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