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#NotInMyName Solidarity Rally Held In Vancouver Canada
8-03-2017
Sunday, July 30, 2017 - Indians Abroad for Pluralist India (IAPI) based in Surrey, Canada was set up by few Indians who are concerned about the state of affairs in India against minorities.
The group states, “There has been a systematic attack on the rich pluralist society and culture of India since Narendra Modi came to power with a Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) majority in 2014.”
IAPI believes India under Modi is turning into a fascist theocratic Hindu Rashtra, a state serving a majoritarian agenda that is identified with the “nation.” Where Institutions are subverted, education commandeered, dissent suppressed through violence and intimidation, and Dalits and minorities increasingly subjected to mob violence encouraged through impunity
A spate of recent lynchings of Dalits and Muslims has generated a resistance movement in India under the banner of “Not in My Name” that has held demonstrations across India as well as in London, Boston, and Toronto.
Progressive South Asians established IAPI in Surrey to raise their voice in solidarity with the resistance in India.
The group held their first rally at the Surrey City Hall plaza next to the Surrey Central Library on Sunday, July 30 at 5 pm.
The first public rally was a success organized in short time and was attended by activists from diverse backgrounds. The participants also raised slogans and marched to the nearby Sky Train Station with their placards to draw attention of the passersby to the issue which has sparked a mass movement across India.
Among the speakers were South Asian Network for Secularism and Democracy (SANSAD) leader Chinmoy Banerjee, the Editor of People’s Voice Kimball Cariou, Aam Aadmi Party supporter Goldy Deol, Sikh Nation activist Sunil Kumar, veterran columnist Rajinder Pandher, Buddhist and Ambedkarite activist Param Kainth, progress poet Amrit Diwana, Fraser Valley Peace Council leader Nazir Rizvi, a visiting UK Professor Farha Mahmood Patel, a young activist Sameena and Indian Rationalist activist Avtar Gill. A former Mumbai resident Saiyad Wajahat and few others. Those in attendance included Shahzad Nazir Khan, Saif Khalid, Navtej Johal, Ajay Bhardwaj, Amandeep Singh, Hardev Singh, Parshotam Dosanjh, Keshu Rakesh, Harry Punia and Tarlochan Singh Sohal.
The speakers were unanimous in their criticism of the growing Hindutva extremism in India and the silence of the Canadian and US governments over this. It was also decided that a big demonstration will be held on August 27 in support of day of action being organized in India against public lynching of Dalits and Muslims by the sangh activists.
Gurpreet Singh and Parshottam Dosanjh organizers would like to thank the attendees and special thanks to Kamaljit Singh Thind and Alameen Post for spreading the word.
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