'Hindu supremacist move': Plea to Bollywood actors not to attend I-day India parade in New York

By A Representative

Veteran Indian American journalist and civil rights activist Ajit Sahi has sought "immediate intervention" to contact Bollywood actors Sonakshi Sinha and Pankaj Tripathi regarding their scheduled participation in the India Day Parade in New York City on August 18, 2024.

In an open plea, Sahi says, "As you may be aware, the parade has recently attracted significant controversy due to the inclusion of a Ram Temple float, which is being brought by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America (VHPA). The float is widely perceived as divisive, Islamophobic, and a direct reflection of the Hindu supremacist ideology that has long oppressed the Muslim minority in India."

According to him, "The VHPA is well known for its affiliations with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) in India—organizations that have been instrumental in fostering communal violence and spreading anti-Muslim sentiment."

Sahi (photo) reveals, "The Bridge Initiative at Georgetown University has flagged the VHPA as a hate organization due to its extremist views and activities. Additionally, Savera, a respected civil society coalition, has published extensive reports exposing the direct links between the RSS-VHP in India and the VHPA. These connections are well-documented and have raised alarm among various human rights groups both in India and abroad."

He says, "The issue has garnered widespread attention in the U.S. mainstream media, with prominent outlets such as the New York Times, CNN, NBC, and ABC extensively covering the negative publicity surrounding the parade."

Stating that "the controversy has already cast a dark shadow over the event, leading to New York City Mayor Eric Adams publicly condemning the anti-Muslim float", he notes, "Mayor Adams has even announced that he will not participate in the parade this year, breaking with tradition from previous years."

He continues, "Many others, such as New York State Assembly member Zohran Mamdani and New York City Council members Shahana Hanif and Shekar Krishnan have condemned the float and asked that it be canceled."

"Given this context", he adds, "It is crucial that Sonakshi Sinha and Pankaj Tripathi reconsider their participation in the parade."

Sahi insists, "Associating with an event that features such a controversial and divisive element could severely damage their reputations, making them appear partisan and alienating a significant portion of their audience. The potential backlash could be detrimental to their careers and public standing, both in India and internationally."

He believes, "Their decision to withdraw from the parade would send a powerful message of solidarity with oppressed communities and uphold the values of inclusivity and respect."

Comments

When democracy becomes a performance: The Tibetan exile experience

By Tseten Lhundup* I was born in Bylakuppe, one of the largest Tibetan settlements in southern India. From childhood, I grew up in simple barracks, along muddy roads, and in fields with limited resources. Over the years, I have watched our democratic system slowly erode. Observing the recent budget session of the 17th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, these “democratic procedures” appear grand and orderly on the surface, yet in reality they amount to little more than empty formalities. The parliamentarians seem largely disconnected from the everyday struggles faced by ordinary exiled Tibetans like us.

Study links sanctions to 500,000 deaths annually leading to rise in global backlash

By Bharat Dogra International opinion is increasingly turning against the expanding burden of sanctions imposed on a growing number of countries. These measures are contributing to humanitarian crises, intensifying domestic discord, and heightening international tensions, thereby increasing the risks of conflicts and wars.

Dhurandhar: The Revenge — Blurring the line between fiction and political narrative

By Mohd. Ziyaullah Khan* "Dhurandhar: The Revenge" does not wait to be remembered; it arrives almost on the heels of its predecessor, released on March 19, 2026, just months after the first film’s December 2025 debut. The speed of its arrival feels less like creative urgency and more like calculated timing—cinema responding not to storytelling rhythm but to the emotional climate of its audience. Director Aditya Dhar, along with actor Yami Gautam, appears acutely aware of this moment and how to harness it.

BJP accounts for 99% of political donations in Gujarat: Corporate giants dominate

By Jag Jivan An analysis of the official data on donations received by national parties from Gujarat during the Financial Year 2024-25 reveals a staggering concentration of funding, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accounting for nearly the entirety of the contributions. The data, compiled in a document titled "National Parties donations received from Gujarat during FY-2024-25," lists thousands of transactions, painting a detailed picture of the financial backing for political parties from one of India’s most industrially significant states.

Alarming decline in India's repair culture threatens circular economy goals: Study

By Jag Jivan A comprehensive new study by environmental research and advocacy organisation Toxics Link has painted a worrying picture of India's fading repair culture, warning that the trend towards replacement over repair is accelerating the country's already critical e-waste crisis.

Beyond the island: Top mythologist reorients the geography of the Ramayana

By Jag Jivan In a compelling new analysis that challenges conventional geographical assumptions about the ancient epic, writer and mythologist Devdutt Pattanaik has traced the roots of the Ramayana to the forests and river systems of Central and Eastern India, rather than the peninsular south or the modern island nation of Sri Lanka.

Captains extraordinaire: Ranking cricket’s most influential skippers

By Harsh Thakor* Ranking the greatest cricket captains is a subjective exercise, often sparking passionate debate among fans. The following list is not merely a tally of wins and losses; it is an assessment of leadership’s deeper impact. My criteria fuse a captain’s playing record with their tactical skill, placing the highest consideration on their ability to reshape a team’s fortunes and inspire those around them. A captain who inherited a dominant empire is judged differently from one who resurrected a nation’s cricket from the doldrums. With that in mind, here is my perspective on the finest leaders the game has ever seen.

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

‘No merit’ in Chakraborty’s claims: Personal ethics talk sans details raises questions

By Jag Jivan A recent opinion piece published in The Quint by Subhash Chandra Garg has raised questions over the circumstances surrounding the resignation of Atanu Chakraborty from HDFC Bank , with Garg stating that the exit “raises doubts about his own ‘ethics’.” Garg, currently Chief Policy Advisor at Subhanjali and former Secretary of the Department of Economic Affairs, Government of India, writes that the Reserve Bank of India ( RBI ) appears to find no substance in Chakraborty’s claims, noting, “It is clear the RBI sees no merit in Atanu Chakraborty’s wild and vague assertions.”

Search This Blog