Indian Americans apprehensive at US Police Unity Tour’s Gujarat Trip
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
