Indian Muslim Community in United States Launches Washington-based Advocacy Group
Indian Muslim Community in United States Launches Washington-based Advocacy Group For Activism Against Rising Fascism In India
Aug 15th, 2002, Washington D.C.
Indian Muslim Community in United States Launches Washington-based Advocacy Group For Activism Against Rising Fascism In India
Three major US-based organizations, formed in the wake of massive repression on minorities in India, came together on India’s independence day to form the “Indian Muslim Council – USA”, pledging to work for freeing India from the clutches of the rising tide of Hindutva-Fascism. The new group emerged from the California-based Indian Muslim Affairs Council, New York-based Indian Muslim Alert Network, and Philadelphia-based Indian Minorities Political Action Committee.
“The horrific genocide and rapes in Gujarat earlier this year opened the eyes of the Indian Diaspora to the reality of the Hindutva-Fascist menace in India”, stated the President of the new group, Dr. Shaik Ubaid. “As a result, there was a flurry of activity to counter the rising fascism. In line with America’s long-standing anti-fascism traditions, and being from the largest minority group in India, Indian Muslims in the United States felt it their duty to work toward safeguarding Gandhi’s vision of a secular and democratic India with Human Rights, Dignity, Peace and Justice for all its citizens ”
“Consolidation of Indian Muslim advocacy groups into Indian Muslim Council is just the first step. We intend to work very closely with all other concerned members of the Indian community in the U.S., i.e. our Christian, Sikh, Dalit and Hindu brethren, working together to help rid India of the evil of Hindutva-Fascism. Our cause has overwhelming support amongst the Indian Diaspora, as borne out by recent events, such as the protest against Hindutva-Fascist propagandist Sadhvi Rithambara in Flushing, New York, in July of this year. Members of all religions in the local Indian community joined the protest”, says Shaik Ubaid.
Indian Muslim Council plans to work on multiple fronts. Creating awareness amongst both the ordinary U.S. citizens and U.S. administration is first priority. IMC believes that lack of awareness on Hindutva-Fascism is responsible for U.S. silence on the recent Gujarat genocide, and for the fact that fund-raising by Hindutva-Fascist fronts -for perpetrating violence against innocent minorities in India- is continuing openly on U.S. soil.
The average American associates India with Gandhi and his values of pluralism and tolerance. He does not realize that today, large sections of Indian government and administration, from local to highest national levels, have been insidiously infiltrated by the same fascist forces that murdered Gandhi. The result is Gujarat, where according to Human Rights Watch, state administration and police joined hands with Hindutva-Fascist groups to leave 5,000 dead, 2,000 raped, and 250,000 homeless refugees in their own country.
In the pipeline is the creation of a separate IMC-PAC for political activism, in order to back the mass-level education and mobilization efforts with concrete proposals and steps that would ensure the slogan of “Never Again” is made a reality. While quite a few groups are working towards providing relief support to hapless victims of violence in India, IMC is unique as it dedicates itself to purely advocacy-based activities. IMC’s objective, in the words of its President, “is to work towards creating conditions where the need to provide relief to innocent victims of violence is no more. It’s quite simple: when hateful ideologies disappear, there would be no more victims”.
IMC appeals to all people of conscience, particularly members of the Indian community in the U.S., to join hands in the fight against Hindutva-Fascism in India, and help rid the world of this evil vestige of the Nazi and Fascist era.
