IMC-USA Welcomes the Visa Revocation of Pogrom Politician

Struggle to marginalize Hindutva-hate groups in the US gains momentum

March 18, 2005
Contact person: Zeeshan Farees (516) 567-0783

Indian Muslim Council-USA (www.imc-usa.org), a grassroots advocacy group dedicated to promoting pluralism in the US and India has welcomed the revocation of Narendra Modi’s visa to the US.

IMC-USA is a founding member of a broadbased coalition, Coalition Against Genocide, that has undertaken a multipronged campaign with the State Department to deny Narendra Modi, who is accused of being complicit in pogroms, mass rapes and ethnic cleansing in the Indian state of Gujarat, the US visa.

Modi was invited by the Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA) and was to be honored by rich supporters of his supremacist Hindutva movement. These supporters were confident that years of hard work and money have bought them political influence both in the Indian professional and trade associations as well as on the Capitol Hill. Therefore, when CAG was able to convince many US members of Congers to take a stand against Modi and his crimes against humanity, the supporters of Hindutva in the US were caught flatfooted

The campaign with the State department was supported by a large group of American university professors, human rights organizations and civil rights groups such as the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR). CAG was also involved in advocating with the United States Commission on Religious Freedom to come out with a statement against Modi’s visit. USCIRF made its opposition to Modi’s visit clear yesterday March 17, 2005. Earlier after a sustained campaign Chris Matthews of MSNBC’s "Hardball" had canceled his speech at AAHOA convention.

Congratulating the IMC-USA members on the successful campaign to get Modi’s visa revoked, Dr. Shaik Ubaid, President of IMC-USA declared, " It is a great victory for pluralism, justice and rule of law. Celebrate we must and celebrate we will. The news about Modi’s visa revocation are true but those about the death of the supremacist hate-ideology, hindutva, are premature. We will continue our struggle till the victims of pogroms in India get their justice and the supporters of Hindutva ideology are thoroughly defeated in the US and India." Dr. Ubaid also said, "Rashtriya Sevak Sangam (RSS) was launching Modi as their next Vajpayee, thier next Prime Minister. The launch site has now become the burial ground of this sinister plan. I congratulate the members of CAG for their historic achievement."

Hardliners among the RSS, the mother organization of Hindutva fronts were trying to promote Modi as the future leader of its political wing the BJP. They were promoting Modi as the next leader of India in their advertisements of his public programs in the US. The hindutva groups’ choice of Modi’s launch on the international arena was Madison Square Garden. This heavily publicized launch was scheduled for Sunday, March 20, 2005. IMC-USA was in the forefront of a grassroots campaign to organize a massive demonstrations in front of the Madison Square Garden.

IMC-USA has congratulated Secretary of State Rice for taking a moral stand against religious hatred and pogroms and hoped that the US government will now investigate the activities of Hindutva hate groups in the US.

IMC-USA has announced that it will detail the next steps of its campaign to free AAHOA and other Indian professional organizations from the control of Hindutva extremists after consulting with its coalition partners in CAG. It has requested that its supporters continue to contact American Express Corporation asking it to withdraw its sponsorship of AAHOA convention. It has also asked Americans to contact their members of congress and educate them about the perils and plans of Hindutva.

Hardliners among the RSS, the mother organization of Hindutva fronts were trying to promote Modi as the future leader of its political wing the BJP. They were promoting Modi as the next leader of India in their advertisements for his public programs in the US. The hindutva groups’ choice of Modi’s launch on the international arena was to have taken place at Madison Square Garden on Sunday, March 20, 2005.