Indian Hindu-American seniors gather in Artesia; condemn the “Dismantling Global Hindutva” Conference.

India Post News Service

ARTESIA, CA: In the United States, unlike Russia, Hong Kong or Afghanistan, citizens have a right to gather peacefully together to protest and demonstrate.  So on Wednesday, September 8th 2021, 40 concerned Indian Hindu-American citizens, mostly seniors (some in wheelchairs) descended into the Indian Shopping district in Artesia.

They came to participate in the “United We Can Save Hindutva Peace Rally” at 11.30 am to condemn the “Dismantling Global Hindutva” conference scheduled this weekend (September 9-11) aiming to demonize Hindutva/Hinduism.  The speakers have not published any papers on Hindutva/Hinduism. They are political speakers from India’s Congress Party and Communist Party of India.

Poster slogans at the rally stated “We condemn the conference against Hinduism,” “We will not tolerate any attacks on Hindutva” and “Attacks on Hindutva are an attack on Hinduism” because “Hindutva means the essence of Hinduism.” 

“We condemn the Dismantle Global Hindutva conference.  We would like to warn the sponsoring universities that we Hindu Americans will boycott the universities that have sponsored this conference to ostracize our Hindu religion.  We will not send our children to the sponsoring universities,” said Gita Bhatt, a lead organizer.

Subhash Bhatt, co-lead organizer stated, “Hindutva believes in peace and in non-violence and we are here to bring awareness of Hindutva. It has been deliberately mislabeled by non-Hindu communities to give it a negative connotation.”

“This protest rally was conceptualized and organized by ordinary Indian Hindu-American citizens like you and me, even though it was attended by members of many Hindu organizations such as the

1) Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Southern California chapter;
2) Hindu American Foundation, Southern California chapter,
3) Coalition of Hindu-National Associations, Orange County chapter;
4) Indian Americans in Irvine and Orange County Group.
5) Orange County Hindus Group” stated Subhash Bhatt.

I was crying when I first saw the conference flyer listing the title as “Dismantling Global Hindutva.”  I said I must do something about it,” said lead organizer Gita Bhatt.