH ministry says ‘we don’t recruit Muslims’ http://www.milligazette.com/news/13831-we-dont-recruit-indian-muslims-modi-govts-ayush-ministry 8. Rohith Vemula’s death sparks outrage within Indian diaspora http://twocircles.net/2016jan28/1453995780.html#.VrIxb7IrLIU 9. Human Rights Advocates: U.S.-Backed Saudi Offensive in Yemen a “Dark Mark” on Obama’s Presidency http://www.democracynow.org/2016/4/1/human_rights_advocates_us_backed_saudi  

Press Release

Indian Americans honor Rep. Keith Ellison as “Champion of Human Rights”

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Indian Americans honor Rep. Keith Ellison as “Champion of Human Rights” Event to mark India’s Republic Day held on first weekend after January 26th  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 03, 2016 The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC – www.iamc.com), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, honored Congressman Keith Ellision (D-MN) as a “Champion of Human Rights,” at an India Republic Day celebration held in Minneapolis. Although Republic Day is on January 26th, the celebrations were held over the weekend, to enable optimal participation from the community. Among the speakers was Ms. Robin Phillips, of Advocates for Human Rights, a prominent organization that has done commendable work in highlighting issues related to human rights and religious freedom of minorities in India. The highlight of the event was the “Champion of Human Rights,” award given to Congressman Keith Ellison, in recognition of his work to advance human rights, both in the United States and around the world. Mike Siebenaler, Constituents Services Director in Rep. Ellison’s office, accepted the award on behalf of the Congressman. Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, both leading global human rights groups, recently expressed grave concern over the situation of minorities and the clampdown on dissent in India. Prime Minister Modi’s government, “failed to address increasing attacks on free expression and against religious minorities,”  Human Rights Watch stated in its 659-page World Report. Amnesty International sought to bring international attention to the Modi government’s targeting of activists and protest groups for political ends. “Speaking out against the violations of human rights and civil liberties of minorities in India, is an obligation of entire Indian diaspora and not just the privilege of a few,” said Mr. Robin Phillips, Executive Director of Advocates for Human Rights. “AHR, whose mission is to promote civil society and to reinforce the rule of law, feels almost obligated to work with IAMC whose main goal is freedom, justice, and peace for all in India,” added Ms. Phillips. Attendees and speakers noted the continued assault on minorities and lower castes. Delegates also expressed profound respect for Mr. Rohith Vemula, a Dalit research scholar who was driven to commit suicide as a result of the harassment and intimidation at the University of Hyderabad, in which even Union ministers were involved. Outrage over Mr. Vemula’s treatment and subsequent death has been expressed in the form of mass protests to erupt at major universities and cities across US and around the world. “This year’s Republic Day celebrations are marked by a grim reminder that the struggle to uphold justice and equality before the law for all people, regardless of caste and creed, is now more urgent than ever,” said Mr. Umar Malick, President of IAMC. Indian-American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with chapters across the nation. For more information please visit our website at: http://www.iamc.com CONTACT: Indian American Muslim Council Phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 Email:info@iamc.com  Facebook: Indian American Muslim Council Twitter: @IAMCouncil Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295, Morton Grove, IL 60053. REFERENCES: 1. Indian government failed to address attacks on minorities: Human Rights groups http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2016-01-27/news/70120366_1_meenakshi-ganguly-human-rights-watch-rights-groups 2. Rohith Vemula’s death spark outrage within Indian diaspora http://twocircles.net/2016jan28/1453995780.html#.Vrlxb7IrLIU

Press Release

Dalit scholar’s suicide in Hyderabad an indictment of BJP’s Hindutva agenda say Indian Americans

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Dalit scholar’s suicide in Hyderabad an indictment of BJP’s Hindutva agenda say Indian Americans Charges against Union Minister and Vice-Chancellor indicative of administration’s anti-Dalit and anti-minority focus rooted in Hindutva FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 19, 2016 The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC – www.iamc.com), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, has expressed  shock and outrage over the suicide of Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula at Hyderabad University. Mr. Vemula and four other members of Ambedkar Students Association were victimized and subjected to relentless harassment by the University officials. Union Minister Bandaru Dattatreya and the Vice-Chancellor  of the University Appa Rao Podile along with a BJP legislator and two student leaders face charges of abetting Rohith’s suicide, under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Rohith Vemula and his associates were clearly targeted for raising issues that were inconvenient not only for upper caste outfits and University officials, but also for the blatantly anti-Dalit and sectarian BJP administration at the Centre. Their harassment by the University on flimsy grounds included discontinuation of the monthly stipend since July and suspension from the University since September last year. This incident also exposes the role of Smriti Irani’s Human Resource and Development (HRD) Ministry. This is the second instance where Smriti Irani’s Ministry is found exerting overbearing political pressure and interference in University affairs. The IIT Madras decision to ban the Ambedkar-Periyar Study Circle (APSC) followed the receipt of a letter from Smriti Irani’s HRD Ministry. In this case, Smriti Irani’s HRD Ministry sent five letters to the Hyderabad university for action on Labour Minister Bandaru Dattareya’s complaint regarding “anti national activities” on the campus and the alleged “violent attack” on an ABVP leader. The involvement of a Union Minister in ensuring University officials remained hostile to Rohith and his fellow ASA members, and the Vice-Chancellor’s role in the tragedy has been called out in the charges brought against the minister and the Vice-Chancellor by the police. In an earlier letter to the Vice-Chancellor, Rohith had written, “Please give us poison at the time of admission itself instead of humiliating us like this.” Rohith’s suicide note also points to the psychological trauma he was going through on account of the continued harassment and intimidation. “Rohith Vemula’s suicide is a chilling example of the deeply entrenched caste-based oppression in India,” said Mr. Umar Malick, President of Indian American Muslim Council. “His death is not only an occasion for profound sorrow but also a call to action for all who care about human rights and religious freedom. Continuing caste-based oppression in modern India and anti-minority repression are the bitter fruits of Hindutva,” added Mr. Malick. While the charges against Union Minister Bandaru Dattatreya and the Vice-Chancellor of the University are a step in the right direction, justice could be elusive unless there is mass outrage over Rohith’s suicide, as well as sustained action by civil society institutions. IAMC has urged all people of conscience, in India and across the world, to recognize caste-based oppression as a form of racism. Indian–American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with chapters across the nation. For more information please visit our website at: http://www.iamc.com CONTACT: Indian American Muslim Council Phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 Email:info@iamc.com Facebook: Indian American Muslim Council Twitter: @IAMCouncil Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295, Morton Grove, IL 60053. REFERENCES: 1. Rohith Vemula: The student who died for Dalit rights http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-35349790 2. Rohith Vemula suicide: Why did HRD ministry write 4 letters on the ‘matter’ to Hyderabad Central University? http://www.firstpost.com/politics/rohith-vemula-suicide-why-did-hrd-ministry-write-4-letters-on-the-matter-to-hyderabad-central-university-2590846.html 3. IIT Madras and Modi Government Play Big Brother, Ban Student Group http://thewire.in/2015/05/29/iit-madras-and-modi-government-play-big-brother-ban-student-group-2688/ 4. Trail Of Letters That Prove The Direct Involvement Of MHRD Under Smriti Irani In The Suicide Of Rohith Vemula  http://www.countercurrents.org/rti190116.htm

Press Release

Dalit scholar’s suicide in Hyderabad an indictment of BJP’s Hindutva agenda say Indian Americans

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Charges against Union Minister and Vice-Chancellor indicative of administration’s anti-Dalit and anti-minority focus rooted in Hindutva FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 19, 2016 The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC – www.iamc.com), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, has expressed  shock and outrage over the suicide of Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula at Hyderabad University. Mr. Vemula and four other members of Ambedkar Students Association were victimized and subjected to relentless harassment by the University officials. Union Minister Bandaru Dattatreya and the Vice-Chancellor  of the University Appa Rao Podile along with a BJP legislator and two student leaders face charges of abetting Rohith’s suicide, under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Rohith Vemula and his associates were clearly targeted for raising issues that were inconvenient not only for upper caste outfits and University officials, but also for the blatantly anti-Dalit and sectarian BJP administration at the Centre. Their harassment by the University on flimsy grounds included discontinuation of the monthly stipend since July and suspension from the University since September last year. This incident also exposes the role of Smriti Irani’s Human Resource and Development (HRD) Ministry. This is the second instance where Smriti Irani’s Ministry is found exerting overbearing political pressure and interference in University affairs. The IIT Madras decision to ban the Ambedkar-Periyar Study Circle (APSC) followed the receipt of a letter from Smriti Irani’s HRD Ministry. In this case, Smriti Irani’s HRD Ministry sent five letters to the Hyderabad university for action on Labour Minister Bandaru Dattareya’s complaint regarding “anti national activities” on the campus and the alleged “violent attack” on an ABVP leader. The involvement of a Union Minister in ensuring University officials remained hostile to Rohith and his fellow ASA members, and the Vice-Chancellor’s role in the tragedy has been called out in the charges brought against the minister and the Vice-Chancellor by the police. In an earlier letter to the Vice-Chancellor, Rohith had written, “Please give us poison at the time of admission itself instead of humiliating us like this.” Rohith’s suicide note also points to the psychological trauma he was going through on account of the continued harassment and intimidation. “Rohith Vemula’s suicide is a chilling example of the deeply entrenched caste-based oppression in India,” said Mr. Umar Malick, President of Indian American Muslim Council. “His death is not only an occasion for profound sorrow but also a call to action for all who care about human rights and religious freedom. Continuing caste-based oppression in modern India and anti-minority repression are the bitter fruits of Hindutva,” added Mr. Malick. While the charges against Union Minister Bandaru Dattatreya and the Vice-Chancellor of the University are a step in the right direction, justice could be elusive unless there is mass outrage over Rohith’s suicide, as well as sustained action by civil society institutions. IAMC has urged all people of conscience, in India and across the world, to recognize caste-based oppression as a form of racism. Indian-American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with chapters across the nation. For more information please visit our website at: http://www.iamc.com CONTACT: Indian American Muslim Council Phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 Email:info@iamc.com Facebook: Indian American Muslim Council Twitter: @IAMCouncil Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295, Morton Grove, IL 60053. REFERENCES: Rohith Vemula: The student who died for Dalit rights http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-35349790 Rohith Vemula suicide: Why did HRD ministry write 4 letters on the ‘matter’ to Hyderabad Central University? http://www.firstpost.com/politics/rohith-vemula-suicide-why-did-hrd-ministry-write-4-letters-on-the-matter-to-hyderabad-central-university-2590846.html IIT Madras and Modi Government Play Big Brother, Ban Student Group http://thewire.in/2015/05/29/iit-madras-and-modi-government-play-big-brother-ban-student-group-2688/ Trail Of Letters That Prove The Direct Involvement Of MHRD Under Smriti Irani In The Suicide Of Rohith Vemula http://www.countercurrents.org/rti190116.htm

Press Release

Indian Americans express support for VP Rajeena, victimized for speaking up against child abuse

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Journalist shared her experiences  at a Madrasa (traditional Islamic school) during her childhood FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 29, 2015 The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC – www.iamc.com), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, has expressed support for journalist VP Rajeena, who described instances of sexual abuse of children that she witnessed in a Madrasa (traditional Islamic school) over two decades ago. Ms. Rajeena, who works for a Malayalam newspaper, posted on Facebook her childhood experiences at a Madrasa, where an “ustad” (teacher) allegedly engaged in abusive behavior with both boys and girls. Unfortunately, instead of taking the journalist’s revelations with the seriousness they deserve, many Muslims questioned her motives or launched a harassment campaign online including threats and hateful remarks. Its heartening to note she has received some support as well. Ms. Rajeena has repeatedly stated her post was not intended to be a generalization of all Madrasas, but a sharing of her own experience. Since Ms. Rajeena’s revelations, Kerala filmmaker Ali Akbar has come forward alleging abuse by an Ustad at a Madrasa in Wayanad district. “There are many Madrasas across India that have made positive contributions to Islamic scholarship and to the religious and spiritual upbringing of Muslims. However it does not mean all Madrasas are automatically immune to problems in the wider society,” said Umar Malick, President of Indian American Muslim Council. “We support Ms. Rajeena’s right not only to speak up about past abuse but also warn the community about the potential for such abuse, that would victimize innocent children,” added Mr. Malick. IAMC has called for an internal but independent and transparent assessment by credible community leaders, leading up to an investigation by law enforcement in all instances where there are grounds to believe the law has been violated. Indian-American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with chapters across the nation. For more information please visit our website at: http://www.iamc.com CONTACT: Indian American Muslim Council Phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 Email:info@iamc.com  Facebook: Indian American Muslim Council Twitter: @IAMCouncil Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295, Morton Grove, IL 60053. REFERENCES:  1) Journalist comes under online attack for Facebook post http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/journo-comes-under-online-attack-for-facebook-post/article7917955.ece 2)Madrassa memories, why child sex abuse has no religion http://blogs.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/random-harvest/madrassa-scandal-why-child-sex-abuse-has-no-religion/ 3)Madrasa row: Was abused by Ustad, says Kerala filmmaker Ali Akbar http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/kerala-filmmaker-ali-akbar-says-he-was-also-abused-at-madrasa/

Press Release

Indian Americans express support for VP Rajeena, victimized for speaking up against child abuse

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Indian Americans express support for VP Rajeena, victimized for speaking up against child abuse Journalist shared her experiences  at a Madrasa (traditional Islamic school) during her childhood FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 29, 2015 The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC – www.iamc.com), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, has expressed support for journalist VP Rajeena, who described instances of sexual abuse of children that she witnessed in a Madrasa (traditional Islamic school) over two decades ago. Ms. Rajeena, who works for a Malayalam newspaper, posted on Facebook her childhood experiences at a Madrasa, where an “ustad” (teacher) allegedly engaged in abusive behavior with both boys and girls. Unfortunately, instead of taking the journalist’s revelations with the seriousness they deserve, many Muslims questioned her motives or launched a harassment campaign online including threats and hateful remarks. Its heartening to note she has received some support as well. Ms. Rajeena has repeatedly stated her post was not intended to be a generalization of all Madrasas, but a sharing of her own experience. Since Ms. Rajeena’s revelations, Kerala filmmaker Ali Akbar has come forward alleging abuse by an Ustad at a Madrasa in Wayanad district. “There are many Madrasas across India that have made positive contributions to Islamic scholarship and to the religious and spiritual upbringing of Muslims. However it does not mean all Madrasas are automatically immune to problems in the wider society,” said Umar Malick, President of Indian American Muslim Council. “We support Ms. Rajeena’s right not only to speak up about past abuse but also warn the community about the potential for such abuse, that would victimize innocent children,” added Mr. Malick. IAMC has called for an internal but independent and transparent assessment by credible community leaders, leading up to an investigation by law enforcement in all instances where there are grounds to believe the law has been violated. Indian–American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with chapters across the nation. For more information please visit our website at: http://www.iamc.com CONTACT: Indian American Muslim Council Phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 Email:info@iamc.com Facebook: Indian American Muslim Council Twitter: @IAMCouncil Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295, Morton Grove, IL 60053. REFERENCES:  1) Journalist comes under online attack for Facebook post http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/journo-comes-under-online-attack-for-facebook-post/article7917955.ece 2)Madrassa memories, why child sex abuse has no religion http://blogs.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/random-harvest/madrassa-scandal-why-child-sex-abuse-has-no-religion/ 3)Madrasa row: Was abused by Ustad, says Kerala filmmaker Ali Akbar http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/kerala-filmmaker-ali-akbar-says-he-was-also-abused-at-madrasa/

Press Release

Reported rape of dead Muslim woman evokes anger, revulsion amongst Indian Americans

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Calls to rape dead Muslim women had been made at a function presided over by BJP MP Yogi Adityanath FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 27, 2015 The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC – www.iamc.com), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, has joined in the outrage and revulsion felt by Indian Americans and people of conscience everywhere, over news reports that a Muslim woman’s corpse was dug out from her grave in Talheta village near the border of Meerut and Ghaziabad districts. Her body was found without any clothes 20 meters from the grave. The police believed the ghastly incident was anattempt to stoke “communal violence” in the region. It may be recalled that in March 2015, video reports showed BJP MP Yogi Adityanath presiding over a Hindutva supremacist rally, where calls were made to rape dead Muslim women. Mr. Adityanath continued on the stage while such a despicable idea was being expressed. Subsequently Yogi Adityanath was promoted to the BJP’s national executive committee. The reaction of Indians around the world over the continuing attacks on the dignity and basic freedoms of India’s religious minorities as well as Dalits (lower-castes), has been eloquently expressed by former Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Ramdas, in a recentopen letter to the President and Prime Minister of India. Drawing the attention of the highest offices in the land to the “threats to our shared heritage,” Admiral Ramdas unequivocally separated Hinduism, the faith he was raised in, from “Hindutva, that seems to be fanning the flames of division and fear across the country.” Recent months have also seen a sharp increase in attacks on Dalits. Two Dalit children were burned alive in the Faridabad district of Uttar Pradesh state by upper-caste miscreants who set the house on fire while the family was sleeping. The incident has sent shock-waves across India. “Today, as a veteran in my eighties, I am forced to hang my head in shame as I witness a series of incidents and assaults on our fellow citizens, especially minorities and dalits,” wrote Admiral Ramdas. Further in the letter, he states, “”Most shocking of all is the fact there has been no unambiguous condemnation of such actions and behaviour by those at the helm of affairs in the country.” The letter draws attention to the “systematic and well orchestrated attempt to impose a majoritarian single point agenda of creating a Hindu Rashtra in India – led by the RSS and their network of groups…” The full text of the letter is available online. “The ‘total disregard for the rule of law,’ that Admiral Ramdas referred to in his letter, has been evident, time and again, in atrocities committed by the foot soldiers of the Hindutva supremacist ideology espoused by the RSS and its affiliates,” said Mr. Umar Malick, President of IAMC. “Indians of all faiths need to come together, to unequivocally condemn inhuman behavior and the ideology that supports such actions,”added Mr. Malick. IAMC lauds Admiral Ramdas for his courage, as well as the Indian writers who have protested against the rising attacks on minorities and intellectuals, by returning their awards. In recent weeks, more than 40 eminent writers returned their Sahitya Akademi Award, which is India’s highest literary award. Indian-American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with chapters across the nation. For more information please visit our website at: http://www.iamc.com CONTACT: Indian American Muslim Council Phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 Email:info@iamc.com  Facebook: Indian American Muslim Council Twitter: @IAMCouncil Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295, Morton Grove, IL 60053. REFERENCES:    1. Yogi Adityanath’s Men Telling Hindus To Rape Dead Muslim Women Is Beyond Shocking http://www.indiatimes.com/news/india/yogi-adityanaths-men-telling-hindus-to-rape-dead-muslim-women-is-beyond-shocking-230679.html    2. Woman dug out from grave, ‘raped’ http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/meerut/Womans-body-dug-out-from-grave-raped-Cops-say-it-was-an-attempt-to-stoke-communal-violence/articleshow/49519603.cms 3. Modi Plays Anti-Muslim Card at Bihar Rally to Woo Dalits, OBCs http://thewire.in/2015/10/26/modi-plays-anti-muslim-card-at-bihar-rally-to-woo-dalits-obcs-14079/ 4. Two Dalit children burned alive in Faridabad after upper-caste people set their house on fire http://www.dailymail.co.uk/indiahome/indianews/article-3281581/Caste-fire-engulfs-house-Faridabad-killing-two-Dalit-children.html 5. Dalit children burnt alive: Whither is humanity? http://www.newsgram.com/dalit-children-burnt-alive-whither-is-humanity/ 6. Who or what is fanning intolerance in India? http://www.ibtimes.co.in/who-what-fanning-intolerance-india-651747 7. India’s Narendra Modi must rein in his Hindu supremacist allies http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/c5547666-7bce-11e5-98fb-5a6d4728f74e.html#axzz3pmhvjsZs

Press Release

Reported rape of dead Muslim woman evokes anger, revulsion among Indian Americans

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Reported rape of dead Muslim woman evokes anger, revulsion among Indian Americans Calls to rape dead Muslim women had been made at a function presided over by BJP MP Yogi Adityanath FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 27, 2015 The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC – www.iamc.com), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, has joined in the outrage and revulsion felt by Indian Americans and people of conscience everywhere, over news reports that a Muslim woman’s corpse was dug out from her grave in Talheta village near the border of Meerut and Ghaziabad districts. Her body was found without any clothes 20 meters from the grave. The police believed the ghastly incident was an attempt to stoke “communal violence” in the region. It may be recalled that in March 2015, video reports showed BJP MP Yogi Adityanath presiding over a Hindutva supremacist rally, where calls were made to rape dead Muslim women. Mr. Adityanath continued on the stage while such a despicable idea was being expressed. Subsequently Yogi Adityanath was promoted to the BJP’s national executive committee. The reaction of Indians around the world over the continuing attacks on the dignity and basic freedoms of India’s religious minorities as well as Dalits (lower-castes), has been eloquently expressed by former Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Ramdas, in a recent open letter to the President and Prime Minister of India. Drawing the attention of the highest offices in the land to the “threats to our shared heritage,” Admiral Ramdas unequivocally separated Hinduism, the faith he was raised in, from “Hindutva, that seems to be fanning the flames of division and fear across the country.” Recent months have also seen a sharp increase in attacks on Dalits. Two Dalit children were burned alive in the Faridabad district of Uttar Pradesh state by upper-caste miscreants who set the house on fire while the family was sleeping. The incident has sent shock-waves across India. “Today, as a veteran in my eighties, I am forced to hang my head in shame as I witness a series of incidents and assaults on our fellow citizens, especially minorities and dalits,” wrote Admiral Ramdas. Further in the letter, he states, “Most shocking of all is the fact there has been no unambiguous condemnation of such actions and behaviour by those at the helm of affairs in the country.” The letter draws attention to the “systematic and well orchestrated attempt to impose a majoritarian single point agenda of creating a Hindu Rashtra in India – led by the RSS and their network of groups…” The full text of the letter is available online. “The ‘total disregard for the rule of law,’ that Admiral Ramdas referred to in his letter, has been evident, time and again, in atrocities committed by the foot soldiers of the Hindutva supremacist ideology espoused by the RSS and its affiliates,” said Mr. Umar Malick, President of IAMC. “Indians of all faiths need to come together, to unequivocally condemn inhuman behavior and the ideology that supports such actions,” added Mr. Malick. IAMC lauds Admiral Ramdas for his courage, as well as the Indian writers who have protested against the rising attacks on minorities and intellectuals, by returning their awards. In recent weeks, more than 40 eminent writers returned their Sahitya Akademi Award, which is India’s highest literary recognition. Indian–American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with chapters across the nation. For more information please visit our website at: http://www.iamc.com CONTACT: Indian American Muslim Council Phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 Email:info@iamc.com Facebook: Indian American Muslim Council Twitter: @IAMCouncil Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295, Morton Grove, IL 60053. REFERENCES: 1. Yogi Adityanath’s Men Telling Hindus To Rape Dead Muslim Women Is Beyond Shocking http://www.indiatimes.com/news/india/yogi-adityanaths-men-telling-hindus-to-rape-dead-muslim-women-is-beyond-shocking-230679.html 2. Woman dug out from grave, ‘raped’ http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/meerut/Womans-body-dug-out-from-grave-raped-Cops-say-it-was-an-attempt-to-stoke-communal-violence/articleshow/49519603.cms 3. Modi Plays Anti-Muslim Card at Bihar Rally to Woo Dalits, OBCs http://thewire.in/2015/10/26/modi-plays-anti-muslim-card-at-bihar-rally-to-woo-dalits-obcs-14079/ 4. Two Dalit children burned alive in Faridabad after upper-caste people set their house on fire http://www.dailymail.co.uk/indiahome/indianews/article-3281581/Caste-fire-engulfs-house-Faridabad-killing-two-Dalit-children.html 5. Dalit children burnt alive: Whither is humanity? http://www.newsgram.com/dalit-children-burnt-alive-whither-is-humanity/ 6. Who or what is fanning intolerance in India? http://www.ibtimes.co.in/who-what-fanning-intolerance-india-651747 7. India’s Narendra Modi must rein in his Hindu supremacist allies http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/c5547666-7bce-11e5-98fb-5a6d4728f74e.html#axzz3pmhvjsZs

Press Release

Horrific lynching in India a planned uptick in Hindu supremacist violence against minorities say Indian Americans

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Brutal killing over mere suspicion of eating beef intended to terrorize local Muslims and polarize communities along religious lines FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 03, 2015 The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC – www.iamc.com), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, has strongly condemned the latest episode of anti-minority violence in India, in the form of a mob lynching of a Muslim man and his son in Dadri, Uttar Pradesh, over mere suspicion of having eaten beef. Although the incident was made to appear like a spontaneous act of violence by an unruly crowd, there are strong indications that this was a planned act, intended to terrorize the Muslim population of the district and suppress dissent across India over the beef ban implemented in some states. News reports indicate the son of a local politician from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) instigated the mob of over 200 people, to attack Mohammad Akhlaq and his son. They beat Akhlaq to death, while his 22 year-old son Danish was injured and is in critical condition. Another son of Mohammed Akhlaq is a serving corporal in the Indian Air Force. Beyond the mob’s inhuman behavior, it is alarming to note that the police have sent the meat from the victim’s refrigerator to a forensic lab to be tested, out of apparent respect for the mob’s feelings. This effectively turns the victim into the accused, despite the fact that even if the family were in possession of beef, they were not in violation of the Uttar Pradesh Cow Protection Act. Besides the law enforcement machinery, even the regional Hindi media has joined hands in labeling the victim, Mohammed Akhlaq as a cow-killer. Journalists from major media outlets attempting to visit the village in order to cover the story have been attacked by locals. In a brazen act of state complicity with the killers, the Sub-Divisional Magistrate has threatened the family of the victim with “dire consequences” if they speak out. The fact that the local BJP leader Srichand Sharma announced a “mahapanchayat” (grand village gathering) to protest the arrests made in the case, is an indication of how Hindu nationalist forces are rallying behind the killers. BJP and other Sangh-affiliated organizations have sought to make beef a deeply contentious issue across India. Although cow slaughter has traditionally been restricted, some BJP ruled states have banned the sale of all beef. India ranks 5th in the world in beef production, 7th in domestic consumption, and 1st in exporting. In 2014 India surpassed Brazil as the world’s top beef exporter. In the run-up to the last Parliamentary elections Mr. Modi had decried the “pink revolution,” lamenting India’s position as a major exporter of meat, although the industry is a source of livelihood for millions of Indians. “Both the BJP, as well as Prime Minister Modi bear responsibility for the poison being spread through a twisted form of cultural nationalism,” said Mr. Umar Malick, President of IAMC. “It involves the PM wooing global audiences over promises of development, while giving a free hand to Hindu militias to terrorize and uproot hapless minorities,” added Mr. Malick.   The fact that this has happened in Uttar Pradesh, ruled by the Samajwadi Party (SP), is not a coincidence. The Sahay Committee, constituted to investigate the anti-Muslim pogrom in Muzaffarnagar in 2013, found both SP and BJP responsible for the mass violence that claimed over a 100 lives and resulted in the displacement of over 50,000 people.IAMC has called on the national media to brave the attacks from local Hindu supremacist goons, and to expose the larger design behind the Dadri lynchings. Civil society must resist the increasingly fascist positions adopted by the Sangh and its affiliates. IAMC has also urged world leaders and technology titans that PM Modi has been courting since he came to office, to condemn Hindu nationalist fanaticism and diminishing religious freedom in India. Indian-American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with chapters across the nation. For more information please visit our website at:   http://www.iamc.com CONTACT: Indian American Muslim Council Phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 Email:info@iamc.com  Facebook: Indian American Muslim Council Twitter: @IAMCouncil Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295, Morton Grove, IL 60053. REFERENCES: 1. A mob in India just dragged a man from his home and beat him to death – for eating beef http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2015/09/30/a-mob-in-india-just-dragged-a-man-from-his-home-and-beat-him-to-death-for-eating-beef/  2. Dadri lynching: Local BJP member’s son instigated crowd to attack Mohammed Iqlakhhttp://zeenews.india.com/news/uttar-pradesh/dadri-lynching-local-bjp-members-son-instigated-crowd-to-attack-mohammed-iqlakh_1805461.html 3. Dadri lynching reminds us how PM Modi bears responsibility for the poison being spread http://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/the-party-and-its-poison/ 4. UP ‘beef lynching’: How the police have turned the victims into the accused http://scroll.in/article/759030/by-seizing-meat-from-fridge-uttar-pradesh-police-is-blaming-murdered-man-for-mobs-crime 5. India: World’s Top Beef Exporter http://apps.fas.usda.gov/psdonline/circulars/livestock_poultry.pdf 6. Sub-Divisional Magistrate of Dadri threaten’s victim’s family from speaking out http://twocircles.net/2015oct03/1443833030.html#.VhAhOPlVikp 7. New York Times: A ban on beef in India is not the answer http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/18/opinion/sunday/manil-suri-a-ban-on-beef-in-india-is-not-the-answer.html 8. UP Beef Lynching: Indian Air Force mulls moving victim’s kin to its area http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/UP-beef-lynching-Indian-Air-Force-mulls-moving-victims-kin-to-its-area-two-main-accused-arrested/articleshow/49207307.cms  9. How Hindi press reported the lynching http://scroll.in/article/758934/man-accused-of-killing-an-animal-is-dead-how-hindi-press-reported-lynching-of-a-man-near-delhi 10. “The Clash Within: Democracy, Religious Violence, and India’s Future” Martha Nussbaum, Belknap Press of Harvard University Press (2009) 11. Sahay Committee finds SP, BJP hand in Muzaffernagar riots http://www.business-standard.com/article/politics/sahay-committee-finds-sp-bjp-hand-in-muzaffarnagar-riots-115092400237_1.html 12. Uttar Pradesh Cow Protection Act http://vidhibharti.org/view_gos.php?c=164  

Press Release

Horrific lynching in India a planned uptick in Hindu supremacist violence against minorities say Indian Americans

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Horrific lynching in India a planned uptick in Hindu supremacist violence against minorities say Indian Americans Brutal killing over mere suspicion of eating beef intended to terrorize local Muslims and polarize communities along religious lines FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 03, 2015 The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC – www.iamc.com), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, has strongly condemned the latest episode of anti-minority violence in India, in the form of a mob lynching of a Muslim man and his son in Dadri, Uttar Pradesh, over mere suspicion of having eaten beef. Although the incident was made to appear like a spontaneous act of violence by an unruly crowd, there are strong indications that this was a planned act, intended to terrorize the Muslim population of the district and suppress dissent across India over the beef ban implemented in some states. News reports indicate the son of a local politician from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) instigated the mob of over 200 people, to attack Mohammad Akhlaq and his son. They beat Akhlaq to death, while his 22 year-old son Danish was injured and is in critical condition. Another son of Mohammed Akhlaq is a serving corporal in the Indian Air Force. Beyond the mob’s inhuman behavior, it is alarming to note that the police have sent the meat from the victim’s refrigerator to a forensic lab to be tested, out of apparent respect for the mob’s feelings. This effectively turns the victim into the accused, despite the fact that even if the family were in possession of beef, they were not in violation of the Uttar Pradesh Cow Protection Act. Besides the law enforcement machinery, even the regional Hindi media has joined hands in labeling the victim, Mohammed Akhlaq as a cow-killer. Journalists from major media outlets attempting to visit the village in order to cover the story have been attacked by locals. In a brazen act of state complicity with the killers, the Sub-Divisional Magistrate has threatened the family of the victim with “dire consequences” if they speak out. The fact that the local BJP leader Srichand Sharma announced a “mahapanchayat” (grand village gathering) to protest the arrests made in the case, is an indication of how Hindu nationalist forces are rallying behind the killers. BJP and other Sangh-affiliated organizations have sought to make beef a deeply contentious issue across India. Although cow slaughter has traditionally been restricted, some BJP ruled states have banned the sale of all beef. India ranks 5th in the world in beef production, 7th in domestic consumption, and 1st in exporting. In 2014 India surpassed Brazil as the world’s top beef exporter. In the run-up to the last Parliamentary elections Mr. Modi had decried the “pink revolution,” lamenting India’s position as a major exporter of meat, although the industry is a source of livelihood for millions of Indians. “Both the BJP, as well as Prime Minister Modi bear responsibility for the poison being spread through a twisted form of cultural nationalism,” said Mr. Umar Malick, President of IAMC. “It involves the PM wooing global audiences over promises of development, while giving a free hand to Hindu militias to terrorize and uproot hapless minorities,” added Mr. Malick. The fact that this has happened in Uttar Pradesh, ruled by the Samajwadi Party (SP), is not a coincidence. The Sahay Committee, constituted to investigate the anti-Muslim pogrom in Muzaffarnagar in 2013, found both SP and BJP responsible for the mass violence that claimed over a 100 lives and resulted in the displacement of over 50,000 people. IAMC has called on the national media to brave the attacks from local Hindu supremacist goons, and to expose the larger design behind the Dadri lynchings. Civil society must resist the increasingly fascist positions adopted by the Sangh and its affiliates. IAMC has also urged world leaders and technology titans that PM Modi has been courting since he came to office, to condemn Hindu nationalist fanaticism and diminishing religious freedom in India. Indian–American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with chapters across the nation. For more information please visit our website at: http://www.iamc.com CONTACT: Indian American Muslim Council Phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 Email:info@iamc.com Facebook: Indian American Muslim Council Twitter: @IAMCouncil Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295, Morton Grove, IL 60053. REFERENCES: 1. A mob in India just dragged a man from his home and beat him to death – for eating beef http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2015/09/30/a-mob-in-india-just-dragged-a-man-from-his-home-and-beat-him-to-death-for-eating-beef/ 2. Dadri lynching: Local BJP member’s son instigated crowd to attack Mohammed Iqlakh http://zeenews.india.com/news/uttar-pradesh/dadri-lynching-local-bjp-members-son-instigated-crowd-to-attack-mohammed-iqlakh_1805461.html   3. Dadri lynching reminds us how PM Modi bears responsibility for the poison being spread http://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/the-party-and-its-poison/   4. UP ‘beef lynching’: How the police have turned the victims into the accused http://scroll.in/article/759030/by-seizing-meat-from-fridge-uttar-pradesh-police-is-blaming-murdered-man-for-mobs-crime   5. India: World’s Top Beef Exporter http://apps.fas.usda.gov/psdonline/circulars/livestock_poultry.pdf   6. Sub-Divisional Magistrate of Dadri threaten’s victim’s family from speaking out http://twocircles.net/2015oct03/1443833030.html#.VhAhOPlVikp 7. New York Times: A ban on beef in India is not the answer http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/18/opinion/sunday/manil-suri-a-ban-on-beef-in-india-is-not-the-answer.html   8. UP Beef Lynching: Indian Air Force mulls moving victim’s kin to its area http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/UP-beef-lynching-Indian-Air-Force-mulls-moving-victims-kin-to-its-area-two-main-accused-arrested/articleshow/49207307.cms 9. How Hindi press reported the lynching http://scroll.in/article/758934/man-accused-of-killing-an-animal-is-dead-how-hindi-press-reported-lynching-of-a-man-near-delhi   10. “The Clash Within: Democracy, Religious Violence, and India’s Future” Martha Nussbaum, Belknap Press of Harvard University Press (2009)   11. Sahay Committee finds SP, BJP hand in Muzaffernagar riots http://www.business-standard.com/article/politics/sahay-committee-finds-sp-bjp-hand-in-muzaffarnagar-riots-115092400237_1.html  12. Uttar Pradesh Cow Protection Act http://vidhibharti.org/view_gos.php?c=164

Press Release

Indian Americans celebrate India Independence Day, call for unified action to secure life, liberty and justice for all

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IAMC calls the defense of secularism in India a struggle to save the soul of the nation  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Saturday, August 15, 2015 The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC – www.iamc.com), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, has joined millions of people of Indian origin, living in India and across the world, in celebrating  the nation’s 69th Independence Day. IAMC today participated in the India Day celebrations in Michigan, organized by a large group of community organizations to mark the joyous occasion.  The event was attended by over 25,000 people from the Indian American community, with Padma Shri award winner Milkha Singh as the chief guest. IAMC Booth at India Day Celebrations in Michigan It is noteworthy that India’s freedom struggle was a truly nationalistic effort, undertaken by people of all faiths, including countless Muslims.  Among the thousands who laid down their lives for India’s freedom were hundreds of Muslim scholars and individuals who made the ultimate sacrifice so we could enjoy the fruits of liberty. While celebrating India’s freedom from colonial rule, the stark reality is that its continued existence as a pluralist, secular society is threatened by the destructive fervor of a divisive ideology that mirrors fascism in its brutality and jaundiced worldview.  Focusing our attention and resources to meeting this challenge is the need of the hour, for all Indians who care about the nation’s future. It is therefore important to mark Independence Day not only as a celebration of India’s freedom and democracy, but also as a means of overtly expressing solidarity and unity against fascist forces that threaten these ideals. The long list of gravely disturbing events in the recent past includes physical violence, arson, desecration of churches and attempts to forcibly “reconvert” thousands of Christians and Muslims to Hinduism, all documented in the recent 2015 Annual Reportof the US Commission for International Religious Freedom. There is a sustained campaign of harassment and intimidation of human rights activistsand whistleblowers as well as a crackdown on renowned international organizations such as Greenpeace, Amnesty International and the Ford Foundation when they have taken positions that are critical of the government. These have grave implications for freedom of dissent and the future of civil society institutions in India. Outrageously misogynistic remarks such as calling rape “sometime right, sometimes wrong,” have come from politicians in positions of power within the ruling party, while inflammatory calls for the disenfranchisement of Muslims and calls for the forced sterilization of Muslims and Christians from prominent individuals within the Hindutva movement have not been censured by the administration. While the country may have unshackled itself from the yoke of colonial rule in 1947, a genuine and lasting freedom will come when the state truly considers all citizens as equal before the law, and when the government considers safeguarding the constitution as its primary obligation; more important than any ideological loyalties. “As we celebrate Independence Day, true patriotism requires that we acknowledge the profound challenges in front of us and marshal all resources to address them,” said Mr. Umar Malick, President of the Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC). “Rapid erosion of religious freedom and civil liberties, at the behest of the government itself, requires the citizenry to step up to the challenge of saving the nation and its institutions from bigotry,” added Mr. Malick. Indian-American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with chapters across the nation.   For more information please visit our website at: http://www.iamc.com CONTACT: Indian American Muslim Council Phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 Email:info@iamc.com  Facebook: Indian American Muslim Council Twitter: @IAMCouncil Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295, Morton Grove, IL 60053. REFERENCES:  India League of America – Michigan: India Day Celebrations http://www.ilamichigan.org/IndiaDay/ USCIRF Report 2015: Chapter on India http://www.uscirf.gov/sites/default/files/India%202015.pdf Modi government’s hounding of Teesta Setalvad is a message to all dissidents http://scroll.in/article/740762/modi-governments-hounding-of-teesta-setalvad-is-a-message-to-all-dissidents U.S. Ambassador Criticizes India’s Crackdown on Charities and Activist Groups http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/07/world/asia/india-narendra-modi-ngos-ford-foundation-greenpeace.html Indian Political Party Advocates the Denial of Voting Rights for Muslims http://time.com/3819055/shiv-sena-india-saamana-editorial-muslim-voting-rights/ Hindu Mahasabha leader calls for forcible  sterilization of Christians and Muslims http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-impose-emergency-and-sterilise-muslims-christians-forcibly-says-hindu-mahasabha-leader-2076735 ‘Reconversion’ of Religious Minorities Roils India’s Politics http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/24/world/asia/india-narendra-modi-hindu-conversions-missionaries.html

Press Release

Continued vendetta against Teesta Setalvad condemned by Indian Americans

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CBI raids on Teesta’s home and offices are payback for years of fearless advocacy for victims of Gujarat 2002 pogroms July 15, 2015 The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC – www.iamc.com), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos,  has condemned the latest episode in the BJP government’s continued vendetta against renowned human rights activist Teesta Setalvad.  The government has unleashed a CBI probe against Ms. Setalvad, her associates as well as the organization she has spearheaded in her struggle for justice for the victims of Gujarat pogroms of 2002. The raids on Ms. Setalvad’s home and offices come in the wake of the Supreme Court approving her anticipatory bail in a different case being pursued against her by the Gujarat government. The CBI probe was initiated on the orders of the Home Ministry, that is alleging irregularities in some foreign contributions received by Sabrang Communications, headed by Teesta. Raids were carried out despite Ms. Setalvad’s assurances to the CBI that she and her organization would cooperate fully with the investigation. In the case against her filed by the Gujarat government, Ms. Setalvad’s organization Sabrang Trust had provided detailed responses to all the questions raised by the BJP-led government. As in previous attempts at harassing and intimidating Ms. Setalvad, the intent is clearly to browbeat her into submission and hamper the crucial work she and her organization are engaged in, in the cause of justice and accountability. “The fact that the BJP governments, both at the state and central level have resorted to using the state security apparatus to intimidate a tireless worker for justice represents an affront to the constitutional guarantees of equality before the law for all citizens,” said Mr. Umar Malick, President of IAMC. “It is ironical that the BJP had alleged that the CBI was a ‘politcal tool’ in the hands of the ruling party, when the BJP itself was in the opposition,” added Mr. Malick. In stark contrast to the repressive measures against Ms. Setalvad and other human rights activists and whistleblowers, is the reprieve given to several accused in the Gujarat pogroms of 2002, at the behest of the BJP government. In February this year, 70 accused were acquitted by a local court in north Gujarat, while the Gujarat High Court granted bail to  convicted mass murderer Ms. Maya Kodnani on the pretext that her appeal was pending.  The dismal conviction rate in cases connected to the Gujarat pogroms, shows the government’s complete lack of interest in pursuing those that killed and raped with impunity. “The government’s gunning for Teesta Setalvad does not diminish the gravity of the crimes committed by the perpetrators of the Gujarat pogroms of 2002, and the culpability of those in the administration that were complicit in the mass violence,” said Mr. Khalid Ansari, Vice President of IAMC. “Despite attempts by these culprits to subvert the justice system, the long arm of the law will surely catch up with them,” added Mr. Ansari. Indian-American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with chapters across the nation.   For more information please visit our website at: http://www.iamc.com CONTACT: Indian American Muslim Council Phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 Email:info@iamc.com  Facebook: Indian American Muslim Council Twitter: @IAMCouncil Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295, Morton Grove, IL 60053. REFERENCES: CBI Raids Activist Teesta Setalvad’s Residence, Office in Mumbai http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/cbi-raids-activist-teesta-setalvads-residence-office-in-mumbai-781228 Modi government’s hounding of Teesta Setalvad is a message to all dissidents http://scroll.in/article/740762/modi-governments-hounding-of-teesta-setalvad-is-a-message-to-all-dissidents After Teesta, Gujarat government guns for Ford Foundation, seeks probe http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/After-Teesta-Gujarat-govt-guns-for-Ford-Foundation-seeks-probe/articleshow/46926517.cms Bombay HC grants interim bail to Teesta Setalvad, husband http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/bombay-hc-grants-interim-bail-to-teesta-setalvad-husband/article5562176.ece Teesta Setalvad disappointed with court decision on Gujarat riots, will appeal http://www.newstrackindia.com/newsdetails/2013/12/26/255-Teesta-Setalvad-disappointed-with-court-decision-on-Gujarat-riots-will-appeal.html Teesta Setalvad: Wheels within wheels http://www.khaleejtimes.com/kt-letter-display.asp?xfile=data/letters/2014/January/letters_January42.xml§ion=letters “The Clash Within: Democracy, Religious Violence, and India’s Future” Martha Nussbaum, Belknap Press of Harvard University Press (2009)

Press Release

Indian Americans urge India, US to heed USCIRF’s recommendations on safeguarding religious freedom in India

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USCIRF Report for 2015 documents forced conversions of minorities to Hinduism, rising attacks on their places of worship and other restrictions on religious freedom April 30, 2015 The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC – www.iamc.com), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos,  has welcomed the recommendations on India in the report released today by the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), and called on India to heed its recommendations. IAMC has also urged the US State Department to take cognizance of the report when issuing its own report on international religious freedom, and to act on USCIRF’s multiple recommendations on including religious freedom  concerns in bilateral talks with India. Of particular significance is the fact that the USCIRF report again places India on the Tier 2 list of countries where religious freedom is at risk. India has been on this list every year since 2009.  The Chapter on India  in the report documents violence as well as the sharp increase in hate campaigns against religious minorities, including Christians, Muslims and Sikhs. It notes with concern the renewed calls for legislating on a national level, anti-conversion laws that have been used to restrict freedom of religion in some states. The report has also cited physical violence, arson, desecration of churches and attempts to forcibly “reconvert” thousands of Christians and Muslims to Hinduism. It clearly points to Hindu supremacist forces for most of the religiously motivated violence and attacks on freedom of religion. “The perpetrators are often individuals and groups associated with the RSS and VHP and operate with near impunity,” the report stated. “The USCIRF report represents international recognition of the growing attacks on minorities in India by Hindutva forces, including those that are part of the ruling dispensation,” said Mr. Umar Malick, President of Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC). “India remaining on USCIRF’s Tier 2 list of countries since 2009 is an unfortunate but inevitable fact, given the ground realities in India. Instead of taking steps to address concerns about religious minorities, the BJP administration’s sectarian and divisive agenda has only resulted in a worsening of India’s record on religious freedom. The international community is rightly concerned about India’s religious minorities, given the attacks have targeted them, their institutions and places of worship and their ability to practice their religions. In the case of Sikhs, Hindutva elements have even targeted the community’s right to self-identification as a distinct religious community,” added Mr. Malick. Although India’s traditionally pluralist society has seen a decline in religious freedom in the last two decades due to the growing influence of the supremacist ideology of Hindutva, the deterioration since the movement’s political wing came to power last year has been dramatic. From programs known as “ghar wapsi,” intended to forcibly convert Christians and Muslims to Hinduism, to hate campaigns calling for the disenfranchisement of Muslims and the forced sterilization of Christians and Muslims, the situation of minorities under the BJP rule has become precarious. IAMC has urged the US government to accept the report’s recommendation to integrate concern for religious freedom in its bilateral talks with India. “We believe the report’s recommendation is best fulfilled through an inclusion of religious freedom and human rights in the US-India Strategic Dialogue,” stated Mr. Khalid Ansari, Vice-President of IAMC. Indian-American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with chapters across the nation.   For more information please visit our website at: http://www.iamc.com CONTACT: Indian American Muslim Council Phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 Email:info@iamc.com  Facebook: Indian American Muslim Council Twitter: @IAMCouncil Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295, Morton Grove, IL 60053. REFERENCES:  USCIRF Issues its 2015 Annual Report http://www.uscirf.gov/news-room/press-releases/uscirf-issues-its-2015-annual-report USCIRF Report 2015: Chapter on India http://www.uscirf.gov/sites/default/files/India%202015.pdfIndian Political Party Advocates the Denial of Voting Rights for Muslims http://time.com/3819055/shiv-sena-india-saamana-editorial-muslim-voting-rights/Hindu Mahasabha leader calls for forcible sterilization of Christians and Muslims http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-impose-emergency-and-sterilise-muslims-christians-forcibly-says-hindu-mahasabha-leader-2076735 ‘Reconversion’ of Religious Minorities Roils India’s Politics http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/24/world/asia/india-narendra-modi-hindu-conversions-missionaries.html RSS body seeks donations to fund Christmas ‘conversions’ in Aligarh http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/RSS-body-seeks-donations-to-fund-Christmas-conversions-in-Aligarh/articleshow/45484672.cms UN Official: India’s ‘Conversion’ Laws Threaten Religious Freedom http://blogs.wsj.com/indiarealtime/2014/03/10/un-official-indias-conversion-laws-threaten-religious-freedom/ Shocking: Plans to name flyover after Gandhi’s assassin http://www.indiatvnews.com/news/india/alwar-flyover-was-about-to-named-after-nathuram-godse-47187.html How India is assassinating Gandhi’s legacy http://www.progressive.org/news/2015/01/187982/how-india-assassinating-gandhis-legacy

Press Release

Fake encounter killings in Telangana are an outrage against the rule of law say Indian Americans

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Killing of five youth while they were handcuffed on their way to court in a police van warrants a judicial probe April 09, 2015 Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC – www.iamc.com), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos ethos has called the Telangana police killing of five detainees in a transportation van, a fake encounter and a case of “custodial killing.” The five youth with alleged links to Students’ Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), were being transported to a Hyderabad court for a hearing. Video footage of the police van given to Amnesty International by a journalist, shows five youth in the van after they were killed. All five were seen handcuffed in the video. The custodial killings are widely seen as revenge for two separate encounters in which fierce gun battles involving alleged members of SIMI with law enforcement in Telangana left four policemen dead. “The killing of police personnel is condemnable in the strongest possible terms,” stated Mr. Umar Malick, President of IAMC. “However, the fact that the state chose to respond with the custodial killing of five handcuffed undertrials in a police van, should send alarm bells ringing for all who care about accountability and the rule of law,” added Mr. Malick. In a separate incident, 20 suspected sandalwood smugglers were brutally gunned down by the police in Andhra Pradesh, prompting the National Human Rights Commission of India to call it a “serious violation of human rights.” IAMC has echoed calls by Amnesty International and other civil liberties organizations in India for an independent probe into the Telangana killings. In a statement reported in the media, Abhirr V P, Senior Campaigner at Amnesty International India stated, “Impunity for extrajudicial executions is a serious issue in India. Authorities in Telangana need to urgently conduct an independent criminal investigation into the case to determine if it involved extrajudicial executions disguised as ‘encounter’ killings.” One of the prisoners gunned down was Viqaruddin who had been framed by the police in the Mecca Masjid bomb blasts in 2007, and was among the 50 people that were later acknowledged as “wrongly arrested.” This custodial killing is similar to several others that have taken place in recent years, such as Mohammed Qateel in 2012 and Khalid Mujahid in 2013, whose lives were cruelly snuffed out while in police custody or serving time in prison. During Mr. Modi’s tenure as Chief Minister of Gujarat, there were several infamous cases of fake encounters involving victims from the Muslim community. Ishrat Jahan, a 19 year old girl from Mumbai was gunned down by the Gujarat police along with three other men in 2004. The encounter was carried out by disgraced Deputy Inspector General of Police D.G. Vanzara who was also implicated in the fake encounter killing of Sohrabuddin Sheikh in 2007. Vanzara has been released from prison after the Hindu nationalist government of the BJP came to power. In a resignation letter while in prison, he had gone on record stating that fake encounter killings in Gujarat were carried out with full knowledge and sanction of the Gujarat state government, then headed by Mr. Modi as Chief Minister. Forty other policemen accused of fake encounters have been released in Gujarat alone, under the new administration. Indian American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with chapters across the nation. For more information, please visit http://www.iamc.com CONTACT: Indian American Muslim Council Phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 Email:info@iamc.com Facebook: Indian American Muslim Council Twitter: @IAMCouncil Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295, Morton Grove, IL 60053. REFERENCES 1. Telangana must investigate alleged extrajudicial executions of five Muslims : Amnesty International http://muslimmirror.com/eng/telangana-must-investigate-alleged-extrajudicial-executions-of-five-muslims-amnesty-international/ 2. Telangana cops in soup after Viqaruddin, four others die in “encounter” http://www.firstpost.com/india/telangana-cops-in-a-soup-after-viqaruddin-four-others-die-in-encounter-2189639.html 3. Another innocent Muslim accused in Burdwan Blast acquitted http://www.siasat.com/english/news/another-innocent-muslim-accused-burdwan-blast-acquitted 4. Amit Shah acquitted in fake encounter cases http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/gujarat-fake-encounter-cases-deadline-ends-today-cbi-may-not-file-plea-against-shahs-discharge/ 5. Controversial Gujarat cop D.G. Vanzara leaves jail, says ‘Achhe Din’ are back http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/former-gujarat-police-officer-dg-vanzara-walks-out-of-jail-740487 6. Sadiq encounter case: temporary bail to DySP Tarun Barot http://zeenews.india.com/news/gujarat/sadiq-encounter-case-temporary-bail-to-dysp-tarun-barot_1560032.html 7. INDIA: Remedies to human rights violations a mirage, Asia Human Rights Commission, Feb 27, 2014 http://www.humanrights.asia/news/alrc-news/human-rights-council/hrc25/ALRC-CWS-25-14-2014 Forward email

Press Release

Shocking reversals in the struggle for justice mark Gujarat pogroms anniversary

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A season of “clean chits” for the guilty and hounding of activists since the coming to power of Hindu supremacists  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 28, 2015  The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC – www.iamc.com), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos has marked the 13th anniversary of the Gujarat pogroms of 2002, by pledging to continue the struggle for justice, regardless of the passage of time and the vicissitudes in the electoral fortunes of the masterminds behind the genocide. IAMC has expressed its dismay over the brazen mockery of justice in cases related to the pogroms, since the new government came to power in May 2014. The Gujarat pogroms of 2002 represent the most horrific case of mass targeted violence against a specific religious community in independent India. In systematic and organized attacks against Muslims, over 2,000 people were massacred and over 150,000 were displaced and rendered homeless. The genocide was accompanied by brutal forms of sexual violence against hundreds of women. In several high-profile cases, the perpetrators have either been acquitted by the infamous and compromised Special Investigations Team (SIT), or granted bail after having been convicted. In parallel, activists such as Teesta Setalvad, who demonstrated exemplary courage in pursuing justice for the victims, are being hounded by the police and subject to harassment by the state under trumped-up charges. Last Friday, six people accused in the barbaric killing of three British citizens during the Gujarat massacres were acquitted by the court for “lack of evidence.” The three Britons were Saeed and Shakil Dawood and Mohammad Aswat. They were burned alive near Prantij town of Gujarat’s Sabarkantha district. “The denial of justice for the victims of the Gujarat pogroms compounds the enormity of the crimes committed against them in 2002,” stated Mr. Umar Malick, President of IAMC. “The BJP government has continued in the tradition of the Gujarat government, of shielding the guilty and harassing those that are striving to bring them to justice,” added Mr. Malick. Indian American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with chapters across the nation.   For more information, please visit http://www.iamc.com CONTACT: Indian American Muslim Council Phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 Email:info@iamc.com  Facebook: Indian American Muslim Council Twitter: @IAMCouncil Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295, Morton Grove, IL 60053. REFERENCES: 1. Gujarat govt. & Teesta Setalvad: Hounding Activists to Protect the Guilty  http://newsclick.in/india/hounding-activists-protect-guilty 2. Gujarat govt says will continue probe against whistleblower Rahul Sharma after his retirement  http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/gujarat-govt-says-will-continue-probe-against-sharma-after-his-retirement/ 3. Gujarat Riots: All 6 Accused of Killing of 3 British Nationals Acquitted  http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/gujarat-riots-all-6-accused-of-killing-of-3-british-nationals-acquitted-742852?site=full 4. Teesta Setalvad’s lawyer Prashant Bhushan denied renewal of passport over traffic rule violation  http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/prashant-bhushan-aap-passport-renewal-traffic-violation/1/420119.html 5. After Kodnani, her former assistant gets bail in 2002 Naroda Patiya riot case  http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/after-kodnani-her-former-assistant-gets-bail-in-2002-naroda-patiya-riot-case/ 6. Naroda Patia massacre: Babu Bajrangi gets seven-day bail  http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/Naroda-Patia-massacre-Babu-Bajrangi-gets-seven-day-bail/articleshow/46303538.cms 7. Rights abuse rampant in India: Amnesty  http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Rights-abuse-rampant-in-India-Amnesty/articleshow/46363569.cms 8. India had highest level of social hostilities in 2013: Pew Research  http://www.dnaindia.com/world/report-india-had-highest-level-of-social-hostilities-in-2013-pew-research-2064639 9. “We have no orders to save you” – Report by Human Rights Watch  http://www.hrw.org/legacy/reports/2002/india/ 10. Concerned Citizens Tribunal – Gujarat 2002; An Inquiry into the Carnage in Gujarat http://www.sabrang.com/tribunal/volI/index.html   11. Riot Victims protest bail to Kodnani, others http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/riot-victims-protest-bail-to-kodnani-others/article6946133.ece

Press Release

Case against Teesta a case of witch-hunt by Gujarat government say Indian Americans

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Call for Independent investigation under Supreme Court’s supervision   FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 18, 2015 Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC – www.iamc.com), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos has expressed strong support for noted human rights activist Teesta Setalvad and denounced the Gujarat Government for bringing frivolous charges motivated by political vendetta against the activist. Teesta Setalvad is the Secretary of the Mumbai-based human rights group Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP), and one of the leading campaigners for justice for the victims of Gujarat genocide in 2002. Her unwavering pursuit for justice for Gujarat victims has resulted in convictions of 117 individuals involved in Gujarat genocide including Ms. Maya Kodnani who was a minister in then Chief Minister Narendra Modi’s Gujarat cabinet.   “We are deeply alarmed at the victimization of Ms. Setalvad at the hands of the Gujarat police, based upon trumped up charges of embezzlement of funds at Citizens for Justice and Peace,” noted Mr. Umar Malick, President of IAMC. “These are frivolous allegations against an acclaimed human rights activist with an unblemished track record of social work. These allegations have no merit, given the trustees and the independent auditors of CJP have confirmed that their examination of CJP’s accounts found no signs of embezzlement,” added Mr. Malick.   Commenting on the case, Mr. Siraj Mohammed, General Secretary of IAMC stated, “Given Gujarat Police’s deplorable record of pursuing frivolous cases and victimization of Ms. Setalvad, we call for an independent agency outside of Gujarat to investigate these charges under the supervision of Supreme Court.” In 2012, the Supreme Court had strongly denounced the Gujarat government for bringing yet another spurious case against Ms. Setalvad related to exhumation of bodies of 2002 riot victims. “This is a hundred percent spurious case to victimize the petitioner (Ms. Setalvad),” observed the court. “This type of case does no credit to the state of Gujarat in any way,” it further added. Indian American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with chapters across the nation.   For more information, please visit http://www.iamc.com CONTACT: Indian American Muslim Council Phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 Email:info@iamc.com  Facebook: Indian American Muslim Council Twitter: @IAMCouncil Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295, Morton Grove, IL 60053.

Press Release

US concern over diminishing religious freedom in India is justified say Indian Americans

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Attacks on churches, forced conversions to Hinduism and glorification of Gandhi’s assassin are manifestations of a divisive and hateful ideology   FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Sunday, Feb 08, 2015   The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC – www.iamc.com), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos has called President Obama’s expressions of concern over religious intolerance in India as justified, given the alarming escalation of violence and rhetoric against minorities. U S President Barack Obama’s Speech SiriFort New Delhi, India 27 Jan’ 2015 US President Obama: Gandhi would be shocked by religious intolerance in India Besides the President’s statements, the US Commission for International Religious Freedom has highlighted the rapidly constricted landscape for religious freedom in India in a press release earlier this week. US expressions of concern come in the wake of forced conversions of Christians and Muslims to Hinduism, the demonization of minorities and the glorification of Mahatma Gandhi’s assassin since the new administration in India came to power. IAMC had written to the President before he left for India to be the Chief Guest at India’s Republic Day celebrations, urging him to communicate the international community’s concerns over attacks on minorities in India. On the final day of his visit to India, President Obama addressed a town hall event at the Siri Fort auditorium  in which he called on India to uphold religious freedom. “Every person has the right to practice his faith without any persecution, fear or discrimination. India will succeed so long it is not splintered on religious lines,”the President stated. He followed this up with remarks at the National Prayer Breakfast, stating that  Mahatma Gandhi would have been shockedat the “acts of intolerance” in India.   The USCIRF press release made explicit references to these acts of intolerance. “In just the last three months, five churches were attacked in Delhi; Hindu nationalists reportedly forcibly converted Christians and Muslims; and a mob of more than 5,000 people attacked the majority-Muslim village of Azizpur, Bihar, killing three Muslims and setting about 25 houses on fire,” USCIRF stated.  “In addition, on February 5, police detained hundreds of Christians demonstrating against attacks on churches in New Delhi, including John Dayal, a human rights activist, who testified on April 4, 2014 before the Tom Lantos Commission on “The Plight of Religious Minorities in India,”” added USCIRF in the recent press release. President Obama’s reference to Mahatma Gandhi must be seen in the light of attempts by Hindu supremacist organizations affiliated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) to glorify the Mahatma’s assassin, Nathuram Godse. The RSS affiliated Hindu Mahasabha plans to install the assassin’s statue in temples  across India. A bridge in the town of Alwar in the state of Rajasthan was going to be  named after the man who killed Gandhi, but the plan was later shelved over fears of sectarian tensions. These brazen attempts to vilify the great champion of non-violence is rightly being seen as a sign of worse things to come for India’s beleaguered minorities. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s silence  in the wake of such disturbing developments, lends credence to the belief that his administration professes a commitment to development, but looks the other way when RSS and its affiliates go about subverting India’s secular polity. A recent advertisement issued by the government on the occasion of India’s Republic Day omitted the words “secular, socialist” from the Preamble to India’s Constitution.   “The US should follow up its expressions of concern with concrete action, such as inclusion of human rights and religious freedom in the US-India Strategic Dialogue,” stated Mr. Umar Malick, President of IAMC. “A broad-based partnership between US and India must necessarily include a shared commitment to uphold our common values of pluralism and religious freedom,” added Mr. Malick. Indian American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with chapters across the nation. For more information, please visit http://www.iamc.com CONTACT: Indian American Muslim Council Phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 Email:info@iamc.com  Facebook: Indian American Muslim Council Twitter: @IAMCouncil Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295, Morton Grove, IL 60053. REFERENCES: President Obama cautions against religious splintering in India Religious splintering will harm India story, Barack Obama warns Narendra Modi | Latest News & Updates at Daily News & Analysis    President Obama’s remarks at the National Prayer Breakfast http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2015/02/05/remarks-president-national-prayer-breakfast   USCIRF Press Release on Religious Freedom in India India: Importance of Getting Religious Freedom Right | United States Commission on International Religious Freedom   Hindu Mahasabha plans to install statues of Gandhi’s assassin in temples http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/hindu-mahasabha-to-install-godse-statue-in-temple-premises-across-india/article6835093.ece    RSS body seeks donations to fund Christmas ‘conversions’ in Aligarh http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/RSS-body-seeks-donations-to-fund-Christmas-conversions-in-Aligarh/articleshow/45484672.cms    Shocking: Plans to name flyover after Gandhi’s assassin Shocking: Alwar flyover was about to be named after Nathuram Godse, the Gandhi assassin   How India is assassinating Gandhi’s legacy How India Is Assassinating Gandhi’s legacy | The Progressive   UN Official: India’s ‘Conversion’ Laws Threaten Religious Freedom http://blogs.wsj.com/indiarealtime/2014/03/10/un-official-indias-conversion-laws-threaten-religious-freedom/

Press Release

Indian Americans mark Republic Day with pledge to safeguard India’s Constitution

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Letter draws President Obama’s attention to deteriorating situation with respect to religious freedom situation in India   FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Monday, January 26, 2015 The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC – www.iamc.com), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos has marked India’s Republic Day with celebrations in four US cities, while pledging to safeguard India’s secular and pluralist Constitution from attacks by divisive forces. IAMC organized two events during the weekend of January 24th, one each in Minnesota and Florida. Two more events are scheduled to be held next weekend, one each in New Jersey and Chicago (Illinois).  Attendees at each event include representatives of various faiths, elected officials and prominent  members of the diaspora. Consul General of India Dr. Ausaf Sayeed will be the keynote speaker at the event in Chicago. Congresswoman Betty McCollum (D-MN) was honored in Minneapolis by the “Champion of Human Rights and Social Justice Award” in an event that was also attended by Ms. Amy Bergquist, Assistant Director of “Advocates for Human Rights.” Mr. Chao Lee, accepting the “Champion of Human Rights and Social Justice” Award on behalf of Congresswoman Betty McCollum In a letter accepting the award, Congresswoman McCollum expressed her commitment to continue to work “to advance human rights at home and abroad.” “With our collective voice, we can make a difference in the lives of others,” the letter stated. “The Republic Day celebrations remind us yet again, that the foundations of the Indian Republic are based on the ideals of justice, pluralism and democracy,” said Mr. Umar Malick, President of IAMC. “Unfortunately, the Constitution is under threat, by the onslaught of a relentlessly divisive and hateful agenda, espoused by narrow, sectarian interests,” added Mr. Malick. This year’s Republic Day has a special significance, with President Obama visiting India as the Chief Guest for the celebrations in New Delhi. In a letter, delivered to the White House before President Obama’s departure for India, IAMC called the President’s trip an opportunity for the two countries to “come closer not only in matters of common strategic interests, but also on issues related to our common values.” “As signatories to the UN Declaration of Human rights, both India and the US have a shared commitment to religious freedom and human rights. It is in this context we wish to bring to your attention deeply disturbing developments in the world’s largest democracy, that are having a profoundly negative impact on millions of religious minorities in India, including Christians, Muslims, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists and Parsis,” the letter stated. The series of attacks on churches in New Delhi, the campaign to forcibly convert Christians and Muslims to Hinduism undertaken by Hindu supremacist organizations and the incendiary rhetoric adopted by ministers and members of Parliament belonging to the ruling dispensation have created a sense of siege among the religious minorities, and were mentioned in the letter to President Obama. IAMC event in Florida included flag hoisting at the statue of Mahatma Gandhi The letter urged the President to express concern over the rapidly deteriorating situation of minorities, to direct the State Department to include human rights and religious freedom within the framework of the US-India Strategic Dialogue and to call on India’s administration to pursue policies that are “equitable and representative of India’s secular constitution and its long-standing tradition of pluralism.” “Without international concern over the plight of minorities in India, a population of over 200 million representing India’s religious minorities would be faced with heightened persecution, constricted freedom of religion and diminishing civil liberties,” the letter added. IAMC has consistently marked Annual Republic Day celebrations in different cities across the US for over 8 years. This year’s festivities included speeches celebrating the Constitution, a flag hoisting ceremony, a fancy dress competition and cultural events highlighting India’s diversity. Indian American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with chapters across the nation. For more information, please visit http://www.iamc.com Media Coverage: http://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ani/indian-americans-mark-republic-day-with-pledge-to-safeguard-india-s-constitution-115012600597_1.html http://news.webindia123.com/news/Articles/India/20150126/2530324.html Yahoo! News: Indian-Americans mark Republic Day with pledge to safeguard India’s Constitution US News: http://www.usnews.net/index.php/sid/229695099 TCN: Indian Americans mark Republic Day with pledge to safeguard India’s Constitution | TwoCircles.net New Kerala: Indian-Americans mark Republic Day with pledge to safeguard India’s Constitution – newkerala news #11232 CONTACT: Facebook: “Indian American Muslim Council” Twitter: @IAMCouncil Phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295, Morton Grove, IL 60053.

Press Release

Forced conversions in Agra and call for anti-conversion bill are brazen attacks on India’s Constitution say Indian Americans

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Sunday, Dec 14, 2014 The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC – www.iamc.com), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos has condemned the forced conversion of Muslims in Agra as well as the government’s suggested “remedy”, of pushing the anti-conversion bill, currently adopted in five states across India, as brazen attacks on the nation’s Constitution. News reports indicate 200 Muslims were made to participate in a ceremony, “converting” them to Hinduism. The individuals later denied having changed their faith, and referred to false promises as well as intimidation at the hands of the Hindutva militant organizations as the reason for their participation in the ceremony. The fact that an RSS offshoot is seeking donations to convert Muslims and Christians in Aligarh to Hinduism on December 25th, also exposes the Sangh’s hypocritical position on the issue of religious conversion. While genuine religious conversion is a personal choice that should be respected, the Hindu nationalist organizations have championed anti-conversion laws, ostensibly to combat the very tactics they are now adopting. In practice the laws are used to curtail conversions out of personal choice, and thus represent a further constricting of the religious freedom landscape. The movement to forcibly convert India’s minorities, mainly Christians, Muslims and Dalits to Hinduism, is being spearheaded by offshoots of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) such as the Bajrang Dal, that have been implicated in some of the worst massacres of minorities in recent Indian history. In the context of the rapid increase in violence and a sustained hate campaign against minorities, the forced conversion drive is another attempt to undermine India’s secular fabric. The anti-conversion laws, on the other hand, compel the individual seeking to convert to solicit permission from the state, and represents an unconstitutional intrusion in a matter of personal religious belief. The UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion has referred to such laws as threats to religious freedom. The government’s duplicity on this issue is further evidence that the new administration led by the BJP, itself an offshoot of the RSS, is actively pursuing the Hindutva agenda that seeks to remake India as a Hindu nation where minorities are relegated to the status of second-class citizens. Social analysts and thinkers believe the Hindu ultra-nationalist movement is also manipulating Dalits to further their own supremacist agenda. “Compelling individuals to adopt one faith, while actively seeking to curtail genuine conversions out of that faith, exposes the desire to impose a majoritarian agenda on the country. It is also a travesty of international norms, such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to which India is a signatory,” said Mr. Ahsan Khan, President of IAMC. “The fissures within the NDA government are a natural outcome of the narrow and divisive agenda being pursued by BJP leaders and Hindu supremacist organizations aligned with the RSS,” added Mr. Khan. In recent years, religious conversion issues came to the fore when Swami Aseemanand, a senior Sangh leader who is currently on trial in a series of bombings in India, revealed howhe spearheaded the forced conversion programme of the Sangh in Gujarat’s Dangs district, that involved destruction of at least thirty churches just between mid-December of 1998 and mid-January of the following year. His fiery zeal to convert the tribal’s did not involve any concern for alleviating their poverty or social status. Aseemanand was later rewarded by the RSS for his violent tactics when he was granted the annual Shri Guruji award. The bombings for which Aseemanand is currently in prison, had a combined toll of over 85 lives, and were initially blamed on Muslim youth, for which they were illegally incarcerated. IAMC has called upon the BJP-led administration, to rethink its approach to India’s resurgence. Creating an atmosphere of fear and intimidation and heaping abuse on minorities will gain neither respect nor influence on the world stage. On the contrary, India’s vision for development can be seriously compromised if it involves the alienation of minorities, representing a population of over 250 million. Indian American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with chapters across the nation. For more information, please visit http://www.iamc.com CONTACT: Ishaq Syed phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295, Morton Grove, IL 60053. REFERENCES: Groups Linked to RSS Claim Conversion of 200 Muslims into Hinduism in Agra http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/groups-linked-to-rss-claim-conversion-of-200-muslims-into-hinduism-in-agra-632305 Lure of ration cards led to Agra ‘reconversion’? http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/45443004.cms RSS body seeks donations to fund Christmas ‘conversions’ in Aligarh http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/45484672.cms Woman booked under anti-conversion law http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/30164030.cms UN Official: India’s ‘Conversion’ Laws Threaten Religious Freedom http://blogs.wsj.com/indiarealtime/2014/03/10/un-official-indias-conversion-laws-threaten-religious-freedom/ MDMK’s exit sets NDA thinking http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/mdmks-exit-sets-nda-thinking/article6674139.ece Indian Agra Muslim fear conversions to Hinduism http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-30429118 Forward email

Press Release

Burning of church in Delhi an attack on minorities say Indian Americans

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Expressions of solidarity with Christians in India, condemnation of hate speech by BJP Minister Niranjan Jyoti   Washington D.C – Wednesday, December 03, 2014 The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC – www.iamc.com), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos,has condemned the burning of St. Sebastian Catholic Church in Delhi on December 1, 2014 as an attack on India’s religious minorities. Early forensic investigations indicate kerosene was used to start the fire, confirming fears that this was a targeted arson attack, suspiciously close to Christmas. The sanctuary, sacristy and the first floor balcony have been gutted completely in the attack that follows a pattern of similar attacks against churches throughout the country.   IAMC has also condemned the deplorable hate speech by BJP Minister Niranjan Jyoti during an election rally in Delhi. The foul language used by a Union Minister, including expletives as references to minorities represents a nadir in our public discourse, and provides fuel for sectarian violence like the one against the Catholic Church in Delhi. There has been a marked increase in violence and hate campaigns against minorities in India, since the BJP has come to power. Prominent watch-dog group “International Christian Concern,” reported an alarming rise in the attacks on rural churches in recent months. In May 2014, several villages in the Indian state of Chhattisgarh passed local ordinances banning all non-Hindu religious activities, in effect banning Christianity. Vatican Radio, the Holy See’s official news outlet, reported on the possibility of Christians being “purged,” from villages across three states. A relentless hate campaign against minorities, including conspiracy theories of Muslims luring Hindu girls into marriage as a form of “love jihad,” and the forced “re-conversions” of Christians to Hinduism, has resulted in a feeling of siege among India’s minorities. In this context, Prime Minister Modi’s announcement that December 25th will be observed as “Good Governance Day,” is deeply insensitive to the sentiments of Christians, given the day is observed as Christmas in most parts of the world, including by Christians in India. IAMC has demanded that the Special Investigation Team that has been constituted to investigate the attack be asked to probe the political motives behind the attack, given that elections are due in Delhi. In the Trilokpuri riots in October this year, locals have observed that outside forces were in the forefront of fomenting violence. “Polarization of communities through violence and intimidation prior to the elections is a pattern that is repeating itself across the country,” said Mr. Ahsan Khan, President of IAMC. “We stand in full solidarity with the Christian community against this dastardly attack on a place of worship,” added Mr. Khan. IAMC has called upon the government and civil society to further safeguard the country from extremism, through inclusive development and by upholding the principle of equality before the law for all citizens, irrespective of caste or creed. Indian-American Muslim Council (formerly Indian Muslim Council-USA) is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 15 chapters across the nation. For more information please visit www.iamc.com CONTACT (IAMC):  Indian American Muslim Council Ishaq Syed phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295, Morton Grove, IL 60053.

Press Release, Reports

Rationalizing Ethnic Cleansing In Assam

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Indian State of Assam has witnessed mass violence against minorities, particularly Muslims several times in the last few decades. The area known as Bodo Territorial Administered Districts (BTAD), as well as surrounding areas in western Assam is inhabited by Muslims as well as Bodo tribals. Ethnic rivalry between these two communities has been the primary cause of mass violence against the Muslim citizens of Assam, resulting in hundreds of deaths and the displacement of over half a million inhabitants of the state. The right to life and security, a fundamental human right guaranteed by the Indian Constitution, has been denied to countless people of Assam, due to the failure of the state polity and law enforcement to protect the Muslim citizens of the state. In many instances, the complicity of the Relief measures have been remarkably insufficient to deal with the magnitude of the humanitarian crisis, and devoid of the need to protect the dignity of the victims. This report covers the wider context behind the violence in Assam and the motives behind the persecution of the state’s Muslim population. It also explores the mechanisms of such persecution, including the false characterization of Muslims in western Assam as “illegal immigrants” from Bangladesh. Such mischaracterization has been disseminated systematically in order to whip up sectarian tensions, often times with the complicity of sections the media. Download Report Click Here   Read More… IAMC-Report Assam Killings 110714 by IAMC on Scribd

Press Release

India’s 68th Independence Day – A time to renew communal harmony and safeguard secularism

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Friday, August 15, 2014 The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC – www.iamc.com), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, has called on Indians across the world, to mark the occasion of India’s 68th Independence Day by finding ways to strengthen pluralism, and to renew communal harmony, in order to defeat the designs of divisive and destructive ideologies. The fact that Indians professing different faiths, belonging to varied ethnic groups and speaking many different languages, have continued to live together as one nation, is emblematic of the core strength of the idea of India. It is the vast majority of Indians, whose commitment to our cherished tradition of tolerance and whose unflinching loyalty to the nation’s founding principles holds the country together, who should be proud on the occasion of the Independence Day. It is their tenacity in safeguarding India’s secular Constitution that must be saluted on this day. Yet, the occasion of the Independence Day is also a grim reminder of the profound challenges faced by the nation. Sectarianism, and an insidious, destructive ideology that masquerades as nationalism, have brought the country to a juncture where its very future as a secular nation is at risk. Violence against women, minorities and lower castes and the subversion of secular institutions of the state, threaten to take away from us what we gained through blood and toil over the centuries. Secular Indians of all faiths and ideological persuasions are particularly anguished by the fact that large sections of India’s population are still struggling to safeguard their civil liberties and religious freedom. The recent spate of inflammatory and hurtful statements, such as those made by RSS Supremo, Mr. Mohan Bhagwat, brings to the fore a deliberate attempt to foster sectarian hate. “The cultural identity of all Indians is Hindutva and the present inhabitants of the country are descendants of this great culture,” Mr. Bhagwat is reported to have said, while speaking at the Golden Jubilee function of an Odia weekly in Cuttack. Such a mis-characterization of Indian culture is no less than a threat to the right of self-identification by the religious minorities. “India is the product of many faiths, and a crucible of many cultural influences. This is what makes us unique as a nation. This Independence Day, we call on all Indians to renew their commitment to protecting the fruits of the freedom struggle,” said Mr. Ahsan Khan, President of IAMC. “The spirit that brought us freedom from colonialism, can once again defeat the designs of hate ideologies that prey upon our fears and differences, ” added Mr. Khan. It is alarming that dozens of Muslim youth have been arrested on trumped-up terror charges and continue to languish in prisons, for crimes they had not committed. In some cases, like the infamous Akshardham case and the Surat 1993 blasts case, justice was served after more than a decade, when their innocence was upheld by the Supreme Court. IAMC takes this opportunity to commemorate the countless freedom fighters, including countless Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians and Parsis who were killed in the freedom struggle. They offered the ultimate sacrifice, but died believing that their collective identity as Indians was something they wanted to defend with their own lives. Indian-American Muslim Council (formerly Indian Muslim Council-USA) is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 13 chapters across the nation. For more information please visit our new website at: http://www.iamc.com/ CONTACT: Ishaq Syed phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295, Morton Grove, IL 60053. REFERENCES India’s Shrinking Religious Freedom http://berkleycenter.georgetown.edu/rfp/blog/modi-s-victory-and-the-future-of-religious-freedom-in-india/responses/india-s-shrinking-religious-freedom RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat under attack http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/40068439.cms Forward email

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Supreme Court’s Acquittal of innocents in Surat 1993 bomb blasts case hailed by Indian Americans

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Case is indicative of corruption in lower courts, logjam in judiciary July 20, 2014 The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC – www.iamc.com), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, has lauded the landmark Supreme Court judgment acquitting the 11 innocent people accused of having carried out the bomb blasts in Surat (Gujarat) in 1993, while decrying the miscarriage of justice that led to their convictions by the lower courts in Gujarat. The 11 people, including former Congress minister Mohammed Surti had been convicted in Gujarat under the draconian Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (TADA) Act, and sentenced to jail terms ranging from 10 to 20 years. The real masterminds behind the two Surat blasts, that led to the death of a school girl and injury of several others, continue to remain at large. The unravelling of the Surat case comes on the heels of the judgement in the Akshardham case, in which the Supreme Court acquitted all six accused, including three that had been sentenced to death by the Gujarat High Court. In the case of the Akshardham accused, justice was served after they had spent 10 years of their lives in prison, for a crime they had not committed. “The Surat and the Akshardham acquittals are indicative of the misery that befalls Muslims that fall prey to a repressive law enforcement and corrupt state courts. Often they have to spend 10 to 20 years in prison, while the case winds its way through the maze of the Indian judiciary, before having their innocence finally upheld by the apex court,” said Ahsan Khan, President of IAMC. “In the case of Khalid Mujahid and Mohammed Qateel, even the Supreme Court was unable to save them. Their lives were cruelly snuffed out, while in police custody or serving time in prison,” added Mr. Khan. At the recent Congressional hearing on “The Plight of Religious Minorities in India,” held on April 4th 2014, organizations with international credibility, such as Human Rights Watch, The Advocates for Human Rights and the USCIRF testified to the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission on the worsening situation of minorities in regards to human rights and religious freedom. A major reason why perpetrators of violence against religious minorities enjoy impunity from prosecution is due to the logjam in the Indian judicial system. According to the statement made by Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to the Indian Parliament, India has the largest backlog of cases in the world. There are 30 million cases pending in Indian courts, 4 million of which are pending in high courts and 65,000 in the Federal Supreme Court itself. It takes an average of 10 years to adjudicate a case in a court. Once a verdict is given in the lower court, the appeal process to the Supreme Court can take several decades. This makes any remedies to human rights violations such as judicial redress impractical. After 30 years, cases against perpetrators of the 1984 mass killings are still getting adjudicated. With some exceptions, most cases stemming from the 2002 anti-Muslim pogroms in Gujarat have met the same fate. In both cases, the masterminds of the pogroms continue to roam free. IAMC has called on the civil society institutions to join hands and struggle for reform in both the police and judiciary, in order to uphold Constitutional guarantees of human rights and justice for all, regardless of caste, creed, gender, or ethnic origin. Indian-American Muslim Council (formerly Indian Muslim Council-USA) is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 13 chapters across the nation. For more information please visit our new website at: http://www.iamc.com/   CONTACT: Ishaq Syed phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295, Morton Grove, IL 60053. REFERENCES 1. Supreme Court Rescues Innocents Jailed For 1993 Surat Blasts Case, Acquits All 11 http://www.thecitizen.in/supreme-court-rescues-innocents-jailed-for-1993-surat-blasts-case-acquits-all-11/ 2. Setback for Gujarat govt, SC acquits all accused in 1993 Surat blast cases http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/setback-for-gujarat-govt-sc-acquits-all-accused-in-1993-surat-blast-cases/ 3. India has world’s largest backlog of court cases: PM http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/india-has-world-s-largest-backlog-of-court-cases-pm-7137 4. INDIA: Remedies to human rights violations a mirage, Asia Human Rights Commission, Feb 27, 2014 http://www.humanrights.asia/news/alrc-news/human-rights-council/hrc25/ALRC-CWS-25-14-2014 5. The Plight of Religious Minorities in India, Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission Hearing, FRIDAY, APRIL 04, 2014, 10:30 AM http://tlhrc.house.gov/hearing_notice.asp?id=1259 6. ANHAD Report – What It Means to be a Muslim in India Today http://www.anhadin.net/article122.html 7. Khalid Muhahid – From Abduction to Custodial Killing http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cegWbjkCi0 8. Framed, Damned, Acquitted – Dossiers of a Very Special Cell http://www.jamiajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/JTSA-Report-Framed-Damned-and-Acquitted-Dossiers-of-a-Very-Special-Cell.pdf Forward email [Back to Top]

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Bigoted accusations against Fr. Cedric Prakash condemned by Indian Americans

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Goa Chief Minister in a smear campaign against the stalwart of secular voices in India June 02, 2014 The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC – www.iamc.com), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, has strongly condemned Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar’s recent accusations on Fr. Cedric Prakash. Speaking at a press briefing recently, Mr. Parrikar reportedly accused Fr. Prakash of spreading “religious discontent” in Goa ahead of the general elections, and equated the renowned human rights advocate with Pramod Muthalik, the notorious head of militant Hindu nationalist organization Sri Ram Sena. Fr. Cedric Prakash is a Jesuit Priest and founder director of Ahmedabad based Prashant, an organization dedicated to advancement of human rights and social justice. He is a recipient of numerous national and international awards, including the Kabir Puraskar awarded by the President of India in 1995 for the promotion of Communal Peace and Harmony, and Chevalier de la Legion d’Honneur (Knight of the Legion of Honour) by the President of the French Republic in July 2006 for life time commitment to the defense and the promotion of Human Rights in India. Rejecting the Chief Minister’s remarks as baseless and inflammatory, Mr. Ahsan Khan, President of IAMC, said,”The comparison of a renowned human rights advocate to an anti-minority militant like Pramod Muthalik is reflective of a dangerous blend of shallowness and bigotry. Coming from the Chief Minister of a state, these remarks are indicative of the culture of intimidation that the supremacist ideology of Hindutva has engendered whenever it has held the reins of power.” As the head of militant Sri Ram Sene, Mr. Muthalik, has repeatedly called upon Hindus to arm themselves and has used violence against innocent citizens. “Fr. Prakash has been a stalwart of secular voices, a tireless force for good and a bulwark of moral strength to the Indian society. In comparing Fr. Prakash to Mr. Muthalik, the Chief Minister has only exhibited his own indifference to Fr. Prakash’s notable work towards advancement of peace, social justice and human rights in India”, Mr. Khan added. Indian-American Muslim Council (formerly Indian Muslim Council-USA) is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with chapters across the nation. For more information please visit our new website at: http://www.iamc.com/ References: Top French honour for Fr. Cedric Prakash http://www.hindu.com/2006/06/02/stories/2006060205571300.htm Parrikar’s accusations against Fr. Cedric Prakash http://www.deccanherald.com/content/410198/gujarat-based-catholic-priest-spreading.html Congress attacks Parrikar for accusations against Fr. Prakash http://www.deccanherald.com/content/410198/gujarat-based-catholic-priest-spreading.html CONTACT: Ishaq Syed phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295, Morton Grove, IL 60053. Forward email

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All Indians need to be vigilant in safeguarding secularism say Indian Americans

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Muslim community urged to work towards development and pursuit of justice May 26, 2014 Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC – www.iamc.com), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, has called on all Indians to be vigilant in safeguarding the secular institutions under the NDA (National Democratic Alliance) administration. It has also urged the Muslim community to utilize the democratic institutions to secure their constitutional rights and work towards strengthening the secular pillars of the nation. BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party), the primary constituent of NDA, scored a simple majority in the recently concluded elections on the plank of development and good governance. Its vote share of 31% however, is a reflection of the electorate’s continued rejection of the Hindutva ideology, which BJP has espoused throughout its history. On the occasion of the swearing-in of the new government, Ahsan Khan, President of IAMC remarked, “We should respect the decision of the voters, but work to counter the influence of Hindutva that seeks to relegate the minorities to second class citizens. Several factors including the alliance’s promise of economic growth and development contributed to their victory. However it does not mean that the masses have abandoned the pluralist ethos.” “Ideological swings in elections is part and parcel of a democratic system, but the struggle for justice and for upholding constitutional guarantees goes beyond the results of any one election. While sincerity towards secular principles varies between the different political parties, the need for the populace to hold every elected leader accountable for upholding equality before the law of all citizens is always present,” Shaheen Khateeb, a former President of the organization commented. IAMC urges the community and its leadership to move beyond the election results and focus on the upliftment of the community by getting more creative and resilient in the face of the odds. “The BJP can become an inclusive people’s party if it distances itself from the fountainhead of Hindutva, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). On the other hand, they will be successful in furthering the RSS agenda only if civil society does not challenge their actions. The Indian Constitution guarantees equal rights to all citizens and the democratic institutions of the country should be utilized to ensure it remains that way. Muslims, as the largest minority in the country, ought to be leading the way in defending human rights and religious freedom for all citizens,” Ahsan Khan exhorted. Khalid Ansari, Vice-President of the organization said, “I have a simple message for Muslims: Stay optimistic and forward looking. The solutions to the challenges facing the community can and should be addressed by using available opportunities and creating new avenues. Be vigilant and positive to prevent the youth from getting radicalized. Demand your rights and fully participate in the development of the nation as equal citizens. Be relentless in the pursuit of justice for all the aggrieved and disadvantaged sections of society. IAMC will support all initiatives of the Muslim leadership in India to develop a comprehensive roadmap for the upliftment of the community.” Indian-American Muslim Council (formerly Indian Muslim Council-USA) is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with chapters across the nation. For more information, please visit http://www.iamc.com CONTACT: Ishaq Syed phone: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295, Morton Grove, IL 60053. REFERENCES: 1. Will Modi be a prime minister for all Indians? http://www.ocregister.com/articles/modi-615483-india-people.html 2. VHP’s wishlist for Modi ranges from Ram Mandir to law on cow slaughter http://ibnlive.in.com/news/vhps-wishlist-to-modi-ranges-from-ram-mandir-to-law-on-cow-slaughter/474175-37-64.html 3. Preserve the Idea of India http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/preserve-the-idea-of-india/article6017266.ece 4. In ‘PM Modi’, Muslim clerics repose guarded faith, seek secular leader http://indianexpress.com/article/cities/kolkata/in-pm-modi-muslim-clerics-repose-guarded-faith-seek-secular-leader/99/ 5. What Indians expect from PM Modi http://twocircles.net/2014may21/what_indians_expect_pm_modi.html Forward email

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Mukul Sinha’s demise a loss for justice and accountability say Indian Americans

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Renowned activist will always be remembered for his tireless struggle to bring to justice the perpetrators of the Gujarat pogroms and fake encounter killings. May 14, 2014 Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC – www.iamc.com), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, has expressed grief and a profound sense of loss over the passing away of renowned human rights activist and lawyer, Dr. Mukul Sinha. Dr. Sinha breathed his last in Ahmedabad on May 12. Dr. Sinha, a physicist turned lawyer-activist, and a graduate from the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology, was a founding member of the Jan Sangharsh Manch (JSM). JSM is a civil rights body that has several successful public interest litigations to its credit, and which continues to fight for justice for the victims of the 2002 pogroms in Gujarat. Dr. Sinha unearthed crucial facts about the Godhra carnage and post-Godhra violence in the course of his cross examinations of witnesses. His research strengthened the case against people like Maya Kodnani, former VHP leader Jaideep Patel and was crucial to their convictions. He was also in the forefront of the fight to bring to justice the perpetrators of fake encounters, including the killing of Ishrat Jahan. “We express our deepest condolences to Dr. Sinha’s family, and to all those who were touched by Dr. Sinha’s life and work, ” said Mr. Ahsan Khan, President of IAMC. “The loss to human rights activism in India and to the cause of justice and accountability, is immeasurable,” added Mr. Khan. Despite battling with lung cancer for more than a year, Dr. Sinha continued his tireless efforts to expose the high and mighty who held human lives cheap, and expended them freely in their quest for power. His online portal http://www.truthofgujarat.com/ is an authoritative source on the Gujarat pogroms as well as on the reality of the much-hyped Gujarat development model. Indian-American Muslim Council (formerly Indian Muslim Council-USA) is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with chapters across the nation. For more information, please visit http://www.iamc.com/   CONTACT: Ishaq Syed phone/Fax: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295, Morton Grove, IL 60053. REFERENCES: Noted human rights activist Mukul Sinha dies http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/noted-activist-and-lawyer-mukul-sinha-dies-522862 Gujarat fake encounters are similar: Mukul Sinha http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/gujarat-fake-encounters-are-similar-mukul-sinha/article1-1088835.aspx Mukul Sinha’s open letter to Arun Jaitley on fake encounter cases http://www.tehelka.com/mukul-sinha-counters-arun-jaitley-on-fake-encounter-cases/ Forward email

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Atrocities against Assamese Muslims must cease now, demand Indian Americans

