Skip to main content

Attack on atheist meet: Vrindavan's German citizen seeks Embassy intervention to protect her right to live, think

Ramona, Apra and Balendu Goswami
By A Representative
In an unusual move, Ramona Goswami, whose house was attacked in Vrindavan recently for calling a private meeting of atheists, has sought the urgent intervention of the German Embassy in Delhi for “support” and “protection” of her “human rights” to live in India, so that she is not not harassed by local administration and media on basis her “belief or non-belief.”
A German herself, Ramona is married to Balendu Goswami, who had organized the event. Living with their daughter Apra Goswami, who also carries a German passport and a PIO card like her, Ramona says, on October 14, her family organized the private programme on their property, “inviting scientific-minded, rationalist people to our place for discussions.”
“As we are non-believers, atheists from all over the country were expected to come to our home”, she says in the letter, regretting, however, “Unfortunately some locals opposed this programme and called for protests outside our home.”
Pointing out that “prior permission for the programme was taken even though it was a private programme”, she says, “On October 14, when guests had started arriving, a crowd came together to attack our meeting – and police officials urged us to cancel our event, saying they would not be able to guarantee security of our guests.”
Ramona says, although the programme was “cancelled” the attacks have continued, adding, “The city administration, under pressure of the crowd, came with a digger and tore an advertising sign as well as the ramp leading to our restaurant.” She adds, interestingly, “the ramps of our neighbours – equally built to cross the gutter – were not touched.”
Living in Vrindavan, UP, where her husband’s family has property, Ramona says in the letter, her family has been “running a charity school for unprivileged children over the past years”, where “children receive free food and education”, adding, “We offer yoga and ayurveda retreats at our ashram to support this charity further.”
Pointing out that this year they started running a restaurant called ‘Ammaji’s’, in which she is one of the four partners, Ramona says, “During the protests one of he guests, “a senior female photo journalist,“was pulled onto the road and beaten by the mob with the police standing by but not helping.”
“People started throwing stones and damaged our property, breaking new glass panel on the 1st floor of our restaurant. They were shouting paroles, threatening our lives. They had petrol with them, pouring it on our property, in order to set our home on fire, which was fortunately prevented”, she pointed out.
Identifying individuals who led the crowd, Ramona says, the problem particularly got aggravated after a Hindi daily’s Mathura edition called her as a ‘schemer’ of the atheist meeting, identifying her as 'Videshi sazish karta'.
Worse, Ramona says, a senior official from the neighouring city of Mathura came to her home on October 14, making inquiries about her working at the restaurant and whether she was legally allowed to live. “Speaking to my husband, who assured him that I was legally living here and had a PIO card. This officer threatened with the words ‘If I want, I will not let her live here for one more day’.”
Later, on October 22, the issue got “solved” when another senior officer from Mathura came and explained that she did have a PIO card and was thus legally allowed to live and even work in this country.
“My brother-in-law has filed an FIR complaint with the police against the rowdies protesting and damaging our property. Unfortunately no action has been taken”, Ramona says, adding, “A few of the protesters have continuously made efforts to defame us by giving wrong statements to local newspapers and asking for the arrest of my husband.”

Comments

TRENDING

How community leaders overcome obstacles to protect forests and pastures in remote villages

By Bharat Dogra  Dheera Ram Kapaya grew up in such poverty that, unable to attend school himself, he would carry another boy’s heavy school bag for five kilometers just to get a scoop of daliya (porridge). When he was finally able to attend school, he had to leave after class five to join other adolescent workers. However, as soon as opportunities arose, he involved himself in community efforts—promoting forest protection, adult literacy, and other constructive initiatives. His hidden talent for writing emerged during this time, and he became known for the songs and street play scripts he created to promote forest conservation, discourage child marriages, and support other social reforms.

Workers' groups condemn Gujarat Ordinance increasing working hours, warn of statewide agitation

By A Representative   At a consultation organised today by the Asangathit Shramik Hit Rakshak Manch at Circuit House in Ahmedabad, leaders of major trade unions and labour rights organisations strongly opposed the Gujarat government’s recent ordinance amending the Factories Act and the draft rules notified under the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Code, 2020. Around 50 representatives from central trade unions, independent unions, and labour welfare organisations participated in the meeting.

