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In a surprise but controversial move, a giant puppet of Indian Prime Minister Modi rode Fifth Avenue, New York City, in a convertible on December 19, with a banner declaring, "I could shoot someone on Fifth Avenue and get away with it, OK?"
"The claim echoes a controversial statement made by former presidential candidate Donald Trump in 2016", said a diaspora communique.
The stunt, organized by several Hindu, Sikh, and Muslim diaspora organizations which are known to be campaigning against Hindutva dominance in India, claims to highlight what they think is the Indian government’s "strategy" of killing and intimidating US citizens of Indian descent overseas, and the US administration’s "failure" to address this.
In June, the US media and the authorities contended, those close to the Indian officials reportedly tried to assassinate a US citizen in New York, said the diaspora note, adding, this happened at a time when a high-profile Canadian Sikh activist was killed, and had the FBI worried to warn multiple Californian activists of similar threats. There is a clear pattern here, US prosecutors later noted.
India is known to have denied these allegations of its involvement in any of the two cases, insisting, not enough is being down to trace extremist antecedents of both.
“The point we make is deadly serious,” said Sunita Viswarath of Hindus for Human Rights, “American lives are not chips in trade deals. Biden needs to let Americans — and Modi — know that our lives matter, and are protected.”
“The questions we ask ourselves are who is next and what will it take for our government to step up?” said Safa Ahmed of Indian American Muslim Council. “America needs to stand up for its own people, India’s people, and democracy itself.”
“The point we make is deadly serious,” said Sunita Viswarath of Hindus for Human Rights, “American lives are not chips in trade deals. Biden needs to let Americans — and Modi — know that our lives matter, and are protected.”
“The questions we ask ourselves are who is next and what will it take for our government to step up?” said Safa Ahmed of Indian American Muslim Council. “America needs to stand up for its own people, India’s people, and democracy itself.”
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