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Grief and outrage over merciless killing of women and children in Assam in the din of elections May 08, 2014 The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC – www.iamc.com), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, has condemned the gruesome massacre in Assam that has claimed the lives of 43 people, most of them being women and children, at the hands of Bodo militants. The victims were predominantly Bengali speaking Assamese Muslims living in the Bodo Territorial Area Districts (BTAD). The massacre is directly related to the election where divisive and hateful rhetoric demonizing Assamese Muslims as “illegal immigrants” has been used to incite violence and advance a sectarian agenda. The brutal killings are a grim reminder of the pogrom of 2012, in which hundreds were killed, and over 400,000 people displaced. The violence marked the largest internal displacement of people in India since the Partition in 1947. Experts agree that the violence and resulting displacement of indigenous Assamese Muslims is designed to make them “illegal” in their own country, and justify their disenfranchisement. The canard of illegal “Bangladeshi” immigrants has been used primarily by the Hindu nationalist BJP as a red herring in order to leverage ethnic rivalry between Bodos and Muslims and gain political mileage. The mass killings, and their justification by political forces inimical to the minorities has been rightly condemned by conscientious citizens and human rights activists. The killings started on May 2 after Pramila Rani Brahma of the Bodoland People’s Front (BPF), accused Muslims of not voting for the BPF in the ongoing elections. Initial investigations show that besides the Bodo militant groups, members of BPF were involved in the massacre. Moreover, the brutal police crackdown at Harbhanga polling booth shows that Assamese Muslims cannot expect security even from law enforcement, as the elections have turned them into easy targets. “The mass killing of Assamese Muslims is the bitter harvest of the usual divisive politics espoused by Hindutva supremacists,” said Mr. Ahsan Khan, President of IAMC. “It represents a brutal attempt to alter the electoral demographics of Assam, through violence, intimidation and mass displacement, ” added Mr. Khan. IAMC has called for the seizure of all illegal arms and ammunition from the BTAD area, as a necessary first step towards ending the ethnic cleansing. The organization has also demanded an immediate enquiry headed by a Supreme Court judge, into the killings, as well as the suspension of police personnel accused of participating in the violence. Pramila Rani Brahma’s inciteful statements represent a flagrant violation of the code of conduct for candidates. The fact that these have not yet invited any censure from the Election Commission is a matter of grave concern. In order to restore confidence in the populace and uphold the rule of law, IAMC has further demanded the deployment of additional paramilitary forces and immediate relief and rehabilitation to the survivors. Indian-American Muslim Council (formerly Indian Muslim Council-USA) is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 15 chapters across the nation. For more information please visit our new website at: http://www.iamc.com   References: 1. 20 Are Held and Curfew Is Imposed After Attacks on Muslims in India http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/04/world/asia/militants-kill-dozens-of-muslims-in-northeastern-india-police-say.html 2. Indian Muslims flee homes after rebel massacres in Assam http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-05-04/muslims-flee-homes-after-rebel-massacres-in-india-s-assam.html 3. 6 more bodies found, Assam toll rises to 43 http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/6-more-bodies-found-assam-toll-rises-to-43/article1-1216636.aspx 4. Assam violence, nine key demands of civil organizations http://www.indiatomorrow.net/eng/assam-violence-nine-key-demands-of-civil-organizations   CONTACT: Ishaq Syed phone: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295, Morton Grove, IL 60053. Forward email

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IAMC Calls on TIME Magazine to disqualify Indian politicians from TIME 100 online poll

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Automated bogus voting attempts to create fake popularity for Indian politicians in the midst of elections April 22, 2014 Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC, http://iamc.com), a group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, has called on TIME magazine to disqualify Indian politicians from the 2014 TIME 100 online poll. Millions of fake online votes were cast using automated systems for Indian politicians Narendra Modi and Arvind Kejriwal, sometime running into 1,000 votes every 5 seconds. In the two hours between 1:15-3:15PM today (past midnight in India), over 1.4 million votes were cast for candidate Narendra Modi. Since 6PM last evening (April 21st 2014), over 4 million votes were cast for Modi and 2 million for Kejriwal. This polling fraud has implications on the ongoing Indian elections where perceptions on the outcome of the TIME poll have impact on the masses. Over 300 parliamentary seats go to polls in India between now and May 12th. While the TIME Magazine poll is known to have been rigged for the last several years, the Magazine has done little to address the issue. Although a detailed account of how Katie Perry was pushed to the top spot in last year’s TIME poll through automated polling has been published by hackers, TIME continues to use the same polling service. What is rather alarming is that TIME seems to actually believe in the authenticity of its own online poll and is publishing ‘news’ reportsbased on how Kejriwal and Modi are leading in their poll. In order to demonstrate how easy it is to crack the TIME poll, IAMC has listed below step-wise technical details on how fake voting can be automated on the TIME Magazine poll:       1. Open a Facebook account       2. Using a browser recording tool such as Selenium, record a session for the following:             1. Go to TIME Magazine poll, click on the person to vote.             2. It will give the option to login to Facebook or Twitter. Login into Facebook. 3. This will result in the poll service accepting the vote.       3. Write a script that does the following:             1. Clear all cookies and other private data from the browser             2. Play the Selenium recording       4. Write an auto initialization script that continuously runs the above. 5. Save the virtual image of the machine.       6. Use the virtual image to launch hundreds or thousands of machines on a cloud service or data            center to cast their millions of votes for the person of your choice. This loophole can easily be plugged by TIME through the introduction of industry standard techniques such as Captchas, however TIME has persistently ignored poll fraud on its site for the last several years. “TIME Magazine should reflect on its willing complicity in allowing itself be used as a PR tool, especially when it has the potential to impact elections in the world’s largest democracy,” said IAMC President Ahsan Khan. Mr. Khan further called upon TIME to not include any Indian politicians in the outcome of its poll. “Given the well documented history of the poll being hacked year after year, it would be irresponsible on the part of TIME to publish its poll results when elections are ongoing in India and the top two candidates in the TIME poll are Indian politicians vying for higher office.” IAMC also called upon the Election Commission of India to ensure that the results of TIME 100 poll are not used as a publicity tool by the Indian political parties during the course of these elections. Indian American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy group of Indian Muslims in the United States with 15 chapters across the nation. REFERENCES: TIME: Indian Politicians Are Dominating the TIME 100 Poll http://time.com/70002/indian-politicians-are-dominating-the-time-100-poll/ Rigging Time’s Person of the Year poll? All in a day’s twerk http://www.dailydot.com/news/time-person-of-the-year-miley-cyrus-rigged/ TIME poll hacked by Modi BOTs http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_U4hqNcZcQc CONTACT: Ishaq Syed Phone/Fax: 1-800-839-7270 Email: info@iamc.com Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295, Morton Grove, IL 60053. Forward email

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US Congressional Hearing highlights plight of minorities in India

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Broad range of experts call for inclusion of human rights and religious freedom in the US-India Strategic Dialogue. April 4th 2014: Coalition Against Genocide (CAG – http://coalitionagainstgenocide.org/), a broad alliance dedicated to justice and accountability for the Gujarat pogroms of 2002, today welcomed the congressional hearing on the subject of minorities and religious freedom in India. The hearing was organized by the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission on April 4, 2014. The congressional panel was presided by Rep. Joseph Pitts of Pennsylvania, an ardent champion of human rights and religious freedom. Rep. Keith Ellison – co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus and Rep. Trent Franks – co-chair of the International Religious Freedom Congressional Caucus, were also part of the panel for the hearing. The commission sought to examine the implications of the politicization of religious identities and increase in violence against religious minorities in India in the context of US-India relationship. Several witnesses were invited to appear and present their observations and information on the subject matter. Among those that testified include Dr. Katrina Lantos Swett – Vice Chair of United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), Dr. John Dayal – Secretary General of the All-India Christian Council and a prominent member of India’s National Integration Council, Robin Phillips – Executive Director with The Advocates for Human Rights and John Sifton, Asia Advocacy Director for Human Rights Watch. Alex Koshy, a spokesperson for the coalition, welcomed the hearing and its potential for positive impact in the lives of religious minorities in India. “In light of H. Res. 417, the request to incorporate human rights into the strategic dialogue framework provides a way to address the increasing difficulties bilaterally,” he said. “Often, issues of religious freedom are given a short shrift in the bilateral talks or eliminated altogether. Including it will allow for healthy dialogue instead of criticisms on the issue.”, he added. In a written deposition, Dr. Dayal highlighted the plight of religious minorities, especially Christians and Muslims, due to the growing intolerance and polarization, repeated instances of mass violence and impunity for the perpetrators, a sluggish and compromised judiciary, and enactment of draconian laws whose implementation is repressive towards religious minorities. In his oral testimony, Dr. Dayal observed that multiple states have enacted laws that curtail religious freedom, while the votaries of the supremacist Hindutva ideology have openly called for the enactment of a national law with similar scope. He urged the United States and the international community to play a role in safeguarding India’s pluralism, and called on the US government to incorporate human rights and religious freedom in the US-India Strategic Dialogue framework. Robin Phillips’s written submission brought out the entire gamut of issues faced by religious minorities, including the impunity and even support enjoyed by those accused of fomenting violence and enmity. She cited the analysis of Pew Research Center in which India was among the worst performers in terms of government restrictions and social hostilities involving religion. Her testimony also underscored the apathy, indifference and lack of will of the local governments and judiciary in providing timely relief and remedy to the victims. John Sifton cited instances underscoring the ineffective remedial conditions for victims of communal riots and targeted attacks. Dr. Shaik Ubaid, one of the co-founders of the coalition remarked, “Despite being a functioning democracy since its independence more than 60 years ago, Indian law enforcement and judiciary are lacking in both the will and capacity to tackle the menace of human rights violations by Hindutva organizations. We thank Congressmen Pitts, Ellison, Wolf, Franks and McGovern for spearheading this hearing and highlighting the increasing number of problems faced by religious minorities in India in their free exercise of constitutional rights.” He also criticised Hindu American Foundation (HAF) saying, “They pretend to be an interfaith and human rights organization but came out opposing the hearing on religious freedom and justifying anti-conversion laws. Such duplicity is the hallmark of the Hindutva ideology.” The hearing was attended by a packed audience and several lawmakers participated in the course of the proceedings. There were several pointed questions from the panel and the members of the committee were surprised at the number and range of the issues faced by religious minorities. Coalition members expressed hope that increased attention to the issue of religious freedom will bring about positive changes from the government to the needs of those that are vulnerable and affected. CAG is a group of over 40 organizations, representing a diverse cross section of the religious and political spectrum of the Indian diaspora, including Hindu and other faith-based organizations. The coalition is committed to democracy, pluralism and to the preservation of the idea of India. CONTACT: 1. Dr. Shaik Ubaid Phone: (516) 567-0783 2. Mr. Raja Swamy Phone: (864) 804-0216 Coalition Against Genocide Phone/Fax: (443) 927-9039 Email: media@coalitionagainstgenocide.org http://www.coalitionagainstgenocide.org REFERENCES: TLHRC Hearing: The Plight of Religious Minorities in India HEARING WEBSITE: http://tlhrc.house.gov/hearing_notice.asp?id=1259 RECORDING: http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/45757005 Testimony of John Sifton, Asia Advocacy Director, Human Rights Watch http://www.hrw.org/news/2014/04/04/plight-religious-minorities-india Testimony of Katrina Lantos Swett, Vice Chair, USCIRF http://uscirf.newtarget.net/sites/default/files/India%20testimony%20TLHRC%20%20April%202014%20FINAL.pdf The Advocates’ Robin Phillips Testifies before Congressional Committee http://theadvocatespost.org/2014/04/04/impunity-emboldening-forces-of-religious-intolerance-in-india/ H.Res 417 — Praising India’s rich religious diversity and commitment to tolerance and equality, and reaffirming the need to protect the rights and freedoms of religious minorities. http://pitts.house.gov/sites/pitts.house.gov/files/documents/PittsEllison-IndiaReligiousFreedom.pdf Pew Report on Restrictions on Religion – Social Hostilities reach a six year high http://www.pewforum.org/2014/01/14/religious-hostilities-reach-six-year-high/#interactive

Press Release

Death threats to Advocate Pracha and intimidation of online media are unacceptable, say Indian Americans

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Attempt to force news portal to withdraw interview critical of Police chief undermines freedom of press Friday, March 21, 2014 The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC – www.iamc.com), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, condemned the threats to senior lawyer Mr. Mehmood Paracha by vested interests operating through underworld goons. IAMC has demanded the state administration nab the culprits and take immediate measures for the safety and security of the senior lawyer. Advocate Paracha is representing German bakery bomb blast case convict Mirza Himayat Baig. Besides fighting to prove Himayat Baig’s innocence, Mr. Paracha has been fighting many terror related cases of Muslim youth across the country. Mr. Paracha reported he is getting threatening messages from the underworld don Ravi Pujari since his recent interview appeared on the TCN site. In the exclusive interview to online news portal TwoCircles.Net (TCN – www.twocircles.net) Advocate Paracha, had courted controversy by demanding that that the current Mumbai Police Commissioner Rakesh Maria be “arrested as a terrorist” and tried under anti-terror laws. The senior lawyer had stated, “The fact remains that three investigating agencies (NIA, Delhi Police’ Special Cell and Central Crime Branch, Bangalore), my own understanding of the case, the charge sheet and the subsequent events, all point to one fact that the Maharashtra ATS led by Mr. Rakesh Maria was responsible in not only falsely implicating Himayat Baig, but also in the process actively saving the real terrorists,” adding, “the police officers involved, including Mr Rakesh Maria should be arrested for conducting activities which are terror related. He has committed offense prima facie which are terror cases and he should be arrested as a terrorist.” Mr. Paracha’s case is following the same pattern as the case of late Advocate Shahid Azmi, who was killed in broad daylight in his office by vested interests inimical to the rule of law. “The fact that there are threats to the life of the senior advocate demonstrates how the rule of law is disregarded with impunity when those struggling for justice start to take on the mighty and powerful,” said Mr. Ahsan Khan, President of IAMC. IAMC also condemned the Mumbai police department’s attempt to intimidate the online news portal TCN by demanding the removal of Mr. Paracha’s interview wherein he made the bold and stunning revelation about the dubious role of Police Commissioner and former Maharashtra ATS chief Rakesh Maria in terror related cases. “The Mumbai Police’s demand that the online portal withdraw the interview with Mr. Paracha is an unacceptable attack on the freedom of the press. It strikes at the very roots of our existence as a democracy where the state security apparatus is supposed to operate under the law and help uphold it, ” added Mr. Khan. IAMC has called on the media, civil society institutions, legal fraternity and people of conscience, to strongly resist attempts by the Mumbai Police to infringe on the due process of law and on the freedom of media institutions. Indian-American Muslim Council (formerly Indian Muslim Council-USA) is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 15 chapters across the nation. For more information please visit our new website at:http://www.iamc.com REFERENCES: Rakesh Maria should be arrested for conducting activities which are terror related: Advocate Paracha http://twocircles.net/2014mar18/rakesh_maria_should_be_arrested_conducting_activities_which_are_terror_related_advocate Block articles against Maria: Police to US site http://indianexpress.com/article/cities/mumbai/block-articles-against-maria-police-to-us-site/ Mumbai Police wants TCN articles removed; Support for TCN comes from all quarters http://twocircles.net/2014mar20/mumbai_police_wants_tcn_articles_removed_support_tcn_comes_all_quarters.html Remove Maharashtra ATS Chief Rakesh Maria: JTSA http://twocircles.net/2010may04/remove_maharashtra_ats_chief_rakesh_maria_jtsa.html 6/11 call record issue may suffer under Maria: Kamte’s wife http://www.firstpost.com/mumbai/2611-call-record-issue-may-suffer-under-maria-kamtes-wife-1395627.html CONTACT: Ishaq Syed Phone/Fax: 1-800-839-7270 Email: info@iamc.com ADDRESS: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295 Morton Grove, IL 60053 Phone/Fax: 1-800-839-7270 Email: info@iamc.com Forward email

Press Release

Gujarat pogrom commemorated by Indian Americans

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Justice for Gujarat victims is pivotal in the struggle to save India’s secular tradition Friday, February 28, 2014 The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC – www.iamc.com), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, joined human rights activists, survivors and people of conscience across the world in commemorating the Gujarat pogrom of 2002 on the occasion of its 12th anniversary. The commemoration is an expression of resolve to bring the perpetrators to justice and a call for unity against the hateful ideology responsible for the massacres, that claimed over 2,000 lives and rendered over 150,000 people homeless. Neither continued obstruction of justice nor the passage of time can diminish the enormity of the horrific crimes against humanity committed in the Indian state of Gujarat in February and March of 2002. February 27 marks the 12th anniversary of the genocide of over 2,000 Muslims in the Indian state of Gujarat. “The graves of the thousands of victims of Gujarat genocide, and the countless survivors who are living with the trauma of seeing their loved ones raped and burned alive, are calling us to action. They beckon us to stand up and be counted among those who will spare no efforts to save the soul of India,” said Mr. Ahsan Khan, President of IAMC. “The lessons from Gujarat have not been learned as violence driven by Hindutva supremacists targeted minorities again in Muzaffarnagar in 2013. The world cannot afford to make light of the expression: ‘Never Again!’,” added Mr. Khan. Under Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi’s watch, the killing and mayhem continued for over a month, with the complicity of the state’s administration and law enforcement machinery. Hundreds of women were subjected to the most brutal forms of sexual violence in a macabre show of savagery unleashed by the forces of hate. Mr. Ehsan Jaffery, a former Member of India’s Parliament and a lifelong proponent of pluralism, was dismembered and burnt alive. While human rights activists and whistle-blowers within the police and administration have called for accountability at the highest levels, there have been very few convictions, from the thousands of cases related to the Gujarat pogrom. With the exception of Maya Kodnani, the major political figures that orchestrated the massacres remain free despite overwhelming evidence of state complicity. The conviction of Maya Kodnani, a sitting BJP legislator and later a minister in Modi’s cabinet, for leading a murderous mob, is indicative of the fact that the pogrom was planned and executed at the highest levels of the state government. Not surprisingly, Chief Minister Narendra Modi was described by Katrina Lantos-Swett, Vice-Chair of the US Commission for International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) as the “poster child for India’s failure to punish the violent.” Mr. Modi’s complicity and active connivance in the pogrom are evidenced by the testimonies given by top ranking law enforcement officials such as ex-DGP R.B. Sreekumar and IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt. The “Concerned Citizens Tribunal”, established by journalists, retired judges and intellectuals in India to investigate the massacres in Gujarat, noted in its report: The scrutiny of the evidence, which came before us, also reveals that there was systematic preparation for unleashing the violence all over the State. The attackers had with them the lists of persons and properties of the victims. The lists could not have been prepared without an access to government records and agencies like the state intelligence, the sales tax department, the revenue department and the state electoral rolls. The Muslim localities were identified beforehand, as also the property and business houses belonging to the Muslim community. [Crime Against Humanity, Volume 1 – An Inquiry into the Carnage in Gujarat] Babu Bajrangi, a convicted mass-killer of the Gujarat pogrom, acknowledged on camera during a media sting operation, that the pogrom would not have been possible without the support of Chief Minister Narendra Modi. The state government’s efforts to shield criminals, sabotage the investigations and appoint Hindutva extremists as prosecutors amount to open admissions of the state’s intent to shield the guilty. In this context, that the Special Investigation Team – with officers appointed by the very same state government, found insufficient evidence to initiate prosecution comes as no surprise. The compromised nature of the team, which had officers that were themselves under investigation, has resulted in a monumental travesty of justice. Human rights organizations have been at pains to point out that the first step towards justice would be to take the Gujarat pogrom related cases outside the state of Gujarat. More than a decade after the orchestrated violence, around 16,000 people are still living in refugee colonies without being able to return to their homes or villages for fear of being targeted again. The isolation and marginalization of minorities in Gujarat is now complete. IAMC honors the brave victims and the activists that are at the forefront of the struggle to secure justice in a system that is indifferent to their suffering. “The world’s resolve to bring the perpetrators of the holocaust that happened almost 70 years ago remains as strong as ever. So too should our resolve be, to not rest until there is full accountability for the crimes against humanity in Gujarat in 2002,” Ahsan Khan further added. Indian-American Muslim Council (formerly Indian Muslim Council-USA) is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 15 chapters across the nation. For more information please visit our new website at: http://www.iamc.com REFERENCES: 1. Concerned about communal violence in India: US http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/international/concerned-about-communal-violence-in-india-us/article5735404.ece 2. US denies going soft on Narendra Modi http://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ians/us-denies-going-soft-on-narendra-modi-114022800246_1.html 3. Row in British parliament complex over Narendra Modi’s past http://indianexpress.com/article/cities/ahmedabad/row-in-british-parliament-complex-over-modis-past/ 4. Modi, political Hindutva and the clash of worldviews http://www.firstpost.com/politics/modi-political-hindutva-and-the-clash-of-worldviews-560252.html 5. What Makes Modi Unacceptable http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?283979 6. What if Modi becomes Indian premier? http://twocircles.net/2014feb11/what_if_modi_becomes_indian_premier.html/a> 7. The Truth – Gujarat 2002: Babu Bajrangi http://www.tehelka.com/video/the-truth-gujarat-2002-babu-bajrangi//a> 8. The two faces of India http://globalpublicsquare.blogs.cnn.com/2013/11/12/the-two-faces-of-india//a> CONTACT: Ishaq Syed Phone: 1-800-839-7270 Email: info@iamc.com ADDRESS: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295 Morton Grove, IL 60053 phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 Forward email

Press Release

Coalition Against Genocide flays hype over US ambassador Nancy Powell’s meeting with Narendra Modi

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Administration showed poor judgement in reaching out to Modi but is justified in maintaining the policy over his visa ban Washington DC, Friday, February 14, 2014 Coalition Against Genocide (CAG), a broad alliance dedicated to justice and accountability for the Gujarat pogrom of 2002 and to combating extremist ideologies that were its genesis, today expressed disappointment at the hype over the US administration’s outreach to infamous Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, banned from entering the US for his egregious violations of religious freedom, while criticizing the US Department for its ill-advised move. News reports indicate US ambassador to India, Ms. Nancy Powell met with Mr. Modi, as well as opposition leaders and non-government organizations in Gujarat. The administration has maintained that the meeting between Ambassador Powell and Chief Minister Modi is a customary gesture extended to regional and opposition leaders. However, reaching out to Modi at a time when survivors are marking the twelfth anniversary of the 2002 Gujarat pogrom, is a demonstration of poor judgment and insensitivity on the part of the US State Department. Mr. Modi is unlike other regional leaders, as he has the dubious distinction of being the only individual whose entry to the US was banned under the International Religious Freedom Act (the only time the Act has been invoked to institute a visa ban). Most people also understand that in the ensuing years since 2002, Mr. Modi has done more to rehabilitate his own image than to rehabilitate the countless survivors of the pogrom. CAG welcomed the State Department spokesperson Jan Psaki’s statement affirming that the US was effectively holding firm to its 2005 decision to deny Mr. Modi an entry visa. “We do not believe Ms. Powell’s meeting with Modi serves any purpose other than providing the Modi camp some sound bites for use in the election campaign, ” said Dr. Shaik Ubaid, a CAG spokesperson. “The 2002 pogrom, extra-judicial killings and anti-conversion laws in Gujarat should give the international community an idea of the blighted vision that Mr. Modi and his ilk represent,” added Dr. Ubaid. At the meeting with Ms. Powell, Mr. Modi’s posturing over the treatment of diplomat Devyani Khobragade is condemnable, given that hundreds of women were raped under his watch, before being burned alive during the Gujarat pogrom of 2002. “While we will continue to work towards accountability for the Gujarat pogrom, our broader struggle is to educate Americans about the dangers posed by the Hindu supremacist ideology and to uphold India’s secular ethos,” said Dr. Raja Swamy, also a CAG spokesperson. The case against Mr. Modi has only been heard by a lower court, that ignored findings of national and international human rights organizations about state complicity. Numerous whistle-blowers, human rights activists and investigative journalists have documented evidence of Mr. Modi’s complicity in the pogrom. Ex-Deputy Inspector General of Police, D. G. Vanzara has gone on record stating that fake encounter killings in Gujarat were carried out with Mr. Modi’s knowledge and sanction. The US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has raised serious concerns on continued violations of religious freedom in Gujarat, and lack of any concrete steps to address the issues that led to the revocation of Mr. Modi’s visa in 2005. On the other hand religious minorities in the state of Gujarat have been effectively reduced to second class citizens in the 12 years following the 2002 pogrom. The Coalition Against Genocide is composed of a diverse group of US-based organizations and individuals that have come together in response to the Gujarat genocide to demand accountability and justice. References: 1. US clarifies on Modi-Powell meet http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/us-clarifies-on-modipowell-meet/article5683044.ece/a> 2. US Says Powell-Modi Meeting is ‘No Big Deal’ http://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/US-Says-Powell-Modi-Meeting-is-No-Big-Deal/2014/02/12/article2052434.ece 3. US Commission on International Religious Freedom Report – 2013 http://www.uscirf.gov/images/2013%20USCIRF%20Annual%20Report%20(2).pdf 4. Why DG Vanzara’s Letter Matters. And Why It Should Bother Narendra Modi http://www.tehelka.com/why-dg-vanzaras-letter-matters-and-why-it-should-bother-narendra-modi/ CONTACT: 1. Dr. Shaik Ubaid Phone: 516-567-0783 2. Dr. Raja Swamy Phone: 864-804-0216 3. Coalition Against Genocide Phone/Fax: (443) 927-9039 Email: media@coalitionagainstgenocide.org http://www.coalitionagainstgenocide.org Forward email

Press Release

Witch-hunt against Teesta Setalvad an indictment of Gujarat government say Indian Americans

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January 15, 2014 The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC – www.iamc.com), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, has condemned attempts by the Gujarat government to use the state security apparatus to harass and intimidate noted human rights activist Teesta Setalvad, and the organization she represents, Citizens for Justice and Peace. Teesta Setalvad has been at the forefront in the struggle to secure justice for the victims of the 2002 Gujarat pogrom. The Gujarat police’s trumped-up charges of fraud against her, are indicative of the aggravation and fear among powerful elements within the Gujarat administration that stand to lose much if the truth about the Gujarat pogrom is established in a court of law. Clearly, the public officials and institutions that were complicit in the genocide, are lending themselves to the silencing of the voices of justice. The fact that the administration is using law enforcement to intimidate human rights activists is in keeping with Mr. Narendra Modi’s track record. Whistleblowers such as IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt, ex-DGP R. B. Sreekumar, and human rights activists such as Fr. Cedric Prakash, have all experienced harassment and intimidation at the hands of the Gujarat government under Mr. Modi. This should give every Indian pause to reflect on the implications of such an individual potentially occupying the highest executive office in the land. “The cases against Ms. Setalvad are clear vendetta against her for her activism and struggle in the cause of justice,” said Mr. Ahsan Khan, President of IAMC. “This sets the stage for other public officials in positions of power to behave like tin pot dictators, exacting revenge from anyone who dares to hold them accountable,” added Mr. Khan. IAMC has called on civil society institutions and people of conscience, to stand by the victims of the Gujarat pogrom of 2002, and those who are fighting to secure justice for them. Indian-American Muslim Council (formerly Indian Muslim Council-USA) is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 15 chapters across the nation. For more information please visit our new website at: http://www.iamc.com REFERENCES: Statement from Citizens for Justice and Peace http://www.cjponline.org/prelease/06Jan14.htm Bombay HC grants interim bail to Teesta Setalvad, husband http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/bombay-hc-grants-interim-bail-to-teesta-setalvad-husband/article5562176.ece Teesta Setalvad disappointed with court decision on Gujarat riots, will appeal http://www.newstrackindia.com/newsdetails/2013/12/26/255-Teesta-Setalvad-disappointed-with-court-decision-on-Gujarat-riots-will-appeal.html Teesta Setalvad: Wheels within wheels http://www.khaleejtimes.com/kt-letter-display.asp?xfile=data/letters/2014/January/letters_January42.xml§ion=letters “The Clash Within: Democracy, Religious Violence, and India’s Future” Martha Nussbaun, Belknap Press of Harvard University Press (2009) CONTACT: Ishaq Syed Phone: 1-800-839-7270 Email: info@iamc.com ADDRESS: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295 Morton Grove, IL 60053 phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 Forward email

Press Release

Open Letter to UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav‏

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Chief Minister Shri Akhilesh Yadav, 5, Kalidas Marg, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh January 1, 2014 Subject: UP State Government’s handling of sectarian violence and humanitarian crisis in Muzaffarnagar Dear Shri Akhilesh Yadav, I am writing to you on behalf of the Indian American Muslim Council, an organization of non-resident Indians that is dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos. The planned sectarian violence in Muzaffarnagar and surrounding areas has resulted in one of the worst cases of oppression of minorities since the Gujarat pogrom of 2002 and the mass killing and displacement of Muslims in Assam in 2012. The way an entire community in Western UP has been traumatized, through killings, sexual violence and intimidation, while most perpetrators still roam free, is a shocking example of the barbarity that hate ideologies can unleash. Unfortunately, it also reflects on your administration’s lack of commitment to upholding the rule of law and to safeguarding the life and property of every citizen. Adding insult to injury is the fact that your administration acknowledges sectarian violence only in those villages that were worst hit, treating refugees from other villages as less than genuine victims, or worse, as opportunists. Party supremo and your father, Mulayam Singh Yadav’s statement that the inhabitants of refugee camps are agents of the BJP and Congress is reflective of the moral bankruptcy that has taken hold of the Samajwadi Party. It is inconceivable why thousands of people would leave their homes and ancestral lands and put up with the dismal living conditions of the refugee camps if they were able to live comfortably in their homes without any fear or affront to their dignity and way of life. The Supreme Court itself has taken cognizance of the deaths of some children due to severe cold in the refugee camps. Unfortunately this heart-rending reality has not moved your administration to improve living conditions. On the contrary the refugees have been forcibly evicted in order to close down the camps and create an illusion of return to normalcy. Media reports indicate your administration is having hundreds of refugee families sign an affidavit that would make them eligible for a compensation of Rs. 5 lakhs, in lieu of an undertaking that they would forfeit their right to return to their villages and homes. This is deeply problematic on several counts: Refugees are currently unable or unwilling to return to their villages, due to the trauma inflicted on them and the tactics of intimidation that the perpetrators of the violence are engaging in. Turning this fear into an excuse for having refugees forfeit their right to return amounts to endorsing and institutionalizing the ethnic cleansing of Muslims from Muzaffarnagar and surrounding areas. As Supreme Court Advocate Naushad Ahmad Khan has pointed out, the basis of this affidavit is illegal and unconstitutional. It is the state’s responsibility to rehabilitate victims and provide compensation for loss of life and destruction of property. Such compensation cannot be made conditional upon the victims giving up their right to return and resettle in their ancestral homes. While the state government has been at pains to point out that the victims will continue to remain owners of their properties, such ownership is virtually meaningless in the face of their inability to return. Such a constraint also reduces the value of their homes and properties, as many distress sales have shown The affidavit absolves the government of the responsibility to create conditions that would facilitate the return of the refugees to their villages. Since the banishment of the victims was one of the goals of the perpetrators of violence, the state’s action amounts to endorsing their plan and giving it a legal seal of approval. The affidavit requires the approval of the village pradhans, who are in many cases, themselves accused of inciting and abetting the violence. In order to bring your administration in line with accepted norms of civilized governance, we demand that you take the following steps immediately:  Cancel the scheme of requiring victims to forfeit the right to return in lieu of compensation.  Accelerate the prosecution of individuals named in FIRs regardless of their status and ethnicity; Facilitate the filing of new FIRs by victims who have been unable to do so out of fear of reprisal.  Provide special care and compensation to victims of sexual violence, and arrest the perpetrators named by them immediately.  Conduct a survey of damaged houses and property and provide proportional compensation to the victims, without requiring them to forfeit their right to return  In cases where the victims are so traumatized that return is impossible, resettle the victims by establishing new villages on state land, instead of putting the onus on victims to find their own way.  Take up the reconstruction and repair of places of worship that were damaged during the violence on an urgent basis.  Halt the forced eviction of victims from refugee camps, and improve living conditions in the camps by providing sufficient food, medical and sanitation facilities.  Initiate efforts to normalize relations between the Jat and Muslim communities so that the refugees can return home. However, such normalization should not be predicated on withdrawal of cases against the perpetrators of mass violence. Your administration’s acts of omission and commission have exacerbated the suffering of the victims. In dealing with the violence and in the rehabilitation of victims, your administration has shown a level of insensitivity that is shockingly close to that of the perpetrators of the violence. Rest assured that we are questioning the Muslim functionaries in UP whose silence in the community’s hour of need has not gone unnoticed. By taking the steps outlined above, you can bring a semblance of order to the chaos and tragedy currently unfolding in Western UP. It is only through such prompt action that you can provide proof of the existence of a state government in UP, and enable the world to see the difference between democracy and mob rule. Sincerely, Ahsan Khan (President, IAMC). CONTACT: Indian American Muslim Council

Press Release

Lower court goes along with dirty SIT’s clean chit to Modi

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Indian Americans renew commitment to secure justice for victims of Gujarat pogroms Thursday, December 26, 2013 Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC – www.iamc.com), an advocacy organization dedicated to preserving India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, has called into question a dubious verdict of the lower court in the Narendra Modi Gujarat pogroms case. A Magistrate’s court in Gujarat handed down the verdict in the case filed by Mrs. Zakia Jafri and Citizens for Justice and Peace earlier today. The court dismissed as inadequate the evidence available to charge-sheet Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on various criminal charges. In a media advisory sent earlier this week, IAMC highlighted the chronology of how the Special Investigation Team was named by the then Amicus Curiae Harish Salve to comprise of officers with a record of conducting questionable investigations that were favorable to the Modi administration. Many of these officers belonged to the Gujarat cadre and as such reported to the Modi administration as subordinates. Harish Salve was involved in brokering a multi-billion rupee deal with the Modi administration while he was naming the SIT members, an investigation later found out. Salve was subsequently replaced but the investigation was already compromised. “The judgement by the lower court is not surprising given the fact that getting justice from any court in Gujarat is difficult under an administration that is itself the prime accused,” said Ahsan Khan, President of IAMC. “Zakia Jafri’s resolve to take the case to a higher court must be applauded. Declarations of Modi being exonerated are a deliberate attempt to mislead the public about the case’s status,” added Mr. Khan. Multiple SIT officers were either accused in the 2002 violence or were indicted in other criminal cases for compromising the investigations: Geeta Johri – A Gujarat cadre officer in the SIT, has been accused by the Supreme Court of India of sabotaging the investigation of the ‘fake encounter’ killing of Sohrabuddin. She destroyed key evidence that would have led to the conviction of Gujarat Home Minister Amit Shah’s conviction. Ashish Bhatia – A Gujarat cadre officer who has been accused of inducting officers into SIT who were involved in the extra-judicial ‘fake encounter’ killing of Ishrat Jahan, an innocent teenage girl shot in cold blood by Gujarat police and later declared to be a dreaded terrorist out to kill Modi. He is also accused of filing incomplete charge-sheets in the 2002 violence cases and pressuring the special public prosecutor in the Gulbarg case of tilt the prosecution against the eye-witnesses. YC Modi – member of SIT that led the controversial investigation in the murder of Minister Haren Pandya under the Modi administration. The family of Haren Pandya has disowned the investigation. The investigation has been criticized by Pandya’s family for scapegoating Muslim youth while ignoring the role of Chief Minister Modi in Pandya’s murder. Pandya had testified at the concerned citizen’s tribunal accusing CM Narendra Modi of urging his administration to “allow Hindus to vent their anger”. “Given the corrupt pro-Modi team comprising the SIT, the lower court verdict vindicates the initial claim of the Petitioner Zakia Jafri that free and fair trial is not possible in the State of Gujarat” said Ahsan Khan. “The Supreme Court must take cognizance of this fact and move this case outside of the state of Gujarat” he added. Given the compromised nature of administration and judiciary, the Supreme Court has already moved several cases related to the 2002 Gujarat pogroms outside the state of Gujarat. The petitioner has the option to appeal the judgment in a higher court in Gujarat or petition the Supreme Court to move the case outside of Gujarat. Indian American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with several chapters across the nation. REFERENCES: Whose Amicus is Harish Salve? http://archive.tehelka.com/story_main49.asp?filename=Ne120311WhoseAmicus.asp Who is Geeta Johri? http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/who-is-geeta-johri-41009 Sitting on the truth: The several failures of the Special Investigation Team appointed to reinvestigate nine major cases of violence that occurred in Gujarat 2002 http://www.sabrang.com/cc/archive/2010/mar10/cover1.html CONTACT: Indian American Muslim Council phone/fax: (800) 839-7270 email: info@iamc.com address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295, Morton Grove, IL 60053 Forward email

Press Release

International Human Rights Day a time for renewed resolve to uplift humanity say Indian Americans

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Tuesday, December 10, 2013 Indian American Muslim Council ( http://www.iamc.com) an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos has called on people of all faiths to come together on the occasion of the International Human Rights Day, to renew their commitment to the UN Declaration of Human Rights [1] and to work towards a world where our common humanity is the basis for mutual coexistence and co-operation. Coming few days after the demise of legendary anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela and the 21st anniversary of the demolition of the Babri Masjid in India, it would be most apt to remember Mandela’s words: “No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.”   As Indian Americans, the International Human Rights Day is also an occasion for profound introspection on some of the articles of the UN Declaration which are also enshrined in the Constitution of India.  Article 3 of the Declaration upholds the right of every human being to life, liberty and security of person.  The same rights are echoed in the preamble to the Constitution of India, which seeks to secure for all citizens, justice, liberty and equality. Article 21 of India’s Constitution declares that no deprivation of life and liberty is permitted except according to procedures established by law.   Unfortunately, increasing sectarian violence in India, marked by targeted killings of religious minorities and disadvantaged groups and accompanied by brutal forms of sexual violence against women are a stark reminder that the struggle to secure the life and liberty for all of India’s citizens is as relevant and urgent as ever. The horrific violence in Muzaffarnagar earlier this year, that led to the killing of over 60 people and the mass displacement of over 50,000 from their homes and ancestral lands shows that the horrors of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots and the 2002 Gujarat pogrom,  can and will be repeated, unless we struggle against the hate ideologies that engender such violence. On the occasion of the International Human Rights Day, IAMC has released a video titled ” Muzaffarnagar Bleeds: A Reenactment of Gujarat Riots of 2002, [2]” that exposes how the mass violence in Muzaffarnagar was engineered, and the human suffering it has wrought. The victims of Muzaffarnagar continue to suffer, due to the political chicanery and the apathy of those in positions of power. The International Human Rights Day is also a time to commemorate the struggle of the Dalit community and other disadvantaged groups in India, that have endured discrimination and bias for centuries. “In this backdrop, the virulent opposition to House Resolution H.Res. 417 is a demonstration of the powerful forces arrayed against a change in the status quo, ” said Mr. Ahsan Khan, President of IAMC. “The resolution praises India’s ‘rich religious diversity and commitment to tolerance and equality,’ while raising concerns over the erosion of religious freedom. It is inspiring to see that the mere introduction of a resolution seeking to safeguard human rights and religious freedom has raised the hackles of those who wish to impose their narrow, sectarian vision over India,” added Mr. Khan [3] [4].   Terror attacks, such as the ones in Malegaon (2006 and 2008) and on Samjhauta Express (2007) and random bomb blasts continue to claim the lives of innocent people while also resulting in continued suffering for countless families whose loved ones are detained on flimsy grounds. Article 9 of the UN Declaration pronounces that none shall be “subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile,” a right that continues to be violated in India through the illegal detention of youth from the minorities [5], often on trumped-up charges of terror. The abduction and custodial death of Khalid Mujahid exemplifies the suffering of hundreds of such youth [6] [7].   Over six decades after India gained Independence, millions continue to struggle for the right guaranteed by Article 26 of the UN Declaration which says: “Everyone has the right to education,” and “Education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality…” and shall ” promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups.” In this context the manipulation of text books to indoctrinate young minds with an inaccurate and distorted version of India’s history is deeply alarming [8] [9].   IAMC has called on all those struggling to uphold human rights and justice for all, regardless of caste, creed, gender, or ethnic origin,  to join hands in the struggle to save the soul of India, and to renew their commitment to uphold secularism in our society.   Indian American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 13 chapters across the nation.   For more information please visit our new website at www.iamc.com Contact: Indian American Muslim Council Ishaq Syed Phone: (800) 839-7270 Email: info@iamc.com Address:     6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295 Morton Grove, IL 60053 phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 References: Text of the UN Declaration of Human Rights http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/ Muzaffarnagar Bleeds: A Reenactment of Gujarat Riots of 2002 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUNdgd3We98 Text of the House Resolution H.Res 417 http://pitts.house.gov/sites/pitts.house.gov/files/documents/PittsEllison-IndiaReligiousFreedom.pdf Hindu American Foundation reveals its supremacist ideology through smear campaign http://www.coalitionagainstgenocide.org/press/cag.pr.06dec2013.php ANHAD Report – What It Means to be a Muslim in India Today http://www.anhadin.net/article122.html Khalid Muhahid – From Abduction to Custodial Killing http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cegWbjkCi0 Framed, Damned, Acquitted – Dossiers of a Very Special Cell http://www.jamiajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/JTSA-Report-Framed-Damned-and-Acquitted-Dossiers-of-a-Very-Special-Cell.pdf In the Name of History – Examples from Hindutva inspired school textbooks in India http://www.sacw.net/HateEducation/Teesta.html Hindutva, California Textbooks and a Smear Campaign http://www.butterfliesandwheels.org/2006/hindutva-california-textbooks-and-a-smear-campaign/ Muslims masquerade as Hindus for India job http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2013/12/muslims-masquerade-as-hindus-india-jobs-2013129134443863250.html

Press Release

Hindu American Foundation reveals its supremacist ideology through smear campaign against CAG and Indian Muslims

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HAF’s Opposition to House Resolution 417 is a disservice to India and Hinduism say Indian Americans   FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   Washington D.C, Friday, December 6, 2013 Coalition Against Genocide (CAG – http://coalitionagainstgenocide.org/), has condemned the Hindu American Foundation’s opposition to House Resolution H.Res. 417 [1] through a smear campaign against the coalition and one of its constituents, the Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) and through its bogus claims about the roots of sectarian violence in India. H.Res 417 praises India’s “rich religious diversity and commitment to tolerance and equality,” while raising concerns over the erosion of religious freedom.   For over a decade US-based Hindu American Foundation has attempted to cultivate a soft, pro human rights, pluralist public image. The controversial ascendance of Narendra Modi, and America’s growing awareness of extremist and divisive ideologies that seek to stifle religious freedom [2],  has forced HAF to reveal its true identity as the US arm of the sectarian Hindu supremacist movement, known in India and across the world as Hindutva (which is different from Hinduism). In a series of missives issued over the last three days HAF has attacked House Resolution 417 introduced in the US Congress on November 18, 2013. The resolution not only celebrates Hinduism, but also seeks to include human rights within the ambit of the Indo-US strategic dialogue. A detailed fact check and rebuttal of HAF’s reactions to the resolution is included as an appendix to this release.   HAF’s Hindutva ideology was recently exposed by the Council for a Parliament of World Religions (CPWR), when the reputed interfaith  organization rejected its attempts to get CPWR to co-sponsor an event with the extremist VHP-A, that featured the hate-monger Subramanian Swamy as keynote speaker. Narendra Modi, whom HAF defends ad nauseum, was described by Katrina Lantos-Swett, Vice-Chair of the US Commission for International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) as the “poster child for India’s failure to punish the violent [3].”   “HAF appears to be particularly piqued about the hiring of a lobbyist by IAMC. For an organization that has a full-time employee lobbying in the nation’s capital, HAF’s hypocritical ire over our hiring of a lobbyist stems from its desire to monopolize the narrative about India and its desperate attempts to gain acceptability for Hindutva in the US.” said Mr. Ahsan Khan, President of IAMC. “Contrary to HAF’s wild allegations about the resolution being anti-India or anti-Hindu, our efforts are intended to advance Indo-US relations in the context of human rights and religious freedom,” added Mr. Khan.   HAF’s unbridled attack on the resolution and on CAG confirms its existential links to the Sangh Parivar –  an ideological conglomerate of organizations that seek to subvert the secular moorings of India’s Constitution and relegate religious minorities to the status of second-class citizens. The Sangh was modeled along the lines of Mussolinis Avanguardisti and Ballilla fascist youth organizations in the early 1920s and was responsible for the murder of Mahatma Gandhi in 1948. Five decades after the murder of Gandhi, Modi unleashed a reign of terror in Gandhi’s home state of Gujarat [4].   “Only those who have something to hide are against including human rights as a non-negotiable guiderail in multilateral dialogues,” said Alex Koshy, CAG spokesperson. “CAG’s support for the resolution is based on the simple ethical principle that all countries – the US and India included – must respect human rights and protect religious freedom,” added Mr. Koshy. By turning its back on a resolution that celebrates Hinduism, HAF has also revealed that it only pays lip service to Hindu principles while openly espousing Hindutva – a narrow, supremacist ideology that continues to cause untold human suffering.   “By characterizing IAMC as an ‘Islamist’ organization, HAF has betrayed its failure to understand the conjoining of the words ‘Indian’ and ‘Muslim.’  This is not surprising, since Hindutva ideologues consider India to be Hindu and simply cannot accept that Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Parsis and Jews are just as Indian as Hindu-Indians,” said Mr. Kannan Srinivasan, CAG spokesperson.  “CAG condemns HAF’s reckless assertions that merely attempt to play into a broader environment of anti-Muslim bigotry,” added Mr. Srinivasan.   Unlike HAF, whose “coalition” consists primarily of organizations belonging to one community, Coalition Against Genocide represents a diverse cross section of the religious and political spectrum of the Indian diaspora, including several Hindu, Christian, Sikh, Dalit, Muslim and Leftist organizations.   CAG calls on all Indian Americans and people of conscience to support House Resolution 417 and condemn HAF’s narrow and sectarian interpretation of what it means to be a patriotic Indian. As a  broad alliance dedicated to justice and accountability for the Gujarat pogrom of 2002, CAG is committed to democracy and pluralism and to projecting an accurate image of India internationally.Appendix:Rebuttal to HAF’s claims against the resolution HAF claims the Resolution: “Blames only Hindu nationalism for communal violence and ignores the fact that 80% of attacks in India in 2012 were carried out by the Indian Mujahideen, with much of the remaining 20% carried out by Maoist terrorists;” According to Pew Research Center’s annual reports on the “Rising Tide of Restrictions on Religion“, India has been listed consistently for the last 5 years as one of the top 3 countries in the world with the highest amount of religious violence. While India’s constitution is praise worthy in its protection of civil rights for all, a fact that is acknowledged in the resolution H.Res 417, it is the Hindu Nationalist militia outfits in India that are the primary and dominant contributors to religious violence reported by the Pew Research report. It is worth noting that in their above claim, HAF does not contest this fact. Instead, they try to confuse the issue by diverting the subject to terrorism. Given that the resolution is concerned about religious freedom in India, it does not dwell on the subject of terrorism. In doing so, it equally ignores the numerous acts of terrorism perpetrated by Hindu Nationalist outfits such as Abhinav Bharat, Sanathan Sanstha and Hindu Janajagruti Samiti in the last 10 years. [a][b][c][d][e][f] HAF claims the Resolution: “Fails to mention the attacks on

Press Release

Muzaffarnagar carnage a planned tactic of communal politics

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Indian Americans condemn purveyors of hate for the massacres and UP government for its criminal inaction. Sunday, September 15th, 2013 Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC – www.iamc.com), an advocacy organization dedicated to preserving India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos has condemned the politics of violence and hate that has taken the lives of over 50 people and rendered over 47,000 homeless in Muzaffarnagar and surrounding areas of the state of Uttar Pradesh. Days of violence went uninterrupted in close proximity to the capital New Delhi. While several incidents were reported to have set the stage for clashes between the communities, it is the inaction of the government that allowed these incidents to spiral out of control. The UP government stood by as communal forces were distributing arms, spreading false rumors and inciting mobs of thousands; even though prohibitory orders were in place and intelligence input had warned of communal violence. On the 30th of August a 20,000-strong meeting was allowed to be held in tense Muzaffarnagar where several politicians allegedly made provocative remarks. On September 7, a larger counter-rally was allowed by the district administration even though Muzaffarnagar district was under prohibitory orders. In this meeting, too, there were reports of incendiary remarks. These developments suggest that some political elements stood to gain from heightened tension and the administration failed in their duty to maintain order. “The systematic nature of the incidents and actions leading to them makes it clear that the violence was engineered and sustained by political forces that aim to cash in on the polarization of the electorate,” said Mr. Ahsan Khan, President of IAMC. “It is pertinent to note that several social scientists and observers had noticed an uptick in the violence since Amit Shah of BJP, the former Gujarat Minister who is out on bail for murder charges, was appointed the campaign lead for UP,” Mr. Khan added. Indian Americans view this development as alarming and a prelude to more polarization in the run up to the elections next year. IAMC calls upon all communities to guard against the politics of hate. IAMC calls upon the government to prevent provocative rallies and bring to justice perpetrators and inciters of violence, including those who spread false rumors. The government is urged to also look into ways of informing people and halting the spread of rumors. Indian American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 13 chapters across the nation. For more information please visit our new website at www.iamc.com. CONTACT: Indian American Muslim Council Ishaq Syed Phone: (800) 839-7270 Email: info@iamc.com Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295 Morton Grove, IL 60053 phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 References: 1. SP, BJP flared up communal tension: Ajit Singh http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/sp-bjp-flared-up-communal-tension-ajit-singh/article5112949.ece 2. Videos show leaders from several parties inciting violence in Muzaffarnagar http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/videos-inciting-violence-muzaffarnagar-uttar-pradesh/1/309350.html 3. Muzaffarnagar riots leave 43,000 homeless http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/muzaffarnagar-riots-leave-43000-homeless/article5123676.ece 4. Muzaffarnagar riots: UP government cancels Varun Gandhi rally near Agra http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/muzaffarnagar-riots-up-government-cancels-varun-gandhi-rally-near-agra-418111 5. Muzaffarnagar riots: cyber experts to trace source of video http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/NewDelhi/Muzaffarnagar-riots-cyber-experts-to-trace-source-of-video/Article1-1121294.aspx 6. Rioters used WhatsApp to fan flames: Police http://www.indianexpress.com/story-print/1167873/ Forward email

Press Release, Reports

IAMC Sponsored Investigative Journalism on Illegal Terror Arrests

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Muslim youths: India’s most wanted!: Introduction to the series but also analysis piece that covers many cases of harassment of India’s youth mentions UP and Delhi cases. http://twocircles.net/2013may23/muslim_youths_india%E2%80%99s_most_wanted.html  Justice denied, now waiting for judgment: Sheikh Hashim Ali’s 13 years’ incarceration: Andhra Pradesh. Covers cases in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka of Hashim Ali who has spent 13 years.  Highlights bias in the legal system. http://twocircles.net/2013may25/justice_denied_now_waiting_judgment_sheikh_hashim_ali%E2%80%99s_13_years%E2%80%99_incarceration.html Journalist Mutti-ur-Rehman takes on the media for their biased reporting:  Karnataka, interview with the victim. Highlights media bias while covering terror stories. http://twocircles.net/2013may31/journalist_muttiurrehman_takes_media_their_biased_reporting.html  NIA cleared me of all charges but that terror arrest still haunts my life: Syed Yusuf Nalaband: Karnataka. on the life immediately after the terror acquittal. http://twocircles.net/2013jul12/men_black_who_stood_constitution_and_justice.html  Dr. Ibrahim Ali Junaid healing his own terror tag: Andhra Pradesh. A story of healing and trying to reconstruct life after getting acquitted of terrorism charges. http://twocircles.net/2013jun08/dr_ibrahim_ali_junaid_healing_his_own_terror_tag.html Terror tale from WB: West Bengal. 2 Muslim youths languishing in jail without chargesheet for 5 years: West Bengal. This story highlights how police frames innocents. http://twocircles.net/2013jun10/terror_tale_wb_2_muslim_youths_languishing_jails_without_chargesheet_5_years.html Men in black who stood by the Constitution and justice: Multiple states, positive and inspiring stories of lawyers who stood for justice at a personal cost to them and their families. http://twocircles.net/2013jul12/men_black_who_stood_constitution_and_justice.html JUH and APCR: Two different tracks which responded to the call of justice: Maharashtra, Karnataka. Another positive story of two organizations who are working to provide support to victims of police terror. http://twocircles.net/2013jul15/juh_and_apcr_two_different_tracks_which_responded_cry_justice.html

Press Release

Custodial death of Khalid Mujahid condemned by Indian Americans as brazen police atrocity

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Sign the Petition   Indian American Muslim Council (http://iamc.com/) an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos today denounced and strongly condemned the custodial death of Khalid Mujahid, at the hands of the Uttar Pradesh state police. IAMC also condemned the brutal attack on Mr. Mujahid’s counsel, Advocate Mohammed Salim, and the ransacking of the chambers of other advocates related to the case [1]. Mr. Mujahid had been arrested on dubious grounds in a terror case in 2007. The case against him was falling apart and he was expected to testify against the police personnel that had conspired to frame him as well as Mr. Tariq Qasmi on trumped up charges. His killing is widely seen as an attempt by the police to silence a witness whose exposé of police subterfuge was imminent [2]. Mr. Mujahid’s custodial killing comes on the heels of the killing of Qateel Siddiqui in police custody as well as several other fake encounters and hundreds of cases of Muslim youth subject to illegal detentions [3]. In a letter to Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde, IAMC President Ahsan Khan called Khalid Mujahid’s death a “case of custodial murder that has pushed atrocities by law enforcement against minorities beyond a dangerous threshold.” Tariq Qasmi and Khalid Mujahid The letter urged the Home Minister to fulfill the UP government’s request for a CBI enquiry while expanding its scope to cover the entire case including Khalid’s original arrest on terror charges. This would establish the motive behind his custodial killing. In a separate letter to UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, IAMC urged the state government to take the following steps: 1) In addition to the nine policemen already suspended, order the immediate suspension of all the police personnel, implicated in Khalid’s arrest, detention and subsequent death until the CBI investigation is completed. 2) Table the full report of the Nimesh Commission that was instituted to investigate the arrest of Tariq Qasmi and Khalid Mujahid by a Special Task Force of the UP Police [4]. According to media reports, leaked portions of the Nimesh Commission Report had clearly recommended legal action against the officers that had conspired to arrest the duo on dubious charges [5]. 3) Provide adequate compensation for the family and next of kin of the victim 4) Suspend the lawyers that engaged in brutal violence against Advocate Mohammed Salim and others, merely for providing legal services to Khalid Mujahid, which is the constitutional right of every citizen. The letter also pointed out to the Chief Minister that the security of Mr. Tariq Qasmi, the surviving member of the duo that was arrested in this case is paramount. The state government needs to protect Mr. Qasmi from vested interests in the police force. The case of Khalid Mujahid has galvanized human rights activists, organizations and people of conscience across India as well as the Indian diaspora, to speak out against the repressive tactics of law enforcement authorities against minorities. Indian American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 13 chapters across the nation. CONTACT: Indian American Muslim Council Ishaq Syed Phone: (800) 839-7270 Email: info@iamc.com Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295 Morton Grove, IL 60053 phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com   REFERENCES: 1.Attack on Khalid Muhajid’s advocate http://twocircles.net/2013may21/fatal_attack_khalid_mujahids_advocate.html  2.Dubious role of police exposed in custodial death of terror accused in Uttar Pradesh tehelka.com/dubious-role-of-police-exposed-in-custodial-death-of-terror-accused-in-uttar-pradesh 3. What it Means To Be a Muslim in India Today http://www.anhadin.net/article122.html 4. Tariq-Mujahid arrest: Nimesh Commission Report leaked, uploaded on Internet http://muslimmirror.com/eng/tariq-mujahid-arrest-nimesh-commission-report-leaked-uploaded-on-internet/ 5. Picture of Khalid Mujahid’s tortured body http://www.flickr.com/photos/94592664@N00/8756769427/in/photostream/ 6. APCR condemns suspicious custodial killing of Khalid Mujahid http://twocircles.net/2013may20/apcr_condemns_suspicious_custodial_killing_khalid_mujahid.html 7. UP government calls CBI to probe Khalid Mujahid’s death in custody http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-05-20/india/39391661_1_police-custody-khalid-mujahid-barabanki-railway-station 8. UP government says it is clueless on Nimesh commission report http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-04-19/lucknow/38673649_1_khalid-mujahid-urvashi-report 9. After Khalid’s death, Muslim leaders want govt to make Nimesh panel report public http://www.indianexpress.com/news/after-khalids-death-muslim-leaders-want-govt-to-make-nimesh-panel-report-public/1117925/  

Press Release

Asghar Ali Engineer’s demise a loss for interfaith relations, say Indian Americans

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Friday May 17, 2013 The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC – www.iamc.com), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos has expressed a deep sense of loss over the demise of noted activist Asghar Ali Engineer. Mr Engineer was the founding chairman of several organizations promoting peace, tolerance and mutual understanding between various faiths, and was a leading figure in the Dawoodi Bohra progressive movement. He was the recipient of several awards, including the Dalmia Award for communal harmony in 1990, an honorary D.Litt. by the University of Calcutta in 1993, the ‘Communal Harmony Award’ in 1997 and the Right Livelihood Award in 2004 (with Swami Agnivesh) for his ‘strong commitment to promote values of co-existence and tolerance.’ Mr. Engineer was a prolific writer who wrote on a variety of topics related to social change, interfaith relations, secularism and democracy, and was a speaker at one of IAMC’s annual conventions. “Known for his passionate espousal of peace and interfaith understanding, Mr. Engineer’s life was an example of perseverance towards the realization of a greater good,” said Mr. Ahsan Khan, President of IAMC. “IAMC commemorates his contribution to democracy and interfaith relations as well as his courage in speaking up for the rights of the oppressed and the dispossessed,” added Mr. Khan. Indian-American Muslim Council (formerly Indian Muslim Council-USA) is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 13 chapters across the nation. For more information please visit our new website at: http://www.iamc.com CONTACT: Indian American Muslim Council Ishaq Syed Phone: (800) 839-7270 Email: info@iamc.com Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295 Morton Grove, IL 60053 phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com REFERENCES: 1. Activist Asghar Ali Engineer no more http://www.dnaindia.com/ahmedabad/1834919/report-activist-asghar-ali-engineer-no-more 2.Pioneer of Bohra Reform Movement, Dr. Asghar Ali Engineer passes away http://www.udaipurtimes.com/pioneer-of-bohra-reform-movement-dr-asghar-ali-engineer-passes-away/ Forward email

Press Release

Indian Americans welcome USCIRF’s recommendation to continue the ban on Modi’s US visa

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Thursday May 2nd, 2013 The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC – www.iamc.com), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos lauded the United States Commission for International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), for calling on the Obama administration to maintain a visa ban on Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi for his role in the pogrom of 2002, that claimed over 2,000 lives and displaced over 150,000. “There is significant evidence linking him to the violence and the terrible events that took place in Gujarat and for this reason, a visa would not be appropriate,” said Katrina Lantos Swett, chairwoman of the US commission for international religious freedom (USCIRF) during a press conference held on May 1, to release its annual report. In a letter to Secretary of State John Kerry, IAMC President Ahsan Khan praised USCIRF for taking a position that is consistent with US law, international human rights norms and our shared values of human rights and religious freedom. “USCIRF’s recommendation to continue the ban on Narendra Modi’s entry into the US, and your own position on this issue during your term as Senator are a timely reminder to human rights violators across the world, that the international community will hold them accountable for their misdeeds,” stated Mr. Khan in the letter. In 2006, then Senator John Kerry had written to the State Department expressing concern over reports that Narendra Modi could be applying for a US visa. The State Department had responded to Senator Kerry, assuring him that “the Department of State is extremely sensitive to your concerns and we are cognizant of the human rights abuses Mr. Modi has committed.” IAMC has also called on the Government of India to note that USCIRF has continued to place India in Tier 2 of the list of countries where religious freedom is at risk. India has been on USCIRF’s watch list since 2009. Such a characterization is a challenge to India’s secular and democratic constitution and a blemish on our cherished tradition of tolerance. Indian-American Muslim Council (formerly Indian Muslim Council-USA) is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 13 chapters across the nation. For more information please visit our new website at: http://www.iamc.com CONTACT: Indian American Muslim Council Ishaq Syed Phone: (800) 839-7270 Email: info@iamc.com Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295 Morton Grove, IL 60053 phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com REFERENCES: 1. US religious panel for continuing visa ban on Narendra Modi http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-05-01/india/38956754_1_uscirf-religious-freedom-annual-report 2. USCIRF – Annual Report, 2013 http://www.uscirf.gov/images/2013%20USCIRF%20Annual%20Report(1).pdf 3. “We have no orders to save you” – Report by Human Rights Watch http://www.hrw.org/legacy/reports/2002/india/ 4. Concerned Citizens Tribunal – Gujarat 2002; An Inquiry into the Carnage in Gujarat http://www.sabrang.com/tribunal/volI/index.html Forward email [Back to Top]

Press Release

IAMC welcomes clarification by JUH Secretary Mahmood Madani

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Maulana Madani asserts that Modi must atone for his role in the 2002 pogroms Wednesday February 27, 2013 The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC – www.iamc.com), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos has welcomed the clarification given by Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind General Secretary Mahmood Madani on his controversial remarks that were reported in the media as an acknowledgement of Muslims having warmed up to Modi in Gujarat. In both written and verbal clarification to IAMC Executives, the JUH Secretary reiterated that his statements were misquoted and taken out of context. He clarified that the issue of justice was much more important when making an electoral choice than the sole criterion of development. Bemoaning the fact that his words were given a hue different from their intent, Maulana Madani said, “My statement has been distorted… It is malicious propaganda… This is no endorsement of Modi. He must atone for his sins.” There is overwhelming evidence of the administration’s discriminatory policies against Muslims and other minorities. Mr. Narendra Modi opposed a national plan to allocate a fixed share of development funds for Muslims, while also refusing to implement another program that would have provided 53,000 scholarships to Muslim students in Gujarat. According to a report by NGO Janvikas, 16,000 survivors of the Gujarat pogrom are still living in refugee colonies, over a decade after they lost their homes in one of the worst sectarian massacres in independent India. A cursory look at the areas of Muslim population in Ahmedabad shows that the government discriminates against Muslims in providing even basic civic services. “Maulana Madani clearly says during the interview that Muslims in Gujarat voted out of fear and lack of choices” said Mr. Ahsan Khan, President of IAMC. “His assessment of the voting pattern in Gujarat and his critique of the situation of Muslims in states ruled by ostensibly secular parties is hardly an endorsement of Mr. Modi or of his suitability for any public office.” added Mr. Khan. Indian-American Muslim Council (formerly Indian Muslim Council-USA) is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 13 chapters across the nation. For more information please visit our new website at: http://www.iamc.com REFERENCES: 1. Muslims Education in Gujarat – Myth and reality http://www.viewsinline.com/travel/gujarat/muslims-education-in-gujarat 2. Gujarat’s Internally Displaced – Ten Years Later http://janvikas.in/download/Status_report_IDPs.pdf 3. Muslims are Gujarat’s new outcastes: Survey http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_muslims-are-gujarats-new-outcastes-survey_1657290 4. Deoband cleric’s statement on Modi triggers strong reactions http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/deoband-clerics-statement-on-modi-triggers-strong-reactions/article4429028.ece 5. Muslims are the most deprived social group in Gujarat: study http://twocircles.net/2012dec08/muslims_are_most_deprived_social_group_gujarat_study.html   CONTACT: Indian American Muslim Council Ishaq Syed Phone: (800) 839-7270 Email: info@iamc.com Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295 Morton Grove, IL 60053 phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com Forward email

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Indian Americans outraged over bomb blasts in Dilsukhnagar area of Hyderabad

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Thursday February 21, 2013 The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC -www.iamc.com ), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos has expressed its unequivocal condemnation of the twin bomb blasts in Hyderabad’s crowded Dilsukhnagar area that has claimed over a dozen lives and wounded scores of others. IAMC is extending its deepest sympathies to the victims and families of those affected by these blasts. Once again, innocent people have been targeted by those motivated by hate and a twisted worldview that is devoid of basic compassion for fellow humans. “The fact that the nation continues to suffer such senseless loss of life shows that our responses to earlier terror attacks have been deeply flawed and severely inadequate,” said Ahsan Khan, President of IAMC. “Law enforcement agencies should conduct a thorough and transparent investigation before pressing charges against any individual or group,” added Mr. Khan. The fact that some media outlets have started sensationalizing the incident by naming specific groups even before the investigation has progressed is highly irresponsible. As experience with several terror acts in recent years has shown, attempts to stereotype and scapegoat an entire community can devastate hundreds of innocent lives, ruined by having to spend years behind bars for the crimes of others, only to be found innocent later. The witch-hunts launched after the blasts in Mecca Masjid, Samjhauta Express and the multiple terror acts in Malegaon are some examples of the tragedy unleashed by inept and discriminatory law enforcement. In this difficult hour, IAMC calls upon members of every community, especially the leadership of various organizations, to help foster communal amity and eschew any rhetoric that could build sectarian tensions. Indian-American Muslim Council (formerly Indian Muslim Council-USA) is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 13 chapters across the nation. For more information please visit our new website at: http://www.iamc.com References: 1. 13 killed, 83 injured as twin blasts rock Hyderabad http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Hyderabad/11-killed-scores-injured-in-hyderabad-blasts/article4439367.ece 2. Irresponsible and sensational media coverage glooms over Hyderabad twin bomb blasts http://twocircles.net/2013feb22/irresponsible_and_sensational_media_coverage_glooms_over_hyderabad_serial_bomb_blasts.html 3. Two blasts rock Hyderabad, toll at least 11 http://twocircles.net/2013feb21/seven_killed_hyderabad_blast.html 4. Hyderabad twin blasts: Cries and chaos rent the air at hospitals http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/Hyderabad-twin-blasts-Cries-and-chaos-rent-the-air-at-hospitals/articleshow/18619866.cms CONTACT: Indian American Muslim Council Ishaq Syed Phone: (800) 839-7270 Email: info@iamc.com Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295 Morton Grove, IL 60053 phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com

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Mahatma Gandhi’s death anniversary is a time to renew the struggle against hate and sectarianism say Indian Americans

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January 30, 2013 Indian American Muslim Council (http://www.iamc.com) an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos has paid respects to the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi on the occasion of his death anniversary today. IAMC has called on secular forces to join hands in the struggle against the same hateful and divisive forces that claimed the Mahatma’s life, and which continue to plague our national polity. “Gandhiji was assassinated, not just by Nathuram Godse, but by a movement that continues to be characterized by its animus towards minorities and towards our cherished tradition of tolerance,” said Ahsan Khan, President of IAMC. “The need for our nation to come together against such hateful ideologies has never been more urgent,” added Mr. Khan. India’s Home Minister Mr. Sushilkumar Shinde recently made a statement about the evidence of the involvement of Hindutva terror groups in several acts of terror in the country in recent years. His statement is an acknowledgement of the pattern that has been evident for some time, and confirmed by the National Investigative Agency (NIA) that gave the home ministry a list of suspects associated with Hindu supremacist groups that were behind the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi. These organizations have long been known for championing an ideology that seeks to subvert India’s secular moorings. It is time for us as a nation to introspect on why the Mahatma’s killers have been allowed to gain such power and influence over the last 65 years. IAMC has called on the government of India to adopt tough measures against all forms of terrorism and to outlaw movements and organizations that serve as breeding grounds for terrorists. It has also appealed to the government of India to expedite the release of hundreds of innocent Muslims who have been languishing in jails for acts of terror that are now established as having been committed by terror groups associated with the Hindutva ideology. Indian American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 13 chapters across the nation. Contact: Ishaq Syed Phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 Email: info@iamc.com  References: 1. Mahatma Gandhi’s 65th death anniversary: Nation remembers apostle of peace http://ibnlive.in.com/news/mahatma-gandhis-65th-death-anniversary-nation-remembers-apostle-of-peace/369749-3.html 2. Shinde’s remarks on RSS, BJP terror camps based on facts, says Khurshid http://ibnlive.in.com/news/shindes-remarks-on-rss-bjp-terror-camps-based-on-facts-says-khurshid/317130-37-64.html Forward email

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Indian Americans across the US commemorate India’s 64th Republic Day

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Monday January 28, 2013 The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC – www.iamc.com), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos organized celebrations across the US to mark the Republic Day of India, including special events in eight cities. Indian Americans of all faiths and ethnicities participated in the celebrations to mark the founding of the Indian Republic on January 26, 1950. IAMC chapters in Massachusetts, Illinois, Florida, Michigan, New Jersey, Minnesota, California, and Georgia had organized festivities spread across January 26 and 27 to celebrate 63 years of India’s existence as a modern, secular and democratic Republic. “The guarantees of Justice, Liberty and Equality for all citizens, enshrined in the preamble to the Constitution collectively represent one of the greatest accomplishments in the cause of pluralism,” said Mr. Ahsan Khan, President of IAMC. “These guarantees are also a reminder of the ideals we need to live up to and the promises we still need to keep,” added Mr. Khan. Indian Americans from Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Jain, Christian and various other communities attended the events. The event in New Jersey was attended by the Honorable Consul General of India Prabhu Dayal, and Mayor Frank Gambatese of the city of South Brunswick. Consul General Dayal commended IAMC for building a bridge of understanding between India and the United States. The Republic Day event in Atlanta was attended by Consul Rajinder Singh from the Atlanta Consulate General of India. The nationwide celebrations included an online Essay Contest at www.republicday.org which received a tremendous response. Winners of exciting prizes such as iPad Mini and Google Nexus 7 are as follows: Essay Contest Winners 1. First Prize: Ekaete Ekwere, for the essay on “Maintain the Momentum” 2. Second Prize: Mahesh Chandramouli, for the essay on “Challenges Facing India in the 21st century – Personal Reflections” Indian-American Muslim Council (formerly Indian Muslim Council-USA) is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 13 chapters across the nation. For more information please visit our new website at: http://www.iamc.com CONTACT: Indian American Muslim Council Ishaq Syed Phone: (800) 839-7270 Email: info@iamc.com Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295 Morton Grove, IL 60053 phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com Forward email [Back to Top]

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Indian Americans condemn culture of hate speech, call for uniform application of the law

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Friday January 11, 2013 The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC – http://www.iamc.com), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos has expressed its unequivocal condemnation of the inflammatory and provocative language used by Mr. Akbaruddin Owaisi, a member of the Andhra Pradesh legislative assembly, at a public rally on December 24, 2012. IAMC has also called upon the state and central governments to apply the law uniformly to all such cases of speech that seeks to denigrate or ridicule any group of people, their religion or culture. The right of free speech, guaranteed under article 19(1) of the Constitution of India, is subject to “reasonable restriction” under article 19(2). Such restrictions can be imposed in the interest of public order, decency or morality. Mr. Owaisi’s apparent ridiculing of Hindu deities not only threatens public order and breeches the norms of civil behavior, it also represents a violation of the Qur’anic injunction to desist from denigrating other religions. Unfortunately, a culture of hate speech has been perpetuated for many years, due to the unwillingness of successive governments to confront this malaise in our public discourse. Mr. Praveen Togadia (VHP), Sadhvi Rithambara (RSS, Durga Vahini), Mr. L.K. Advani and Mr. Narendra Modi (BJP) and the late Mr. Bal Thackeray (Shiv Sena) are only a few among many that have persistently engaged in precisely the same kind of rabble-rousing rhetoric that Mr. Owaisi is being rightly pulled up for. Their words and actions have resulted in sectarian riots leading to the loss of thousands of lives, and the blighting of relations between communities, with no consequences to them on account of their actions. “If hate speech had been consistently punished according to law, Mr. Owaisi would not have dared to engage in the kind of incendiary rhetoric that pits one community against another,” said Mr. Ahsan Khan, President of IAMC. “Absence of any prosecution against other hate-mongers will only reinforce the perception that the administration is active in invoking laws selectively, based on sectarian and political considerations,” added Mr. Khan. IAMC has also called upon liberal activists to introspect on the implications of defending insults against religion heaped by individuals like Tasleema Nasreen and Salman Rushdie under the guise of free speech, while condemning sectarian zealots for similar provocations. Ridiculing that which is held sacred by any group of people can only lead to alienation, acrimony and the tearing apart of the nation’s social fabric. The sectarian hate espoused by Pravin Togadia, Narendra Modi, Varun Gandhi and Akbaruddin is not representative of the majority of India’s Hindus and Muslims, who share a long and rich tradition of peaceful coexistence. IAMC appeals to the public to reject the divisive agenda of hate-mongers, and to strengthen grassroots efforts that promote communal amity. Indian-American Muslim Council (formerly Indian Muslim Council-USA) is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 13 chapters across the nation. For more information please visit our new website at: http://www.iamc.com References: 1. Hate Speech: Akbaruddin Owaisi arrested, police begin questioninghttp://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-01-08/hyderabad/36215317_1_akbaruddin-owaisi-mim-akbar-owaisi 2. Boycott Muslims In India Says Indian Hindu Extremisthttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N55TTGLgS4k 3. Praveen Togadia’s speech about Bhagyalakshmi Mandir at Charminarhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vKM3jWPaMKk 4. Praveen Togadia’s provocative speech against Muslimshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bNFN5j0dAU 5. SP plans to drop cases against Varun, angers its own Muslim leadershttp://www.deccanherald.com/content/292506/sp-plans-drop-cases-against.html 6. Maharaja Dharmendra’s hate speech in Hyderabadhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fLiw3SBJjg CONTACT:Indian American Muslim CouncilIshaq Syed Phone: (800) 839-7270Email: info@iamc.com  Address:6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295Morton Grove, IL 60053phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270email: info@iamc.com Forward email

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Indian Americans call for stringent enforcement of anti-rape laws, justice for victims

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Thursday December 25, 2012 Indian American Muslim Council (http://www.iamc.com) an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, condemns all forms of attacks against the dignity of women and the growing culture of impunity among the perpetrators of sexual violence in India. The gang rape and brutalization of a 23-year old woman in Delhi warrants the widespread outrage and protests it has sparked [1]. However, the overall trend of increasing brutality against women, especially against those belonging to the vulnerable sections of society, points to a much deeper malaise that belies our claim to being a modern progressive society, where all citizens are equal before the law. According to data maintained by the National Crime Records Bureau, there is a staggering 792% increase in the incidents of rape in the last 40 years [2]. In 2011 alone there were 24,206 reported cases of rape [3], and most sociologists believe that the vast majority of rape incidents are actually not reported due to the stigma attached to rape in Indian society. “The bestial forms of rape and humiliation inflicted against women from the minorities during the sectarian pogroms in Gujarat, Punjab, Orissa and Assam, as well as the brutalization of Dalit and Adivasi women on a regular basis call for national soul-searching and introspection,” said Mr. Shaheen Khateeb, President of IAMC [4][5]. “The fact that Narendra Modi continues to win assembly elections despite the rape of over 800 women under his watch during the Gujarat pogrom of 2002, shows that our desensitization to crimes against women has reached an unacceptable level,” added Mr. Khateeb [6]. IAMC has called for an expansion to the scope of the Committee headed by Justice Verma, which was established in the wake of the Delhi rape case to explore possible amendments to anti-rape laws in order to secure timely justice for the victims. IAMC has called on the government to bring to justice not only the criminals that prey upon vulnerable women, but also the perpetrators of mass rape committed during sectarian and caste-based violence. As millions of Indians are celebrating Christmas, let us come together and pledge that we hold sacred the honor and dignity of all women in our midst, regardless of their class, caste or religion. Indian American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 13 chapters across the nation. References: 1. Police crackdown amid outrage over gang rape     http://www.cnn.com/2012/12/24/world/asia/india-rape-protests/index.html 2. Rape rises fastest among major crimes     http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-11-07/india/30368929_1_major-crimes-cognizable-crimes-crime-statistics 3. Low conviction rate spurring sexual assault cases in India: Legal experts     http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/17742365.cms 4. The Survivors Speak – How has the Gujarat massacre affected minority women      http://cac.ektaonline.org/resources/reports/womensreport.htm 5. ‘Govt must wake up to crimes against Dalit women’      http://www.deccanherald.com/content/283328/govt-must-wake-up-crimes.html 6. One-third of Gujarat MLAs face criminal cases, including rape     http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/other-states/onethird-of-gujarat-mlas-face-criminal-cases-including-    rape/article4235994.ece CONTACT:Indian American Muslim CouncilZafar Haqphone (800) 839-7270email: info@iamc.com  Address:6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295Morton Grove, IL 60053phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270email: info@iamc.com  Forward email

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Resolution of Babri Masjid case should be a National Priority

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Indian Americans demand justice, urge peace and restraint on the 20th Anniversary of Babri Masjid Demolition Thursday December 06, 2012 The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC – www.iamc.com), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos has called the Babri Masjid case a continuing travesty of justice while urging peace and restraint on the eve of the 20th anniversary of its demolition. The 400 year-old Babri Masjid was demolished by fanatical mobs led by L.K. Advani, a Bharatiya Janata Party leader and former Deputy Prime Minister of India, along with other extremists on December 6, 1992. The sectarian violence that engulfed the nation in the aftermath resulted in the deaths of over 2,000 people, injuries to thousands and loss of property among the minorities amounting to hundreds of crores of rupees. Since then the case has dragged on for two decades, without any prosecution of Mr. Advani, Sadhvi Rithambara and 66 others who were declared culpable by the Liberhan Commission for their role in the demolition and the ensuing violence. “The Babri Masjid case cuts at the very foundations of our secular Republic,” said Shaheen Khateeb, President of IAMC. “The scars left on our national fabric by the heinous crime committed 20 years ago, can be healed only through an objective, impartial and speedy judicial process based on facts,” added Mr. Khateeb. IAMC is concerned about the reports of unrest in Faizabad and the apprehensions of sectarian violence in Ayodhya and surrounding areas. “The Babri Masjid issue can be resolved through prompt judicial action and not through violence and intimidation,” noted Mr. Khateeb. IAMC has also called for a reaffirmation of the “The Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991” that prohibits the conversion of any place of worship and provides for the maintenance of its religious character as it existed on 15th August, 1947. Although this Act does not apply to the Babri Masjid, its reaffirmation is necessary to ensure that other places of worship are not engulfed in the same sectarian and divisive politics that Babri Masjid fell victim to. IAMC has called upon people of all faiths to observe the 20th anniversary of the demolition peacefully and to use the occasion to reaffirm their commitment to the Constitutional guarantees of freedom of religion and equality before the law. Indian-American Muslim Council (formerly Indian Muslim Council-USA) is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 13 chapters across the nation. For more information please visit our new website at: http://www.iamc.com References: 1. Full Report of the Liberhan Commission of Inquiry http://babrimasjid.info/reports/ 2. Indian American Muslim group expresses disappointment at the Court verdict on Babri Masjid Ayodhya issue http://iamc.com/press-release/indian-american-muslim-group-expresses-disappointment-at-the-court-verdict-on-babri-masjid-ayodhya-issue/ 3. Liberhan Commission Report inquiring into the demolition of Babri Masjid http://iamc.com/reports/liberhan_comission_report_inquiring_the_destruction_of_babri_masjid_in_ayodhya_on_dec_6th__1992/ CONTACT: Indian American Muslim Council Zafar Haq phone (800) 839-7270 email: info@iamc.com Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295 Morton Grove, IL 60053 phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com Forward email

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Indian Americans welcome City of Harvey’s Award presented to Father Cedric Prakash

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November 20, 2012 The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC – http://www.iamc.com), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos has welcomed the “Outstanding Achievement Award” presented on Monday, November 19th, to renowned Indian human rights activist and Jesuit priest, Father Cedric Prakash, s.j. by the City of Harvey in Illinois. The plaque presented to Fr. Prakash noted with appreciation Fr. Prakash’s “struggle and selfless service in the cause of justice and human rights in Gujarat, India.” Fr. Cedric Prakash is the director of an organization called Prashant which is dedicated to human rights, justice and peace. Prashant is based in the city of Ahmedabad, which was the epicenter of the horrendous crimes against humanity that were perpetrated in Gujarat in 2002. Father Cedric Prakash is the recipient of several awards and honors internationally including the French “Chevalier of the Legion of Honor,” and an award by the President of India for his work in promoting human rights and religious harmony. At a special ceremony held at the City Council Chamber to felicitate the selfless advocate of human rights and champion of peace, Mayor Kellogg paid tribute to the decades of stellar service to humanity rendered by Fr. Prakash. In his speech, the Mayor recalled the Gujarat pogrom, in which 2,000 people were brutally massacred and over 150,000 displaced, as one of the darkest chapters in Indian history. He reminded the audience however, that “the struggle for justice in the aftermath of the Gujarat carnage is a story of selfless service, of a relentless quest for peace and of undying love for humanity.” Mayor Kellogg added that Fr. Cedric Prakash is one of those rare individuals who symbolize these great qualities. “Fr. Prakash’s work shows us that in the midst of appalling cruelty and terrible crimes against humanity, there exists compassion, selflessness and an inspiring conviction in the brotherhood of humanity,” Mayor Kellogg stated. “I feel truly humbled by this award from the city of Harvey,” said Fr. Cedric Prakash. “I accept it as an acknowledgement of the reality of the Gujarat Genocide of 2002, which will remain forever, a monumental tragedy in the history of India. This award is also a reminder that none of us should be quiet until the cause of justice has been met,” added Fr. Prakash. “The decision by the City of Harvey to honor Fr. Cedric Prakash, is a reminder that our common values of justice, compassion and protection of the weak and dispossessed transcend geographical distance and citizenship of a specific country,” said Shaheen Khateeb, President of IAMC. The event was attended by 2nd ward Alderman Joseph Whittington, 4th ward Aldermen Michael Bowen and 5th Ward Aldermen Donald Nesbit. Indian-American Muslim Council (formerly Indian Muslim Council-USA) is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 13 chapters across the nation. For more information please visit our new website at: www.iamc.com References: 1. France Honors Fr. Cedric Prakash With Highest Civilian Award http://www.mangalorean.com/news.php?newstype=broadcast&broadcastid=28654 2. Minorities Rights Award For Fr. Cedric Prakash http://www.mangalorean.com/news.php?newstype=local&newsid=34500 3. Thousands join Fr Cedric Prakash In Peace March http://www.mangalorean.com/news.php?newstype=local&newsid=25218 4. “We have no orders to save you” – Report by Human Rights Watch http://www.hrw.org/legacy/reports/2002/india/ 5. Concerned Citizens Tribunal – Gujarat 2002; An Inquiry into the Carnage in Gujarat http://www.sabrang.com/tribunal/volI/index.html Contact: Zafar Haq phone 1-800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295 Morton Grove, IL 60053 phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com Forward email [Back to Top]

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Indian Americans welcome Congressman Joe Walsh’s election defeat as a victory for pluralism

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Indian Americans welcome Congressman Joe Walsh’s election defeat as a victory for pluralism Modi supporter ousted out of office in Indian American concentrated district, despite huge SuperPAC funding FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Thursday November 8th, 2012 Indian American Muslim Council (http://www.iamc.com) an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos has congratulated the citizens of the 8th Congressional District of Illinois, for electing the inclusive vision of Tammy Duckworth, over the divisive agenda of incumbent Congressman Joe Walsh. Mr. Walsh was the first elected official to openly campaign for granting a visa to Mr. Narendra Modi, Chief Minister of Gujarat, whose entry into the US was banned under the International Religious Freedom Act. This law makes any foreign government official who “was responsible for severe violations of religious freedom” ineligible for a US visa. The law was invoked for Mr. Modi for his complicity in the horrific Gujarat pogrom of 2002 that claimed the lives of over 2,000 people and displaced over 150,000. Ms. Duckworth, known for her unwavering commitment to human rights and inclusive politics, handily defeated freshman Walsh, whose unquestioning support for Mr. Modi displayed a level of insensitivity to human rights violations not seen among elected public officials. Joe Walsh’s defeat is also a tribute to the tenacity of the district, with a high concentration of South Asians who rejected fear tactics and hate-mongering by Super PACs and special interest groups. SuperPACs like “Indian Americans for Freedom” poured large sums of money into the campaign with ads proclaiming “If you love Modi, send Joe Walsh to Congress.” The fact that such an affinity for Modi and the divisiveness he represents backfired at the ballot box is a reassuring sign about the future of pluralism. “In a nation that cherishes tolerance, Mr. Walsh’s defeat demonstrates the futility of divisive agendas and the promotion of human rights violators,” said Mr. Shaheen Khateeb, President of IAMC. “It is clear that Walsh’s attack on Duckworth, for being ‘on the wrong side of history,’ was woefully misguided and rather ironic,” added Mr. Khateeb. IAMC is hopeful that Ms. Duckworth’s tenure in the House of Representatives will be marked by a fearless defense of our common values and contribute to the advancement of justice and human rights abroad. Indian American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 13 chapters across the nation. RELATED LINKS: Duckworth defeats Walsh in congressional contest http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2012-11-07/news/chi-duckworth-walsh-election-results-illinois-8th-district-20121106_1_kaitlin-fahey-duckworth-campaign-manager-democrat-tammy-duckworth Walsh Rewarded by Another Super PAC for Extreme Views http://www.tammyduckworth.com/2012/10/24/walsh-rewarded-another-super-pac-extreme-views/ US Congressman campaigns to revoke US visa ban on Modi http://news.oneindia.in/2012/09/12/us-congressman-campaigns-to-revoke-us-visa-ban-modi-1069448.html  Indian Americans for Freedom http://www.indianamericansforfreedom.com/index.html Congressman Walsh ‘won’t smile’ till Modi is invited to US http://www.firstpost.com/world/congressman-walsh-wont-smile-till-modi-is-invited-to-us-333443.html Indian American Group welcomes Congressional Resolution on Gujarat Violence on its 10th anniversary http://iamc.com/press-release/indian-american-group-welcomes-congressional-resolution-on-gujarat-violence-of-2002/ India: A Decade on, Gujarat Justice Incomplete – Human RIghts Watch, Feb 24, 2012 http://www.hrw.org/news/2012/02/24/india-decade-gujarat-justice-incomplete Muslims are Gujarat’s new outcastes: Survey – DNA, March 2, 2012 http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_muslims-are-gujarats-new-outcastes-survey_1657290 2008: US State Department confirms Modi will not be given visa http://www.coalitionagainstgenocide.org/press/cag.pr.28aug2008.php 27 US Lawmakers want Modi’s visa ban extended; Coalition Against Genocide gets support from more congresspersons http://www.coalitionagainstgenocide.org/press/cag.pr.09aug2008.php US Congressman Joe Sestak of Pennsylvania writes to State Department http://www.coalitionagainstgenocide.org/press/cag.pr.06aug2008.php 2008: Letter from Representative Betty McCollum to the US Department of State http://coalitionagainstgenocide.org/press/mccollum.letter.08jul2008.pdf 2008: USCIRF Urges Denial of U.S. Visa to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi http://coalitionagainstgenocide.org/press/uscirf.letter.08jul2008.php India: Gujarat Chief Minister Endorses Unlawful Killings, Human Rights Watch, December 7, 2007 http://hrw.org/english/docs/2007/12/07/india17510_txt.htm No entry for Modi into US: visa denied – Times of India, March 18, 2005 http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2005-03-18/india/27866126_1_business-visa-gujarat-riots-immigration-and-nationality-act NO ENTRY FOR MODI – By Vijay Prashad, Outlook Magazine, March 12-25, 2005 http://www.frontlineonnet.com/fl2207/stories/20050408003313100.htm 2005 House Resolution H.RES 160 – ‘Condemning the conduct of Chief Minister Narendra Modi for his actions to incite religious persecution and urging the United States to condemn all violations of religious freedom in India.’ http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c109:H.RES.160: ‘Did this letter stop Modi?’ – Rediff.com, March 18, 2005 http://www.rediff.com/news/2005/mar/18pitts.htm ‘Understanding Gujarat Violence’ By Ashutosh Varshney, Contemporary Conflicts, Mar 26, 2004 http://conconflicts.ssrc.org/archives/gujarat/varshney/ CONTACT: Indian American Muslim Council Zafar Haq Phone: (800) 839-7270 Email: info@iamc.com Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295 Morton Grove, IL 60053 phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com

Press Release

India’s response to its Universal Periodic Review at the United Nations disappoints human rights groups – India refuses to agree to adequate steps to protect members of minority religions

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Sunday September 30, 2012 The Advocates for Human Rights, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the promotion and protection of internationally-recognized human rights, and Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, have jointly expressed their concern over India’s failure to accept key recommendations that guarantee Human Rights for its minorities while commending India for its general acceptance of certain critical principles. On September 20, 2012, the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva adopted the outcome of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) on India. In May of this year, dozens of countries made a total of 169 recommendations as to how India could better comply with its human rights obligations, including its obligations pertaining to religious minorities. After months of internal deliberations, the Indian Government on September 18 committed to only 67 of the UPR recommendations, some in substantially watered-down form. As many countries noted in their recommendations, India has failed to ratify Convention Against Torture and Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment (CAT). Torture, as defined in the CAT, is not criminalized under Indian law. India has been apathetic toward the recommendations of UN Special Rapporteurs as well as related recommendations from many countries, including Australia, Austria, Botswana, Brazil, Czech Republic, Indonesia, Iraq, Italy, Maldives, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Timor-Leste, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the United States of America. During the September 20 session of the Human Rights Council, several leading international human rights organizations expressed serious concerns regarding India’s decision not to adopt the many recommendations relating to ending the systematic impunity enjoyed by Indian security forces, and not to accept recommendations for a comprehensive framework to deal effectively with communal and targeted violence. India committed to training police on Human Rights procedures, however, it fails to ensure their compliance with Human Rights principles by refusing to amend or repeal the Armed Forces Special Powers Act. India also failed to adopt a Prevention of Communal Targeted Violence Bill that would ensure the accountability of civil servants, facilitate the redress of Human Rights violations, and help prevent communal attacks against religious minorities. India adopted Austria’s recommendation to ensure a safe working environment for journalists. It also agreed to continue to cooperate and further coordinate efforts between its Human Rights institutions and the UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights defenders, as recommended by Egypt and Spain. India adopted Egypt’s more general recommendation verbatim, but declined to commit to Spain’s recommendation to implement specific measures guaranteeing timely, effective, and independent investigations of human rights violations. And despite its general commitment, India was notably silent on recommendations to implement specific measures to protect the rights of the defenders of religious minorities. India also declined to accept Mexico’s recommendation to prioritize access to education for marginalized groups and birth registrations for religious minorities. “The definition of terrorism currently employed in the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) increases the arbitrary detention of religious minorities and vilifies them as criminals and traitors due to a presumption of guilt,” says Jennifer Prestholdt, Deputy Director of The Advocates for Human Rights. “India failed to commit to the implementation of the Prevention of Atrocities Act or counter terrorism strategies, as recommended by Germany, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, and thus has shirked its obligation to reduce the arbitrary detention of minorities.” “The policy machinery in India is responsible for Enforced Disappearances as defined by the Article 2 of the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance,” notes Jawad Khan of IAMC who attended the Universal Periodic Review of India in Geneva in May, 2012 as part of the The Advocates for Human Rights’ delegation. “The police have tortured and killed Muslims under the guise of encounter killings and continue to unlawfully imprison and torture religious minorities with impunity. India continues to ignore recommendations to ratify the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance. Where is the assurance that India will stop these terrible human rights violations?” In summary, with regard to the protection of the rights of religious minorities, India adopted in the entirety nine (9) and partially adopted two (2) of sixty-one (61) recommendations. “India summarized the recommendations and eliminated critical nuances that could potentially reduce the violation of religious minorities’ human rights. India must attend to the nuances of the various recommendations. Accepting watered down ‘summaries’ of the UPR recommendations manifests a weak declaration of India’s respect for human rights, and only a small and tentative step toward ensuring the rights of religious minorities are respected,” says Ms. Prestholdt of The Advocates. The Advocates for Human Rights and Indian American Muslim Council note that the accepted recommendations lack a sense of urgency and are not action-based. India adopted only the most passive and diluted recommendations; it shied away from details within the recommendations that instructed it to amend or institute policies, bills, or laws that would ensure the protection of religious minorities. Nonetheless, during the September 20 meeting, the Government of India pledged to work assiduously on all issues highlighted during the UPR, regardless of whether it had formally accepted a particular recommendation. The Advocates for Human Rights and Indian American Muslim Council continue to call on India to make tangible commitments to the protection of the rights of religious minorities. The Advocates for Human Rights, a nonprofit organization headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, is dedicated to the impartial promotion and protection of internationally-recognized human rights and holds Special Consultative Status with the United Nations. To learn more visit theadvocatesforhumanrights.org Indian American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 13 chapters across the nation. The mission of Indian American Muslim Council is to promote peace, pluralism and social justice through strategic advocacy. IAMC is a Washington, D.C. registered non-profit 501(C)(3) tax-exempt organization established in August 2002. For more information please visit our new website at www.iamc.com CONTACT: Jennifer Prestholdt, Deputy Director The

