While Prime Minister Narendra Modi eschewed confrontation and belligerence during his address at the UN General Assembly, several Indian-Americans massed outside the UN headquarters to protest his “anti-poor and anti-minority” government, according to a statement by the Coalition Against Fascism in India (CAFI), the lead organiser.
Audrey Truschke, History professor at Rutgers University, said India “has experienced, often personally and painfully, the cataclysmic results of his hateful brand of extreme nationalism — Hindutva”.
I am proud to be joining a diverse group of Indian Americans in New York City tomorrow that are determined to draw attention to the #ModiSarkar's record on human rights and demand justice for all Indians. Press release: https://t.co/5bW8lP0l57 #HumanRights #Hindutva #India
— Audrey Truschke (@AudreyTruschke) September 26, 2019
Mohammad Jawad, National General Secretary of Indian-American Muslim Council, clarified that the protest was neither anti-India nor anti-Hindu.
“We are only demanding basic human rights that the Constitution of India guarantees for all citizens. The Modi government follows the RSS’ Hindutva ideology which is responsible for all atrocities and lynchings against the minorities. These need to stop and the perpetrators prosecuted,” he said.
“We will keep raising our Hindu voice of protest. As Hindus, as Indians, and as people of conscience, we say ‘not in our name’,” added Sunita Viswanath, Co-Founder of Hindus for Human Rights:
Hawk Newton of Black Lives Matter also joined the protest.
New York-based musician Sunny Jain, who performed at the protests, said PM Modi’s ideology was “simply divisive and inciting aggression towards minorities” while urging all artists and South Asians to raise their voice against hurtful ideologies.
James Sues, Executive Director, Council on America-Islamic Relations (CAIR), said the Modi government had “illegally stripped” the people of Kashmir of their autonomy, and called for a reinstatement of the Indian Constitution’s Article 370.
The CAFI protest is co-sponsored by Alliance for a Democratic and Secular South Asia, Hindus for Human Rights, India Civil Watch and Indian American Muslim Council.