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 45^th 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/

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