Press Release

Indian American organizations decry partial ban of Indian news portal

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Sunday September 2, 2012 Indian American Muslim Council (http://www.iamc.com) an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, Indian Muslim Relief and Charities (IMRC) http://www.imrc.ws, the largest relief organization of Indian Muslims based in the US as well as American Federation of Muslims of Indian Origin (AFMI) http://www.afmi.org/, a US based philanthropic charity organization, have jointly expressed their grave concern over the directive from India’s Department of Telecommunication (DoT) to block access to certain pages from twocircles.net (TCN), a non-profit based and critically acclaimed news portal. Twocircles.net is dedicated to reporting and covering a range of issues affecting India and Indian Muslims. The ban on these pages has come in the wake of efforts by the government to block several other sites, ostensibly to control the spread of rumors related to the violence in Assam and Myanmar. However, the TCN pages that have been blocked are completely unrelated to these issues. One of the pages is related to terror stories from Madhya Pradesh that have not been adequately covered in the mainstream media. The other blocked page is related to the violence in Mathura in June 2012, that was sparked by a minor incident, and that led to curfew being clamped in the region. “Using the violence in Assam and the panic in parts of the country in the aftermath as an excuse to stifle legitimate press coverage of other issues is unacceptable,” said Manzoor Ghori, Executive Director of IMRC. “If there are legitimate concerns about any content adversely impacting communal harmony, these need to be taken up with the news portal before an arbitrary decision is made to block the pages,” said Shaheen Khateeb, President of IAMC. “Freedom of the press is vital for the healthy functioning of a democracy,” said Dr. Tajuddin Ahmed, president of AFMI. “Any arbitrary decisions blocking access to credible news sources, likeTwoCircles.Net is bound to scuttle the freedoms guaranteed by the Indian constitution,” added Dr. Ahmed. IAMC, IMRC and AFMI call upon the government to remove the block on TCN’s pages, and adopt an even handed, fair, and transparent approach in regulating the internet. RELATED LINKS: 1) Blocked for ‘violence’, website to sue govt http://www.indianexpress.com/story-print/994020/ 2) Unheard, Unspoken … and banned http://twocircles.net/2012aug23/unheard_unspoken%E2%80%A6_and_banned.html CONTACT:  1.American Federation of Muslims of Indian Origin Phone: (248) 442 2364 Email: admin@afmi.com 2.Indian Muslim Relief and Charities Phone: (650) 856-0440 Email: info@imrcusa.org 3.Indian American Muslim Council Phone: (800) 839-7270 Email: info@iamc.com Forward email

Press Release

Indian Americans Muslims hail Special Court’s verdict on Gujarat pogrom case, urge tough sentences for the guilty

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Wednesday August 29, 2012 Indian American Muslim Council (http://www.iamc.com) an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos has welcomed the Special Court’s verdict today in a case pertaining to the brutal killing of 95 people in Naroda Patiya during the Gujarat pogrom of 2002. The special court convicted 32 people almost a decade after the brutal massacre at Naroda Patiya during the carnage in Gujarat. The verdict is all the more significant since the list of convicted individuals includes former Gujarat Minister for Women and Child Development, Maya Kodnani of the BJP, and Babu Bajrangi, who is a leader of the Bajrang Dal. Both Kodnani and Bajrangi have been found guilty of murder under section 302, and of criminal conspiracy under section 120B of the Indian Penal Code. The court also convicted three individuals of gang rape. This is the second Gujarat carnage case in which rape charges have been proved. The special court’s verdict represents an important victory in the ongoing struggle for justice in Gujarat. The verdict is also the fruit of patient struggle by the survivors of the Gujarat pogrom, the courage of the witnesses who came forward to facilitate the judicial process and tireless efforts by human rights defenders such as Teesta Setalvad, Mukul Sinha, Shabnam Hashmi and Harsh Mander among many others. IAMC has urged the special court to take the following actions: Exercise its authority and punish the guilty to the full extent of the law. It is imperative that the sentence is proportionate to the magnitude of the crime in order to affirm the equality of all citizens under the law. Probe the allegations made by former DGP Sreekumar as well as former IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt about the direct complicity of Chief Minister Narendra Modi in enabling and facilitating the pogrom of 2002. Investigate the corroborating evidence against Modi brought to light by Justice H. Suresh, who has come forward with an audio tape of his conversation with Haren Pandya (then minister in Modi’s cabinet) in 2002. The tape contains specific information about Modi’s role in the Gujarat violence. Haren Pandya was later shot dead in 2003, and his murder continues to remain unresolved. IAMC has also called upon the Supreme Court to act on the recommendations of its amicus curiae to initiate criminal prosecution of Chief Minister Narendra Modi. The carnage in Gujarat involved mass killing, rape and pillage resulting in the brutal massacre of 2000 people, and the expulsion of over 500,000 people from their homes. While the court’s verdict is certainly a step in the right direction, the number of convictions thus far is still a small fraction of the total number of cases related to the Gujarat pogrom of 2002. “While today’s verdict represents an important step forward, it is important to bear in mind that the wider struggle for justice in Gujarat is far from over,” said Shaheen Khateeb, President of IAMC. “Upholding the rule of law requires that the masterminds as well as executioners of the planned and systematic ethnic cleansing in Gujarat are held accountable and punished for their crimes against humanity. It also requires adequate compensation for and rehabilitation of the survivors” added Mr. Khateeb. Indian American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 13 chapters across the nation. For more information please visit our new website at www.iamc.com. RELATED LINKS: 1) Gujarat riots: Former BJP minister Maya Kodnani, Bajrang Dal leader Babu Bajrangi among 32 convicted in Naroda Patiya case http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/gujarat-riots-former-bjp-minister-maya-kodnani-bajrang-dal-leader-babu-bajrangi-among-32-convicted-i-260422 2) Kodnani, Bajrangi, 30 others convicted in Naroda Patia case http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/15978339.cms 3) 2002 Gujarat riots: Former judge says there’s audio tape with evidence against Modi info@http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/2002-gujarat-riots-former-judge-says-there-s-audio-tape-with-evidence-against-modi-177298 4) Tricolor in Naroda Patiya http://twocircles.net/2012aug29/tricolor_naroda_patiya.html 5) A Stunning Verdict http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/article3836698.ece 6) We have no orders to save you” – Report by Human Rights Watch http://www.hrw.org/legacy/reports/2002/india/ 7) Concerned Citizens Tribunal – Gujarat 2002; An Inquiry into the Carnage in Gujarat http://www.sabrang.com/tribunal/volI/index.html  Contact: Zafar Haq phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295 Morton Grove, IL 60053 phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com Forward email

Press Release

Indian American Muslims Celebrate Independence Day, mark IAMC’s 10th anniversary

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Wednesday August 15, 2012 Indian American Muslim Council (http://www.iamc.com) an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos congratulates the Indian community at large on India’s 66th Independence Day, while also marking its own 10th anniversary. We have indeed come a long way since August 15, 1947, with our collective development on several fronts having earned us a place among the premier nations of the world. We urge our compatriots to continue the noble task of nation-building, while ensuring that our economic progress and industrial advancement are guided by a renewed commitment to our timeless values of tolerance, compassion and working for the common good. IAMC commemorates the sacrifice of the countless freedom fighters that came together across the nation for the cause of India’s independence. “At a time when the nation is beset with multiple challenges, including threats to its secular foundations, it is the determination to succeed and the spirit of national unity demonstrated by our founding fathers that is the need of the hour,” said Shaheen Khateeb, President of IAMC. “While upholding the rule of law, the nation needs to take decisive action against illegal detentions and the killing of innocent people in fake encounters. For millions living in poverty, including half a million people displaced by ethnic violence in Assam, the promise of independent India can only be fulfilled when there is justice and growth that is sustainable and inclusive,” added Mr. Khateeb. IAMC is also celebrating this day as the 10th anniversary of the founding of the organization. “Since August 15, 2002 when IAMC was established, the organization has consistently stood up for the rights of all Indians, regardless of their faith,” said Zafar Haq, IAMC’s General Secretary since 2011. “Today marks 10 years in our struggle for the cause symbolized by the three words in our logo, ‘Peace, Pluralism and Justice,’” added Mr. Haq. Indian American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 13 chapters across the nation. For more information please visit our new website at www.iamc.com. Contact: Zafar Haq phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295 Morton Grove, IL 60053 phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com Forward email

Press Release

Indian American Muslims express shock and outrage over terror rampage at Sikh temple

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Sunday August 5, 2012 Indian American Muslim Council (http://www.iamc.com) an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos has expressed its unequivocal condemnation of the shooting at a Sikh temple in Oak Creek, Wisconsin that has claimed the lives of six worshipers and the gunman himself. “Today is a day of mourning for all who value human life and cherish freedom of religion,” said Shaheen Khateeb, President of IAMC. “An attack on innocent people in a house of worship is an attack on our collective humanity and common values,” added Mr. Khateeb. The fact that the attack took place when temple members were reading scriptures and cooking food in preparation for the main Sunday service and community meal reflects the deep inhumanity of the perpetrator. It is also an indication of the cost in human lives that we pay for the growing culture of intolerance in sections of our society. While such intolerance remains confined to a small minority, the suffering caused by their distorted worldview is shared by us all. IAMC has called upon members of every community to eschew any rhetoric that promotes evils such as xenophobia and intolerance towards religious minorities. IAMC has expressed its profound condolences towards the families of the victims and called upon law enforcement to investigate the incident as an act of terror motivated by hate. Indian American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 13 chapters across the nation. For more information please visit our new website at www.iamc.com. RELATED LINKS: 1) Gunman, six others dead at Wisconsin Sikh temple http://www.cnn.com/2012/08/05/us/wisconsin-temple-shooting/index.html?hpt=hp_t1 2) 7 Dead in ‘Domestic Terrorism’ Shooting at Wisconsin Sikh Temple http://abcnews.go.com/US/sikh-temple-shooting-oak-creek-wisconsin-domestic-terrorism/story?id=16933779#.UB8Y7vaPVqw Contact: Zafar Haq phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295 Morton Grove, IL 60053 phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com Forward email

Press Release

Sectarian violence in Uttar Pradesh and Assam should be dealt with through stern action says Indian American Muslim Council

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Thursday July 26, 2012 Indian American Muslim Council (http://www.iamc.com) an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos today strongly condemned the violence in Bareilly (Uttar Pradesh) and areas of Assam, and appealed to members of each community to respect life and the rule of law. The violence in Assam has claimed over 44 lives and displaced over 200,000 people from 400 villages. The conflagration has led to the largest exodus of people in the state’s recent history. In Uttar Pradesh’s Bareilly city, curfew remains in force in the wake of fresh incidents of violence. The police’s indecisive and weak response to the unrest contributed to the spread of violence to different parts of the city. Imran, a local zari worker died of his gunshot wounds on Monday, which was also the first day of Ramadan. IAMC has called upon the state administrations of Uttar Pradesh and Assam to take all necessary measures to restore peace in the affected areas and to provide adequate relief to the multitudes that have been displaced or rendered homeless. “The scale of violence and destruction and the magnitude of the human tragedy that is currently unfolding require swift and decisive action from the government to enforce law and order”, noted Mr. Shaheen Khateeb, President of IAMC. Eye witness accounts report that police are having trouble enforcing curfew in affected areas, with rioters continuing sporadic attacks and burning houses and properties. “The government should also ensure that relief camps are equipped with adequate food, water, medicines and sanitary facilities for the displaced people”, added Mr. Khateeb. Indian American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 13 chapters across the nation. For more information please visit our new website at www.iamc.com. RELATED LINKS: UP clashes: 75 arrested, curfew continues in Bareilly, Aonla http://post.jagran.com/UP-clashes-75-arrested-curfew-continues-in-Bareilly-Aonla-1343121542 Violence continues unabated in Bareilly http://twocircles.net/2012jul23/violence_continues_bareilly_muslim_sp_leaders_clueless.html PFI demands Centre’s intervention to control Assam violence http://twocircles.net/2012jul26/pfi_demands_centre%E2%80%99s_intervention_control_assam_violence.html Assam violence continues for fifth day, toll now 44 http://www.firstpost.com/india/assam-violence-continues-for-fifth-day-toll-now-44-393004.html Contact: Zafar Haq phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295 Morton Grove, IL 60053 phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com Forward email

Press Release

US Independence Day is an inspiration of all who struggle for Democracy says Indian American Muslim Group

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Wednesday July 04, 2012 Indian American Muslim Council (http://www.iamc.com) an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos extends congratulations to all on the occasion of our nation’s 237th Independence Day. On this day, in 1776 the founding fathers of the United States issued the Declaration of Independence, effectively ending its status as a colony of Great Britain, and establishing a sovereign nation state. Morocco, a predominantly Muslim nation in West Africa, was the first country to recognize American Independence in 1777. As a culmination of the struggle for independence known as the American Revolution, the Declaration of Independence represents the toil and sacrifice of countless individuals dedicated to the establishment of an elected representative government. For American Muslims of Indian origin, the Independence Day has special significance. Both nations won their independence from Great Britain, forming the world’s oldest and largest democracies. The ideals of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, declared as the unalienable rights of all human beings by America’s founding fathers, are congruent with the ideals of liberty, justice and equality enshrined in the Constitution of India. “The Declaration of Independence is an inspiration to all who struggle for democracy,” said Shaheen Khateeb, President of IAMC. “As committed citizens, we cherish the ideals of life and liberty for all people and pledge to safeguard them through peaceful and democratic means,” added Mr. Khateeb. Indian American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 13 chapters across the nation. For more information please visit our new website at www.iamc.com. RELATED LINKS: Declaration of Independence http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/declaration_transcript.html Contact: Zafar Haq phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295 Morton Grove, IL 60053 phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com Forward email

Press Release

Fasih Mehmood’s disappearance is a challenge to civil society says Indian American Muslim Group

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Wednesday June 06, 2012 Indian American Muslim Council (http://www.iamc.com) an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos has noted with grave concern the case of Fasih Mehmood who was apprehended in Saudi Arabia on May 13, 2012 by Indian and Saudi agencies for alleged terror links, but remains unaccounted for since then. Regardless of whether Fasih Mehmood is presently in India or Saudi Arabia, the fact that he was seized by Saudi police in the presence of Indian sleuths makes it imperative that the Home Ministry and the Ministry of External Affairs provide details of Fasih’s whereabouts, and explain why he could not be accounted for, over 3 weeks after his arrest. Saudi officials have been quoted in the media as stating that Fasih was arrested on May 13 and deported the same day, following a request by Ministry of External Affairs in India. However, Home Minister P. Chidambaram has denied that Fasih Mehmood is in the custody of Indian authorities. On June 3, India sought Fasih’s deportation from Saudi Arabia accusing him of involvement in the Chinnaswamy Stadium and Jama Masjid blasts in April and September 2010 respectively. Fasih Mehmood is the fourteenth youngster from Darbhanga district in Bihar to be detained on alleged charges of terrorism. Although detained on May 13, Fasih has not been produced in any court of law yet. His case points to a new level of impunity with which citizens’ rights are trampled upon even in foreign countries. It also underscores the need for the government to implement arresting protocols. “Fasih Mehmood’s illegal detention and the government’s inadequate explanations at the Supreme Court hearings on June 1 and June 6, are shocking. The track record of law enforcement agencies in forcing extractions under duress does not inspire confidence in the claims of the security agencies,” said Mr. Shaheen Khateeb, President of IAMC. “While the government has the authority and the responsibility to combat terrorism and defend the nation’s security, random arrests and lack of due process only subvert the rule of law, and alienate sections of the community,” added Mr. Khateeb. IAMC has welcomed the directive of India’s Supreme Court to the central government to provide details of Fasih Mehmood’s whereabouts. Indian American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 13 chapters across the nation. For more information please visit our new website at wwww.iamc.com. RELATED LINKS: Saudi deports terror suspect Bihar youth http://www.sunday-guardian.com/investigation/saudi-deports-terror-suspect-bihar-youth Where is Fasih Mehmood? Saudi says terror suspect deported, India denies http://daily.bhaskar.com/article/NAT-TOP-%E2%80%98arrested-%E2%80%98deported-%E2%80%98missing-where-is-fasih-mehmood-3338574.html Bangalore cops get warrant for Fasih Mehmood http://www.indianexpress.com/news/bangalore-cops-get-warrant-for-fasih-mehmood/954156 Interpol Red Corner Notice Against Fasih Mehmood http://www.siasat.com/english/news/interpol-red-corner-notice-against-fasih-mehmood Citizens demand that Fasih Mehmood be produced before an Indian Court http://www.indianmuslimobserver.com/2012/05/citizens-demand-that-fasih-mehmood-be.html Contact: Zafar Haq phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295 Morton Grove, IL 60053 phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com Forward email

Press Release

Coalition Against Genocide condemns SIT’s shoddy report on Gujarat violence

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May 11, 2012 Coalition Against Genocide (CAG – http://coalitionagainstgenocide.org/), a broad coalition of over 40 organizations dedicated to the cause of justice and accountability, condemns the report filed by the Special Investigations Team (SIT) as shoddy investigation and a deliberate distortion of evidence. The Supreme Court appointed SIT’s closure report, on the complaint brought forth by Mrs. Zakia Jafri, is replete with inconsistencies, contradicting inferences and devoid of any substantial effort to examine all the records that can throw light on the alleged crimes. “The line of investigation seems focused on finding excuses to discard the available evidence by casting doubt on the credibility of the victims and those that have come forward with evidence.”, said Biju Mathew, one of the founding members of the coalition. On the other hand, a report by Mr. Raju Ramachandran, who was appointed by the Court as amicus curiae, has declared that there was sufficient evidence to charge and prosecute Chief Minister Narendra Modi. CAG expresses its dismay that the SIT has summarily dismissed the testimonies of two senior police officials that had made specific allegations against the Gujarat state government and Chief Minister Narendra Modi. Whistle-blower cop Sanjiv Bhatt had alleged that he was present at a meeting held at the Chief Minister’s residence in which Mr. Narendra Modi instructed senior state and police officials to “allow Hindus to vent their anger.” The same allegation has been corroborated by another high ranking police official R. B. Sreekumar in a separate affidavit. In that affidavit he has alleged that the then Director General of Police K. Chakravarty conveyed that similar instructions were given in that meeting by Chief Minister Modi. It should be noted that the destruction of the minutes and other official records by the Modi administration that would have conclusively clarified Sanjiv Bhatt’s presence in the said meeting, was ignored by the SIT. Instead of probing these allegations with the seriousness they deserve, the SIT made the following outrageous claim in its report: “The interpretation made on alleged illegal instructions given by the Chief Minister by [former DGP R. B.] Sreekumar and [suspended police officer] Sanjiv Bhatt appear to be without basis. Further, even if such allegations are believed for the sake of argument, mere statement of alleged words in the four walls of a room does not constitute an offense.” In other words, the SIT does not hold it an offense for a sitting Chief Minister to give overt approval for sectarian violence by instructing police officials to look the other way. It is a sad day for Indian democracy when a body appointed by the court to unearth the truth, itself conducts its proceedings in a manner that reflects clear bias and prejudice. CAG believes that SIT’s twisted interpretation of the law has monumentally disastrous implications for the foundational principles of the Constitution including the guarantees to the right to life for every citizen. CAG further believes that the SIT has lost all legal, ethical and moral standing to continue the investigation in a free and fair manner. The Coalition appeals to the Supreme Court to intervene to: Reject the SIT report and its line of investigation, especially in light of amicus curiae’s diametrically opposite conclusion based on the same evidence. Appoint a separate investigative body, with an explicit mandate to probe the role of the state administration, law enforcement personnel, politicians and other accused in the perpetration of violence and subsequent subversion of justice to the victims. Order the new investigative body to probe allegations brought against the SIT, since its officers are themselves accused in some instances. Coalition Against Genocide affirms its solidarity with the survivors of the pogroms and the civil society groups in their continued struggle for justice and reparation. RELATED LINKS: Narendra Modi found partisan in 2010,cleared in 2012 Indian Express, May 10, 2012 http://www.indianexpress.com/news/narendra-modi-found-partisan-in-2010-cleared-in-2012/947344/ SIT says illegal instruction given in private is not an offence The Hindu, May 11, 2012 http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article3405602.ece Did Narendra Modi govt pay for SIT chief Raghavan’s foreign trips? Times of India, May 10, 2012 http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-05-10/ahmedabad/31654977_1_amicus-r-k-raghavan-gujarat-chief-minister SIT says Ehsan Jafri ‘provoked’ murderous mob The Hindu, May 11, 2012 http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article3405416.ece Modi’s SITcom Times of India, May 9, 2012 http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-05-09/ahmedabad/31641245_1_riot-victims-zakia-jafri-relief-camps   CONTACT: Biju Mathew Tel: (917) 232-8437 Email: biju2u@gmail.com (East Coast, USA) Dr. Hyder Khan Tel: (612) 889-7334 Email: hydermkhan@yahoo.com (Mid West, USA) Girish Agrawal Tel: (408) 398-4885 Email: lawgir@gmail.com (West Coast, USA) Forward email

Press Release

US reaffirmation of visa denial to Modi welcomed by IAMC

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Tuesday April 26, 2012 The Indian American Muslim Council (http://www.iamc.com) an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos today welcomed the US State Department’s reiteration of its position on the issue of a US visa for Chief Minister Narendra Modi. In a letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Congressman Walsh had called on the US government to lift the ban on issuing a US visa to Mr. Modi. On April 25, 2012, the State Department’s spokesperson Victoria Nuland responded to questions from reporters on Congressman Walsh’s letter. “Our position on the visa issue has not changed at all,” Ms. Nuland stated categorically, reaffirming the government’s position that Mr. Modi continues to remain inadmissible under current US law. Section 212 (a)(2)(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, makes foreign government officials ineligible for a visa should the State Department deem them complicit in severe violations of religious freedom. Mr. Modi is the prime accused in a case filed by human rights organization “Citizens for Justice and Peace” and Gujarat carnage survivor Mrs. Zakia Jafri, where he is accused of conspiracy to commit mass murder, to influence the course of public justice and to destroy public records. An amicus curiae appointed by India’s Supreme Court has found sufficient evidence to charge and prosecute him for the carnage in 2002 that resulted in the killing of over 2,000 people and the displacement of over 150,000. “Even after the horrific pogrom in Gujarat 2002, there has been no reprieve for the minorities in Gujarat. The continued violations of religious freedom in the state, in the form of extra-judicial killings, pathetic living conditions of people displaced since 2002, as well as economic discrimination against minorities reflect the culture of impunity cultivated by Mr. Modi and his administration,” said Mr. Shaheen Khateeb, President of IAMC. “The State Department’s refusal to reconsider the ban on Modi’s visa should also be seen in light of the ongoing struggle to secure justice and reparation for the victims of the Gujarat carnage of 2002,” added Mr. Khateeb. IAMC has called upon India’s Supreme Court to look into irregularities in the functioning of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) appointed by the Court and to ensure that the masterminds of the Gujarat pogrom of 2002 are brought to justice. Indian American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 10 chapters across the nation. For more information please visit our new website at www.iamc.com. RELATED LINKS: No change in visa policy on Narendra Modi: US http://ibnlive.in.com/news/no-change-in-visa-policy-on-narendra-modi-us/252141-2.html US Department of State – Foreign Affairs Manual Volume 9 http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/86956.pdf US lawmaker asks Clinton to reconsider decision on visa to Modi http://www.indianexpress.com/news/us-you-will-have-to-give-him-a-visa/941328/ Gujarat 2002 – The Full Coverage http://www.tehelka.com/story_main35.asp?filename=Ne031107gujrat_sec.asp “We have no orders to save you” – Report by Human Rights Watch http://www.hrw.org/legacy/reports/2002/india//a> Concerned Citizens Tribunal – Gujarat 2002; An Inquiry into the Carnage in Gujarat http://www.sabrang.com/tribunal/volI/index.html Contact: Zafar Haq phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295 Morton Grove, IL 60053 phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com Forward email

Press Release

Convictions in post-Godhra carnage a step on the road to justice says Indian American Muslim Council

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Tuesday April 10, 2012 Indian American Muslim Council (http://www.iamc.com) an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos today welcomed the belated convictions of 23 individuals in the Ode massacre case related to the carnage in Gujarat in 2002. On March 1, 2002, a mob of about a thousand people attacked a house in the Pirawali Bhagol area of Ode, in which 23 people had taken shelter. The convicted men set the house on fire, killing the nine women, nine children and five men inside. The verdict is the third, including the Godhra train burning case, that the Supreme Court had entrusted to the Special Investigation Team. The Gujarat pogrom of 2002 claimed the lives of over 2000 people, and displaced over 150,000 from their homes. The Supreme Court’s directions on a petition filed by the Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP) resulted in effective protection for the witnesses, which greatly contributed to the convictions. “The fact that this is the first post-Godhra carnage case in which the court has established criminal conspiracy, shows that this is only the first step in the long road to full justice and reparation for the victims of the Gujarat carnage,” said Mr. Shaheen Khateeb, President of IAMC. The post-Godhra pogrom was marked by brutal sexual violence against at least 800 women, many of whom were later burnt alive. To date, no case of criminal conspiracy has been brought against the rapists and killers. Individuals who participated in the Gujarat carnage of 2002 have confessed on camera, that their evil deeds were facilitated by the state government led by Chief Minister Narendra Modi. Families of the victims and survivors of the Gujarat pogrom are still struggling for justice and reparation. Despite the passage of 10 years, most people displaced by the pogrom are unable to return to their villages, for fear of being harassed or killed. “Far from being a vindication of the state government, the court’s verdict should be seen as a call to human rights defenders and NGOs to continue the struggle for justice until the masterminds of the gruesome killings of 2002 are handed their due punishment under the law,” added Mr. Khateeb. Indian American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 10 chapters across the nation. For more information please visit our new website at www.iamc.com. RELATED LINKS: 23 convicted, 23 acquitted for Gujarat riots massacre http://twocircles.net/2012apr09/23_convicted_23_acquitted_gujarat_riots_massacre.html A balm for Gujarat Ode riot victims: Twenty-three convicted in massacre trial http://www.dailymail.co.uk/indiahome/indianews/article-2127380/A-balm-Gujarat-Ode-riot-victims-Suspects-convicted-massacre-trial.html Gujarat riots: 23 held guilty for Ode carnage http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/Gujarat/Gujarat-riots-23-held-guilty-for-Ode-carnage/Article1-837708.aspx Gujarat 2002 – The Full Coverage http://www.tehelka.com/story_main35.asp?filename=Ne031107gujrat_sec.asp “We have no orders to save you” – Report by Human Rights Watch http://www.hrw.org/legacy/reports/2002/india/ Concerned Citizens Tribunal – Gujarat 2002; An Inquiry into the Carnage in Gujarat http://www.sabrang.com/tribunal/volI/index.html Contact: Zafar Haq phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295 Morton Grove, IL 60053 phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com Forward email

Press Release

Indian American Group strongly condemns Bihar government’s stand on Forbesganj firing, reiterates demand for justice for victims

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Wednesday April 4, 2012 Indian American Muslim Council (http://www.iamc.com) an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos today condemned Bihar government’s characterization of Forbesganj police firings as a “minor incident” that did not merit CBI inquiry. The Bihar Government made this deeply insensitive assertion in its affidavit filed in the Supreme Court in response to the notice seeking the state’s response for a CBI inquiry into the last year’s Forbesganj police firing incident. On June 3rd, 2011, four civilians including a pregnant lady and 10-month old child were killed, and nine more were seriously injured when police opened fire on unarmed and peaceful demonstrators at Forbesganj. The demonstrators were protesting against the acquisition of village land by a factory owned by local BJP politician. “Despite clear evidence of police atrocities, the Bihar government has failed to prosecute the guilty police officers and ignored calls for justice and compensation to the victims,” noted Mr. Ahsan Khan, Vice President of IAMC. “By terming the Forbesganj firing as a minor incident, the Bihar government has brazenly marginalized the murder of its citizens,” Mr. Khan added. Eye-witness accounts and videos taken at the firing site revealed gruesome police atrocities including a police constable repeatedly stomping on an injured protestor hit by a police bullet, and police chasing protestors into their homes before opening fire on them. The incident occurred in the presence of senior police and administrative officers, including the Superintendent of Police who gave the firing orders. No action has been taken to date against the offending police and administrative officers present at the incident. IAMC calls upon the Bihar Government to immediately accept the demands for a CBI inquiry into the Forbesganj firings, and to take all necessary steps to provide just compensation to the victims. Indian American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 10 chapters across the nation. For more information please visit our new website at www.iamc.com. RELATED LINKS: Forbesganj killings minor incident: Bihar Govt. tells Supreme Court http://twocircles.net/2012apr02/forbesganj_killings_%E2%80%98minor_incident%E2%80%99_bihar_govt_tells_supreme_court.html Forbesganj firing Supreme Court issues notice to Bihar Govt http://twocircles.net/2011oct10/forbesganj_firing_supreme_court_issues_notice_bihar_govt.html ANHAD Report on the police firing in Forbesganj http://twocircles.net/2011jun11/anhad_report_police_firing_forbesganj.html Forbesganj firing: Bihar rejects NCM suggestions http://www.indianexpress.com/news/forbesganj-firing-bihar-rejects-ncm-suggestions/896320/0 Contact: Zafar Haq phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295 Morton Grove, IL 60053 phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com Forward email

Press Release

Gujarat Pogrom of 2002 condemned by City of Harvey, IL Resolution

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Wednesday March 28, 2012 The Indian American Muslim Council (http://www.iamc.com) an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos has welcomed the passing of a resolution in the City Council of Harvey, Illinois, on the solemn occasion of the tenth anniversary of the horrific mass killings in the state of Gujarat, India. The waves of massacres that engulfed Gujarat starting in February 2002 claimed the lives of over 2,000 people, were accompanied by brutal sexual violence against hundreds of women and displaced over 150,000 people from their homes. Human rights organizations have found that the pogrom was planned in advance and could only have been executed with the active support of the state government. Council members passed Resolution 2629 unanimously, commemorating the victims of the Gujarat pogrom, during the City Council Meeting on March 26, 2012. The resolution also expressed solidarity with the victims, including those who died in the Godhra train fire on February 27, 2002. Mayor Eric Kellogg presided over the meeting, attended by four other voting council members, as well as members of the public. The city’s resolution comes in the wake of resolution HRES 569 introduced in the House by Congressman Keith Ellison (D-MN) calling on the government of Gujarat to restore religious freedom and expressing concern over the state government’s alleged complicity in the mass killings. Indian Americans across the US held nationwide candlelight vigils in March to commemorate the Gujarat pogrom and demand justice and reparation for the victims. “The Harvey City Council condemns the Gujarat Pogrom of 2002 as a gross violation of human rights and a failure of the law and order machinery in the State of Gujarat,” states the resolution. The Council also expressed concern that “despite worldwide horror and condemnation, the surviving victims have been denied justice and due process.” There have been very few arrests and even fewer convictions arising out of the cases registered during and after the mass killings. “There are times when events in far-flung parts of the world not only move our hearts, but strengthen our resolve to always stand up for truth and justice. The horrific massacres that took place in the Indian state of Gujarat in 2002 is one such event,” said Harvey City Mayor Eric Kellogg in a historic speech after the passing of the resolution. “The fact that such horrific violence took place in the birth place of Mahatma Gandhi, who was the ambassador of peace and harmony, is especially shameful,” Mayor Kellogg added. He also praised the Indian American community in Harvey for their contributions in the field of relief, charity and social services, and resolved to raise funds for the victims of the Gujarat pogrom. “The citizens of Harvey have demonstrated their commitment to the values instilled by the great leaders of this nation such as Dr. King and Rosa Parks,” said Jawad Khan, Executive Committee member of IAMC, in his speech at the City Council. “The resolution passed by the City of Harvey demonstrates that the upholding of human rights and the defense of human dignity are universal concerns that transcend national boundaries and geographic location,” said Mr. Shaheen Khateeb, President of IAMC. “The Gujarat Pogrom of 2002 was an attack on our common human values, and the struggle for justice and reparation for the victims is thus an international issue,” added Mr. Khateeb. The Tom Lantos Commission for Human Rights heard testimonies on March 21, 2012 from two Indian Americans on human rights violations in different parts of India including Gujarat. The testimonies presented a starkly different picture of Gujarat than the one painted by the recent TIME cover story and the Brookings Institution blog article on Narendra Modi. IAMC has urged the Government of India to address concerns raised by the City of Harvey resolution. The resolution explicitly urges the government “to demonstrate its commitment to the Constitution of India as well to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by safeguarding the human rights of all its citizens, irrespective of their religious affiliations.” Indian American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 10 chapters across the nation. For more information please visit our new website at www.iamc.com. RELATED LINKS: Resolution 2629 passed by City of Harvey http://iamc.com/resolutions/harvey-resolution-2629/ Video of Harvey City Council Meeting that passed resolution 2629 http://iamc.com/videos/harvey-resolution-video/ Mayor Eric J Kellogg’s historic speech expressing solidarity with Gujarat victims http://iamc.com/resolutions/harvey-resolution-2629/ Indian American Group welcomes Congressional Resolution on Gujarat Violence of 2002 http://iamc.com/press-release/indian-american-group-welcomes-congressional-resolution-on-gujarat-violence-of-2002/ “We have no orders to save you” – Report by Human Rights Watch http://www.hrw.org/legacy/reports/2002/india/ US Congressional Hearing highlights the plight of Indian Minorities, Gujarat victims http://iamc.com/press-release/us-congressional-hearing-highlights-the-plight-of-indian-minorities-gujarat-victims/ Congressional Resolution H.Re.569 – Recognizing the 10th Anniversary of the tragic communal violence in Gujarat, India http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c112:H.RES.569: Indian Americans across US hold candle-light vigils for Gujarat victims http://iamc.com/news/report-indian-americans-demand-justice-for-gujarat-victims-through-candle-light-vigils/ Contact: Zafar Haq phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295 Morton Grove, IL 60053 phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com Forward email [Back to Top]

Press Release

US Congressional Hearing highlights the plight of Indian Minorities, Gujarat victims

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Narendra Modi to remain persona non-grata with no change to visa status Thursday March 22, 2012 Indian American Muslim Council (http://www.iamc.com) an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos has thanked Dr. Najid Hussain (son-in-law of slain Indian Parliamentarian Ahsan Jafri) and Dr. Angana Chatterji for their Congressional testimonies at the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission today. The Commission held a hearing on Wednesday (March 21, 2012) on the plight of religious minorities in South Asia, at which Dr. Najid Hussain represented IAMC, in response to an invitation by Commission Co-Chair Congressman Frank Wolf. Congressman Joseph Pitts’s pointed questions about Modi’s visa status made it clear that Modi remains a persona non-grata in the US. In 2005, the US State Department had revoked Narendra Modi’s US visa under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998, for egregious violations of religious freedom. “The testimonies of both Dr. Hussain and Dr. Chatterji gave the Commission a starkly different picture of Gujarat than the one painted by the recent TIME Asia cover story and a Brookings Institution blog article,” said Mr. Shaheen Khateeb, President of IAMC. Both stories were largely seen as promotional articles aimed at rehabilitating the tainted Narendra Modi for higher office even as the judicial process is tightening around him. Dr. Hussain noted with regret that despite the killing of over 2,000 Muslims during the carnage, glaringly low number of arrests have been made to date with even fewer convictions. “An inclusive India would also be a stronger India, that could provide power for our mutual progress, economic development, and growth,” Dr. Hussain said in his testimony. “That goal cannot be realized without ensuring justice to the minorities of Gujarat,” the testimony added. Dr. Hussain urged the Commission to deny any recognition to Mr. Modi and to use the United States’ influence and friendship with India to ensure freedom, justice and security for the minorities in Gujarat as well as other Indian states. Dr. Hussain also deplored the continued suffering of more than 16,000 people still living in squalid refugee camps. Most people displaced during the pogrom have to date not been allowed to return to their homes as the state government has turned a blind eye to their boycott and ghettoization. Dr. Angana Chatterji testified before the Commission on similar targeting of Christians by right wing Hindu extremists organizations. Violence against Christians resulted in the murder, rape and massive displacement of thousands of people in the state of Orissa. Dr. Chatterji’s testimony covered the vast number of disappearances in the state of Jammu and Kashmir and the unearthing of unmarked mass graves based on her report. This highlighted the impunity enjoyed by the Army despite gross violations of human rights. She also referred to the denial of independent religious identity to Sikhs. Dr. Chatterji further called attention to the various Indian diaspora charitable organizations affiliated with the Hindutva ideology operating in the West and their efforts at influencing public discourse and policy in the United States in relation to India. IAMC has also noted with regret the rising discrimination and violence against religious and disadvantaged minorities. “The harassment of minorities and the lack of due process in the arrest of Muslim youth after every terror attack have eroded the people’s confidence in the impartiality of the nation’s law enforcement agencies.” said Mr. Shaheen Khateeb. Several terror attacks for which Muslim youth were arrested were later found to be the handiwork of right wing Hindu extremists, In addition to extrajudicial killings and the denial of constitutional rights to large sections of the Muslim population, their increasing marginalization in education, essential services and employment have reached alarming proportions. IAMC hopes the awareness created by the testimonies of Dr. Najid Hussain and Dr. Angana Chatterji will lead to concrete steps by the Government of India to redress the grievous injustices committed against minorities in Gujarat and other parts of India.   Indian American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 10 chapters across the nation. For more information please visit our new website at www.iamc.com. RELATED LINKS: Testimony of Dr. Najid Hussain at the US Congressional Hearing – March 21, 2012 http://iamc.com/testimonies/dr-najid-hussains-testimony-at-the-congressional-hearing-on-tom-lantos-human-rights-commission/ Testimony of Dr. Angana Chatterji at the US Congressional Hearing – March 21, 2012 http://iamc.com/testimonies/dr-angana-chatterjis-testimony-at-the-congressional-hearing-organized-by-the-tom-lantos-human-rights-commission/ Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission Hearing on Challenges Facing Minorities in South Asia http://tlhrc.house.gov/hearing_notice.asp?id=1227 Congressional Resolution H.Re.569 – Recognizing the 10th Anniversary of the tragic communal violence in Gujarat, India http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c112:H.RES.569: Ahsan Jafri Foundation http://www.visionjafri.org/webpages/pg_relief.html Contact: Zafar Haq phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295 Morton Grove, IL 60053 phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com Forward email [Back to Top]

Press Release

TIME’s cover story on Narendra Modi a distortion of truth, says Indian American group

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Monday March 19, 2012 Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC – http://www.iamc.com) an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, has condemned TIME magazine’s cover story on Mr. Narendra Modi as a dismal PR exercise intended to whitewash Mr. Modi’s complicity in the Gujarat pogrom of 2002. IAMC has also questioned the timing of the story, coming on the heels of a blog article by the Managing Director of the Brookings Institution that appears to be along the same lines, projecting Mr. Modi as India’s “most admired and most feared politician,” and even eulogizing his apparent concern for the environment, while glossing over the details of Mr. Modi’s role in the murderous carnage of 2002. “Although TIME’s cover story is not an endorsement, it contains inaccuracies, half-truths and glaring omission of pertinent details on Mr. Modi’s tenure as Chief Minister. These betray its real objective – an attempt by APCO Worldwide, Modi’s PR firm in Washington DC – to combat negative coverage of their client’s documented connivance in gross human rights violations, in order to project him as a Prime Ministerial candidate,” said Mr. Shaheen Khateeb, President of IAMC. “Mr. Narendra Modi as the potential Prime Minister of India is a diplomatic and moral conundrum for the United States and other countries of common human values,” added Mr. Khateeb. While the Indian courts are censuring Mr. Modi for contempt of court and assessing the evidence collected by human rights organizations and investigative journalists, the TIME story and the Brookings article are examples of irresponsible journalism that cares little for facts. Under Mr. Modi’s watch, murderous mobs engaged in the killing of over 2,000 people, in brutal sexual crimes against 800 women, and in the displacement of over 150,000 people, many of whom are still living in refugee camps that lack basic amenities. For the thousands of cases registered during and after the carnage, barely a handful of arrests have been made. In 2005, the US State Department, in an unprecedented move, placed a ban on Mr. Modi from entering the US on the grounds of egregious religious freedom violations under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998. IAMC has called upon TIME to run a second story on Narendra Modi and Gujarat, with detailed perspectives added by human rights defenders and whistleblowers in India, the findings of international human rights organizations as well as excerpts from the House Resolution 569 introduced this month in the House by Congressman Keith Ellison (D-MN). IAMC has also called upon the Brookings Institution to salvage its credibility as a think-tank by conducting an official study into the situation in Gujarat both on the human rights and the economic front, instead of merely repeating Mr. Modi’s fallacious claims. Indian American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 10 chapters across the nation. For more information please visit our new website at www.iamc.com. RELATED LINKS: REFERENCES TO TIME & BROOKINGS ARTICLES India’s Most Admired and Most Feared Politician: Narendra Modi http://www.brookings.edu/opinions/2012/0316_modi_antholis.aspx Why Narendra Modi is India’s Most Loved and Loathed Politician http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2109164,00.html MODI’S PR FIRM HAS HISTORY OF WORKING FOR DICTATORS Modi gets PR firm Apco Worldwide to hardsell Vibrant Gujarat http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/modi-gets-apco-to-hardsell-vibrant-gujarat-2011/373266/ APCO Worldwide: Modi’s image builders have dictators on client list http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/2600140.cms What lies on the other side of US’ praise of Modi http://www.tehelka.com/story_main50.asp?filename=Ws190911Politics.asp THE MYTH OF VIBRANT GUJARAT Marketing a Myth (of Gujarat’s Economic Prosperity) by Lyla Bavadam, Frontline Magazine, May. 07-20, 2011 http://www.frontlineonnet.com/fl2810/stories/20110520281001800.htm Relative Development of Gujarat and Socio-Economic Differentials By Dr. Abusaleh Shariff http://www.cjponline.org/GujaratReview070311.pdf High income, yet high hunger levels in Gujarat By VIDYA SUBRAHMANIAM, THE HINDU, February 13, 2011 http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article1448215.ece Myth of Vibrant Gujarat http://www.anhadin.net/IMG/pdf/Myth_of_Vibrant_Gujarat_EDigest.pdf GUJARAT MASSACRES A Decade of Shame http://www.frontlineonnet.com/stories/20120309290400400.htm Muslims are Gujarat’s new outcastes: Survey – DNA, March 2, 2012 http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_muslims-are-gujarats-new-outcastes-survey_1657290 2002 riots not spontaneous: Study http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-02-29/ahmedabad/31110513_1_anti-muslim-bjp-mla-scs No entry for Modi into US: visa denied – Times of India, March 18, 2005 http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2005-03-18/india/27866126_1_business-visa-gujarat-riots-immigration-and-nationality-act Congressional Resolution H.RES 569: Recognizing the tenth anniversary of the tragic communal violence in Gujarat, India http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c112:H.RES.569: India: A Decade on, Gujarat Justice Incomplete – Human RIghts Watch, Feb 24, 2012 http://www.hrw.org/news/2012/02/24/india-decade-gujarat-justice-incomplete Contact: Zafar Haq phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295 Morton Grove, IL 60053 phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com Forward email [Back to Top]

Press Release, Reports

Report: Indian Americans demand justice for Gujarat victims through candle-light vigils in several cities across the US

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Saturday, March 10, 2012 The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC – http://www.iamc.com), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, observed the tenth anniversary of the horrific carnage in Gujarat through candle-light vigils held in several cities across the US, as well as an online candle-light vigil on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Gujarat-Genocide/256516174422867 The objective of the vigils and demonstrations was to express solidarity with the victims of the pogrom of 2002, and to demand justice and reparation for them. Vigils were held in Washington DC, New York City, Boston, Tamarac(FL), Santa Clara (CA) and San Diego (CA) over the weekend of March 3-4, 2012. At each vigil participants called upon all people of conscience to ask their Congressional representatives to support House Resolution HRES 569, introduced in the House of Representatives to mark the tenth anniversary of the Gujarat massacres and to ask the Gujarat government to restore religious freedom. New York City The rally and candlelight vigil sponsored by the various constituents of Coalition Against Genocie (CAG), was by all accounts a great success. The objective of the rally was to draw the attention of New Yorkers to the state-sponsored death and dismemberment of thousands of Muslims in Gujarat, and the rape and sexual mutilation of hundreds women and girls, in 2002. The vigil was held at a location of great symbolic significance – the statue of Mahatma Gandhi in Union Square Park. The rally highlighted the glaring inconsistencies between the vision of India symbolized by Gandhi and the current situation in the state of Gandhi’s birth, viz. Gujarat. Each speaker bemoaned the lack of justice despite the passage of ten years since the massacres. The coalition comprised not just of Indian American organizations, but also anti-war interfaith organizations from the Muslim, Jewish and Christian communities. Some of the leadership of these organizations, represented at the rally included Imam Tali Abdur Rashid, an African American imam who heads Islamic Leadership Council, the umbrella body of New York area Muslims, Dr. Hillel Levine, the founder of Center for International Conciliation, Biju Matthew of South Asian Solidarity Initiative and  Rev. Mark Lukens, the President of The Interfaith Alliance, Long Island chapter. Mohammad Yusuf Dadani of the Indian American Muslim Council reminded the attendees of what had happened in Gujarat and why it was important to stay focused on demanding justice and reparation for the victims and to deny Modi the veneer of acceptability in the West that he so desperately desires. CAG organizers reminded the people to call their Congressional representatives and ask them to support HR 569 introduced by Rep. Keith Ellison, memorializing the 2002 massacres in Gujarat and calling upon the Modi government to bring the culprits and masterminds of this massacre to justice. Santa Clara (California) A candle light vigil commemorating the 10th anniversary of the Gujarat 2002 violence was held in the Bay Area. Around 150 people from the Indian-American community gathered in the plaza in front of Santa Clara City Hall for the vigil on Sunday evening. The event was organized by Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) along with member organizations of Coalition Against Genocide (CAG). About 40 organizations formed the CAG coalition in 2005 to campaign against the Modi’s visit to the US and got the State Department to revoke his visa. The vigil included observing a minute of silence and members from several organizations speaking in solidarity with the survivors in their fight for justice. Several children held placards that demanded justice for the victims of the 2002 violence. The resolution introduced by Minnesota Congressman Keith Ellison in the House of Representatives (H.R 569) noting that the Gujarat government had not pursued justice for the victims was read out by Zafar Haq, General Secretary of IAMC. Dr. Angana Chatterji, a founding member of CAG, recounted the violence visited on innocent women and children while Anu Mandavilli, an Indian American activist and a member of CAG explained the role of coalition in creating the awareness about the injustices happening in Gujarat and how diverse organizations coming together can make a big difference. Ahsan Khan, President of the Bay Area chapter of IAMC urged all people of conscience to “resolve to continue the struggle until all the perpetrators are brought to book”.   San Diego (California) On a bright Sunday evening on March 04, 2012, about 75 people gathered at Balboa Park to express their solidarity with the victims of the Gujarat massacres of 2002. Besides Indian Americans, representatives of the local chapter of AID India as well as community members from other nationalities joined the event. Participants carried placards calling for justice and reparation for the victims, and declaring that the Gujarat pogrom would never be forgotten. After sunset participants held candles and reflected on the pain and suffering of one the worst sectarian massacres in India since the partition in 1947. Participants handed leaflets to passersby to create awareness about the Gujarat pogrom and also observed a minute of silence for the victims. Pictures of the vigil can be seen at  http://www.facebook.com/memonphoto           Washington DC: Candle-light vigil across the White House to commemorate victims of 2002 Pogrom in Gujarat Volunteers from Maryland, Virginia, Washington and Delware gathered in Washington D.C on March 03, 2012, to observe a candle-light vigil in Lafayette Park, across the White House. Najid Hussain, son-in-law of former Congress Member of Parliament, Ehsan Jafri who was brutally murdered during the pogrom, as well as Zubair Jafri, son of Ehsan Jafri were among the 50 volunteers. Leaders of various local organizations, including Muslim Support Services and Masjid Al-Falah were among the speakers. All speakers emphasized the importance of continuing the struggle for justice in a non-violent manner and acknowledged the important work of IAMC in the upliftment of minorities.   Boston: Vigil at Harvard Square to demand justice for Gujarat genocide victims About 50 people braved the cold winter weather of New England and gathered at Harvard Square, close to Harvard University, to observe the tenth anniversary of

Press Release

Indian American Group welcomes Congressional Resolution on Gujarat Violence of 2002

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Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC – http://www.iamc.com) an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, has welcomed the introduction of Congressional Resolution H.Res 569 by Congressman Keith Ellison (D-MN) “recognizing the tenth anniversary of the tragic communal violence in Gujarat, India.” “Congressman Ellison’s resolution is an important effort to memorialize all those who were killed in the horrific sectarian violence of Gujarat in 2002,” said Mr. Shaheen Khateeb, President of IAMC. “It is an opportunity to renew our pledge to continue the struggle for justice and reparation for the victims and to combat the discrimination and the economic hardships that plague minorities in Gujarat,” added Mr. Khateeb. The resolution quotes the US State Department’s International Religious Freedom Report of 2003 which found that the communal violence claimed the lives of an estimated 2,000 people and displaced over 100,000 into refugee camps. The resolution cites Indian investigative magazine Tehelka’s exposé wherein people who participated in the violence confessed on camera that such violence “was possible only because of the connivance of the state police and Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi.” Mr. Modi was denied a visa to the US by the Department of State on the grounds of egregious religious freedom violations under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998. IAMC has called on all people of conscience to call upon their local Congressional representatives and urge them to become a co-sponsor of the House Resolution H.Res 569. In observance of the 10th anniversary of the Gujarat violence, Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) as part of the Coalition Against Genocide, is organizing candle light vigils across various cities in the US during the weekend of March 3rd – 4th 2012. Indian American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 10 chapters across the nation. FULL TEXT OF HOUSE RESOLUTION H.RES 569 http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c112:H.RES.569:  CALL TO ACTION: Call your Congressperson to support the resolution by becoming a co-sponsor Click on the following link, enter your zip code and get contact numbers of your congressperson: http://www.congress.org/congressorg/dbq/officials Participate in a vigil near you (March 3rd-4th, 2012) http://iamc.com/news/anniversary-gujarat/ Light a candle in the virtual candle light vigil on facebook   Like the facebook page and light a virtual candle https://www.facebook.com/pages/Gujarat-Genocide/256516174422867  RELATED LINKS: India: A Decade on, Gujarat Justice Incomplete – Human RIghts Watch, Feb 24, 2012 http://www.hrw.org/news/2012/02/24/india-decade-gujarat-justice-incomplete Muslims are Gujarat’s new outcastes: Survey – DNA, March 2, 2012 http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_muslims-are-gujarats-new-outcastes-survey_1657290 2008: US State Department confirms Modi will not be given visa http://www.coalitionagainstgenocide.org/press/cag.pr.28aug2008.php 27 US Lawmakers want Modi’s visa ban extended; Coalition Against Genocide gets support from more congresspersons http://www.coalitionagainstgenocide.org/press/cag.pr.09aug2008.php US Congressman Joe Sestak of Pennsylvania writes to State Department http://www.coalitionagainstgenocide.org/press/cag.pr.06aug2008.php 2008: Letter from Representative Betty McCollum to the US Department of State http://coalitionagainstgenocide.org/press/mccollum.letter.08jul2008.pdf 2008: USCIRF Urges Denial of U.S. Visa to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi http://coalitionagainstgenocide.org/press/uscirf.letter.08jul2008.php India: Gujarat Chief Minister Endorses Unlawful Killings, Human Rights Watch, December 7, 2007 http://hrw.org/english/docs/2007/12/07/india17510_txt.htm No entry for Modi into US: visa denied – Times of India, March 18, 2005 http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2005-03-18/india/27866126_1_business-visa-gujarat-riots-immigration-and-nationality-act NO ENTRY FOR MODI – By Vijay Prashad, Outlook Magazine, March 12-25, 2005 http://www.frontlineonnet.com/fl2207/stories/20050408003313100.htm 2005 House Resolution H.RES 160 — ‘Condemning the conduct of Chief Minister Narendra Modi for his actions to incite religious persecution and urging the United States to condemn all violations of religious freedom in India.’ http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c109:H.RES.160: ‘Did this letter stop Modi?’ – Rediff.com, March 18, 2005 http://www.rediff.com/news/2005/mar/18pitts.htm ‘Understanding Gujarat Violence’ By Ashutosh Varshney, Contemporary Conflicts, Mar 26, 2004 http://conconflicts.ssrc.org/archives/gujarat/varshney/ International Religious Freedom Report 2003, US Department of State http://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/irf/2003/24470.htm “We have no orders to save you” – Report by Human Rights Watch http://www.hrw.org/legacy/reports/2002/india/ Concerned Citizens Tribunal – Gujarat 2002, An Inquiry into the Carnage in Gujarat http://www.sabrang.com/tribunal/volI/index.html

Press Release

Gujarat still starved of justice 10 years after carnage says Indian American Muslim group

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Tuesday, February 28th, 2012 Indian American Muslim Council (http://www.iamc.com) an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos is observing the 10th anniversary of the start of the Gujarat pogrom of 2002, by renewing its call for justice and reparation for the victims. IAMC has called upon its chapters across the US to observe candle-light vigils as a mark of solidarity with the victims and survivors. At the Gulberg Society in Chamanpura area of Ahmedabad, 69 people were burnt alive, on February 28, 2002 including former Congress Member of India’s Parliament Ehsan Jafri in apparent retaliation for the burning of the S-6 coach of the Sabarmati Express in which 58 people were killed. The Gulberg Society massacre was the start of a pogrom in which over 2000 people were massacred, hundreds of women were raped and thousands more were forced to flee their homes. Human rights and news organizations as well as whistleblowers have presented evidence of the state government’s complicity. ANHAD organized a programme commemorating the “decade of resilience” by the Gujarat victims under the title “Dasktak”. “Dastak is an attempt to unite people and spread the message of communal harmony while establishing the fact that justice is a precondition of peace and communal harmony in the state,” said ANHAD promoter Shabnam Hashmi.       IAMC has supported Justice Hosbet Suresh’s statement at the Gulberg Memorial in which he questioned the administration’s actions while horrific crimes against humanity were being committed. “One of the components of justice is proper reparation for all the victims of the 2002 carnage. “Sadhbhavna” without truth and justice is only a farce and has no meaning,” the statement said. Despite strictures against Mr. Narendra Modi by the Gujarat High Court and the Special Investigation Team’s findings of inaction by the State Government in the face of the carnage, the wheels of justice have yet to turn in favor of the victims. IAMC has therefore called upon the Supreme Court to take suo motu action on the faltering judicial process with respect to the Gujarat massacres. IAMC has noted with satisfaction that Team Anna member and Supreme Court lawyer Prashant Bhushan castigated Narendra Modi for communalizing the state of Gujarat through his propaganda campaigns. Mr. Bhushan was speaking after a documentary film “After the Storm” directed by noted human rights activist Shubradeep Chakravorty, to mark 10 years from the start of the Gujarat pogrom in 2002.   The documentary depicts the tragic victimization of seven Muslim men who were falsely implicated in terror incidents and continued to face discrimination and hardship long after they were acquitted. “Such documentaries put a human face to such stories and help create empathy in the public for such people,” said Mr. Bhushan. Indian American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 10 chapters across the nation. For more information please visit our new website at www.iamc.com. Related Links “Sadhbhavna” without truth and justice is only a farce: Justice Hosbet Suresh http://twocircles.net/2012feb27/sadhbhavna_without_truth_and_justice_only_farce_justice_hosbet_suresh.html A decade after, memories haunt Godhra, Gulberg http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article2939332.ece “We have no orders to save you” – Report by Human Rights Watch http://www.hrw.org/legacy/reports/2002/india/ Concerned Citizens Tribunal – Gujarat 2002, An Inquiry into the Carnage in Gujarat http://www.sabrang.com/tribunal/volI/index.html Contact: Zafar Haq phone/fax:  1-800-839-7270     email: info@iamc.com Address:     6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295 Morton Grove, IL 60053 phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270    email: info@iamc.com Forward email

Press Release

Indian American Muslims applaud Gujarat High Court’s decision against Modi’s Government

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Saturday, February 11th, 2012 Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC – http://www.iamc.com), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguard India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, has expressed its pleasure at the recent Gujarat High Court’s ruling that criticized Chief Minister Narendra Modi’s inaction in stopping the anti-Muslim pogrom of 2002, and its order for restoration of damaged Muslim religious places. “It is very gratifying that the Gujarat High Court has reminded Mr. Modi, of the Government’s responsibility to protect all places of worship,” said Shaheen Khateeb, president, IAMC. As part of its ruling, the High Court severely criticized the intelligence failures, and the Government’s inaction, that allowed the anarchy, and violence against the minority Muslim community to continue unabated for several days. “We now hope that the honorable Court’s orders are implemented swiftly, and the approximately 600 damaged Muslim religious structures are rebuilt/ restored by the Government without any further delay,” said Khateeb. Indian American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 10 chapters across the nation. For more information please visit our new website at www.iamc.com. Related Links 2002 riots: High Court pulls up Modi govt for ‘inaction’ http://www.indianexpress.com/story-print/909836/ Contact: Zafar Haq phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295 Morton Grove, IL 60053 phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com Forward email

Press Release

Celebrations across the US by Indian Muslims to commemorate India’s 63rd Republic Day

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Friday, February 3rd, 2012 Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC – http://www.iamc.com), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, organized massive celebrations across the US to commemorate India’s 63rd Republic Day. IAMC’s chapters across the nation celebrated the day India’s Constitution came into effect, marking the birth of a modern, secular and democratic Republic. This year’s festivities, organized on a larger scale, with elected US officials participating at several chapters, were marked by commemorative speeches, entertaining programs for children and adults and various exciting contests. “The Republic Day celebrations organized by IAMC across the US are intended to be a tribute to the Constitution, a remarkable document that should be cherished and protected and that represents the highest aspirations of the world’s largest democracy,” said Mr. Shaheen Khateeb, President of IAMC. “The celebrations are also an opportunity for us and our families to reconnect with India,” added Mr. Khateeb. The nationwide celebrations included an online Video and Essay Contest at www.republicday.org which received a tremendous response. Winners of exciting prizes such as iPad, iPod Touch and Sony HDTV are as follows: Video Contest Winners 1. First Prize: Kolaveri Di Republic Day Remix by Hayaa Hyder 2. Second Prize: Dance Performance by Shivangi Gupta Essay Contest Winners 1. First Prize: India’s Contribution to World Culture – A few pearls by Mahesh Chandramouli 2. Second Prize: Influence of India in my surroundings by Samah Syed International Video Contest 1. First Prize Winner – Zidan on Republic Day 2012 by Syed Zidan Ali, Gonda, UP San Francisco Bay Area Celebrations draw notable public figures and a packed Audience The Indian American Muslim Council’s (IAMC) Bay Area chapter organized a celebration event to commemorate the 63rd Anniversary of India’s Republic Day on January 28, 2012 in the east bay city of Newark, CA. Featuring a variety of cultural programs and a quiz contest themed on Indian history, the event was attended by leading Bay Area elected officials including Congressman Mike Honda (15th District) and representatives from Congressman Pete Stark (13th District) and Assembly Member Jim Beall, (24th District). Anand Kumar Jha, Consul (Community Affairs) represented the Consulate General of India, San Francisco. The Republic Day celebrations also drew a large audience from diverse Bay Area Indian American groups including the Malyalee Association of Northern California, Silicon Andhra and Aligarh Muslim University Alumni Association. In opening the event, Mr. Ahsan Khan, President, San Francisco Bay Area Chapter of IAMC, stressed upon the historical significance of Republic Day which marks the adoption of the Indian Constitution, a landmark document guaranteeing liberty, equality and freedom of speech and expression for all. Mr. Khan spoke about the Constitution as having paved the way for the rise of modern, secular and democratic Republic of India. Mr. Honda delivered a keynote address on the event and expressed strong support for the Bay Area Indian American community. He commended the work of IAMC in advocating peace, pluralism and social justice for all. The weekend’s event also marked the culmination of IAMC’s month long India Republic Day online Video and Essay contest and concluded with a prize distribution ceremony. The contest was hugely popular in the Indian American community and drew scores of entries from cities and towns across the United States. “Our main goal in organizing this year’s contest was to bring together the Indian American community, especially our children and youth in the United States in a common quest to rediscover India, to unleash their creative talents, and rekindle our bonds with India”, observed Mr. Khan. Consul Anand Kumar Jha distributed the prizes and expressed deep appreciation for the creativity demonstrated by the contestants in their essay and video entries. Indian American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 10 chapters across the nation. Indian Muslims in San Diego Celebrate the founding of the Indian Republic Congressman Bob Filner, Assembly member Marty Block and representatives from several local organizations joined the Republic Day Celebrations organized by the San Diego Chapter on January 29, 2012 at Holiday Inn Express. Congressman Bob Filner presented a proclamation to the San Diego Chapter, recognizing the Republic Day celebrations. In his remarks Congressman Filner reminisced about his work with Dr. Martin Luther King who advised him to read the works of Mahatma Gandhi. Assembly member Marty Block noted the similarities in some of the challenges faced by India and the US, and urged the audience to be vigilant in safeguarding the Constitution. Prof. Vinay Lal (Dept. of History, UCLA) delivered the keynote address in which he shared an interesting analysis of the Constitution and what it means to the 1 billion people of India. Mr. Mohammed Nasrullah, President of the San Diego Chapter described the ideals of justice, liberty and equality and the ability to live in a spirit of fraternity with one’s fellow countrymen as the “basic yearnings of every human heart.” A Fancy Dress competition, a Quiz Contest, a Painting Competition as well as songs by some attendees marked the festivities that were accompanied by a delicious Indian lunch. Boston Area Indian Muslims Commemorate Republic Day with a Fiesty Celebration The Republic Day event was held on Saturday January 28th on a warm and sunny afternoon. DJ Bunty Singh’s musical stylings filled the Knights of Columbus event hall in Westborough. Indian fare, including beautiful jewelry and long flowing traditional dresses, lined the wall waiting to be bought up by lucky customers. Amin Zama, President of IAMC’s Boston Chapter (Indian American Muslim Council) gave the welcome address in which he honored the late Dr. Omar Khalidi, a great writer and intellectual who contributed immensely to the ideals that IAMC is striving for. Dr. Khalidi was also posthumously recognized through an award received by his wife Mrs. Nigar Khalidi. Other awardees included Farukh Ansari and Umang Kumar for their outstanding community service and activism. The audience was asked to observe a moment of silence for Mahatma Gandhi, as the anniversary of his assassination

Events, Press Release, Reports

Massive Republic Day Celebrations Organized by Indian Muslims in the US

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Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC – http://www.iamc.com), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, organized massive celebrations across the US to commemorate India’s 63rd Republic Day. IAMC’s chapters across the nation celebrated the day India’s Constitution came into effect, marking the birth of a modern, secular and democratic Republic. This year’s festivities, organized on a larger scale, with elected US officials participating at several chapters, were marked by commemorative speeches, entertaining programs for children and adults and various exciting contests. IAMC Republic Day online Video and Essay Contest at www.republicday.org received a tremendous response. Winners of exciting prizes such as iPad, iPod Touch and Sony HDTV are as follows: Video Contest Winners 1.    First Prize: Kolaveri Di Republic Day Remix by Hayaa Hyder 2.    Second Prize: Dance Performance by Shivangi Gupta Essay Contest Winners 1.    First Prize: India’s Contribution to World Culture – A few pearls by Mahesh Chandramouli 2.    Second Prize: Influence of India in my surroundings by Samah Syed International Video Contest 1st Prize Winner – Zidan on Republic Day 2012 by Syed Zidan Ali, Gonda, UP San Francisco Bay Area Celebrations Congressman Mike Honda , Indian Consul Community Affairs Mr. Anand Kumar Jha, representatives of several elected officials as well as heads of several Bay area organizations attended a feisty celebration at Chandni Restaurant on January 28th, 2012.Congressman Honda was given the “Maulana Hasrat Mohani” Award in recognition of his community services. Anand Kumar Jha presented excerpts from the speech of the President of India and was awarded a plaque in recognition of his consular services. A letter of recognition was received through the Chief of Staff of Congressman Pete Stark. Congressman Stark was also awarded a plaque in recognition of his services to the community.Speeches by several distinguished guests emphasized the significance of Republic Day and the guarantees in the Constitution to justice, liberty and equality.The Quiz competition, Fancy Dress competition and the children’s performance of the renowned patriotic song “Saare Jahaan Se Achcha” added color to the festivities that was accompanied by a delicious Indian lunch.   San Diego Celebrations Congressman Bob Filner, Assembly member Marty Block and representatives from several local organizations joined the Republic Day Celebrations organized by the San Diego Chapter on January 29, 2012 at Holiday Inn Express.Figure 1 Prof. Vinay Lal delivering the Keynote Address Congressman Bob Filner presented a proclamation to the San Diego Chapter, recognizing the Republic Day celebrations. In his remarks Congressman Filner reminisced about his work with Dr. Martin Luther King who advised him to read the works of Mahatma Gandhi. Assembly member Marty Block noted the similarities in some of the challenges faced by India and the US, and urged the audience to be vigilant in safeguarding the Constitution.Figure 2 Congressman Bob Filner giving the Proclamation to San Diego Chapter Secretary Fatma Zohra Prof. Vinay Lal (Dept. of History, UCLA) delivered the keynote address in which he shared an interesting analysis of the Constitution and what it means to the 1 billion people of India. Mr. Mohammed Nasrullah, President of the San Diego Chapter described the ideals of justice, liberty and equality and the ability to live in a spirit of fraternity with one’s fellow countrymen as the “basic yearnings of every human heart.” A Fancy Dress competition, a Quiz Contest, a Painting Competition as well as songs by some attendees marked the festivities that were accompanied by a delicious Indian lunch.   Boston Celebrations The Republic Day event was held on Saturday January 28th on a warm and sunny afternoon. DJ Bunty Singh’s musical stylings filled the Knights of Columbus event hall in Westborough. India n fare, including beautiful jewelry and long flowingy traditional dresses, lined one  the wall waiting to be bought up by lucky customers.Amin Zama, President of IAMC’s Boston Chapter (Indian American Muslim Council) gave the welcome address in which he honored the late Dr. Omar Khalidi, a great writer and intellectual who contributed immensely to the ideals that IAMC is striving for. Dr. Khalidi was also posthumously recognized through an award received by his wife Mrs. Nigar Khalidi. Other awardees included Farukh Ansari and Umang Kumar for their outstanding community service and activism.The audience was asked to observe a moment of silence for Mahatma Gandhi, whose assassination anniversary would be in two days on January 30th. The quiz titled “Who Wants to Be an Informed Indian,” was received enthusiastically the audience. The highlight of the afternoon was a great performance on the sarangi by DJ Bunty Singh. In Press:  http://bostonsouthasian.com/BSA.FEB.2012.Online.pdf   New Jersey Celebrations Over 150 people gathered at the Elks Lodge in Northern New Jersey to celebrate India’s 63rd Republic Day on Sunday, January 29, 2012.The first Muslim mayor of Indian origin, of Teaneck Hameeduddin also spoke on the occasion and stressed on the importance of being connected to the roots.Prof. Sushila Gidvani – the veteran social activist and well known personality of the Tri-State area was the chief guest and thanked the organizers and IAMC for their efforts in serving the Non-Resident Indian community and extended her support to the organization in building bridges with other similar like-minded organizations across United States. Dy. Director Homeland Security John Page addressed the gathering and distributed prizes to the winners and runners-up of the Quiz Contest, the Drawing Competition and a colorful fancy dress competition. The attendees enjoyed a delicious Indian lunch.The audience was mesmerized by Lata Mangeshkar’s rendition of India’s National Anthem, which followed the US National Anthem. Beautiful poetry was recited by Shiraz Sharief.This occasion was special to the migrant Indian community and served as a reminder that the constitution grants equal rights to all residents of the country, and that it is the duty of all Indians, whether they live in India or abroad, to protect those rights for everyone. http://www.northjersey.com/news/Indians_in_North….   Minneapolis Celebrations   The IAMC – MN Chapter hosted the India Republic Day event at the Presidents’ Room of the Coffman Memorial Union at the University of Minnesota on Saturday January

Press Release

Mahatma Gandhi’s Death Anniversary should be an occasion for National Introspection says Indian American group

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Monday, January 30th, 2012 The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC – http://www.iamc.com), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, has paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi on the occasion of his death anniversary today. IAMC has called upon the Government of India, the institutions of civil society and all citizens to engage in collective introspection over the state of the nation and the ideals for which the Mahatma struggled and ultimately sacrificed his life. On January 30, 1948 Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated by Nathuram Godse, on the steps of a building where a prayer meeting was going to take place. Although India had won its independence from the British on August 15, 1947, Gandhiji continued his struggle for social justice and against sectarian hate that threatened the social fabric of the nation, until the last breath of his life. “Mahatma Gandhi’s life was an inspiration not only to those struggling for India’s freedom, but continues to inspire all people of conscience the world over that are struggling for freedom, social justice and genuine democracy,” said Mr. Shaheen Khateeb, President of IAMC. “His death anniversary is a reminder that the struggle against the hate-filled ideologies that claimed his life is as urgent as ever.” Indian American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 10 chapters across the nation. For more information please visit our new website at www.iamc.com. Contact: Khalid Azam phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295 Morton Grove, IL 60053 phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com Forward email

Press Release

Narendra Modi’s fast in Godhra an exercise in political chicanery, says Indian American group

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Thursday, January 26th, 2012 Indian American Muslim Council (http://www.iamc.com) an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos has decried Mr. Narendra Modi’s attempts to project himself as a champion of peace and harmony, while being complicit in the mass murder and displacement of thousands during the Gujarat pogrom of 2002, and engaging in continued harassment of social activists like Shabnam Hashmi. Mr. Modi recently announced a “sadbhavna mission” fast to Godhra, the city where the Sabarmati train carnage in February 2002 became a pretext for the organized genocide of Muslims in Gujarat. Although the fast’s stated objective is to “promote peace, harmony and brotherhood”, the actions of Mr. Modi’s administration, in detaining social activist Shabnam Hashmi and five others of NGO Anhad, belie this claim. Ms. Hashmi and her colleagues were detained for organizing a convention titled “In Search of Justice.” Ms. Shabnam Hashmi is a well known human rights and social activist who has worked tirelessly for the cause of social justice and communal harmony. On the other hand, several independent studies as well as the testimony of whistleblowers like IPS Officer Sanjiv Bhatt and the “Tehelka” publication report on the Gujarat riots, clearly point to Mr. Modi’s active connivance in the mass pogrom. “There is mounting evidence that Mr. Modi has blood on his hands and it cannot be washed away through exercises in political chicanery such as the fast in Godhra,” said Mr. Shaheen Khateeb (President, IAMC). “While Mr. Modi has the right to fast whenever he wishes, his administration’s continued harassment of those that are genuinely seeking to help the victims exposes the hollowness of his newfound sensitivity to the human condition,” added Mr. Khateeb. IAMC has called upon Mr. Modi to drop the pretensions of false empathy for the Gujarat victims, desist from the harassment of whistleblowers and social activists, and allow justice to take its course. Indian American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 10 chapters across the nation. For more information please visit our new website at www.iamc.com. Contact: Khalid Azam phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295 Morton Grove, IL 60053 phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com Forward email

Press Release

IAMC President Shaheen Khateeb Republic Day Message.

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Assalam Alaikum. Peace be upon you. It gives me immense pleasure to extend my warmest greetings to you on the occasion of the 63rd Republic Day of India. For over 6 decades, India has been a democratic Republic. As Indian Americans, we are truly proud of this accomplishment. While our freedom struggle continues to inspire movements across the world, the Constitution of India that came into effect on January 26, 1950 represents the highest aspirations of the world’s largest democracy. The Constitution is truly a remarkable document. Through its declaration of India as a sovereign, secular Republic and its objectives of liberty, justice and equality for all its citizens, the Constitution provides a framework where all people, irrespective of caste, creed and ethnicity can live together as a single nation. The Constitution should therefore be cherished and protected. India’s quest however, as a nation is not complete. Too many Indians are deprived of the justice and equality that are enshrined in the Constitution. The spirit of fraternity that the Constitution refers to, is not yet firmly established. The tolerance for which our civilization is renowned is facing serious threats, giving birth to sectarianism, bigotry and violence. As Mahatma Gandhi said:  Intolerance is itself a form of violence and an obstacle to the growth of a true democratic spirit. I thank all the IAMC chapters and its volunteers across the nation for organizing the Republic Day celebrations. As Indian Americans, we have a responsibility to work towards the ideals for which countless Indians have given enormous sacrifices. On behalf of the Indian American Muslim Council, its executive, Board members, volunteers and our partners, I wish you a very Happy Republic Day. May the spirit of camaraderie of this Day extend to all Indians, and help us to come together for the important task of nation building.

Press Release

Harvard’s decision to drop courses by Subramanian Swamy, a welcome step says Indian American group

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Wednesday, December 14th, 2011 Indian American Muslim Council (http://www.iamc.com) an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, has applauded Harvard University for dropping courses taught by Janata Party chief Subramanian Swamy over his exercise of hate-speech and demonstration of intolerance and bigotry, in an article for an Indian publication named DNA. In the article published in DNA on July 16, 2011, Dr. Swamy spewed venom against Indian Muslims, by attempting to associate the entire Muslim population with acts of terror and calling for restraints on their freedom of religion, besides calling for anti-Constitutional measures such as declaring India a “Hindu Rashtra.” The article also called for the destruction of 300 mosques as retribution for what Dr. Swamy perceives are goals of “Islamic” terrorism. “Mr. Swamy’s extremist and hate-filled views can be gauged from the fact that he has proposed various methods of profiling an entire population of 150 million Indian Muslims as a solution to the problem of terrorism in India,” said Mr. Shaheen Khateeb, President of IAMC, in a letter addressed to Harvard President Dr. Drew Faust, expressing IAMC’s profound appreciation for Harvard’s decision to drop courses taught by Dr. Swamy. “History bears witness that when such ideologies of hate have been allowed to be propagated without corrective action it has led us to confront various evils like slavery, genocide, systematic segregation, extreme poverty, public humiliation and racism,” the letter added. Dr. Swamy wrote in the article: “The first lesson to be learnt from the recent history of Islamic terrorism against India and for tackling terrorism in India is that the Hindu is the target and that Muslims of India are being programmed by a slow reactive process to become radical and thus slide into suicide against Hindus. It is to undermine the Hindu psyche and create the fear of civil war that terror attacks are organized.” Besides this kind of fear-mongering, Dr. Swamy sought to undermine the very basis of India’s Constitution, by calling for disenfranchisement of Muslims who refuse to acknowledge their Hindu ancestry “with pride.” While Dr. Swamy is entitled to his bigoted views, in his individual capacity, his public pronouncements of hate against the Muslim population, and attempts to sow the seeds of strife and discord among people of different faiths cannot be allowed to go unchecked. Harvard’s decision to drop courses by Dr. Swamy, is in keeping with Harvard’s standing as an institution of higher learning where the faculty and students are held to high standards of responsible public behavior. IAMC has called upon people of all faiths not to allow Dr. Swamy’s inflammatory rhetoric to adversely impact communal harmony and to work towards strengthening India’s pluralist society where people of all faiths can live together on the basis of mutual respect and peaceful coexistence. Indian American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 10 chapters across the nation. For more information please visit our new website at www.iamc.com. RELATED LINKS: There is no room for hateful rhetoric at Harvard http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2011/12/12/swamy-racism-dismissal/ Harvard Drops Subramanian Swamy http://blogs.wsj.com/indiarealtime/2011/12/08/harvard-drops-subramanian-swamy/  

Press Release

Babri Masjid Demolition 19th Anniversary: Indian American Group Demands Justice

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Tuesday, December 6th, 2011 Indian American Muslim Council (http://www.iamc.com) an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos has called upon the Supreme Court of India as well as the institutions of civil society to take cognizance of the miscarriage of justice in the case of the Babri Masjid demolition and to work towards a full and final resolution of the issue. “The fact that justice has eluded us, even after 19 years since this crime against the nation was committed, is unacceptable, and reflects poorly on the health of our polity as well as our judicial system,” said Shaheen Khateeb, President of IAMC.”While the Supreme Court’s stay on the October 2010 verdict of the Allahabad High Court is welcome, it is clear that the machinations of those involved in the demolition could result in further delay for the victims of one of the most egregious violations of religious freedom in our nation’s history,” added Mr. Khateeb. IAMC believes that it was government inaction, coupled with fanatical mobs driven by the hate-filled discourse of the Sangh parivar, that led to the demolition of the Babri Masjid on December 6, 1992. In order to repair the secular foundations of our Republic, and to heal the wounds to our national pride caused by the demolition and its murderous aftermath, IAMC has demanded the following: a. Criminal prosecution of Mr. L.K. Advani, Sadhvi Ritambhara and 66 others held culpable by the Liberhan Commission for the Babri Masjid demolition b. A resolution of the title to the disputed land, based on facts and not on favoring the religious beliefs of one community over those of another c. A reaffirmation of the “The Place of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991”, that prohibits the conversion of any place of worship and provides for the maintenance of the religious character of any place of worship as it existed on 15th August, 1947. Although this Act does not apply to the Babri Masjid, it would ensure that sectarian politics is not allowed to leverage other places of worship in order to advance a divisive agenda. IAMC has called upon people of all faiths to exercise restraint during the upcoming anniversary of the Babri Masjid demolition, and called upon the law enforcement agencies to provide adequate security to all citizens. Indian American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 10 chapters across the nation. For more information please visit our new website at www.iamc.com. RELATED LINKS: Full Report of the Liberhan Commission of Inquiry http://babrimasjid.info/reports/ Indian American Muslim group expresses disappointment at the Court verdict on Babri Masjid Ayodhya issue http://iamc.com/press-release/indian-american-muslim-group-expresses-disappointment-at-the-court-verdict-on-babri-masjid-ayodhya-issue/ Liberhan Commission Report inquiring into the demolition of Babri Masjid http://iamc.com/reports/liberhan_comission_report_inquiring_the_destruction_of_babri_masjid_in_ayodhya_on_dec_6th__1992/  

Reports

A Report on Harassment of Whistle Blowers and Social Activists

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In a deeply troubling trend led by Gujarat state, civil servants and police officers who speak out against complicity of state administration officials in violence against Muslim minorities are subjected to harsh and vindictive actions aimed at suppressing dissent and discouraging such whistle blowers. The following cases illustrate the harassment of such whistle blowers — the brave men and women who have borne the brunt of government’s wrath for upholding their duty and the law. Sanjiv Bhatt is an Indian Police Service Officer (IPS) who provided material information to the Supreme Court appointed Special Investigation Team, revealing Chief Minister Narendra Modi and Gujarat State Government’s complicity and abetment of anti- Muslim riots in 2002. In an affidavit filed before the Supreme Court Bhatt has stated that he was present in the emergency meeting held at Modi’s residence on Feb 27, 2002, during which the Chief Minister instructed the state officials to allow the rioting Hindu mobs “to vent their anger” and wanted “Muslims to be taught a lesson”1. In the days following the meeting, anti-Muslim riots in Gujarat left 2000 dead and displaced over a hundred thousand Muslims2. Bhatt has further disclosed that as the then intelligence officer, he had informed Modi about the impending attack on Gulberg Society apartments and requested police protection for its residents. However Modi not only ignored the information, but also asked the Gujarat police officials to ignore calls from Muslims for help during the riots. Subsequent attack on Gulberg Society killed sixty nine Muslims3. Such revelations have earned Bhatt vindictive reprisals from Modi who is using all means available in the state machinery to silence whistle blowers like Bhatt. Bhatt’s security cover was withdrawn in April 2011 despite the threats to life he faced owing to his disclosures of Government’s complicity and abetment of anti-Muslim riots. Bhatt was then suspended from duty on August 2011 on grounds that his conduct was unbecoming of a police officer4. In October 2011, Bhatt was arrested and kept in detention for seventeen days on charges of fabricating false evidence. While Bhatt was in jail, Gujarat Police repeatedly raided his residence and searched the premises on spurious reasons, harassed the family and ransacked his home5. Rahul Sharma is another such IPS Officer facing the Chief Minister Modi’s ire for protecting Muslims during 2002 Gujarat riots and cooperating with the investigating agencies probing the riot cases. Sharma is credited with saving about 300 Muslim children from a rioting Hindu mob in Bhavnagar in 20026. Sharma was then transferred out of Bhavnagar to a low key posting at Police Control Room, Ahmedabad where he procured cell phone call details of the political leaders, bureaucrats and the marauding gangs of rioters, all of which expose systemic collusion and complicity at the highest levels in state administration. Sharma has since provided these call records to Nanavati Commission, the Banerjee Commission and the Supreme Court appointed Special Investigation Team investigating into the 2002 Gujarat riots cases. These phone records form a crucial evidence for the investigation teams and show that the rioters on the streets where in constant touch with the police and politicians7. In August 2011, alarmed by the evidence provided by Sharma and its potential impact on the State’s politicians including Chief Minister Modi, the Gujarat government issued a chargesheet to Sharma that accused him of gross misconduct and violation of his Service Rules. Commenting on Sharma’s case, fellow IPS Officer Sanjiv Bhat (whose own accounts of reprisals by the Gujarat Govt. is stated earlier) noted “If anyone likes to speak out the truth the government ensures that there is strong message to other officers that we will not tolerate truth coming out.”8 Kuldeep Sharma is yet another IPS Officer in Gujarat facing harassment and retaliation from Chief Minister Modi’s administration. Sharma had directed the submission of the interim report of Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter case before the Supreme Court, which eventually led to the arrest of senior IPS officers and Amit Shah, the powerful Gujarat Minister of State for Home Affairs9. In retaliation to Sharma’s cooperation with the investigating agencies and helping bring the culprits behind fake encounter killings to justice, Sharma was transferred to a non-descript job at State Sheep and Wool Development Corporation, which is generally considered a punishment posting for officers incapable of tackling anything more challenging. Prior to his run-in with the Modi administration, Sharma was consistently graded “Outstanding’ by all chief ministers and several high level state officials. Under Modi, Sharma’s Annual Confidential Report (performance review) was withheld for five years and then downgraded. Rajnish Rai was the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Ahmedabad in April 2007, when he took over investigation into the fake encounter killings of Sohrabuddin Sheikh, his wife Kausar Bi, and associate Tulisram Prajapati. Investigations have subsequently revealed that all three were murdered by the Gujarat police in cold blood, quashing the administration’s claims that they were shot during a police encounter. Rai collected details of phone call records of three senior police officers D G Vanzara, Rajkumar Pandian, and Dinesh M N pertaining to the period of the alleged encounter and established that the victims were murdered at the behest of senior political leadership of Gujarat with tacit support of police officials from Gujarat, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh10. Upon collecting these evidences, Rai promptly arrested the above three police officers who have since been jailed for the past four years. However, Rai’s prosecutorial successes at arresting the murderers who were associated closely with Gujarat’s political leadership, and bringing them to justice has incurred serious recriminations from Chief Minister Narendra Modi that included frequent transfers to insignificant posts that have nearly ended Rai’s career. Following the arrests, the administration accused Rai of insubordination of his seniors, promptly relieved him of the investigation and transferred him to a low key desk job at State Crime Records Bureau11. In 2008, he was again transferred to State Reserve Police Training School at Junagadh. Not content with the transfers and assignments to low key desk jobs,

Press Release

Anti-Sikh Massacres of 1984: Indian American group demands speedy justice for riot victims

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Tuesday, November 1st, 2011 The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC – http://www.iamc.com), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, has called on the Government of India to mark the 27th anniversary of the anti-Sikh pogrom in 1984, by taking concrete steps to secure justice for the victims, and rehabilitation for the survivors. The horrific violence that engulfed Delhi and parts of northern India, claimed the lives of over 3000 people and displaced thousands of others, in a reprisal against the Sikh community for the assassination of Mrs. Indira Gandhi on October 31, 1984. Numerous eyewitness accounts have brought to light the fact that the rioters had access to voter records that allowed them to mark Sikh homes. Mobs of rioters were taken by bus to areas inhabited by Sikhs, where they murdered, looted and raped, with the police often doing little more than being mute witnesses. The discovery of mass graves in Haryana in 2011 shows that a full accounting of the 1984 pogrom has not yet happened. “The 1984 anti-Sikh massacres and the failure on the part of successive governments to apprehend the culprits even after 27 years, represents one of the lowest points in the history of our democracy,” said Mr. Shaheen Khateeb, President, IAMC. “It is absolutely unconscionable that despite 10 official commissions to investigate the events of those fateful days, the government has managed to secure convictions in only a tiny fraction of the cases,” added Mr. Khateeb. The failure of the Congress Party to hold accountable individuals like Jagdish Tytler, Kamal Nath and Sajjan Kumar whose political careers were untouched by their implications in the anti-Sikh riots, shows that the ruling party is still in a state of denial about its own responsibility for the mass killing of Sikhs. IAMC has called upon the Government of India, even at this late juncture, to reverse the miscarriages of justice that have taken place over the last 27 years. By bringing to justice those responsible for the riots, regardless of their political and social standing, the nation can heal the wounds of countless victims, while ensuring that targeted killings of members of any community, have no place in the world’s largest democracy. Indian American Muslim Council (formerly Indian Muslim Council-USA) is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 10 chapters across the nation. For more information please visit our new website at www.iamc.com.   RELATED LINKS: TIME: India’s 1984 Anti-Sikh Riots: Waiting for Justice http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1931635,00.html AMNESTY: Sikh massacre victims await justice in India, 25 years on http://www.amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/sikh-massacre-victims-await-justice-india-25-years-20090409 HINDU: 1984 and the violence of memory http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/article2582952.ece LINK: Bollywood Legend Amitabh Bachchan Being Accused Of Provoking 1984 Sikh Massacre Rioters, Says Witness http://thelinkpaper.ca/?p=11073 IBNLive: Sikh body demands memorial for Hondh-Chillar massacre victims http://ibnlive.in.com/generalnewsfeed/news/sikh-body-demands-memorial-for-hondhchillar-massacre-victims/879367.html FIRSTPOST: Blood-for-blood politics: From Indira Gandhi to Narendra Modi http://www.firstpost.com/politics/blood-for-blood-politics-from-indira-gandhi-to-narendra-modi-119477.html TCN: With bitterness and longing – remembering victims of 1984 http://twocircles.net/2011oct31/bitterness_and_longing_remembering_victims_1984.html Contact: Khalid Azam phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295 Morton Grove, IL 60053 phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com Forward email

Press Release

Call for reinstatement of Professors Angana Chatterji & Richard Shapiro at the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS)

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Wednesday, October 19, 2011 Indian American Muslim Council 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295 Morton Grove, IL60053 http://www.iamc.com To: The Board of Trustees California Institute of Integral Studies 1453 Mission Street San Francisco, CA 94103   Subject: Call for reinstatement of Professors Angana Chatterji and Richard Shapiro Dear Board of Trustees, I am writing to you on behalf of the Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), an advocacy group dedicated to promoting pluralism, tolerance, and respect for human rights that form the basis of the world’s two largest secular democracies – the United States and India. It is with grave concern that we have noted CIIS’s suspension of two distinguished academics, Professors Angana Chatterji and Richard Shapiro on July 19, 2011. Several disturbing aspects of the suspension lend credence to the belief that the suspension, and possible termination, are politically motivated:  A. The suspension has been imposed, and an undisclosed investigation initiated against the two professors, in violation of protocol and procedure in CIIS’s own Faculty and Student Handbooks. B. There has been no public response from the CIIS administrators to the letter from American Association of University Professors (AAUP), dated August 11, 2011 urging reinstatement of the professors. Moreover CIIS has refused AAUP’s offer to send a neutral observer to CIIS to witness the proceedings. C. The Academic Vice President (AVP) has aired allegations against Professors Chatterji and Shapiro while restrictions have been placed on the faculty from refuting such allegations.   Both Chatterji and Shapiro have earned wide acclaim for their work, at CIIS as well as internationally. At a time when human rights violations across the world have seen an alarming increase, Prof. Chatterji’s work as an international social justice scholar and activist has been widely commended. As the co-convener of the International People’s Tribunal on Human Rights and Justice in Indian-Administered Kashmir, Prof. Chatterji has shone a light on brutal human rights violations, some of which are only now being acknowledged by the government of Jammu and Kashmir. Prior to that, she has undertaken ground-breaking scholarship and advocacy work for the rights of minority communities in India, including Muslims, Adivasis, and Dalits. In 2008, IAMC awarded Prof. Chatterji the “Tipu Sultan Award for Courageously Serving India.” Prof. Shapiro’s work in the spheres of social justice, cultural diversity and ecological sustainability for the last 25 years has earned him the respect and admiration of his peers as well as students. As the co-founder of the Jewish-Muslim Friendship Circle in Kashmir, Prof. Shapiro has amply demonstrated his commitment to interfaith harmony and cultural diversity. For over two decades now, he has been a leader in developing alliance building frameworks and emancipator education for social change. The suspension of these two luminaries from CIIS on dubious grounds raises questions about CIIS’s commitment to academic freedom, and its own stated goal “to further the effectiveness of emancipator movements such as feminism, social and political liberation, cultural self-expression, and ecological activism”. Instead of providing support to Prof. Chatterji and Prof. Shapiro for their significant contributions to social justice and sustainable development, CIIS has chosen to adopt a path that smacks of intimidation and autocratic governance for reasons that merit further investigation. It is not surprising that a significant number of students at CIIS have come out in open support of Professors Chatterji and Shapiro and have retained legal counsel to bring about their reinstatement. IAMC is appalled by the fact that CIIS has shown complete indifference to concerns raised about its handling of this issue. We urge you to be true to your ideals, and revoke the suspension order against Professors Chatterji and Shapiro with immediate effect. If there are credible grievances against these two academics, we urge you to deal with them through established procedures at CIIS. At stake is not only the quality of education at CIIS, but also its commitment to uphold the ideals on which our nation was founded. Sincerely, Shaheen Khateeb President, IAMC   RELATED LINKS Mass Graves Hold Thousands, Kashmir Inquiry Finds http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/23/world/asia/23kashmir.html Hindutva then and now: ‘Violent Gods: Hindu nationalism in India’s present’ by Angana Chatterji and ‘Savarkar and Hindutva’ by A. G. Noorani http://www.himalmag.com/component/content/article/39.html Persecution of Professors Angana Chatterji and Richard Shapiro http://www.humanrights.asia/news/urgent-appeals/AHRC-UAC-206-2011   Contact: Shaheen Khateeb 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295 Morton Grove, IL 60053 phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com Forward email [Back to Top]