The GMO illusion: Three decades of hype, harm, and false hope

By Sridhar Radhakrishnan  Three decades of hype, billions of dollars spent, and still no miracle crop. It's time to abandon the GMO biotech fairy tale and return to the soil, the seed, and the farmer. “Trust us,” they said. “GMOs will feed the world.” Picture a world where there is plenty of food, no hunger, fields grow without chemical pesticides, children are saved from malnutrition, and people live healthily.

Deaths in Chhattisgarh are not just numbers – they mark a deeper democratic crisis

By Sunil Kumar  For a while, I had withdrawn into a quieter life, seeking solace in nature. But the rising tide of state-sponsored violence and recurring conflict across India has compelled deeper reflection. The recent incidents of killings in central India—particularly in Chhattisgarh—are not isolated acts. They point to a larger and ongoing crisis that concerns the health of democracy and the treatment of marginalised communities.

Sandra Gonzalez Sanabria: An inspiring life from Colombia’s Amazonian valley

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat*  In the village of Héctor Ramírez, known as Agua Bonita, in La Montañita, Caquetá, Colombia, a vision of peace and renewal is unfolding. In the pre-2016 period, this would have been nearly impossible for outsiders to visit, as it was the epicenter of violent resistance against state oppression. However, after the Peace Accord was signed between the Colombian government and former revolutionaries—marking the end of a 70-year insurgency that claimed over 400,000 lives until 2025, including civilians, rebel fighters, and security personnel—things began to change. Visiting Agua Bonita during the Global Land Forum in Bogotá revealed a village of hope and resilience. Former FARC revolutionaries have settled here and transformed the village into a center of peace and aspiration.

'Bengali Muslim migrant workers face crackdown in Gurgaon': Academic raises alarm

By A Representative   Political analyst and retired Delhi University professor Shamsul Islam has raised serious concerns over the ongoing targeting and detention of Muslim migrant workers from West Bengal in Gurgaon, Haryana. In a public statement, Islam described the situation as "brutal repression" and accused law enforcement agencies of detaining migrants arbitrarily under the pretext of verifying their citizenship.

Indigenous Karen activist calls for global solidarity amid continued struggles in Burma

By A Representative   At the International Festival for People’s Rights and Struggles (IFPRS), Naw Paw Pree, an Indigenous Karen activist from the Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG), shared her experiences of oppression, resilience, and hope. Organized with the support of the International Indigenous Peoples Movement for Self-Determination and Liberation (IPMSDL), the event brought together Indigenous and marginalized communities from across the globe, offering a rare safe space for shared learning, solidarity, and expression.

Gender violence defies stringent laws: The need for robust social capital

By Dr. Manoj Kumar Mishra*  The tragic death of Miss Soumyashree Bisi, a 20-year-old student from Fakir Mohan College, Balasore, who reportedly self-immolated due to harassment, shocked the conscience of Odisha. Even before the public could process this horrifying event, another harrowing case emerged—a 15-year-old girl from Balanga, Puri, was allegedly set ablaze by miscreants. These incidents are not isolated; they highlight a disturbing pattern of rising gender-based violence across the state and the country.

A matter of deep concern: The silent struggles of India's visually impaired women

By N.S. Venkataraman  Visual impairment is one of the most severe forms of physical disability that afflicts humanity, and its impact is even more acute when it affects women. The burden becomes overwhelming when visually impaired women also belong to economically weaker sections of society, with little or no financial or institutional support. Their struggle for dignity, survival, and identity is often invisible—hidden in plain sight across cities and rural corners alike. And yet, these women form a large, neglected segment of society not just in India, but around the world. In India, governmental assistance to visually impaired persons exists but remains minimal. While policies are framed with good intent, they often fall short in implementation. More importantly, no real distinction is made between the unique challenges faced by visually impaired men and women. This gender-blind approach to disability support overlooks the compounded social vulnerabilities that women face due to...