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

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Rob Miller of the Old Paramus Reformed Church in Ridgewood (New Jersey), the venue for the event, confirmed that he has rescinded the approval given to organizers to host the event that featured Ritambhara as a key speaker.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.