Press Release

IAMC decries Gujarat government’s misguided witch-hunt in arresting whistleblower IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt

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Monday, October 3rd, 2011 The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC – http://www.iamc.com), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, has expressed grave concern over the discriminatory and vindictive agenda being pursued by the Gujarat State government that is reflected in the arrest of whistleblower police officer Sanjiv Bhatt. Bhatt had earlier courted the Modi administration’s disapproval by disclosing his presence at the meeting where Chief Minister Narendra Modi directed law enforcement officers to “allow the Hindus to vent their ire on the Muslims.” Although Modi’s complicity in the 2002 anti-Muslim pogrom has been documented by several independent human rights groups, this was the first time a state functionary had come forward with direct evidence of Modi’s involvement in the pogroms of 2002 that resulted in the massacre and displacement of thousands of Muslims. Last month, Bhatt had handed over, about 600 pages of documents to the Central Bureau of Investigation which could incriminate several politicians, police officers and bureaucrats for their active connivance in engineering the riots of 2002, whose countless victims are still struggling for justice. On September 27, 2011, Bhatt filed an affidavit in the Gujarat High Court, alleging that Chief Minister Narendra Modi and the former Minister of State for Home, Amit Shah had repeatedly sought to pressurize him to withdraw his report and destroy the evidence he had placed on record regarding the murder of former minister Haren Pandya. “Failing to persuade me either to withdraw my report or destroy the very important documentary evidences regarding the role of certain highly placed State functionaries/politicians and senior police officers in the killing of Haren Pandya, I was removed from the post of Superintendent of Police in-charge of the Sabarmati central jail and was kept without a posting for over two-and-a-half months,” Mr. Bhatt said in the affidavit. Against this backdrop, Sanjiv Bhatt’s arrest by the Gujarat state government and the harassment of his family by repeated raids on his home, amounts to a witch-hunt that raises dubious questions about the government’s motives. “The government’s alacrity in arresting Bhatt, stands in stark contrast to its criminal inaction against police officers who have been charged with complicity in the riots,” said Mr. Shaheen Khateeb, President, IAMC. “It is equally remarkable that barely any arrests or convictions have happened in over 2000 cases filed by the victims of the 2002 massacres,” added Mr. Khateeb. While reiterating its commitment to the rule of law, IAMC has urged the Gujarat government to eschew the sectarian agenda that have marked Mr. Modi’s 10 years as Chief Minister. It is the Gujarat government’s dismal record in upholding the rule of law, that should serve as a context in which Bhatt’s arrest is clearly part of a pattern of vendetta against whisteblowers and human rights activists. Of the many evidences of the Gujarat government’s sinister pattern of complicity and deceit are the following: People like Babu Bajrangi, Haresh Bhatt and Ramesh Dave who have confessed in sting operations, telecast to the entire nation, to killing hundreds of people are still at large, while whistleblower officers like Sanjiv Bhatt, Rahul Sharma and R. B. Sreekumar and human rights activists such as Teesta Setalvad and Shakeel Tirmizi have been subject to arrests and intimidation on dubious charges. Former Minister of State for Home Amit Shah, who was arrested on charges of running an extortion and a fake encounter killing racket is currently out on bail and is likely to be sentenced. The fact that Amit Shah was the Minister of State for a portfolio held by Modi himself, and the Gujarat government’s repeated but failed attempts to protect him are clear evidences of the government’s duplicitious role towards law and order. The former head of Gujarat ATS (Anti-Terrorist Squad) D G Vanzara is serving time in jail on charges of fake encounters. Vanzara’s closeness to Modi once made him the most powerful police official in the state. Maya Kodnani, a former minister in the Modi government was forced to resign after her arrest on charges of inciting and arming a communal mob that slaughtered and burnt alive 98 people during the 2002 riots. Maya’s mentor was Narendra Modi who kept her in his cabinet until the findings of the Special Investigation Team appointed by the Supreme Court made her a political liability. IAMC believes the CBI should be tasked with conducting a full-scale investigation into the allegations made by Mr. Sanjiv Bhatt against Narendra Modi and other state functionaries. As the Haren Pandya murder case remains unsolved, Mr. Bhatt’s claim of possessing documentary evidence that would point to his killers, should be probed without any regard to the status and position of the people he has implicated. IAMC hopes that despite the active subversion of justice and intimidation of activists and whistleblowers by the state government, the long arm of the law will catch up with the perpetrators of the pogroms of 2002. Indian American Muslim Council (formerly Indian Muslim Council-USA) is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 10 chapters across the nation. For more information please visit our new website at www.iamc.com. RELATED LINKS: 1. Sanjiv Bhatt gives CBI 600 pages of documents http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article2397554.ece 2. Sanjiv Bhatt moves High Court challenging govt decision http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/other-states/article2417518.ece 3. Don’t feel relieved, Bhatt tells Modi http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article2453801.ece 4. I was pressured to withdraw my report on Haren Pandya’s murder’ http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article2491315.ece 5. “Bhatt forced me to sign false affidavit” http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article2501246.ece 6. Bhatt on Modi govt’s radar since 2003 http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/Print/752856.aspx 7. NDTV: Tehelka sting exposes Modi, Gujarat government nexus with 2002 killers http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0z114wnwXtQ Contact: Khalid Azam phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295 Morton Grove, IL 60053 phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com Forward email

Press Release

IAMC Urges Central Government to Ban Terror Outfits Sanatan Sanstha and Abhinav Bharat

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Saturday, October 1st, 2011 The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC – http://www.iamc.com), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, has called upon Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to act on the request of the Maharashtra State Government to ban right-wing terrorist organization Sanatan Sanstha. In a letter to the Prime Minister, IAMC has also urged him to ban terror outfit Abhinav Bharat based on the recommendation of the Maharashtra State Police. Sanatan Sanstha activists were convicted in the bomb blasts in June 2008 in Thane and thereafter at Vashi, Panvel and Ratnagiri. The organization has also been implicated in the bomb blast in Goa in October 2009 on the eve of Diwali. Abhinav Bharat, a Hindutva terror network similar to Sanatan Sanstha, has been implicated in the bomb blasts at Malegaon in 2006 and 2008, Samjhauta Express, Mecca Masjid (Hyderabad), Ajmer and Modasa (Gujarat). “Not only have the terrorist activities of these two organizations resulted in terrible loss of life and property, innocent people that had nothing to do with these crimes, have been falsely implicated and imprisoned, in some cases for several years,” the letter, signed by IAMC President Shaheen Khateeb stated. “Recently, the National Investigation Agency concluded that the nine men that had spent five years in prison on charges of masterminding the Malegaon blasts of 2006 were innocent. This was over a year after Swami Aseemanand’s confession about Abhinav Bharat’s involvement in the multiple terrorist acts throughout the country. This is just one of many instances, where law enforcement agencies have harassed innocent individuals from the minority communities, while the actual perpetrators have escaped punishment. Such incidents further erode the people’s confidence in the government’s willingness to treat all citizens as equal before the law. They also embolden the votaries of emergent Hindutva terrorism,” the letter stated. Besides urging the Prime Minister to ban Sanatan Sanstha and Abhinav Bharat with immediate effect, IAMC has demanded that “the Government direct law enforcement agencies to expedite justice for the countless innocent people serving time in jail for crimes they have not committed.” IAMC has once again reiterated its position that terrorism, regardless of the religious affiliation claimed by its perpetrators, is a heinous and evil act that deserves the most stringent punishment under the law. IAMC has also called upon citizens of all faiths to work towards strengthening civil society and to be vigilant against extremism in all its forms. Indian American Muslim Council (formerly Indian Muslim Council-USA) is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 10 chapters across the nation. For more information please visit our new website at www.iamc.com. RELATED LINKS: Maharashtra government asked to name Abhinav Bharat as terrorist group http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-09-07/india/30122364_1_abhinav-bharat-blast-case-maharashtra-govt Nine Muslim men in jail for Malegaon blasts are innocent, concludes NIA: Sources http://www.ndtv.com/article/iphone/india/133209?from=ndtv.com Right-wing outfit may be banned http://www.tehelka.com/story_main50.asp?filename=Ws130911Maharashtra.asp Contact: Khalid Azam phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295 Morton Grove, IL 60053 phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com Forward email

Press Release

IAMC Condemns Blast Outside Delhi High Court

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Thursday, September 08, 2011 The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC – http://www.iamc.com), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, has condemned the bomb blast outside the Delhi High Court on September 7, 2011, that has claimed the lives of 11 people and injured 74, as an act of terror meant to advance divisive and sectarian agendas. IAMC has expressed its profound condolences to the families of the victims, and called upon people of all faiths to come together in this difficult hour, and defeat the intent of the killers by reaffirming their commitment to a pluralist, secular India. IAMC has also called upon law enforcement agencies not to exclude any possibility in investigating this heinous crime. According to a statement by the National Security Director, Gen. Rajen Medhekar, the bomb was made from ammonium nitrate, a substance that is easily available in the market. The timing of the blasts is also suspicious, coming as it does, on the heels of new efforts to improve relations between India and Pakistan. These facts point to the likely involvement of extremist organizations that have committed similar terror attacks in the past with the goal of stoking communal tensions. “Repeated terror attacks on innocent civilians are clearly an indication of poor security arrangements on the part of the government”, said Mr. Shaheen Khateeb, President, IAMC. “This barbaric act is also an attack on the secular foundations of Indian society and is representative of the dangerous sectarian visions espoused by the extreme elements in our society”, added Mr. Khateeb. Investigations of such terror attacks in the past, have found them to be the handiwork of either local extremist organizations or cross border terrorists. However, knee-jerk reactions from law enforcement agencies consistently targeted poor, innocent individuals that did not have the wherewithal for proper legal representation. IAMC has therefore called upon the media and people of all faiths to exercise restraint and withhold judgment until a full scale investigation is allowed to run its course. Indian American Muslim Council (formerly Indian Muslim Council-USA) is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 10 chapters across the nation. For more information please visit our new website at http://www.iamc.com. RELATED LINKS: Police probe deadly blast outside Delhi High Court http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapcf/09/07/india.court.blast/ At least 11 killed, dozens hurt in blast at Delhi High Court http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-india-blast-20110907,0,1561448.story Contact: Khalid Azam phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295 Morton Grove, IL 60053 phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com Forward email

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IAMC Expresses Grave Concern Over Warrant Against Sanjiv Bhatt

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Saturday August 20, 2011 The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC – http://www.iamc.com), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, has expressed grave concern over the warrant issued against IPS Officer Sanjiv Bhatt in a 21 year old case. Mr. Sanjiv Bhatt is well known as the IPS Officer who has alleged that he was a witness to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi’s complicity in the violence against Muslims in the Gujarat pogrom of 2002, that claimed 2000 lives and rendered thousands of families homeless. The case, for which the warrant against Mr. Bhatt has been issued, pertains to the death of an individual in a communal riot in 1990, in which an FIR was filed against the police including Mr. Bhatt. The state government sought to get a closure on the case in 1995. Since the court ruled for prosecution, the state filed a petition for revision in 1996. “The fact that the state government withdrew its revision petition the day Sanjiv Bhatt moved the Supreme Court against Modi smacks of a witch hunt against an upright police officer who has risked his career to bring the truth about the Gujarat carnage to light”, said Mr. Shaheen Khateeb, President, IAMC. “Such abuse of power cannot be allowed to go unchallenged in a democracy”, added Mr. Khateeb. Sanjiv Bhatt has faced tremendous pressure, including threats to his life, ever since he filed an affidavit with the Supreme Court, stating that he was a witness to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi telling top officers to allow Hindus to vent their anger after the incident at Godhra. While Modi’s complicity in the Gujarat pogrom is common knowledge, this was the first time a high ranking police officer had come forward as an eye witness to Modi’s complicity. IAMC has called upon the state government to desist from carrying out its vindictive agenda against IPS Officer Bhatt and to ensure that the revision petition it had withdrawn, in the 1990 case against Bhatt, is filed again. Indian-American Muslim Council (formerly Indian Muslim Council-USA) is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 10 chapters across the nation. For more information please visit our new website at: http://www.iamc.com RELATED LINKS: Warrant against Gujarat police officer Sanjiv Bhatt http://twocircles.net/2011aug17/warrant_against_gujarat_police_officer_sanjiv_bhatt.html Sanjiv Bhatt facing arrest in 21-year-old case http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article2366638.ece Contact: Khalid Azam phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295 Morton Grove, IL 60053 phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com Forward email

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Indian Americans celebrate Independence Day

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Monday August 15, 2011 The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC – http://www.iamc.com), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, congratulates the nation on its 65th Independence Day. IAMC recalls the momentous day of August 15, 1947, when India awakened to a new dawn of freedom from over 200 years of colonial rule. Jawaharlal Nehru’s memorable address to the nation expounded a vision of India that was free from poverty, ignorance and disease; of a prosperous, democratic and progressive nation, where social, economic and political institutions would ensure justice and fullness of life to every man and woman regardless of their faith. This vision, as well as his exhortation to build a mansion of free India where all her children could dwell in peace, continues to be as urgent and relevant today as it was on that fateful day 64 years ago. “Our country has certainly made significant progress on several fronts, and rightfully commands respect globally as the world’s largest democracy. However, our work as a nation is incomplete, as long as any segment of society faces bias, injustice or discrimination”, said Shaheen Khateeb, President, IAMC. “The promise of equal opportunity – social, educational and economic – for all Indians, continues to remain an unfulfilled dream of free India”, added Mr. Khateeb. On this day of celebration, IAMC urges the Indian Government to pay close heed to the needs of the neglected segment of India’s minorities, and to strive for the peaceful and egalitarian society that we looked forward to when India shook off the shackles of British rule 64 years ago. Indian-American Muslim Council (formerly Indian Muslim Council-USA) is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 10 chapters across the nation. For more information please visit our new website at: http://www.iamc.com RELATED LINKS: Indian American Muslim Council celebrates Republic Day across the United States http://iamc.com/press-release/indian-american-muslim-council-celebrates-republic-day-across-the-united-states/ IMC-USA Congratulates Indians on 63rd anniversary of Independence http://iamc.com/press-release/imc-usa-congratulates-indians-on-63rd-anniversary-of-independence/ Indian Americans Mark ninth anniversary of Gujarat pogrom http://iamc.com/press-release/indian-americans-mark-the-ninth-anniversary-of-gujarat-pogrom/ Indian Americans Call for Justice on eighteenth anniversary of Babri Masjid demolition http://iamc.com/press-release/indian-american-group-calls-for-speedy-justice-in-babri-masjid-demolition-case-on-18th-anniversary/ Contact: Khalid Azam phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295 Morton Grove, IL 60053 phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com Forward email

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Indian Americans Express Alarm at Breivik’s Hindutva Nexus

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Sunday, July 31st, 2011 The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC – http://www.iamc.com), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, has expressed its shock and horror at the senseless and vicious massacre in Oslo, Norway, by Anders Behring Breivik, a right wing extremist. “The Indian American Muslim Council, and the Indian Muslims of America extend our condolences and sympathies to the families of the innocent victims of this great tragedy, and stand shoulder to shoulder with the great people of Norway in this time of crisis,” said Shaheen Khateeb, President, IAMC. The IAMC is also deeply concerned about the claimed ideological connections between Norway’s and India’s fascist right wing parties. Brevik devoted 102 pages of his manifesto hailing India’s rightwing Hindu groups, and claimed that the fascist Hindutva groups were identical to those of his own Justiciar Knights. Breivik considers the Hindutva groups as a critical partner in a universal struggle to end democratically elected governments all over the world. “It is essential that the European and Indian resistance movements learn from each other and cooperate as much as possible. Our goals are more or less identical,” wrote Brevik. Members of the Hindutva terror groups like Abhinav Bharat were arrested earlier in India for their involvement in a series of bombings throughout India. These bombings have included the Samjhouta Express bombing, the Ajmer bombings, the Malegaon bombings, and the Hyderabad bombings, all of which targeted innocent minority Muslim community. “IAMC is deeply disturbed at the emerging nexus between European, and Indian fascist groups. We urge Law Enforcement agencies in India, Norway, and all democratic nations be allowed to infiltrate and contain this scourge of racist and anti-Muslim bigotry,” said Khateeb. IAMC is the largest advocacy group of Indian Americans in the US with chapters in ten US States. RELATED LINKS: Norwegian mass killer’s manifesto hails Hindutva http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article2293829.ece Breivik manifesto attempts to woo India’s Hindu nationalists http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Asia-Pacific/2011/0725/Norway-massacre-Breivik-manifesto-attempts-to-woo-India-s-Hindu-nationalists Contact: Khalid Azam phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295 Morton Grove, IL 60053 phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com Forward email

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Spread the Word and Spread the Tweet .. IAMC Updates Available Via Twitter

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For Immediate Release July 27, 2011 The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC –  http://www.iamc.com), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, has announced that it will actively use Twitter to ensure that its updates, press releases and action alerts will be available via the popular online social networking medium. IAMC’s Twitter account is @iamcouncil. Individuals as well as media organizations are called upon to sign up to follow “IAMCouncil” through Twitter to stay abreast of the latest developments at IAMC. IAMC supporters are encouraged to RT (retweet) the IAMC tweets and mentions IAMC by @iamcouncil in your tweets to ensure a wider reach of its message. The Twitter account is a continuation of IAMC’s efforts to use mass media in order to reach a wider audience. As an advocacy organization, working on issues in which millions of people have a stake, twitter’s ability to disseminate information to a very large online audience provides a natural extension to the earlier successful launch of IAMC blog’s availability via Amazon Kindle.   Indian American Muslim Council (formerly Indian Muslim Council-USA) is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 10 chapters across the nation. For more information please visit our new website at www.iamc.com. Related Links: IAMC Blog is now on Amazon Kindle Store. Check it out! http://iamc.com/news/iamc-blog-is-now-on-amazon-kindle/ Contact: Shaheen Khateeb IAMC National President phone:  1-800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com  

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IAMC Condemns Bomb Blasts in Mumbai

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Wednesday, July 13th, 2011 The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC –   http://www.iamc.com), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, strongly condemns the bomb blasts in Mumbai that have claimed the lives of 20 people and injured over 113. Three blasts in Dadar, Zaveri Bazar and Opera House, all densely populated areas of Mumbai, have been confirmed as terror attacks during rush hour in the metropolitan city. IAMC calls upon people of all faiths to come together to condemn this horrific violence against civil society, and cooperate with law enforcement in bringing to justice the culprits of this evil act. “Our hearts and prayers are with the families of the victims and the survivors in this difficult hour”, said Shaheen Khateeb, President, IAMC. “This cold-blooded killing of innocent people, appears to be aimed at stoking sectarian tensions in a city known for its cosmopolitan outlook”, added Mr. Khateeb. IAMC calls upon the Home Ministry to conduct a thorough investigation into the blasts, and ensure that the culprits as well as those that inspired them are exposed and brought to justice. IAMC also calls upon everyone to refrain from a rush to judgement until the results of the investigation are known. Several bomb blasts in recent years, led to innocent youth from a specific community being thrown into prison, and still struggling to secure justice, even after the real masterminds confessed. Once the culprits of the Mumbai blasts are identified based on evidence, IAMC calls for their prosecution to the full extent of the law. Indian American Muslim Council (formerly Indian Muslim Council-USA) is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 10 chapters across the nation. For more information please visit our new website at www.iamc.com RELATED LINKS: NDTV.com – Three Blasts in Mumbai, 10 dead, 54 injured http://www.ndtv.com/article/cities/three-blasts-in-mumbai-two-dead-100-injured-119030 TOI  – Three blasts rock Mumbai; 21 dead, 141 wounded http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/Police-confirm-three-blasts-in-Mumbai/articleshow/9212554.cms TwoCircles.net – In pictures: Aftermath of Mumbai blasts http://twocircles.net/2011jul14/pictures_aftermath_mumbai_blasts.html Contact: Khalid Azam phone/fax:  1-800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com

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IAMC Condemns Intimidation of Human Rights Organization ANHAD

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Thursday, June 30, 2011 The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC – http://www.iamc.com), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, has strongly condemned the harassment and intimidation of Human Rights Organization ANHAD (Act Now for Harmony and Democracy) by the Gujarat Police. ANHAD was established in 2003 in response to the Gujarat pogrom of 2002, in which over 2000 people were killed, over 150,000 rendered homeless, and hundreds of women raped and molested. ANHAD is a grassroots based organization, that advocates on behalf of some of the most vulnerable sections of society, including Dalits, Adivasis and minorities. On June 28, 2011, police visited the ANHAD office and accused, without any basis, the organization of engaging in “anti-state and anti-government” activities. They also threatened the organization’s State Co-ordinator Manisha Trivedi with pressurizing the landlord and forcing ANHAD to vacate their office space. “This kind of attack on civil society is a characteristic of totalitarian regimes in other parts of the world. It has no place in the world’s largest democracy, which has always prided itself on its robust public institutions”, said Shaheen Khateeb, President, IAMC. “This intimidation is unfortunately part of an alarming trend of harrassment of human rights defenders such as Teesta Setalvad, Binayak Sen and Fr. Cedric Prakash”, added Mr. Khateeb. IPS Officer Sanjeev Bhatt, in his affidavit filed with the Supreme Court alleged Mr. Narendra Modi’s active connivance in the horrific violence against Muslims in 2002. The fact that the policemen who harrassed ANHAD staff, accused the organization of being “supporters of Sanjeev Bhatt who is against Modi”, clearly indicates the forces behind such intimidation. IAMC calls upon the Gujarat state police to desist from such intimidation tactics, and calls upon the Home Ministry to investigate this incident in particular and prosecute such transgressions in general to the full extent of the law. Indian American Muslim Council (formerly Indian Muslim Council-USA) is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 10 chapters across the nation. For more information please visit our new website at www.iamc.com RELATED LINKS: Police Comes Knocking To Intimidate Anhad http://www.anhadin.net/article138.html Contact: Khalid Azam phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295 Morton Grove, IL 60053 phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com

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IAMC Condemns Massacre of Innocent Villagers in Forbesganj, Bihar

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Monday June 16, 2011 The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC – http://www.iamc.com), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, has strongly condemned the shocking and inhumane killing of six innocent villagers, including two women and an infant, in the Forbesganj district of Bihar. IAMC has called upon the state government to ensure that the guilty are prosecuted to the full extent of the law. On June 3, 2011, residents of the Rampur and Bhajanpur villages under Forbesganj block in Araria district came out, after the Friday Prayer, to protest against the blockade of the connecting road between the two villages for a factory. Without using any other measures to disperse the crowd, the police opened fire on the protestors. When protestors ran, they were chased all the way into their homes, where the police entered and killed them, including two women and an infant at point blank range. “Our hearts go out to the families of the victims, and we share in their grief and feeling of betrayal”, said Shaheen Khateeb, President, IAMC. “The barbarism and lawlessness coming from those entrusted with upholding the rule of law, is symptomatic of the deeper malaise of radical sectarian ideologies having infiltrated the ranks of the police and the paramilitary”, added Mr. Khateeb. Videos of the bodies of victims, obtained by news portal twocircles.net, show bullet marks on the head, neck, chest and abdomen, and evidence that the bullets were fired at point blank range. Moreover, the videos also show bullet marks on the walls and windows of the homes. Although the judicial probe ordered by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, is a step in the right direction, IAMC believes preventing such horrific incidents from being repeated requires a stronger reaction from the state and central government. The propaganda against the region launched by the BJP and ABVP, with baseless allegations of the Muslim-majority villages being a “haven for terrorists”, played a decisive role in this senseless loss of life. Indian American Muslim Council (formerly Indian Muslim Council-USA) is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 10 chapters across the nation. For more information please visit our new website at www.iamc.com. RELATED LINKS: Forbesganj Firing: Police killed women, infant at pointblank range http://twocircles.net/2011jun06/forbesganj_firing_police_killed_women_infant_pointblank.html Forbesganj Firing: Nitish Kumar Orders Judicial Probe http://twocircles.net/2011jun07/forbesganj_firing_nitish_kumar_orders_judicial_probe.html Contact: Shaheen Khateeb phone: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295 Morton Grove, IL 60053 phone: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com

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IAMC Responds to USCIRF’s Annual Report on International Religious Freedom

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Monday May 9, 2011 The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC – http://www.iamc.com), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, has called on the Government of India as well as various state governments to take note of the 2011 Annual Report of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), that has placed India on a “Watch List” for the third year in succession. “It is indeed unfortunate that India, with its long history of tolerance and multiculturalism, has now found a place in the list of countries where religious freedom is at risk”, said Mr. Shaheen Khateeb, President of IAMC. “However IAMC firmly believes that the recommendations of USCIRF are based on factual information. They represent legitimate concerns about the treatment of religious minorities in India, and should not be seen as an exercise in India-bashing”, added Mr. Khateeb. IAMC wishes to reiterate that it is an organization of patriots, committed to secularism, pluralism and justice for all citizens regardless of their religion, caste or ethnic affiliations. IAMC is also committed to projecting an accurate picture of India internationally. It was in pursuance of its patriotic duties that IAMC deemed it fit to accept USCIRF’s invitation to present a briefing on the status of religious minorities in India. IAMC accepted this recognition as a professional organization, and briefed the USCIRF commissioners and staff with information that would be helpful in it assessment of religious freedom in India. IAMC specifically welcomes the USCIRF report’s recommendation about radical sectarian organizations in India. The report says: “The activities of these groups, especially those with an extremist agenda or history of using violence against minorities, often negatively impact the status of religious freedom in the country. Many of these organizations exist under the banner of the Sangh Parivar, a ‘family’ of over 30 organizations that includes the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), Bajrang Dal, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), and the BJP. Sangh Parivar entities aggressively press for governmental policies to promote a Hindu nationalist agenda, and adhere in varying degrees to an ideology of Hindutva, which holds non-Hindus as foreign to India”. IAMC resolves to continue its tireless efforts against violations of religious freedom as well as social injustices by actively engaging with civil society in India. IAMC is concerned about the jingoistic slant of some organizations that are preoccupied with whitewashing India’s human rights record, rather than working to improve it. IAMC believes that India can and should reclaim its pluralist and tolerant ethos by holding accountable the perpetrators of communal violence, fake encounters and miscarriages of justice, without regard to their political or social standing. IAMC also welcomes the balanced position taken by the USCIRF report wherein several constructive steps taken by the Congress led central government to uplift minorities are cited. However, the report accurately highlights the culture of impunity in some states, exemplified by the fact that overwhelming evidence of premeditated killings in the Gujarat riots as well as the 1984 anti-Sikh riots have yet to result in the conviction of the masterminds behind these pogroms. Among several other recommendations, the report has specifically called for cases against Mr. Narendra Modi to be allowed to proceed in accordance with the law. IAMC regrets that the plight of Muslims languishing in jail for the terror plots concocted by extremist Hindutva organizations, as confessed by Swami Aseemananda, was given insufficient coverage in the USCIRF report. The issue merits a full scale investigation as it highlights the demonstrable scale of anti-minority prejudice in the law enforcement agencies that inflicted unspeakable torture on innocent citizens they were charged to protect. Acquittal of the Muslim youth that have been unjustly charged with the terror blasts they had nothing to do with, would be an important step towards healing the wounds of communal violence. IAMC notes with regret attempts by some organizations to undermine the legitimacy of the USCIRF’s report and its recommendations, by referring to instances of religious intolerance in the United States. While religious intolerance is admittedly a challenge for several countries around the world, criticism of India’s human rights record should be addressed by working to change the ground realities, rather than through attempts to obfuscate the issues. IAMC remains committed to the strengthening of civil institutions and upholding the rule of law, and will continue to reach out to conscientious citizens of all faiths, who are concerned about the steady erosion of civil rights and religious freedom in India. We believe with certainty, that when these efforts come to fruition, India will be an example of tolerance, social justice and communal harmony. Indian American Muslim Council (formerly Indian Muslim Council-USA) is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 10 chapters across the nation. For more information please visit our new website at www.iamc.com. RELATED LINKS: USCIRF 2011 Annual Report on International Religious Freedom – India Chapter http://www.uscirf.gov/images/ar2011/india2011.pdf IMC-USA welcomes the appointment of Ms. Preeta Bansal to USCIRF http://iamc.com/press-release/imc_usa_welcomes_preeta_bansal_to_uscirf IMC-USA urges President Bush to attend Diwali celebrations; decries India League’s anti-Muslim statement http://iamc.com/press-release/imc-usa_urges_president_bush_to_attend_diwali_celebrations_decries_india_leagues_anti-muslim_statement/ IMC-USA Welcomes the Visa Revocation of Pogrom Politician http://iamc.com/press-release/imc-usa_welcomes_the_visa_revocation_of_pogrom_politician/ IMC-USA welcomes the sentencing of killers of 1984 Anti-Sikh pogrom http://iamc.com/press-release/imc-usa_welcomes_the_sentencing_of_killers_of_1984_anti-sikh_pogrom/ Indian Muslim Council-USA condemns attack on US missionary http://iamc.com/press-release/indian_muslim_council_condemns_attack_on_us_missionary/ Contact: Shaheen Khateeb phone: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com

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Indian Americans alarmed at Gujarat Lawsuit’s developments

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Sunday May 1, 2011 The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC – http://www.iamc.com), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguard India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, has expressed deep concern at the reported withdrawal of security for IPS Officer Sanjiv Bhatt, and at the prejudiced role played by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) team appointed by the Honorable Supreme Court. Mr. Sanjiv Bhatt, IPS, DIG SRPF Training College, Junagadh, had filed affidavit(s) regarding the SIT’s investigation of Ms. Zakia Jafri’s case against Mr. Narendra Modi and other officials. Mr. Bhatt’s affidavit reportedly contains vital evidence that incriminates Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi. Mr. Bhatt’s testimony regarding Mr. Modi’s instructions to allow anti-Muslim violence to continue unabated, has already been adequately corroborated. Mr. Modi and his associates had claimed that Mr. Bhatt was not present during the February 27, 2002, meeting. However, Mr. Bhatt’s driver has already confirmed that he had driven Mr. Bhatt to the meeting with Mr. Modi, and had waited for him till the meeting ended. Further, Director General of Police R.B. Sreekumar, IPS (Retd), in his deposition before the State Government’s Nanavati commission, had also filed affidavit(s) stating that Mr. Modi had clearly instructed the anti-Muslim violence to continue. Earlier, Mr. Haren Pandya, a former State Minister, had submitted similar information to the Citizens Tribunal headed by Justice V.R. Krishna Iyer. Shortly thereafter, Mr. Haren Pandya was assassinated. “Mr. Sanjiv Bhatt’s reported statements have been more than corroborated by three different people – a Director General of Police, a former State Minister, and his official government driver. Further, there is clear, present, and imminent danger to Mr. Sanjiv Bhatt’s life, and to the lives of his family members,” said Shaheen Khateeb, President, IAMC. Therefore, the Indian American Muslim Council urges the honorable Supreme Court to immediately offer ample and effective security to Mr. Sanjiv Bhatt, and his family members. We also request that the Honorable Supreme Court look closely at the reported nefarious role played by the SIT team investigating this case, and take meaningful measures to ensure that justice prevails in Ms. Zakia Jafri’s case. Sincerely, Contact: Shaheen Khateeb phone: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295 Morton Grove, IL 60053 phone: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com USA

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IAMC Welcomes the Release of Dr. Binayak Sen on Bail

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Supreme Court drops sedition charges against Sen. Indian American Muslim Council (http://iamc.com), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguard India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, welcomes the Supreme Court of India’s decision to grant bail to noted human rights activist Dr. Dr. Binayak Sen. IAMC along with its friends in the international human rights community is relieved that the apex court has taken the first step in putting an end to a series of grave injustices committed against an innocent man at the behest of powerful business interests by the BJP led Chhattisgarh Government. “Supreme Court’s move to drop sedition charges against Binayak Sen restores the credibility of India’s justice system that was severely damaged by the lower court earlier this year” said Mr. Shaheen Khateeb, President of IAMC. “We commend the persistence of all our friends and coalition partners everywhere along with the 22 Nobel Laureates who campaigned for the past 4 years to demand Justice for Dr Sen.” Mr. Khateeb further added. IAMC demands a thorough and expedited review by the Supreme Court of the alleged conviction of Dr. Sen and hope that the apex court would intervene appropriately to right the many wrongs committed against Dr. Sen by the lower courts. Indian American Muslim Council (formerly Indian Muslim Council-USA) is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 10 chapters across the nation. For more information please visit our new website at www.iamc.com.   Who is Binayak Sen? He has worked for 25 years as a doctor with tribals in Chhattisgarh Vice President of People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) Criticised state sponsored militia Salwa Judum for rights violations and misuse of powers Was a member of State Committee on Health Sector Reforms Won several awards for contribution to health and human rights including the Jonathan Mann Award for Global Health and Human Rights by the Global Health Council

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Indian American Muslim Council celebrates 2011 Cricket World Cup Victory

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Monday, April 4, 2011 Monday, April 4, 2011, The Indian American Muslim Council (http://iamc.com), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguard India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, joins the Nation in rejoicing at the Indian Cricket Team’s success in bringing home the World Cup. “All of us are tremendously proud at the stellar performance of our Cricket Team’s Performance. The years of hard work has finally paid off. I congratulate the entire Indian Cricket Team,” said Shaheen Khateeb, President, IAMC. Indian American Muslim Council (formerly Indian Muslim Council-USA) is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 10 chapters across the nation. Contact Information Contact: Shaheen Khateeb phone: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295 Morton Grove, IL 60053 USA Join Our Mailing List

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IAMC Blog is now on Amazon Kindle Store. Check it out!

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The Indian American Muslim Council (http://iamc.com), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguard India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, announced the debut of its Blog on the Kindle Store. IAMC’s push for making its blog available on the Kindle is inspired by the realization that the future of reading is migrating from paper to electronic form. Unlike a print newsletter, content can be pushed instantly to eReaders like the Amazon Kindle and read without compromising the look and feel of paper. This blog app will allow Kindle users to always stay in touch with IAMC. Kindle users can subscribe to IAMC via Amazon Kindle Store. IAMC’s content and news related to India automatically downloads to the device as it is uploaded to the IAMC website. This means that users can stay up-to-date with important breaking news and developments pertaining to Muslims in India, IAMC’s PRs, news digests, events/celebrations/receptions, etc. Kindle users can search for the term “Indian American Muslim Council” at Amazon under the Kindle Store to locate and subscribe to the IAMC Kindle blog. IAMC felt it imperative to have its presence on this important medium as well, and hopes that this will go a long way in helping IAMC’s mission. Indian American Muslim Council (formerly Indian Muslim Council-USA) is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 10 chapters across the nation. For more information please visit our website at www.iamc.com.     Blog on the Kindle Store.  

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Indian Americans mark the ninth anniversary of Gujarat Pogrom

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Sunday, February 27, 2011 Monday, February 28, 2011, The Indian American Muslim Council (http://www.iamc.com), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguard India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, today marked the ninth anniversary of the Gujarat genocide. Nine years ago, a well-planned pogrom was unleashed on the helpless Muslims in the Indian state of Gujarat, after a train carrying Hindu pilgrims caught fire during a confrontation between Hindu militants traveling in a train and the local Muslims from the town of Godhra, killing fifty nine passengers. Extremist Hindu parties espousing the supremacist ideology of Hindutva used the incident to incite Hindu passions into a frenzy of religious hatred. Hindu mobs went on a well-planned rampage targeting Muslim homes and businesses. Villages and cities across the state of Gujarat witnessed weeks of arson, killing, rape and ethnic cleansing of its Muslim population. When the pogrom subsided, human rights groups estimated that over 2000 civilians were killed, hundreds of women raped, over 150,000 displaced, and the socio-economic infrastructure of the Muslim community completely destroyed. Nine years later, despite Tehelka.com’s ground breaking videos showing the perpetrators confessing their heinous crimes against humanity, in sordid details, on Tehelka’s hidden cameras, and even after SIT’s indictment of Chief Minister Narendra Modi on over a dozen charges, not much has changed for the victims. The State Home Minister Amit Shah is free on bail; the great work of the Supreme Court’s appointed special Central Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been unable to proceed beyond paper-indictment of Mr. Modi, as the Government has not granted meaningful powers to the investigating team. The victims are still scared to return to their homes, thus living in slums, awaiting justice. According to human rights activists, hundreds of thousands of Muslims living in the villages of Gujarat are subjected to a brutal economic boycott and low scale sustained violence. The perpetrators of the Gujarat ethnic cleansing had termed it “a successful experiment” and vowed to repeat it all over India. They have spread the climate of fear to other states such as Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Chattisgarh and Karnataka. They have now turned their attention to the Christian community as evidenced by the recent anti-Christian violence in the states of Orissa and Gujarat. “It is not befitting for the world’s largest democracy to have genocidal murderers, rapists and arsonists strutting around with impunity, and gloating over their horrific deeds. In contrast, Muslim youth are arrested and tortured upon mere suspicion or under false pretexts without even the minimal legal representation or due process of the law. We urge the Government of India to immediately grant CBI’s SIT powers to use its recent multiple indictments in arresting and prosecuting Mr. Modi,” said Shaheen Khateeb, President, IAMC. Indian American Muslim Council (formerly Indian Muslim Council-USA) is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 10 chapters across the nation. Links: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/7421365.cms http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/6834628.cms http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfnTl_Fwvbo http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzqV4BMwSW8 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r27LYgovDgI http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tBvyBm3p0H0&playnext=1&list=PL63BD3CA30EDE279C http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oAhcgoFbzfs&playnext=1&list=PL63BD3CA30EDE279C http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XiHvtSCeBGs&playnext=1&list=PL63BD3CA30EDE279C Contact Information Contact: Shaheen Khateeb phone: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295 Morton Grove, IL 60053 USA Join Our Mailing List [Back to Top]

Press Release

Indian American Muslim Council celebrates Republic Day across the United States

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Sunday, February 2, 2011 Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC – http://www.iamc.com), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s tolerant and pluralist ethos, held Republic Day celebrations across its various chapters in the United States. The emphasis of the Republic Day celebrations was to spread awareness within the Indian Diaspora on how the Indian constitution brings to life the very idea of India as a vibrant and tolerant society whose pluralist ethos need to be cherished and preserved. While the San Francisco Bay Area chapter organized a highly popular Video and Essay contest to mark India’s Republic Day, the highlight of the IAMC Boston chapter was the stage performance of “Republic Day Sholay: Barkha Dutt goes to cover Republic Day in Ramgarh”. A children’s quiz on Republic Day was the highlight of the IAMC New Jersey chapter. Republic Day Video & Essay Contest IAMC launched a Video and Essay contest at http://www.republicday.org which became a runaway success garnering over 10,000 visits from 41 different countries. In the short two week span of the contest, over 5,600 votes were cast for the 32 video and 38 essay entries. The 1st and 2nd prize winners for the video contest took home an iPad and an iPod Touch respectively while the 1st and 2nd essay contest winners bagged a Sony HDTV and an Amazon Kindle eReader respectively. Consolation prizes in different categories were also given for both contests. Video Contest Winners: First Prize: “Sare Jahan Se Accha Hindustan Hamara” – Prachi & Surya Makkar from New York [See their acceptance video] Second Prize: “Mile Sur Mera Tumhara” – Pragati Guruprasad from Fremont, CA Most Creative Entry: “The Origin of Republic Day” – Allamaprabhu Pattanashetty from Sunnyvale, CA Most Popular Entry: “Tribute to my Republic India” – Sushilkumar Burkul from Collegeville, PA Best Performance Entry: “Holiday Again” – Baseer Khan from Santa Clara, CA Essay Contest Winners: First Prize: “A 21st Century Diamond” – Bianca De from San Ramon, CA Second Prize: “India’s Contribution to the World Culture” – Subodh Chavhan from PA Most Creative Entry: “Ancient India’s Contribution to the Modern World” – Gayathri Kalla from Santa Clara, CA Consolation Prize: “Role of India in 21st Century” – Huma Fatima from Santa Clara, CA San Francisco Bay Area Republic Day Event The Republic Day event organized by the IAMC Bay Area chapter was also the venue for the prize distribution of the IAMC Video and Essay contests. The event was held at Mayuri Indian Cuisine in Santa Clara. There were over 200 guests in attendance. The event was graced by several high profile speakers, which included: Mr. Kumar Tuhin, Deputy Consul General at the San Francisco Indian Consulate [SEE: Profile] Dr. Rafiq Dossani, Director of Center for South Asia at Stanford University [SEE: Profile] Mr. Ash Kalra, Councilmember for City of San Jose [SEE: Profile] Mr. Ahsan Syed, Board of Trustee, IAMC Mr. Ashok Kumar Sinha, Consul for Community Affairs at the San Francisco Indian Consulate. Dr. M. Nadeem, Community Activist and Professor at National University [SEE: Profile, http://www.drnadeem.com/”>2] Mr. Ahsan Khan, President of IAMC Bay Area chapter The program started with the playing of the US and Indian National Anthems, followed by a children’s ethnic dress show [PHOTOS: 1, http://www.iamc.com“>2, 3, 4]. Mr. Ahsan Khan, President of the IAMC Bay Area chapter started his speech by greeting the audience on the Republic Day and went on to emphasize the importance of the constitution and the need to safeguard the rights and freedoms enshrined in it. He further added “The Republic Day marks a real watershed in India’s history. By introducing the newly drafted constitution, India’s leaders B.R. Ambedkar, Pundit Nehru and Maulana Abul Kalam Azad reflected the hopes and aspirations of Indians, irrespective of the economic status, religion or caste”. Addressing the audience, Mr. Ash Kalra said, “It is important for us to remember where we came from and what our forbearers did for us to be able to enjoy the fruits of freedom”. Highlighting the significance of the Republic Day as the day on which the constitution came into effect, he added that “Declaring independence is not that significant unless you add some values to what kind of country you are going to be in”. He further emphasized “This is the time for us to really understand the values that not only bring us together as Indians but really connect us with America as well”. Mr. Ahsan Syed gave an inspirational talk and cited the tradition of the Prophet on how patriotism is ingrained in Islam and the special place that India holds in Islamic tradition. He cited poetry from Iqbal and Jigar Muradabadi : Kabhi shaakh-o-sabza-o-barg par, Kabhi guncha-o-gul-o-khaar par Main chaman mein chaahe jahan rahon, mera haq hai fasl-e-bahaar par That translates to: Be it the blooming garden or a bed of thorns a Fall may bring I stake my claim forever on the garden’s harvest of spring He concluded his speech by identifying two challenges that he said are more difficult than the Independence struggle, namely the fight against corruption and the fight against injustice. Dr. M Nadeem elaborated on the need for political and civic participation among the Indian community. Mr. Kumar Tuhin, Deputy Consul General at the San Francisco Indian Consulate addressed the audience and said: “To inculcate values in our children which foster a sense of belonging, I commend IAMC for organizing the video and essay contest on India’s Republic Day”. He went on to read a message from the Consul General commending IAMC for organizing the republic day event and bringing the diverse Indian American community together. Dr. Rafiq Dossani started his keynote address by highlighting “the towering work of Jawaharlal Nehru, who insisted that certain key freedoms being retained that guaranteed that India remained a democracy”. He went on to share his ongoing research on the subject of the Interaction between Democracy and Technology in India and demonstrated how democracy influences the evolution of technology and how advances in technology in turn shape

Press Release

IAMC Pays Tribute to Mahatma Gandhi on his death anniversary

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Sunday, January 30, 2011 The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC – http://www.iamc.com), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, has paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi on the occasion of his death anniversary today, by calling on all Indians to come together as one nation, to rise above communal politics, and to discredit the hate-filled ideologies that claimed the Mahatma’s life. Mahatma Gandhi’s leadership during India’s freedom struggle, his tenacity in living by the principles of non-violence even under the most adverse conditions and his steadfast espousal of the rights of the oppressed among the lower castes and minorities have made him an enduring source of inspiration for millions across the world. His legacy has guided freedom movements in several parts of the world, and his name rightly symbolizes the indomitable human spirit. His assassination, soon after India’s independence, marks a defining moment in India’s continuing struggle against communalist and sectarian ideologies. “On January 30, 1948, the nation lost its greatest leader to an assassin’s bullets. Tragically, the hate and bigotry that manifested itself on that momentous day continue to be perpetuated in the form of religious extremism and radical communal politics,” said Shaheen Khateeb, president of IAMC. “Now, more than ever, we need to join hands and commit ourselves to ensuring that it is Gandhiji’s legacy of compassion, love and justice for all that shapes this nation’s future, and not the hate-filled legacy of Nathuram Godse,” added Mr. Khateeb. IAMC has called upon the Government of India to mark the anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination by taking concrete steps to strengthen civil society and the institutions established to safeguard human rights, religious freedom, and equal opportunities for all. Indian American Muslim Council (formerly Indian Muslim Council-USA) is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 10 chapters across the nation. Contact Information Rasheed Ahmed phone: 800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com Join Our Mailing List

Press Release

Indian American Muslims celebrate India’s 62nd Republic Day

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Wednesday, January 26, 2011 Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC – http://www.iamc.com), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguard India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, today, celebrates India’s 62nd Republic Day. IAMC’s chapters across the nation have scheduled festivities and entertaining educational programs for adults, and children. In order to mark the Republic Day, IAMC has also organized a video and essay contest with exciting prizes such as iPad, iPod Touch and Sony HDTV. Everyone is invited to submit videos and essays at the website: http://republicday.org. The submission deadline is January 28th, 2011. The Republic Day marks a real watershed in India’s history. By introducing the newly drafted constitution, India’s leaders Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar, Jawaharlal Nehru, and Maulana Azad, reflected the hopes and aspirations of all Indians irrespective of economical status, religion or caste. By replacing the modified colonial Government of India Act 1935 with this great new Constitution, the Secular Indian Government was guaranteeing its citizens the most important thing that mattered – equal rights and equal access to opportunities as well as freedom to all Indians. IAMC is delighted to note India’s continued economic growth and prosperity. However, it strongly feels that sustainable growth, prosperity and global leadership of a nation are only possible when all of its citizens enjoy equal rights and opportunities to contribute to their country. “IAMC maintains that ignoring the development of any segment of the population is against both the letter and the spirit of the Indian Constitution. On this auspicious day, we urge the Indian Government to implement meaningful measures for the upliftment of the economically and educationally neglected sections of the Indian population,” said Shaheen Khateeb, President, IAMC. Indian American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 10 chapters across the nation. Quick Links: REPUBLIC DAY CONTEST WEBSITE: http://www.republicday.org REPUBLIC DAY CONTEST FACEBOOK PAGE: http://www.facebook.com/pages/India-Republic-Day/180944268605259 Contact Information: Rasheed Ahmed phone: 800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com Join Our Mailing List

Press Release

IAMC Seeks Retraction of Maulana Vastanvi’s Statements on Gujarat

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Thursday January 20, 2011 Indian American Muslim Council http://www.iamc.com), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguard India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos has expressed shock and dismay at the reported statement of Maulana Vastanvi, the newly appointed rector of Darul-Uloom Deoband, stating there is “no discrimination against the minorities” in Gujarat. While the leading Indian and International Human Rights groups as well as the US State Department report continued discrimination in Gujarat, it is ironic that an Islamic scholar from Gujarat purporting to speak on behalf of the community believes in glossing over the harsh reality of the community’s continued victimization. “With riot victims still living in squalid refugee camps, the former Gujarat Home Minister in judicial custody for fake encounters that target Muslim youth, and the prime culprits of the 2002 pogroms still at large, the Maulana’s statement is beyond comprehension,” said Shaheen Khateeb, president of IAMC. “If the Maulana was directly connected to the grassroots, the continued suffering of the minorities in Gujarat, particularly the Muslims, would not be lost on him,” added Mr. Khateeb. IAMC has called upon Maulana Vastanvi to retract his statements and tender an apology to the community. While it is important for Muslims to avail of economic opportunities in the market, progress need not come at the cost of justice and basic empathy for those that are still suffering from the machinations of one of the most prejudiced state administrations in recent history. Several scholars and community leaders from Gujarat and other parts of India have condemned Maulana Vastanvi’s statements asking for a retraction. Many point to the squalid living conditions in Muslim localities like Shah Alam and Juhapura in Western Ahmedabad where many of the victims of the 2002 Gujarat pogroms have resettled. Indian American Muslim Council (formerly Indian Muslim Council-USA) is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 10 chapters across the nation. For more information please visit our website at www.iamc.com. References: 1. Muslim activists in Gujarat condemn Vastanavi’s praise of Modi TwoCircles.net, Jan 20, 2011 http://www.twocircles.net/2011jan20/muslim_activists_gujarat_condemn_vastanavi%E2%80%99s_praise_modi.html 2. Muslim leaders aghast at Deoband chief’s remarks on Modi The Times of India, Jan 20, 2011 http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Muslim-leaders-aghast-at-Deoband-chiefs-remarks-on-Modi/articleshow/7321918.cms 3. New Deoband chief lauds Modi’s Gujarat The Times of India, Jan 19, 2011 http://m.timesofindia.com/india/New-Deoband-chief-lauds-Modis-Gujarat/articleshow/7315607.cms Contact: Rasheed Ahmed phone: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295 Morton Grove, IL 60053 phone: 800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com Join Our Mailing List

Reports

A Report on the State of Urdu Literacy in India, 2010

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A Report on the State of Urdu Literacy in India, 2010 By Dr.Omar Khalidi, October 2010 What is the status of Urdu literacy in India at the turn of the twenty first century as gauged through school education? Or how many students in primary schools in various states of India are studying through Urdu as the language of instruction? How many students are learning Urdu as one of the subjects under the three (or four) language formula in various levels of schools? Have the various levels of government—central, state, and local—facilitated or obstructed learning of Urdu in various states since independence? To what can we attribute the uneven levels of Urdu literacy and education in various states? Besides schools run by the state, who are the other institutions involved in promoting Urdu literacy? This Report answers these five critical questions that enable reasonable projections about the future of literacy (as opposed to orality) in and education through Urdu. Essentially, this Report quantifies and measures Urdu literacy in India since the 1950s. The Report concludes with a summary of key findings and a set of immediate action proposals for reversing the decline of Urdu literacy. Read the Full Report: OmarKhalidi_Report_on_Urdu_Literacy_in_India_2010.pdf

In-Depth Coverage, Reports

India must face up to Hindu terrorism

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India’s anti-minorities bias is so strong that it has failed to acknowledge the threat posed by Hindu radicalism By Kapil Komireddi     or far too long, the enduring response of the Indian establishment to Hindu nationalists has rarely surpassed mild scorn. Their organised violent eruptions across the country – slaughtering Muslims and Christians, destroying their places of worship, cutting open pregnant wombs – never seemed sufficient enough to the state to cast them as a meaningful threat to India’s national security. But the recently leaked confession of a repentant Hindu priest, Swami Aseemanand, confirms what India’s security establishment should have uncovered: a series of blasts between 2006 and 2008 were carried out by Hindu outfits. The attacks targeted a predominantly Muslim town and places of Muslim worship elsewhere. Their victims were primarily Muslim. Yet the reflexive reaction of the police was to round up young Muslim men, torture them, extract confessions and declare the cases solved. Pundits now conduct cautious enquiries on television. Does this revelation mean India is now under attack by “Hindu terrorism”? But to treat this as a new phenomenon is to overlook the bulky corpus of terrorist violence in India that has its roots in explicitly Hindu-political grievances. Why is the attack on a Jewish centre in Mumbai by Pakistani gunmen an example of “Islamic terrorism”, but the slaughter of a thousand Muslims by sword-wielding Hindus in Gujarat in 2002 not proof of “Hindu terrorism”, particularly when the purpose of the violence was to establish an Hindu state in India? How do we describe attacks on churches, the kidnappings of pastors, the burning to death of a missionary? What do we make of the war-cry pehle kasai, phir isai: first the butchers (Muslims), then the Christians? What has prompted this debate over “Hindu terrorism” is not Aseemanand’s confession: it is the fact that, in carrying out their violence, his accomplices appropriated methods which, in popular imagination, have become associated exclusively with Islamic terrorism. Detonating bombs in crowded areas: isn’t that what Muslims do? It is when you look at the reactions to non-Hindu extremism that you absorb how strongly majoritarian assumptions inform the state and society’s conduct in India. In 2002, the Indian government banned the radical Muslim group Simi (Students’ Islamic Movement of India) citing the group’s charter, which seeks to establish sharia rule in India, and the terror charges some of its members were facing. But the Hindu radical outfit RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh or the National Volunteer Corps) remains open for business – even though it campaigns, very openly, for a Hindu state in India, and its members incite and perpetrate violence against Muslim and Christian minorities. Mahatma Gandhi’s assassin was a member of the RSS, as are Aseemanand and his confreres. To get an idea of which of the two groups poses a more immediate threat to India, consider this: the government that banned Simi was headed by the BJP, the political wing of the RSS. The principal cause of Hindu radicalism, much like its Muslim counterpart in Pakistan, is the partition of India in 1947. The departing British hacked India apart to accommodate the Muslim League’s demand for an exclusive homeland for the subcontinent’s Muslims – and so, the Hindu nationalist logic runs, the territory that remained should logically be identified as the land of Hindus. If Pakistan’s Muslim majoritarianism crystallised around the bogey of “Hindu raj”, the Hindu nationalist project thrives by casting the burden of partition on India’s Muslim minorities – fifth columnists whose coreligionists tore India apart by claiming, in spite of a millennium-long sojourn in India, to be foreigners by virtue of their faith. For all the saffron calumny, it is impossible to find a community more emphatically committed to India than its Muslims. India’s Hindus never had to make a choice. The Muslims did. Consider what an ordinary Muslim family in 1947 would have had to deal with: terrified by the violence that the partition had unleashed, their coreligionists were fleeing in the millions to Pakistan; Hindu and Sikh fanatics were actively seeking out Muslims for slaughter and rape; the possibility of being betrayed by neighbours and friends was far from remote. Sardar Patel, the second most powerful functionary in the Indian government, was openly hostile to Muslims – hostility which no doubt would have been seen by many Hindus as tacit endorsement of their actions. Amidst all this, the sole authoritative source of reassurance would have been the distant pledges of a better tomorrow by Jawaharlal Nehru. The Muslims who remained, who refused to vacate the hell that was India despite the blandishments of paradise next door in Pakistan, affirmed their faith in India with their lives. After all this, it is staggering that the Hindu right gets away so easily by routinely humiliating Indian Muslims. From demographics to diet, personal laws to places of worship, Muslims are suspect in everything they do. Adding a dash of foreign authority, glamour and fuel to this unbridled bigotry is the lavatorial “scholarship” of frustrated European converts to Hinduism such as François Gautier and Koenraad Elst. Misfits in their own societies, they have flourished by exploiting communal tensions in a miserably poor country. What the Muslims did to Hindus was worse than the Jewish Holocaust explains one, while the other warns Hindus that they are being outbred by Muslims. The JNU historian Tanika Sarkar was perhaps right in identifying “penis envy and anxiety about emasculation” among the principal reasons for anti-Muslim bigotry. The Indian state has failed appallingly in its obligations to Muslim citizens. There are 150 million Muslims in India, but as the government’s own figures show, only 4% are graduates, 5% have public employment, an overwhelming majority remain locked out of public institutions, and their access to government loans and education is severely restricted. If this institutional exclusion should breed resentment, and the resentment produce violence, no one will hesitate to call it another instance of Islamic terrorism. But when self-pitying Hindus massacre minorities and detonate bombs in the midst of Muslim crowds, we are

Press Release

Indian Americans apprehensive at US Police Unity Tour’s Gujarat Trip

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Saturday January 8, 2011 Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC – http://www.iamc.com), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, met with officials of New Jersey’s Police Unity Tour (PUT) and expressed its apprehension at PUT’s decision to visit and meet Gujarat state police in India. “After meeting with the Police Unity Tour, it was clear that they were shocked at learning about the violence that was perpetrated against Muslims in Gujarat and the collusion between the police and the organized mob violence. It is unfortunate that those individuals, who facilitated this trip of the Police Unity Tour to Gujarat, kept them in the dark about the shameful record of the Gujarat police.” Said Yusuf Dadani, IAMC’s New Jersey Chapter President. While applauding PUT’s noble cause of honoring fallen police officers, IAMC expressed its concern that the Gujarat police department was abusing the fine name of the PUT to mask its gory record of gross human right violations. The IAMC delegation briefed the PUT officers on how their organization’s dignified mission is likely to be compromised and misused by the Gujarat police and the state administration to legitimize the well documented anti-minority massacres perpetrated by these agencies. “We are quite apprehensive that Gujarat’s notorious police force will now attempt to misuse the honorable Police Unity Tour’s visit as a carte blanche to continue their malicious and organized campaigns of targeting India’s minorities.” said Shaheen Khateeb, President, IAMC. Indian American Muslim Council (formerly Indian Muslim Council-USA) is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 10 chapters across the nation. For more information please visit our website at www.iamc.com. References: 1. “We Have No Orders To Save You” – State Participation and Complicity in Communal Violence in Gujarat Human Rights Watch, April 2002 http://www.hrw.org/legacy/reports/2002/india/ 2. India : Gujarat Officials Took Part in Anti-Muslim Violence New Report Documents Complicity of the State Government HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH – April 2002 http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2002/04/29/india-gujarat-officials-took-part-anti-muslim-violence 3. No entry for Modi into US: visa denied The Times of India – Mar 18, 2005, 12.31pm http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1055543.cms?prtpage=1 4. US State Department confirms Modi will not be given visa Coalition Against Genocide – August 28, 2008 http://www.coalitionagainstgenocide.org/press/cag.pr.28aug2008.php 5. India : A pattern of unlawful killings by the Gujarat police: Urgent need for effective investigations AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL – 24 May 2007 http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/ASA20/011/2007/en/1c189822-d393-11dd-a329-2f46302a8cc6/asa200112007en.pdf 6. US, Gujarat cops on unity tour to Karamsad Daily News & Analysis (DNA) – Nov 3, 2010, 9:24 IST http://www.dnaindia.com/print710.php?cid=1461505 7. CBI indicts Amit Shah, Gujarat police Times of India – Nov 25, 2010 http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/6989931.cms 8. Encounter killing to please politician? Times of India – Dec 10, 2003, 01.32am IST http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/349036.cms 9. Ishrat fake encounter case: Intelligence Bureau inputs were ‘manufactured’ in Gujarat Times of India – Jun 22, 2010, 05.24am IST http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/6076968.cms 10. Gujarat Home Minister Amit Shah arrested, sent to jail July 25, 2010 http://www.deccanherald.com/content/83728/amit-shah-arrested-sent-jail.html 11. Guj police worked for Shah even after his arrest: CBI to Supreme Court Indian Express: Thu Nov 25 2010, 21:27 hrs http://www.indianexpress.com/story-print/716012/ 12. ‘Sir, don’t – I am not a terrorist,’ pleaded [Muslim] ATS inspector as DCP shot him twice Indian Express, Sun Mar 14 2010, 03:19 hrs http://www.indianexpress.com/story-print/590554/ Contact: Rasheed Ahmed phone: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295 Morton Grove, IL 60053 phone: 800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com Join Our Mailing List

Press Release

IAMC Condemns Persecution of Teesta Setalvad and Other Human Rights Activists

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IAMC Condemns Persecution of Teesta Setalvad and Other Human Rights Activists Friday January 7, 2011 The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC – http://www.iamc.com), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, has strongly condemned the malafide campaign of persecution and harrassment of human rights defender Teesta Setalvad, secretary of “Citizens for Justice and Peace(CJP),” Advocate Sohail Tirmizi, and numerous other lawyers and human rights activists that have been in the forefront in the struggle to secure justice for the victims of the Gujarat riots of 2002. Mr. Rais Khan, a former employee of CJP, on whose testimony Teesta Setalvad has been accused of having ordered the doctoring of a riot victim’s affidavit, was dismissed from the service of CJP for suspicious conduct as well as financial irregularities. The fact that a person with a dubious record and a clear conflict of interest with CJP has accused one of the most respected human rights defenders of the country, raises disturbing questions about the forces behind this vilification campaign. “Ms. Teesta Setalvad’s fearless advocacy of the victims of human rights abuses, and her efforts to secure justice and dignity for the poor and dispossessed should be lauded. Instead, the forces that have fuelled hate and communal violence in the country are bent on stifling her voice,” said Shaheen Khateeb, president of IAMC. “We appeal to the Prime Minister of India, Shri Manmohan Singh to prevent this potential miscarriage of justice by ordering a CBI investigation into the roots of this malicious campaign. Justice will be served only when the Gujarat government is held accountable for its misdeeds during and after the genocide of 2002,” added Mr. Khateeb. Indian American Muslim Council (formerly Indian Muslim Council-USA) is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 10 chapters across the nation. For more information please visit our website at www.iamc.com. References: Victimization of Teesta Setalvad CJP, Advocate M.M. Tirmizi & victims survivors of 2002 http://communalism.blogspot.com/2010/12/victimization-of-teesta-setalvad-cjp.html Threat To Arrest Human Rights Activists And Journalists By Gujarat Police http://www.countercurrents.org/sabrang301210.htm Contact: Rasheed Ahmed phone: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295 Morton Grove, IL 60053 phone: 800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com Join Our Mailing List

Press Release

IAMC Mourns passing away of K.G.Kannabiran

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Friday December 31, 2010 Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC http://www.iamc.com), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguard India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, mourns the passing of renowned civil rights activist K.G. Kannabiran in Hyderabad, India. Mr. Kannabiran was one of the greatest pioneers in India’s Civil Liberties Movement. With his stalwart personality, he never hesitated to speak for India’s oppressed minorities. “Throughout his remarkable and amazing life, Mr. Kannabiran used his excellent education, training, and dynamic skills for the protection of the weak, and exploited sections of the Indian populace. It is actually people like him who keep the idea of India alive.” said Rasheed Ahmed, president IAMC. IAMC extends its heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Mr. Kannabiran. Indian American Muslim Council (formerly Indian Muslim Council-USA) is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 10 chapters across the nation. For more information please visit our new website at http://www.iamc.com. References: Kannabiran, doyen of civil rights movement passes away http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/7193708.cms Civil rights activist Kannabiran passes away http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article1018960.ece Veteran Human Rights activist and advocate, K G Kannabiran is no more http://twocircles.net/2010dec30/veteran_human_rights%E2%80%99_activist_and_advocate_k_g_kannabiran_no_more.html Contact: Rasheed Ahmed phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295 Morton Grove, IL 60053 phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com

Press Release

IAMC Deplores Dr Binayak Sen’s conviction

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December 27, 2010 Indian American Muslim Council deplores the verdict of life imprisonment handed to Dr. Binayak Sen, and expresses alarm at the judicial process which resulted in his conviction. Dr. Sen, considered as one of the most prominent Human Rights activist in India, was falsely implicated on the basis of evidence allegedly planted by the police at the behest of powerful business interests, and the BJP led state government in Chhattisgarh. Despite the tremendous outpouring of support from the international community, including a campaign by 22 Nobel laureates to free him, Dr. Sen has been sentenced to life imprisonment by the lower courts on insubstantial grounds. “Taken together with the faith based Ayodhya judgment earlier this year, this verdict deals a severe blow to the credibility of the lower courts as impartial institutions” said Rasheed Ahmed, President of IAMC. IAMC demands a thorough and expedited review of this verdict by the Supreme Court and hope that the apex court would intervene appropriately to curtail this trend the lower courts become a tool of political retribution. Indian American Muslim Council (formerly Indian Muslim Council-USA) is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 10 chapters across the nation. For more information please visit our new website at www.iamc.com. Contact: Rasheed Ahmed phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com Address: 6321 W Dempster St. Suite 295 Morton Grove. IL 60053 phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com

Reports

Excerpts from the ATS chargesheet in Malegaon case

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With this issue, we start to serialise selections from the chargesheet filed by the ATS Maharashtra in the Malegaon Blast Case of 2008. Here is a translation from Marathi of evidence no. 79: – Aug, 2007 (the name of witness is omitted in the original): Swami (Sudhakar Dwivedi alias Amritanand Devteerth) asked me to attend a meeting at Bhosla Military School. …. Col Purohit said: Abhinav Bharat, in order to avenge would resort to bomb blasts in Muslim localities. For this huge funds were to be collected…. On 11 April 2008, I reached Bhopal. A general meeting was attended by Swamiji, Dr RP Sinh, Pragya Singh Thakur, Col. Purohit, Major Upadhyaya, Bharat, Sameer Kulkarni, Himani Savarkar etc. There was discussion on establishing a branch of Abhinav Bharat in Madhya Pradesh … On the first floor of Ram Mandir, in a closed room the evening meeting was attended by these people…. I was assigned the task of serving tea and refreshments…. The meeting lasted an hour and a half…. [in this meeting] Col. Purohit said that Muslims should be targeted earliest so as to seek revenge. As they are in great number in Malegaon, hence a bomb explosion at that place would be the best kind of revenge. It was approved by everyone. Pragya Sinh said, “bomb blast would require manpower which I would arrange.” There should be no worry about that …. This gave me an inkling that they were hatching the conspiracy of a bomb blast at Malegaon …. I decided to maintain distance from them. On Swamiji’s visit in May-June 2008, Sidharth Kaul made arrangements for his stay at SOS head office, Sector 29, Faridabad. He stayed there for 3-4 days…. Swamiji instigated me again to seek revenge for atrocities perpetrated on the Hindus. Witness No. 118 [translated from Marathi]: …. a few years ago, Samir Kulkarni and his friends had founded an organisation called Abhinav Bharat … On the first floor of the temple, a meeting was held in a closed room attended by Swami Shankaracharya, Col. Purohit, Sadhvi Pragya, Sudhakar Chaturvedi, Major Upadhyaya, Samir Kulkarni and a few others. In this meeting Col. Purohit said that Malegaon had a substantial Muslim population, hence atrocities on Hindus must be avenged at the earliest at that place (something of this kind). Sadhvi Pragya commented that she had manpower [for executing the operation]. There should be no worry. Two or three months after the Bhopal meeting, i.e., June-July 2008, a meeting was held at Jabalpur in a dharmashala…. There were approximately 300 persons (including) Sadhvi Pragya Sinh, Shankaracharya, a local Sadhvi (who was addressed as didi), Samir Kulkarni and Major Upadhyaya from Pune. http://www.milligazette.com/news/156-confession-of-saffron-terrorists-i SEE ALSO: Confession of Saffron terrorists – ii – By Milligazette (Dec 4, 2010, Milligazette.com) http://www.milligazette.com/news/186-confession-of-saffron-terrorists-ii Confession of Saffron terrorists – iii – By Milligazette (Dec 23, 2010, Milligazette.com) http://www.milligazette.com/news/235-confession-of-saffron-terrorists-iii

Press Release

Indian American Muslim Council Name Changed

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We are now Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC). We have changed our name (formerly Indian Muslim Council – USA) and our logo, but not our mission. Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) continues to be an independent not for profit tax exempt organization committed to promoting peace, pluralism and social justice for all. Our new name defines our identity and the geography we work from with more clarity. At this occasion of our name change and the Human Rights Day as declared by the United Nations, we reaffirm our commitment to promotion of protection of human rights and human dignity as they are the foundation of freedom, justice and peace.  We thank you for your ongoing support of our work. Indian American Muslim Council (formerly Indian Muslim Council-USA) is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 10 chapters across the nation. Please visit our new website at www.iamc.com to learn more about our work and for more information. Contact: Rasheed Ahmed phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com

Press Release

Indian American group calls for speedy justice in Babri Masjid demolition case on 18th anniversary

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Indian American Muslim Council (http://www.iamc.com) an advocacy group dedicated to safeguard India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos has called upon the Government of India to mark the eighteenth anniversary of the tragic Babri Masjid demolition, with meaningful steps to redress the grave injustice and a renewed resolve to work for justice and communal harmony. “Eighteen years ago, on this day, a violent mob driven by hate, attacked a centuries old mosque, and in so doing, challenged the secular foundations of our Republic. Tragically, the destructive ideology that was the genesis of the Babri Masjid attack continues to advance its divisive agenda. The people who lost their lives and property to the murderous mobs unleashed by the same forces that demolished the Babri Masjid have been waiting for justice for the last eighteen years.”, said Rasheed Ahmed, President of IAMC.

Press Release

IAMC Mourns the Death of Dr. Omar Khalidi

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Indian American Muslim Council mourns the untimely death of the Cambridge based scholar Dr. Omar Khalidi and expresses its deepest condolences to his family. Preliminary reports suggest that he was fatally struck by a subway trolley near the Kendall Square station in Cambridge, MA. Dr. Khalidi was a pioneer in the field of research on Indian Muslims and Contemporary Politics. He left behind him a monumental legacy that had a significant impact on the political landscape of India and a multitude of people were motivated and inspired by his work. Dr. Khalidi was born in Hyderabad and was the son of Professor A.N.M. Khalidi, a well known scholar of Arabic and Islamic studies at Osmania University. He is survived by his wife and daughter. He will be remembered for his courage in taking on issues that others feared to tread and for his unending passion for the pursuit of social justice in India. Contact: Rasheed Ahmed phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@iamc.com

Press Release

Indian American Muslim group expresses disappointment at the Court verdict on Babri Masjid Ayodhya issue

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For Immediate Release Friday Oct 1, 2010 Indian Muslim Council-USA (http://www.imc-usa.org) an advocacy group dedicated to safeguard India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos has expressed that a historic opportunity to establish that the judiciary shall ensure that rule of law prevails regardless of political or other expediency, and to earn international respect for our Indian institutions and acumen, has been lost. “We had expected objectivity not political consideration from the courts. By passing judgment based on religious beliefs rather than on facts, the High Court has set a disturbing precedent” said Rasheed Ahmed, President of IMC-USA. “It is troubling that the High Court has chosen to ignore the archeological evidence and scientific evidence and ruled based on the emotions and beliefs of the parties in the dispute. I hope that the Supreme Court will be able do the course correction in the interest of justice and not give in to political considerations.” said Ahmed. Carbon dating conducted during previous investigations had revealed that the artifacts reportedly discovered during excavations were of very recent origin, hence disproving the existence of a Hindu temple at the Babri Masjid site. IMC-USA expresses its serious reservations at the Archeological Survey of India’s (ASI) report. From the very beginning, ASI has blatantly violated every basic norm of an archeological investigation to help in arriving at a pre-determined conclusion. For instance, ASI did not carbon date the excavated animal bones although they clearly exhibited cut marks, and chewed fragments – which along with un-burnt human skeletons shows this area to have been in-habited by Muslims, prior to the building of Babri Masjid. ASI deliberately did not use the thermo luminescence dating on the excavated pottery – as these tests would have conclusively proven these artifacts excavated from below the Babri Masjid to be from the Sultanate period, and not from a Hindu period. The “pillar bases of a Hindu Temple” reported by the inexperienced GPR firm, turned out to be mere heaps of brick bats without any hollow pillar base marks; further, these brick bat heaps would have been unable to support a stone column; leave alone supporting a load bearing stone column that supports a “temple’s” masonry roof and other structural components. These heaps of brick bats were actually used to fill holes under a pre-Babri Masjid Eidgah’s Lime-mortar floor. No footings or foundation walls were discovered – which would have been essential to support “temple walls”. ASI has conveniently ignored to explain that the magnitude of lime-mortar and surkhi construction material discovered during ASI’s excavations clearly points to only one conclusion – that the unearthed western burnt brick wall running north-south with the Mihrab Niche could only have been built during the Sultanate Era – and is clearly a Muslim Eidgah structure – not part of any Hindu temple. IMC-USA calls upon the Supreme Court to have the full-bench examine the case in a fast-track manner and deliver its verdict. IMC-USA appeals to all sections of the Indian society to maintain peace and harmony. IMC-USA is relieved that Indians have remained calm and peaceful after Ayodhya verdict and no reports of violence or wild celebrations were reported. IMC-USA requests the Government of India to continue to take measures to ensure safety and well-being of all citizens. “We call upon the Government of India to expedite the judicial cases filed against those accused of Babri Masjid demolition on December 6th, 1992 including L.K. Advani and 67 others as identified by the Liberhan Commission”, added Ahmed. In order to deter any future encroachments of places of worship and minimize further religious tension, IMC-USA calls upon the Government of India to reiterate that it will forcefully implement the Places of Worship (Special Provisions), 1991 Act. A clear and unambiguous communication from the Government of India would remind the nation that the 1991 Act prohibits the change in the status of any place of worship as it existed on 15 August 1947 and bars any and all claims by anyone for all times to come. Contact: Rasheed Ahmed phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@imc-usa.org References: Summary of Judgments: Allahabad High Court verdict on Babri Masjid Ayodhya case http://babrimasjid.info/2010/09/verdict-on-the-babri-masjid/ Force of faith trumps law and reason in Ayodhya case http://www.hindu.com/2010/10/01/stories/2010100163711400.htm Verdict makes me feel like a 2nd-class citizen http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Verdict-makes-me-feel-like-a-2n… Prime Minister cautions people against ‘disruptive elements’ http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/6660109.cms Liberhan Commission Report inquiring into the demolition of Babri Masjid http://imc-usa.org/reports/liberhan.comission.report.inquiring.destructi…

Press Release

Indian American Group concerned at anxiety building over Babri Masjid verdict

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For Immediate Release September 23, 2010 Indian Muslim Council-USA (IMC-USA – http://www.imc-usa.org ), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguard India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos is gravely concerned at the continued heightening of anxiety over Allahabad High Court’s anticipated September 24th, 2010, Babri Masjid title suit decision. Apprehension regarding this sixty year old law suit appears to be approaching near-panic levels in some areas of the nation. “Therefore, we urge all State Governments, especially in sensitive areas – such as Kashmir, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka to immediately implement all necessary preemptive measures in order to ensure continued peace and tranquility, once the high court delivers its verdict.” said Rasheed Ahmed, president IMC-USA. “We recognize that both parties do have the legal right to appeal the high court’s decision in the Supreme Court. However, IMC-USA strongly urges all Citizens to respect the laws of the land and maintain peace at all times by avoiding both celebrations and provocative actions” added, Ahmed. Contact: Rasheed Ahmed phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@imc-usa.org References: Babri Masjid Portal with useful facts and videos www.BabriMasjid.info Liberhan Commission Report inquiring into the demolition of Babri Masjid http://imc-usa.org/reports/liberhan.comission.report.inquiring.destructi…

Press Release

Indian American Muslims outraged at the planned Quran burning

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Indian Muslim Council-USA (IMC-USA – http://www.imc-usa.org), an advocacy organization dedicated to safeguard India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos is outraged at the planned burning of the holy Quran by a pastor in Florida. Rasheed Ahmed, President, IMC-USA stated that “this is a planned hate crime, which is not protected by the spirit of the First Amendment.” IMC-USA is encouraged to see the international condemnation of this vile, and bigoted act. The Vatican, President Obama, and Indian Home Minister P. Chidambaram are among some of the high profile dignitaries who condemned this act of extreme hate, especially coming from a self professed religious person. IMC-USA also appreciates Cardinal Oswald Garcia of Mumbai, India’s statement that the Florida congregation’s planned burning of the Holy Scripture is “totally insensitive and disrespectful act toward the holy Quran,” While acknowledging the statements of these influential leaders, Ahmed also expressed his dismay at the silence of several other religious and political figures, at this proposed act of intense hate, and intolerance. IMC-USA President, Rasheed Ahmed noted that “Anyone who claims to be a Christian and yet burns the very scripture that honors and respects biblical prophets including Jesus and Mary exhibits both deep seated bigotry and extreme ignorance.” IMC-USA hopes that the US law enforcement agencies will keep the extremists in check and prevent incidents leading to the violation of basic human rights, and acts of violence against its minorities. IMC-USA further hopes that the US would not allow its extremist elements to imitate the actions of the extremist Hindutva groups like Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) who burned a copy of the holy Quran in front of the United Nations office in New Delhi. Indian Muslim Council-USA is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 10 chapters across the nation. IMC-USA is a Washington, D.C. registered non-profit 501(C)(3) tax-exempt organization established in August 2002 with a mission to promote peace, pluralism and social justice through strategic advocacy. Contact: Rasheed Ahmed phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@imc-usa.org References: Florida pastor says he’s ‘rethinking’ canceled Quran burning http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/09/09/florida.quran.burning/index.html India Condemns U.S. Pastor’s Plan to Burn the Quran, Urges Media Restraint http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-09-09/india-condemns-u-s-pastor-s-pla… India leads calls for action to stop Qur’an burning http://www.vancouversun.com/news/India+leads+calls+action+stop+burning/3… Plan to burn Quran in Florida draws international condemnation http://www.catholic-sf.org/news_select.php?newsid=1&id=57560 World Leaders Denounce Plans for Quran Burning at a US Church http://www.voanews.com/english/news/World-Leaders-Denounce-Plans-for-Qur… Bloodbath in Kanpur http://www.hinduonnet.com/fline/fl1807/18070340.htm

Press Release

Indian Americans Hail NJ Temple’s Decision for Not Allowing Ritambhara to Speak

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Indian Muslim Council-USA (IMC-USA – http://www.imc-usa.org), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguard India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos applauds the Hindu Samaj Mandir for not allowing Sadhvi Ritambhara’s speeches at the Temple’s Mahwah, New Jersey facilities, perviously scheduled from September 2, through September 6, 2010. “I am truly heartened to hear the Hindu Samaj Mandir’s decision for not allowing Sadhvi Ritambhara to speak at their facility” said Rasheed Ahmed, president of IMC-USA. “I firmly believe that the overwhelming majority of peace-loving Hindus reject Ritambhara’s politics of hate. By not providing a platform to this hate monger, the Hindu Samaj Mandir has not only upheld the name of over a billion peace loving Hindus worldwide, but has also distanced themselves from a person responsible for inciting murderous mobs and advocating genocide” continued Ahmed. Rasheed Ahmed pointed out that Indian Americans need to be more vigilant and disassociate with practitioners of politics of hate of any background and deny them our community space and resources to create dissention and disharmony in our communities here and in India. On August 18, 2010 the Indian Muslim Council-USA and NRI’s for Secular and Harmonious India (NRI-SAHI) sent a formal letter to the management of Hindu Samaj Mandir, educating them about Sadhvi Ritambhara’s politics of hate and requested them to cancel the event scheduled by the organizers at their Temple. # # # Indian Muslim Council-USA is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 10 chapters across the nation. IMC-USA is a Washington, D.C. registered non-profit 501(C)(3) tax-exempt organization established in August 2002 with a mission to promote peace, pluralism and social justice through strategic advocacy. References: 1. Full profile of Sadhvi Ritambhara and her US/Canada/UK Schedule http://www.sadhviritambhara.com 2. IMC-USA Press Release Aug 11, 2010: Community leaders urged to dissociate from Sadhvi Ritambhara’s hate-mongering http://imc-usa.org/content/2010/aug/11/community.leaders.urged.dissociate.sadhvi.ritambhara.s.hate.mongering.html 3. IMC-USA Press Release Jun 23, 2007: IMC-USA commends the City of Hollywood, Florida for officially dissociating from Sadhvi Ritambhara Event http://imc-usa.org/content/2007/jun/22/imc_usa_commends_city_hollywood_florida_officially_dissociating_sadhvi_ritambhar

Reports

National People’s Tribunal Report on violence against Christians in Kandhamal, Orissa

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In August 2008 radical Hindutva groups unleashed an orgy of violence against the Indian Dalit Christians and Adivasis in Kandhamal district of Orissa state in India. Included below is the report of the National People’s Tribunal which included several prominent activists and headed by Mr. A.P. Shah, former Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court. The eminent jury of the tribunal heard from 43 survivors and released a report on Aug 24, 2010. ================================================================ NATIONAL PEOPLE’S TRIBUNAL ON KANDHAMAL JURY’S PRELIMINARY FINDINGS & RECOMMENDATIONS 24 AUGUST 2010 The National People’s Tribunal (NPT) on Kandhamal, held in New Delhi on 22-24 August 2010, was   organized by the National Solidarity Forum – a countrywide solidarity platform of concerned social activists, media persons, researchers, legal experts, film makers, artists, writers, scientists and civil society organizations to assist the victims and survivors of the Kandhamal violence 2008 to seek justice, accountability and peace and to restore the victim-survivors’ right to a dignified life. The jury of the NPT was headed by Justice A.P. Shah, former Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court.  Joining him as jury members were Harsh Mander (member of National Advisory Council), Mahesh Bhatt (film maker and activist), Miloon Kothari (former UN Special Rapporteur on Right to Housing), P. S. Krishnan (retired Secretary, Government of India), Rabi Das (senior journalist based in Bhubaneswar), Ruth Manorama (women and dalit rights activist), Sukumar Muralidharan (Delhi-based free lance journalist), Syeeda Hameed (member of Planning Commission, Government of India), Vahida Nainar (expert on international law, mass crimes and gender), Vinod Raina (scientist and social activist with a specific focus on right to education), Admiral Vishnu Bhagwat (former Chief of Naval Staff) and Vrinda Grover (advocate, Delhi High Court). ****** Read the full report: NATIONAL PEOPLE’S TRIBUNAL ON KANDHAMAL – JURY’S PRELIMINARY FINDINGS & RECOMMENDATIONS Read IMC-USA’s statements on the issue: 1. Press Statement RELEASED Aug 25, 2010: Indian American Muslim group calls for speedy justice for Kandhamal victims on the second anniversary of violence 2. Press Statement RELEASED Aug 28, 2008: IAMC expresses alarm at anti-Christian violence in Orissa; demands the State and Central governments to act immediately 3. Press Statement RELEASED Dec 27, 2007: IAMC condemns destruction of churches in Orissa Attachment Size NPT_Kandhamal_Report_28Aug2010.pdf 76.32 KB

Press Release

Indian American Muslim group calls for speedy justice for Kandhamal victims on the second anniversary of violence

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Indian Muslim Council-USA (IMC-USA – http://www.imc-usa.org ), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguard India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, calls on the Indian government to take immediate steps to ensure speedy justice for the victims on the second anniversary of Kandhamal massacre of Christians and Adivasis. It has been two years since radical Hindutva groups unleashed an orgy of violence against the Indian Dalit Christians and Adivasis in Kandhamal district of Orissa state in India. There was a surge in violence since the Christmas-eve in 2007 which got considerably aggravated in August 2008, following the murder of the VHP leader Swami Lakshmananda Saraswati. According to official figures, over 600 villages were ransacked, 5600 houses were looted and burnt, 54,000 people were left homeless and 38 people murdered. Three women were gang raped, while many others were injured and 295 churches were destroyed. Thousands of people are unable to return, and are still living in temporary tents. What makes this horrific carnage ironic is that most of the people responsible for it, are walking around free, and the few accused are being acquitted. IMC-USA demands the government of India to take immediate and stern action against all the guilty to ensure that no community irrespective of their religion, caste, convictions, political and social views in India should have to go through a tragic event like this again. The National Public Tribunal headed by Mr. A.P. Shah, former Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court after hearing the victims and witnesses has found that trial procedures have been compromised by willfully recording of crimes of lesser magnitude in the police reports and the tribunal demanded the appointment of a special public prosecutor to ensure transparency. IMC-USA echoes the demands of the National Public Tribunal on the appointment of a transparent investigation and prosecution agency to ensure fair trials and speedy justice for the victims. References: Hindutva groups in Orissa should be dealt with strictly: Justice AP Shah http://twocircles.net/2010aug24/hindutva_groups_orissa_should_be_dealt_s… Kandhamal victims still face intimidation http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article591986.ece Exhibition on Kandhamal riot victims in Delhi http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_exhibition-on-kandhamal-riot-victim…

Press Release

IMC-USA Congratulates Indians on 63rd anniversary of Independence

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Indian Muslim Council-USA (IMC-USA), on the occasion of the sixty third anniversary of India’s independence, congratulates all Indians and people of Indian descent as well as friends of India. IMC-USA applauds India’s vibrant secular democracy that is admired the world over. IMC-USA is proud to see the phenomenal economical and technological progress India enjoys on this joyous day. IMC-USA invites all Indians to work together to leverage the current economical progress in removing poverty and mitigating class-based, caste and communal discrimination. August 15th is also the Eighth Anniversary of Indian Muslim Council-USA (IMC-USA). In the last eight years IMC-USA has significantly contributed to the pluralistic and tolerant ethos of India by working with several other Indian organizations of varied background towards the upliftment of subjugated and oppressed fellow Indians. IMC-USA is committed to continue to play a positive and constructive role in helping India become a beacon of social justice that other nations respect and admire. Happy Independence Day. CONTACT Safeer Hashmi 6321 W. Dempster St. Suite# 295 Morton Grove, IL 60053-2848 Tel: 1-800-839-7270 E-Mail: info@imc-usa.org

Press Release

Community leaders urged to dissociate from Sadhvi Ritambhara’s hate-mongering

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Wednesday, August 11, 2010 Indian Muslim Council-USA (IMC-USA – http://www.imc-usa.org), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguard India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos is calling all community and religious leaders to disassociate themselves from Sadhvi Ritambhara’s politics of hate. Further, IMC-USA appeals to the event organizers, to cancel Sadhvi Ritambhara’s speaking engagements. Sadhvi Ritambhara is currently being tried by Indian Courts for inciting religious violence. Ritambhara is associated with extremist organizations like Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) that has openly incited violence against minorities. Indian Government’s Liberhan Commission held Sadhvi Ritambhara as one of the responsible person for the demolition of Babri Mosque and subsequent slaughter of approximately 3000 innocent citizens. Her speeches during a previous visit to the US had caused considerable controversy. When her earlier speaking engagement was cancelled by the City of Hollywood, Florida, it embarrassed and divided Indian American community in Florida. Digvijay Singh, General Secretary, Indian National Congress, and former Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, states in the August 13, 2010, Frontline Magazine “Similarly, Sadhvi Ritambhara made an inflammatory speech at the same place where VHP workers had murdered a Christian nurse. The administration filed a case against her and she was arrested.” Ritambhara’s student Sadhvi Pragya Singh has been arrested for masterminding the Malegaon Blasts of September 8, 2006 in which 37 people were killed and over 125 injured Subsequently, Ritambhara came to Singh’s defence. Indian Americans need to focus on leveraging the strategic relationship between India and America for the betterment of the citizens of India and America – not on the narrow minded ideological loyalties. Let us promote harmony and progress and reject politics of hate and intolerance starting from our community halls, synagogues, churches, mosques and temples. CONTACT: Safeer Hashmi phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@imc-usa.org References: www.SadhviRitambhara.com http://imc-usa.org/content/2007/jun/22/imc_usa_commends_city_hollywood_f…

Press Release

IMC Chicago coordinates lecture with Muslim Bar Assocition of Chicago

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Indian human rights lawyer Mr. Shafeeq Rehman Mahajir spoke to members of the Muslim Bar Association of Chicago at a lunch meeting on Monday, April 19, 2010. Mr. Mahajir spoke to the American Muslim legal community about the rule of law in India and the struggle to safeguard a secular democratic society in a multi-religious society like India. Mr. Mahajir spoke of his personal efforts working with truth commissions to expose police brutality and corruption in the city of Hyderabad during the bombing of the Mecca Masjid (a 400 year old mosque in Hyderabad, India) several years ago. Mr. Mahajir discussed numerous examples of police fabrications concocted by local Indian police forces to cover up extrajudicial killings on the scene of Mecca Masjid immediately after the bombing. Mr. Mahajir was keen give credit where it was due and pointed out numerous instances where Indian Hindu judges and other officials acted fairly. He added, however, that there are multiple aspects of India and while the up-and-coming and technologically savvy aspects of Indian society are often showcased in the media, there remain very pressing and very troubling civil liberties and human rights issues within India still. Human rights activists and lawyers like Mr. Mahajir are working within the system to deliver justice to aggrieved religious minorities in India. Mr. Mahajir stated bluntly that if India’s Muslim minority, which constitutes 15% of the country’s total population, is left marginalized and the justice system continues to fail to redress the wrongs perpetrated by the saffronized, hindutva-minded masses, then he fears the alternatives to which they will turn. Following a brief and very engaging presentation Mr. Mahajir took questions from the American Muslim lawyers in attendance. Afterwards the audience introduced themselves to Mr. Mahajir and gave some background about their respective legal careers. The conversations continued on well after the formal program ended. The afternoon lunch was part of the MBA’s occasional “Lunch & Learn” series which provides a networking and educational setting for American Muslim lawyers to meet from time to time. Mr. Mahajir’s presentation was made possible thanks to the cooperation of the Indian Muslim Council USA which invited Mr. Mahajir to the United States for a series of lectures and presentations. —– Click here for the original news article: http://www.muslimbar.org/muslimlawyers/2010/04/shafeeq-rehman-mahajir-indian-human-rights-lawyer-speaks-to-muslim-bar-association-of-chicago.html

Press Release

Indian Americans seek assurance from PM, Chief Justice on intimidation free CBI inquiry into Fake Encounter Killings

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Indian Muslim Council-USA (IMC-USA – http://www.imc-usa.org ), an advocacy group dedicated toward safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos is calling on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Chief Justice of the Indian Supreme Court S. H. Kapadia to monitor and ensure an intimidation free Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into the fake encounter killings of Soharabuddin, his wife Kausarbi and his associate Prajapati at the hands of the Gujarat Police. Lawsuits against the Gujarat police related to the fake encounter killings have already landed 15 senior police officials behind bars and the Supreme Court ordered CBI inquiry has the potential to indict several prominent politicians and ministers in the Narendra Modi administration. The Home Minister of Gujarat, Mr. Amit Shah, has reportedly gone into hiding fearing arrest by the CBI. In order to subvert and discredit this CBI inquiry, a massive advertising campaign has been launched in the Gujarati media by unknown entities to defame the CBI and dub it with various defamatory labels. In separate letters sent to India’s Prime Minister and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, IMC-USA President Rasheed Ahmed said, “The advertising campaign aims to create a political atmosphere where it would not be possible for the CBI to conduct a fair investigation. As such, this constitutes active interference in the judicial investigative process and may result in the subversion of justice.” He added that “A sincere investigation by the CBI into these fake encounter cases has, for the first time, the potential to implicate many powerful politicians within Narendra Modi’s administration who have been involved in terrorizing minorities in the state of Gujarat.” Mr. Rasheed Ahmed also called for strong action to be taken against the people behind the anonymous entities running the advertising campaign and dubbed it as a “tactic of subverting justice at the altar of manufactured public opinion”. He further added that “Without basic security and rule of law, no level of economic progress either lasts or earns the nation a global leadership status it may otherwise deserve.” Indian Muslim Council-USA is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 10 chapters across the nation. It is also a founding member of the Coalition Against Genocide, which successfully highlighted the complicity of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and his administration in the 2002 genocide of Muslims. The campaign eventually led to the revocation of Modi’s visas by the US State Department. CONTACT: Dr. Hyder Khan phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@imc-usa.org RELATED LINKS: Provocative ads inserted in Gujarati language dailies against CBI probe http://www.twocircles.net/2010may08/provocative_ads_inserted_gujarati_la… Sohrabuddin case: Six top Gujarat cops to be quizzed http://www.hindustantimes.com/News-Feed/gujarat/Sohrabuddin-case-Six-top… BJP may move court against CBI in Sohrabuddin case http://twocircles.net/2010may12/bjp_may_move_court_against_cbi_sohrabudd… Sohrabuddin case: Fearing for life, Prajapati wrote thrice to judge http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Sohrabuddin-case-Fearing-for-li… Police faces CBI heat in Sohrabuddin case http://www.siasat.com/english/news/police-faces-cbi-heat-sohrabuddin-cas… Cops’ probe a ruse to hinder CBI, says Prajapati’s mother http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/uncategorized/cops-probe-a-ruse-to-h…

Press Release

Minorities Thank the German Parliamentarians on their Gujarat Stand

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Earlier last month, two German Parliamentarians – ruling Christian Democratic Union’s Ute Granold and her colleague Pascal Kober from the Free Democratic Party – visited Gujarat and justifying their denial of Germany’s visa to Chief Minister Narendra Modi referred him as a “dictator”. They also drew parallels between Gujarat under Modi and Germany under Hitler. A furious Mr. Modi moved the Government of India and demanded an apology from Germany contending their Parliamentarians have “tarnished the image” of Gujarat and India. Parliamentarians Ute Granold and Pascal Kober, however, were not wrong in their observation. They had learnt first-hand what millions of others, including the heads of all states, governments, judiciary, and many international bodies know about Mr. Modi, his ideology of hate, his acts of omissions and commissions in the Gujarat genocide of 2002, and his strategy of projecting well planned genocide as a spontaneous communal riot to hoodwink the legal system of Gujarat, India and the world. In fact BBC (UK) in April 2002 said, “far from being spontaneous, it [the riot] was planned, possibly months in advance, carried out by an extremist Hindu organization with the support of the state government.” Mr. Modi’s strong anti minority bias is also evident from his actions of the last eight years. He continues to deny justice to the victims of Gujarat massacre, he has locked up hundreds of innocent Muslims in Gujarat prisons under draconian Prevention Of Terrorist Acts (POTA) ordinance for years without any charge, several innocent Muslims have been killed in fake police encounters. Under his watch perpetrators of the massacre roam free and continue terrorizing minorities in Gujarat, minorities are forced to live in ghettos, Mr. Modi refuses to support minority educational institutions and lets minority localities (such as Juhapura and Shah Alam in Ahmedabad) deteriorate with lack of road maintenance, garbage pickup, or provision of necessary civic facilities in the guise of limited resources, better utilization of time, or prevention of terrorism. Parliamentarians Ute Granold and Pascal Kober have only stated what they actually saw in Gujarat, which is nothing but the truth. Over these eight years, Mr. Modi has succeeded not only in hoodwinking India’s legal system and escaping accountability, but has utilized the genocide to increase his popularity and power base in Gujarat. Most unbiased observers agree with Parliamentarians Ute Granold and Pascal Kober, exception being the few supporters of fascism or those who seek favors from Mr. Modi. One such exception is the Muslim industrialist Mr. Zafar Sareshwala who has condemned the two Parliamentarians for criticizing Mr. Modi. Sareshwala’s defense of Modi is out of his own selfish interest which has long been exposed. He is a well to do businessman with business interests in Gujarat that Mr Modi had threatened in the 2002 pogrom. To save his business interests Mr Sareshwala has chosen to become a collaborator with Mr Modi and support his fascist policies. In the aftermath of the Gujarat massacre, Mr. Modi’s supporters had touted Gujarat as the successful “Hindutva Laboratory” and pledged to replicate “Gujarat Experiment” all over India. It is to the credit of the Indian people, majority of whom are Hindus, that they did not succeed. Although the wheel of Indian justice has not stopped moving on Mr. Modi’s crimes, outside help can ensure it will not. Nor the gaps in it would let Mr. Modi escape as he had planned. That clever Modi-plan must be superseded with an Intelligent-plan without borders that ensures justice to all. Parliamentarians Ute Granold and Pascal Kober have taken the bold step towards that intelligent plan. We admire them and ask others to follow their lead in order to bring Mr. Modi to justice. CONTACT: Dr. Najid Hussain 38 Orchid Drive Bear, DE 19701 U.S.A. (302) 834-5426 REFERENCES http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,5489410,00.html http://www.indianexpress.com/news/German-team-s-remark–Modi-writes-to-P… http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/1951471.stm http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?264873 http://www.sacw.net/Gujarat2002/Dube_Jowher15August2004.html http://www.amnestyusa.org/document.php?lang=e&id=C9A603A14687BAE380256DD… http://ibnlive.in.com/news/the-politics-of-a-fake-encounter/39854-3-p2.h… http://www.tehelka.com/home/20071103/ http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0705/p07s02-wosc.html http://www.milligazette.com/Archives/01052002/0105200219.htm http://www.frontline.in/fl2020/stories/20031010003303900.htm http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8011615.stm http://www.milligazette.com/dailyupdate/2003/20030823.htm http://www.countercurrents.org/guj-rajagopal260703.htm Organizational Endorsements: —————————- Ahsan Jafri Foundation Association of Indian Muslims of America Indian Muslim Council – USA

Reports

UPA Goverment India – Report to the People 2009-2010

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In May 2010, the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) governemnt has completed 1 year of its second 5-year term with Dr.Manmohan Singh completing his 6th consecutive year as the Prime Minsiter of India. How has the UPA focused on socio-economic and regional inclusion, the empowerment of women, the minorities and the weaker sections of Indian society? A report was released by UPA government on May 7, 2010 titled “UPA Goverment Report to the People 2009-2010”. Part of the report dealing with Minorities under Sections 3.4 is reproduced here. It is left to the readers to interpret and judge the perfromance of the UPA government. ========================================================= Section 3.4 An Inclusive Agenda for the Minorities 3.4.1 Targeting benefits of development to the minorities Prime Minister’s New 15-Point Programme It has been ensured that 15% of targets and outlays for schemes included in the Prime Minister’s New 15-Point programme for the Welfare of Minorities and considered amenable to targeting, have been so earmarked. Three schemes have been added to the programme in 2009-10 viz. (i) National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP); (ii) Urban Infrastructure and Governance (UIG); and (iii) Urban Infrastructure Development Scheme for Small and Medium Towns (UIDSSMT). 64 projects, at an estimated cost of over Rs. 8,600 crore, have been sanctioned under the Urban Infrastructure & Governance (UIG) component of Jawarharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) for implementation in 17 towns with a sizable minority population. 101 projects, at an estimated cost of more than Rs. 2500 crore, have been sanctioned in 83 such towns under the Urban Infrastructure Development Scheme for Small and Medium Towns (UIDSSMT) component. In 2009-10, under the scheme of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), 4457 primary and upper primary schools have been constructed, 3530 primary and upper primary schools have been opened, 20,588 additional class rooms have been constructed, 27 Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya (KGBV) have been sanctioned and 7765 teachers sanctioned in blocks and districts having a substantial minority population. 502 public sector bank branches were opened in 2009-10 (upto December 2009) in districts with a substantial minority population. Over Rs. 96,000 crore of bank credit was provided to the minorities in 2009-10 (upto September 2009). 60 ITIs, located in Minority Concentration Districts, are to be upgraded as part of the Prime Minister’s New 15 Point Programme. 3.4.2 Improving access to-Education During 2009-10, 17.29 lakh scholarships were given to children belonging to the minority communities for their pre-matric education. An amount of Rs. 202.94 crore was spent. 48% of the pre-matric scholarships were awarded to girls. Under the post-matric scholarship scheme, 3.88 lakh scholarships were awarded at a cost of Rs. 148.74 crore. Nearly 55% of those awarded scholarships were girls. 35,982 merit-cum-means scholarships were awarded at a cost of Rs. 97.51 crore, with nearly one third being girl students. Under the Meritorious Scholarship Scheme of the Maulana Azad Education Foundation, for girl students in classes XI and XII, 15,070 girls were awarded scholarships at a cost of Rs. 18.08 crore. Under the Maulana Azad National Fellowship, 756 fellowships are shortly to be awarded. 30%will be to women students. Credit The National Minority Finance Development Corporation (NMDFC) has disbursed Rs. 197.75 crore for assisting 1,04,594 minority beneficiaries during 2009-10 out of which an amount of Rs. 54.53 crore has been disbursed under the micro-finance scheme to 68,451 beneficiaries. 3.4.3. Waqf development A bill to amend the Waqf Act, 1995 was introduced in Parliament. It provides for timely completion of surveys of waqf properties, reduction of the scope of alienation of waqf properties, providing penal provisions to prevent encroachment of waqf properties, representation of women in the waqf boards, greater accountability and efficiency in the administration of the waqf properties by the waqf boards, etc. The bill was passed by Lok Sabha on 7th May 2010. In February 2010, under a new centrally sponsored scheme, grants-in-aid of Rs. 8.06 crore has been disbursed to 11 State Waqf Boards, the Central Waqf Council and the National Informatics Centre Services Inc. (NICSI) for the computerization of waqf properties. 3.4.4 Multi-sectoral district plans for Minority Concentration Districts Out of 90 identified MCDs, the district plans of 80 MCDs (15 fully and 65 partly) have been approved at a total estimated cost of Rs. 2343.75 crore. ======================================== You can read or download the full report at the link below. UPA Goverment Report to the People 2009-2010 Attachment Size UPA_Govt_India_performance_report_May2010.pdf 9.12 MB

Press Release

IMC-USA Cautiously Optimistic at Makkah Masjid, Hyderabad Blasts’ Investigation

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“Pleased” and “Optimistic” were the words used by Rasheed Ahmed, President, Indian Muslim Council-USA, while describing his feelings at the courageous demand made by Ms. Brinda Karat, CPI-M leader, on the investigation into the tragic Makkah Masjid bomb blast. NDTV.com reports that, after three years of investigation, the prestigious Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) believes that radical Hindu groups carried out the 2007 bomb attacks on Muslim holy places in Ajmer, and Hyderabad, that killed several people. CBI’s conclusions are based on Rajasthan Anti-Terror Squad’s meticulous investigation, resulting in the arrest of extremists – none of whom are Muslims. The accused are believed to be associated with Abhinay Bharat, a Hindu radical group that allegedly planned and executed the 2008 terror attack in Malegaon, Maharashtra, killing six and maiming over a hundred people. Rajasthan’s Home Minister Shanti Dhariwal speaking to The Hindu newspaper on May 2nd, stated “Colonel Purohit, arrested for Malegaon blast, has confessed that Sunil Joshi organized the (Ajmer) Dargah operation with the help of Devendra Gupta.” CBI says that identical explosives, and cell phone triggers were used in both the Ajmer blasts, and Hyderabad blasts. While these terror attacks themselves were terribly frightening for all Indians, the government and media’s hastened acceptance without due diligence, wrongfully asserting that Muslims were responsible for it, surely created a ghastly and unending nightmare for scores of innocent Muslims and Muslim community at large. Young Muslims were falsely accused, arrested, and tortured. Such treatment of citizenry by the Police undermines the confidence in the professionalism and neutrality of the law and order. Further, torture of any human being whether accused or convicted does not suit a nation with aspirations to be a global leader. Referring to CBI’s conclusion, Ms. Karat demanded to know the rationale for the pre-mature conclusions drawn by top ministers and officials, immediately after the blasts. “We applaud the excellent and unbiased work by Rajasthan’s Anti-Terror Squad, and by the elite CBI. We join Honorable Ms. Karat in demanding immediate financial reparations to the innocent Muslims, falsely arrested in Hyderabad. Finally, we demand that measures be immediately implemented, to prevent Law Enforcement Agencies from rushing to similar hasty conclusions in the future.” said Mr. Ahmed of Indian Muslim Council-USA. CONTACT: Dr. Hyder Khan phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@imc-usa.org RELATED LINKS The Rise Of Hindutva Terrorism http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?265400 Hyderabad blast: More proof they were wrongly arrested http://www.ndtv.com/news/india/mecca-ajmer-blasts-were-wrong-men-prosecu… BJP-Left clash over Ajmer, Hyderabad blasts http://www.hindustantimes.com/News-Feed/newdelhi/BJP-Left-clash-over-Ajm…

Press Release

IMC-USA organizes Lecture Tour of Human Rights Lawyers: Shafeeq Mahajir and Mukul Sinha in April/May 2010

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Monday, March 29, 2010 Indian Muslim Council-USA (IMC-USA – http://www.imc-usa.org/), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India ‘s pluralist and tolerant ethos is organizing a US lecture tour of two noted Human Rights Lawyers from India: Shafeeq Rehman Mahajir and Mukul Sinha. In the past several decades India has witnessed mass violence in its various forms including riots, massacres, pogroms and terror attacks (Nellie massacre; anti-Sikh massacres; Ayodhya riots; Bombay bomb blasts; Gujarat pogroms; Orissa riots; Mumbai terror attacks; etc. to quote few.) What is common is the relative impunity enjoyed by the perpetrators of violence and the failure of the justice system in many cases. These lectures will examine the legal opportunities and challenges for the victims of mass violence and present the unique experiences of two of the most prominent Human Rights lawyers in India. During April and May 2010, Mukul Sinha and Shafeeq Mahajir will be touring: Boston, MA; Edison, NJ; Philadelphia, PA; Baltimore, MD; Washington, DC; Atlanta, GA; Ft. Lauderdale, FL; San Francisco, CA; Minneapolis, MN; Chicago, IL and Detroit, MI. Shafeeq Rehman Mahajir, a prominent human rights lawyer, has more recently appeared on behalf of victims in a commission hearing into the police firings and human rights violations at Makkah Masjid in Hyderabad. A graduate of University of London and Osmania University, Mahajir has over 25 years of experience working in international institutions and has presented papers on issues of Wakfs (Endowments), Minority Rights in Educational and Employment Areas and has participated in seminars on matters such as the Sachar Committee Report, the Ranganath Mishra Commission Report, and has contributed to the proposed Communal Violence (Prevention, Control & Rehabilitation of Victims) Bill. Mukul Sinha is a scientist turned lawyer and one of the founding members of the Jan Sangharsh Manch, a civil rights body that has several successful Public Interest Litigations to its credit in the Gujarat High Court. He unearthed crucial facts about the Godhra carnage and post-Godhra riots in the course of his cross examinations of witnesses. Mukul Sinha holds degrees in MSc (Physics) from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur; a PhD (Physics) from Physical Research Laboratory in Ahmedabad and obtained the degree of LLB in 1988. Realizing the struggles of industrial workers in Gujarat, he was instrumental in the formation of the Gujarat Federation of Trade Unions. IMC-USA commends all Indians engaged in the struggle for justice for the victims of violence and extols their sacrifice to keep India a pluralistic, secular society that accords its citizens equal access to justice and honors the Rule of Law. Indian Muslim Council-USA is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 10 chapters across the nation. CONTACT: Dr. Hyder Khan phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@imc-usa.org Tour Schedule: Mukul Sinha Boston: Sunday, April 11, 2010- 2 PM to 5 PM Islamic Center of New England 74 Chase Drive, Sharon, MA 02067-2932 Pennsylvania: Saturday, April 17, 2010- 5 PM to 8 PM Homewood Suites 12 East Swedesford Road, Malvern, PA 19355 Maryland: Sunday, April 18, 2010- 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM East Columbia Library 6600 Cradlerock Way Columbia, MD 21045 New Jersey: Saturday, April 24, 2010- 6 PM- 10 PM Shezan Restaurant and Banquet Hall 1673 Oak Tree Road, Edison, NJ 08820 Atlanta, GA: Saturday, May 1, 2010- 2 PM – 6 PM Al-Farooq Masjid, Atlanta 442 14th St NW, Atlanta, GA 30318 Florida: Sunday, May 2, 2010 Time: 10:30am – 1pm (Brunch will be served) Mehfil Restaurant 8580 NW 44th Street, Lauderhill, Fl 33351, Ph: (954) 742-3370 California Bay Area: Saturday, May 8, 2010- 12 PM Noon Chandni Restaurant 5748 Mowry School Rd, Newark, CA 94560 Shafeeq Mahajir Boston, MA: Sunday, April 11, 2010- 2 PM to 5 PM Islamic Center of New England 74 Chase Drive, Sharon, MA 02067-2932 Minnesota: Saturday, April 17, 2010- 6:30 PM Islamic Center of MN (ICM) 1401 Gardena Avenue Northeast, Fridley, MN 55432 Chicago: Sunday, April 18, 2010- 3 PM – 6 PM Islamic Community Center of Des Plaines 480 Potter Road, Des Plaines, IL 60016 Michigan: Saturday, April 24, 2010- 2 PM Tawheed Center 29707 West 10 Mile Road, Farmington Hills, MI 48336

Press Release

Indian Americans welcome summons by India’s Supreme Court to interrogate Gujarat CM Modi for role in 2002 Pogroms

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Thursday, March 25, 2010 Indian Muslim Council-USA (IMC-USA – http://www.imc-usa.org), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, welcomes the decision of the Supreme Court of India to order the interrogation of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) inquiring into the 2002 massacres. “We urge strong measures be taken to ensure a transparent, unbiased interrogation and that an FIR be registered against Modi in light of the Tehelka video tape confessions” said Rasheed Ahmed, the president of IMC-USA. In a sting operation conducted by the investigative magazine Tehelka, several Hindutva activists involved in the pogrom including the Gujarat state prosecutor were caught on tape boasting how they were able to derail the judicial process of redressing justice to the victims. The Supreme Court issued summons on the basis of a complaint filed by Zakia Jafri, widow of former Congress MP Eshan Jafri. In the violence which engulfed the state in the aftermath of Godhra train burning, Mr. Jafri and numerous others were killed in a residential complex in Ahmedabad known as the Gulberg Society. The overall death toll in the Gujarat massacres exceeded 2,500 as per Gujarat police records. Modi, who has so far managed to avoid deposing before any of the panels probing the post-Godhra violence, has been named as an accused along with 63 others, that include politicians, bureaucrats and police officers, in the complaint filed by Zakia Jafri for their role in the larger conspiracy behind the communal riots. In related developments, the Gujarat High Court has also issued a notice to the Nanavati Commission asking it to explain, by April 1, whether it too would summon Narendra Modi as part of its inquiry on the Gujarat riots of 2002. The court issued the order after Mukul Sinha, convener of Jan Sangharsh Manch (JSM), who also represents some riot victims of the Gujarat carnage, filed the petition in the High Court pleading for a directive to the commission to summon Mr. Modi. Advocate Mukul Sinha will be touring the United States next month to speak on his experiences with the Jan Sangharsh Manch and their successful public interest litigations on the Gujarat riots in the Gujarat High Court. Indian Muslim Council-USA is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 10 chapters across the nation. CONTACT: Dr. Hyder Khan phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@imc-usa.org RELATED LINKS: Modi fails to show up for Gujarat riot questions http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8579362.stm Now, Modi to appear before SIT on Mar 27 http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Now-Modi-to-appear-before-SIT-on-Mar-27/articleshow/5720700.cms Modi agrees to appear before SIT on Mar 27 http://ibnlive.in.com/news/modi-agrees-to-appear-before-sit-on-mar-27/111936-37.html?from=tn SIT should have filed FIR against Modi: Teesta Setalvad http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/videoshow/5672517.cms Teesta demands to file an FIR against Modi http://www.newkerala.com/news/fullnews-68887.html First riot summons on Modi with FIR hole http://www.telegraphindia.com/1100312/jsp/frontpage/story_12208068.jsp Victims expect little from Modi call http://www.telegraphindia.com/1100313/jsp/frontpage/story_12212369.jsp Resolve issue of damaged Muslim shrines: court to Gujarat http://www.twocircles.net/2010mar23/resolve_issue_damaged_muslim_shrines_court_gujarat.html

Press Release

Indian American Muslim group demands denouncement of communal ideology or resignation from GHMC Mayor

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Monday, March 18, 2010 Indian Muslim Council-USA (IMC-USA: http://www.imc-usa.org ) an advocacy group dedicated towards safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, has communicated to the Mayor of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation, Banda Karthika Reddy, that she publically denounce communally motivated ideologies of organizations such as the VHP or resign from the Mayoral post. IMC-USA has also communicated to the All India Congress Committee President Madame Sonia Gandhi, Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh K Rosaiah, and Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee President D. Srinivas that they take immediate disciplinary action against B. Karthika Reddy seeking profound clarification on her participation in the three day meeting of the All-India Dharma Prachara Samiti of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) at Gujarati Seva Samaj Bhavan on March 13th. Mayor B. Karthika Reddy was present on the stage with VHP International Secretary- Praveen Togadia at the women’s session organized on Saturday where Togadia attacked Islam as a religion that teaches Jihad. It should be noted that Praveen Togadia recently made communally fueled comments stating that, “India should be declared a ‘Hindu Nation.’” According to reports, the meeting discussed programs to create public awareness and launch an agitation over the temple issue in Ayodhya. Also during the three day event, VHP International secretary Dineshji attacked the UPA Government at the Center, led by the the Congress, and called upon state units of the VHP to be prepared for another battle on “Ram Janmabhoomi.” In addition, Mayor B. Karthika Reddy reportedly remarked that `Hindustan Hindu Desh Hai’ (India is a Hindu country) and hailed VHP as a disciplined organization which respects all religions. The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) is an urban planning agency that oversees Hyderabad, the capital and largest city in Andhra Pradesh. Muslims constitute about 40% of the population, making Hyderabad’s Muslim community the largest in Andhra Pradesh. The partaking of GHMC Mayor B. Karthika Reddy in a function which had such open communal overtones is not a responsible action for a person in her position and is unwarranted albeit it being a women’s related event. Furthermore, her current apology is insufficient and is surprising that a person in the post of Mayor, was neither of aware of Togadia’s participation nor that such a large meeting was a VHP organized event. The Constitution of India guarantees Freedom of Expression in Article 19 but offers reasonable restrictions further clarified in clause 2 of article 19 and sections 504 and 505 of the Indian Penal Code on utterances deliberately tending to hurt the religious feelings of any class in order to maintain public order. The All India Congress Committee which prides itself to be the upholders of India’s pluralist and secular culture is advised to take immediate disciplinary action against B. Karthika Reddy calling for her public denouncement of communal ideologies or resignation from the Mayoral post. Indian Muslim Council-USA is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 10 chapters across the nation. Contact Info: Phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 Email: media@imc-usa.org Related Links: 3-day VHP meet begins http://expressbuzz.com/news/3-day-vhp-meet-begins/155968.html MIM seeks Mayor’s resignation http://www.hindu.com/2010/03/16/stories/2010031662680500.htm Karthika earns MIM’s wrath http://expressbuzz.com/news/karthika-earns-mim’s-wrath/156736.html Declare India a Hindu nation, says Togadia http://www.tribuneindia.com/2010/20100128/dun.htm#1

Press Release

Indian Americans reaffirm efforts towards justice on Eighth Anniversary of Gujarat Genocide

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 1, 2010 February 28, 2010 was the eighth anniversary of the Gujarat genocide.  Between February 28 and March 2, 2002, a three-day retaliatory killing spree was perpetrated against Indian Muslims from the state of Gujarat by mobs incited by rhetoric of hate by extremist Hindutva leaders.  By the time the brutality had subsided, international human rights groups such as the Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International estimated that over 2000 civilians were killed, hundreds of women were gang-raped, over 150,000 were displaced, and the socio-economic infrastructure of the Muslim community was systematically targeted. Human Rights Watch’s findings in their 2002 report titled “‘We Have No Orders To Save You’ State Participation and Complicity in Communal Violence in Gujarat” in addition to those of numerous Indian human rights and civil liberties organizations indicate that the attacks on Muslims throughout the state were planned, well in advance of the Godhra train burning tragedy which killed 58 karsevaks traveling in the train. The Coalition government lead by Bharatya Janata Party (BJP), a political wing of Rashtrya Swaym Sevak (RSS), failed to act in a timely manner which amounted to aiding and abetting the violence in Gujarat. Prime Minister Vajpayee, his hard-line deputy, L. K. Advani, and other ministers continued to express their support for the local political leaders involved in the pogrom and blame the victims. The Gujarat genocide is still continuing. Hundreds of thousands of Muslims living in the villages of Gujarat are subjected to a brutal economic boycott and sustained ethnic cleansing.  In a report released on March 8th, 2007, titled “India: Five years on – the bitter and uphill struggle for justice in Gujarat,” Amnesty International had mentioned that the Government of Gujarat remains unrepentant for its failings to protect the Muslim minority and to ensure that victims obtain justice, truth and reparations.  Furthermore, according to an April 2008 report titled the “Marginalized Status of Muslims in Gujarat” assisted by the International Human Rights Clinic at Harvard Law School, “The Muslim community in the State of Gujarat continues to suffer serious deprivations of economic, social and cultural rights as a result of the ongoing legacy of the 2002 state-sponsored communal pogroms.” On Tuesday, February 9th, 2010, the Supreme Court rejected the plea for a CBI inquiry into the post-Godhra communal riot cases in Gujarat which are currently being probed by the Supreme Court appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT) stating that a fresh investigation would delay the process.  This is very unfortunate as the petitioners Devendra Bhai Pathak and Teesta Setalvad of Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP) had listed out serious and significant lapses on the part of the five-member SIT. CJP alleged that certain members within the SIT were now accused of having a role in the post-Godhra riots themselves. The 3000 pages petition filed by CJP documents the serious lapses that undermine the credibility of the SIT. The orchestrated violence at Naroda Patiya, Naroda Gam, Gulbarg society, Ode, Mehsana, Anand and Sabrkantha is yet to be investigated transparently and without State Government interference. The groups perpetrating the genocide brought immense shame to India and did great harm to the country’s name; only through justice to all the victims confidence can be restored.  This increasing impunity towards the leadership and rank and file who plan and execute these communal violence for politics of hate can only be checked with swift and unbiased application of law and order. The law and order record after the 1984 pogroms of Sikhs, Muslims in 2002 and religious cleansing of Christians in Orissa in 2007 and 2008 is dismal at best. It is encouraging to see the movement towards passing a Communal Violence Bill; however the current version of the Communal Violence Bill is in fact drafted poorly and may become another tool for the practitioners of politics of hate to prosecute their agenda. According to the National Consultation on the Communal Violence Bill 2009 which met on February 13th and 14th, 2010, the current bill is very dangerous as it gives the authority to declare a communally disturbed area only to the state government which has often been complicit in perpetrating communal violence.  Further, there is no provision in the bill to hold any public servant accountable for incidences of communal riots in his jurisdiction and neither is there any provision to specifically protect marginalized communities. Therefore, IMC-USA continues to support individuals and organizations struggling for a transparent and fair investigation into the violence and demands that the Indian government assure that the upcoming Communal Violence Bill 2009 discourages politics of hate not protect it. IMC-USA commends all Indians engaged in exposing the horrible crimes of communal elements and the great dangers that the Hindutva ideology poses to India and considers them as true patriots. These patriotic Indians continue to sacrifice to keep India as a pluralistic and secular society. We also wish to thank decent men and women of all faiths or no faith, who stand shoulder to shoulder in this patriotic struggle to make India a moral and rightful contender of Global leadership. Contact: Dr. Hyder Khan Phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 Email: media@imc-usa.org Related Links: Gujarat riots: Gulmarg Society survivors recall the massacre http://www.twocircles.net/2010mar01/gujarat_riots_gulmarg_society_survivors_recall_massacre.html Action Alert: IMC-USA urges action in demanding revisions to Communal Violence Bill 2009 http://www.imc-usa.org/content/2010/feb/27/imcusa.urges.action.revisions.to.Communal.Violence.Bill.html Communal violence bill – how useful to victims? http://twocircles.net/2010feb17/communal_violence_bill_how_useful_victims.html The Supreme Court directive adds a qualitative dimension to the Gujarat riots cases http://www.frontlineonnet.com/stories/20100312270503800.htm ‘Newton’ Modi has a lot to answer http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Newton-Modi-has-a-lot-to-answer/articleshow/2599766.cms Reports: “THE MARGINALIZED STATUS OF MUSLIMS IN GUJARAT” http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cescr/docs/info-ngos/Gujarat_India40.pdf “‘We Have No Orders To Save You’ State Participation and Complicity in Communal Violence in Gujarat” http://www.hrw.org/en/reports/2002/04/30/we-have-no-orders-save-you “India: Five years on – the bitter and uphill struggle for justice in Gujarat,” http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/ASA20/007/2007

Press Release

IMC-USA demands Indian government to revise the proposed Communal Violence Bill 2009

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Dear Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, I am very disappointed at the current version of the Communal Violence Bill, 2009. I urge you to assure the following recommendations in the final bill. The recommendations and the rationale behind these recommendations are very well explained below. The focus must be on prevention as much as rehabilitation after the fact. I am confident in your leadership and the final bill will be something UPA and congress will be proud of and it will become another Indian example of global leadership. Thank you, Sincerely, Rasheed Ahmed National President Indian Muslim Council-USA NON-RESIDENT INDIANS CONSULTATION ON The Communal Violence (Prevention, Control & Rehabilitation of Victims) Bill, 2009 February 24, 2010, United States The demand for a law on communal violence emerged from a brutal record of recurring violence in our country, the increasing occurrence of gender-based crimes in communal conflagrations, and complete impunity for mass crimes. The reasons are many – lack of political will to prosecute perpetrators, State complicity in communal crimes, lack of impartial investigation, and lack of sensitivity to victim’s experiences. But there is also, crucially, the glaring inadequacy of the law. Today, despite huge strides in international jurisprudence, India continues to lack an adequate domestic legal framework, which would allow survivors of communal violence to seek and to secure justice. The UPA Government’s Common Minimum Programme in 2004 had promised to give the citizens of this country a ‘comprehensive legislation’ to fill this legal vacuum. We were promised a legislation that would strengthen the hands of the citizens in the struggle against communalism. However, The Communal Violence (Prevention, Control & Rehabilitation of Victims) Bill 2005, introduced in the Rajya Sabha in December 5, 2005, was a complete betrayal of that promise. The 2005 Bill was roundly criticized and rejected by civil society at all levels. Eminent jurists, legal experts, activists who worked with survivors, and all prominent minority groups rejected the Bill and urged the Government to make serious changes in it. The Bill was sent to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs for its review and recommendations. But the Standing Committee report, when it was finally tabled in Parliament in December 2006, suggested no significant changes. Between 2005 and now, civil society groups have repeatedly engaged with the government at all levels and time and again communicated our serious objections to this Bill. We have written critiques, given alternative formulations, written alternative draft laws, and suggested changes in several specific Chapters and clauses. Civil society groups have met everyone over the last 4 years – from the Chairperson of the UPA, Prime Minister, two successive Home Ministers, officials in the Home Ministry, to members of parliament. And yet the Government appears unwilling to listen. The UPA government has now introduced an impressive-sounding 59 amendments into the Communal Violence Bill 2009. These have been cleared by Cabinet, and we have been told that the government plans to introduce it in Parliament in the coming session. These 59 amendments have merely tinkered with the Bill. They do not make any structural changes and do not incorporate a single suggestion made by civil society. This Communal Violence Bill 2009, if passed, will not only be weak, it will be dangerous. It will not only fail to secure justice for communal crimes, but will actually strengthen the shield of protection enjoyed by those who plan and sponsor these crimes. Further, it continues to perpetuate the silence around gender-based sexual crimes. This Bill is of fundamental importance in addressing the challenges posed to the secular character of our society and in protecting all our citizens. At this National Consultation on the Communal Violence (Prevention, Control & Rehabilitation of Victims) Bill 2009, we the undersigned, once again urge the UPA government to revise the Bill taking on board the following concerns, which have been articulated through wide national consultation: 1. Statement of Objects & Reasons: The objective of the Bill should be to ensure that the State governments and the Central government take measures to provide for the prevention and control of communal violence, which threatens the physical, social, economic, cultural, political and human security of the citizens. 2. Communal violence must be defined as: Any targeted attack committed on the persons and properties of individuals or a group of persons on the basis of their religious identity, which can be inferred directly or from the nature or circumstances of the attack. 3. Scheduled Offences: Situations of communal violence have shown that the range of offences committed is not restricted to the offences enumerated under the IPC and related penal statutes.The Bill must define crimes/ offences, and new rules of procedure and evidence to adequately and appropriately reflect the realities of the crimes experienced by victims and survivors of communal violence. 4. Declaration of Communally Disturbed Areas – The basic scheme of the Bill which envisages the declaration of certain areas as communally disturbed areas, and gives greater powers to the state in these areas, runs entirely counter to the purpose of the proposed law. Chapter II of the Bill must be removed. The state already has sufficient power vested in it by law. However, experience during communal violence is the non-exercise or non-judicious exercise of this power. 5. Sexual violence in situations of communal violence, unlike those in non-communal contexts, is often committed with malicious intent of intimidating, humiliating and degrading the dignity of the victim community using the bodies of women. Inclusion of a wide ranging crimes of sexual violence, in addition to rape, therefore assume great importance in a bill to prevent and punish those responsible for communal violence. We therefore call for the inclusion of sexual crimes into this Bill. 6. Reparations: The Bill must include the concept of reparations as an inviolable, legally enforceable right of the victim-survivor, and according to objective norms and scales that are binding on all governments. The law must specify criteria for identifying who is a victim/survivor and standards which will be applicable to

Press Release

Indian American Muslims demand transparent investigation of the murder of Advocate Shahid Azmi

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 14, 2010 IMC-USA, an advocacy group dedicated towards safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos was extremely shocked and disheartened to hear that well-known Mumbai based advocate Shahid Azmi was gunned down in broad daylight on February 11 in his office in Taximen’s Colony, Mumbai. Mr. Azmi was defense counsel to numerous Muslim youth who were arrested and detained in cases such as the 2006 Malegaon case in Maharashtra. Reportedly the assailants pretended to be his clients. It is also reported that Mr. Azmi had approached the police about threats to his life; however he was not given security by the government. In his very young but impactful career, Mr. Azmi became the outspoken voice for downtrodden and defenseless youth. Dr. Hyder Khan, National Vice President and spokesperson for IMC-USA said, "All injustice, particularly murders are injurious to the functioning of a civil society. The democratic system is weakened when government fails to protect the life and liberties of its citizens." He further added, "Indians owe a great debt of gratitude to brave citizens like Shahid Azmi who are the conscience keepers of the Indian democracy. They risk their safety to take up such cases, to uphold the constitution of India that promises and guarantees justice to the most vulnerable" IMC strongly feels that the murder of Shahid Azmi is not a murder of an individual only, but rather a brazen effort to intimidate and ultimately obliterate the idea of justice and silence the voice of the Indian conscience. IMC strongly urges the central government of India to conduct an independent and transparent investigation and bring the murderers of Mr. Azmi to justice. The Indian Judicial system and legal experts are the ultimate defense of the Indian Constitution for which many have sacrificed their lives and serve as the core of a civil and secular Indian state. Contact: Dr. Hyder Khan Phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 Email: media@imc-usa.org Related News: City lawyers mourn death of colleague http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/City-lawyers-mourn-death-of-colleague/articleshow/5567324.cms Adv Shahid Azmi shot dead in Mumbai http://www.twocircles.net/2010feb11/adv_shahid_azmi_shot_dead_mumbai.html In Shahid Azmi’s death community lost a brilliant lawyer: CLMC http://www.twocircles.net/2010feb13/shahid_azmi_s_death_community_lost_brilliant_lawyer_clmc.html Adv Shahid Azmi had received threats, yet not given any security http://www.twocircles.net/2010feb12/adv_shahid_azmi_had_received_threats_yet_not_given_any_security.html

Press Release

Indian American Muslims celebrate India’s 60th Republic Day

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 26, 2010 This January 26, 2010, India will celebrate its 60th year as a Republic. On this day, India, under the leadership of Nehru, Azad, and Ambedkar, unveiled its Constitution that reflects the hopes and aspirations of all Indians irrespective of economical status, religioun or caste. In fact the Constitution of India provides equal rights and equal access to opportunities as well as freedom to all its citizens. On this day, Indian Muslim Council-USA (IMC-USA), a Washington based advocacy group working towards empowering people for achieving peace, pluralism and social justice rejoices in the increasing opportunities for a better life that the economic growth of India provides to all its citizens. IMC-USA recommits itself to work for the betterment and advancement of India. However, IMC-USA cautions all that sustainable growth, prosperity and global leadership of a nation is only possible when all of its citizens enjoy equal rights and opportunities to contribute to their country. Leaving behind any segment of the population is not an option and IMC-USA will continue to fulfill its patriotic duty to be vigilant and do its part to keep Indian society peaceful, pluralistic and just. IMC-USA is the largest Indian American Muslim Advocacy group in the United States.

Reports

Report of the National Commission for Religious and Linguistic Minorities (Ranganath Misra Report)

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The National Commission for Religious and Linguistic Minorities (NCRLM) also known as Ranganath Misra Commission after its chairman Justice Ranganath Misra was constituted in October 2004 by the the Government of India to recommend practical measures for the welfare of socially and economically backward sections among religious and linguistic minorities. The Prime Ministers High Level Committee, PMHLC (also known as Sachar Committee) constituted by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, studied and identified the socio-economic and educational backwardness of the Muslim community in India and these findings became a topic of national discussion in India. The Ranganath Misra Commission was entrusted by the Government of India to suggest practical measures for the upliftment of the socially and economically backward sections among religious and linguistic minorities and to include the modalities of implimentation for the same. The final report of the Ranganath Misra Commission (NCRLM) was submitted to the government in May 2007 but it was not tabled in the Parliament until it got leaked to the media. Amidst sustained pressure from Members of Parliament the NCRLM Report was finally tabled in the Lok Sabha on Friday, Dec 18, 2009 by Minority Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid. The Ranganath Misra Commission (NCRLM) made the following important recommendations:   Atleast 15 percent of seats in all nonminority educational institutions should be earmarked by law for the minorities as with 10 percent for the Muslims (commensurate with their 73 percent share in the total minority population at the national level) and the remaining 5 percent for the other minorities. 15 percent share be earmarked for the minorities – with a break-up of 10 percent for the Muslims in all government schemes like Rural Employment Generation Programme, Prime Minister’s Rozgar Yojna, Grameen Rozgar Yojna, etc. 15 percent of posts in all cadres and grades under the Central and State Governments should be earmarked for the minorities – with a break-up of 10 percent for the Muslims.   The Commission thorugh an amendment was entrusted with an additional term of reference with regards to the Scheduled Caste status, and the commission made the following recommendation: “…we recommend that Para 3 of the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order 1950 – which originally restricted the Scheduled Caste net to the Hindus and later opened it to Sikhs and Buddhists, thus still excluding from its purview the Muslims, Christians, Jains and Parsis, etc. – should be wholly deleted by appropriate action so as to completely de-link the Scheduled Caste status from religion and make the Scheduled Castes net fully religion-neutral like that of the Scheduled Tribes.” You can read or download the full report at the link below. National Commission for Religious and Linguistic Minorities (NCRLM) or Ranganath Misra Report. Annexure to the NCRLM Report.

Press Release

Indian American Muslim group calls on Indian Home Minister to clarify his remarks on Jihad

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 24, 2009 Indian Muslim Council-USA (IMC-USA: http://www.imc-usa.org) an advocacy group dedicated towards safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, calls on Indian Home Minister Chidambaram to clarify his remarks on Jihad in his address to Intelligence Bureau on Wednesday the 23rd of December, 2009. According to reports Mr. P. Chidambaram, the Home Minister of India at the 22nd Intelligence Bureau Centenary Endowment Lecture, equated Jihad with terrorism while referring to Crusades as a conventional war. He reportedly also stated that Jihad is war against unbelievers. He also stated that the tactics of Jihadis have been copied by other militant groups including Hindu militant groups. This interpretation of Jihad from the Home Minister comes after his statements that the faith of Muslims cannot be viewed as an alien faith and that Muslims are honored citizens of India . At that time the Home Minister was addressing a gathering of 50,000 Muslims including 10,000 clerics at the annual conference of Deoband Seminary organized by Jamiat-Ulema- Hind on November 9, 2009. “These conflicting messages to different audiences raises the concern that the Home Minister may not fully understand the faith of Islam, a faith adhered by 161 Million citizens of India and 1.57 Billion citizens of the world,” said Mr. Rasheed Ahmed, president of Indian Muslim Council-USA. He further stated that, “As the Home Minister of an emerging global power one hopes Mr. Chidambaram would be more cautious and informed while referring to religious terminology of the faith of 23% of the world population.” Indian Muslim Council-USA is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 10 chapters across the nation. CONTACT: Dr. Hyder Khan Phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 Email: media@imc-usa.org RELATED NEWS: Hindu militants copying tactics of jihadis: HM http://www.ptinews.com/news/437587_Hindu-militants-copying-tactics-of-jihadis–HM Islam is not an alien faith: Chidambaram http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=Vande+Mataram+row:+BJP+trains+guns+on+PC&artid=/o8wQ99pMFI Chidambaram equates Jihad with terrorism http://twocircles.net/2009dec24/chidambaram_equates_jihad_terrorism.html Mapping the Global Muslim Population http://pewforum.org/docs/?DocID=450 http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=Vande+Mataram+row:+BJP+trains+guns+on+PC&artid=/o8wQ99pMFI=

Reports

Report of the National Commission for Religious and Linguistic Minorities (Ranganath Misra Report)

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The National Commission for Religious and Linguistic Minorities (NCRLM) also known as Ranganath Misra Commission after its chairman Justice Ranganath Misra was constituted in October 2004 by the the Government of India to recommend practical measures for the welfare of socially and economically backward sections among religious and linguistic minorities. The Prime Ministers High Level Committee, PMHLC (also known as Sachar Committee) constituted by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, studied and identified the socio-economic and educational backwardness of the Muslim community in India and these findings became a topic of national discussion in India. The Ranganath Misra Commission was entrusted by the Government of India to suggest practical measures for the upliftment of the socially and economically backward sections among religious and linguistic minorities and to include the modalities of implimentation for the same. The final report of the Ranganath Misra Commission (NCRLM) was submitted to the government in May 2007 but it was not tabled in the Parliament until it got leaked to the media. Amidst sustained pressure from Members of Parliament the NCRLM Report was finally tabled in the Lok Sabha on Friday, Dec 18, 2009 by Minority Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid. The Ranganath Misra Commission (NCRLM) made the following important recommendations: Atleast 15 percent of seats in all nonminority educational institutions should be earmarked by law for the minorities as with 10 percent for the Muslims (commensurate with their 73 percent share in the total minority population at the national level) and the remaining 5 percent for the other minorities. 15 percent share be earmarked for the minorities – with a break-up of 10 percent for the Muslims in all government schemes like Rural Employment Generation Programme, Prime Minister’s Rozgar Yojna, Grameen Rozgar Yojna, etc. 15 percent of posts in all cadres and grades under the Central and State Governments should be earmarked for the minorities – with a break-up of 10 percent for the Muslims. The Commission thorugh an amendment was entrusted with an additional term of reference with regards to the Scheduled Caste status, and the commission made the following recommendation: “…we recommend that Para 3 of the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order 1950 – which originally restricted the Scheduled Caste net to the Hindus and later opened it to Sikhs and Buddhists, thus still excluding from its purview the Muslims, Christians, Jains and Parsis, etc. – should be wholly deleted by appropriate action so as to completely de-link the Scheduled Caste status from religion and make the Scheduled Castes net fully religion-neutral like that of the Scheduled Tribes.” You can read or download the full report at the link below. National Commission for Religious and Linguistic Minorities (NCRLM) or Ranganath Misra Report. Annexure to the NCRLM Report.  Attachment Size NCRLM_Ranganath_Misra_Report.pdf 1.7 MB NCRLM_Ranganath_Misra_Report_Annexure.pdf 1.3 MB

Press Release

Indian American Muslim group demands immediate civil and criminal action against all accused in the Liberhan Report

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For Immediate Release Washington D.C December 6, 2009 Indian Muslim Council-USA (http://www.imc-usa.org), an advocacy group dedicated towards safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, demands the Indian government to bring the criminals to justice involved in the demolition of the 16th century Babri Mosque in the city of Ayodhya in the State of Uttar Pradesh, India as identified in the Report of the Liberhan Ayodhya Commission of Inquiry that was released recently. Indian Muslim Council-USA further demands that the Indian government honor the promise given by the former Prime Minister Narasimha Rao to re-build the mosque on its original site. On December 6th, 1992 defying the orders of the Supreme Court of India and their own promise to the nation, the Hindutva fascist forces demolished the historic Babri Mosque in northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. This 16th century Muslim place of worship was destroyed by a frenzied mob of kar-sevaks in spite of assurances from the Hindutva Leaders and the State Administration officials that only symbolic prayers will be performed and that the structure of the Babri Mosque will be safe. The Liberhan Commission appointed by the Indian government to investigate the destruction of the Babri Mosque submitted the report earlier this year that took more than 16 years of proceedings and recording statements of politicians, bureaucrats and police officials. Led by Indian Supreme Court Judge M S Liberhan the commission identified key individuals and organizations who played a direct role in planning what the commission termed as a "joint common enterprise" that lead to the destruction of the Babri Mosque. "The Liberhan report is another testimony to the sad state of communal affairs in India and a clear verdict on deep seated resistance towards speaking the truth" said Rasheed Ahmed National President of IMC-USA. Ahmed further stated that "It took 17 years to document the two obvious facts, first that the demolition of the Babri Masjid was a premeditated criminal act by Hindutva leaders and second that BJP is simply a means for RSS to impose fascist regime in India" Liberhan Commission named 68 individuals as the leading planners and participants directly or indirectly involved in the destruction of the Babri Mosque. Most of the perpetrators listed in the Commission report are associated with Hindutva-fascist groups such as the RSS, VHP and Bajrang Dal, all of whom are closely allied with the political Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The BJP, in alliance with several other parties, was in power from 1998 to 2004. These religious extremist groups garner significant support from Non-Resident Indians living in the United States. Dr. Hyder Khan, National Vice President of IMC-USA said that "I am hopeful that current leadership in India will take moral and bold decisions to check the criminalization of politics through regional tribunals as proposed by the Liberhan Commission and not allow the Hindutva extremist groups propagate intolerant agenda and sectarianism" After 17 years the Muslims of India who still feel aggrieved at the criminal destruction of the mosque demand that Indian Government immediately initiate criminal and civil action against all accused in the Liberhan Report and that all politicians, individuals, and organizations involved in the crime are prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Indian Muslim Council-USA is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 10 chapters across the nation. Contact Dr. Hyder Khan Tel: 1-800-839-7270 E-Mail: info@imc-usa.org References: Complete Liberhan Commission Report http://imc-usa.org/reports/liberhan.comission.report.inquiring.destruction.babri.masjid.ayodhya.dec.6th.1992.htm History, Chronology of events including pictures and video related to Babri Masjid http://babrimasjid.info/ Babri Masjid demolition was planned: Liberhan http://www.hindu.com/2009/11/25/stories/2009112558130100.htm Kalyan govt executed demolition plan: Liberhan Commission http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/5265687.cms Searing indictment of RSS, BJP, but action to be taken: nothing http://www.hindu.com/2009/11/25/stories/2009112560941000.htm Liberhan Commission submits Babri Masjid demolition report to PM http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/Print.aspx?Id=adcbd5f4-88fd-4ced-b50b-83fbe32e1f37 ‘Vajpayee, Advani brought India to brink of communal discord’ http://www.centralchronicle.com/viewnews.asp?articleID=20190

Reports

Liberhan Comission Report Inquiring the Destruction of Babri Masjid in Ayodhya on Dec 6th, 1992

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After seventeen years, 399 sittings and examining 100 witnesses the Liberhan Comission has submitted its 1000 page report inquiring into the circumstances that lead up to the demolition of the 16th century Babri Masjid in Ayodhya by Hindu extremists on Dec 6th 1992. The Liberhan Commission Report was tabled in the Lok Sabha, the Indian Parliament on Nov 24, 2009. On this page you can read or download the Liberhan Report on Scribd. Also, at the bottom of this page, included is the Action Taken Report by the Ministry of Home Affairs, India which is the official response from the Government to the report. Report of Liberhan Ayodhya Commission of Inquiry Justice Liberhan Commission… by on Scribd Action Taken Report by the Ministry of Home Affairs, India. Action Taken Report by the Ministry of Home Affairs, India.

Press Release

Indian American Muslim group pays tribute to the victims and heroes of the 26/11 Mumbai Terror Attacks

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 26, 2009 Indian American Muslim group pays tribute to the victims including the law and order personals, most notably ATS Chief Hemant Karkare, on the first anniversary of Mumbai terror attacks Indian Muslim Council-USA (IMC-USA: http://www.imc-usa.org), an advocacy group dedicated towards safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, pays tribute on the first anniversary of Mumbai terror attacks to the victims of the Mumbai terror attacks. IMC-USA remembers with gratitude the courage and sacrifice of the law and order personals, most notably ATS Chief Hemant Karkare, who laid their lives protecting the country. IMC-USA also expressed concerns about the implications of the draconian parts of the laws hastily passed in the height of the emotions of Mumbai terror attacks without sufficient deliberations. An year ago on November 26, 2008 a well coordinated bombings and random shootings in the city of Mumbai the financial hub of India resulted in the deaths of 173 and injuring over 300 Indian citizens including several foreigners. The terror attacks lasted until November 29, 2008. These attacks were condemned worldwide including Muslims in India. Rasheed Ahmed, President of IMC-USA expressed his concern that “overall the anti-terrorism efforts in India is less then commendable, so far neither the cross-border nor the homegrown terror outfits are under check” He pointed out the investigations of Goa, Malegaon and Nanded blasts appear to be dealt with local political sensitivities rather than in the interest of national security. IMC-USA calls on the Indian government to setup a high level commission to investigate the increasing scourge of violence and terrorism in the country and ways to engage the civil society in effectively curbing this menace. Indian Muslim Council-USA is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 10 chapters across the nation. CONTACT: Dr. Hyder Khan phone/fax:1-800-839-7270 email: media@imc-usa.org

Press Release

IMC-USA welcomes the decision of FDI magazine to withdraw award to Narendra Modi as the Asian Personality of 2009

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 4, 2009 Indian Muslim Council – USA (IMC-USA: http://www.imc-usa.org/), an advocacy group working towards safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, welcomes the decision of FDI magazine to not honor Narendra Modi as the Asian Personality of 2009. This is indeed a recognition by FDI magazine that Narendra Modi at best is a controversial figure, facing legal scrutiny under the direction of the highest court of India in his role in the mass murders of thousands of innocent citizens, mass rapes of unknown number of women and young girls and destruction of properties including places of worship. IMC-USA cautions FDI magazine to not contradict its decision by inviting Narendra Modi to either receive this award to the State of Gujarat or to attend the award ceremony. Any invitation to Narendra Modi not only likely to invite another wave of protest from the civil society but potentially cause a diplomatic tension given the decision of United States in 2005 to not only deny a diplomatic visa to Narendra Modi but to revoke his existing visa. This rebuke of United States to Narendra Modi based on his unsavory record caused United Kingdom to not offer any security if he visits United Kingdom. This is not just a moral issue but an emotionally charged issue since thousands of victims of the pogrom under his watch are yet to see the light of justice. The best way moving forward is to avoid any involvement with Narendra Modi while the dark shadow of legal investigations is only getting darker by the day. Indian Muslim Council-USA is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 10 chapters across the nation. CONTACT: Dr. Hyder Khan phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 email: media@imc-usa.org RELATED NEWS: Financial Times Withdraws Award To Narendra Modi, Gujarat’s Chief Minister http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sanjeev-bery/financial-times-withdraws_b_278037.html US Rights group calls upon the fDi Magazine not to honour Narendra Modi http://www.punjabnewsline.com/content/view/18512/92/ British Indian Muslims deplore fDi magazine

Press Release

IMC-USA celebrates India’s Independence Day, turns seven on August 15th

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 15, 2009 Indian Muslim Council – USA (IMC-USA: http://www.imc-usa.org/), an advocacy group working toward safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, extends its best wishes to all Indians on the occasion of the 62nd anniversary of India’s independence. IMC-USA calls on all Indians to renew their commitment to make India a nation that is a beacon of freedom and prosperity for all. August 15th, 2009 also marks the seventh anniversary of the Indian Muslim Council – USA. In the last seven years, IMC-USA has worked with various Indian organizations of different persuasions to advance the cause of social justice and communal harmony. On this occasion, Indian Muslim Council renews its pledge to prevent hate-filled ideologies from threatening the secular fabric of the nation and to promote pluralism, tolerance and respect for human dignity. IMC-USA has scheduled a series of events to celebrate and will also participate in the Independence Day festivities across the United States. Indian Muslim Council-USA is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 10 chapters across the nation. CONTACT: Dr. Hyder Khan phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 email: media@imc-usa.org

Press Release

Indian American group is concerned that AP police may have acted without due process

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For Immediate Release Washington D.C., July 20, 2009 Indian Muslim Council-USA (http://www.imc-usa.org), an advocacy group dedicated towards safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, is concerned that the Andhra Pradesh police may have acted without due process in transferring custody of the suspect arrested at Hyderabad airport without obtaining a transient warrant from an appropriate court. According to news from Hyderabad on Jul 19, 2009 Shaukatullah Ghori, was arrested as he arrived at the Rajiv Gandhi International airport on suspicions of his involvement in Akshardham temple attack. News reports quote police that Ghori was immediately handed over to Gujarat state police. IMC-USA fears that AP police may have repeated the same mistakes of the previous arrests and handing over the custody of alleged accused to police of other states without the oversight of the courts as required by law. Mr. Rasheed Ahmed, President of IMC-USA said that “The behavior of the Andhra Pradesh police as documented in the AP State Minorities Commission report compiled by an Independent Commissioner Advocate Ravi Chander following the illegal arrests and torture of 23 suspects accused in the Hyderabad bomb blasts in 2007 leaves little confidence in the A.P. Police’s professionalism” Mr. Ahmed added that “I might add that almost all of these so called terrorists were later found innocent and acquitted by the criminal courts”. IMC-USA reminds that the draconian law like POTA has produced no positive results for the security of the nation; it has only made Indian citizens less free. Indian Muslim Council-USA is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 10 chapters across the nation. Contact Hyder Khan Tel: 1-800-839-7270 E-Mail: info@imc-usa.org Indian Muslim Council USA Related News: Lashkar man held at airport http://www.deccanchronicle.com/national/lashkar-man-held-airport-396 Akshardham temple attack: Key suspect held in Hyd http://news.oneindia.in/2009/07/19/akshardham-temple-attack-key-suspect-held-in-hyd.html

Reports

ACHR India Human Rights Report, May 2009

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ACHR released its annual report on Human Rights in India on June 25, 2009 Asian Center for Human Rights India Human Rights Report 2009 May 2009 The Annual Report covers human rights violations in 27 States of India during 2008. In its editorial ACHR focuses on the increased human rights violations in the Naxal conflict. ACHR calls for a Parliamentary debate over the security response to the Naxalite movement, review of all the laws/Acts that provide for prior permission of the government to prosecute the government officials/security personnel to ensure that no prior permission shall be required for corruption and human rights violations; placing of the draft Prevention of Torture Bill 2008 after necessary modifications in consultation with the stakeholders for adoption by the parliament; and ratification of the CAT. View or Download the full ACHR India Report 2009 here (PDF version). ACHR Press Release: “Police torture kills 1,184 persons in custody in India in the last eight years”

Reports

Tehelka Gujarat Expose Reports – Nov 2007

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Tehelka Gujarat Expose Reports: In the fall of 2007 Tehelka, a premium English weekly conducted an undre-cover operation and with hidden cameras in Gujarat. The operation uncovered first-hand accounts from the men who plotted and executed the 2002 Gujarat genocide in Ahmedabad,Vadodara and Sabarkantha. Mayhem was meticulously planned and carried out by VHP Bajrang Dal cadres across Muslim localities. In this section, you will find the stories reported by Tehelka’s investigative journalists. Tehelka expose – Complete Story (3 MB) Tehelka expose – International Media Coverage Section 1- Editors’ comments Section 2- Conspirators and Rioters Section 3- The Bomb Makers Section 4- Role of the Police Section 5- What they said about Modi Section 6- Legal Subversion Section 7- Dance of Hate Section 8- Godhra: Mob Fury, Not Terror (All copyrights belong to Tehelka new weekly www.tehelka.com)

Reports

Sachar Committee Report

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Prime Minister’s High Level Committee (PMHLC) Report on Indian Muslims. (Also known as “Sachar Committee Report” after its Chairman Justice Rajinder Sachar. ) A Report on Social, Economic and Educational Status of the Muslim Community of India Prime Minister

Reports

Reports

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A collection of Reports: —————— Report of the National Commission for Religious and Linguistic Minorities (Ranganath Misra Report), Dec 2009 “The National Commission for Religious and Linguistic Minorities (NCRLM) also known as Ranganath Misra Commission was tabled in the Indian Parliament on Friday, Dec 18, 2009. The Government of India constituted the Ranganath Misra Commission (NCRLM) to recommend practical measures for the welfare of socially and economically backward sections among religious and linguistic minorities.” Read More: Ranganath Misra Commission (NCRLM) Report tabled in the Lok Sabha, the Indian Parliament on December 18, 2009 —————— Report of Liberhan Ayodhya Commission of Inquiry, Nov 2009 “After Seventeen years, 399 sittings and examining 100 witnesses the Liberhan Comission has submitted its 1000 page report inquiring the circumstances that lead up to the demolition of the 16th century Babri Masjid in Ayodhya by Hindu extremists on Dec 6th 1992” Liberhan Commission Report tabled in the Lok Sabha, the Indian Parliament on November 24, 2009 —————— Asian Center for Human Rights, India Report, May 2009 “Police torture kills 1,184 persons in custody in India in the last eight years” ACHR Releases India Human Rights Report 2009 —————— Fact-finding Committee Report on illegal arrests/torture of Muslim youth in Hyderabad, India Hyderabad Torture and Illegal Arrests Report —————— Prime Ministers High Level Committe (PMHLC) Report on the socio-economic conditions of Muslims in India (Also known as Sachar Committee Report after its Chairman, Justice Rajinder Sachar) Sachar Committee Report —————— Reports on Tehelka news weekly under-cover expose of Gujarat pogroms, Nov 2007 : Tehelka Gujarat Expose Report ——————

Press Release

IMC-USA Welcomes Supreme Court Directive on Fast-track Trials for 2002 Gujarat Pogrom Cases

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington D.C., May 1, 2009 Indian Muslim Council-USA (http://www.imc-usa.org), an advocacy group dedicated towards safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, welcomes the supreme courts directive on fast-track trials and the probe into Narendra Modi’s role in 2002 Gujarat pogroms by SIT. Rasheed Ahmed, President of IMC-USA, said “For minorities in India it seems Supreme Court is the last hope to extract justice for their grievances. Although justice delayed is justice denied in most cases, this is lot better than the current state of impunity for some government officials and some in law and order community.” Ahmed further added that “The victims of Gujarat would have preferred these cases tried in a more neutral state given the diminished level of confidence in the government machinery of Chief Minister Narendra Modi”. IMC-USA urges Supreme Court to mandate transparency for these trials and provide required level of support to the victims’ legal efforts. Although Gujarat pogroms have brought shame to India, Gujarat also has great potential to demonstrate that sooner or later justice will prevail not just in the state of Gandhi but in the nation over all. Indian Muslim Council-USA is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 10 chapters across the nation. CONTACT: Dr. Hyder Khan phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 email: media@imc-usa.org

Press Release

Indian Americans Demand Implementation of Ravi Chander Report Recommendations

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Thousands of Indian Americans petition with Madam Sonia Gandhi and A.P. Chief Minister to implement the recommendations by Advocate Ravi Chander appointed by A. P. State Minorities Commission. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington D.C., April 9, 2009 Indian Muslim Council-USA (IMC-USA) (http://www.imc-usa.org), an advocacy group dedicated towards safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, joins thousands of Indian Americans in demanding the full implementation of the recommendations made in the Advocate Ravi Chander report. In 2007, the AP State Minorities Commission (APSMC) appointed a fact-finding committee to investigate the allegations of illegal arrests and torture of several Muslim youth by police. The committee has since submitted an interim report and a full report confirming illegal detentions and torture by police and also made recommendations to remedy and prevent such incidents in future. Additionally, the APSMC also recommended the creation of a 24-hour helpline in the state to register complaints against the administration and police. IMC-USA is dismayed that the AP government has not taken any action on the report or its recommendations. So far, thousands of Indian Americans signed petitions demanding the AP Chief Minister to implement the recommendations by Advocate Ravi Chander. Indian Americans from several states of United States also made phone calls, sent faxes and emails to A.P. Chief Minister and the State Minorities Commission Chairman. IMC-USA mailed letters along with the signed petitions to the AP Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy, Principal Secretary Jannath Husain, UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, APSMC Chairman Yusuf Qureshi and National Minorities Commission Chairman Shafi Qureshi demanding immediate action. An independent committee as well as the APSMC appointed fact-finding committee that included forensic expert Dr. Mahender Reddy has documented that several young Muslims were arrested after the bomb blasts in Mecca Masjid and Lumbini Park in 2007 without being informed of any charges, no member of the family was informed, blindfolded, taken to unknown places, hands and legs tied up, suspended, beaten, stripped naked, shots given through a small machine at private places, repeatedly punched, dragged, beard pulled until tufts of hair fallen, blackmailed that members of the family will also be tortured. All this was done while the suspects were in illegal custody of the Hyderabad police for up to 10 days while the law requires producing all accused before a magistrate within 24 hours of the arrest. While it is encouraging that these innocent Muslim youth were acquitted by the AP criminal court last year, so far there is no known effort from A.P. Government to consider or even an acknowledgment of the following recommendations submitted by Advocate Ravi Chander to the APSMC. IMC-USA is particularly dismayed at the silence of the Muslim leadership both religious and political. IMC-USA also noted that the United Muslim Forum, a body that claims to represent Muslims of A.P. rather than demanding the implementation of the Advocate Ravi Chander has called for yet another investigation at a public forum on March 27th, 2009 which will only waste time and money. Investigations are not the end; they are the means to improve the conditions and reform corrupt practices. IMC-USA condemns all violence including bomb blasts irrespective of who does it and regardless of the place or occasion. IMC-USA also condemns the government officials and its agents who break the law and disregard the due process and undermine the fundamental constitutional rights and basic dignity of the citizens. Indian Muslim Council-USA is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 10 chapters across the nation. CONTACT: Dr. Hyder Khan Phone/Fax: 1-800-839-7270 Email: media@imc-usa.org RELATED NEWS: Ravi Chander report reveals torture and illegal detention by AP police TwoCircles.net, April 9, 2009 http://www.twocircles.net/2009apr08/ravi_chander_report_reveals_torture_and_illegal_detention_ap_police.html Full Text: Advocate Ravi Chander’s Report with recommendations http://www.twocircles.net/files/report_ravi_chander.pdf United Muslim Forum demands yet another investigation href=”http://www.twocircles.net/2009mar28/united_muslim_forum_ap_puts_charter_demand_political_party_extending.html

Press Release

US based Indian American group denounces terrorist attacks in Mumbai

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 27, 2008 Indian Muslim Council-USA (IMC-USA: http://www.imc-usa.org), an advocacy group dedicated towards safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, denounces in strongest possible terms the terror attacks in Mumbai, the financial capital of India. IMC-USA empathizes with the families of victims, hostages and police officers killed in the attacks and hopes for the safe release of the hostages. According to reports, a series of bomb blasts and shootings in the city’s main train station, a hospital, luxury hotels and tourist attractions have killed and injured more than one hundred people. Dozens, many of them foreign tourists, are also reportedly taken hostage by these armed groups of young men at different locations. Several police personnel including Anti-Terrorism Squad chief Hemant Karkare were also killed and many more injured while engaging the militants. Rasheed Ahmed, President of IMC-USA said: “The perpetrators of these crimes against humanity should be captured and punished to the maximum extent of the law.” IMC-USA calls on the Indian government to find ways to increase the safety and security of ordinary citizens as well as provide immediate and adequate compensation to all the victims of this carnage. Recent years have witnessed an alarming growth in the number of groups committing mindless acts of violence against innocent civilians. In the past few months alone there has been a string of bomb blasts in many cities, ethnic cleansing and targeting of minorities, police harassment and scapegoating of innocent civilians and fake encounter killings. “The Home Minister is responsible for this widespread deterioration of law & order and security situation and should be held accountable”, stated Rasheed Ahmed. The current attack also highlights the lapse in the intelligence gathering of the different law enforcement agencies. “More than two dozen terrorists seem to have let loose a string of blasts and shootings in different locations; a coordinated attack on this scale with the number of people involved points to a major failure on the part of the intelligence agencies”, he further added. IMC-USA also calls on the Indian government to setup a high level commission to investigate the increasing scourge of violence and terrorism in the country and ways to engage the civil society in effectively curbing this menace. Indian Muslim Council-USA is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 10 chapters across the nation. CONTACT: Dr. Hyder Khan phone/fax:1-800-839-7270 email: media@imc-usa.org

Press Release

Indian American group denounces bomb blasts in Delhi

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Urges police to not ignore Kanpur bomb blasts in the investigations FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 13, 2008 Indian Muslim Council-USA (IMC-USA), an advocacy group dedicated towards safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, denounces in strongest possible terms the bomb blasts across Delhi and expresses condolences to the victims and their loved ones. According to reports, coordinated serial blasts occurred in New Delhi, the capital of India, within a span of 45 minutes leaving around 30 people dead and scores of others injured. “IMC-USA condemns this heinous act of mindless violence by cowards. Our sympathies are with the victims and their families.” said Mr. Rasheed Ahmed, President of IMC-USA. He added: “Increasing incidences of terrorism in the recent past with the election around the corner raises suspicion of such blasts being orchestrated by communal forces bent on polarizing the society to reap electoral gains. A thorough and transparent investigation should be made to bring the culprits to the book instead of rushing to hasty conclusions”. Three weeks back, police found a large stash of bomb-making materials including explosive powder, timers, batteries and pellets when two Bajrang Dal men were killed in Kanpur while manufacturing bombs. Investigators suspect that the blasts of Delhi Jama Masjid in 2006 and Ajmer Sharif dargah in 2007 could be the handiwork of these groups. “If police excludes incidences like Kanpur and Nanded bomb blasts in which Bajrang Dal militants were either killed or injured making bombs, it will amount to a willful cover up”, Mr. Ahmed further stated. In recent years, several cases of bomb blasts by men affiliated with Hindu nationalist groups have been shoddily investigated and in some instances covered up by the investigating authorities. IMC-USA calls upon government and police authorities to put the welfare and security of people ahead of communal politics and demonstrate political will in nabbing the perpetrators of this heinous crime. Preventing future acts of terror is possible only by conducting transparent and honest investigations to bring the culprits to the book and not through indiscriminate arrests and brutalization of young Muslims as has been widely covered by media. Following the recent blasts in Ahmedabad and Bangalore, there has been an outcry by minorities and human rights activists that police officials were quick in scapegoating innocent Muslim youth than in seriously solving the growth of terror networks. Indian Muslim Council-USA is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 10 chapters across the nation. CONTACT: Dr. Hyder Khan phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 email: media@imc-usa.org RELATED NEWS: Serial blasts rock Delhi; 30 dead, 90 injured http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/3479914.cms Coordinated Bomb Blasts Rock New Delhi http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/13/AR2008091301215.html At least 15 dead in New Delhi blasts, officials say http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/09/13/india.delhi.blasts/ Bajrang Dal plotted ‘revenge blasts’ in Kanpur: UP police http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/Bajrang-Dal-plotted-revenge-blasts-in-Kanpur-UP-police/354289/ Bombs recovery in Kanpur lodge baffling http://www.hindu.com/2008/08/28/stories/2008082855931200.htm Cops find more leads against Hindu ultras http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?newsid=1186037

Press Release

US State Department confirms Modi will not be given visa

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 28, 2008 Washington D.C.: The US State Department has confirmed in a letter to Congresswoman Betty McCollum (D-MN) that Modi will not be granted a US visa for the upcoming World Gujarati Conference in New Jersey being held on the weekend of August 29-31, 2008. Amidst lobbying efforts by his supporters to get his US visa reinstated, Modi was invited to attend the World Gujarati Conference by its organizers. Letter from US State Department Responding to the July 8th letter written by Congresswoman Betty McCollum, Assistant Secretary of State for Legislative Affairs, Mr. Matthew Reynolds said: “The Department of State is extremely sensitive to your concerns and we are cognizant of the human rights abuses Mr. Modi has committed”. It further stated: “We have thoroughly searched Department records and located no current nonimmigrant visa applications for Mr. Modi. However, should we receive an application, we assure you it will be adjudicated in strict accordance with the Immigration and Naturalization Act, including Section 212(a)(2)(G) which states that ‘any alien who, while serving as a foreign government official, was responsible for or directly carried out, at any time, particularly severe violations of religious freedom, as defined in section 3 of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (22 U.S.C 6402) is inadmissible’”. Commenting on the letter, Dr. Hyder Khan of the Coalition Against Genocide said “the current response from the State Department has virtually made Narendra Modi a persona non grata to the US.” More Congressmen write letters to State Dept The Coalition Against Genocide campaign had earlier gathered further momentum when Congressmen Mike Honda (D-CA), Keith Ellison (D-MN) and Andre Carson (D-IN) joined several other lawmakers in writing their own letters to the State Department. A total of 32 US Lawmakers have so far written letters to the State Department expressing concern over human rights abuses in Gujarat and urging the denial of US visa to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi for his impending visit to New Jersey. Grassroots campaign generates over 12,000 letters A concerted grassroots campaign by member organizations of the Coalition Against Genocide generated over 12,000 individual letters to US lawmakers across the United States. These letters were written by members of the Indian Diaspora and mainstream Americans, expressing alarm and concern over Modi’s reported US visit and the continuing persecution of minorities in his state. US Congress monitoring Narendra Modi A delegation from Coalition Against Genocide met with offices of several Representatives of the House and Senators and appraised them with Modi’s gory record of aggravated human rights violations of minority citizens in the state of Gujarat. Letters from the constituents were also delivered to the respective senators and congresspersons. The delegation also had detailed meetings with the foreign policy and human rights legislative aides to 11 Senators including Senators Barack Obama (IL), John Kerry (MA), Richard Durbin (IL), Edward Kennedy (MA), Charles Schumer (NY), Dianne Feinstein (CA), Norm Coleman (MN), Benjamin Cardin (MD), Mel Martinez (FL), Bill Nelson (FL), Frank Lautenberg (NJ). The offices of a number of Senators and Congresspersons have since spoken with the State Department officials and have placed requests for monitoring the visa status of Modi and incidences of human rights abuses in Gujarat. Appeal to Conveners of World Gujarati Conference The Coalition Against Genocide appeals to the organizers of the World Gujarati Conference, for which Modi was invited, to abandon the politicians and politics of division and hate as embodied by Narendra Modi and embrace the ideals of Gujarat’s greatest hero, Mahatma Gandhi. “By persistently inviting the most notorious human rights abuser in India and propping Narendra Modi as their icon and hero, the organizers of the World Gujarati conference have brought shame to the Indian American community and have tarnished the name of India” said Dr. Hari Sharma The Coalition Against Genocide includes a diverse spectrum of organizations and individuals in the United States and Canada that have come together in response to the Gujarat genocide to demand accountability and justice. CONTACT: Dr. Hari Sharma Phone: 604-420-2972 Dr. Hyder Khan Phone/Fax: 443-927-9039 Email: media@coalitionagainstgenocide.org Website: http://coalitionagainstgenocide.org REFERENCES: Coalition Against Genocide calls for the continuation of the visa ban on Modi July 1st, 2008 http://coalitionagainstgenocide.org/press/cag.letter.01jul2008.php USCIRF Urges Denial of U.S. Visa to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi July 8th, 2008 http://coalitionagainstgenocide.org/press/uscirf.letter.08jul2008.php Letter from Representative Betty McCollum to the US Department of State July 8th, 2008 http://coalitionagainstgenocide.org/press/mccollum.letter.08jul2008.php US Congressman Joe Sestak of Pennsylvania urges entry ban on Narendra Modi August 6th, 2008 http://coalitionagainstgenocide.org/press/cag.pr.06aug2008.php 27 US Lawmakers want Modi’s visa ban extended; Coalition Against Genocide gets support from more congresspersons August 9th, 2008 http://coalitionagainstgenocide.org/press/cag.pr.09aug2008.php Response from the US State Department to Rep. Betty McCollum’s letter (PDF) http://coalitionagainstgenocide.org/press/usds.response.mccollum.pdf

Press Release

IMC-USA deplores the humanitarian situation in Kashmir; appeals to all sides to maintain peace

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 26 August 2008 Indian Muslim Council – USA (IMC-USA), an advocacy group working toward safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, strongly condemns the blockade of Kashmir Valley by the Amarnath Yatra Sangharsha Samiti. The economic blockade of the Valley has caused havoc and untold suffering to the civilian population of Kashmir. According to news reports, Amarnath Yatra Sangharsh Samiti has vowed to extend its strike “chakka jam” till August 31. The Samiti has launched protest strikes since early August forcibly shutting down schools, shops, businesses and public transportation throughout the region creating an economic blockade on Kashmir Valley. Equally condemnable is the firing by police and armed forces on unarmed civilians. At least 35 people are reported to be killed and hundreds more have been wounded in weeks of protests across the state. By not taking immediate and stern action against the illegal blockade by Hindu nationalist organizations of the only highway into the Kashmir valley, the government has fueled the separatist sentiments and is alienating the people of Kashmir. IMC-USA expresses dismay at the mishandling of the land transfer by the government authorities. Maintaining security and peace is the responsibility of the government and so far government attempts are failing. This failure of government will play into the hands of the extremists making conditions more tenuous. IMC-USA demands that the government do not allow the extremists to fan the communal sentiments in Kashmir and the rest of the country. IMC-USA appeals to all sides to work towards restoring peace and to resolve the current land row by negotiating an amicable solution. The central government should immediately remove the economic blockade and restore normal conditions in the Valley. Appropriate compensation should also be made to the families of the civilians killed in the firing by police and armed forces. Indian Muslim Council-USA is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 10 chapters across the nation. CONTACT: Dr. Hyder Khan phone/fax:1-800-839-7270 email: media@iamc.com

Press Release

IMC-USA celebrates India’s Independence Day, turns six on August 15th

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 15 Aug 2008 Indian Muslim Council – USA (IMC-USA), an advocacy group working toward safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, extends its best wishes to all Indians on the occasion of the 61st anniversary of India’s Independence and calls on all Indians to remember the message of Mahatma Gandhi whose non-violent struggle was key to India’s independence. August 15th, 2008 also marks the sixth anniversary of the Indian Muslim Council – USA, which was established on this day in 2002. In the last six years, IMC-USA has worked with various Indian organizations of different persuasions to advance the cause of social justice and communal harmony. On this occasion, Indian Muslim Council renews its pledge to prevent hate-filled ideologies from threatening the secular fabric of the nation and to promote pluralism, tolerance and respect for human rights. IMC-USA will be participating in a series of events and Independence day festivities across various cities in the United States. Indian Muslim Council-USA is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 10 chapters across the nation. CONTACT: Dr. Hyder Khan phone/fax:1-800-839-7270 email: media@imc-usa.org

Press Release

US based Indian American group denounces bomb blasts in Ahmedabad and Bangalore and expresses solidarity with the victims

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington D.C., July 26, 2008 Indian Muslim Council-USA (IMC-USA: http://www.imc-usa.org), an advocacy group dedicated towards safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, denounces in strongest possible terms the bomb blasts in the Indian cities of Ahmedabad and Bangalore and expresses solidarity with the victims. According to reports, a series of 17 blast occurred in crowded places in Ahmedabad city leaving at least 29 people dead and over 100 injured. A day earlier, the city of Bangalore was struck with bomb blasts that killed 2 people and injured several others. “Humanity is the ultimate victim in such acts of mindless violence” said Mr. Rasheed Ahmed, President of IMC-USA. He further stated that “The authorities should conduct a thorough and transparent investigation immediately and refrain from adopting the usual template of blaming Muslim sounding virtual groups whose existence or lack thereof cannot be proven”. In recent months, authorities have come under intense criticism for their ineffectiveness in conducting honest and transparent probes into blasts that rocked other Indian cities. During the blasts in Hyderabad last year, rather than track the culprits, the police arrested scores of innocent Muslim youths associated with various civil liberties groups in the city. After weeks of harassment and torture, almost all the arrested had to be released on account of lack of evidence. This police embarrassment was preceded by the high profile expose and convictions of top police officials from Gujarat who were running a racket of killing innocent Muslims in “fake encounters” by labeling them as terrorists belonging to Muslim militant groups. Earlier last year, some Intelligence Bureau officers confessed to an official CBI inquiry that members of Intelligence Bureau itself are involved in “training and manufacturing terrorists” who are recruited and sent on “terrorist missions” where they are handily arrested by awaiting cops. These cops then get promotions and bravery awards. IMC-USA calls upon government and police authorities to demonstrate political will and nab the perpetrators of this heinous crime by conducting a transparent and honest investigation rather than taking the convenient route of scapegoating innocent people. Indian Muslim Council-USA is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 10 chapters across the nation. CONTACT: Dr. Hyder Khan phone/fax:1-800-839-7270 email: media@imc-usa.org

Press Release

IMC-USA urges State Department to deny visa to pogrom politician Narendra Modi

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July 08, 2008 Indian Muslim Council-USA (IMC-USA), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India ’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, has urged the State Department to refuse US visa to Narendra Modi, Chief Minister of the State of Gujarat, India on the grounds of his continued subversion of state apparatus against securing justice to the victims of 2002 pogroms and institutional violations of religious freedom of the minorities in his state. IMC has learned that Narendra Modi is actively trying to obtain an US visa in order to rehabilitate his image as a pogrom politician and clear the grounds for moving into the national politics in India. IMC-USA, one of the founding organizations of the Coalition Against Genocide (CAG) campaign that successfully lobbied to prevent Modi from getting an US visa in 2005, is reviving the campaign to ensure that Narendra Modi is not allowed to enter the United States. In a letter addressed to the Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice, Rasheed Ahmed, President of IMC-USA detailed the institutionalized nature of the violations of the religious freedoms in the State of Gujarat including the subversion of justice to the victims of 2002 pogroms, marginalization by means of economic and social boycott and a ‘freedom of religion’ act which effectively curtails religious freedom by requiring to register and get approval of state officials before believing in a different faith. The letter further stressed: “Refusing the visa to an egregious violator of religious freedoms such as Modi sends a clear message to all the Hindu nationalists who openly espouse a future India where religious minorities would at the best be second class citizens, that such actions will have consequences and they will be considered persona non grata by much of the civilized world.” Indian Muslim Council-USA is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 10 chapters across the nation. CONTACT: Zeeshan Farees phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@imc-usa.org RELATED NEWS: Modi invited for world Gujarati meet in U.S. http://www.hindu.com/2008/06/23/stories/2008062359571000.htm Modi may participate in world Gujarati conference in US http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/3152440.cms

Press Release

IMC-USA Organizes US Lecture Tour of Teesta Setalvad & R. B. Sreekumar

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Sunday, July 6th, 2008 Indian Muslim Council-USA (IMC-USA – http://www.imc-usa.org), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India ‘s pluralist and tolerant ethos is organizing an US lecture tour of noted civil rights activist Teesta Setalvad and retired police official R. B. Sreekumar, starting today in Philadelphia. Teesta Setalvad is a Mumbai based civil rights activist, journalist and educationist. She reported for the Mumbai editions of The Daily (India) and The Indian Express newspapers. Appalled by the communal violence during the Bombay Riots, she, along with activist husband Javed Anand, quit full-time journalism in 1993 to start the monthly magazine Communalism Combat. Teesta Setalvad won the Nuremberg International Human Rights Award 2003 and in 2007 she was awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India for her role in “Public Affairs in Maharashatra”. Teesta Setalvad, has been at the forefront of fighting for the Gujarat pogrom cases and getting the Supreme Court to move the cases out of Gujarat. Her tireless efforts finally brought justice to the victims in the famous “Best Bakery Case” despite intimidations and hostile witnesses. R.B.Sreekumar is a Retired Senior Police Officer of the Indian Police Service (IPS). Sreekumar was the Additional Director General of Police and Chief Intelligence Officer in Gujarat during the brutal state sponsored massacres of Muslims and the rape of Muslim women by Hindu mobs, orchestrated by Chief Minister Narendra Modi. He courageously thwarted attempts by his political bosses in Gujarat to cover-up and subvert justice in the aftermath of Gujarat carnage in 2002. He served the Gujarat State for 35 years in various positions before retiring in 2007 as Additional Director General of Police. He was awarded the Medal for Meritorious Service in 1990 and a Medal for Distinguished Service in 1998 by the Government of India. He was awarded The Gangadharan Memorial Award for Best Police Man, in April 2008, for his “courageous and competent performance of duties” during 2002 Gujarat pogroms. Indian Muslim Council-USA is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 10 chapters across the nation. EVENT SCHEDULE: Sunday, July 6th, 2008 – Philadelphia, PA – 610-453-3751 Tuesday, July 8th, 2008 – Amnesty International Office, Washington D.C. – 202-544-0200 ext. 224 Thursday, July 10th, 2008 – Baltimore, MD – 410-903-1157 Friday, July 11th, 2008 – Miami, FL – 954-801-3912 Saturday, July 12th, 2008 – Minneapolis, MN – 952-994-7885 Sunday, July 13th, 2008 – Chicago, IL – 630-248-1678 CONTACT: Syed Ali Rahman phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@imc-usa.org

Press Release

IMC-USA National Convention a Huge Success; “Idea of India ” Theme Grips Audience

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For Immediate Release Tarun Tejpal addressed the need to move away from politics of difference and back to politics of ideas. Chicago, IL, June 1st, 2008: The fourth National Convention of the Indian Muslim Council – USA , an advocacy group dedicated to protecting the rights of minorities and promoting pluralism, was a huge success. The event focused on the theme, “The Idea of India: Challenges & Prospects,” and was held in Chicago , IL on 31st May, 2008. It was attended by over 450 people. The speakers included activists from different ethnic and religious communities as well as experts and leaders from Human Rights groups. The keynote address was given by Tarun Tejpal, CEO of Tehelka Newsmagazine. US Congressman Mr. Keith Ellison (D-MN), addressed the audience in a video message. He described the struggle of Indian Muslims as parallel to the struggle of other groups in United States who have fought for civil rights. He reminded that India and US are the two biggest democracies in the world, and the example of these two democracies can flourish and help inspire the rest of the world. Father Cedric Prakash, a Jesuit Priest and Human Rights activist in Gujarat , extended his message of support for the convention. The convention showcased documentary screenings on the theme of “Impunity: A Roadblock to Justice.” This included the “The Widow Colony” on survivors of 1984 Anti-Sikh massacres, a documentary on Dalits, another documentary titled “Encountered on Saffron Agenda?” about staged encounter killings of Muslims, and “In The Name of God” that discussed attacks on Christians in Orissa , India . This was followed by a panel discussion by Munaf Zeena, Chairman of Council on Indian Muslims in UK, Harpreet Kaur and Manmeet Singh of Sach Productions, Dr. Rahul Deepanker who is an Indian American Buddhist leader and Dr. Angana Chatterji, activist and Associate Professor at California Institute of Integral Studies. Another panel on “Strengthening India’s Secular Democracy,” was held with panelists that included Robin Phillips, Executive Director of The Advocates for Human Rights, Dr. Angana Chatterji and Dr.Omar Khalidi, scholar at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the author of Muslims in Indian Economy. The speakers exchanged concepts and ideas to formulate advocacy work towards bettering India ’s democratic and secular fabric. The banquet session started with a dinner and award presentation that recognized the remarkable contributions of many Indian activists. IMC-USA presented the Moulana Muhammad Ali Johar Award in Journalism to Mr. Tarun Tejpal, the Khwaja Altaf Hussain Hali Award in Humanitarian work to Dr. Khursheed Malik, the Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Award in Humanitarian work to Help Handicap Foundation and the Tipu Sultan Award for Courageously Serving India to Dr. Angana Chatterji. The session was also addressed by Nishrin Hussain, daughter of former Member of Parliament, Ahsan Jafri, who recounted the atrocities, suffered by minorities in the 2002 Gujarat pogrom, and exhorted the audience to work towards preventing such injustices from occurring again. The session ended with a very inspiring key note address by Tarun Tejpal, journalist and CEO of Tehelka magazine. Tarun noted that many minority groups in India , including the Dalits, the tribals and the Christians, along with Muslims were being oppressed in different ways. He criticized the politics of victim hood and stated that, “ India is a free country and it is incumbent upon us to stand up for our rights and get them, and that is the beauty of the foundation principles of this country.” He criticized the politics of differences being practiced in India that feed on dissent and suppress politics of ideas and of social change. He recommended a return to the idea of India , as was first enjoined and enshrined for us by the founding fathers of India . Tarun’s speech was received with a standing ovation and the audience was moved by the symbolic gesture of the award to Tarun Tejpal being presented by Mrs Zakia Jafri, widow of Ahsan Jafri. Convention Photos: Photos from the IMC-USA Convention can be viewed at the following URL: http://www.flickr.com/photos/27287104@N07 Contact: Asim Khan Convention Co-Chair Indian Muslim Council-USA 6321 W. Dempster St., Suite# 295 Morton Grove , IL 60053-2848 Phone: 1-800-839-7270 Email: info@imc-usa. org

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Stage Set for Indian Muslim Council – USA’s 4th National Convention

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For Immediate Release Event to focus on “The Idea of India : Challenges & Prospects” theme Chicago, IL. Wednesday, May 28, 2008: Several distinguished speakers from around the world are set to converge in Chicago on May 31st 2008 to address the 4th national convention of the Indian Muslim Council – USA and reflect on the prospects and challenges to the “Idea of India”. Martha Nussbaum, one of America

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IMC-USA condemns Jaipur blasts; Demands transparent investigation of the incident

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 15, 2008 Indian Muslim Council – USA an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India ‘s pluralist and tolerant ethos denounced the bomb blasts in Jaipur, the capital of the northern State of Rajasthan . IMC-USA appealed for peace and urged all Indians to practice restraint and to not let the perpetrators of these atrocious crimes succeed in dividing Indians along religious and ethnic lines. According to the current news reports, five bomb blasts have killed 80 people and scores have been injured. The blasts transpired in the crowded markets in a concurrent fashion within a span of ten minutes. Rasheed Ahmed, President of IMC-USA stated “This is yet another dishonorable and immoral act committed on our society aimed at disturbing peace and harmony of the city’s residents. It deserves denunciation by all people of conscience”. He urged the State and Central govt. to conduct a speedy and transparent investigation of the incident and punish the perpetrators to the full extent of the law. Rasheed Ahmed further called upon the authorities to remain vigilant in maintaining law and order in the community for the benefit of all of Jaipur’s diverse citizens, and to avoid speculation as to responsible parties until a full investigation is concluded. IMC-USA expressed its steadfast support to law enforcement in bring the responsible persons to justice. IMC-USA also extended condolences to the victims and their families. Contact: Syed Ali Rahman phone: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@imc-usa.org RELATED NEWS: Jaipur blasts: Woman suicide bomber suspected http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Woman_suicide_bomber_suspected/articleshow/3039832.cms RDX used in Jaipur blasts http://www.rediff.com/news/2008/may/14rajblast8.htm Jaipur deals with blast aftermath http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7399822.stm

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IMC-USA reveals an impressive array of speakers for its third annual convention

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact Asim Khan 800-839-7270 / 516-567-0783 September 16, 2005, Detroit, MI. The third annual convention of IMC-USA, an advocacy group focused on the Indian Diaspora in the United States, is scheduled for October 1st and is gathering momentum. In an address to a meeting of the leaders and activists of Indian origin residing in the greater Washington, D.C. area, Dr. Shaik Ubaid, President of IMC-USA, noted that many people of Indian origin were preparing to attend the landmark event. He added that the Indian Diaspora has been galvanized by the news reports that Hindutva extremists are planning to repeat the 2002 Gujarat pogroms in the Indian state of Rajasthan, as revealed by a high ranking advisory committee to the Prime Minister of India, and also that their leader, Narendra Modi, may reapply for a US visa. Ramier Shaik, a prominent member of the convention committee has unveiled an impressive array of speakers: Keynote Speaker: Congressman John Conyers from Michigan Other Speakers: Munaf Zeena, Chairman of Council of Indian Muslims (UK) Fr. Cedric Prakash, Jesuit Priest and Director of Prashant Prof. Jawahar Nesan, renowned Dalit leader and social activist Ubaidur Rahman, Global Media Publications, India Dr. Rahul Deepankar, Buddhist leader T. Kumar, Asia Advocacy Director, Amnesty International Asim Ghafoor, Attorney and Washington Lobbyist Shrikumar Poddar, distinguished Hindu scholar Kannan Srinivasan, renowned Historian and Journalist Dr. Omar Khalidi, Indian Muslim Historian and scholar at MIT Dr. Biju Mathew, Coalition to Stop Funding Hate (CSFH) Raju Rajagopal, Promise of India (POI) John Prabhudoss, Executive Director of Policy Institute for Religion and State (PIFRAS) Dr. Shaik Ubaid, President of IMC-USA Steve Spritzer, Interfaith Program Coordinator for National Conference for Community and Justice (NCCJ), Michigan Dr. Sania Zainuddin, community activist Dr. Lise McKean, Deputy Director of Center for Impact Research (CIR) Kulmeet Singh, Sikh Coalition The IMC-USA convention has become an annual tradition for scholars, activists and others concerned about the brutal siege of India’s pluralist and democratic ethos by the Hindutva ultra-nationalists. The annual convention is a platform for social activists and members of the Indian Diaspora to share ideas on issues of concern including political and economic corruption, the continuing persecution of Dalits and the marginalized lower castes in India. Eminent personalities will be addressing the delegates during the day long sessions and the evening banquet. In addition, they will hold consultative meetings with participants on topics related to strengthening India’s secular democracy and promoting social justice and economic prosperity. The scheduled sessions will deal with coalition building for protection of Human Rights in India, networking for Muslim NGOs and Business initiatives by Muslims in India, among many others. M. A. Khan, President of IMC-USA Greater Washington D.C. chapter and member of the convention program committee, elaborated on the achievements of the previous conventions stating, “The IMC-USA annual convention held last year, was a huge success in terms of bringing together for the first time several different groups and communities that constitute India’s impressive diversity, and enabling them to work together to protect India’s pluralist ethos”. He further added, “This led to the formation of the Coalition to Build Better India (CBBI). This coalition in turn became the launching pad for the Coalition Against Genocide (CAG) which successfully thwarted the US visit of Narendra Modi, a pogrom politician. Narendra Modi is the architect-in-chief of the 2002 Gujarat pogroms. For more information and to register, delegates and journalists are requested to visit: http://www.imc-usa.org/convention/2005/ For Tickets and Registration: Phone: 800-839-7270 Email: michigan@imc-usa.org IMC-USA 265 Sunrise Highway Suite 1-355 Rockville Center, NY 11570 Tel: (516) 567-0783

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Initiatives

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Indian Muslim NGO Network An Initiative of Indian Muslim Council – USA Email: ngos@imc-usa.org IMC-USA 2nd Annual Convention (2004) Participants: * Indian Muslim Relief & Charities (IMRC) * Association of Indian Muslims of America (AIM) * American Federation of Muslims of Indian Origin (AFMI) * Gujarati Muslim Association of America (GMAA) * Indian Muslim Educational Foundation of North America (IMEFNA) * Indian Muslim Education Support Group (IMESG) * Iqra International Education Society (IIES) Contact Information: * Indian Muslim Relief & Charities (IMRC) 800 San Antonio Road, Suite 1 Palo Alto, CA 94303 Phone : 650-856-0440 Fax: 650-856-0444 Email: info@imrc.ws Web: www.imrc.ws * Association of Indian Muslims of America (AIM) P.O. Box 10654 Silver Spring, MD 20904 Email: Info@AimAmerica.org Web: www.aimamerica.org * American Federation of Muslims of Indian Origin (AFMI) 29008 West Eight Mile Road Farmington, MI 48336 Phone: 248-442-2364 Fax: 248-476-8926 Email: afmi11@aol.com Web: www.afmi.org * Gujarati Muslim Association of America (GMAA) Lombard, IL * Indian Muslim Educational Foundation of North America (IMEFNA) 950 75th Street Downers Grove, IL 60516 Phone: 630) 852-0520 Fax: (630)-435-1429 Email: imefna@yahoo.com * Indian Muslim Education Support Group (IMESG) 7524 N Kenton Skokie, IL 60076 Phone: 847-329-7105 * Iqra International Education Society (IIES) 7450 Skokie Blvd. Skokie, IL 60077 Phone:

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IMC-USA Marks Sixth Anniversary of Gujarat Massacre with Awareness Campaign

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The Indian Muslim Council’s Maryland/Virginia Chapter hosted Father Cedric Prakash, on Saturday, March 22, in Richmond, VA and on Sunday, March 23, in Baltimore, MD. Father Prakash is a jesuit priest and founder of PRASHANT, a Gujarat based Jesuit Center for Human Rights, Justice and Peace. He is a fearless and outspoken critic of the Gujarat Government, which is widely believed to be behind the massacre of more than two thousand Muslims and responsible for rendering thousands of others homeless in 2002. Father Prakash is in the middle of a ten city tour across the United States. He is addressing audiences at mosques, churches, universities and other forms of public meetings. His tour is part of an awareness and advocacy campaign organized by IMC-USA on the 6th anniversary of the Gujarat genocide. Although six years have passed since the most brutal form of ethnic cleansing witnessed by independent India, the “experiment” still continues and has actually taken roots in several other states in various forms. During his tour Father Cedric Prakash is educating his audience about the increasing “Human Rights Challenges Facing Democratic India”. His lectures are aided by documentary screenings of witnesses and survivors of the carnage. In the remaining part of his tour he will be visiting Edison, NJ, Atlanta, GA and Ft. Lauderdale, FL. IMC-USA is an advocacy organization aiming to empower Indian minorities through long-term strategic advocacy, public relations, coalition building and grassroots mobilization. IMC-USA was formed out of the merger of three advocacy groups on August 15, 2002. IMC-USA is a non-profit 501(c) tax deductible organization. For more information, contact: Jawad Khan Tel: 1-800-839-7270 E-Mail: info@imc-usa.org Indian Muslim Council–USA 6321 W. Dempster St., Suite# 295 Morton Grove, IL 60053 Website: www.imc-usa.org

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IMC-USA Urges AP Govt. to Take Action on Report Confirming Torture of Youth in Hyderabad

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Indian Muslim Council – USA (http://www.imc-usa.org), an advocacy group dedicated towards safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, urges action from all those who believe in justice to demand the Andhra Pradesh state government to outline what actions will be taken to address the findings of the report submitted by L. Ravi Chander, Advocate Commissioner, to the AP Minorities Commissions. In response to the illegal detention and torture of Muslim youth in Hyderabad by state police in the aftermath of the August 25th bombings the AP Minorities Commission appointed advocate L Ravi Chander to investigate these claims. An interim report a month later confirmed abuse of power by the police. A full report of the investigation including interviews with 20 detainees was submitted to minorities Commission in October 2008. The final report outlined recommendations to investigate police failure to follow procedures as well as calling for disciplinary action against erring police offices. Last year the AP High Court acquitted 21 of the 22 youth charged by the police in the 2007 bomb blast cases and ordered their release. Mr. Ravi Chander also recommended steps for the rehabilitation of the victims and their families and that a committee be setup to supervise arrests. IMC-USA would like to thank the AP Minorities Commission for commissioning the report and Mr. Ravi Chander for his hard work and due diligence. IMC-USA demands the AP Minorities Commission to submit the report thorugh proper channels to the AP Government and the Chief Minister’s office. IMC-USA would like to request the Andhra Pradesh state government and the Chief Minister’s office to outline what steps have been taken to acknowledge the findings of the report. IMC-USA would also like to know what action has been taken by the Government on the recommendations of the final report. We would like to know whether the Government received the report from minorities commission, which visited riot affected areas of Adilabad district, and if so, what action has been taken by the Government. IMC-USA urges all concerned to: A. Immediately call and write to the authorities and demand the following: 1. Stop indiscriminate and illegal detention and torture of Muslim youth. 2. Make public the final report of the Minorities Commission by advocate Ravi Chander. 3. Inform the public about what actions will be taken by AP Government in light of the report outlining the illegal detention and torture of youth by state police. 4. Take action against all police personnel involved in the torture and mistreatment of detainees and their families. Y S Rajshekar Reddy (Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh) Phone: +91-40-23451805 / 23456698 /23455205 +91-40-23410333 / 23410666 (Res) Fax: +91-40-23452498 / 23454828, +91-40-23410555 (Res) Yousuf Qureishi, Chairman, A.P. State Minorities Commission Phone: +91-40-23453078, 23453206 Fax: +91-40-23453206 Email: chairman_mincomm@ap.gov.in

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IMC-USA congratulates all on India’s 58Th Republic Day

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 26 2008 Indian Muslim Council-USA (http://www.imc-usa.org), an advocacy group dedicated towards safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, congratulates all Indians, including those living overseas, on the occasion of India’s 58th Republic Day. India obtained its independence on August 15, 1947 but the Constitution of India came into effect on January 26, 1950. Every year this day is celebrated as ‘The Republic Day’ and is a national holiday in India . This day marks the transition of India from a British Dominion to a Republic with the adoption of the Constitution of India. On the occasion celebrating the 58th Republic Day, Mr. Rasheed Ahmed, President of IMC-USA, said, “All of us Indians are very proud of India ‘s constitution. On this Republic day we need to be cognizant of the vision expounded by our forefathers in this wise and important document to create an India that represents the hopes and aspirations of all people irrespective of their religion and social standing.” He further appealed to all Indians to work together to honor India ‘s constitution by eliminating communally divisive politics and working towards making India a peaceful and prosperous nation. IMC-USA is proud of India ‘s achievements and progress and urges the Indian government to launch social and economic programs on this historic day to ensure participation by all segments of society into the 21st century journey of challenges, growth and prosperity. Contact: Syed Ali Rahman Telephone: 1-800-839-7270 Email: info@imc-usa.org

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IMC-USA condemns destruction of churches in Orissa

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 27, 2007 Indian Muslim Council – USA ( http://www.imc-usa.org), an advocacy group dedicated towards safeguarding India ‘s pluralist and tolerant ethos denounces the destruction of several churches and other institutions by the members of VHP in the State of Orissa in India. At least a dozen churches and prayer houses were ransacked and torched by Hindutva activists belonging to the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) on Christmas day. One person was killed and 25 hurt in the ensuing violence in different parts of Orissa. This atrocious act displays an increasing trend in anti-Christian violence in India , similar to the attack that was orchestrated against Christians in 1998 in the Dang district of Gujarat. Mirza R. Baig, Acting President of IMC-USA, expressed solidarity with the victims of this communal violence. “Our hearts reach out to the victims and their families whose Christmas festivities and prayers were interrupted due to this planned attack against the community,” he said. Mr. Baig urged the State and Central governments to intervene immediately and take appropriate action against the perpetrators of this heinous undertaking. IMC-USA leadership also urged the US State Department to act against the US based subsidiaries of extremist groups responsible for violence against Indian minorities and investigate the channeling of donations from US to fund violent, sectarian groups in India . Contact: Syed Ali Rahman phone: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@imc-usa.org RELATED NEWS: Rioters attack churches in Orissa http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Rioters_attack_churches_in_Orissa/articleshow/2650982.cms VHP attacks churches in Orissa towns, curfew imposed http://www.ibnlive.com/news/vhp-attacks-churches-in-orissa-towns-curfew-imposed/55000-3.html Fresh violence in Orisssa, curfew continues http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20070036914&ch=12/26/2007%203:00:00%20PM

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IMC-USA expresses dismay at Modi’s return to power; reiterates calls for legal action against Modi for Gujarat massacres

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 23, 2007 Indian Muslim Council – USA (http://www.imc-usa.org), an advocacy group dedicated towards safeguarding India ’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, expressed dismay at the election results in the Indian state of Gujarat wherein Narendra Modi returned to power as the Chief Minister. Rasheed Ahmed, President of IMC-USA, described the reelection of Narendra Modi as disappointing for the future of democracy in India and the result of a communally polarized election environment that discouraged inclusion of minorities in the democratic system. “The return of Modi as the Chief Minister of Gujarat is a result of intensification of fear and communal hatred in Gujarat by the Hindutva groups,” he stated. “The reelection of the person held responsible for the Gujarat massacres and for the ascendancy of right wing extremists is damaging to India ‘s standing as a secular and pluralistic nation. Modi’s government, which has displayed no regard for the rights of individuals and minorities, is a mob rule and subversion of democracy.” Narendra Modi has been implicated in the 2002 pogroms which led to the brutal murders and rapes of thousands of Muslims and property damage worth millions in Gujarat . The Supreme Court of India and various Human Rights organizations have criticized Modi’s support for violence against minorities. The recent investigative report by the Tehelka news magazine had exposed the involvement of Modi’s government in perpetrating the massacres and deterring the legal system from protecting the victims. Modi will take oath as Chief Minister for the third time with the BJP leading in 118 out of 182 seats in the Assembly elections. The Congress party has performed only slightly better than the 2002 elections by leading in 61 seats. Rasheed Ahmed attributed Congress party’s failure to gain in this election to their lack of a principled stance against BJP’s Hindutva ideology which left the electorate without a choice as Congress was peddling soft Hindutva. IMC-USA urges the Central Government of India to speed up the legal action against Modi for his involvement in the Gujarat pogroms and investigate his statements approving the killing of Sohrabuddin Sheikh while in police detention. IMC-USA abides by the belief that democracy in Gujarat is wounded but not annihilated, but has stressed the need for bringing the culture of impunity prevalent in Gujarat to a quick end. Contact: Syed Ali Rahman phone: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@imc-usa. org RELATED NEWS: Modi win: Champagne flows in US http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20070036695&ch=1… Congress party concedes defeat to Hindu nationalists in Gujarat state elections http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/12/23/asia/AS-GEN-India-Gujarat-Elec… Indian Hindu nationalists set to win key state poll http://africa.reuters.com/world/news/usnDEL273122.html Is Gujarat the New India? http://www.indianexpress.com/story/252492.html

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Babri Masjid and Muslim India

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On December 6, 1992, Hindutva extremists pulverized the five hundred year old historic Babri Masjid in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh. The demolition was then followed by violence directed at Muslims. Rather than taking action against the perpetrators of this heinous crime, the Government of that day and the police further targeted Muslims. Communal riots broke out in several parts of India and a large number of Muslims were killed, their property looted, and many arrested for protesting against the desecration of their mosque. Victims were treated as perpetrators and perpetrators were left free to terrorize the victims. An atmosphere of barbarity, fear and despondency hovered over the Muslim community. There was darkness all around. Muslims were forced to think about their future in India as their existence was in danger. The onslaught was precise and planned to break the morale of the Muslim community. But the resilient community fought back bravely. It resisted the communal forces with help from their peace loving Hindu countrymen and some political leaders, including VP Singh and Lalu Prasad Yadav. Muslim India remembers December 6 as a black day. While the wounds were fresh, Indian Muslims observed the day each year remembering the destruction of the Babri Mosque and the ensuing violence. But the passage of time has turned December 6 th into another forgotten day in history. A few Muslim organizations have continued to hold protests and demonstrations on this day. Come December, some Muslim leaders will issue statements from their sprawling offices, demanding the reconstruction of the mosque at the same site in Ayodhya as promised by the former Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao. The rest of the year passes without a murmur. The same ritual is repeated again and again. Muslims are no longer interested in the court cases relating to the Babri mosque. Some Indian Muslim organizations are aware of these cases, but have done very little. Legal activist Mushtaq Ahmad warns that due to the Muslim leadership

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IMC-USA commemorates the 15th anniversary of Babri Masjid’s demolition

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 5, 2007 Indian Muslim Council – USA (http://www.imc-usa.org), an advocacy group dedicated towards safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, marks the 15th anniversary of Babri Masjid’s destruction with sadness. In a press release issued by the US based group, it reminded the Indian Government the promise that previous Congress Prime Minister Mr. P. V. Narsimha Rao made to the nation soon after the destruction of the Babri Masjid. In a nationally televised speech Mr. Rao promised to rebuild the Babri Masjid. Drawing attention to the fact that no substantial action has been taken even after 15 years, Mr. Rasheed Ahmed, President of the IMC-USA said, “It is a tragedy in itself that no one has been punished for one of the greatest crimes of post-Independence India.” IMC-USA also registered its anger on the fact that the Liberhan Commission, which was setup to look into the reasons and persons behind the demolition of the Babri Masjid, have yet to turn in its report. The original three month term has been extended 42 times so far with no report in sight. Syed Ali Rahman, the spokesperson for IMC-USA, noted, “Babri Masjid was a sacred and historical monument and it was destroyed with full impunity. Every single day of justice delayed makes the secular fabric of India that much weaker.” IMC-USA demands that court cases of the title suit of the Babri Masjid be expedited. We note with satisfaction that Muslims of India have always put their faith in the judiciary and are ready to accept the judgment whichever way it goes. We request our Hindu brethren to do the same. This is the only way of ensuring that the rule of law is upheld in India. India resolving its sensitive conflicts and disputes between two of its communities will be an example for the world to see. CONTACT: Syed Ali Rahman phone: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@imc-usa.org

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IMC-USA condemns the violence in Nandigram; Urges Central Government to take action

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Indian Muslim Council – USA (http://www.imc-usa.org), an advocacy group dedicated towards safeguarding India ’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, deplores the violence carried out by Communist Party of India (Marxist) members in Nandigram, West Bengal. IMC-USA urges the Indian central government to dedicate more resources in bringing the perpetrators to justice and adequately protect the victims of this state sponsored atrocity. The prolonged violence is being carried out by CPI(M) party cadres against innocent villagers protesting the government acquisition of farmland for industrialization in Nandigram village located in the Indian state of West Bengal. They have wreaked havoc on some of the poorest people in the region with allegations of rape, murder and destruction of property. A complete account of casualties and losses is not available yet but the violence continues unabated. The November violence is a continuation of attacks that have occurred earlier this year. IMC-USA asserts that the state government of West Bengal should be held accountable for these acts of violence. Rasheed Ahmed, the President of IMC-USA, has stated, “Arming and unleashing a violent unit of workers at protesting villagers to enforce government orders is a fascistic action that should not be tolerated in a democratic society. The workers and their leaders responsible for this course of action must be brought to justice and a strong message needs to be sent that such unlawful behavior will not be allowed in India.” CONTACT: Syed Ali Rahman phone: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@imc-usa.org RELATED NEWS: ‘Peace remains elusive in Nandigram’ http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/000200711220901.htm

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IMC-USA denounces the UP blasts; appeals for peace and calm

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 25, 2007 Indian Muslim Council – USA (http://www.imc-usa.org) , an advocacy group dedicated towards safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos has condemned the bomb blasts in Uttar Pradesh. IMC-USA has appealed for peace and urged all Indians to practice restraint and not let the bomb blasts be used to divide the communities. Six bomb blasts have killed 15 people and injured over 80 in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh (UP). The near simultaneous blasts occurred in the cities of Varanasi, Faizabad and the state capital, Lucknow. Rasheed Ahmed, the President of IMC-USA, has denounced these attacks calling them an attempt to terrorize and influence the judiciary and legal system of India. He also stated, “Extremism and terrorism must not be allowed to affect the Indian Justice system. An open and speedy investigation into these acts will go far in discouraging their repetition.” IMC-USA extends its condolences to the victims of these heinous acts, and their families. CONTACT : Syed Ali Rahman Tel: 1-800-839-7270 E-Mail: info@imc-usa. org

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Modi not invited to WEF’s meeting in Davos: Claims of invitation by Modi Government were false propaganda

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 18, 2007 Indian Muslim Council – USA is pleased to announce that WEF has confirmed that it has not invited Narendra Modi. The World Economic Forum (WEF) issued their statement in response to the letters sent to the WEF board that brought their attention to the human rights violations committed by the Narendra Modi Government in the state of Gujarat in India. Various news sources had reported the claim by the Government of Gujarat that WEF had invited Narendra Modi, the Chief Minister of the state of Gujarat in India, to speak at Davos, Switzerland in January 2008. This news prompted Dr Omar Khalidi of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to initiate an independent campaign urging the WEF Chairman Prof. Klaus Schwab and Board to rescind its invitation to Mr. Modi. The campaign letter was endorsed by over a hundred academics and professors who are world-renowned experts on India studies in US and Canada. The letter asserted support for India and Gujarat’s economic development, but reminded that Mr. Modi, a politician responsible for human rights violations and violence in India, should not be honored by WEF. The Communications Director of WEF, Mark Adams, has confirmed that Narendra Modi was not invited. The response from WEF sheds light on the frequent spin and false information used by the Modi Government to create an inaccurate impression of success and progress in Gujarat. Narendra Modi’s crimes against humanity have made him a persona non grata in most of the world and he has had his visa revoked in USA in 2005. He has become a hindrance to the economic and social development in Gujarat. IMC-USA, an advocacy group dedicated towards promoting peace, tolerance, pluralism and justice in India, commends the decision taken by WEF to not invite Narendra Modi and thanks Dr. Khalidi for his efforts in leading this campaign. IMC-USA would also like to extend its thanks and appreciation to the US academics that had endorsed the letters to the WEF board and communicated this issue to them. CONTACT: Syed Ali Rahman phone: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@imc-usa.org

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IMC-USA demands the dismissal of Gujarat government; Incriminating evidence exposed by Tehelka

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 26, 2007 Indian Muslim Council – USA (http://www.imc-usa.org), an advocacy group dedicated towards safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, demands the immediate dismissal of the state government of Gujarat under Narendra Modi and imposition of President’s rule based on the incriminating evidence recorded from none other than the perpetrators of the ghastly crimes during the 2002 pogroms. Soon after the brutal mass murder of thousands of Muslims and inhuman treatment of women, children and unborn life in April 2002, several independent reports including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, had concluded that the responsibility rested on the administration of state of Gujarat, India. Recently, former Home Minister Gordhan Zaphardia’s confession on national TV and now this most revealing video interviews with the rapists and murderers who were directly involved leaves little doubt about Narendara Modi’s involvement in facilitating these crimes against humanity. With the expose detailing the connivance of the state machinery and subversion by the police forces and judiciary, Rasheed Ahmed, President, Indian Muslim Council-USA asserted: “It is next to impossible to expect that justice will be done inside the state of Gujarat. IMC-USA demands the constitution of a special fast track court, outside Gujarat, to speedily prosecute and serve justice to the victims of crimes against humanity.” “It is not fitting for the largest democracy to have murderers, rapists and arsonists strutting around with impunity and gloating over their horrific deeds. In contrast, Muslim youth, minorities and the disadvantaged sections of the society are arrested and tortured upon mere suspicion or under false pretexts without even the minimal legal representation or due process of the law. The rule of law must reign supreme for the citizenry to put their faith in the government. The Government of India has a responsibility to answer the citizens as to what is preventing them from bringing down the fullest weight of the law upon these criminals.”, said Mirza Baig, Vice-President of IMC-USA. IMC-USA salutes the daring and courageous efforts of journalist Ashish Khetan and Tehelka in bringing out the truth of one of the worst massacres of independent India. They have done the best service to the country by exposing the Hindutva forces that threaten to destabilize the nation from within. CONTACT: Syed Ali Rahman phone: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@imc-usa.org

Press Release, Reports

Fact-finding Committee Report on illegal arrests torture in Hyderabad

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Independent Fact Finding Report on Illegal Arrests and Torture of youth in Hyderabad, post-Mecca Masjid bomb blasts that occoured A Report by Independent Fact-finding Committee investigating the allegations of Illegal arrests and Torture of Muslim youth by Andhra Pradesh police in the wake of the tiwn Bomb Blasts in Mecca Masjid and Gokul Chat that occoured on August 25, 2007 in Hyderabad, India. Report Published: Oct 10, 2007 By: Nirmala Gopala Krishnan K. Anuradha Mohammed Afzal You can view or download a copy of the Report from here.

Press Release

IMC-USA urges action against extremist rioters in UP; calls for a ban on Hindu Vahini

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October 20, 2005 IMC-USA, an advocacy group dedicated to protecting the rights of minorities and promoting pluralism, expressed dismay at the riots in Mau, a town in the Indian State of Uttar Pradesh. The extremist Hindutva-fascist group Hindu Vahini, headed by Mahant Adityanath of Gorakhpur, has been actively instigating and provoking violent acts in the area for quite some time. Mahant Adityanath, belonging to the BJP party, is a Member of Parliament. The widespread destruction of the local silk sari weaving industry by the riot instigators, is an oft repeated pattern of destroying the economic back bone of a specific community that depends on the trade for their survival. IMC-USA commends the UP Chief Minister’s decision in removing five civil and police officials including the Divisional Commissioner and the District Magistrate. While the state government seems to have taken some decisive actions, it is evident that it was negligent in not restricting the activities of Hindu Vahini before the riots started. IMC-USA urges all the communities in the state of UP to have active outreach programs that promote mutual respect and marginalize the religious extremists. IMC-USA presented a list of strategic requirements for the Uttar Pradesh state government to ensure justice for the victims and deterrence against future riots: a) The state government should call for an investigation by CBI, the central investigation agency of India. b) The government should ban Hindu Vahini and arrest its leaders and activists involved in rioting and spreading extremism. c) The government should suspend all negligent officers-in-charge of thanas (police precincts) in the affected areas. d) The government should ensure that all religious communities are represented in the manning of thanas (police precincts) of sensitive communities. e) Prompt compensation for the loss of life and limbs should be paid to all victims. f) Full and prompt compensation be paid for properties destroyed. CONTACT Syed Rahman 265 Sunrise Highway, suite 1-355 Rockville Centre, NY 11570 (516) 567- 0783 info@imc-usa.org

Press Release

IMC-USA urges action on illegal detention and torture of Muslim youth in Hyderabad

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 09, 2007 Indian Muslim Council – USA (http://www.imc-usa.org), an advocacy group dedicated towards safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, urges action from all those who believe in due process to demand transparent conduct from Hyderabad City Police forces. Desperate to cover up the administration’s failure in stopping terrorist incidents and under pressure to show results in the wake of the twin blasts, scores of indiscriminate arrests have apparently been made without even the semblance of a proper investigation. The police has shown itself time and again predisposed to victimize the Muslim community in the form of arrests and torture without any due diligence and formal charges. IMC-USA urges all concerned to: A. Immediately call and write to the authorities and demand the following: 1. Stop indiscriminate and illegal detention and torture of Muslim youth. 2. Publish list of those arrested and held in custody. 3. Produce the arrested before the magistrate as per law. 4. Take action against all police personnel mistreating families of those detained. 5. Demand the formation of a Citizen oversight committee to monitor human rights abuses by the Police. Please Call/Fax / Email (use included email form below) (Be polite but firm) Y S Rajshekar Reddy (Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh) Phone: +91-40-23451805 / 23456698 /23455205 +91-40-23410333 / 23410666 (Res) Fax: +91-40-23452498 / 23454828, +91-40-23410555 (Res) K.Jana Reddy (Minister for Home) Phone: +91-40-23457687 +91-40-23371166 (Res) +91-9849908505 (Mobile) Fax: +91-40-23457687 Balwinder Singh (Hyderabad City Police Commissioner) Phone: +91-40-27852432 / 23261666 Fax: +91-40-23227546 B. Forward this Action Alert to all friends and contacts and urge them to take action as well. RELATED NEWS: Release ‘illegally detained’ youth, say kin http://www.hindu.com/2007/09/05/stories/2007090562140500.htm ‘50 Muslims in ‘illegal’ custody’ http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/2338114.cms Families allege police harassment http://www.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=91760 Families of youth arrested in Hyderabad threaten agitation http://siasat.com/english/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=204403&Itemid=&cattitle=Hyderabad Families of youth arrested in Hyderabad threaten agitation http://in.news.yahoo.com/070904/43/6kb21.html Detained Muslims in Hyderabad are being released http://www.indianmuslims.info/news/2007/sep/05/detained_muslims_hyderabad_are_being_released.html Families of youth arrested in Hyderabad threaten agitation http://www.newkerala.com/july.php?action=fullnews&id=57533

Press Release

IMC-USA is shocked at the reports that claim arrests of scores of Muslims after the August 25 th Twin Bomb Blasts

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 5, 2007 Indian Muslim Council – USA (http://www.imc-usa.org), an advocacy group dedicated towards safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos is deeply shocked at the published news report that claims arrests of scores of Muslims after the August 25 th twin bomb blasts. The twin bomb blasts witnessed the loss of innocent lives from all religious backgrounds. However in an apparent knee jerk reaction, desperate to cover up the administrations failure in stopping these kinds of incidents, the police always is predisposed to victimize the Muslim community in the form of arrests and torture without any due diligence and formal charges. Indian Muslim Council-USA demands a formal justification of these kinds of abrupt arrests. IMC-USA condemns any kind of appeasement to any communal segments through these so called security measures. No community should be made a scapegoat for any election winning strategy. IMC-USA also urges National Human Rights Commission (NHRC)of India to immediately start an investigation into the alleged harassment of innocent and helpless people and publish its findings. IMC-USA also recommends that all the lawmakers including Members of Parliament and Members of Legislative Assembly representing Greater City of Hyderabad intervene in this matter and ensure due process upholding the law. CONTACT : Syed Ali Rahman 6321 W. Dempster St. Suite# 295 Morton Grove, IL 60053-2848 Tel: 1-800-839-7270 E-Mail: info@imc-usa.org

Press Release

NRI Muslims condemns the multiple bomb blasts and appeals to all communities for calm

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ndian Muslim Council-USA (IMC-USA) (http://www.imc-usa.com), an advocacy group dedicated towards safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, condemns the multiple bomb blasts in Hyderabad, A.P. and appeals to all communities to be calm and work together to dissect the source of such terror and remove this scourge of violence within India “Violence serves no cause, no religion and no community. Such barbaric acts only serve the agenda of anti-socials, fascists and extremists” Rasheed Ahmed, President of IMC-USA stated. He further added that “at times like these, the foremost need is to attend to the victims while urging the government to intensify efforts to identify the real perpetrators. It is a travesty of justice, that time and again such barbaric acts get politicized and in the process innocent people get victimized, while the real perpetrators of such terrorist activities stay at large.” Rahmat Baig, Vice-President of IMC-USA stated that “it is tragic that such barbaric acts are occurring with a regularity. Only the time and place changes. We have been focusing on foreign sources and agents for a while without much success. We urge the government to investigate domestic sources as well in the light of revelation about Nanded and Malegaon blasts and incidents involving a number of fake-encounters” . IMC-USA urges the State and Central Government to do its best to tend to the victims and their families. IMC-USA also hopes that a transparent and broad based investigation will be conducted to find the criminals and punish them to the fullest extent of the law. Contact: Zeeshan Farees 6321 W. Dempster St. Suite# 295 Morton Grove, IL 60053-2848 Tel: 1-800-839-7270 E-Mail: info@imc-usa.org

Press Release

IMC deplores the sequence of events triggered by the violent protest against Taslima Nasrin

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For Immediate Release: Indian Muslim Council-USA (http://www.imc-usa.org), an advocacy group dedicated towards safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, deplores the sequence of events triggered by the violent protest against Taslima Nasrin at the Hyderabad press club. It is unacceptable for anyone to indulge in violence or incitement of hate language, especially when it is done in the name of Islam and Muslims. We are further shocked by the bounty on Taslima Nasrin and condemn it in the strongest terms. India is a secular democracy that in principle protects the freedom of speech and religion of all. While some may use these freedoms to traffic in hate for political gains others use it for earning fame and money. We must not attempt to challenge this through use of violence and hate speech for it ultimately undermines the harmony and order in a society. There are many, like Taslima Nasrin, who blame Islam for all the ills of the world today, it seems freedom of speech has become a convenient platform for anti-Islam and anti-Muslim rhetoric. Islamophobia has become a global cottage industry. We believe, as hard as it may be the best approach to combat hate is through kindness and love as taught and practiced by Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him) alternatively engage the Islamophobes or ignore them. We hope that this new storm around Taslima Nasrin will result in a widespread dialogue on how to balance free speech, with respect for religion and sacred institutions. Various forums and critical reviews by individuals, organizations and media of Islamaphobe literature would expose the limited value and anti-Islam rhetoric. We also pray that in moments of trial, the leadership of the Indian Muslim community will act with wisdom and not in a way that empowers Islamophobes and brings disrepute and loss of good will for the community. Contact: Syed Ali Rehman 6321 W. Dempster St. Suite# 295 Morton Grove, IL 60053-2848 Tel: 1-800-839-7270 E-Mail: info@imc-usa.org Taslima Nasreen roughed up in Hyderabad http://www.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=90650 Hyderabad police lodge case against Taslima Nasreen http://www.rediff.com/news/2007/aug/11taslima.htm The Official Website of Tasleema Nasreen http://taslimanasrin.com/index2.html

Press Release

IMC-USA Congratulates Indians on Sixtieth Independence Day

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15 Aug 2007 Indian Muslim Council-USA (IMC-USA), on the occasion of the sixtieth anniversary of India’s independence, congratulates all Indians and people of Indian descent as well as those who love India. IMC-USA applauds India’s vibrant secular democracy that is admired the world over. IMC-USA is proud to see the phenomenal economical and technological progress India enjoys on this joyous day. IMC-USA invites all Indians to work together to leverage the current economical progress in removing poverty and mitigating class-based, caste and communal discrimination. August 15th is also the Fifth Anniversary of Indian Muslim Council-USA (IMC-USA). In the last five years IMC-USA has significantly contributed to the pluralistic and tolerant ethos of India by working with several other Indian organizations of varied background towards the upliftment of subjugated and oppressed fellow Indians.It is committed to continue to play a positive and constructive role in helping India become a beacon of social justice that other nations respect and admire. IMC-USA is confident that each anniversary of Indian independence will bring India closer to the vision of Gandhi, Nehru, Azad, Ambedkar and many other patriotic Indians. Happy Independence Day. CONTACT Syed Ali Rehman 6321 W. Dempster St. Suite# 295 Morton Grove, IL 60053-2848 Tel: 1-800-839-7270 E-Mail: info@imc-usa.org

Press Release

IMC-USA Condemns the Announcement of Reward for the Head of Danish Cartoonist

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Indian Muslim Council-USA, a group dedicated to the promotion of pluralism, unequivocally condemned the announcement of a reward on the head of the Danish "cartoonist" who drew the demonizing cartoons of Prophet Muhammad, by Yaqoob Qureishi an Indian politician. Dr. Shaik Ubaid, the president of IMC-USA said that the minister Qureishi should be sacked. Dr. Ubaid also denounced the alleged support given to the minster by a few Muslim leaders and welcomed the statement from Syed Qasim Rasool Ilyas, the official spokesman for All India Muslim personal Law Board who had stated that the Board does not support Qureishi’s views. Dr. Ubaid, who was instrumental in organizing a successful and peaceful protest rally in New York, said that while it is understandable as to why the Muslims feel so much hurt and anger at the insulting cartoons, the answer is to respond to this despicable and demonizing insult in a way that is consistent with the teachings of the Prophet who was sent as a mercy to all of humanity. "The Prophet not only forgave those who stoned him but prayed for them," . Dr. Ubaid said "Muslims must respond to this demonizing attack that was designed to portray Muslims as terrorists and to provoke them into violent reaction by protesting peacefully and by launching a campaign to educate others about the life and mission of our beloved Prophet, the most noble and successful man in history." Dr. Ubaid appealed to religious leaders to work towards developing understanding and religious tolerance and to jointly demand from their governments and the UN to devise laws that would make demonization of communities illegal. Dr. Ubaid appealed to the media not to sensationalize the issue and fan the flames of hatred and mistrust by highlighting just the violent protests and irresponsible statements. The issue is not about free speech versus blasphemy but about demonization. As we have seen in the case of the persecution of Dalits and the anti-Muslim pogroms in Gujarat or the genocide against Native Americans and Jews, demonization especially through the abuse of mass-media has disastrous consequences for the demonized community. The cartoons were published by Flemming Rose, the culture editor of a right wing Danish newspaper. The Danish government led by a right wing party which has refused to repeal discriminatory laws against Muslims initially reacted with arrogance to requests for meetings by Danish Muslims and Muslim ambassadors in Denmark. Contact person: M.K.Rahman 265 Sunrise Highway, Suite 1-355 Rockville Centre, NY 11570 (516) 567- 0783 info@imc-usa.org

Press Release

US Based Indian Rights Group Condemns Police Killings

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July 29, 2007 Indian Muslim Council – USA (http://www.imc-usa.org), an advocacy group dedicated towards safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, condemns the indiscriminate police firings on the demonstrators demanding land distribution to the poor in Mudugonda in Khammam district of Andhra Pradesh. The firing resulted in the deaths of 8 protesters and injured dozens of people. Live television footage also captured police cornering and beating up unarmed women. The use of lethal force without warning to disperse the demonstrators is deplorable. This pattern of unwarranted killings of innocent people is shocking and must be stopped immediately. In the recent past, similar incidents of police brutality included the killings of the fleeing worshipers after the bomb blast in the Mecca Masjid in Hyderabad, AP. Indian Muslim Council-USA in a statement demanded the establishment of a non-partisan oversight body under the purview of the National Human Rights commission to monitor the increasing human and civil rights abuses at the hands of the police in Andhra Pradesh. It also demanded an independent inquiry into the incident. “Indian police must learn how to bring law and order without killing” said Rasheed Ahmed, President of IMC-USA. He further added, “In absence of accountable and transparent law and order or good governance, it is conceivable that the worsening caste, class and communal relations could undermine the nation’s progress and deprive us of an opportunity to uplift hundreds of millions of Indian citizens from the gallows of poverty.” CONTACT: Syed Ali Rahman phone: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@imc-usa.org RELATED NEWS: Andhra CM orders judicial probe into police firing that killed eight http://www.indianmuslims.info/news/2007/jul/28/andhra_cm_orders_judicial… Eight killed in police firing in Andhra Pradesh http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/2241150.cms Andhra cops fire on land agitators, 8 killed http://www.ibnlive.com/news/andhra-cops-fire-on-land-agitators-8-killed/…

Press Release

IMC-USA commends the City of Hollywood, Florida for officially dissociating from Sadhvi Ritambhara Event

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June 23, 2007 Indian Muslim Council-USA, an advocacy group working towards protecting and promoting the pluralist and tolerant values of the Indian society along with a broad-based alliance representing Hindu, Christian and Muslim communities as well as organizations of secular persuasion commend the City of Hollywood, Florida for distancing itself from an event honoring Sadhvi Ritambhara. This announcement comes in the wake of a concerted campaign by Indian Americans of various background protesting the City of Hollywood’s ‘sponsorship’ of the event on Saturday June 23rd. Ms. Ritambhara is a leading member of Vishwa Hindu Parishad, a militant organization that has been implicated in promoting hatred and violence against Muslims, Christians and other cultural and religious minorities in India. Ms. Ritambhara is currently under-trial for her role in the Babri Mosque demolition case. On December 6, 1992, she incited an armed Hindu mob to tear down the 16th century Babri Mosque in Ayodhya, India, in violation of the order of the Indian Supreme Court. She further incited Hindu mobs to attack Muslims leading to over 3000 deaths in December 1992 and January 1993. Shrikumar Poddar, the Hindu spiritual leader of Vaishnava Center for Enlightenment, Lansing, MI said, “Sadhvi Ritambhara is the anti-thesis of Hinduism, always speaking ill of other faiths, I wonder how the State Department issues visa to such promoters of hatred”. The officials at the City of Hollywood were educated by the callers about the deplorable record of Ms. Ritambhara and were surprised to learn that the organizers had quoted City of Hollywood, Florida as one of the sponsors of the event. The City immediately demanded and received a written apology from the organizers of the event. Shekhar Reddy, writing on behalf of South Florida Hindu Association, apologized for the embarrassment caused to the City of Hollywood. The organizations that participated in this campaign include: Alliance for a Secular and Democratic South Asia Association of Indian Muslims of America (AIM) Dharma Megha Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations of North America (FIACONA) Friends of South Asia (FOSA) Hindu Vaishnava Center for Enlightenment Indian Muslim Council-USA (IMC-USA) Indian Muslim Relief and Charities (IMRC) India Foundation Indian American Coalition for Pluralism (IACP) Indian Christian Forum (ICF) International Service Society Muslim Youth Awareness Alliance (MYAA) NRI Coalition for Social Justice NRI’s For Secular and Harmonious India (NRI-SAHI) Seva International Supporters of Human Rights in India (SHRI) Vedanata Society of East Lansing Washington Watch. Links: <<>> <<>> <<>> CONTACT: Syed Rahman President

Press Release

IMC-USA condemns the bomb blasts in Gorakhpur

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May 22, 2007 Indian Muslim Council – USA (http://www.imc-usa.org), an advocacy group dedicated towards safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, condemns the serial bomb blasts in Gorakhpur with alarm at the increasing attacks on civilians throughout the nation. “Law and order is the responsibility of the government, the efforts to curb this violence must go beyond placing the blame on one party or the other” stated Mr. Rahmat Baig, Vice President of IMC-USA. He continued: ” To win the confidence of all communities the investigations must be transparent and include all sources of terror, home-grown or international”. IMC-USA welcomes the deployment of police in cities other than Gorakhpur in the State of UP. CONTACT: Syed Ali Rahman phone: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@imc-usa.org RELATED NEWS Serial blasts rock Gorakhpur http://www.deccanherald.com/Content/ May222007/national200705223125.asp Four hurt as three blasts rock Gorakhpur http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/000200705222101.htm Three blasts rock Gorakhpur, four injured http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/2067633.cms

Press Release

IMC-USA condemns the bomb blasts targeting worshipers in Hyderabad

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May 18, 2007 Indian Muslim Council – USA (http://www.imc-usa.org), an advocacy group dedicated towards safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, condemns the bomb blasts in the prominent Mecca Masjid in Hyderabad, India, timed during the Friday congregational prayer aimed at inflicting maximum casualties. Mecca Masjid, a historical 17th century mosque, not far from the famed Charminar in one of the largest mosques in Hyderabad. During Friday congregational prayers, the number of Muslims attending the service runs into several thousands. According to initial reports, prayers were in progress when the bombs were triggered by remote control, highlighting the planning and intent of the attackers. Some unexploded bombs were diffused soon after, which if had gone off amongst the worshipers would have increased the casualties even further. IMC-USA extends its heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and appreciates the prompt commitment to conduct a thorough investigation and announcements of relief to victims. The deployment of Rapid Action Force is a welcome measure to secure the law and order. However, the death of several innocent citizens due to the indiscriminate police firing must be investigated independently. Rasheed Ahmed, President of IMC-USA echoed Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s appeal for peace and urged all communities to not let this gruesome attack be exploited by divisive groups. “We implore the government to take all necessary steps to prevent this incident from spiraling into communal unrest in the state and beyond. It should also order a CBI inquiry into this blasts and bring the perpetrators to book and punish them to the maximum extent of the law”, he said. “In view of the local connection to Nanded and the Malegaon bomb blasts we should reserve the initial judgments about the source of these murderous acts” cautioned Rasheed Ahmed. He added “A transparent and swift investigation to find the terrorists behind these gruesome crimes by the Andhra Pradesh government will go a long way to build the confidence of law abiding people and set a example for other states where similar cases goes unresolved”. CONTACT: Syed Ali Rahman phone: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@imc-usa.org

Press Release

Indian Muslim Council-USA Calls for Justice to the victims on the Fifth Anniversary of Gujarat Massacres

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March 04, 2007 Indian Muslim Council-USA ( IMC -USA), an advocacy group dedicated towards safeguarding India ‘s pluralist and tolerant ethos calls for justice for the victims on the fifth anniversary of Gujarat massacres and expresses its solidarity with the people of Gujarat who are fighting for justice under the fascist regime. Human Rights observers in India have documented that in 2002, Hindu nationalists in Gujarat embarked on a brutal massacre of over 2,000 persons, rapes of hundreds of Muslim women and the systematic decimation of the socio-economic infrastructure of Muslims running into billions of rupees. Hundreds of Muslim religious monuments were also destroyed. Substantially all organs of the Gujarat state government led by the Hindu nationalists were involved in orchestrating these pogroms. Recent reports reveal that close to 10,000 families are still living in 80 make-shift relief camps, not recognized by the state government and without any basic civic amenities. Out of the 4,000 police reports that were filed in the aftermath of violence 5 years ago, only a handful of culprits have been brought to justice so far and most police complaints were summarily dismissed without investigation. In contrast, the state police have adopted a policy of victimizing the victim by making hundreds of arbitrary arrests of Muslims under the draconian POTA law that provides no legal recourse to the accused. IMC-USA demands that Government of India establish a high level independent commission that includes members from all walks of life including representatives of Dalit, Christian, Hindu and Muslim victims to investigate the pogroms and bring the perpetrators of these ghastly crimes to justice. This commission should also provide succor to its victims of grotesque violence that was unleashed with the complicity of the highest level of authorities in the State of Gujarat . The continued inaction from the Government to remedy the injustice would appear as an appeasement to the soft-Hindutva sentiments of some in the state bureaucracy. As an emerging power on the world stage, India cannot overlook abuses of basic human rights on its own citizens and expects to lead the nation with the moral authority that will be scrutinized with each step of Indian prominence and leadership. India must not miss the opportunity to regain its moral authority by going through a process similar to the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission to overcome this dark chapter of our nation’s history. CONTACT: Syed Ali Rahman Phone: 1-800-839-7270 Email: info@imc-usa. org Five years after Godhra and the pogrom By Dionne Bunsha http://www.hindu. com/2007/ 02/28/stories/ 2007022802811000 .htm  

Press Release

IMC-USA condemns killing of protesting farmers by the police in Nandigram

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March 17, 2007 Indian Muslim Council – USA (http://www.imc-usa.org), an advocacy group dedicated towards safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, condemns the killing of protesting villagers, including women and children by the police personnel. “No economic benefit justifies loss of life” said Rasheed Ahmed, President, IMC-USA; he added that “The intent, goal and objective of any economic development is to dignify life not to exterminate life itself. What happened in Gujarat in 2002 was not surprising given the fascist ideology of the leadership in the Gujarat government but in a Left-ruled state this is astounding” Using the state machinery to trample the rights of the citizenry, ostensibly in the name of promoting development, only highlights the contempt for democracy by the entrenched ruling class. Absence of any swift and decisive actions to render justice to the victims by bringing the perpetrators to book will only promote the culture of impunity that is prevalent within the law enforcement and political circles in India . All justice and fair minded people will be following the level of transparency of the ongoing investigations and the accountability of the West Bengal government ruled by the Left Front who have benefited from the sympathies of poor and marginalized. IMC-USA extends its heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims. Although there is no equitable compensation for the loss of lives, IMC-USA demands that all victims and their families be adequately compensated by the government and to expedite the CBI inquiry into this tragedy. The government should also come clean on the events preceding the firing which apparently drove the villagers into destroying access routes into the area. CONTACT: Syed Ali Rahman phone: 1-800-839-7270 email: info@imc-usa.org

Press Release

Indian Muslim Council-USA condemns the Samjhauta Express train blasts

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February 19, 2007 Indian Muslim Council-USA (IMC-USA), an advocacy group dedicated toward the promotion of pluralism in India and the US, condemns the devastating blast in the train dubbed as Samjhauta Express en route to Pakistan. Mirza Baig, IMC-USA’s Vice President, denounced the terrorists behind the bombings saying, "Such barbaric acts of violence never serve any cause and can never be justified. We extend our heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims". Baig urged the government of India to immediately conduct a thorough investigation and take every possible measure to bring the perpetrators to justice. Baig also stated that IMC-USA appeals to the authorities to provide prompt and adequate compensation to next of the kin of the victims’. Indian Muslim Council-USA is a Washington based advocacy group working towards safeguarding Indian society’s pluralist and tolerant ethos. CONTACT Syed Rahman Ali Tel: 1-800-839-7270 E-mail: info@imc-usa.org Related stories: Sonia condemns train blast http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1636684.cms Police questioning Pak passenger, toll 66 http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Police_question_Pak _passenger_about_explosives_train_toll_66/articleshow/1636456.cms 64 Die on India Train; Militants Blamed http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6425364,00.html

Press Release

Indian Muslim Council-USA congratulates all Indians on the Republic Day

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January 26, 2007 Indian Muslim Council-USA ( IMC-USA), an advocacy group dedicated toward the promotion of pluralism in India and the US, congratulates all Indians including those living overseas on the occasion of India’s Republic Day. On its first Republic Day, India as nation pledged to honor the aspirations of countless freedom fighters by drafting a constitution that provides justice, liberty and equality to all its citizens irrespective of their caste, religion, race or social standing. Today, India is recognized as an emerging world power with a robust economy and rapid technological advancement. IMC-USA is proud of India’s achievements and progress. IMC-USA also considers it to be patriotic to face the challenges head on. India’s challenge today is to protect this progress from crumbling due to the polarization created by extremist organizations adhering to fascist ideologies. The other challenge is to ensure that all segments of its citizens are part of this growth and avoid an economic collapse due to social unrest, poverty and illiteracy. A feeling of desperation and hopelessness on the economic and social front of a segment of Indians is a clear danger to progress and stability of India. On the occasion of the Republic Day, Mr. Rasheed Ahmed, President of IMC-USA, said “I appeal to all Indians to work towards eliminating communally charged hate politics, reverse the downward slide of a large segment of Indian population and give our future generations a nation that is prosperous and peaceful”. He also urged the Indian government to leverage the present economic opportunity and launch a national initiative to attain national prosperity for all its citizens regardless of their race, caste or religion. Indian Muslim Council-USA is a Washington based advocacy group working towards safeguarding Indian society’s pluralist and tolerant ethos. Contact: Syed Ali Rahman Telephone: 1-800-839-7270 Email: info@imc-usa. org

Press Release, Reports

Sachar Committee Report

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Prime Minister’s High Level Committee (PMHLC) Report on Indian Muslims. (Also known as “Sachar Committee Report” after its Chairman Justice Rajinder Sachar. ) A Report on Social, Economic and Educational Status of the Muslim Community of India Prime Minister’s High Level Committee Cabinet Secretariat Government of India November, 2006 You can view or download a copy of the Sachar Committee Report from here.

Press Release

Indian Muslim Council-USA condemns Malegaon blasts and calls for transparent investigation

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September, 8 2006 Indian Muslim Council-USA, an advocacy group working toward safeguarding Indian society’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, condemned the multiple bomb blasts in Malegaon town, near Mumbai, on September 8, 2006. An estimated 75% of the population in Malegaon is Muslim. According to initial news reports these blasts were near a Mosque and graveyard immediately after the Friday congressional prayers were concluded and worshipers were returning, reports of dead are as high as 35 with scores of others seriously injured. Rasheed Ahmed of IMC-USA said, “We condemn these gruesome crimes. This is yet another attempt to split the communities in India. Such senseless acts of violence must be seen in the context of the fascist agenda of militant organizations in India. We call on the Indian government to arrest the perpetrators of this terrorist act and bring these terrorists to justice and seek maximum penalty under the law. We are confident that Indian citizens of all religious and secular backgrounds will not let these bombings be exploited by those political parties and religious groups that do not believe in pluralism and secular democracy”. Ahmed also urged the government of India to conduct a transparent and thorough investigation. IMC-USA called on all Indians to join together and condemn this violence against innocent civilians and urged the government of India to provide prompt and adequate compensation to the victims and their families. Since its launch on the anniversary of India’s Independence Day, August 15th, 2002, IMC-USA has been actively promoting values of pluralism and tolerance amongst the Indian Diaspora in the United States. Indian Muslim Council-USA 265 Sunrise Highway, 1-355 Rockville Center, NY 11570 Tel: 1-800-839-7270

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IMC-USA Congratulates Indians on Independence

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August 15, 2006 Indian Muslim Council-USA congratulates all Indians and people of Indian descent as well as those who love India on the occasion of the 59th anniversary of India’s independence. Dr. Shaik Ubaid, congratulated the members and supporters of IMC-USA on the fourth anniversary of the organization’s launch and urged them to remain steadfast in their mission. IMC-USA was launched on August 15, 2002 as an advocacy organization to protect and promote pluralism. According to the IMC-USA’s annual tradition, Dr. Ubaid invited all Indians to take a solemn pledge to work to make India a great country where poverty, social injustice, religious intolerance and corruption are no longer allowed to prevent the nation from achieving its glorious and rightful place in the world. Dr. Ubaid said that the great nation of India which was once the world’s envy because of its rich diversity and prosperity is a work in progress and therefore, IMC-USA will remain steadfast and consistent in its annual Independence Day message. "Indian Muslims who are the single largest religious minority in the world are committed to the idea and dream of India as envisioned by its founders- Gandhi, Nehru, Ambedkar and Azad, said Dr. Ubaid. After all it was under the Muslim rule that the region was united as a single political entity. Muslims have contributed to the economic and civilizational revival of India in the middle ages and were in the forefront of the freedom struggle. We will continue to work to make India a better place and a greater country," proclaimed Dr. Ubaid. CONTACT Syed Rahman Ali 265 Sunrise Highway, Suite 1-355 Rockville Center, NY 11570 Tel: (516) 567-0783 E-mail: info@imc-usa.org  

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Indian Muslim Council-USA condemns Bombay train blasts

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July 11, 2006 Indian Muslim Council-USA, an advocacy group working toward safeguarding Indian society’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, condemned the multiple bomb blasts in Mumbai, India on July 11, 2006. According to initial news reports received on July 11, 2006, more than 100 innocent lives were lost when multiple bomb explosions hit Bombay’s busy commuter rail network during busy rush hour. Dr. Shaik Ubaid, President of IMC-USA said, "We condemn these heinous crimes. The perpetrators are not only just enemies of India but enemies of humanity. We are always deeply pained by such senseless acts of violence. We call on the Indian government to arrest the perpetrators of this terrorist act and swiftly bring them to justice and seek maximum penalty under the law. We are confident that Indian government will not let these bombings be exploited by those political parties and religious groups that do not believe in pluralism and secular democracy. We stand in sympathy with the families and friends of those who lost their lives and call on all Indians to join together and condemn this violence against innocent civilians." Since it’s launch on the anniversary of India’s independence day, August 15th, 2002, IMC-USA has been actively promoting values of pluralism and tolerance amongst the Indian Diaspora in the United States. Indian Muslim Council-USA 265 Sunrise Highway, 1-355 Rockville Center, NY 11570 Tel: (516) 567-0783 E mail:info@imc-usa.org web:www.imc-usa.org   Contact: Shaik Ubaid Telephone: (516) 567-0783

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IMC-USA alarmed over deteriorating law & order situation in Gujarat, India

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Condemns Modi administration’s killing of Muslim protestors, illegal shrine demolition New York, 3nd May 2006: Indian Muslim Council-USA, an US based advocacy group dedicated to the promotion of pluralism, strongly condemned the Gujarat state government’s demolition of a 300 year old historical Muslim shrine and the subsequent police shooting at civilian protesters that killed atleast 4 people and injured dozens. The government of India’s western state of Gujarat is headed by Narendra Modi, who was banned last year by the US State Department from entering the United States on account of his role in numerous human rights abuses. The 300 year old Muslim shrine was demolished by the city’s municipal authorities under the pretext that it was an “illegal encroachment” prompting India’s National Commission on Minorities to state: “It stands to reason that a structure that pre-dates a master plan cannot be put to the category of ‘encroachment’. Nor could it be the policy of the government to pull down historical monuments”. “The systematic demolitions of Muslim monuments and properties under various pretexts have now become an established pattern of the Modi government in its drive to intimidate and ethnically cleanse Muslims from Gujarat” said Zeeshan Farees, spokeswoman for the Indian Muslim Council-USA. Farees expressed alarm at the news reports that many Muslim localities were surrounded by mobs belonging to the Hindu extremist groups and of Muslim individuals being attacked and burned alive. She supported the calls by the Indian human rights activists for urgent intervention by the Central Indian government. “IMC-USA has launched an action alert in this regard. Human Rights Watch and other rights groups have amply documented the role played by the local administration and the state police forces in Gujarat which acted with prejudice and aided mobs in the massacre of Muslims during the 2002 carnage. We need the Federal police forces and military to be called in to bring the situation under control.” she said. Modi’s government has been widely accused by Indian and International human rights organizations of playing an active role in the massacre of over 2,000 Muslims, the rape of hundreds of Muslim women and the ethnic cleansing of over 150,000 people during the 2002 violence in Gujarat. Over 260 Mosques and shrines were destroyed during violence that erupted under Modi’s administration 3 years back. Low intensity violence and intimidation against religious minorities has been continuing in the state for several years. CONTACT: Zeeshan Farees 265 Sunrise Highway, Suite 1-355 Rockville Centre, NY 11570 (516) 567- 0783 info@imc-usa.org

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IMC-USA Condemns the Massacre of innocent civilians in Kashmir

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May 1, 2006. The Indian Muslim Council-USA, an advocacy organization of Muslims in the United States hailing from India and dedicated to the promotion of pluralism, mourns the loss of innocent lives in Kashmir. According to media reports 35 Hindu civilians were massacred in Kashmir. Dr. Shaik Ubaid President of IMC-USA said, "We condemn this cowardly, barbaric and heinous massacre. We stand in sympathy with the families and friends of those who were killed in cold blood, and request an immediate investigation of the incidents. We demand that the perpetrators be brought to justice to the fullest extent of law and the victims families be compensated." Contact person: ZEESHAN FAREES 265 Sunrise Highway, Suite 1-355 Rockville Centre, NY 11570 (516) 567- 0783 info@imc-usa.org Link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4961464.stm  

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IMC-USA Condemns Series of Explosions in Srinagar and Jama Masjid

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April 15, 2006 Indian Muslim Council – USA (http://www.imc-usa.org), an advocacy group dedicated to promoting pluralism in India and the US, condemned the series of explosions in Srinagar, the capital of Jammu and Kashmir and in the most famous Mosque in India the Delhi Jama Masjid that killed 5 and injured scores of innocent civilians including worshipers. IMC-USA urges a high-level investigation to bring the perpetrators to justice. Dr. Shaik Ubaid, President of IMC-USA said "these violent acts point towards a pattern by extremist groups to undermine communal harmony in India and to polarize the nation for the political benefit of the extremist parties. Earlier in April, lack of proper handling of sensitive issues by the local administration resulted in the deaths of several Muslim youth in the city of Aligarh in Uttar Pradesh. The victims were allegedly shot by the provincial police, which has historically been notorious for its mishandling of minorities." IMC-USA congratulates all Indians, especially the Muslim community for showing tremendous restraint. Referring to the bomb blasts in the city of Nanded Dr. Ubaid expressed his concern about the home-grown terrorism. Indian media has reported that according to police officials in Nanded, militants from Bajrang Dal, a terrorist Hindu group were actually making a bomb that exploded. The bomb blasts have occurred on the eve of Hindutva supremo Lal Krishna Advani’s campaign of nationwide marches called Bharat Suraksha Yatra.. Dr Ubaid reminded that it was Mr. Advani’s Yatra that created the conditions in which the historic Babri Masjid was demolished in 1992 by the Hindutva militants. Dr. Ubaid also reminded that in the aftermath of Babri Masjid demolition more than 2000 Muslims were massacred in Bombay and other cities of India. Hindutva is a fascist movement that was founded in 1920’s on the model of Mussolini’s Fascist Party and later adopted Hitler’s model of Final Solution for its genocidal policies against the Muslim and Christian minorities of India. Hindutva movement operates many fronts and has spread its tentacles world wide. Some of the Hindutva activities in the US can be researched on the website www.coalitionagainstgenocide.org. Contact person: ZEESHAN FAREES 265 Sunrise Highway, Suite 1-355 Rockville Centre, NY 11570 (516) 567- 0783 info@imc-usa.org Link: http://ia.rediff.com/news/2006/apr/14masjid.htm?q=tp http://in.rediff.com/news/2006/apr/14blasts.htm http://web.mid-day.com/news/nation/2006/april/134896.htm

Press Release

IMC-USA Condemns Varanasi Blasts; Urges govt to conduct thorough investigationCondemns

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March 6, 2006 Indian Muslim Council – USA (http://www.imc-usa.org), an advocacy group dedicated to promoting pluralism in India and the US, condemned the explosions that damaged a railway station and a Hindu temple in Varanasi and is deeply saddened by the loss of innocent lives. Khaleel UrRahman, IMC-USA’s Secretary General, denounced the terrorists behind the bombings saying, "Such heinous acts of violence can never be justified by any cause. We extend our sincere condolences to the families of the men, women and children who were killed. These innocent civilians were going about their lives and engaged in worship and spritual rituals. Our deepest sympathies are with the families who will be mourning their irreparable losses." According to initial news reports, on Tuesday three explosions rocked the city of Varanasi located in the state of Uttar Pradesh. Atleast 15 people are feared dead and scores injured. Rahman urged the government of India to conduct a transparent and thorough investigation and take every possible measure to bring the perpetrators to justice. Rahman also stated that IMC-USA is asking the government of India to provide prompt and adequate compensation to the victims and their families. Contact person: Zeeshan Farees 265 Sunrise Highway, Suite 1-355 Rockville Centre, NY 11570 (516) 567- 0783 info@imc-usa.org Links: http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=1695800 http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2006-03-07T152642Z_01_DEL322678_RTRUKOC_0_UK-INDIA-EXPLOSION.xml

Press Release

IMC-USA Condemns Varanasi Blasts; Urges govt to conduct thorough investigation

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March 6, 2006 Indian Muslim Council – USA (http://www.imc-usa.org), an advocacy group dedicated to promoting pluralism in India and the US, condemned the explosions that damaged a railway station and a Hindu temple in Varanasi and is deeply saddened by the loss of innocent lives. Khaleel UrRahman, IMC-USA’s Secretary General, denounced the terrorists behind the bombings saying, "Such heinous acts of violence can never be justified by any cause. We extend our sincere condolences to the families of the men, women and children who were killed. These innocent civilians were going about their lives and engaged in worship and spritual rituals. Our deepest sympathies are with the families who will be mourning their irreparable losses." According to initial news reports, on Tuesday three explosions rocked the city of Varanasi located in the state of Uttar Pradesh. Atleast 15 people are feared dead and scores injured. Rahman urged the government of India to conduct a transparent and thorough investigation and take every possible measure to bring the perpetrators to justice. Rahman also stated that IMC-USA is asking the government of India to provide prompt and adequate compensation to the victims and their families. Contact person: Zeeshan Farees 265 Sunrise Highway, Suite 1-355 Rockville Centre, NY 11570 (516) 567- 0783 info@imc-usa.org Links: http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=1695800 http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2006-03-07T152642Z_01_DEL322678_RTRUKOC_0_UK-INDIA-EXPLOSION.xml  

Press Release

IMC-USA welcomes the report; Banerjee Commission concludes that the Godhra train burning was an accident

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March 03, 2006 Indian Muslim Council-USA, an organization dedicated to the protection and promotion of pluralism, welcomes the Justice Banerjee Commission’s conclusion that the February 27, 2002 blaze in the Sabarmati Express at Godhra was "accidental". The Sangh Parivar and the State government of Chief Minister Narendra Modi had blamed that the occurrence of mass scale ethnic cleansing of Muslims that followed the Sabarmati Express event as a reaction to the mischief by Muslims that had set the train on fire. The committee eliminated the ‘petrol theory’, ‘miscreant activity theory’ and ruled out the possibility of ‘electrical fire’. Mr. Rasheed Ahmed, Acting President, IMC-USA while congratulating the Commission members said "This again proves that the pogrom that took place in Gujarat four years back was well planned and orchestrated. The perpetrators just used this incident as an excuse to further their agenda". He further hoped that "the Central and State government will now investigate who were responsible for planning and executing a statewide pogrom targeted towards an specific minority community." He also "expressed his sympathies with the families of those perished in the train burning" See Also: ‘Sabarmati Express fire accidental’ http://in.rediff.com/news/2006/mar/03best.htm Contact: Syed Rahman 265 Sunrise Highway, suite 1-355 Rockville Centre, NY 11570 (516) 567- 0783 info@imc-usa.org  

Press Release

Indian Americans observe the fourth anniversary of Gujarat Pogrom

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February 28, 2006 is the fourth anniversary of the Gujarat genocide. On this day four years ago, a well-planned pogrom was unleashed on Muslims in the Indian state of Gujarat, after a train carrying Hindu pilgrims caught fire during a confrontation between Hindu militants traveling in the train and the Muslims from the town of Godhra, killing fifty nine passengers. Extremist Hindu parties espousing the supremacist ideology of Hindutva used the incident to incite Hindu passions into a frenzy of religious hatred. Hindu mobs went on a well-planned rampage targeting Muslim homes and businesses. Villages and cities across the state of Gujarat witnessed weeks of arson, killing, rape and ethnic cleansing of its Muslim population. When the pogrom subsided, human rights groups estimated that over 2000 civilians were killed, hundreds of women were raped, over 150,000 were displaced and the socio-economic infrastructure of the Muslim community was completely destroyed. Four years have passed since, but the Gujarat government has failed to investigate and prosecute those responsible. Although, India‘s Supreme Court intervened by moving the trials out of Gujarat and ordered fresh trials in over 2000 cases, the wheels of justice are moving too slowly for the victims. The trial in one of the cases completed last week resulting in life sentences to 9 accused that were part of a mob that attacked and burned the Muslim-owned Best Bakery killing 14 people that had taken shelter there. Otherwise, there has been little accountability for the perpetrators who continue to roam freely and intimidate their victims. Although the Congress led government elected in 2004 took important steps in recognizing the victims of the anti-Sikh riots in 1984, it has not done much to bring the perpetrators of Gujarat genocide to justice. The hate-mongering and brain-washing of the younger generation by the Hindutva movement has not stopped. In a way the Gujarat pogrom that started in 2002 continues even today. Majority of the displaced victims are too scared to return to their homes and live in slums and ghettos. According to human rights activists, hundreds of thousands of Muslims living in the villages of Gujarat are subjected to a brutal economic boycott and low scale sustained violence. The perpetrators of the Gujarat ethnic cleansing had termed it "a successful experiment" and vowed to repeat it all over India. They have spread the climate of fear to other states such as Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Chattisgarh and Karnataka. They have now turned their attention to the Christian community as evidenced by their recent mobilizations in states of Orissa and Gujarat. Hindutva is an ultra-nationalist movement launched in the 1920’s to gain Hindu supremacy over India and is modeled on Mussolini’s Fascist Party. The Hindutva leaders admire Hitler and his persecutions of Jews and find in it an example to emulate for subjugating India‘s minorities. Their project of "Akhand Bharat" aims to transform India‘s multi-ethnic and pluralist society into a Hindu state engulfing its South Asian neighbors to make India a Hindutva super-power. They have embarked on social re-engineering projects by teaching a bigoted history glorifying India‘s past and victimizing India’s minorities. They brainwash young minds and espouse hatred against non-Hindu minorities who they perceive as a threat to Hindu supremacy. Apart from the terrible human tragedy, these violent riots and pogroms that erupt from time to time in such a climate, bring bad name to India and also pose a threat to its growing economy. Dr. Shaik Ubaid, President of IMC-USA released the following statement on the occasion of the fourth anniversary of the Gujarat pogrom: "The fourth anniversary of the Gujarat pogrom coincides with the centenary celebrations of the Hindutva guru, Golwalker. The teachings of Golwalker and others like him are used by Hindutva-fascists to spread their hateful message all over the world including the United States. We urge all peace and pluralism loving groups to join the Coalition to Build a Better India and other such pluralist alliances and to work hard to bring the perpetrators of the Gujarat pogrom to justice. Their prosecution will be a deterrent for future genocides. IMC-USA calls as true patriots, the Indians who are engaged in exposing the horrible crimes and the dangers that the Hindutva-fascism poses to India. On this anniversary, as is our tradition, we wish to thank decent men and women of different faiths and also those who do not follow any particular faith, who stood shoulder to shoulder with us. To them we say, Our Struggle Will Continue. And on this anniversary, let we, the members and volunteers of IMC-USA, renew the pledge we made to the victims of Gujarat genocide – "Never Again!" Contact: M.K.Rahman, Secretary General Indian Muslim Council-USA 265 Sunrise Highway 1-355 Rockville Center, NY 11570 Tel: (516) 567-0783 E-mail: media@imc-usa.org  

Press Release

IMC-USA Welcomes the Conviction in the Gujarat Massacre. Demands Dismissal of Modi Government

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February 25, 2006 Indian Muslim Council-USA, an organization dedicated to the protection and promotion of pluralism, welcomed the conviction of nine people in the notorious Best Bakery arson-massacre where 14 people were brutally killed. On March 1, 2002, a violent mob of about 500 people, according to testimonies to the National Human Rights Commission, killed 14 people at the Best Bakery in Vadodara Gujarat. In the pre-meditated and well organized pogrom more than 2000 people were killed, hundreds of girls and women gang-raped and more than 150,000 people were made refugees in their own country. Human Rights organizations have held the state government complicit in the pogrom This verdict was given by the special court appointed by the Supreme Court after the State government and law-enforcement agencies conspired to deny justice to the victims of the Gujarat pogrom. The prosecution closed more than 2000 cases and did not mount an effective case in the few instances they brought charges thus leading to acquittals. According to Justice V.N.Khare, the retired chief justice of India’s supreme Court who ordered the special court, a fair trial could be held because he had ordered the trial to be moved out of the state of Gujarat. Commenting on the landmark verdict, Rasheed Ahmed, the Vice President of IMC-USA said "The verdict now gives hope that justice will finally be done for the tens of thousands of victims." He congratulated the Human rights campaigners, such as Teesta Satalvad for her unwavering pursuit of justice in spite of intimidation by powerful interest groups. "The verdict is against the state government as well, the central government should dismiss the state government for its complicity in the pogroms and for its ongoing role in the denial of justice. As long as Narendra Modi is allowed to stay in power justice can not be effectively rendered." declared Ahmed. Contact person: M.K.Rahman 265 Sunrise Highway, Suite 1-355 Rockville Centre, NY 11570 (516) 567- 0783 info@imc-usa.org Best Bakery case: 9 get life term http://hindustantimes.com/news/181_1634340,001301170000.htm India: Carnage in Gujarat Unpunished http://hrw.org/english/docs/2003/02/27/india5336.htm India: Protect Witness in Gujarat http://hrw.org/english/docs/2004/04/13/india8429.htm  

Press Release

IMC-USA Condemns Delhi Blasts

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October 29,2005 Indian Muslim Council – USA (http://www.imc-usa.org), an advocacy group dedicated to promoting pluralism in India and the US, strongly condemned the killing of innocent civilians in Delhi, India. Rasheed Ahmed, IMC-USA’s acting President, denounced the terrorists behind the bombings saying, "Such heinous acts of violence can never be justified by any cause. We extend our sincerest condolences to the families of the men, women and children who were killed. These innocent civilians were out shopping for the Hindu festival of Diwali and the Muslim festival of Eid-ul-Fitr (Ramadan) and now, instead of celebrating their religious holidays, the families will be mourning their irreparable losses." According to initial news reports, on the evening of October 29, 2005, three bombs exploded in two markets and near a bus in Delhi, killing 50 people and injuring over 70 others, including some foreigners. Ahmed urged the government of India to conduct a transparent and thorough investigation and take every possible measure to bring the perpetrators to justice. Ahmed also stated that IMC-USA is asking the government of India to provide prompt and adequate compensation to the victims and their families. Contact person: Zeeshan Farees 265 Sunrise Highway, Suite 1-355 Rockville Centre, NY 11570 (516) 567- 0783 info@imc-usa.org  

Press Release

IMC-USA urges President Bush to attend Diwali celebrations; decries India League’s anti-Muslim statement

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October 24, 2005 Indian Muslim Council-USA, an advocacy group dedicated to the promotion of pluralism in India and the US called upon President Bush to attend the White House celebrations of the Hindu festival of Diwali. IMC-USA is also urging its supporters to call the White House to request the President’s attendance at the Diwali festivities. Responding to the media reports that India League’s executive director, Don Feder, while asking President Bush to attend the Diwali celebrations, had put the Muslims down by implying they are anti-American where as Hindus are pro-American, Dr. Shaik Ubaid, the President of IMC-USA called the statement “Unfortunate, divisive, ill-informed and unpatriotic.” Dr. Ubaid went on to explain, “Hinduism is a major world religion and the President must respect it as he respects Christianity, Islam and Judaism. In fact the President must respect all religions and I am sure he does. This should have been the premise of India League. Why did Mr. Feder have to put Muslims down and imply that Muslims do not like America and Hindus do? India is not a Hindu country. The world’s second largest Muslim community of over 150 million Muslims lives in India and when Mr. Bush celebrated Ramadan he was honoring Indian Muslims as well as India. Nor are all Indians robots who follow a single political philosophy. Any one who reads the Indian media knows that some Hindus, as well as the majority of Hindutva-fascists, are anti-American. The Hindutva supporters burnt the effigy of Mr. Bush and attacked American businesses in Gujarat when the US revoked the visa of their leader Narendra Modi because of his involvement in the anti-Muslim pogroms and persecution of Christians.” IMC-USA had supported the campaign to get a Hindu commissioner on the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF). “We supported Preeta Bansal as the Hindu commissioner and opposed the extremist Hindutva-fascist candidates as they did not represent Hinduism but represented an exclusivist, violent and fascist-inspired ideology called Hindutva that has been the motivating factor in anti-minorities pogroms in India. India League must stand up for all Indians and join broad-based coalitions of Indians living in the US such as Coalition to Build a Better India, Promise of India and Coalition Against Genocide,” Dr. Ubaid said. Both India and the US consider the Muslim world to be vital for their economic and geo-strategic interests and urge their respective Muslim citizens to help build stronger relations with the Muslim countries. The US- Muslim relations date back to the American war of Independence when Tippu Sultan of India and the King of Morocco were the first non-European rulers to recognize the US as an independent nation. Reference: Bush requested to attend Diwali celebrations at the White House http://us.rediff.com/news/2005/oct/22diwali.htm?q=tp&file=.htm Contact person: M.K.Rahman 265 Sunrise Highway, suite 1-355 Rockville Centre, NY 11570 (516) 567- 0783 info@imc-usa.org

Press Release

IMC-USA urges Indian Govt & NGOs to increase relief efforts

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IMC-USA urges Indian Govt & NGOs to increase relief efforts; Urges US to grant temporary amnesty to undocumented Indians from Jammu & Kashmir. October 23, 2005 Indian Muslim Council-USA, an advocacy group dedicated to the promotion of pluralism in India and the US, expressed alarm at the lack of a robust response from the Indian government and the prominent Indian and Non Resident Indian (NRI) NGOs to the earthquake that has devastated large parts of Jammu and Kashmir. Kashmiris have been protesting the less than satisfactory relief efforts of the Indian government as well as the double standards shown by the business community and the high-profile NGOs. Media reports have quoted Kashmiri leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq’s reference to the massive relief efforts of the private sector and NGOs after the earthquake in Gujarat a few years ago, "It is sad that people have not responded to this great tragedy. This was not expected. When Latur and Bhuj were ravaged, big industrialists stepped forward to help. But no one seems to be coming to our aid." Khaleej Times has reported from the French news agency, AFP, that villagers in Indian Kashmir on Wednesday blocked roads with burning tires, halting relief trucks to protest a lack of supplies to several remote villages more than a week after a devastating earthquake. According to the newspaper, residents poured onto the main highway at various places in northern Tangdar sector, one of the two worst hit districts of Indian Kashmir, witnesses said. "We are worried that this lack of compassion by Indian and NRI relief and professional organizations will further alienate Kashmiris who are feeling abandoned," said Rasheed Ahmed, the vice president of IMC-USA. "The last time we checked, AAPI and AAHOA websites were silent about the Kashmir earthquake just as they were when thousands of Indians were killed and maimed in the anti-Muslim pogroms in Gujarat three years ago," said Ahmed, referring to the physician and hotel owners associations of Indian-Americans. He added, “The army has done a good job of providing relief but the Indian government’s efforts in providing prompt and life-saving relief especially in remote areas have not been up to the mark." In a letter to the Prime Minister of India, Ahmed urged the Indian government to undertake the following steps: In the short term: Every affected family must be provided with a winter tent, winter clothing, water, food and medicine. In the mid term: Army barracks and government buildings should be used for housing and for temporary schools. In the long term: The villages should be rebuilt in full compliance with anti-earthquake building codes. Ahmed thanked IMC-USA volunteers for their involvement in the relief efforts through US-based relief organizations and lauded the efforts of many secular groups in providing relief. He urged the IMC-USA members to work with their pluralist allies in Coalition to Build a Better India (CBBI) to raise awareness about the urgency of providing relief to the thousands of survivors in Jammu and Kashmir who face death and disease because of starvation and the bitter Himalayan cold. In an action alert, IMC-USA has urged all people of conscience to donate generously to the relief organizations and to contact the US policy makers and the administration to be generous and prompt in providing relief including transportation helicopters and heavy cranes. IMC-USA asked its supporters to contact the US law makers to try to obtain temporary amnesty for the Indians from Jammu and Kashmir who are not yet legal residents of the US so that they may be able to visit their devastated relatives. RELATED NEWS IMC-USA action alert to save lives http://www.imc-usa.org/cgi-bin/cfm/actionAlert.cfm?AAID=34 BBC coverage of insufficient relief aid in Jammu and Kashmir: http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/world/south_asia/4339522.stm Quake-hit villagers protest relief efforts in Indian Kashmir http://khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle.asp?xfile=data/subcontinent/2005/October/subcontinent_October755.xml&section=subcontinent&col= Where are the NGOs http://siasat.com/ Is India Inc suffering from compassion fatigue? http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1261815.cms CONTACT M.K. Rahman 265 Sunrise Highway, suite 1-355 Rockville Centre, NY 11570 (516) 567- 0783 info@imc-usa.org  

Press Release

IMC-USA expresses heart-felt condolences to the victims of the massive South-Asian earthquake

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October 11, 2005 New York, NY. Indian Muslim Council-USA, an advocacy group working towards protecting and promoting the pluralist and tolerant ethos of Indian society, urges all people to offer humanitarian assistance for the victims of the earthquake in South-Asia. IMC-USA sends its condolences to the families of the victims of the earthquake in Pakistan, India and elsewhere, and appeals to people of all faiths to pray for those suffering due to this disaster. Dr. Shaik Ubaid, the President of IMC-USA, expressed deep sorrow over this tragedy adding “We pray for the speedy recovery of all the injured and the aggrieved”. He also stated, “We request all people of conscience to provide financial assistance to help in the immediate relief efforts and the subsequent rehabilitation efforts”. Although IMC-USA is not a relief organization, its office bearers and members have always been active in providing relief to victims of major disasters such as the Asian Tsunami and the US hurricaines through their local mosques and relief organizations. IMC-USA urges its supporters to continue this tradition of providing relief through the local relief organizations. The official death toll of 850 in Jammu and Kashmir is grossly underestimated, since the toll is increasing with new reports. Hundreds of square miles of the state of have been leveled and the disaster areas are very remote. Scores of villages and towns have not been reached yet. IMC-USA urges the government of India to increase its relief efforts to the affected people. IMC-USA welcomes the cooperation between India and Pakistan in relief efforts and hopes this will increase the trust among the two countries and help in creating lasting peace in the area. IMC-USA also requests all Indian Americans to urge the US administration and their representatives in the US congress to be generous in helping the victims and in the rebuilding efforts. CONTACT Zeeshan Farees 265 Sunrise Highway, Suite 1-355 Rockville Center, NY 11570 Tel: (516) 567-0783 E-mail: info@imc-usa.org

Press Release

IMC-USA Convention a Huge Success; Campaign to Stop Congressman Conyers by Hindu Extremists Fails

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Conyers Equates the Struggle of Minorities in India to the Civil Rights Movement October 3, 2005 The third annual convention of the Indian Muslim Council – USA, an advocacy group dedicated to protecting the rights of minorities and promoting pluralism, was a huge success. [Press Photos | All Photos] The theme of the event was Indian Americans: Activism for Better India and it was held in Detroit on 1st October, 2005. It was attended by hundreds of members of the Indian Diaspora as well as the representatives from the broad-based Coalition to Build a Better India (CBBI). The speakers included representatives of major world religions as well as experts on International Human Rights Law and leaders of Human Rights organizations. Congressman John Conyers gave the keynote address and thanked IMC-USA for the Malik Al-Shabazz Award handed to him for his leadership in the field of human rights. He equated the struggle of Indian Muslims and other persecuted minorities in India to that of the Civil Rights movement led by Martin Luther King Jr. He highlighted the difficulties faced by a struggling rights movement by reminding that many segments of the African-American community were initially afraid of standing up for their rights and had requested Dr. King not to launch his movement. He congratulated IMC-USA for showing courage and taking the leadership role in fighting religious persecution and for adopting non-violence as the way to do so just as Gandhi and King had done. The Michigan congressman, in his wide-ranging speech, also stressed the need to bridge the growing gap between the affluent and the poor in India. Hindutva groups who subscribe to a violent ultra-nationalistic and supremacist ideology had unsuccessfully launched a campaign to dissuade the Congressman from speaking at the IMC-USA convention. The banquet session was also addressed by Fr. Cedric Prakash and Dr. Shaik Ubaid. Fr. Prakash, who has been referred to as Desmond Tutu of India for his work to obtain justice for the victims of the state-sponsored pogrom in Gujarat, declared that his quest for justice is not for revenge, but as the beginning of reconciliation and forgiveness. He pointed out that persecution of Christians, Muslims and Dalits is still rampant in Gujarat and increasing with alarming regularity in adjacent Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. Dr. Ubaid, the national President of IMC-USA, thanked Congressman Conyers for his inspirational leadership in the area of human rights and civil rights and promised that IMC-USA will continue to work towards increasing awareness about the fascist roots of Hindutva ideology. He also stressed that the involvement of different segments of Indian and US societies and support from leaders such as Congresman Conyers will be essential in foiling the plans of Hindutva groups to repeat Gujarat like pogroms in the neighboring Indian states of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. He declared that IMC-USA will work towards expanding the alliance of like-minded groups to other countries where Hindutva-fascism is active. Dr. Ubaid called the work against religious extremism as the highest form of patriotism and vowed that IMC-USA will work tirelessly to expose the infiltration of Hindutva-fascist groups in the power centers of the US. He added that IMC-USA will continue to work to bring the Indian Muslim groups together and to educate the Indian Muslims about their legal and civil rights and on ways to obtain their share of the grants and financial aid from the Indian government ministries. The convention audience was also addressed by two lawyers who specialize in International Human Rights Law. Barrister Jaswant Kaur of the Sikh Human Rights Group, UK and James Dorsey of the Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights, spoke about their experiences in documenting and pursuing cases of human rights violations. They advised the delegates and coalition leaders on ways of pursuing justice for the victims of pogroms in the UN and other international institutions. The session on Human Rights was addressed by Prof. Jawahar Nesan, who had founded a fast growing Dalit movement; T. Kumar, Advocacy Director, Amnesty International, USA; and Pushpa Iyer, a Gujarati activist who had worked extensively with the victims of the 2002 Gujarat carnage. The session was also addressed by Swami Agnivesh who has worked courageously against the Hindu extremists. Acharya Shrikumar Poddar, a Hindu spiritual leader based in Michigan, pointed out that the Hindutva groups have engaged in mass violence against religious minorities and Hindutva has nothing to do with Hinduism. The session on activism featured talks from Professor Omar Khalidi and Professor Biju Mathew. Khalidi declared, "What is good for India is good for Indian Muslims and What is good for Indian Muslims is good for India," and went on to prove this declaration. The award winners of this year’s IMC Awards included Ruth Morris in Journalism for her coverage of the Indian Diaspora and Dr. Biju Mathew of the Campaign to Stop Funding Hate for his work in exposing the flow of funds to Hindutva extremists from the Hindutva groups in the US. The focused networking sessions on Indian Muslim NGOs, Muslim business networking and women activist networking generated a lot of interest. Munaf Zeena of the Council of Indian Muslims, UK, brought forth the experiences of the Indian-Muslim Diaspora in Britain in their struggle for political and economic empowerment in UK as well as their strategy in the struggle for Justice for the victims of the Gujarat pogrom. Dr. Lise McKean and Dr. Sania Zainuddin, along with Zeeshan Farees, used the Women’s networking event to strategize about working against the violent targeting of minority women by Hindutva groups. Among the Michigan Community leaders who spoke at the convention were Steve Spreitzer from the Catholic community and Ghalib Begg. Ghalib Begg congratulated IMC-USA for the lead taken in the Coalition Against Genocide’s campaign in getting the US visa denied to Narendra Modi, the Chief Minister of Gujarat. Begg called it the biggest political victory for the Indian American Muslims. The convention night concluded with a cultural program of poetry, songs and comedy skits. The speakers and delegates

Press Release

IMC-USA announces annual awards for excellence in services to humanity

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September 24, 2005 Indian Muslim Council-USA, a US based advocacy group, has announced the much awaited list of its annual awards for excellence in services to humanity in different fields. The awards will be awarded at the IMC-USA annual convention in Detroit on October 1, 2005 to be held at the Holiday Inn Fairlane, Dearborn. According to Mirza Rahmat Baig, President of IMC-West Coast, the awards for 2005 are: Maulana Muhammad Ali Jowhar Award in Journalism For best in-depth coverage of Indian Diaspora AND India-related issues in the US Ruth Morris, Sun-Sentinel, Florida Bahadur Shah Zafar Award For promoting pluralism and communal harmony in India Raju Rajagopal, Promise of India, CA Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Award in Humanitarian work For self-less service towards the upliftment of the poor and the oppressed classes in India Gujarati Muslim Association of America, Chicago Altaf Hussain Hali Award in Humanitarian work For self-less service towards the upliftment of Muslims in India Syed Salman, Michigan Tipu Sultan Award For courageously serving India and India’s interests Biju Mathew, Campaign to Stop Funding Hate, NY IMC-USA’s 2005 annual convention will focus on ways in which the Indian Diaspora can contribute to the struggle for pluralism, social justice and economic equity in India. The full day event, with the theme Indian Americans: Activism for Better India, will be addressed by prominent scholars, historians, journalists, human rights activists and social scientists. Leaders and representatives of Dalit, Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Muslim and Christian communities along with US human rights and interfaith groups will also address the convention. Syed Ali, a member of the Board of Directors of IMC-USA, said, "There is tremendous enthusiasm for the convention among the Indian Diaspora". Asim Khan, the President of the Michigan chapter of IMC-USA and 2005 Convention Co-Chairman, reminded the delegates to pre-register before the convention. For more information and to register, delegates and journalists are requested to visit: http://www.imc-usa.org/convention/2005/ Tickets/Registration: Phone: 800-839-7270 Email: michigan@imc-usa.org IMC-USA 265 Sunrise Highway, Suite 1-355 Rockville Center, NY 11570 Tel: (516) 567-0783 Contact: Sadat Mohammed 800-839-7270 / 516-567-0783  

Press Release

IMC-USA’s Third Annual Convention to be addressed by Hindu Spiritual Leader

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Featured Sessions include Women’s Empowerment and Human Rights September 20, 2005 Detroit, MI. The IMC-USA convention to be held on October 1st in Detroit, will be addressed by Swami Agnivesh, the well-known Hindu religious leader and social reformer. Swami Agnivesh will join other prominent speakers such as Congressman John Conyers who will deliver the keynote speech, Dr. Jawahar Nesan, a Dalit leader and a tireless activist for social justice, Fr. Cedric Prakash a prominent Indian human rights activist, Munaf Zeena of Council of Indian Muslims, UK, Professor Biju Mathew, Dr. Shaik Ubaid and many others. Zeeshan Farees, a spokeswoman for IMC-USA announced that the convention will feature sessions planned to galvanize momentum on issues like social activism, women’s empowerment and human rights and justice. The session on Women’s activism will include an interactive session led by Dr. Sania Zainuddin and will be addressed by Dr. Lise McKean. The session will focus on issues related to justice for female victims of the 2002 Gujarat pogroms, which had carried out sexual violence and rapes as a means of ethnic cleansing of minority communities. The participants will deliberate on means to enable and promote the upliftment of Indian women with a special focus on Muslim women. Quaid Saifee, a Detroit area businessman and a founding member of IMC-USA, who will lead the Muslim business networking session, was confident that the third annual convention will not only keep the tradition of successive conventions, but will surpass the first two. He pointed out that this is the first major event where most of the players behind the successful campaign to revoke the visa of Narendra Modi, the architect of the Gujarat pogroms, will be gathering. He described the convention as, "prominent networking event for all those who value pluralism, peace, progress and prosperity". For more information and to register, delegates and journalists are requested to visit: http://www.imc-usa.org/convention/2005/ Tickets/Registration: Phone: 800-839-7270 Email: michigan@imc-usa.org IMC-USA 265 Sunrise Highway, Suite 1-355 Rockville Center, NY 11570 Tel: (516) 567-0783 Contact Fauzi Mohammed 800-839-7270 / 516-567-0783  

Press Release

IMC-USA Reveals an Impressive Array of Speakers for its Third Annual Convention

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September 16, 2005, Detroit, MI. The third annual convention of IMC-USA, an advocacy group focused on the Indian Diaspora in the United States, is scheduled for October 1st and is gathering momentum. In an address to a meeting of the leaders and activists of Indian origin residing in the greater Washington, D.C. area, Dr. Shaik Ubaid, President of IMC-USA, noted that many people of Indian origin were preparing to attend the landmark event. He added that the Indian Diaspora has been galvanized by the news reports that Hindutva extremists are planning to repeat the 2002 Gujarat pogroms in the Indian state of Rajasthan, as revealed by a high ranking advisory committee to the Prime Minister of India, and also that their leader, Narendra Modi, may reapply for a US visa. Ramier Shaik, a prominent member of the convention committee has unveiled an impressive array of speakers: Keynote Speaker: Congressman John Conyers from Michigan Other Speakers: Munaf Zeena, Chairman of Council of Indian Muslims (UK) Fr. Cedric Prakash, Jesuit Priest and Director of Prashant Prof. Jawahar Nesan, renowned Dalit leader and social activist Ubaidur Rahman, Global Media Publications, India Dr. Rahul Deepankar, Buddhist leader T. Kumar, Asia Advocacy Director, Amnesty International Asim Ghafoor, Attorney and Washington Lobbyist Shrikumar Poddar, distinguished Hindu scholar Kannan Srinivasan, renowned Historian and Journalist Dr. Omar Khalidi, Indian Muslim Historian and scholar at MIT Dr. Biju Mathew, Coalition to Stop Funding Hate (CSFH) Raju Rajagopal, Promise of India (POI) John Prabhudoss, Executive Director of Policy Institute for Religion and State (PIFRAS) Dr. Shaik Ubaid, President of IMC-USA Steve Spritzer, Interfaith Program Coordinator for National Conference for Community and Justice (NCCJ), Michigan Dr. Sania Zainuddin, community activist Dr. Lise McKean, Deputy Director of Center for Impact Research (CIR) Kulmeet Singh, Sikh Coalition The IMC-USA convention has become an annual tradition for scholars, activists and others concerned about the brutal siege of India’s pluralist and democratic ethos by the Hindutva ultra-nationalists. The annual convention is a platform for social activists and members of the Indian Diaspora to share ideas on issues of concern including political and economic corruption, the continuing persecution of Dalits and the marginalized lower castes in India. Eminent personalities will be addressing the delegates during the day long sessions and the evening banquet. In addition, they will hold consultative meetings with participants on topics related to strengthening India’s secular democracy and promoting social justice and economic prosperity. The scheduled sessions will deal with coalition building for protection of Human Rights in India, networking for Muslim NGOs and Business initiatives by Muslims in India, among many others. M. A. Khan, President of IMC-USA Greater Washington D.C. chapter and member of the convention program committee, elaborated on the achievements of the previous conventions stating, "The IMC-USA annual convention held last year, was a huge success in terms of bringing together for the first time several different groups and communities that constitute India’s impressive diversity, and enabling them to work together to protect India’s pluralist ethos". He further added, "This led to the formation of the Coalition to Build Better India (CBBI). This coalition in turn became the launching pad for the Coalition Against Genocide (CAG) which successfully thwarted the US visit of Narendra Modi, a pogrom politician. Narendra Modi is the architect-in-chief of the 2002 Gujarat pogroms. For more information and to register, delegates and journalists are requested to visit: http://www.imc-usa.org/convention/2005/ For Tickets and Registration: Phone: 800-839-7270 Email: michigan@imc-usa.org IMC-USA 265 Sunrise Highway Suite 1-355 Rockville Center, NY 11570 Tel: (516) 567-0783   Contact Asim Khan 800-839-7270 / 516-567-0783

Press Release

Stage Set for IMC-USA’s 3rd Annual Convention on October 1st 2005 in Detroit, MI

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 05, 2005 Detroit, MI. IMC-USA, an advocacy organization working to promote values of pluralism, tolerance and respect for human rights, with particular focus on the Indian Diaspora in the United States, launched a nationwide campaign to promote its third annual convention in Detroit, MI. IMC-USA invites all concerned individuals and groups to the convention that will be held at the Holiday Inn – Fairlane, Detroit, MI on October 1st, 2005. The theme of the day long event is “Indian Americans: Activism for a Better India” and will be addressed by eminent personalities including Congressman John Conyers Jr., and Fr. Cedric Prakash. This year’s convention comes in the aftermath of the historic victory for the forces of pluralism over the religious extremists in the form of denial of US visa for the Indian politician and chief minister of Gujarat Narendra Modi, who is widely accused by Indian and international human rights organizations of presiding over State assisted massacres where over 2,000 Muslims were killed. Modi was invited as the guest of honor by the Asian American Hotel Owners Association to address the AAHOA convention in Fort Lauderdale, Florida earlier this year. IMC-USA conventions have become an annual tradition for Muslims and other communities that constitute the Indian Diaspora in the US. The events comprising of focused sessions, workshops and celebration of pluralism attract representation from diverse groups such as the Muslim, Indian-American, American inter-faith, secular, human rights, NGOs and business communities. IMC-USA’s second annual convention that was held in Chicago last year focused on India’s Muslims, the largest minority group in the world, and addressed the contributions, prevalent conditions and the future direction for Indian Muslims (and other minorities) to thwart the menace of Hindutva. The full day event with the theme, “Indian Muslims: Past,Present and Future”, was addressed by prominent scholars and social scientists. Several well-known leaders of Dalit, Sikh, Hindu and Indian-Christian communities as well as representatives of Women’s groups and NGOs addressed the convention. The hallmark of the Chicago convention was the launch of a broad-based coalition of faith-based communities and secular groups under the banner of “Coalition to Build a Better India” (CBBI). CBBI was influential in launching the successful multi-pronged campaign “Coalition Against Genocide” that resulted in sponsors withdrawing from the AAHOA convention and the revocation of US visa for Narendra Modi. Rasheed Ahmed, the vice president of IMC-USA said in a statement, “The recent changes in India’s political climate is a welcome sign, but the threats still persist. Hindutva ultranationalist forces, that espouse a hate-based and divisive ideology, point to the failure in implementing Hindutva as the main reason for their recent political misfortunes. Hindutva leaders are now calling for their cadres to go back to hard core ‘muscular’ Hindutva. This is a dangerous trend as Hindutva has a hidden agenda for the marginalized and as an ideology, needs a hate-object to keep itself alive.” Asim Khan, the president of the Detroit chapter of IMC-USA and the co-chairman for the convention reminded the delegates to pre-register before the convention as the tickets will likely be sold out and no tickets will be sold at the door. For more information and to register, delegates and journalists can do the following CONTACT Farook Ahmed Phone: 1-800-839-7270 E-mail: michigan@imc-usa Web: http://www.imc-usa.org/convention/2005/

Press Release

IMC-USA Congratulates Indians on Independence Day

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15 Aug 2005 Indian Muslim Council-USA congratulates all Indians and people of Indian descent as well as those who love India on the occasion of the 58th anniversary of India’s independence. Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Shaik Ubaid, congratulated the members and supporters of IMC-USA on the third anniversary of the organization’s launch. IMC-USA was launched on August the 15th of 2002. Dr. Ubaid said that the great nation of India which was once the world’s envy because of its rich diversity and prosperity is a work in progress. He invited all Indians to take a solemn pledge to work to make India a great country where poverty, social injustice, religious intolerence and corruption are no longer allowed to prevent the nation from achieving its glorious and rightful place in the world. “Indian Muslims who are the single largest religious minority in the world are committed to the idea and dream of India as envisioned by its founders- Gandhi, Nehru, Ambedkar and Azad, said Dr. Ubaid. After all it was under the Muslim rule that the region was united as a single political entity. Muslims have contributed to the economic and civilizational revival of India in the middle ages and were in the forefront of the freedom struggle. We will continue to work to make India a better place and a greater country,” proclaimed Dr. Ubaid. CONTACT Zeeshan Farees 265 Sunrise Highway, Suite 1-355 Rockville Center, NY 11570 Tel: (516) 567-0783 E-mail: info@imc-usa.org

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IMC-USA Welcomes Jagdish Tytler’s Resignation. Demands Justice for Victims of Anti-Sikh Pogroms of 1984

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11 Aug 2005 Indian Muslim Council-USA (www.imc-usa.org) an advocacy group dedicated to protecting and promoting pluralism welcomes the resignation of Jagdish Tytler from the Indian Cabinet. Mr.Tytler was accused of being involved in the anti-Sikh pogroms of 1984 in which thousands of Sikhs were killed. The recently released inquiry report by the Nanavati Commission has reported that Tytler probably had a role in organizing attacks on Sikhs. The attacks on Sikhs were carried out after the Sikh bodyguards of then Prime minister Indira Gandhi assassinated her in retaliation for her ordering a military attack on the Golden Temple, a holy site for the Sikh community. Dr.Shaik Ubaid, president of IMC-USA welcoming the decision of Mr. Tytler’s resignation congratulated the human rights activists and organizations who have kept the issue of justice for the victims of the pogroms alive. He demanded that the Indian government bring to justice all the perpetrators in a speedy fashion. CONTACT Zeeshan Farees 265 Sunrise Highway, Suite 1-355 Rockville Center, NY 11570 Tel: (516) 567-0783 E-mail: info@imc-usa.org

Press Release

IMC-USA Condemns Attack on Babri Mosque site

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July 5, 2005 Indian Muslim Council-USA, an advocacy group working towards protecting and promoting the pluralist and tolerant values of the Indian society, strongly condemned the armed attack on the illegal makeshift temple built on the site of the Babri Masjid. According to news reports, 5 unidentified armed men attempted to raid the temporary structure that was built by Hindu extremists on the grounds of Babri Masjid in Ayodhya, India. The Babri Masjid, a 16th century mosque, was demolished by militant Hindu mobs led by Mr. L. K. Advani on Dec. 6, 1992 and ensuing anti-Muslim violence left thousands of Muslims dead. Dr. Shaik Ubaid, President of IMC-USA said that “the Indian Muslim community and its leadership has always desired a peaceful solution to the Babri Masjid issue and we condemn all forms of violence or terrorism.” Referring to the call for protests by the Hindu supremacists, Dr. Ubaid expressed concern that this latest incident could be used by Hindutva-fascists to unleash another round of anti-Muslim pogroms. He said that, “the BJP and its Hindutva-fascist brethren have used such incidents as a pretext to revive their political fortunes by undertaking a genocidal campaign of murder and mayhem against the Muslims of India.” He called on the Central Government of India to swiftly move to prevent another Gujarat style genocide and undertake a prompt investigation into this attack to bring the perpetrators to justice. Dr. Ubaid expressed hope that the Government of India will expeditiously move the Supreme Court to settle Babri Masjid issue saying that, “As long as this issue is allowed to fester, communal harmony will remain just a dream.” See Also: India Braces for Ethnic Clashes After Attack on Religious Site http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/05/international/asia/05cnd-india.html?hp Contact Person: M.K.Rahman Secretary General IMC-USA 265 Sunrise Highway, Suite 1-355 Rockville Center, NY 11570 Tel: (516) 567-0783 Email:media@imc-usa.org

Press Release

IMC-USA welcomes the sentencing of killers of 1984 Anti-Sikh pogrom

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IMC-USA welcomes the sentencing of killers of 1984 Anti-Sikh pogrom, urges UPA govt. to implement the recommendations of the Nanawati Commission. May 17, 2005 Indian Muslim Council – USA, an advocacy group of Indian Muslims in the United States dedicated to safeguarding the democratic and pluralist ethos of India, applauded the life sentencing of five killers involved in the anti-Sikh pogrom that took place after the assassination of then Prime Minister Mrs. Indira Gandhi in 1984. The five men were convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment for their role in the brutal murder of a Sikh, Mr. Baba Singh. Mr. Singh was burnt to death on November 1, 1984. During this period, thousands of Sikhs, estimates range anywhere from 2000 to 10,000, were targeted and killed in India in one of the worst anti-minority pogroms witnessed by the country. Mr. Attaulla Khan, Director of Outreach and Coalition at IMC-USA stated that, “In light of the blatant communalism demonstrated by Gujarat courts, this is a welcome sign in the direction of justice. It is a travesty of justice that it took the courts over twenty years to come to this judgment.” Mr. Khan reiterated the commitment of IMC-USA to strengthen India’s secular democracy and said, “Justice is one of the pillars of democracy and we hope that the perpetrators of the 1984 carnage against the Sikh community are brought to justice. Appointing independent commissions and not acting on their recommendations is a mockery of the process. IMC-USA urges UPA government to implement the recommendations of the Nanawati Commission’s report.” CONTACT: Rasheed Ahmed Vice President, IMC-USA 265 Sunrise Highway, suite 1-355 Rockville Centre, NY 11570 (516) 567- 0783 info@imc-usa.org Further Reading: Five sentenced to life in 1984 anti-Sikh riots case Anti-Sikh riots: Justice delayed yet again

Press Release

Indian Muslim Council-USA is appalled by APPNA “Peace” Award to LK Advani

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New York, NY; April 18th 2005: Indian Muslim Council-USA, a grassroots advocacy organization dedicated to the promotion of pluralism in India and the US, has expressed its shock and dismay over media reports that a delegation of Pakistani physicians has honored the Hindutva-fascist leader LK Advani with an award for “promoting peace and harmony”. The delegation comprised of members of the Association of Pakistani Physicians of North America (APPNA). Advani leads the hard-line wing of Hindutva, a supremacist movement founded on the model of Mussolini’s Fascist party and many of its leaders and pioneers regard Hitler as one of their heroes. Advani led the movement that demolished the famous Babri Mosque and was instrumental in creating conditions that caused wholesale massacres of Muslims all over India in 1992. Under Mr. Advani’s tenure as a Home Minister, over 2,000 Muslims were massacred, hundreds of women were raped and more than 150,000 were ethnically cleansed in the Gujarat pogroms of 2002. Narendra Modi, a political protégé of Advani and Gujarat state Chief Minister is widely blamed for orchestrating this violence. Advani allowed these massacres to continue by refusing to dismiss the Gujarat state government during the violence despite calls from all quarters to do so and the constitutional provisions requiring such a measure. The pogroms lasted for over three months. To date, not a single person has been brought to justice. Indian Christians have also been targeted for murder, rapes and discrimination by the Hindutva parties. On the India-Pakistan peace front, Advani repeatedly called for settling scores by waging a fourth war with Pakistan. He is on record stating “let us fight it out face to face. We have fought thrice, let there be a fourth war”. Most hard-line Hindutva followers dream of annexing all the countries in South Asia and creating a greater India or “Akkhand Bharat.” Hindutva parties have infiltrated the US power centers and are in the forefront of anti-Islamic propaganda in the US, especially in Washington DC. Their websites such as http://www.hinduunity.org spew venom against Muslims, Christians and Hindus who do not agree with their Hindutva ideology. A wide spectrum of rights organizations successfully campaigned against the visit of Narendra Modi to the US which led to the US State Department revoking his visas and imposing a ban on him for his role in the Gujarat genocide. Mr. Advani continued to defend Modi after his visa revocation and led a rally that denounced the United States. He is on record defending Modi as an “efficient” Chief Minister when controversy erupted on Modi’s role in the Gujarat violence. Media reports mention that the meeting to honor Advani was planned through the Pakistani wing of the family of Najma Heptullah a BJP leader. The pluralist-minded Indians consider Heptullah to be a political opportunist without any regard for the representation of India’s Muslim community. IMC-USA has been in the forefront of bringing different religious and ethnic groups together and in fostering religious tolerance. IMC-USA hopes and works for a peaceful India, peaceful South Asia and a peaceful world. Realization of this hope is only possible when pogrom mongers and supremacist leaders such as Advani and Modi are brought to justice and their ideology marginalized. Contact: Dr. M.K.Rahman Tel: (516) 567-0783 media@imc-usa.org

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IMC-USA criticizes former Pakistan Prime Minister’s speech as insulting to Indian Muslims

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April 6, 2005 Indian Muslim Council – USA, an advocacy group of Indian Muslims in the United States dedicated to safeguarding the democratic and pluralist ethos of India, has condemned the statements made by Shujaat Hussain in a recent visit to India as being insulting to Indian Muslims. In a speech delivered at the Jama Masjid in Delhi, Shujaat Hussain, the former Prime Minister of Pakistan, had advised Indian Muslims to love their country and not doubt their decision to remain in India after partition. Rasheed Ahmed, the Vice-President of IMC-USA, described Mr. Hussain’s statements as ignorant and disingenuous. Ahmed said, “Indian Muslims do not need lessons in patriotism from Pakistani politicians. Mr. Hussain’s implication that Indian Muslims do not love their country is not only far from reality, but an affront to the entire community.” IMC-USA has also expressed disappointment at Mr. Hussain’s invitation to L.K. Advani to inaugurate a Hindu temple in Pakistan. Rasheed Ahmed called the invitation unfortunate since Mr. Advani is an extremist Hindutva leader and added that the honor should have been extended to an Indian Hindu representative. Contact: M. A. Khan Director of Outreach, IMC-USA Tel: 516-567-0783 media@imc-usa.org

Press Release

IMC-USA offers condolences on the death of Pope John Paul II

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April 3, 2005 The Indian Muslim Council-USA, an advocacy group working towards protecting and promoting the pluralist and tolerant values of Indian and the Indian American community, offered condolences on the death of Pope John Paul II. Dr. Shaik Ubaid, the President of IMC-USA, expressed regret at the passing away of Pope John Paul, calling him a religious and world leader who had made significant efforts to reach out to other faiths. "We offer our sincere condolences to members of the Roman Catholic Church and all those who stood with him in advocating peace and compassion," said Dr.Ubaid. Contact: M. A. Khan Director of Outreach, IMC-USA Tel: 516-567-0783 media@imc-usa.org

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IMC-USA Protests at the Asian American Hotel Owners Association Convention

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March 26, 2005: The Indian Muslim Council-USA along with other member and supporting organizations of the Coalition Against Genocide (CAG) held a Victory for Pluralism campaign in Fort Lauderdale, FL to mark the US State Department’s revocation of US visa for Narendra Modi, a noted human rights abuser. The campaign included campus Teach-in sessions, a screening of award winning documentary Final Solution and concluded with a Press Conference held outside the Broward County Convention center hosting the Asian American Hotel Owners Association’s (AAHOA) annual convention. Narendra Modi, the chief minister of the Indian state of Gujarat, is widely accused by Indian and international human rights organizations of presiding over State assisted massacres where over 2,000 Muslims were killed. The Gujarat pogrom of 2002 also saw ethnic cleansing efforts in the form of rape and sexual mutilation of hundreds of women and children and displacement of 150,000 people from their homes. He was invited by AAHOA as the guest of honor for its annual convention. After a sustained campaign by Coalition Against Genocide, the US State Department cited targeted religious persecution of non-Hindus and revoked Narendra Modi’s visa under the International Religious Freedom Act. Addressing the press conference, Divya Sharma, the local representative of Amnesty International at Broward County, FL said:"There has to be specific legislation by the state and central governments in India to protect victims from recurrent religious violence and provide expedited judicial redress". Remarking on the participation of state machinery in the Gujarat pogrom and the absence of subsequent legal redress, she added, "The officials who were in charge at the time of the Gujarat violence need to be investigated and closely scrutinized for their lack of action." Governor Jeb Bush and the Mayor of Ft. Lauderdale, who were both invited and expected to attend the AAHOA convention, did not show up. Narendra Modi’s speech was videocast during AAHOA’s convention by the AAHOA leadership despite dissension from within the Association’s membership. About 30 attendees walked out of the convention when Narendra Modi started to speak. Several convention attendees and AAHOA members expressed support for CAG and IMC-USA’s campaign against Narendra Modi. M. A. Khan, Outreach Director of IMC-USA, responded to this support during the conference, stating, "AAHOA leadership needs to do some soul searching now that the US State Department and US Congress have reprimanded Modi. AAHOA members have also expressed dissatisfaction at the stance of AAHOA leadership." Addressing the conference, Ali Rahman of IMC-USA Florida chapter, refuted claims made by Hindutva activists and Modi supporters that the denial of a visa to Modi was an insult to India. He said, "It has been three years since the Gujarat massacres, but the perpetrators have not been brought to justice as yet. This denial of justice is an insult to the constitution of India, not the denial of visa to Modi on account of these massacres." During the sustained campaign by CAG against Narendra Modi’s visit, leading up to the AAHOA convention, several important and noted figures and associations disassociated with AAHOA. These include the MSNBC Hardball host, Chris Matthews who was to share the stage with Modi and Congressman Kendrick Meek, who was expected to host a dinner reception for Modi at the AAHOA convention. In addition, American Express, Intercontinental, Hilton, Best Western, Cendant, Choice Hotels, Carlson Hospitality Worldwide, Home Depot, and USFS — a leading franchising group for many hotels owned by AAHOA, withdrew sponsorship of the convention. The US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) also expressed "deep concern" over Narendra Modi’s visit. A letter to the US State Department by 21 congressmen urging denial of Modi’s visa followed by a congressional resolution condemning Modi’s human rights abuses finally culminated in the revocation of Modi’s visa by the US State Department. The events and press conference were organized by the Florida chapter of IMC-USA and had participation and support from CAG. The members of CAG and other campaign participants include women’s groups, human rights organizations, representatives of Hindu, Christian, Muslim and Sikh communities as well as organizations of secular persuasion. The campaign was successful in reaching out to the Florida community, AAHOA members and the media about the plight of the victims of Gujarat pogroms. It also educated them about Narendra Modi and his supporters sectarian politics bolstered by the hate-based Hindutva ideology. Contact: Zeeshan Farees IMC-USA Tel: 516-567-0783 media@imc-usa.org  

Press Release

IMC-USA commends American Express for officially withdrawing sponsorship of AAHOA’s convention honoring Modi

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March 23, 2005 The Indian Muslim Council-USA, an advocacy group working towards protecting and promoting the pluralist and tolerant values of the Indian society and a founding member of the Coalition Against Genocide (CAG), commends American Express Corporation for canceling its sponsorship of a convention honoring Narendra Modi. This announcement comes in the wake of a concerted campaign by CAG, protesting American Express’ sponsorship of the convention. Narendra Modi, the Chief Executive of the Indian state of Gujarat, had been invited by the Asian American Hotel Owner Association (AAHOA) as a guest of honor at its convention and trade fair to be held in Ft. Lauderdale, FL on March 24 – 26 2005. He had been indicted by various Indian and International human rights organizations for his role in the pogroms directed at the Muslim community in Gujarat in 2002. AAHOA treasurer Danny Patel had earlier claimed that the sponsorship was still active, but American Express officially confirmed today that it has been withdrawn. American Express representative Christine Elliot announced today that it was withdrawing sponsorship of the Asian American Hotel Owner Association of America (AAHOA) convention that sought to honor Narendra Modi. Writing to the Coalition Against Genocide, Ms. Elliott stated, “A conference that was intended to help promote travel and tourism has become the object of partisan political contention. Therefore, we have chosen to withdraw from the conference.” This positive development is the latest in a series of victories such as the US State department’s decision to deny Narendra Modi, the Chief Minister of Gujarat and the chief architect of the 2002 Gujarat pogrom, a diplomatic visa and to revoke his existing tourist/business visa based on the International Religious Freedom Act. Earlier in the campaign, Chris Matthews, host of Hardball on MSNBC, who was a keynote speaker at the convention along with Narendra Modi, had withdrawn after CAG wrote to him. By withdrawing its sponsorship of the convention, American Express has set a good example for responsible corporate behavior. The Modi government has continually been threatening and victimizing Christians, Muslims, Dalits (lower caste people), Adivasis (tribals) and secular Hindus who have raised their voice in search of justice for the victims of the Gujarat pogrom, even as it prevented victims from gaining legal and social justice. The continuous efforts of thousands of secular activists in India and abroad, attempting to bring the perpetrators to trial in courts of law, had resulted in exposing Narendra Modi’s role in the violence and his undying faith in the sectarian and violent ideology of Hindutva. His visit to the United States has been seen as an attempt to rehabilitate his severely tarnished image. A number of the reports from human rights organizations and a special dossier on Mr. Modi are available on the coalition website (http://www.coalitionagainstgenocide.org/reports.php). AAHOA had scheduled its annual convention from March 24-26 in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, and American Express was a founding sponsor of the convention. CAG had written a letter to AAHOA leadership on Feb 19th, 2005 expressing dismay that they had chosen to honor Narendra Modi and asking them to rescind the invitation. However, AAHOA’s leadership categorically refused to do so. In a letter dated March 4th, 2005, CAG wrote to American Express that the corporation’s sponsorship of the event would legitimize a politician who can be held accountable for the Gujarat pogrom under the guidelines of the international convention on genocide. This letter was followed by numerous calls, emails and faxes from human rights activists, professors, students and other concerned community members to several American Express Executives. Commending American Express’ belated decision, CAG member Dr. Usha Zacharias observed: “The campaign against Narendra Modi is not one of partisan politics, but a campaign for justice. At a time when corporations have become famous for the worst kind of callous cynicism, American Express’ ethical action is a model to be followed.” IMC-USA and CAG are appalled that despite protests from numerous human rights activists and concerned individuals (including several members of AAHOA), the AAHOA leadership has refused to cancel its invitation to Mr. Modi and is attempting to videocast his talk. CAG urges the AAHOA leadership to rescind their invitation immediately and work towards safeguarding the pluralist ethos of India and the economic well being of the Indian Diaspora in the U.S. IMC-USA urges the AAHOA members who are Modi supporters to work against the incitement of anti-American violence in India by Modi and Hindutva activists. “These extremist elements are damaging the good name of India and Indian diaspora by facilitating attacks on US symbols and businesses by frenzied mobs in Gujarat,” said M.K.Rahman, the secretary General of IMC-USA. He demanded that AAHOA denounce these attacks and cancel Modi’s speech in their convention. SEE ALSO: US Sponsors withdraw from hotel owners’ convention http://www.keralanext.com/news/indexread.asp?id=160353 CONTACT: Zeeshan Farees IMC-USA Tel: 516-567-0783 media@imc-usa.org

Press Release

IMC-USA campaign to mark Victory for Pluralism, Press Conference in Ft. Lauderdale, FL

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Press Release March 23, 2005 The Indian Muslim Council-USA, an advocacy group working towards protecting and promoting minority rights in India and a founding member of the Coalition Against Genocide (CAG), has announced it will hold a Press Conference in Ft. Lauderdale, FL on Saturday 26th March at 11:00 AM. Narendra Modi the Chief Minister of the Indian state of Gujarat was barred from entering USA by the State Department under the International Religious Freedom Act citing severe violations of religious freedom by Modi. During the 2002 pogroms in Gujarat presided over by Modi more than 2000 Muslims were killed and thousands were made homeless. Three years after the violence, no one has been brought to justice. Modi was invited as a guest of honor by the Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA) at its annual convention in Fort Lauderdale, FL on March 24-26. Even after Modi was denied entry by US government the AAHOA stood by its decision to invite Modi and is making arrangements to broadcast Modi’s speech via satellite video conference at the Broward County Convention Center. Coalition Against Genocide started a multi-pronged campaign protesting Modi’s visit and campaigned with the State Department to deny him an entry. The denial of visa to Modi is a landmark victory for the Coalition Against Genocide (CAG). The 38 organizations in U.S. and Canada that constitute CAG represent a spectrum that include women’s organizations, youth collectives, secular groups as well as Hindu, Sikh, Christian and Muslim organizations. The “Victory for Pluralism” campaign being held by IMC-USA and CAG included a weekend Teach-In, a Documentary Screening and will conclude with a Press Conference. The Press Conference will highlight the continuing human rights violations in the Indian state of Gujarat and push further for the speedy delivery of justice to the victims of the 2002 pogrom. The conference will also focus on the contribution of Modi’s US based supporters to the rise in anti-American violence in India and challenge the role of the US supporters of the hate politics espoused by Narendra Modi and his political party. What: Press Conference When: 11:00 AM March 26, 2005 Where: Near Broward County Convention Center, Fort Lauderdale, FL 17th Street and Eisenhower Blvd (Walgreen’s intersection) Contact: Syed Rahman IMC-USA, Florida Chapter Tel: 954-205-1048 media@imc-usa.org More News Links: Indian politician denied US visa Date: 18 Mar 2005 Source: BBC URL: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4360259 US Commission Deeply Concerned About Visit of Gujarat State Minister Date: 17 Mar 2005 Source: U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom URL: http://www.uscirf.gov/prPages/pr0270.php3 Modi’s address to US via satellite Date: March 21, 2005 Source: Indian Express URL: http://www.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=43578 Matthews of ‘Hardball’ Retreats from Speech After Muslim Protest Date: 10 Mar 2005 Source: New York Sun Author: Josh Gerstein URL: http://www.nysun.com/article/10338 Pressure on U.K. to revoke Modi’s visa Date: 24 Mar 2005 Source: The Hindu Author: Hasan Suroor URL: http://www.hindu.com/2005/03/24/stories/2005032409281100.htm

Press Release

Indian Muslim Councl-USA Participates in Pluralism Rally

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Demands Supporters of Modi to stop fueling Anti-American Hatred New York, NY; March 21st, 2005: Braving snow and rain, over 300 activists and representatives of 50 organizations held a press conference and rally outside Madison Square Gardens, New York to endorse the US State Department’s revocation of Narendra Modi’s Visa and condemn his anti-American incitements. Having been barred from entering the United States, Modi was expected to deliver a speech from Gujarat via a satellite link to his supporters at the Madison Square Gardens. The rally and press conference were extensively covered by Indian and American media. Narendra Modi, the Chief Minister of the state of Gujarat in India, was denied a US diplomatic visa by the US State Department for his involvement in flagrant human rights abuses against minorities in India. His existing tourist/business visa was also revoked. Over 2,000 people, mainly Muslims, were massacred, hundreds of women and young girls were raped and an estimated 150,000 were ethnically cleansed from Gujarat in 2002 while Modi was the Chief Minister. Modi is also accused by human rights groups of persistent violence and harassment of Christians and other marginalized communities in Gujarat. Modi’s administration has imposed a ban on religious conversions and missionary activities. Addressing the rally, several speakers countered Modi’s claim about the denial of his visa being an insult to India. Dr. Shaik Ubaid, President of Indian Muslim Council-USA said "It was Modi and his human rights abuses, not the revocation of his visa, which brought shame to India. If supporters of militant Hindutva had the interests of India close to their heart, they would not have invited a fanatic like Modi to the United States." Dr. Ubaid denounced Modi’s incitements and hate speeches against the United States and the subsequent destruction of American business in Gujarat by Modi supporters. He demanded that the Association of Indian Americans in North America (AIANA) not add further fuel to this anti-Americanism by supporting Modi and demanding the reinstatement of his Visa. Supporters of Modi had destroyed several American businesses in Gujarat after Modi addressed a rally in India lambasting United States. Smita Narula, a former Asia specialist at Human Rights Watch, who authored the damning HRW report "We Have No Orders To Save You" spoke at length about the complicity of Modi’s administration in the massacres of 2002 and the subsequent policies of religious persecution adopted by his administration. Several speakers called upon the Prime Minister of India, Mr. Manmohan Singh to focus on delivering justice to the victims of the Gujarat pogroms rather than campaigning for the instatement of visa for a mass murderer who presided over the violence and feels no remorse for his actions. Addressing the demonstration, Anu Gurnani of Manavi (an organization for South Asian women) said "We condemn the state-sponsored violence and systematic targeting of women and children that took place under Modi’s leadership. We demand that the perpetrators of sexual violence be brought to justice and that victims receive adequate assistance to rebuild their lives." Biju Matthew, member of the Coalition Agianst genocide (CAG) and coordinator for the rally, spoke about the major victories of CAG in its campaign against Modi. Among the accomplishments of the coalition, he cited the withdrawal of MSNBC Hardball host, Chris Matthews’ from the Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA)’s convention where Modi was invited to speak. American Express, one of the cosponsors of the AAHOA convention also withdrew its sponsorship. Congressman Kendric Meek (D-FL 17th), who was to host a reception for Modi at the AAHOA convention also withdrew upon pressure from CAG. In addition, CAG also worked with 21 congressmen who wrote to the US State Department to not allow Modi to enter United States. Congressmen John Conyers (D-MI 14th) and Joseph Pitts (R-PA 16th) introduced a resolution in the House condemning Modi’s human rights record. The US State Department finally rejected Modi’s visa upon a sustained campaign orchestrated by Coaliton Against Genocide. Wilson Jose of the Indian Christian Forum (ICF) spoke about the perils of the monochromatic "saffron" vision that Hindu nationalists have for India and emphasized on the need for the celebration of plurality and diversity in the Indian polity. Voices For Freedom Director, Ranjit Singh, a prominent Sikh leader, declared "This is the right thing to do. The US State Department has expressed and has defended the rights of the minorities. All such oppressors need to be tried and punished. The original International Religious Freedom Bill only allowed consideration of acts committed in the previous 24 months, it was amended by the Intelligence Reform legislation passed in December 2004 to include violations that occurred at any time" Some of the other speakers who addressed the gathering were Dr. Ashwini Rao (International South Asia Forum), Dr. Usha Zacharias (Campaign to Stop Funding Hate), Ranjit Singh (President of Tri State CAG), Abraham Mammen (ICF). Posters Galore The activists brought to the rally a large number of eye catching posters. Some of these stated Love India? Save India? Stop funding Hate, Stop funding Hindutva Modi, forget about US visa, you can easily get a visa to the Hague Silence is violence Speak up against Hindutva Rally for justice, Rally for peace Rescue Gandhi’s Gujarat from communal atrocities Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs and Christians, Brothers and Sisters, we are all Indians! United, lets all work for a Harmonious, Peaceful and Prosperous India ! The rally and press conference were organized by members of two umbrella groups, the Coalition Against Genocide (CAG) and its New York based associate, the Tri-State CAG. These umbrella groups represent over 50 organizations and have come together to promote pluralism and tolerance and voice their opinion against sectarian politics in India. Members of CAG and Tri-State CAG include organizations representing a diversity of faiths, ethnicities and ideologies. They includes women’s groups, human rights organizations, representatives of Hindu, Christian, Muslim and Sikh communities as well as organizations of secular persuasion. Contact: M. A. Khan Director of Outreach, IMC-USA Tel: 516-567-0783 media@imc-usa.org

Press Release

Sunday Madison Square Garden Rally to condemn attacks on US business interests

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Sunday Madison Square Garden Rally to condemn attacks on US business interests; IMC-USA asks AAHOA and AIANA to do damage control March 19, 2005 The Indian Muslim Council-USA, an advocacy group working towards protecting and promoting minority rights in India and a founding member of the Coalition Against Genocide (CAG), has condemned the attacks by Hindutva activists on American business interests in India. The attacks came in the wake of denial and revocation of Narendra Modi’s visa to the US, by the State Department, based on the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998. Narendra Modi, the chief executive of the Indian state of Gujarat, had been indicted by various Indian and International human rights organizations for his role in the pogroms directed at the Muslim community in Gujarat in 2002. The pogroms led to the massacre of 2000 people and the rape and sexual mutilation of women and children. The Asian American Hotel Owner’s Association (AAHOA) had invited Narendra Modi, as a guest of honor at its annual convention. The Association of Indian Americans of North America (AIANA) also had plans to felicitate Narendra Modi during his US visit. IMC-USA demands that the Hindutva supporters among AAHOA and AIANA ask their counterparts in India to refrain from their attacks on US business interests located in India. The supporters of Narendra Modi in US, who had planned events to honor him, must influence the Modi supporters in India to put a stop to Anti-American violence. AAHOA, as stated by its founder Chairman Mike Patel, has decided to cancel its invitation to Narendra Modi following the decision of the Bush administration to deny him visa to travel to US. IMC-USA welcomes this action, but felt that damage has already been done to the Indian American community. “AAHOA’s decision to invite Narendra Modi has dishonored the victims of the 2002 Gujarat pogroms and has hurt the moral standing of the Indian American business community”, said Rasheed Ahmed, Vice-President of IMC-USA. Ahmed also expressed fears that the spate of violent activities started by Modi supporters in India, now primarily anti-American, could spill over into assaults on Christians and Muslims, particularly in the context of the Swabhiman rally. Such rallies in the past have been known to increase fear and insecurity for minorities and even encourage violence against them by the extremist Hindutva activists. IMC-USA asks AAHOA and AIANA to alleviate this damage by countering the hatred in Gujarat by taking out adverts against religious extremism in the Indian media and providing anti-hatred literature in Indian schools. AAHOA and AIANA must also work to educate their membership about the human rights situation in Gujarat, and to contribute to the rehabilitation of the victims of the 2002 violence. IMC-USA also asks the AAHOA leadership to step down since their decision to invite Narendra Modi, despite opposition from many of the association members, has caused disservice to the Indian American hoteliers. Zeeshan Farees, a spokesperson for IMC-USA, said: “IMC-USA believes that protecting human rights is a universal duty of all human beings. IMC-USA appeals to people of Indian origin in the US to speak out against the fringe extremist groups who violate the pluralist ethos of India and endanger Indian-Americans by supporting the supremacist Hindutva hate ideology and the Hindutva leaders such as Modi.” IMC-USA will reiterate these demands at the rally to protest the continued support being given to Narendra Modi by chauvinist Hindutva elements in the US. Modi who has incited hatred against America in India will be addressing his supporters gathered in Madison Square garden theatre via a satellite link on Sunday, March 20, 2005. What: Press conference at 3:30 PM EST Rally 4 PM to 6 PM EST Where: In front of Madison Square Garden Theatre 7th Avenue between 31 and 32 Streets in Manhattan (near Penn Station) When: Sunday, March 20, 2005 Organizers: Coalition Against Genocide (http://www.coalitionagainstgenocide.org) CONTACT: M.K.Rahman Secretary General, IMC-USA 265 Sunrise Highway, suite 1-355 Rockville Centre, NY 11570 (516) 567- 0783 info@imc-usa.org

Press Release

IMC-USA Welcomes the Visa Revocation of Pogrom Politician

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Struggle to marginalize Hindutva-hate groups in the US gains momentum March 18, 2005 Contact person: Zeeshan Farees (516) 567-0783 Indian Muslim Council-USA (www.imc-usa.org), a grassroots advocacy group dedicated to promoting pluralism in the US and India has welcomed the revocation of Narendra Modi’s visa to the US. IMC-USA is a founding member of a broadbased coalition, Coalition Against Genocide, that has undertaken a multipronged campaign with the State Department to deny Narendra Modi, who is accused of being complicit in pogroms, mass rapes and ethnic cleansing in the Indian state of Gujarat, the US visa. Modi was invited by the Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA) and was to be honored by rich supporters of his supremacist Hindutva movement. These supporters were confident that years of hard work and money have bought them political influence both in the Indian professional and trade associations as well as on the Capitol Hill. Therefore, when CAG was able to convince many US members of Congers to take a stand against Modi and his crimes against humanity, the supporters of Hindutva in the US were caught flatfooted The campaign with the State department was supported by a large group of American university professors, human rights organizations and civil rights groups such as the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR). CAG was also involved in advocating with the United States Commission on Religious Freedom to come out with a statement against Modi’s visit. USCIRF made its opposition to Modi’s visit clear yesterday March 17, 2005. Earlier after a sustained campaign Chris Matthews of MSNBC’s "Hardball" had canceled his speech at AAHOA convention. Congratulating the IMC-USA members on the successful campaign to get Modi’s visa revoked, Dr. Shaik Ubaid, President of IMC-USA declared, " It is a great victory for pluralism, justice and rule of law. Celebrate we must and celebrate we will. The news about Modi’s visa revocation are true but those about the death of the supremacist hate-ideology, hindutva, are premature. We will continue our struggle till the victims of pogroms in India get their justice and the supporters of Hindutva ideology are thoroughly defeated in the US and India." Dr. Ubaid also said, "Rashtriya Sevak Sangam (RSS) was launching Modi as their next Vajpayee, thier next Prime Minister. The launch site has now become the burial ground of this sinister plan. I congratulate the members of CAG for their historic achievement." Hardliners among the RSS, the mother organization of Hindutva fronts were trying to promote Modi as the future leader of its political wing the BJP. They were promoting Modi as the next leader of India in their advertisements of his public programs in the US. The hindutva groups’ choice of Modi’s launch on the international arena was Madison Square Garden. This heavily publicized launch was scheduled for Sunday, March 20, 2005. IMC-USA was in the forefront of a grassroots campaign to organize a massive demonstrations in front of the Madison Square Garden. IMC-USA has congratulated Secretary of State Rice for taking a moral stand against religious hatred and pogroms and hoped that the US government will now investigate the activities of Hindutva hate groups in the US. IMC-USA has announced that it will detail the next steps of its campaign to free AAHOA and other Indian professional organizations from the control of Hindutva extremists after consulting with its coalition partners in CAG. It has requested that its supporters continue to contact American Express Corporation asking it to withdraw its sponsorship of AAHOA convention. It has also asked Americans to contact their members of congress and educate them about the perils and plans of Hindutva. Hardliners among the RSS, the mother organization of Hindutva fronts were trying to promote Modi as the future leader of its political wing the BJP. They were promoting Modi as the next leader of India in their advertisements for his public programs in the US. The hindutva groups’ choice of Modi’s launch on the international arena was to have taken place at Madison Square Garden on Sunday, March 20, 2005.  

Press Release

IMC-USA applauds Congressional Resolution condemning persecution by Modi

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March 16, 2005. New York, N.Y. The Indian Muslim Council-USA today applauded the introduction of resolution in the US Congress condemning persecution of Muslims and Christians by Narendra Modi the Chief Minister of the Indian state of Gujarat. The resolution was introduced yesterday by Congressmen John Conyers (D, MI-14) and Joseph Pitts (R, PA-16). In a joint Press Release Cong. Conyers and Cong. Pitts urged the United States to condemn violations of religious freedom, and to assist the Indian government in promotion of fundamental right to freedom of religion in India. Congressman Conyers, the ranking Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee and the Dean of the Congressional Black Caucus, said, "Mr. Modi has attacked Muslims and Christians with vile venom, and according to both India’s highest court and many international human rights groups, has condoned terrible, violent religious hate crimes, all the while, shielding those said to have committed them. Such actions by high-ranking government officials of any religion are unacceptable and must not be tolerated. The United States has a duty to set an example for other new democracies by condemning religious intolerance and promoting religious freedom, so that others may see what our great democracy stands for." "The evidence is clear. Mr. Modi persecutes religious minorities in Gujarat. Our government should speak with one voice in condemning these policies and the actions of the Modi administration that has led to the death, torture, and imprisonment of thousands in Gujarat," said Congressman Pitts, a member of the India Caucus and the Congressional Human Rights Caucus. The resolution is a major boost to the multi-pronged efforts by the Coalition Against Genocide, of which IMC-USA is a founding member, to educate the public, media and policy makers in the United States about the spread of religious hatred in India. The Coalition which includes community-based ethnic and religious groups, developmental groups, women’s groups, human rights groups and academic experts in the United States and Canada is protesting the visit of Narendra Modi. The Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA) is under tremendous pressure to cancel its invitation to Modi as the chief guest at its 2005 Convention in Fort Lauderdale, FL next week. Modi is also invited by Association of Indian Americans of North America (IANA) to speak at another event in Madison Square Garden, New York on the 20th of March. Earlier, Chris Matthews, the host of MSNBC’s "Hardball" program made a conscientious decision by withdrawing as a keynote speaker at the convention. He was educated about Modi by the coalition and received hundreds of calls and e-mails from concerned individuals asking him to cancel his speech. Currently American Express Corporation is under pressure to withdraw as a key sponsor of the AAHOA convention. Responding to a call by the Coalition Against Genocide concerned individuals have been calling, sending e-mails and faxes to officials at American Express requesting them to cancel their sponsorship of the event. CONTACT: M.K.Rahman Secretary General, IMC-USA 265 Sunrise Highway, suite 1-355 Rockville Centre, NY 11570 (516) 567- 0783 info@imc-usa.org SEE ALSO: IMC-USA commends Chris Matthews for withdrawing from AAHOA’s convention honoring Modi http://www.imc-usa.org/cgi-bin/cfm/PressRelease.cfm?PRID=94 Coalition Against Genocide (CAG) http://www.coalitionagainstgenocide.org Announcements: IMC South Florida Chapter Launch Saturday, March 19th. 7:00 PM Mehfil Restaurant 8550 NW 44 Street Sunrise, FL 33135 Restaurant Tel. No. 954-742-3370 Speaker: Nishrin Husain Florida Awareness and Protest campaign against AAHOA convention and Modi Final Solution Screening Wednesday, March 23rd 7:00 PM Nova South Eastern University 3300 College Ave Ft. Lauderdale, Fl (Davie Main Campus) Teach-In Politics of Hate in Gandhi’s Land-American Connection Thursday, March 24th Nova South Eastern University 3300 College Ave Ft. Lauderdale, Fl (Davie Main Campus) Protest in front of AAHOA convention Friday, March 25th, 3:30 PM to 6:30 PM Saturday, March 26th, 10:00 AM 1:00 PM Broward County Convention Center Ft. Lauderdale, Florida For more information on Ft. Lauderdale events contact Ali Rahman (954) 205-1046 IMC-Atlanta Announcement Screening Of Rakesh Sharma’s award winning documentary, "Final solution". The documentary shows how Modi and other Hindutva leaders have spread religious hatred in Gujarat and the terrible consequences of this hatemongering. What: Screening of award winning documentary: Final Solution Where: Impact Center in Global Mall When: 7 PM on Thursday 17th March 2005 For information: Please call Syed Zain at 678-576-0313 Protest against Modi’s felicitation in New York City Where: Madison Square Garden, 7 th Avenue and 32 Street When: Sunday March 20, 2005 from 3 to 6 PM For information call IMC-New York at 516-567-0783

Press Release

IMC-USA welcomes interim report on Godhra train blaze

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January 19, 2005 Indian Muslim Council-USA, an advocacy group working towards protecting and promoting the pluralist and tolerant values of the Indian society, expressed its satisfaction at the interim report released by Justice Umesh Chandra Banerjee, head of the government inquiry committee investigating the incident of fire on the Ahmedabad-bound Sabarmati Express at Godhra on February 27, 2002. The incident was blamed on local Muslim and set off days of rioting in Gujarat state in which more than 2000 people, most of them Muslims, died. The interim report presented by Justice Banerjee, a retired Supreme Court Judge, concluded that the train fire was "accidental". He dismissed suggestions that inflammable liquid could have been thrown at the train from outside and said, "There has been a preponderance of evidence that the fire in coach number S6 originated in the coach itself without any external input." Dr. Shaik Ubaid, President of IMC-USA said, "This is simply another piece of evidence that goes on to prove that the Gujarat genocide was planned and orchestrated by the BJP. Muslims were never responsible for the tragedy at Godhra, yet they were hunted and killed for weeks by the Government of Gujarat." Today, around 100 Muslims remain under arrest and accused of the train fire at Godhra. Dr. Ubaid called for their release and an unconditional apology from the Bharatiya Janata Party to the Muslims of Gujarat. CONTACT: M.K.Rahman Secretary General, IMC-USA 265 Sunrise Highway, suite 1-355 Rockville Centre, NY 11570 (516) 567- 0783 info@imc-usa.org  

Press Release

Infectious Diseases Expert’s Advice to Tsunami Relief Workers

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Dec 30, 2004 Indian Muslim Council-USA, an advocacy group working towards protecting and promoting the pluralist and tolerant values of the Indian society, urges individuals to donate generously for the relief and rehabilitation efforts underway for the victims of tsunamis in southern Asia. The casualty numbers are now estimated to be 116,000 and the World Health Organization (WHO) officials have warned that disease outbreaks in the disaster area could double the death toll. Dr. Habeeb Rahman, President of IMC-USA’s New Jersey chapter and an Infectious Diseases expert, has helped formulate disease prevention guidelines for relief workers in the afflicted area. These guidelines correlate to the notifications from the Center for Disease Control. Please check http://www.cdc.gov/travel for more information. Preventing Diarrheal Diseases: – Drink only bottled (can sometimes be spurious) or boiled water, or carbonated (bubbly) drinks in cans or bottles. Avoid tap water, fountain drinks, and ice cubes. If this is not possible, make water safer by BOTH filtering through an “absolute 1-micron or less” filter AND adding iodine tablets to the filtered water. “Absolute 1-micron filters” are found in camping/outdoor supply stores. – Eat only thoroughly cooked food or fruits and vegetables you have peeled yourself. Remember: boil it, cook it, peel it, or forget it. Don’t eat chutney (raw paste of vegetables) Preventing Hepatitis A: – Follow above rules plus, – If you are leaving for India or Sri Lanka within 2 weeks, must take Hepatitis A Immune globulin injection (gives immediate protection). If you plan to stay long, then you should ALSO get a Hepatitis A vaccine. – If you are leaving for India or Sri Lanka after 4 weeks, then take a Hepatitis A Vaccine (generates immunity in about 4 weeks). Preventing Salmonella: – Follow above eating and drinking habits plus, – Oral Ty21a vaccine consists of a total of four capsules, one taken every other day. OR ViCPS consists of one 0.5-mL (25-µg) dose administered as injection. Preventing Cholera: – Follow above eating and drinking habits. Vaccine for Cholera, which is NOT available in US, offers brief and incomplete immunity. – More information on vaccines for Cholera can be obtained from the manufacturers: Dukoral, Active Biotec AB P.O. Box 724, SE-220 07, Lund, Sweden Ph: 46-46192000; fax: 46-46192050 E-mail: info@activebiotech.com ; website: http://www.activebiotech.com Mutacol, Berna, Switzerland Division P.O. Box CH-3001, Bern, Switzerland Ph: 41-319812211; fax: 41-319812066 Website: http://www.bernaproducts.com/contact.cfm Protect yourself from mosquito bites and Malaria: – Wear long-sleeved shirts, long trousers, and hats. – Use insect repellents that contain DEET (diethylmethyltoluamide). – Mefloquine (Lariam) 250 mg one pill once a week. (Do not use this medicine if you have irregular heartbeats or psychiatric problems. OR – Malarone 1 pill once daily (Do not use if you are pregnant) OR – Doxycycline 100mg 1 pill once a day (Usage warning: make sure all the skin over your body is covered, otherwise Doxycycline can cause very bad sunburn. Do not use if you are pregnant). – You can take any one of the above drugs throughout your stay in the affected country and up to 1 week after you arrive back in the US – You could also prevent Dengue fever and Yellow fever, by avoiding Mosquito bites. There is a vaccine for Yellow fever but no vaccine for Dengue. There is no specific treatment. – To prevent fungal and parasitic infections, do not go barefoot. These are general guidelines. Please check with your personal physician for definitive medical advice. CONTACT: M.K.Rahman Secretary General, IMC-USA 265 Sunrise Highway, suite 1-355 Rockville Centre, NY 11570 (516) 567- 0783 info@imc-usa.org

Press Release

IMC-USA requests aid for Tsunami victims in South Asia

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Dec 30, 2004 Indian Muslim Council-USA, an advocacy group working towards protecting and promoting the pluralist and tolerant values of the Indian society, urges all people including Muslims and the members of the Indian community residing in USA to offer humanitarian assistance for the victims of tsunamis in southern Asia. IMC-USA sends its condolences to the families of the victims of the earthquake and tsunami, and appeals to people of all faiths to pray for those suffering from this disaster. Shaikh Ubaid, the President of IMC-USA, has expressed deep sorrow over this tragedy adding “We pray for the speedy recovery of all the injured and the aggrieved”. He also stated, “We request all people of conscience to provide financial assistance to help in the immediate relief efforts and the subsequent rehabilitation efforts. This is by far the biggest natural disaster in recent times and all of us need to contribute generously in whatever ways we can to help provide relief”. IMC-USA’s volunteers are involved in the collection of relief aid in their local communities. The casualty count in this disaster is approaching the 100,000 mark. The sea surges triggered by the massive undersea earthquake have also displaced millions. The disaster zone, extending from Indonesia to Africa, is vulnerable to outbreaks of diseases that could double the death toll. IMC-USA will continue to be in the forefront of supporting the relief organizations working in India and other countries. IMC-USA has channeled volunteers and other contributions towards relief through well-known organizations like Indian Muslim Relief Committee (IMRC), Association for India’s Development, Inc. (AID) and Association of Indian Muslims of America (AIM) that are already working in the field providing much-needed succor. IMC-USA exhorts everyone to join in raising funds for these and other relief organizations. A partial list of organizations and their contact information is listed below: Indian Muslim Relief Committee (IMRC) Online contributions to IMRC – http://www.imrc.ws/ Tax-ID #27-0058132 Checks payable to “IMRC” can be mailed to: IMRC 800, San Antonio Road Ste #1, Palo Alto, CA 94303 Please indicate that your contribution is for “TSUNAMI RELIEF”. Contact: (650)-856-0440; email: info@imrc.ws Association for India’s Development (AID) Online Contributions to AID http://www.aidindia.org/ Checks payable to “AID” can be mailed to: AID Zone 3, P.O. Box 4801, Mountain View, CA 94040-0801 Please indicate that your contribution is for the “Relief and Rehabilitation Fund”. Contact: Aniruddha Vaidya, 1-650-996-8249, 1-888-TALK-2-AID or (301) 422-4441 email: info@aidindia.org Bhoomika Trust Checks for Indian Rupees can be mailed to: Bhoomika Trust Tamilnadu Earthquake-Tsunami Fund No 32 First Street, Karpagam Ave, R.A. Puram, Chennai, TN 600 028, India (80(G) Registration Number DIT(E) No.2(406)/2000-01) Contact: bhoomikaindia@yahoo.co.in Checks in Dollars can be mailed to either AID or ICA – http://www.icaonline.org Please write “For Bhoomika Trust EQ-Tsunami Fund” on the check. Mail to: Suresh Gadad, 733 Sweet Water Dr, Danville, CA 94506 925-736-3459 Association of Indian Muslims of America (AIM) Checks payable to “AIM” can be mailed to: PO Box 10654, Silver Spring, MD 20914. Tax ID No is 52-1416611. Contact: http://aimamerica.org/contact.htm For International Relief Efforts: ICNA-Relief 166-26, 89th. Avenue Jamaica, NY 11432, USA Tel (718) 658-7028 Fax (718) 658-3434 Email: info@reliefonline.org http://reliefonline.org/ Islamic Relief Online Contributions to Islamic Relief – https://www.irw.org/donate/ Tax ID #: 95-4453134 Contact: P.O. Box 6098, Burbank, CA 91510 Tel: 1 (888) 479-4968; Fax: 1 (818) 238-9521; E-mail: info@irw.org International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies Online Contributions to IFRC – http://www.ifrc.org/helpnow/donate/donate_response.asp CONTACT: M.K.Rahman Secretary General, IMC-USA 265 Sunrise Highway, suite 1-355 Rockville Centre, NY 11570 (516) 567- 0783 info@imc-usa.org

Press Release

IMC-USA calls for CBI inquiry into witness coercion by Modi govt; affirms support for Citizens for Justice and Peace NGO

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November 8, 2004 Indian Muslim Council – USA, an advocacy group of Indian Muslims in the United States dedicated to safeguarding the democratic and pluralist ethos of India, has called for a CBI inquiry into any witness coercion by the Sangh Parivar’s Hindutva fascists and Narendra Modi’s government in the ‘Best Bakery’ case. Zahira Sheikh, one of the key eyewitnesses in the case, has recanted her statement to the Supreme Court and is currently being held in seclusion by the Gujarat government. Rasheed Ahmed, Vice President of IMC-USA, stated that this incident matches the pattern of behavior involving witness intimidation and bribery that has been indulged in by the Sangh Parivar since the prosecution of the Gujarat pogrom had begun. Ahmed also condemned Modi’s accusations against Teesta Setalvad and the Citizens for Justice and Peace, calling the allegations defamation tactics to harass NGOs working for justice in Gujarat. Zahira Sheikh is one of the four eyewitnesses in the Best Bakery case, a multiple murder atrocity that had become the most publicized crime from among the 2002 Gujarat massacres. The Supreme Court of India, in a landmark judgment last April, had criticized the Gujarat government for its laxity in prosecuting the accused in the massacres and directed that the case be retried in Mumbai. Many international human rights groups had also indicted the state government for sabotaging investigations and exonerating the accused in organized violence directed against minorities. Now the same Gujarat government has sequestered an eyewitness in the case reopened by the Supreme Court and rendered her incommunicado. IMC-USA has asked the Indian Government to ensure that such extra-judicial tactics by the Sangh Parivar do not go unpunished. IMC-USA has expressed regret that the frequent witness manipulations is making a mockery of the Indian Judicial system and has questioned the motive of the Gujarat government in imposing seclusion on an eyewitness in a prominent trial. IMC-USA has also asked the Indian government to expedite the prosecution of the Gujarat massacre perpetrators and hasten the process of providing rehabilitation and compensation to the victims. CONTACT: M.K.Rahman Secretary General, IMC-USA 265 Sunrise Highway, suite 1-355 Rockville Centre, NY 11570 (516) 567- 0783 info@imc-usa.org

Press Release

Dr. Mallika Sarabhai Speaks at Stanford University about Communal Harmony and the Situation in Gujarat

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Stanford, CA, October 10, 2004 Stanford, CA, October 10, 2004–In her first public appearance in the United States since facing the ire of the Gujarat authorities for her outspoken stand against the Gujarat pogroms, Dr. Mallika Sarabhai spoke to a Bay Area audience about Communal Harmony and the Role of Civil Society, and the personal consequences of taking a principled stand against injustice. In a Sunday morning talk on the campus of Stanford University, Dr. Sarabhai, renowned danseuse and social activist from Ahmedabad, Gujarat, spoke on a range of issues, including her family’s unique tradition of activism side-by-side with their major role in the development of Gujarat; her father’s contributions to India’s space program; about Darpana Academy’s approach of using the medium of arts not merely as entertainment but as a way of educating the public on a range of relevant social issues; her work over the years on behalf of marginalized peoples from all communities, which pitted her against the authorities long before the 2002 violence; and her views on women’s rights and her support for the idea of a uniform civil code.. In answer to questions, she elaborated on the official sanctions and threats that she and her academy have been facing since she filed a Public Interest Litigation in the Indian Supreme Court challenging the State’s treatment of the victims of the 2002 pogroms, and the latest situation with regard to the frivolous lawsuits brought against her—including a complaint from a short-term student accusing her of “reneging” on a promise to aid her in illegally migrating to the United States. She spoke of how a state, which had been saying that there were no public prosecutors available to try the riot cases, had assigned two of its senior-most public prosecutors to handle her case. She called the Indian Supreme Court “a beacon of hope” for India, thanks to whose intervention the Gujarat authorities were compelled to revoke the ban on her travel, allowing her to fulfill her dance and lecture obligations while officially still on bail. She said that nothing much had changed in Gujarat even though the government at the center had changed, and it was unlikely to change as long as money keeps pouring in from well-meaning wealthy Gujaratis from US and UK. Reminding the audience that the 9th standard textbook in Gujarat still extols Hitler as a great hero of Europe, she said, “There are times and this is one of those times, where we cannot afford to remain quiet…It’s not about comfort levels anymore. There are things which go beyond any sense of human decency.” The unique event was organized by Promise of India and Stanford’s Asian Religions and Cultures Initiative, and co-sponsored by Asha for Education Bay Area Chapters, Association for India’s Development (AID) Bay Area Chapter, Coalition Against Communalism (CAC), India Community Center (ICC), India Literacy Project (ILP), Indian Muslim Council (IMC), and Indians for Collective Action (ICA), all of whom are signatories of the Promise of India Appeal. Earlier in the week, Dr. Sarabhai and her colleague Ms. Dakhsa Mashruwala were introduced to art lovers in San Francisco at the Asian Art Museum by the Consul General of India Shri H.H. S.Viswanathan, where they demonstrated the nuances of difference schools of Indian classical dance to the delight of the crowd. Dr. Mallika Sarabhai was in the Bay Area to start a six-city tour of the Unites States of her dance program, An idea named Meera, at Foothill College, Lo Altos Hills, where she received the ICA Honor Award 2004 “in recognition of her selfless service to India, the Arts, Education and Communal Harmony.” For further information on Dr. Mallika Sarabhai’s tour of the U.S., please contact Raju Rajagopal at communal_harmony@yahoo.com. For further information on the Promise of India coalition, please log on to https:\\www.PromiseOfindia.org

Press Release

IMC-USA condemns the bomb attacks on mosques in Maharashtra, demands immediate action

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August 28, 2004 Indian Muslim Council-USA, an advocacy group of Indian Muslims in the United States dedicated to safeguarding the democratic and pluralist ethos of India, condemns the bomb attacks on mosques that has resulted in grievous injuries to many Muslim worshipers in Jalna and Poorna towns of central Maharashtra, India. IMC-USA is concerned over the news reports of negligence and anti-Muslim bias shown by the police after these bomb attacks. IMC-USA praises the restraint shown by the Muslims of Marhatwada and appeals to all Muslims to continue to observe the Islamic principle of exercising restraint and patience in reaction to this incident and to avoid rushing to judgment. Rasheed Ahmed, Vice President of IMC-USA, called on the Indian government to launch a full-scale investigation into this atrocity and to leave no stone unturned in bringing the perpetrators to justice. IMC-USA also demands monetary compensation for the victims of this violence. He pointed out that the bomb attacks seemed to be an attempt to start sectarian violence just before the elections to polarize the electorate as was done by Hindutva-fascists in the state of Gujarat in the recent past. He appealed to the religious and secular leadership in India to be vigilant against such nefarious attempts. "The moderate leadership of all religious communities must come forward to keep the situation calm as they did after last year’s Bombay bomb blasts," said Ahmed. The state of Maharashtra has experienced a frighteningly large amount of anti-minority violence in the past few decades. It has also frequently failed to take action against the perpetrators of such violence when it was directed against the minorities, and has been indifferent to their inducements. The most blatant example of such government inaction has been in ignoring the recommendations of the SriKrishna Commission report on the 1992-93 anti-Muslim pogroms in Mumbai. Indian media is now reporting the fact that 1358 riot-related cases were unlawfully closed and that the police department had passively permitted the violence and was involved in suppressing evidence and sabotaging investigation. IMC-USA requests that the Indian government start looking into the proliferation of extremist and militant Hindutva groups like the Hindustani Suicide Squads. It should enforce control on the weapons (trishul) distribution campaigns by Hindutva militants. IMC-USA calls on the Indian government to implement a long term plan to combat the growth of religious hatred. The plan should give top priority to cutting off the financial and human lifelines of the extremists. The Indian government should take up with the US government the issue of fundraising activities of the Hindutva-fascism fronts in the US. These funds are being used for running indoctrination camps for the youth and in sponsoring the violence against minorities. It is imperative for the Indian Government to recognize the potential of such groups in increasing communal violence. The recent Human Rights Watch report on India, the Foreign Exchange of Hate report and the US state department report have shed light on the ideological and financial contributions of these and similar groups in spreading hostility towards Indian minorities. IMC-USA believes that a thorough investigation and strong action is required against those involved in this heinous act of bombing a place of worship during a religious gathering. This would demonstrate that the current Indian government intends to carry out its election promises about suppressing communalism. CONTACT: M. K. Rahman Secretary General, IMC-USA 265 Sunrise Highway, #1-355 Rockville Center, NY 11570 Tel: (516) 567-0783 E-mail: media@imc-usa.org SEE ALSO: ‘Bomb blasts’ at Indian mosques http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3605078.stm 18 injured in twin blasts in Maharashtra http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/holnus/001200408272201.htm Suburban Hindu nationalists say their shakhas promote pride, but in India similar groups are linked to atrocities http://www.dailyherald.com/special/passagefromindia/hindu.asp A task force and unfinished tasks http://www.flonnet.com/fl1904/19040460.htm Only five of the original 1,358 cases from the 92-93 riots have been re-opened http://www.indianexpress.com/full_story.php?content_id=53682

Press Release

IMC-USA’s 2nd Annual Convention a milestone in the quest for communal harmony

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India Symposium draws attendance by the hundreds Chicago, IL, August 9th 2004. The second annual convention of Indian Muslim Council-USA, held on August 7th 2004, was dubbed by both speakers and delegates as a major landmark in the quest for communal harmony among the Indian Diaspora. Over twenty five speakers representing a diverse and impressive array of experts, intellectuals of secular persuasion and prominent representatives of all major Indian religious communities held groundbreaking discussions on important contemporary issues with special emphasis on the role of Muslims in India’s past, present and future. The symposium was held at the Sheraton Hotel and was well attended. Speaking in the final session of the day long event, Dr. Shaik Ubaid, President of IMC-USA highlighted his organization’s vision of building a better India and a safer world by promoting pluralism and marginalizing hateful ideologies such as Hindutva-fascism in Indian society, and exposing Hindutva infiltration of US power centers. He highlighted IMC-USA’s strategy of working with other religious and ethnic communities as well as with secular organizations, human rights and developmental groups. He called for the formation of a ‘coalition of the informed’ to strengthen pluralism and secular democracy in India to guarantee its economic growth, regional stability and world peace. Lord Adam Patel of Blackburn, the keynote speaker and the patron of Council of Indian Muslims in UK declared that he was, "absolutely delighted to be addressing the IMC-USA convention." He highlighted the British Muslims successful strategy towards economic and political empowerment and advised the Indian Muslims living in the US to emulate it by getting involved in the struggle for social justice, economic welfare and mainstream political work. Earlier in the banquet session, Dr. Omar Khalidi detailed the process in which the economic status of the Indian Muslims was undermined to an extent that the Muslim community in India were now worse off than all other communities. He suggested a strategy to reverse the trend and said that reservations in jobs and education will have to play a part in the strategy. Dr. Kannan Srinivasan described how the Hindutva groups had collaborated with the British occupiers in India and how they worked actively towards the partition of India. Mr. M.K.Rahman, Secretary General of IMC-USA, inaugurated the convention and the delegates were welcomed to Chicago by Mr. Ghulam Rasul Mansuri of the Gujarati Muslim Association of Chicago. Mrs. Sonia Gandhi, President of India’s Congress Party; Rod Blagojevich, Governor of Illinois; Senator Peter G. Fitzgerald of Illinois; Mr. Richard M. Daley, Mayor of Chicago; Mr. V. P. Singh, former Prime Minister of India; and Arun Kumar, the Consul General of India were among the dignitaries who sent congratulatory messages to IMC-USA. In the session on ‘Politics and Policy Making’, Dr. Muqtedar Khan explained why a pluralistic India is in economic and geopolitical interests of the US. John Prabhudoss informed the audience on how the Hindutva groups are working in Washington DC to increase their influence, a point later emphasized by Asim Ghafoor, a Washington lobbyist. Dr. Satinath Choudhry provided an analysis of the recent Indian elections where Hindutva-fascists were narrowly defeated. He opined that a system of proportionate representation was the needed to strengthen India’s democracy. Dr. Patrick Haithcox of Amnesty International and Dr. Javeed Akhtar of Human Rights Watch, Chicago addressed the session on Human Rights. Dr. Kamala Visweswaran described how the Gujarat pogrom of 2002 was planned and executed by the Hindu ultra-nationalists and the importance of bringing the perpetrators of massacres, mass rapes and ethnic cleansing to justice as a deterrent to prevent future genocides. Dr. K.P.Singh, Acharya Shrikumar Poddar, Rajinder Singh Mago, Raju Rajgopal, Sapna Gupta, George Abraham, Dr. Hari Sharma and Mr. M.A.Khan addressed the coalition building session. The leaders of Dalit, Hindu, Sikh, Christian and Muslim groups as well as those of coalitions such as Promise of India, South Asian Progressive Action Collective, NRIs for a Secular and Harmonious India, Building Bridges and South Asian Network for Secularism and Democracy gave their perspective on forming a broad based and effective coalition to build a better India. Mrs. Nishrin Husain and Dr. Lise Mckean chaired the session on Women’s issues and described ways in which women can assume a leading role in combating religious hatred. They pointed out that women are always the worst victims of pogroms and genocide. The convention also held screenings of documentary films as well as an auction of cricket bats signed by Cricket icon Irfan Pathan. The money from the auction would be sent to the charity of choice of Irfan Pathan. The two new initiatives of IMC-USA, the focused sessions on Indian Muslim NGOs and Muslim businesses were well attended and praised. Mr. Manzoor Ghori of IMRC and Mr. Kaleem Kawaja of AIM were among the speakers at the NGO session. The other speakers were Mr. Quadir Husain Khan (IMEFNA), Mr. Ghulam Rasul Mansuri (GMAA), Dr. Abidullah Gazi (Iqra Foundation), Mr. Abdussamed Patel (IMESG) and Quaid Saifee. Manzoor Ghori described the IMRC’s efforts to build a Muslim university in Jehangirabad, UP where a Journalism college is being planned. The NGO representatives were all ears for Jumana Qamruddin a World Bank specialist who described the various options of getting funded by the World Bank. Among the highlights of the convention were the presentations of IMC-USA’s annual awards by Mrs. Ehsan Jafri, Mr. Raju Rajgopal and Mr. Manzoor Ghori in the fields of communal harmony, humanitarian work, journalism, and education and for defending India’s interests. As with the last year’s convention, delegates came in early and participated in the daylong events with passionate enthusiasm. When asked, most of them pointed out to the participation by the diverse religious groups and the emphasis on coalition building and educational and economic empowerment as the most inspiring part of the convention. They were all praise for Rasheed Ahmed, the IMC-USA vice President and Convention Chairman, and the volunteer team led by Ameena Waheed. A detailed report of the convention by Khalid Azam along with photographs is available on

Press Release

IMC-USA’s Convention to feature Irfan Pathan’s autographed bats

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August 1, 2004 Chicago, IL: The August 7th Chicago convention being held by IMC-USA will feature cricket bats specially signed and sent by Indian cricket icon Irfan Pathan for the convention audience. These bats will be available during the banquet session. In a message sent to IMC-USA, in reference to its convention, Irfan Pathan wrote, “First of all please accept my hearty congratulations for making such an endeavor to inculcate the ideology of universal Brotherhood, plural thinking and mutual respect and tolerance with various religions and beliefs. Please convey my wholehearted support and good wishes for this Noble thought and movement to all those who share it”. Pathan’s gesture is being appreciated by his many fans, including members of the Chicago area Gujarati Muslim Association of America (GMAA). “It is exciting to know that Irfan Pathan’s autographed bats are available at the 2nd IMC-USA annual convention in Chicago,” said Zafar Patel, a lifelong cricket fan, adding “It is evidence of how a sport like cricket can teach us that communal harmony is fundamental to India’s success whether it be in sports or any other aspect of the society”. The convention has brought together activists and leaders of the Indian Diaspora from all backgrounds. There will be focused sessions on human rights and updates on the struggle to get justice for the victims of Gujarat genocide. The convention includes a session dealing with the issues of female empowerment as women usually bear the brunt of communal violence. The Keynote speaker at the convention will be: Lord Adam Patel of Blackburn Member of the House of Lords and Chief patron of Council of Indian Muslims, UK. Other speakers for various sessions at the daylong event include: Dr. K.P. Singh, Eminent Dalit leader Chairperson, International Association of the Advancement of Dalits. Raju Rajgopal President of Promise of India, a coalition of various communities and organizations. Shrikumar Poddar Distinguished Hindu Scholar, Vaishnava Center for Enlightenment. Dr. Omar Khalidi Independent Scholar of MIT, Specializing in contemporary Indian Muslim History. Manzoor Ghori Founder and Chairman, Indian Muslim Relief and Charities, IMRC. Rajinder Singh Mago Sikh representative and community leader. John Prabhudoss Indian Christian leader and the head of PIFRAS, a think tank on South Asia. Patrick Haithcox Representative of Amnesty International. Dr.Javeed Akhter Chicago area Representative of Human Rights Watch. Attorney Asim Ghafoor Washington Expert and Lobbyist. Kannan Srinivasan Renowned historian and journalist. Dr. Lise McKean Ph.D., Eminent scholar specializing in Political Economy of the Hindutva Nationalist movement. Nishrin Hussain Human Rights activist & daughter of the slain former Indian MP. Ahsan Jafri. Dr. Satinath Choudhry Political Activist and a Dalit leader. Dr.Rahul Deepankar Prominent Buddhist Leader. Muqtedar Khan Political Scientist. Dr. Kamala Visweswaran Anthropologist and Social Activist. Prof. Hari Sharma South Asia Expert and President of SANSAD and INSAF. Kaleem Kawaja Indian Muslim Leader and former President of Association of Indian Muslims. Sapna Gupta NRI’s for Secular and Harmonious India (NRI-SAHI). Rao Irfan Ahmed Khan Main organizer, World Parliament of Religions. George Abraham Community leader general secretary of Indian Overseas Congress. Dr. Shaik Ubaid President IMC-USA. and many others. The convention is expected to become an annual tradition for scholars, activists and those concerned about protecting India’s pluralism and promoting her prosperity. According to Khalid Khan, member of the publicity committee and president of Innovia Designs, the convention is gathering significant buzz in the Chicago area. For more information and to register, delegates and journalists may visit: http://www.imc-usa.org/convention2004 Phone: 630-926-2881 E-mail: chicago@imc-usa.org

Press Release

IMC-USA reveals an impressive array of speakers for its convention

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July 26, 2004 Chicago, IL: "The momentum for the IMC-USA annual convention is building. I addressed a meeting in Milwaukee yesterday and many Indians are preparing to drive down to Chicago for the August 7th landmark event," declared Dr. Shaik Ubaid, President of IMC-USA, speaking to the leaders of Immigrant and African American communities of Chicago and northern Indiana on July 25th in Chicago. The Keynote speaker will be Lord Adam Patel of Blackburn, Member of the House of Lords and Chief patron of Council of Indian Muslims, UK. Other speakers for various sessions at the day long event include: Dr. K.P. Singh, Eminent Dalit leader, Chairperson, International Association of the Advancement of Dalits. Shrikumar Poddar, Distinguished Hindu Scholar, Vaishnava Center for Enlightenment. Dr. Omar Khalidi, Independent Scholar of MIT, Specializing in contemporary Indian Muslim History. Manzoor Ghori, Founder and Chairman, Indian Muslim Relief and Charities, IMRC. John Prabhudoss, Indian Christian leader and head of PIFRAS, a think tank on South Asia. Patrick Haithcox, Representative of Amnesty International. Dr.Javeed Akhter, Chicago area Representative of Human Rights Watch. Attorney Asim Ghafoor, Washington Expert and Lobbyist. Kannan Srinivasan, Renowned historian and journalist. Dr. Lise McKean, Ph.D., Eminent scholar specializing in Political Economy of the Hindutva Nationalist movement. Nishrin Hussain, Human Rights activist & daughter of the slain former Indian MP. Ahsan Jafri. Dr.Rahul Deepankar, Prominent Buddhist Leader. Muqtedar Khan, Political Scientist. Dr. Kamala Visweswaran, Anthropologist and Social Activist. Prof. Hari Sharma, South Asia Expert and President of SANSAD and INSAF. Kaleem Kawaja, Indian Muslim Leader and former President of Association of Indian Muslims. Sapna Gupta, NRI’s for Secular and Harmonious India (NRI-SAHI). Rajinder Singh Mago, Sikh Leader. Dr. Shaik Ubaid, President IMC-USA and Many others The convention is expected to become an annual tradition for scholars, activists and all concerned about the brutal siege of India’s pluralist and democratic ethos by Hindutva nationalists. Eminent personalities will not only be addressing the delegates during the evening banquet and daytime sessions, but will also hold consultative meetings on how to strengthen India’s secular democracy and promote social justice and economic prosperity. Leaders of secular coalitions such as George Abraham from NRI-SAHI and Imtiaz Uddin from Building Bridges will be taking part in the deliberations. Jumana Qamruddin, a World Bank expert, will address the focused session on NGOs. "Last year’s IMC-USA convention was unique and a huge success in that for the first time, all the groups that constitute India’s beautiful diversity came together to analyze the dangers to India’s democracy and to offer solutions," said M. A. Khan, President IMC-USA greater Washington DC chapter and member of convention program committee. "We are planning to build on that success and continue to work to safeguard India’s pluralist ethos and to help in the progress of India and Indo-US relations," Khan declared. For more information and to register, delegates and journalists are requested to visit: http://www.imc-usa.org/convention2004 Phone: 630-926-2881 E-mail: chicago@imc-usa.org  

Press Release

IMC-USA announces annual awards for excellence in services

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July 20, 2004 Indian Muslim Council-USA, a US based advocacy group, has announced the much awaited list of its annual awards for excellence in services to humanity in different fields. The awards will be awarded at the IMC-USA annual convention in Chicago on August 7th to be held at the Sheraton Hotel in Arlington Heights in the greater Chicago area. According to Dr. Shaik Ubaid, President of IMC-USA, the awards for 2004 are: Maulana Muhammad Ali Jowhar Award in Journalism For best in-depth coverage of Indian diaspora in the US Jerome McDonnell and Andrea Wenzel Worldview/Chicago Public Radio Bahadur Shah Zafar Award For promoting pluralism and communal harmony in India Shri Kumar Poddar Vaishnava Center for Enlightenment, Michigan Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Award in Humanitarian work For self-less service towards the upliftment of the poor and the oppressed classes in India Dr. A.R. Nakadar Former President, American Federation of Muslims of Indian Origin, Michigan Altaf Hussain Hali Award in Humanitarian work For self-less service towards the upliftment of Muslims in India Kaleem Kawaja Former President, Association of Indian Muslims, Maryland Tipu Sultan Award For courageously serving India and India

Press Release

Stage Set for IMC-USA’s Second Landmark Event on August 07, 2004 in Chicago, IL.

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June 23, 2004 Chicago, IL – IMC-USA, an advocacy organization working to promote values of pluralism, tolerance and respect for human rights, with a particular focus on the Indian Diaspora in the United States, has launched a nationwide campaign to promote and invite concerned individuals and groups to its second Annual convention in Chicago, IL. IMC-USA’s convention last year in Santa Clara, CA focused on the rise of religious fanaticism in India and the threat to India’s secularism and democracy. The recent changes in India’s political climate is a welcome sign, but the threats still persist. Hindutva ultranationalist forces, that espouse a hate-based and divisive ideology, point to the failure in implementing Hindutva as the main reason for their recent political misfortunes. Hindutva leaders are now calling for their cadres to go back to hard core “muscular” Hindutva. This is a dangerous trend as Hindutva has a hidden agenda for the marginalized and as an ideology, needs a hate-object to keep itself alive. IMC-USA’s second annual convention will focus on India’s Muslims, the largest minority group in the world, and the highly focused activities and workgroups will address the contributions, present day issues and the future direction for Indian Muslims (and other minorities) to thwart the menace of Hindutva. The full day event with the theme, “Indian Muslims: Past, Present and Future”, will be addressed by prominent scholars and social scientists. Several prominent leaders, activists and representatives of Dalit, Hindu and Indian-Christian communities will also address the convention. Rasheed Ahmed, the president of the Chicago chapter of IMC-USA reminded the delegates to pre-register before the convention as the tickets will likely be sold out and no tickets will be sold at the door. For more information and to register, delegates and journalists can do the following: Visit: http://www.imc-usa.org/convention2004 Phone: 630-926-2881 E-mail: chicago@imc-usa.org

Press Release

IMC-USA condemns harassment of eminent human rights leader Fr. Cedric Prakash

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June 14, 2004 Indian Muslim Council-USA, an advocacy group of Indian Muslims in the United States dedicated to safeguarding the democratic and pluralist ethos of India, has condemned the harassment of eminent human rights leader Fr. Cedric Prakash by the Gujarat police. Father Cedric Prakash, the Director of “Prashant” and a prominent Human Rights activist, has been constantly harassed by the Gujarat government. The state government, led by Chief Minister Narendra Modi, who is widely implicated in the Gujarat genocide two years ago, has initiated inquires to prove that Fr. Cedric Prakash is “anti-national” and have his passport impounded. The harassment of human rights activists fits the pattern of an ongoing campaign of intimidation by the government of the Indian state of Gujarat against those engaged in the relief and rehabilitation work for the victims and seeking justice against the government officials involved in ethnic cleansing and genocide. On April 11th, youth activists promoting communal harmony in Vadodara were physically attacked and on April 12th, prominent Human Rights activist Teesta Setalvad, a co-petitioner in the Best Bakery Case was threatened with dire consequences by those accused in Gujarat genocide. The well-known dance artiste Mallika Sarabhai, who has spearheaded the movement to seek justice for the Muslims of Gujarat, has been harassed by the Modi government which has filed numerous dubious criminal charges against her. In addition, the state Police, under instructions from the Gujarat Home Ministry, has been intimidating Christian and Muslim Institutions under the pretext of conducting inquires about the receipt of foreign funds. IMC-USA ‘s national President Dr. Shaik Ubaid has expressed complete support and solidarity with Fr. Cedric Prakash and the human rights activists of Gujarat. He has appealed to the union government to take notice of this harassment and urged it to take prompt remedial steps. CONTACT: M.K.Rahman Secretary General, IMC-USA 265 Sunrise Highway, suite 1-355 Rockville Centre, NY 11570 (516) 567- 0783 info@imc-usa.org

Press Release

IMC-USA expresses dismay over the public burning of wigs made of Hindu hair in New York City and Israel by Orthodox Jews.

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May 16, 2004 New York, N.Y., Indian Muslim Council-USA, an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding the democratic and plural ethos of India and the united States, has expressed sadness at the public burning of wigs made of Hindu worshiper’s hair by Orthodox Jews. The New York Times, Newsday and Haaretz along with other media outlets have carried the news of Orthodox Jews burning these wigs in public bonfires We are aware of the denunciation of polytheism in the Jewish holy books and respect the right of the Jewish people to have such a belief. But we believe that a public display of contempt for another religion is not conducive to inter-faith harmony. Just last week, the Indian voters rejected the Hindu religious extremist parties in India who mix Hindu extremism with glorification of Hitler and Mussolini. This Hindu extremist ideology is called Hindutva and it has been spreading rapidly in the Hindu diaspora in the US. Open denigration of Hindu religion will help the Hindutva fascist movement to gain recruits here in the US. We appeal to our Jewish brothers and sisters who share Islam’s monotheistic belief to show respect for those who practice polytheism SEE ALSO: Orthodox Jews in Brooklyn Burn Banned Wigs New York Times, May 17, 2004 Orthodox Jews burn wigs in Williamsburg News Day, May 17, 2004 A hair-raising fear of idols Ha’aretz (Israel), May 14, 2004 CONTACT: S.A. Bajabar President, IMC-NYC chapter (516) 567- 0783

Press Release

IMC-USA congratulates India’s electorate for defeating religious extremism

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May 14, 2004 New York, N.Y., Indian Muslim Council-USA, an advocacy group committed to protecting India’s democracy and pluralism, congratulated the people of India for voting the ruling Hindutva-fascist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) out of power. According to poll results carried by various media outlets, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and its allies suffered an electoral defeat the scale of which no pundit or exit poll had predicted. Dr. Shaik Ubaid, the President of IMC-USA, called the results an important victory for secularism and a testament to the work of grassroots social and secular organizations and the ethos of the country. He said, "India has always been a secular country and the overwhelming majority of its citizens want to live in peace and harmony with each other. The rejection of the BJP and its Hindutva-fascist ideology serves notice to those espousing hatred that Indians will never accept another genocide in Gujarat or anywhere else in India." Dr. Ubaid however warned Indians and the Indian diaspora not to let their guard down in the euphoria of BJP’s defeat. He reminded people that the work of detoxifying young minds contaminated with the Hindutva-fascist ideology is yet to begin, as is the campaign to roll back the hate propaganda that permeated the Indian educational system during the rule of the BJP. Dr. Ubaid also said he was particularly delighted at the maturity of the Indian Muslim voter. He said, "The days of the self-proclaimed and BJP-blessed leaders trying to mislead the Muslims for their own personal benefit is over." In this election, Dr Ubaid added, Indian Muslims voted according to their conscience and rejected the appeal of Mr. Arif Mohammed Khan, Mr. Waheed Uddin Khan and Mr. Ahmed Bukhari, the Imam of the Jama Masjid in New Delhi, to vote for the BJP. SEE ALSO: India

Press Release

Indian Muslim Council-USA rejects Bukhari’s decision to support the BJP

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April 27, 2004 New York, N.Y., Indian Muslim Council-USA, an advocacy group working towards safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, rejected and expressed dismay at the decision of Mr. Ahmed Bukhari to support the BJP in the coming elections. According to various media reports, Mr. Ahmed Bukhari, Imam of the Jama Masjid in New Delhi, has voiced support for the BJP and has urged Muslims to vote for the BJP in the coming national elections. Dr. Shaik Ubaid, President of IMC-USA said, "Mr. Bukhari has a knack of making statements that do not reflect the sentiments or interests of the Muslim community. The BJP is complicit in the murders of thousands of innocent Muslims and was responsible for the destruction of the Babri Masjid. Mr. Bukhari’s claims of BJP being a changed party ring hollow when the perpetrators of the Gujarat genocide continue to enjoy political patronage extended by the BJP." Dr. Ubaid further called on the Indian Muslims to vote according to their local considerations and choose candidates noted for their honesty, integrity and commitment towards peace and communal harmony. He said, "Muslims need to vote for what is best for them, and not what is best for Mr. Bukhari." Also See: Delhi’s Shahi Imam backs BJP NDTV Minorities deplore Bukhari’s call for support to BJP The Hindu When ‘God’s men’ join BJP Times of India Behind Masjid walls, brothers at war The Telegraph Contact: M.K.Rahman, Secretary General Indian Muslim Council-USA 265 Sunrise Highway 1-355 Rockville Center, NY 11570 Tel: (516) 567-0783 E-mail: media@imc-usa.org  

Press Release

IMC-USA denounces Indian cricketer Zaheer Khan’s pandering of Bal Thackeray

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March 17, 2004 New York, N.Y.,Indian Muslim Council-USA, an advocacy group of Indian-Americans dedicated to the preservation of India’s pluralist ethos, denounced Indian cricketer Zaheer Khan’s pandering of Hindutva-fascist leader Bal Thackeray. Zaheer Khan has reportedly implied to the media that only “subversive” elements of the Indian society consider Hindu militant leader Bal Thackeray as anti-Muslim. Dr. Shaik Ubaid, President of IMC-USA said, “Bal Thackeray is complicit in the murders of thousands of innocent Indians and his appalling views on Muslims and minorities are well known. To refer to Bal Thackeray as secular is the ultimate insult to secularism.” Bal Thackarey has reportedly expressed satisfaction on the remarks of Zaheer Khan, and that according to Dr. Ubaid, “speaks volumes of Thackeray’s guilt that seeks a certificate of legitimacy from a sportsman.” Dr. Ubaid further added that Indian Muslims are constantly under pressure from the militant Hindu supremacists to prove their loyalty to India and believes that Zaheer Khan, who has just come off the injury list and is struggling with his form, is under similar pressure. “Zaheer should cement his place in the Indian team through his performance and not by appeasing mass murderers who consider Adolf Hitler as their role model,” declared Dr. Ubaid. Dr Ubaid also castigated the Pakistani media for asking questions that would have caused difficulties to Zaheer Khan at the hands of Hindutva-fascists if answered truthfully. “It could be a distraction tactic by the Pakistanis to counter Zaheer’s effectiveness as India’s premier strike bowler.” Dr. Ubaid exhorted the young Indian paceman to tackle the Pakistani media googlies with prudence and stay away from appeasing mass murderers. Contact: Shaik Ubaid Tel: 516 567 0783 Email: media@imc-usa.org Indian Muslim Council-USA 265 Sunrise Highway, Suite 1-355 Rockville Centre, NY 11570

Press Release

IMC-USA regrets the death of Amnesty International’s founder Peter Benenson

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February 28, 2004 Indian Muslim council-USA, an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding the pluralist and democratic values of India has expressed regret at the death of Amnesty International’s founder Peter Benenson. Mr Benenson had founded the human rights group Amnesty International in 1961. The movement began as a one-year campaign for the release of six prisoners of conscience. Then it evolved into a worldwide movement for human rights and formed Amnesty International, an international organisation, which has taken up the cases of many thousands of victims of human rights violations and inspired millions world wide to defend human rights. "IMC-USA mourns the death of Peter Benenson. His passing away on the eve of the third anniversary of the Gujarat pogroms makes the occasion more distressing for us," said Dr. Shaik Ubaid, the president of IMC-USA."His legacy and memory will strengthen our resolve in our present campaign to get justice for the victims of Gujarat pogroms," said Dr. Ubaid. IMC-USA is a member of Coalition Against Genocide (www.coalitionagainstgenocide.org) which currently is in the midst of a campaign to oppose the visit of Narendra Modi the chief architect of the Gujarat pogroms. The massacres carried out in 2002 involved the brutal killings of more than 2000 people, rape and sexual mutilation of hundreds of women and girls and the ethnic cleansing of scores of villages. Mr. Modi has been invited by his supporters to be honored at the Asian american Hotel Owners Association. His visit is also being opposed by more than 75 faculty members of American universities and colleges. Contact person: M.K.Rahman Secretary General IMC-USA 265 Sunrise Highway # 1-355 Rockville Center, NY 11570 (516) 567-0783 info@imc-usa.org www.imc-usa.org  

Press Release

Indian Americans observe the second anniversary of Gujarat Genocide

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February 28, 2004 is the second anniversary of the Gujarat genocide. On this day two years ago, following the train burning in which 58 people were killed in a confrontation between Hindu militants among the passengers and Muslims of Godhra town, a well-planned pogrom was unleashed that soon turned into a genocide. In villages and cities across the state of Gujarat, Hindu mobs, incited into a frenzy of religious hatred by extremist Hindu parties espousing the supremacist ideology of Hindutva and armed to the teeth with weapons including chemical ones, embarked upon weeks of killing, rape, arson, plunder, pillage and ethnic cleansing. When the pogrom subsided, human rights groups estimated that over 2000 civilians were killed, hundreds of women were gang-raped, over 150,000 were displaced and the socio-economic infrastructure of the Muslim community was completely destroyed. The Central coalition-government in Delhi, dominated by the Hindutva Bharatya Janata Party (BJP), refused to step in after it became evident that the BJP State government was aiding and abetting the violence in Gujarat. Prime Minister Vajpayee, his hard-line deputy, Lal K. Advani, and other ministers continued to express their support for the local political leaders involved in the pogrom and continued to blame the victims. It is only of late, after the Supreme Court of India intervened and, declaring the state police agencies and prosecutors to be complicit, asked the Central law enforcement agencies to get involved, that the process of prosecution of some perpetrators has begun. The Gujarat genocide is still continuing. According to human rights activists, hundreds of thousands of Muslims living in the villages of Gujarat are subjected to a brutal economic boycott and low scale sustained violence. The perpetrators of the Gujarat genocide have termed it “a successful experiment” and vowed to repeat it all over India. They have now turned their genocidal attention on the Christian community of Gujarat. The Hindutva-fascist movement believes in Hindu supremacy and was launched in the 1920s on the model of Mussolini’s Fascist Party. These groups admire Hitler and his genocidal policies. They hate the glorious rainbow of the pluralist Indian society and have vowed to submerge it into a sea of red blood as the first step towards giving it a monotonous saffron hue, the religious color of Hinduism that the Hindutva-fascists have usurped. Openly in the states that they rule and surreptitiously in the states that they do not, they have embarked on teaching a history based on hate and mythology to brainwash young minds to turn them into vicious killers and rapists. The groups perpetrating the genocide not only brought immense shame to India and did great harm to the country’s name, but also caused extensive damage to the economy of the state and the nation. These same groups are now clamoring to win a mandate to rule India. The Hindutva groups are using the state machinery to propagandize their claim that India’s economic growth, which was in actuality a result of good monsoons, was due to their leader Prime Minister Atal B. Vajpayee, a hard-liner with a moderate mask. Mr. Vajpayee, with his moderate mask on, is even trying to reach out to Muslims and Christians to win their votes in the upcoming national elections. The BJP is hoping to come to power as a majority party and accelerate its bloody “saffronization” program. In his address to IMC San Francisco Bay Area Chapter, Dr. Shaik Ubaid, the President of IMC-USA declared, “So, on this second anniversary of the dark genocide, much is at stake. The Hindutva-fascists threaten not just the minorities of the nation, but the very character of the secular democracy and the pluralist society that India is. Therefore, Indian Muslim Council-USA urges all peace loving people to join in the pledge to work hard to bring the perpetrators of the genocide to justice as a deterrent for future genocides and to join the struggle to save India from becoming a Hindutva-fascist country. India is too big a country with too huge a market and too important a geo-strategic location for the international community and the US to turn a blind eye to the dangers of Hindutva take over of India. IMC-USA calls the Indians engaged in exposing the horrible crimes of Hindutva-fascists and the great dangers that the Hindutva-fascism poses to India as true patriots . We also wish to thank decent men and women of other faiths and also those who do not follow any particular faith, who stood shoulder to shoulder with us. And on this anniversary, let we, the members and volunteers of IMC-USA, renew our pledge that we made to the victims of Gujarat genocide – “Never Again!” Contact: M.K.Rahman, Secretary General Indian Muslim Council-USA 265 Sunrise Highway 1-355 Rockville Center, NY 11570 Tel: (516) 567-0783 E-mail: media@imc-usa.org

Press Release

Displaced Gods: New victims of Hindutva ideology

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January 28, 2004 By Ameena A. Saeed “There is a systematic spread of communal hatred going on all 365 days of the year, the culmination of which we have seen in Gujarat. Rich NRI’s have provided enough funds to the RSS and its various members like the BJP, Bajrang Dal, VHP and Durga Vahini to last for another fifty years. BJP is roping in poor Dalits and tribal people under the garb of literacy and financing the killings of Muslim”. “The going rate in Gujarat, in early 2002, was Rs.500 ($10.00) and a bottle of liquor for a Muslim head. In Gujarat most of the killing was done by Dalits and tribal people who were promised entry into the Hindutva fold”. “A very sophisticated hate campaign has enveloped India with thousands of schools and RSS trained teachers engaged in spreading the gory message that the religion that created rivers of blood is Islam and Muslims are responsible for the partition of the country and hence destined to be killed”. “In the Indian state of Orissa, a Muslim graveyard is now called ‘Gaochar, a place for cattle grazing”. “Vulnerable and isolated, Tabassum, a graduate Muslim woman beats her little daughter who insists on playing with her non-Muslim neighbors. ‘She is isolated in the classroom by children and the teacher so I am forced to send her to the Islamic madrassa much against my will’, says Tabassum”. These were the words of Dr. Asghar Ali Engineer, renowned Indian scholar and activist and Dr. Angana Chatterji, social activist and Professor of Social and Cultural Anthropology at the California Institute of Integral Studies, speaking at a luncheon discussion organized by the Indian Muslim Council (IMC) at the Santa Clara Marriott Hotel on 24 January 2004. The event was co-sponsored by a number of South-Asia focused organizations, namely, Coalition against Communalism (CAC), Friends of South Asia (FOSA), South Asian Progressive Action Collective (SAPAC), Non-resident Indian’s for a Secular & Harmonious India (NRI-SAHI) and Indian Muslim Relief Committee (IMRC). The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), Bajrang Dal, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Dr. Engineer claimed, are slowly destroying the secular, pluralistic and composite fabric of India. He said the most alarming aspect was the attempts by these organizations to distort Indian history by engaging in a campaign to revise the school curriculum to infuse hatred against Muslims. He provided the example of “a ten year old boy in Mumbai comes home from school and tries to make a paper bomb to kill his Muslims classmates after he learns from the RSS sponsored history books that the religion that created rivers of blood is Islam”. Dr. Engineer blamed BJP’s liberal economic opportunities to woo the Hindu middle class at the cost of poor people and the “Feel Good” factor provided by the new brand of Hindu Nationalism. Dr. Engineer highlighted the contributions made by Indian Muslims in the freedom struggle and also expounded some of the myths and false propaganda spread by Hindutva organizations. On secularism, Dr. Engineer said “History of secularism is the history of minorities. All minorities supported the Freedom Movement. The majority of Muslims and Muslim Scholars did not support partition and the birth of Pakistan at a time when the popularity of the Muslim League was at its highest”. He narrated the grassroots outreach efforts of Maulana Hussain Ahmed Madani of Deoband and other Deoband scholars cautioning the masses against the partition. Dr. Engineer was equally critical of the Muslim leadership and pointed to events in the 1980’s, such as the reversal of the Shahbano verdict and the Babri Mosque movement, that ultimately resulted in an electoral victory for the BJP. The Muslim Personal Law Board, he said, “has no mandate of the Indian Muslims”. Arguing that the Board did not give women the rights promised in the Holy Quran, Dr. Engineer said, “It is the Muslim men who need to reform themselves”. “But India has not lost its soul”, said an optimistic Dr. Engineer. “It was the Hindus who stood by the Muslims and saved them during the Gujarat carnage. It is only a small percentage of Hindus who are responsible for the spread of distortion and hatred against Muslims and Christians”. He then related the account of the chief mahant of Ayodhya who said, “I am ashamed of those who split open a pregnant woman’s belly, toss the fetus in fire to the chant of

Press Release

Indian Muslim Council-USA welcomes Congressional scrutiny of the condition of minorities in Gujarat.

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January 13, 2004 Indian Muslim Council-USA, an advocacy group working towards safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, welcomes the efforts of members of Congress to draw attention to the dire situation of minorities in the Indian state of Gujarat. Dr. Shaik Ubaid, President of IMC-USA, expressed gratitude to members of US Congress who met with the victims of Gujarat genocide and spoke out against the rise of Hindutva-fascism. He further added that, “We also wish to thank the delegation members who raised these issues in their meetings with the Indian government officials and business representatives.” IMC-USA had launched a campaign to educate the delegation members on the growing persecution of minorities and Dalits in India. In meetings with delegation members and their staff, IMC-USA emphasized that the rise of Hindutva-fascism and attempts by the proponents of Hindutva to instill hatred in the coming generations of Indians does not bode well for India’s secular democracy and economic prosperity. The delegation members were also made aware of media reports that have tracked the transfer of funds from the United States to Hindutva “hate groups” responsible for the recurring anti-minority violence in India. IMC-USA expresses satisfaction that its campaign was successful and praises the efforts of the representatives of Christian, Dalit, and secular groups who were partners in this campaign. Also see: http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/00209213016.htm http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/414555.cms Contact: Rasheed Ahmed (708) 466 0244

Press Release

Indian Muslim Activist to visit USA

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12 January, 2004 Dr. Asghar Ali Engineer is a renowned Indian Muslim scholar and activist, recognized for his work in promoting communal harmony and peace in India. Dr. Engineer has received numerous awards for his work, notably the 1997 Communal Harmony Award by the Government of India. In over forty years of exhaustive fieldwork, he has investigated and documented nearly every riot in post-independent India. Dr. Engineer has written extensively on Indian Muslims and Indian communalism in countless articles, weekly newsletters and books. He has forty-five books to his credit, both on communalism and Islam, and is currently the director of the Center for the Study of Society and Secularism (CSSS) and the Institute of Islamic Studies, both in Mumbai, India. This month, Indian Muslim Council-USA will host a series of lectures across the USA by Dr. Asghar Ali Engineer on the position of the Muslim community in the world’s largest democracy. The second largest Muslim population in the world, Indian Muslims form an integral and significant part of India’s social and political life. With the political rise of Hindu nationalist forces and the gradual institutionalization of Hindu nationalism, Muslims in India are increasingly vulnerable and disenfranchised, as demonstrated most starkly by the violence in Gujarat (2002), which left around two thousand Muslims dead and more than 100,000 rendered homeless. This in addition to the selective destruction of livelihood and property of Muslims. The insecurity of India’s Muslim community has critical ramifications for the condition of Indian democracy and secularism and the stability of the region. Indian Muslim Council-USA is an advocacy group working toward safeguarding Indian society’s pluralist and tolerant ethos. January 24, 2004 Secularism & Democracy in India: Challenges Ahead Santa Clara Marriott, Santa Clara, CA 12:30 – 4:30 PM (http://www.imc-usa.org/events.htm) RSVP: bayarea@imc-usa.org Phone: (408) 219 1433 January 25, 2004 Communalism & Identity Politics in India FunAsia, Richardson, TX 6:00 – 8:00 PM RSVP: info@imc-usa.org Phone: (972)889-8000 February 1, 2004 Democracy & Communal Harmony in India: Role of NRI & PIO Community Indo-American Center, Chicago, IL 2:00 – 5:00 PM RSVP: info@imc-usa.org Phone: (708)466-0244 IMC-USA President’s Office 265 Sunrise Highway, Ste 1-355 Rockville Centre, NY 11570 Ph: (516) 567-0783 Web: http://www.imc-usa.org

Press Release

IAAD and IMC-USA Call for an immediate end to the segregation of Dalit children in Gujarat schools.

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Chicago, IL, Dec 17, 2003. International Association of the Advancement of Dalits, an international Dalit advocacy group, working to provide a rightful share for Dalits in India’s wealth, institutions, and capital, and Indian Muslim Council-USA, an advocacy group working towards safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, strongly denounce to the segregation of Dalit children, reportedly being practiced in Gujarat schools and call for an immediate end to it. According to media reports, schools in Surendranagar district of the Indian state of Gujarat have been segregating Dalit children from children belonging to the upper caste communities and teachers who oppose such segregation have been punished with punitive transfers. The constitution of India grants equal rights and privileges to all its citizens, including the Dalits. IMC-USA stands by Dalit Indians and IAAD in the fight against segregation and firmly believes that integration of all Indian communities is crucial to India’s future progress. IMC-USA and IAAD further call upon the Gujarat government to investigate the incident and initiate disciplinary action against officials who promote such practices. Dr. K.P. Singh, Chairperson of IAAD said “the State Government of Gujarat must be condemned in strongest possible words for becoming idle on the growing crimes against Dalits and letting them to be oppressed and discriminated by the caste Hindus. Dalits cannot live in terror and their children cannot study in a horrified environment in which not only the non-Dalit students spread hate crimes based on the caste even supremacist Hindu teachers promote such inhuman practices against Dalits. The Dalit rights must be protected by the government of Gujarat as well the central government. Dr. Singh has expressed his deep sorrow on the pathetic conditions of oppressed Dalits who have been squeezed and crushed by the Hindutva fascist forces. Terming crimes against Dalits as the crimes against humanity, Dr. Singh has sought the intervention of Human Rights organization to find the truth so that justice could be rendered to the helpless and oppressed Dalits as soon as possible. Commenting on the reports, Mr. Rasheed Ahmed, Vice President of IMC-USA said “Dalits have been forced to live under a system of apartheid for the last several hundred years. It is about time that this oppression is put to an end as demanded by the Indian constitution. Equal access to education is one of the hallmarks of any viable democracy, India’s vision of becoming a positive global power could only be achieved by living together, learning together and respecting each other.” Since its inception, IMC-USA has been actively promoting values of pluralism and tolerance amongst the Indian Diaspora in the United States and is spearheading efforts to build bridges between the various Indian Diaspora communities in the USA. For information on IMC-USA, please visit http://www.imc-usa.org Or write to info@imc-usa.org info@imc-usa.org Read More: http://www.indianexpress.com/full_story.php?content_id=37346 Contact: Dr. K P Singh Chairperson, IAAD (206) 280 4955 jaybheem@yahoo.com Rasheed Ahmed Vice President, IMC-USA (708) 466-0244 info@imc-usa.org

Press Release

Indian Muslim Council-USA Disagrees with the Shahi Imam

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December 16, 2003 Indian Muslim Council-USA, an advocacy group working towards safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, welcomes the capture of Saddam Hussain and hope that he will be tried in an open court under international supervision. IMC-USA denounces the statement of the Shahi Imam of Jama mosque, Delhi who called Saddam Hussain a defender of Islam. Hussain killed more than a million Muslims, both Iraqi and non-Iraqis and was a brutal dictator who ascribed to the anti-Islamic ideology of Baathism. His party was brought to power by the western spy agencies in the 1960s. One of the first acts of the Baathist regime, on assuming power, was to kill the Muslim scholars both Sunni and Shia. It is understandable that many Indians, especially the Hindutva ideologues have a soft corner for Saddam Hussain because of his anti-Muslim policies and for his support to India against Pakistan. But to call him a defender of Islam is contrary to facts. IMC-USA also hopes that the US and the UN will now focus on apprehending other dictators and perpetrators of genocide, such as Radovan Karadzic and Narendra Modi for genocides and mass rapes committed in Bosnia and Gujarat, India respectively. For information on IMC-USA, please visit http://www.imc-usa.org Or, email: info@imc-usa.org Contact person: M.K.Rahman (516-567-0783) Indian Muslim Council-USA 265 Sunrise Highway, Suite 1-355 Rockville Centre, NY 11570

Press Release

Indian Muslim Council-USA criticizes Imam Bukhari’s statements on 9/11

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Chicago, I.L., 10/09/03 – Indian Muslim Council-USA, an advocacy group working toward safeguarding Indian society’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, expresses its disagreement with and disapproval of Imam Bukhari’s recent statements. Indian Muslims and Indian Muslim Scholars joined other Muslim Scholars throughout the world in condemning the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Rasheed Ahmed, Vice-president of IMC-USA said “We strongly disagree with the recent statement made by Ahmed Bukhari, the Imam of Delhi’s Jamia Masjid, in which he had favorably described the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. As Muslim Americans we unequivocally condemn those attacks.” Mr. Ahmed further added that “The Imam has made an irresponsible remark at a time when the community needs clarity and cohesion, on the one hand, and peace, amity and reconciliation with the rest of the world, on the other. These goals can never be achieved without moral integrity and civic responsibility.” Since it was founded over a year ago, IMC-USA has been actively promoting values of pluralism and tolerance amongst the Indian Diaspora in the United States. Read More: http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=65165 http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/cms.dll/html/uncomp/articleshow?msid=216124 Contact: Rasheed Ahmed (708) 466-0244

Press Release

Indian Muslim Council-USA endorses ‘Promise of India’ campaign for Communal Harmony in India.

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Oct 4th, 2003. Milpitas, CA. Indian Muslim Council-USA, a Washington based advocacy group working toward safeguarding Indian society’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, announces its endorsement and support for the ‘Promise of India’ campaign. ‘Promise of India’ is a global campaign for communal harmony in India, launched on October 4, 2003 to coincide with the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, at India Community Center (ICC), Milpitas, CA by a coalition of Indian-American non-profit organizations serving the Indian community. Rasheed Ahmed, Vice-President of IMC-USA, said, “Indian Muslims and IMC-USA will always support any effort that strengthens India’s secularism. Campaigns like this are the only way for the silent majority to express their displeasure at sectarian violence and the politics of hate. We at IMC-USA are eager to build an India that is secular, democratic and prosperous, and where every citizen is treated with dignity and respect, irrespective of caste, creed or religion”. IMC-USA lauds the leadership of AID, AIF, ASHA, CAC, ICA, ICC, PrajaNet and TiE in their effort to make a positive difference in the functioning of the largest democracy. IMC-USA pledges it full support to the ‘Promise of India’ campaign and looks forward to working with the diverse organizations to make this campaign a success. Since it was founded over a year ago, IMC-USA has been actively promoting values of pluralism and tolerance amongst the Indian Diaspora in the United States. Further information: www.promiseofindia.org www.imc-usa.org Contact: Rasheed Ahmed Tel: (708) 466-0244 E-mail: bayarea@imc-usa.org

Press Release

Indian Muslim Council-USA condemns ethnic cleansing of muslims in Rajasthan villages by Bajrang Dal

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Sept. 29, 2003. Chicago, IL. Indian Muslim Council-USA strongly condemns the subversive and terrorist activities of hindu nationalist organizations Bajrang Dal and World Hindu Council (known as VHP in India) in the Indian State of Rajasthan. On September 25th Bajrang Dal activists, blasted a mosque in Iklera, Rajasthan forcing muslims to flee Iklera. Bajrang Dal and the VHP had been active in the area after Gujarat carnage. According to press reports, the past 10 days have seen armed Bajrang Dal and VHP activists on the rampage, driving out about 25 muslim families from their homes, ransacking their houses and setting them on fire. The village of Mishroli now has a welcome sign on a bright saffron board displaying the “Ideal Hindu Village”. Expressing concern over the recent incidents, Mr. Rasheed Ahmed, vice president of IMC-USA said “Incidents in Iklera very much reflect the threats made after the Gujarat carnage that “Gujarat experiment will be repeated” in a smaller scale and also demostrates a dangerous trend that is undermining the pluralistic and tolerant ethos of Indian Society. We urge the government of Rajasthan to bring the culprits to justice and take full measures to ensure the safety and protection of basic human rights of all citizens.” Another IMC-USA volunteer said “These type of terror tactics by VHP and Bajrang Dal have been increasingly reported across the country, which are a threat to the very values of freedom, justice and equality that the country has been founded upon” International groups like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have accused India’s hindu nationalist government of failing to curb violence by hindu hard-line groups against Indian minorities. These same groups were responsible for the murder of christian missionary Graham Staines, lynching of Dalits and Gujarat genocide in 2002, which saw the ethnic cleansing of muslims and the glaring state collusion in the carnage. Read More: http://www.indianexpress.com/full_story.php?content_id=32403 http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_391044,000900010008.htm Contact: Rasheed Ahmed (708) 466-0244

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Indian Muslim Council-USA welcomes court verdict in Staines murder case.

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September 18, 2003 Indian Muslim Council-USA welcomes court verdict in Staines murder case. Santa Clara, CA. Indian Muslim Council-USA, an advocacy group working toward safeguarding Indian society s pluralist and tolerant ethos, welcomed the conviction of Dara Singh and 12 others by a trial court in the state of Orissa. On January 22, 1999, Australian missionary Graham Staines and his two young sons, Timothy (7) and Philip (11), were burnt to death as they slept in their jeep in Manoharpur, a town in Orissa, India. Dara Singh, a sympathizer of the Hindutva-fascist parties in India, was arrested for the crime. Rasheed Ahmed, Vice-President of IMC-USA said, We are pleased by the decision of the trial court and its efforts to resist intimidation and pressure by supporters of the accused. This verdict should serve as a lesson to extremist forces that their campaign to ferment hatred against minorities and secular minded Indians will never go unpunished. Since it was founded over a year ago, IMC-USA has been actively promoting values of pluralism and tolerance amongst the Indian Diaspora in the United States. Contact: Rasheed Ahmed (708) 466 0244

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Indian Muslim Council-USA condemns explosions in south Mumbai

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August 25th, 2003 Contact: Rasheed Ahmed Telephone: (708) 466-0244 Indian Muslim Council-USA, a Washington based advocacy group working toward safeguarding Indian society’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, condemned the multiple bomb blasts in Mumbai, India on August 25, 2003. According to news reports received on August 25, 2003, more than 45 innocent lives were lost when multiple bomb explosions rocked India’s financial capital, Mumbai. Rasheed Ahmed, Vice-President of IMC-USA said, “We are always deeply pained by such senseless acts of violence. We call on the Indian government to arrest the perpetrators of this heinous act and swiftly bring them to justice and seek maximum penalty under the law. We are confident that Indian government will not let the violence escalate to avoid further loss of life and civility. We stand in sympathy with the families and friends of those who lost their lives and call on all Indians to join together and condemn all violence against innocent civilians.” Since it was founded on the independence day, August 15th, 2002, IMC-USA has been actively promoting values of pluralism and tolernce amongst the Indian Diaspora in the United States. Indian Muslim Council-USA 265 Sunrise Highway, 1-355 Rockville Center, NY 11570 E mail:info@imc-usa.org web:www.imc-usa.org

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Rights Group Celebrates India’s 56th Independence anniversary

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August 17th, 2003 Contact: Syed Ali Telephone: (408) 219-1433 E-mail: bayarea@imc-usa.org Santa Clara, CA., Indian Muslim Council – USA, an advocacy group working toward safeguarding Indian society’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, extends its best wishes to all Indians on the occasion of the 56th anniversary of India’s Independence day and calls on all Indians to remember the message of Mohandas Gandhi whose non-violent struggle was the key to India’s independence. Dr. Shaik Ubaid, the President of IMC-USA, said, “the principles of tolerance and non-violence that Gandhiji stood for are more relevant now than ever before”. August 15th, 2003 also marks the first anniversary of the Indian Muslim Council, which was launched on August 15th 2002, accepting fully the symbolic significance of the day in Indian history, and pledging to ensure the independence of people and institutions from hate filled ideologies by promoting the common values of pluralism, tolerance and respect for human rights. To cherish the importance of this day and promote inter-faith and inter-community understanding in the United States, IMC-USA launched a series of nationwide events including advertisements in leading newspapers and participating in India’s independence day festivities in various cities. The Bay Area chapter set up a colorful booth at the India festival in Fremont, CA, hosted by the Federation Indian Associations of California (http://www.fiaonline.org). The booth showcased the richness of Indian culture and the centuries long history of unity in diversity. There was also a children’s slogan and drawing contest. Free balloons and candies were distributed. T-shirts and caps carrying the message of ‘unity in diversity’ were also available at the booth. Sajed Ahmed, an IMC-USA volunteer said “We are very grateful to FIA for providing us the oppurtunity to take part in the festival and for all their help”. Rahmat Baig, West Coast President for IMC-USA said “We extend our best wishes to all Indians. Our message to all our fellow countrymen is that we should all unite and work together for a harmonious, peaceful and prosperous India”.The festival began on August 16th and will end on August 17th with a parade and awards celebration. Ref: http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/ entertainment/movies/6547474.htm http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/news/ local/states/california/counties/alameda_county/6477903.htm

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IMC-USA mourns loss of innocent lives in Vaishno Devi incidents

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Washington D.C. July 22, 2003. The Indian Muslim Council-USA, an advocacy organization of Muslims in the United States hailing from India, mourns the loss of innocent lives in the Vaishno Devi shrine incidents in Kashmir. According to media reports received on July 21st, 2003, seven Hindu pilgrims were killed in two separate blasts near the Vaishno Devi shrine in Kashmir. Rasheed Ahmed, Vice-President of IMC-USA said,

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Indian Muslim Council-USA condemns attack on Indian student

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July 2, 2003 Indian Muslim Council-USA, a Washington based advocacy group working toward safeguarding Indian society’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, condemned the recent attack on an Indian student in New Bedford, MA. According to news reports, Mr. Saurabh Bhalerao, an Indian student at the University of Massachusetts – Dartmouth was robbed, beaten and burned by four attackers while delivering a pizza to a neighborhood address. Investigators believe the attack was racially motivated and the suspects mistook Mr. Bhalerao, who is Hindu, for a Muslim. Dr. Shaik Ubaid, President of IMC-USA, offered his condolence to Mr. Bhalerao and urged the State police to investigate this incident as a hate crime. Dr. Ubaid also said ” It is ironic that extremist Hindutva websites have been in the fore front of spreading hatred against Islam and Muslims. This hatred has now caused a non-Muslim Indian to suffer. I urge all people, especially of Indian origin to come together, just as they did for the first IMC-USA annual convention on June 28, to fight religious and racial hatred,” he said. Dr. Ubaid further requested that people donate to the recovery fund that has been set up by the University of Massachusetts – Dartmouth. Donations: Saurabh Bhalerao Recovery Fund, C/o UMass Dartmouth Foundation 285 Old Westport Road; Dartmouth, MA 02747-2300 End of document Indian Muslim Council-USA Office of the President 265 Sunrise Highway Suite 1-355 Rockville Centre, NY 11570 Tel#(516) 567-0783 E-mail:info@imc-usa.org

Press Release

Indian Muslim Council’s First National Convention a Huge Success

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Santa Clara, CA, June 30th, 2003: The first annual convention of the Indian Muslim Council-USA held on June 28th 2003 in Santa Clara, CA, was a huge success. Speakers and delegates called this a first of its kind symposium on India and a landmark event. Over 25 speakers representing a diverse and impressive array of experts, journalists, academicians and prominent representatives of secular as well as all major Indian religious communities held groundbreaking discussions on important contemporary issues relating to regional instability, human rights, sectarian violence, militant nationalism and prospects of boosting social amity in India. The convention, held at the Santa Clara Marriott, was attended by over 500 people. Human Rights update Smita Narula, India expert and senior researcher at Human Rights Watch, previewed an advance copy of HRW report on India titled “Compounding Injustice” at the convention. The report highlights the continued breakdown of government and judicial machinery in the Indian state of Gujarat, which witnessed one of the most gruesome anti-minority violence in the history of Independent India. Govind Acharya, India Director at Amnesty International highlighted the plight of the religious minorities in Gujarat and suggested actions to bring relief and justice to the victims. Experiences in Multi-culturalism The session titled “Experiences in Multi-culturalism” hosted a panel of speakers representing all major religious communities of India and was a major attraction. Raju Rajagopal, President of Coalition Against Communalism, elaborated on the distinction between Hindutva and Hinduism. Reverend Jaswant Singha highlighted the plight of the Indian Christians and expressed solidarity with the Muslim victims of the Gujarat pogrom. Kulmeet Singh, National Coordinator of the Sikh Coalition, addressed the issue of the persecution of Sikhs in India and labeled attempts by the Sangh Parivar to address Sikhs as Hindus as a “policy of destruction through assimilation”. Dr. Aslam Abdallah, editor of the Muslim Observer and Minaret pondered on the issue of Muslim extremism while Dr. Ahmedullah Siddiqui, Professor of Public Relations at Western Illinois University, focused on fresh approaches that the Indian Muslim community can take in improving its outreach relations. Dr. K. P. Singh, convener of the International Association of the Advancement of Dalit people explained Gujarat pogrom in the context of the 2000 years of persecution of Dalits. Dr. Rahul Deepankar, International President, Indian Buddhist Association of America spoke of the “dalitization of Muslims.” John Prabhudoss, executive director of the Policy Institute for Religion & State, a Washington DC based think tank, spoke about the need for joint efforts to counter the growing influence of the Hindu extremists on the Capitol Hill and establishment of a framework of cooperation among secular & plural minded groups. Shri Shrikumar Poddar, of the Vaishnava Center for Enlightenment, who was unable to attend the convention due to a prior commitment in Germany send a letter of support stating “I am wholeheartedly with you in the success of our mission”. Contributions Acknowledged Awards, named after great Muslim Indians were presented in various categories. The award for “Best indepth coverage of the Indian Diaspora, was awarded to Rukmini Callimachi of the Daily Herald of Illinois for her series on the Indian Diaspora living in suburban Chicago. The Banquet Address Father Cedric Prakash, the Director of PRASHANT, the Jesuit Center of Human Rights, Justice and Peace in the State of Gujarat, spokesperson forewarned the people not to develop amnesia about the Gujarat pogrom and detailed the ongoing persecution of the Muslims and Christians in Gujarat. Referring to the words of India’s first Prime Minister Pandit Nehru who fifty-four years ago in an address to the US Congress very forthrightly said ” when freedom is threatened or justice is menaced, India cannot and shall not be neutral”. Fr. Prakash said, “Yes, my dear friends, in the fact of what happened in Gujarat a year ago, none of us can be neutral. We have to take the stand for what is right and for what is just. He presented a replica of the “tree of life motif” of the famous Sidi Saiyed mosque to IMC-USA. The BJP led government had removed this century long symbol of Gujarat. Praful Bidwai, one of the most respected and widely read journalist and political commentator in India, presented a detailed analysis of the political and economic strategy of the Hindutva group and called the battle for the soul of India as “not over yet”. He predicted that Hindutva attempts to destroy India’s secular democracy will fail. He backed his prediction with the fact that an overwhelming majority of India’s national newspapers lamented the BJP’s electoral victory in Gujarat and that no national or regional political party supports BJP’s political or religious ideology. Dr. Shaik Ubaid, president of IMC-USA, reassured Fr. Prakash that IMC-USA will never forget the Gujarat pogrom and will continue to work to bring all religious and secular groups together to promote pluralism in India. He pointed out that many moderate Hindu leaders have been in the forefront of the struggle against Hindutva-fascism. He warned that by remaining silent on the activities of Hindutva extremists, the Indian Diaspora in the US will hurt the future empowerment of its coming generations. He called resisting the spread of Hindutva-extremism in India and the US, “the highest patriotic duty”, as the extremists are not only damaging the reputation of India but are causing immense damage to India’s economy. Jameel Johnson, Chief of Staff of Congressman Gregory Meeks (D-NY 6th) addressed the overflowing banquet session on the importance of guarding the civil rights vigilantly while Congressman Mike Honda of Santa Clara (D-CA 15th) congratulated the Indian Muslim Council-USA for its holding of the inter-faith convention. Gujarat & its Aftermath Earlier in the day Nishrin Hussain, the daughter of Ehsan Jafri, the slain member of parliament of India, spoke about how women and children were specifically targeted by the perpetrators of The Gujarat pogrom. The same session also discussed the suffering of the Kashmiri Hindus and Muslims. The afternoon sessions were addressed by an impressive array of academic experts, such as Dr.

Press Release

Indian Muslim Council’s First National Convention a Huge Success

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Santa Clara, CA, June 30th, 2003: The first annual convention of the Indian Muslim Council-USA held on June 28th 2003 in Santa Clara, CA, was a huge success. Speakers and delegates called this a first of its kind symposium on India and a landmark event. Over 25 speakers representing a diverse and impressive array of experts, journalists, academicians and prominent representatives of secular as well as all major Indian religious communities held groundbreaking discussions on important contemporary issues relating to regional instability, human rights, sectarian violence, militant nationalism and prospects of boosting social amity in India. The convention, held at the Santa Clara Marriott, was attended by over 500 people. Human Rights update Smita Narula, India expert and senior researcher at Human Rights Watch, previewed an advance copy of HRW report on India titled “Compounding Injustice” at the convention. The report highlights the continued breakdown of government and judicial machinery in the Indian state of Gujarat, which witnessed one of the most gruesome anti-minority violence in the history of Independent India. Govind Acharya, India Director at Amnesty International highlighted the plight of the religious minorities in Gujarat and suggested actions to bring relief and justice to the victims. Experiences in Multi-culturalism The session titled “Experiences in Multi-culturalism” hosted a panel of speakers representing all major religious communities of India and was a major attraction. Raju Rajagopal, President of Coalition Against Communalism, elaborated on the distinction between Hindutva and Hinduism. Reverend Jaswant Singha highlighted the plight of the Indian Christians and expressed solidarity with the Muslim victims of the Gujarat pogrom. Kulmeet Singh, National Coordinator of the Sikh Coalition, addressed the issue of the persecution of Sikhs in India and labeled attempts by the Sangh Parivar to address Sikhs as Hindus as a “policy of destruction through assimilation”. Dr. Aslam Abdallah, editor of the Muslim Observer and Minaret pondered on the issue of Muslim extremism while Dr. Ahmedullah Siddiqui, Professor of Public Relations at Western Illinois University, focused on fresh approaches that the Indian Muslim community can take in improving its outreach relations. Dr. K. P. Singh, convener of the International Association of the Advancement of Dalit people explained Gujarat pogrom in the context of the 2000 years of persecution of Dalits. Dr. Rahul Deepankar, International President, Indian Buddhist Association of America spoke of the “dalitization of Muslims.” John Prabhudoss, executive director of the Policy Institute for Religion & State, a Washington DC based think tank, spoke about the need for joint efforts to counter the growing influence of the Hindu extremists on the Capitol Hill and establishment of a framework of cooperation among secular & plural minded groups. Shri Shrikumar Poddar, of the Vaishnava Center for Enlightenment, who was unable to attend the convention due to a prior commitment in Germany send a letter of support stating “I am wholeheartedly with you in the success of our mission”. Contributions Acknowledged Awards, named after great Muslim Indians were presented in various categories. The award for “Best indepth coverage of the Indian Diaspora, was awarded to Rukmini Callimachi of the Daily Herald of Illinois for her series on the Indian Diaspora living in suburban Chicago. The Banquet Address Father Cedric Prakash, the Director of PRASHANT, the Jesuit Center of Human Rights, Justice and Peace in the State of Gujarat, spokesperson forewarned the people not to develop amnesia about the Gujarat pogrom and detailed the ongoing persecution of the Muslims and Christians in Gujarat. Referring to the words of India’s first Prime Minister Pandit Nehru who fifty-four years ago in an address to the US Congress very forthrightly said ” when freedom is threatened or justice is menaced, India cannot and shall not be neutral”. Fr. Prakash said, “Yes, my dear friends, in the fact of what happened in Gujarat a year ago, none of us can be neutral. We have to take the stand for what is right and for what is just. He presented a replica of the “tree of life motif” of the famous Sidi Saiyed mosque to IMC-USA. The BJP led government had removed this century long symbol of Gujarat. Praful Bidwai, one of the most respected and widely read journalist and political commentator in India, presented a detailed analysis of the political and economic strategy of the Hindutva group and called the battle for the soul of India as “not over yet”. He predicted that Hindutva attempts to destroy India’s secular democracy will fail. He backed his prediction with the fact that an overwhelming majority of India’s national newspapers lamented the BJP’s electoral victory in Gujarat and that no national or regional political party supports BJP’s political or religious ideology. Dr. Shaik Ubaid, president of IMC-USA, reassured Fr. Prakash that IMC-USA will never forget the Gujarat pogrom and will continue to work to bring all religious and secular groups together to promote pluralism in India. He pointed out that many moderate Hindu leaders have been in the forefront of the struggle against Hindutva-fascism. He warned that by remaining silent on the activities of Hindutva extremists, the Indian Diaspora in the US will hurt the future empowerment of its coming generations. He called resisting the spread of Hindutva-extremism in India and the US, “the highest patriotic duty”, as the extremists are not only damaging the reputation of India but are causing immense damage to India’s economy. Jameel Johnson, Chief of Staff of Congressman Gregory Meeks (D-NY 6th) addressed the overflowing banquet session on the importance of guarding the civil rights vigilantly while Congressman Mike Honda of Santa Clara (D-CA 15th) congratulated the Indian Muslim Council-USA for its holding of the inter-faith convention. Gujarat & its Aftermath Earlier in the day Nishrin Hussain, the daughter of Ehsan Jafri, the slain member of parliament of India, spoke about how women and children were specifically targeted by the perpetrators of The Gujarat pogrom. The same session also discussed the suffering of the Kashmiri Hindus and Muslims. The afternoon sessions were addressed by an impressive array of academic experts, such as Dr.

Press Release

IMC-USA to hold first ever convention of its kind on India-related issues

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Washington D.C., June 23, 2003 The Indian Muslim Council – USA, a Washington D.C. based advocacy group formally launched less than an year ago, is all set to host the first ever convention of its type on India-related issues, in Santa Clara, California on June 28th, 2003. The theme of the convention is “India After Gujarat – Democracy or Religious Fanaticism”. The convention is unique is a number of ways. It comes at a time of widespread concern across the world about the changing nature of Indian society due to the rise of a divisive and hate-based ideology called Hindutva. IMC-USA is emphasizing the significance of this timing and the context of the convention, by making it the closure point of its campaign to commemorate the events in Gujarat, India, last year. For the first time, an impressive array of speakers from vastly diverse backgrounds will assemble to hold groundbreaking discussions on issues related to human rights, sectarian violence, militant nationalism and social amity in India. The speakers include prominent religious & community leaders, political activists, social scientists, researchers, columnists and authors. While some speakers would converge from different parts of the United States, others are especially arriving from India to take part in the event. This would be the first event to bring the developments in India into focus in the United States on such a large scale. This is an appropriate and much-needed development, since, as reported by human rights and advocacy groups, the battle for ideology in India is increasingly being fought within the Indian Diaspora in the United States. Human rights groups and media have highlighted the increasing financial, political, and intellectual support that the hate-based ideology of Hindutva is gathering in the United States. The IMC-USA Convention thus provides the perfect platform for those concerned about the rise of divisive and hate-based ideologies such as Hindutva, and the repercussions this holds for secular democracies such as India and the United States. “Anyone with a specific interest in India-related issues, or with a broader interest in understanding the siege of democratic and secular societies by divisive and hate-based ideologies, will find this convention stimulating,” said IMC-USA President, Dr. Shaik Ubaid, sending a warm note of welcome to all. Some prominent speakers attending the convention are: Fr. Cedric Prakash: Jesuit priest, working for human rights and harmony in India for over 30 years Praful Bidwai: Noted Columnist & political commentator, writes for over 20 major newspapers, including ‘The Nation (NY)’ Dr. Lise McKean: South Asia scholar and author of the book ‘Divine Enterprise’ Dr. Angana Chatterji: Researcher and Activist on social issues Smita Narula: Senior Researcher for Asia Division, Human Rights Watch. Author of “HR Watch report on Gujarat” Dr. K.P.Singh: Convener of the International Association for the Advancement of Dalit People Nishrin Hussain: Daughter of slain ex-M.P., Ahsan Jafri, in the violence in Gujarat last year P. D. John: Executive Director, Policy Institute for Religion & State Jameel Johnson: Congressional Chief of Staff, Congressman Gregory Meeks (D-NY 6th) Govind Acharya: India & Bangladesh Country director, Amnesty International Dr. Hari Sharma: President, International South Asia Forum (INSAF) Dr. Ahmedullah Siddiqui: Prof. Journalism & Public Relations, Western Illinois University Kulmeet Singh/Jaswant Sangha: Sikh Coalition Dr. Rahul Deepankar: Buddhist Scholar and Dalit activist. Raju Rajagopal: President, Coalition Against Communalism Kulmit Singh: Sikh Coalition Dr. Shaik Ubaid: President, Indian Muslim Council-USA Imam Khalid Griggs: African American activist & Fmr. Chairman of Television Access Corp Dr. Aslam Abdullah: Journalist, Editor of Minaret & Muslim Observer. Dr. Omar Afzal: Expert, Islamic History & Jurisprudence. Asim Ghafoor: Political Consultant, Managing Director, AG Consulting Group. And more For more information: Phone: (408) 219-1433 IMC-USA Website: http://www.imc-usa.org Convention Website: http://www.imc-usa.org/convention/

Press Release

Stage Set for the June 28th Landmark Event

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June 02, 2003 Santa Clara, CA.- Smita Narula, Senior Researcher, Human Rights Watch – Asia Division and John Prabhudoss, Executive Director of Policy Institute for Religion and State have joined the illustrious list of speakers for the first annual convention of the Indian Muslim Council-USA. Praful Bidwai, one of the most widely read Indian Columnists and Fr. Cedric Prakash, a moral voice of the highest stature will be among the speakers coming from India to speak at the event. Dr. K.P. Singh, the Convenor of the International Association of the Advancement of Dalit People, will be another star attraction. Writer and activist Arundathi Roy, one of the most sought after speakers on the international lecture circuit is also invited to speak at the event which is expected to become an annual tradition for scholars, activists and all concerned about the brutal siege of India’s pluralist and democratic ethos by Hindutva ultranationalists. The day and a half event with the theme, “India After Gujarat – Democracy or Religious Fanaticism”, will also be addressed by prominent scholars an social scientists such as Dr. Raka Ray, Lise McKean and Angana Chatterji. Along with Kulmeet Singh of the Sikh Coalition, several other prominent leaders and representatives of Dalit, Hindu and Indian-Christian communities will also address the convention. In February of this year, IMC-USA, an advocacy organization working to promote values of pluralism, tolerance and respect for human rights, with a particular focus on the Indian Diaspora in the United States, launched a series of public events nationwide to mark the first anniversary of the anti-Muslim pogrom in the Indian State of Gujarat. The campaign commenced with a Congressional staff briefing on February 24th and a press conference on Capitol Hill and will end with the IMC convention on June 29th at the Santa Clara Marriott. February 28th marked the day in 2002, when the Hindutva ultranationalist forces that espouse a hate-based and divisive ideology, and are modeled after Mussolini’s Fascist and Hitler’s Nazi parties, unleashed a well planned pogrom on minorities in the Indian state of Gujarat. The pogrom helped them win the elections in Gujarat at a time when their political fortunes were in a decline. Hindutva leaders are now calling for a repeat of this “successful experiment” in other Indian states. Indian human rights activists and International human rights organizations have expressed alarm over this trend. They point to the increasing attacks on Muslims, Christians and Dalits all over India. Human rights groups are also concerned about news reports of the infiltration of segments of the Indian population in the US by the Hindutva-fascist forces and their attempts to gain influence in US power centers such as Capitol Hill and the media. “There is tremendous enthusiasm for the convention among the Indian diaspora, said Rashad Azhar, the chairman of the technology committee of IMC-USA. Mohammad Raafay, the Assistant Secretary General of IMC-USA reminded the delegates to pre-register before the registration fee increase deadline of June 21st. For more information and to register, delegates and journalists can do the following: Visit: http://www.imc-usa.org/convention Phone: (516) 567-0783 E-mail: program@imc-usa.org

Press Release

Momentum building for the June 28th Landmark Event

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June 02, 2003 Santa Clara, CA.- Dr. K.P. Singh, the Connvenor of the International Association of the Advancement of Dalit People has joined the illustrious list of speakers for the first annual convention of the Indian Muslim Council-USA. Praful Bidwai, one of the most widely read Indian Columnists and Fr. Cedric Prakash, a moral voice of the highest stature, will be among the speakers coming from India to speak at the event. Writer and activist Arundathi Roy, one of the most prolific speakers on the international scene is also invited to speak at the event which is expected to become an annual tradition for scholars, activists and all concerned about the brutal siege of India’s pluralist and democratic ethos by Hindutva ultranationalists. The day and a half event with the theme, ‘India After Gujarat – Democracy or Religious Fanaticism’, will also be addressed by prominent scholars and social activists such as Lise McKean, Deputy Director, Center for Impact Research and author of “Divine Enterprise: Gurus and the Hindu Nationalist Movement” and Angana Chatterji, professor of social and cultural anthropology at the California institute of Integral Studies. Several other prominent leaders and representatives of Dalit, Sikh, Hindu and Indian-Christian communities will also address the convention. In February of this year, IMC-USA, an advocacy organization working to promote values of pluralism, tolerance and respect for human rights, with a particular focus on the Indian Diaspora in the United States, launched a series of public events nationwide to mark the first anniversary of the anti-Muslim pogrom in the Indian State of Gujarat. The campaign commenced with a Congressional staff briefing on February 24th and a press conference on Capitol Hill and will end with the IMC convention on June 28th at the Santa Clara Marriott. February 28th marked the day in 2002, when the Hindutva ultranationalist forces that espouse a hate-based and divisive ideology, and are modeled after Mussolini’s Fascist and Hitler’s Nazi parties, unleashed a well planned pogrom on minorities in the Indian state of Gujarat. The pogrom helped them win the elections in Gujarat at a time when their political fortunes were in a decline. Hindutva leaders are now calling for a repeat of this “successful experiment” in other Indian states. Indian human rights activists and International human rights organizations have expressed alarm over this trend. They point to the increasing attacks on Muslims, Christians and Dalits all over India. Human rights groups are also concerned about news reports of the infiltration of segments of the Indian population in the US by the Hindutva-fascist forces and their attempts to gain influence in US power centers such as Capitol Hill and the media. “For the first time, all the groups that constiute India’s beautiful diversity will come together to analyze the dangers to India’s democracy and to offer solutions,” said Umar Malick, one of the organizers. Syed Fahim member of the convention publicity team, praised the efforts of the team of convention volunteers and urged the delegates to pre-register (the registration fee will increase after the deadline of June 21st). For more information and to register, delegates and journalists are requested to visit: http://www.imc-usa.org/convention Phone: (516) 567-0783 E-mail: program@imc-usa.org

Press Release

Preparations in full swing for IMC-USA Annual Convention in Santa Clara on June 28th

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May 30, 2003 First IMC-USA Annual Convention on June 28th in Santa Clara, California Praful Bidwai, one of the most widely read Indian Columnists and Fr. Cedric Prakash, a moral voice of the highest stature, will be among the speakers coming from India to speak at the first annual convention of the Indian Muslim Council-USA. Writer and activist Arundathi Roy, one of the most sought after speakers on the international scene is also invited to speak at the event which is expected to become an annual tradition for scholars, activists and all concerned about the brutal siege of India’s pluralist and democratic ethos by Hindutva ultranationalists. The day and a half event with the theme,

Press Release

IMC-USA welcomes the appointment of Ms. Preeta Bansal to USCIRF

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Press release May 29, 2003. Washington, D.C. The Indian Muslim Council – USA, a Washington based advocacy organization working to promote values of pluralism and tolerance, with particular focus on the Indian Diaspora in the United States, welcomed the appointment of Ms. Preeta Bansal to the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF). Ms. Bansal, who is of Indian descent and a former Solicitor General of New York State, is the first Hindu to be appointed to the commission. She was appointed by Senator Tom Daschle, the Senate Minority leader. Ms Bansal comes to this position with exemplary credentials. She has held impressive positions in the academic world, in prominent law firms, and in state administration. Welcoming her appointment, Dr. Shaik Ubaid, President of IMC-USA, said “There are about a billion Hindus in the world and it is appropriate that there is a Hindu member on the USCIRF. The worsening human rights situation and the growing persecution of religious and ethnic minorities in India can now be better addressed by a commissioner who is familiar with India and has a track record of upholding law.” Dr. Ubaid pointed out that Indians in the United States are worried about the increasing influence of extremist Hindutva groups. “The Hindutva groups are following a two-pronged approach in implementing their divisive and hate-based agenda. On the one hand, they are systematically destroying India’s pluralistic and tolerant ethos by targeting minorities, and on the other hand they are infiltrating institutions in the United States to whitewash these crimes and stifle international criticism,” he said. “We do hope that USCIRF will continue its impeccable work in addressing human rights and minority issues related to India. IMC-USA continues to be eager to help USCIRF in any possible way in addressing these issues,” added Dr. Ubaid.

Press Release

IMC-USA alarmed at birthday celebrations for Gandhi’s assassin

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Washington D.C., May 20, 2003 The Indian Muslim Council – USA, working to promote values of pluralism and tolerance, with particular focus on the Indian Diaspora in the United States, expressed great alarm today over the birthday celebrations for Gandhi’s assassin carried out by some groups. The call for the celebration was given most prominently by HinduUnity, the US-based wing of Bajrang Dal, which is the youth front of World Hindu Council (VHP), and by the Hindu Mahasabha. HinduUnity (http://www.hinduUnity.org) openly urged the celebration, stating on its website (HinduUnity.org): “Celebrate Shri Nathuram Godse’s Birth on May 19th. Send a message to the enemies of humanity that we will fight and even die to protect the basic principle of Hinduism..”. It further denigrated Gandhi’s great message of humanism and the unique movement he led for Indian independence by saying: “Gandhi was a downright PACIFIST, without guts and SCRUPLES. His constant preaching to his fellow Hindus, to be non violent at all times, EVEN IN THE FACE OF AGGRESSION, paralyzed the manhood of India, mentally and physically..” Dr. Santosh Kumar Rai, founder of the revived extremist group, Hindu Mahasabha, also sent an open circular on several mailing lists urging all Hindus to celebrate the birthday of Gandhi’s assassin. Reacting to these events, IMC-USA General Secretary, Mr. M.K. Rehman said “This is the biggest possible insult to all those who revere Gandhi and his message across the world. It is shocking that groups espousing the divisive and hate-based ideology of Hindutva feel emboldened enough to carry out this celebration campaign openly.” “But perhaps that is to be expected considering what such groups did in Gandhi’s homeland last year he added”, referring to the brutal pogroms against minorities in Gandhi’s home state of Gujarat in early 2002. This is only the latest example of what happens if such groups are allowed to go unchecked. All those who revere Gandhi must come together to revive his vision. At one time, groups associated with Gandhi’s assassination were banned in India. But over a period of time, they have succeeded in bringing back their hate-filled agenda to Indian society and are now openly operating to extinguish all that Gandhi stood for. For further information contact: Dr. Shaik Ubaid 265 Sunrise Highway, 1-355 Rockville Center, NY 11570 (516) 567-0783 E mail: info@imc-usa.org

Press Release

Leading Human Rights Activist Cautions Capitol Hill Policy Briefing: ‘Idea of India Is Being Attacked’

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May 17, 2003. Washington D.C. At a policy briefing this morning on Capitol Hill, Mr. Harsh Mander spoke about setbacks and challenges facing India, the world’s largest democracy. Mr. Mander is the Country Director for Action Aid India, a New Delhi based nonprofit organization. His book Unheard Voices was widely praised for its account of neglected groups in India. He is on a short speaking tour of the US. The event was organized by the Indian Muslim Council-USA, a Washington based advocacy group working towards safeguarding India’s pluralistic ethos, and was attended by policy makers, Congressional staff members, and leading community activists. Karen Finkler, staff member for Congressman Joe Pitts, welcomed the guests and spoke about the importance of engaging US elected officials on human rights concerns in India. Mr. Mander said that the events during the past year, particularly the pogrom in the Indian State of Gujarat, reveal a dangerous trend that is challenging the secular and tolerant ideals that sustained India for so long. “Gujarat was a turning point” said Mander, referring to the state complicity in the pogrom. Mander, who had served as a high ranking official in the Indian bureaucracy, left the prestigious Indian Administrative Service in protest after the pogrom. “Gujarat stands apart in its brutality and stands apart in the way that civil society chose to respond with silence and claims of neutrality”, he said referring to the pogrom in which more than two thousand Muslim civilians were brutally killed and hundreds of women and girls raped by the Hindutva ultranationalists. Mr. Mander cautioned people not to take comfort in the peace that has returned to Gujarat. “A sense of peace has been restored in Gujarat but it is not a peace based on equality and dignity but on humiliation. There is now an elaborate system of economic boycott of Muslims. One has witnessed the new creation of a untouchability and apartheid, internalized both in the imposer and the imposed. The divisions that have emerged in Gujarat, are quickly spreading to other parts of India”, he said. He also stressed that India’s communal woes should be viewed alongside concerns of poverty, economic development, and universal human rights. “We must find hope in the darkness. That hope is the cooperation that we see emerging from all faiths who see an injustice to one as an injustice to all”, he said. Commenting on the briefing, Dr. Shaik Ubaid, president of IMC-USA, called Mander, “a true patriot, the conscience of India.” “He reminds me of Gandhi with his humbleness, conviction and tireless work to serve India’s poor and his courageous struggle to save India’s pluralistic soul from the Hindutva ultranationalists”, said Ubaid. End of Release For a Copy of the Press Packet or For More Information, contact: Zahir Janmohamed Outreach Director Indian Muslim Council-USA (202) 368-8914 info@imc-usa.org http://www.imc-usa.org

Press Release

IMC Condemns the revenge killings of Hindus in Kerala

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Washington, D.C. May 04, 2003. Indian Muslim Council-USA (IMC-USA), a Washington based advocacy group working toward safeguarding Indian society’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, condemns the recent revenge attack that killed Hindus in the village of Marad in the southern Indian state of Kerala. IMC-USA calls for a fair and thorough investigation of the attack and its causes and for the perpetrators to be promptly brought to justice. “Kerala has long been an exemplary model for communal harmony,” M.K. Rahman, the Secretary General of the Indian Muslim Council-USA said, “However, the past few months have witnessed a rise in sectarian violence in Kerala, including the attack on an American Christian missionary in January 2003 by the Hindu ultra-nationalist group RSS and the killings of four Muslims in an earlier attack on the village of Marad. The international community and the Indian government should take note and action against groups like the RSS who are trying to uproot India’s secular fabric.” End of Document For More Information Shaik Ubaid (516) 567-0783 info@imc-usa.org

Press Release

IMC-USA requests all communities to maintain peace after defacement of an Illinois Mosque with Hindu symbols and hate-graffiti

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IMC-USA requests all communities to maintain peace after defacement of an Illinois Mosque with Hindu symbols and hate-graffiti For immediate release: Contact Person: M.K. Rahman Phone: (516) 567-0783 E-mail: info@imc-usa.org Washington D.C., May 1, 2003 The Indian Muslim Council – USA, an advocacy group working to promote values of pluralism and tolerance in American society, particular within the Indian Diaspora, called on all communities to maintain peace and understanding after the attack on an Islamic Center in Carbondale, Illinois on April 28th. IMC-USA president, Dr. Shaik Ubaid, called on all communities to “not succumb to the divisive designs of mischievous culprits”. “While exact details on the culprits are unclear at present, IMC would like to remind all communities, particularly those hailing from South Asia, to safeguard themselves against the rhetoric of hate-filled ideologies. We do hope that the case is solved satisfactorily to deter any other mischievous elements from committing such acts” he said. According to media reports, the graffiti on the Islamic center doors has led some to believe that hardline American supporters of Hindutva – a supremacist and fascist ideology that calls for extermination of Muslims and Christians from India- might be behind the incident. IMC-USA fears that ideologies such as Hindutva, which has been responsible for creating deep divisions in Indian society in the recent past, are seeking to bring their divisive and hate-filled agenda to American society. There has been a growing concern in the Indian Diaspora community in the US about the increased level of fundraising and recruitment activity in the US by the supporters of Hindutva-fascism who are busy recruiting young Americans through their websites and youth camps. “Let us not allow acts of any mischievous elements to sour relations between peace-loving communities. It is essential that we continue building inter-faith and inter-community understanding to guard against the designs of those who carry out such hate-filled acts”, said Dr. Ubaid. Indian Muslim Council-USA President’s Office 265 Sunrise Highway Suite 1-355 Rockville Centre, NY 11570 (516) 567-0783 http://www.imc-usa.org IMC-USA National Office 1717 K Street NW Suite 600 Washington D.C., 20036 Tel: (202) 349-3967

Press Release

Man Who is Called India’s Conscience to visit the US in May

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April 29, 2003 Harsh Mander, one of India’s best-known champions of social justice and communal harmony, is set to tour the US in May on a campaign to further educate people on the developmental work being done by the NGOs and on the rise of Hindutva-fascism in India. A top ranking Indian bureaucrat, Mr. Mander left the prestigious Indian Administrative Service in protest after the pogrom of 2002 when thousands of Muslims were killed, raped and displaced in the Indian state of Gujarat. Mr. Mander is widely acclaimed in India and abroad for his tireless efforts to stem the tide of Hindutva, an ideology that parallels fascism, in India. His first hand knowledge of the spread of Hindutva ideology makes him an excellent source for scholars who study India, as well as for those concerned with the rise of religious extremism. Mr. Mander is the Director of Action Aid – India and is considered an authority on developmental work in less privileged societies. Indian Muslim Council-USA, in conjunction with other organizations, is one of the co-sponsors of Mr. Mander’s tour. Dr. Shaik Ubaid, the president of IMC-USA, calling Mander, “The conscience of India”, said that his organizations is honored to be a co-sponsor. According to Bhashwati Sengupta, organizer of Mr. Mander’s visit, Mr. Mander’s speaking engagements in the US are as follows: Los Angeles: May 2 and 3 San Jose: May 4 San Francisco: May 5 Seattle: May 6 Dallas: May 7 Dartmouth, NH: May 8 Boston: May 9 New York City: May 10 Chicago: May 11 Detroit: May 13 Minneapolis-St.Paul: May 14 Washington DC: May 16 Long Island, NY: May 17 For more information on venues, timings and local contact persons, please contact: Bhashwati Sengupta at sbhashwati@yahoo.co.uk or IMC-USA at (516) 567-0783 or info@imc-usa.org Indian Muslim Council-USA President’s Office 265 Sunrise Highway Suite 1-355 Rockville Centre, NY 11570 (516) 567-0783 www.imc-usa.org IMC-USA National Office 1717 K Street NW Suite 600 Washington D.C., 20036 Tel: (202) 349-3967

Press Release

IMC Condemns attack on Christian supported hospital

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April 15, 2003 The Federation of India Christian Organizations of North America, in conjunction with the Indian Muslim Council-USA and several other Washington, DC based advocacy groups, expresses its concern over the attack on a Christian hospital in Western India. According to the Associated Press article, supporters of the extremist group World Hindu Council smashed windows and damaged the doors of a medical center in a village in Gujarat, preventing the hospital from holdings in opening ceremony. Washington D.C.-based Operation Mobilization International donated the money to build the health center through its India chapter, which has worked on education and public health projects in India since the mid-1970s. International groups like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have accused the Indian government of failing to curb violence by Hindu hard-line groups against Muslim and Christian minorities living in the state. The attack on the hospital follows a series of events that have targeted Christians in Gujarat. Earlier this year, the Gujarat state government conducted mandatory surveys of Christians, subjecting Christians to humiliating and offensive questions like “When did you convert?” and “Will your children be Christian?” The undersigned groups call for an immediate investigation on the hospital attack and for a greater state protection of India’s minority groups. Endorsed by: Indian Muslim Council-USA (www.imc-usa.org) Federation of India Christian Organizations of North America (FIACONA) Policy Institute for Religion and State (PIFRAS) For More information, contact: PD John Policy Institute for Religion and State (202) 547-4700 Zahir Janmohamed Indian Muslim Council-USA info@imc-usa.org (202) 368-8914

Press Release

IMC-USA condemns the massacre of pandits in Kashmir

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Washington D.C., 03/24/2003. Indian Muslim Council-USA, a Washington based advocacy group working toward safeguarding Indian society’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, condemns the massacre of innocent civilians in Kashmir. According to news reports, on March 24, 2003, 24 Hindus were killed in the southern town of Shopian by gunmen dressed in Indian army uniforms. “Such senseless acts of violence cannot serve any purpose” said Dr. Shaik Ubaid, President of IMC-USA. “We stand united with the victims of this tragedy and their families.” Dr. Ubaid demanded that an impartial commission be set up to investigate this attack, fearing that India’s ruling Hindu ultra-nationalist party, the BJP, would manipulate the investigation for its own political purposes as it has done in the past. Ref: 24 Pandits killed in Kashmir http://www.rediff.com/news/2003/mar/24jk.htm 24 Slain in Kashmir Massacre http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/03/23/world/main545642.shtml For further information contact: Dr. Shaik Ubaid 265 Sunrise Highway, 1-355 Rockville Center, NY 11570 (516) 567-0783 E mail: info@imc-usa.org

Press Release

IMC-USA campaign to mark Victory for Pluralism and highlight US based hate group funding in India and Gujarat violence

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March 23, 2005 The Indian Muslim Council-USA, an advocacy group working towards protecting and promoting minority rights in India and a founding member of the Coalition Against Genocide (CAG), has announced that it will hold a "Victory for pluralism and a new resolve for justice" campaign instead of a protest rally in Fort Lauderdale, FL on March 24-26. The campaign will be held during the Asian American Hotel Owners Association’s (AAHOA) annual convention, which had invited Narendra Modi as a guest of honor. The campaign will mark the denial and revocation of Narendra Modi’s visa to US as a milestone reached in the struggle for justice for the victims of the 2002 Gujarat pogroms. The US State department decision to deny Narendra Modi, the Chief Minister of Gujarat and chief architect of the Gujarat pogrom of 2002, a diplomatic visa and to revoke his existing tourist/business visa based on the International Religious Freedom Act is a landmark victory for the Coalition Against Genocide (CAG). The CAG action against Modi included simultaneous campaigns on multiple fronts and received strong support from international organizations such as Human Rights Watch (HRW), Institute on Religion and Public Policy (IRPP) and Amnesty International (AI). The 38 organizations in U.S. and Canada that constitute CAG represent a spectrum that include women’s organizations, youth collectives, secular groups as well as Hindu, Sikh, Christian and Muslim organizations. The campaign being held by IMC-USA and CAG, will conclude with a Press Conference at the Broward County Convention Center on Saturday. The Press Conference will highlight the continuing human rights violations in the Indian state of Gujarat and push further for the speedy delivery of justice to the victims of the 2002 pogrom. The conference will also focus on the contribution of Modi’s US based supporters to the rise in anti-American violence in India. In addition the campaign will challenge the role of the US supporters of the divisive politics espoused by Narendra Modi and his political party, and their attempts to direct money to institutions in India that promote hate-mongering and communal violence. IMC-USA considers the denial of visa to Narendra Modi as a victory for pluralism and a win for the supporters of human rights and justice in the U.S. and in India. The weekend events will include: 1. What: Showing of Final Solution documentary about the 2002 Gujarat pogrom Director: Rakesh Sharma When: 7-9 PM March 23, 2005 Where: HULL Auditorium (room # 2105), Terry Building, Health Profession Division Nova Southeastern University, Main Campus, 3301 College Avenue, Fort Lauderdale 2. What: On Campus Teach-in: Politics of Hate in Gandhi’s Land- American Connection Speakers: Dr. Angana Chatterji, California Institute of Integral Studies and other experts When: 7-9 PM March 24, 2005 Where: Room # 1124, H. Wayne Huizenga School of Business and Entrepreneurship Nova Southeastern University, Main Campus, 3301 College Avenue, Fort Lauderdale 3. What: Press Conference When: 11:00 AM March 26, 2005 Where: Near Broward County Convention Center, Fort Lauderdale, FL 17th Street and Eisenhower Blvd (Walgreens intersection) Contact: Syed Rahman IMC-USA, Florida Chapter Tel: 954-205-1048 media@imc-usa.org  

Press Release

Rights Group Urges Indian Cricket Players to Protest Tyranny

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March 22, 2003 Indian Muslim Council-USA (www.imc-usa.org), a Washington based advocacy group working toward safeguarding Indian society’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, congratulates the Indian Cricket team on their marvelous performance so far in the Cricket World Cup. “We wish them the Best for the world Cup Final to be held on this Sunday, the 23rd of March and hope that they will not only regain the cup and the glory of Cricket but will also regain the honor of the nation that was lost when the land of Gandhi was taken over by those who killed him” said Dr. Shaik Ubaid, IMC-USA President. This World Cup has seen many an old records shattered and new heights of fame and performance achieved. But long after the most talked about performances have been forgotten, one noble deed of courage will continue to shine, immune to the passage of time, and be a beacon to the players and spectators alike. The courageous protest against political tyranny by Henry Olonga and Andy Flower of Zimbabwe, undertaken at the risk to their lives, will continue to inspire young aspiring stars and the established superstars alike. This is the standard that the Indian team must strive to reach and beat. For the tyranny Henry Olonga, now in hiding, was protesting pales into insignificance when compared to the evil now gaining strength in India. This world cup is being played in the month of the first anniversary of the Gujarat genocide. It was in the month of March 2002, that Gujarat, the state where Mohandas Gandhi was born saw Hindu extremists mobs, espousing the fascist ideology of Hindu-supremacy (Hindutva) burn little boys and gang rape hundreds of young girls before their parents. Pregnant women had their bellies slit open and the full term unborn infants torn from the sanctuary of their mothers wombs and flung into fire. More than 2000 people were thus brutally burnt or hacked to death and more than 200, 000 rendered homeless. A year has passed and yet the killers roam free, threatening more genocide’s and more ethnic cleansing. They openly vow to “cleanse” India of its hundreds of millions of Muslims and Christians and to cremate India’s secular constitution in the funeral pyre lit by religious hatred. By protesting against the tyranny of Hitler-loving Hindutva-fascists, the cricket players of India will gain a fame so illustrious and so long-lasting that no amount of accumulated dust of time will be able to dampen its luster. IMC-USA hope that this Sunday when the Indian Cricket team takes to the field, in the land of South Africa – where Gandhi launched his struggle against oppression – for the highest laurel in Cricket, they will be wearing black arm bands of protest and defiance. Indian captain Sourav Ganguly and the Superstar batsman Sachin Tendulkar must show the spirit of noble warriors and take on the demons of religious and political tyranny with the same resolve they take on the opponent bowlers but only with more contempt. We hope that they will rise to this occasion and wish them success in the game of Cricket and the reality of life. Contact Person: M.K. Rahman Secretary General-IMC-USA 1717 K Street NW Suite 600 Washington D.C., 20036 Tel:(516) 567-0783

Press Release

IMC-USA briefs organizations & Congressional staff on conditions of Muslims in India

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Washington D.C., February 24, 2003: In commemoration of the one year anniversary of the Gujarat massacres, the Indian Muslim Council-USA (http://www.imc-usa.org) held a briefing today for Muslim organizations and Congressional staff members on the deteriorating conditions of Indian Muslims. The event was held from 12:30pm to 1:30pm in the press conference room of the Council on American Islamic Relations. Zahir Janmohamed, National Outreach Director of the Indian Muslim Council-USA (IMC-USA), gave an overview of the conditions of Muslims and spoke about his own experiences working in the relief camps in Gujarat during the anti-minority violence in which thousands of Muslims were killed and raped. The documentary “Evil Stalks the Land” was also screened. In his presentation, Janmohamed stressed, “We must not speak about Gujarat in the past tense. The conditions in Gujarat continue to deteriorate for Muslims. With the BJP and its affiliates firmly in power and calling the violence a ‘successful experiment,’ Muslims should be prepared for another Gujarat to occur, unfortunately sometime very soon.” Janmohamed expressed concerns about violence erupting against Muslims in the upcoming weeks, given that extremist Hindu groups have convened in New Delhi, India, demanding the construction of the Ram Temple on the site of the razed Babri Mosque. “If we wish to improve the conditions of minorities in India,” Janmohamed said, “We will have to mount a collective, dedicated, long-term campaign to apply international pressure to curb the rise of Hindu nationalist groups. ” IMC-USA will launch a nationwide series of public programs on February 27th with a press conference in Washington D.C., to mark the first anniversary of Gujarat carnage. Contact person: Zahir Janmohamed, National Outreach Director Indian Muslim Council-USA 1717 K Street NW Suite 600 Washington D.C., 20036 Tel: (202) 349-3967

Press Release

IMC-USA’s statement on death anniversary of Gandhiji

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January 30, 2003. Indian Muslim Council-USA, a Washington based advocacy group working toward safeguarding Indian society’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, called on all Indians to recall the message of Mohandas Gandhi, the founder of modern India on the 55th anniversary of his murder. On January 30, 1948 Gandhi, the man who led India to independence, was assassinated by a member of the fascist Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). This incident took place as Gandhiji came to offer his regular all-religion prayer at Birla House in New Delhi. Dr. Shaik Ubaid, the President of IMC-USA, said, “the principles of tolerance and non-violence that Gandhiji stood for are more relevant now than ever before. This country is now on the verge of being taken over by the evil of Hindutva-fascism and we need people to follow his teachings to save the soul of India. ” Dr. Ubaid also noted that it was ironic that the assassins of the Mahatma today rule India and are in a position to succeed in their mission – an end to pluralism and secularism. He said, “The people of India must resolve to rid this country of the RSS and its front groups, which are nothing more than a cancer. This disease killed Gandhiji and many more and won’t stop until it has killed all those who believe in secularism, tolerance and non-violence and eventually the nation itself.” Indian Muslim Council-USA 265 Sunrise Highway 1-355 Rockville Center, NY 11570 Tel: (516) 567-0783

Press Release

Indian Muslim Council-USA issues statement on Republic Day.

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January 26, 2003 This January 26, 2003, India will celebrate its 54th year as a Republic. On this day, India, under the leadership of Gandhi, Nehru, Ambedkar and Azad, unveiled its Constitution, providing to all a shared destiny and values that represent the hopes and aspirations of all its people. Unfortunately, this sense of shared destiny has in recent years, failed to extend to the Muslims and other minorities of India. Increasingly, Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, Sikhs and Dalits have been victimized, boycotted, brutalized and murdered. All this as the upholders of the Constitution – the elected governments of the States and Center, have looked the other way, and at times even directly colluded in the crimes. In this past year again, violence against Muslims, Christians and Dalits continued unabated and culminated in genocide of the Muslims of Gujarat. These tragic events have given rise to fears among India’s minorities, “lower-caste Hindus” and moderate Hindus that the ruling BJP that subscribes to the Hindutva philosophy has decided to launch its final putsch against the constitution. The framers of the Constitution of India under Dr. Ambedkar envisaged the religious minorities to be equal citizens of the country. Therefore, they mandated India to be a “Secular, Democratic Republic”. They further extended to Muslims and all the citizens of India, the “Liberty of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship” and the “Equality of status and of opportunity”. They explained that the “Right to Freedom of Religion” encompasses the “Right to Freedom of conscience and free profession, practice and propagation of religion”. Unfortunately today all these rights are under attack as is the very constitution that guarantees them. This vicious attack comes not from the external enemies of India but from a domestic ideology called Hindutva that is derived from the principles of fascism and Nazism. On this day, Indian Muslim Council-USA, a Washington based advocacy group working toward safeguarding Indian society’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, calls on all Indians to reject the ideology of hate that is being promoted by the Hindutva-Fascists. Dr. Shaik Ubaid, the President of IMC, appealed to all Indians to return to the principles of the Constitution and build a nation based on tolerance and respect for all. Dr. Ubaid also urged that the President of India take urgent steps to protect the Constitution of India and uphold the rights of Muslims and other minorities that have been enshrined in it while providing democracy and pluralism to all. He appealed to the United Nations and the United States to make it absolutely clear that India, worlds largest democracy, the second most populous nation and a nuclear power is too important a country to be allowed to fall under the sway of Hindutva-fascists and religious fanatics. Contact / Feedback: media@imc-usa.org.

Press Release

Indian Muslim Council-USA condemns attack on US missionary.

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January 15, 2003 Washington D.C., 01/15/2003: Indian Muslim Council-USA, a Washington based advocacy group working toward safeguarding Indian society’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, condemns in the strongest terms possible the attack on a US missionary in South India. According to news reports, ten members of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), an extremist Hindu nationalist organization attacked Mr. Joseph Cooper near a gospel convention in the southern state of Kerala. Mr. Cooper sustained grievous injuries as a result of the attack. “Mr. Cooper is only the latest victim of fascism that continues to thrive in India,” said Dr. Shaik Ubaid, President of IMC-USA. “The RSS is a fascist organization that has openly admired Hitler and seeks to exterminate the minorities of India. Usually, the Muslims of India have borne the brunt of the fascist agenda of the RSS, but in recent years, no one is safe, and that includes Christians as well. ” Dr. Ubaid stressed that India’s ruling Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) is the political wing of the RSS and should share the blame in this crime. He also noted that the RSS operates over 50 chapters in the US and finances attacks against Christians and Muslims from funds it obtains in the US. According to a Human Rights Watch report, “attacks against Christians throughout the country have increased significantly since the BJP began its rule at the (federal level) in March 1998.” After the recent state engineered pogrom against Muslims in Gujarat and the re-election of the extremist BJP, the Indian Muslim Council-USA fears that India is slipping away from its democratic and secular ideals. The Indian Muslim Council-USA is committed to supporting and protecting all Indian Minorities including Indian Christians from further attacks by extremist forces. For further information contact: Dr. Shaik Ubaid Indian Muslim Council of USA 265 Sunrise Highway, 1-355 Rockville Center, NY 11570 (516) 567-0783 E mail: info@imc-usa.org

Press Release

Hate Based Campaign helps Gandhi’s Assassins Win Election

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December 16, 2002 India’s secular democracy suffered a severe setback yesterday when the fascist Bharatiya Janata Party was elected in a landslide victory in Gujarat, winning 125 out of a possible 181 seats. Chief Minister Narendra Modi, who is currently charged being in Belgium as a international war criminal for “Crimes against Humanity”, received an overwhelming mandate to return to power. The Indian Muslim Council (www.imc-usa.org) joins concerned citizens of all countries and communities in expressing grave concern about what the BJP’s victory means for India’s secular democracy. Earlier this year, Gujarat witnessed the worst communal violence since India’s independence, where over 2000 were killed, 150,000 displaced, over 800 women and girls raped, and 132 mosques and religious tombs destroyed. Nearly all of the victims of the well organized pogrom were Muslim. Eight months later, many continue to live in relief camps, fearing their lives. The United Kingdom’s High Commission condemned the violence as “ethnic cleansing”, and “the making of an apartheid”, and “pre-planned.” In a scathing indictment by two retired Senior Indian Judges, P B Sawant and Hosbet Suresh concluded that Chief Minister Modi is “liable for prosecution for genocide, for refusal to take any preventive measure to protect the lives and properties of minorities in the State.” The tribunal accused him of “connivance and facilitation of the carnage, transfer of honest police officers, abusive comments against the affected and victimized community, and not taking punitive action against provocative press and other organizations.” In assessing and understanding the BJP’s overwhelming electoral victory, the Indian Muslim Council wishes to raise four concerns: 1) The BJP’s victory suggests widespread endorsement for the savage violence organized by Chief Minister Modi. The Hindutva-fascists are already promising to apply this “winning formula” at the national level. 2) The BJP’s victory is a severe blow for those who cherish the values of freedom and pluralism. That the BJP campaigned on an open policy of belligerent ultra-nationalism and racism, indicates that fascism has totally engulfed Gujarat. Over the past months, journalists-many of them Hindu-who have written or reported against the BJP have been attacked or censored. 3) The BJP’s victory in Gujarat is dangerous for the international community. India is a nuclear power in a region plagued by unrest and instability. India is also a country that is tragically being led by fascists who openly confess their admiration for Hitler’s extermination of Jews. With national elections approaching, the BJP stands a strong chance of re-election at the federal level. If India continues to be led by religious extremists armed with nuclear weapons, one only fears that the regional stability will be jeopardized. 4) The BJP’s victory is an obstruction to fair and equitable education. The BJP is part of a larger fraternity of Hindutva organizations called the “Sangh Parivar”. Throughout India, the Sangh Parivar operates over 100,000 schools that encourages militancy and trains young, impressionable minds to hate minorities. The BJP has led the charge, both at the federal and state level, to alter textbooks and curriculum to indoctrinate the next generation into believing that India’s minorities-the Christians, the Muslims, the Parsees-are foreigners according to Hindutva-fasicts definition of a Hindu in India and hence do not belong in the country. With the BJP firmly in power in Gujarat, one should expect-and fear-further efforts by the Sangh Parivar to instill religious hatred. Between January 1998 and February 1999 alone, there were 116 attacks against Christians in India. According to the South Asia Human Rights Documentation report, “Most of these attacks have been perpetrated by the Sangh Parivar.” Right here in the United States, the Sangh Parivar runs over 44 chapters and raises millions of dollars to finance Hindu extremist in India. With the BJP firmly in power in Gujarat, one should expect-and fear-further efforts by the Sangh Parivar to further its global proliferation of religious hatred. It is unfortunate that the BJP should win in the home state of Mohandas Gandhi, the courageous Indian freedom fighter who championed the cause of non-violence, tolerance and religious harmony. Gandhi was himself assassinated by a member of the Hindutva- fascist RSS, an organization that today counts Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi as its member. One only wonders what Gandhi would think if he knew the party that produced his assassin is ruling his home state. History bears witness that fascist forces can only be stopped by heightened international pressure. The Indian Muslim Council is dedicated to restore Gandhi’s vision of a pluralistic India and calls upon all people, regardless of their religious background, to help resist the Hindutva forces that have steered the world’s largest democracy towards fascism. Contact Person: Dr. Shaik Ubaid (516) 567-0783

Press Release

Muslims observe Dec 6th as Babri Mosque day

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December 02, 2002 Three major Indian Muslim organizations in the US, the Association of Indian Muslims (AIM,) the Indian Muslim Council-USA (IMC-USA)and the Indian Muslim Relief Committee (IMRC) are calling upon the Muslims in the U.S to observe December 6th as Babri Mosque day. This call has been endorsed by the national Muslim organizations in the U.S including the American Muslim Alliance (AMA),the American Muslim Council(AMC), the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR), the American Friends of Muslims in India (AFMI), the Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) and the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA). Joint Statement of AIM, AFMI, IMC-USA and IMRC: On December 6th ten years ago, the world looked the other way as a democracy of millions allowed a few thousand to demolish its most prized possession: a pluralistic and tolerant ethos. Defying the orders of the Supreme Court of India and their own promise to the nation, the Hindutva fascist forces demolished the historic Babri mosque that was built to honor the great enlightened emperor Babar. Many Indian stalwarts, including the late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, consider the poet-warrior king to be one of the greatest Indian heroes. Not a single unit of the country’s mighty military was called, no special commandos were rushed to the spot and no effective resistance offered by the police forces present, as a mob of vandals, egged on by their Hindutva-fascist demagogues (that included L.K. Advani, who has subsequently risen to become India’s current Deputy PM), pulled down the historic four hundred year old Mosque with axes and scythes in broad daylight. Dome by dome and wall by wall, India’s secularism was hammered upon until it was nothing but rubble. Each brick was then assiduously removed – some taken home as souvenirs, as if the perpetrators feared that the centuries old pluralistic tradition might somehow arise out of the rubble and stake its claim again. Hindutva-fascists celebrated this egregious event across India with glee, leading to further victimization of minorities, particularly Muslims. They killed more than 2000 Muslims in the aftermath of the mosque’s demolition. Since that watershed event, wounds of increasing brutality continue to be inflicted on India’s ethos. The worst-ever violence was sparked off this year in Gujarat state when terrorists belonging to Hindutva-fascist groups such as the RSS, VHP and Bajrang Dal, all of whom are closely allied with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), were returning from the Babri Mosque site, where they had assembled to demand the construction of a temple without regard for the verdict of the courts, though the matter is sub judice. Human Rights Watch and others have reported how Hindutva-fascist groups and the state administration joined hands in the violence against Muslims in Gujarat. Over 2000 were brutally killed, 1000 women and minor girls raped – many of them subsequently burnt alive, and over 200,000 made homeless refugees simply because they belong to a minority community. While on one hand, Hindutva-fascists have shown total contempt for India’s legal system in this matter, on the other hand they have insidiously strengthened their presence in the administration from the lowest local to highest national levels as part of an overall plan. They have renewed their vows to demolish 3000 more mosques, many of which are considered as historic treasures. The parallels with nazi and fascist movements of Hitler and Mussolini are striking. Indian Muslims, along with other minorities, find themselves in a totally helpless situation, as the world around them watches in silence. In remembrance of the Babri Mosque demolition, Muslims across India will be observing a subdued Eid-ul-fitr (Festival of charity, commomorating the end of Ramadan) this year. Muslims around the world, including the US will join them through special prayers on the most auspicious of the Islamic holidays. The US based Indian Muslim organizations are calling upom the Indian government to honor the promise given by the former Prime Minister, Narasimha Rao, a day after the mosque was demolished. In a nationally televised address he had promised to re-built the mosque on its original site and had vowed to bring the criminals involve to justice. The rise of Hindutva-fascism in a volatile part of the world that has recently been on the brink of a nuclear exchange is cause of concern for all of us. On this 10th anniversary of the destruction of the historic Babri Mosque, we urge peoples and governments across the world to speak out against this evil phenomenon so that a gruesome chapter of human history does not repeat itself. Let us recall Pastor Martin Niemoller’s warning on a similar phenomenon over fifty years ago: “Then they came for me- and there was no one left, to speak out for me” For Additional Information, Please Contact: Shaik Ubaid Indian Muslim Council – USA http://www.imc-usa.org 516-567-0783 media@imc-usa.org

Press Release

US Justice Department and State department urged to investigate US based Tax-Exempt relief organization with links to extremist groups

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November 22, 2002 Indian Muslim Council-USA (IMC-USA), a Washington Based human rights advocacy group for activism against rising fascism is calling on the US Justice Department and State Department to investigate a US Based, India Development and Relief Fund (IDRF) a Tax-Exempt relief organization for allegedly being a conduit to funnel Tax-exempt donations to fascist groups in India. This comes on the heels of a damning report “A Foreign Exchange of Hate (FEH)” released by Sabrang Communications Private Limited (India) and The South Asia Citizens Web (France). The FEH report offers incontrovertible information on the involvement of IDRF in funneling Tax-Exempt donations to Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) an extremist group with fascist ideology. The conclusions are apparent, IDRF contributes significantly to the creation of infrastructure and promotion of an ideology that promulgates hate. This report further corroborates the assertion of many human rights and secular groups that millions of dollars are being sent from the United States to the extremist groups in India, like the VHP (a.k.a World Hindu Council) and the RSS. These tax-exempt charitable donations are being sent to groups that spread hate, indulge in ethnic cleansing and genocide of minorities in India as recently as March 2002 when over 2000 Indians were killed, many burnt alive, hundreds of women and young girls raped and burnt. The VHP has been at the forefront of the recent carnage in Gujarat and The VHP working president, Ashok Singhal called it “a successful experiment, which will be repeated all over the country”. The same groups are responsible for anti-Christian violence in India. Between January 1998 and February 1999 alone, there were 116 attacks against the Christian community in India. The South Asia Human Rights Documentation Center report states: “Most of these attacks have been perpetrated by individuals connected to the Sangh Parivar, which is comprised of rightwing Hindu fundamentalist organizations including elements from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Vishwa Hindu Parishad (World Hindu Council), Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Bajrang Dal and Hindu Jagran Manch. These cells with strong leanings to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal are teaching young minds hate and bigotry. Communal feelings are spreading among the Non Resident community in the U.S., you can almost feel it in the air.” [Aditi Desai, a sociologist from New York and a former lecturer at Delhi University and a consultant for the U.N.] IMC-USA is also calling United Way and major corporations including CISCO, Sun, Oracle, HP and AOL Time Warner to drop IDRF from their list of charities so that their foundation dollars are not abused to promote the fascist ideology in India and also in the U.S. Contact: Rasheed Ahmed Telephone (708) 466-0244 www.IMC-USA.ORG For a full copy of the report see: http://www.mnet.fr/aiindex/2002/FEH/ http://www.sabrang.com/hnfund/sacw/index.html Coverage in India’s main English daily http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/cms.dll/html/comp/articleshow?artid=2… http://www.rediff.com/news/2002/nov/20josy.htm IMC-USA: Defending India’s freedom, democracy and pluralism.

Press Release

IMC-USA Mourns Senator Paul Wellstone’s tragic death

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October 28, 2002 Indian Muslim Council-USA, a Washington based advocacy group working toward safeguarding Indian society’s pluralist and tolerant ethos expressed its profound grief today on the death of Senator Paul Wellstone. Mr. Paul Wellstone, a Senator from the state of Minnesota, died in a plane crash on October 25, 2002. “We are all shocked and saddened by the tragic death of Senator Wellstone,” said Dr. Shaik Ubaid, President of IMC-USA. “He was a great Senator and family man, who never hesitated to speak for the oppressed and always put his conscience ahead of politics. The entire Indian Muslim community in the USA joins me in mourning the death of Senator Wellstone. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of Senator Wellstone and those who were along with him on the plane.” Dr. Ubaid also noted that Senator Paul Wellstone had taken a keen interest in the plight of the Muslims of India, including sponsoring a resolution in the US Senate that condemned the killings of Muslims in that country. “The oppressed minorities of the world have always looked towards Senator Wellstone as their voice in the US. The Muslims of India and IMC were fortunate to have been associated with this great gentleman.”

Press Release

American Hindu Extremists Fail in Media Intimidation Campaign

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September 21, 2002 Hindu extremist groups in the U.S failed in their attempts to intimidate PBS. PBS refused to scrap or make changes in its documentary, “Soul of a Nation” that aired on September 19th. The documentary dealt with the Gujarat pogrom in which more than 2000 Muslim civilians were butchered or burnt alive and more than 600 girls and women gang-raped before being burnt and hacked to death. The documentary raised disturbing questions about the spread of Hindutva hate schools all over India. Militant Hindu websites have been urging their supporters to contact PBS masquerading as Christians and threaten to harm PBS financially. Indian Muslim Council, a nationwide advocacy group for a pluralistic India, launched a successful campaign in support of the Freedom of Speech and PBS. Moderate Hindus and other Indian minority groups helped IMC -USA in its campaign. IMC-USA commended PBS for not getting intimidated and urged them to do follow up documentaries on the infiltration of the American society by the Hindutva-fascists. These fascists are trying to duplicate in the U.S. their successful campaign of brainwashing young minds as shown in the documentary and infiltrating the U.S. power centers. Hindutva ideology is a truly fascist ideology and its founder formed the Hindutva-fascist party, RSS, on the model of the Italian fascist party in the 1920s. After the rise of Hitler to power, the Hindutva-fascists made him their ideal on the grounds that the higher-caste Hindus are Aryans and Hitler stood for Aryan supremacy. The Hindutva-fascists openly glorify Hitler’s final solution and want to try them as their model in their quest for ” cleansing India” off its 180 million Muslims, Christians, Buddhists and other minorities. They are proud that they “took back” India from its Buddhist majority 2000 years ago. The Hindutva-fascists were shunned after they killed Gandhi in 1949. As the Gandhian leaders pointED out in the documentary, the fascists then adopted a policy of brainwashing young minds and infiltrating the Indian power centers and have now emerged as a force in the Indian society. This year their juggernaut ground to a halt as they lost all the state elections. In desperation they executed a gruesome pogrom in the Indian state of Gujarat to polarize the Indian society on religious grounds. All the western media and Human rights agencies have called the Gujarat genocide well planned. The deplorable burning of train in Godhra was just used as an excuse. Recent reports have raised suspicion that the train arson was staged by the fascists themselves, or at least, provoked, as part of their strategy. The Gujarat genocide raised concerns in some quarters of the U.S society and the U.S media has begun to take interest in the infiltration of the U.S power centers by the Hindutva-fascists and their massive fund raising activities and youth camps in the U.S. Senator Mitchell in his post documentary comments rightly pointed out the dangers of rise of religious extremism and violence in a nuclear power like India. This media interest has begun to unnerve the fascist groups and they tried their well-known and well-practiced tactic of media intimidation. But they found out that this tactic would not work in the U.S. IMC is urging other US media institutions to focus on the alarming rise of fascism in India. India is too important a country to be lost to fascism. Contact Person: Dr. Shaik Ubaid (516) 567-0783

Press Release

IMC-USA Condemns Media-Intimidation Campaign by Hindutva-Fascists

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September 16, 2002 Indian Muslim Council- USA condemns the campaign of intimidation against the US media by extremist Hindu organizations based in the US. PBS will be showing a documentary, “Soul of a Nation”, on the recent ethnic cleansing in Gujarat, India in which over 2000 Muslims were killed, more than 600 women were raped and burnt alive and over 150,000 Muslims displaced. This violence was perpetrated by the right wing Hindu ruling party in India that claims the subjugation of minorities as its “Hindutva “ideology. The Hindutva-fascist fronts are well organized in the United States. Recently they have launched a massive campaign to condemn and stop the showing of this PBS documentary “Soul of India” that exposes their involvement in the carnage. The documentary is to air on September 19th at 9pm ET (Soul of a Nation http://www.pbs.org/wnet/wideangle/about/film10.html) The VHP-America (World Hindu Council) website now openly urges people to call up and condemn the Gujarat documentary which exposes the genocide and massive gang rapes that took place in India. Most right wing Hindu mailing lists are now flooded with this campaign notice. This is one of the first documentaries to be shown in the US about the bloodbath that took place against Muslims in India. It is important that the American Muslim community have a sizeable counter-campaign that will, if not encourage, should at least not discourage PBS from airing such exposes in the future. IMC-USA urges all Americans to rise up and defend the freedom of speech. We are urging our members and supporters to launch a counter campaign in support of freedom of speech. For the PBS Stations in your local area, visit: http://www.pbs.org/stationfinder/index.html PBS documentary should just be the first step. What is needed is follow up coverage of the infiltration by the fascist fronts in the American society and their fund raising activities to support their genocidal comrades in India. In light of the recent alarming media reports of open threats of further pogroms by Hindutva-fascist leaders in India, the world media should focus on the growth of this cancer in the Indian society. India is too big and too important a country to be allowed to be taken over by the Hindutva-fascists. A nuclear India controlled by these genocidal maniacs is a threat to world peace. Hindutva-fascist movement R.S.S was started on the model of the Italian Fascist party in the 1920s. Later it adopted the Nazi model. For more information on Hindutva-fascists please our websites www.imc-usa.org or www.imannet.com and download our newsletters, brochures and alerts. For first hand information of the intimidation campaign by VHP-America please visit: http://www.vhp-america.org/dynamic/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=26 Contact Person: Dr. Shaik Ubaid (516) 567-0783

Press Release

Hate rape of a Muslim girl condemned

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September 03, 2002 It is being reported by the Associated Press and the Mercury News that Sanjay Nair, an 18 year old Hindu, raped a fifteen year old girl in Palo Alto, CA on Friday, August 30th. According to these news reports the Palo Alto police is calling the rape a hate crime, because the rapist allegedly made anti-Muslim comments during the rape. We condemn this heinous act of rape in the strongest possible terms. Rape is a grave crime and the fact that it was committed against a minor and as a hate crime, magnifies its severity many folds. If it is true that the rapist uttered anti-Muslim statements while he raped the under age girl, as reported by the police, then it brings home to the Indian community the pain of hundreds of girls gang raped in Gujarat, India and then brutally killed at the hands of Hindutva-fascists. It underscores the fears of the Indian community in the U.S. that the Hindutva-fascists have been running indoctrination camps for Hindu youth all over America, similar to the camps in India and the rapist might have learned this hatred in these camps like the racists in Gujarat did. Bay Area is considered one of the centers of Hindutva-fascists in the U.S. We commend the police at the promptness of the action. American law-enforcement agencies should not allow these fascists to import their hatred into the U.S. and harm U.S. citizens. We hope that Mr. Vajpayee, the Prime Minister of India, who will be visiting the U.S later this month will, at last, now be forced take action against the rapists and killers of Gujarat. We demand that the Hindutva-fascist groups in the U.S. condemn this heinous crime and disband their hate camps in the U.S. We reaffirm our commitment to maintain inter-religious solidarity with all Indians. We must remember that the Hindutva-fascist groups have been involved in hate mongering on the occasion of the anniversary of the terrorist attacks of September 11 and are busy trying to polarize the Indian community in the U.S. their chief propagandist, Sadhavi Rithambara has recently toured the United States. We strongly request that the distinction between Hinduism which is a religion and Hindutva which is a fascist and racist political ideology be remembered and we urge the Muslim and Hindu communities in the bay area and all over the country to make sure that this dastardly hate crime will not cause any deterioration of relations between the two communities. Indian Muslim Council-USA is a national organization of American Muslims of Indian origin. IMC-USA is involved in education and advocacy work for Indian minorities. Contact Person: Dr. Shaik Ubaid Tel: (516) 567-0783

Press Release

Indian Muslim Community in United States Launches Washington-based Advocacy Group

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Indian Muslim Community in United States Launches Washington-based Advocacy Group For Activism Against Rising Fascism In India Aug 15th, 2002, Washington D.C. Indian Muslim Community in United States Launches Washington-based Advocacy Group For Activism Against Rising Fascism In India Three major US-based organizations, formed in the wake of massive repression on minorities in India, came together on India’s independence day to form the “Indian Muslim Council – USA”, pledging to work for freeing India from the clutches of the rising tide of Hindutva-Fascism. The new group emerged from the California-based Indian Muslim Affairs Council, New York-based Indian Muslim Alert Network, and Philadelphia-based Indian Minorities Political Action Committee. “The horrific genocide and rapes in Gujarat earlier this year opened the eyes of the Indian Diaspora to the reality of the Hindutva-Fascist menace in India”, stated the President of the new group, Dr. Shaik Ubaid. “As a result, there was a flurry of activity to counter the rising fascism. In line with America’s long-standing anti-fascism traditions, and being from the largest minority group in India, Indian Muslims in the United States felt it their duty to work toward safeguarding Gandhi’s vision of a secular and democratic India with Human Rights, Dignity, Peace and Justice for all its citizens ” “Consolidation of Indian Muslim advocacy groups into Indian Muslim Council is just the first step. We intend to work very closely with all other concerned members of the Indian community in the U.S., i.e. our Christian, Sikh, Dalit and Hindu brethren, working together to help rid India of the evil of Hindutva-Fascism. Our cause has overwhelming support amongst the Indian Diaspora, as borne out by recent events, such as the protest against Hindutva-Fascist propagandist Sadhvi Rithambara in Flushing, New York, in July of this year. Members of all religions in the local Indian community joined the protest”, says Shaik Ubaid. Indian Muslim Council plans to work on multiple fronts. Creating awareness amongst both the ordinary U.S. citizens and U.S. administration is first priority. IMC believes that lack of awareness on Hindutva-Fascism is responsible for U.S. silence on the recent Gujarat genocide, and for the fact that fund-raising by Hindutva-Fascist fronts -for perpetrating violence against innocent minorities in India- is continuing openly on U.S. soil. The average American associates India with Gandhi and his values of pluralism and tolerance. He does not realize that today, large sections of Indian government and administration, from local to highest national levels, have been insidiously infiltrated by the same fascist forces that murdered Gandhi. The result is Gujarat, where according to Human Rights Watch, state administration and police joined hands with Hindutva-Fascist groups to leave 5,000 dead, 2,000 raped, and 250,000 homeless refugees in their own country. In the pipeline is the creation of a separate IMC-PAC for political activism, in order to back the mass-level education and mobilization efforts with concrete proposals and steps that would ensure the slogan of “Never Again” is made a reality. While quite a few groups are working towards providing relief support to hapless victims of violence in India, IMC is unique as it dedicates itself to purely advocacy-based activities. IMC’s objective, in the words of its President, “is to work towards creating conditions where the need to provide relief to innocent victims of violence is no more. It’s quite simple: when hateful ideologies disappear, there would be no more victims”. IMC appeals to all people of conscience, particularly members of the Indian community in the U.S., to join hands in the fight against Hindutva-Fascism in India, and help rid the world of this evil vestige of the Nazi and Fascist era.

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