Rishi Kumar, please explain your ties to a fascist party
Rishi Kumar, please explain your ties to a fascist party
Why this petition matters
As recently as March 2019, Rishi Kumar, Congressional Candidate for the 16th district was campaigning for the re-election of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a Hindu nationalist. This was his second visit to the United States since he was banned to enter in 2005 on religious freedom grounds for his role in the Gujarat genocide.
Even though Modi's role in the Gujarat genocide is well documented, Rishi Kumar, enthusiastically welcomed him to Saratoga City. Upon his meeting with Modi he said, “the first time ever that I conversed with a world leader — who I seek to emulate in my governance on the city council.”
This is concerning as the United State Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) report said “the Indian government escalated its promotion and enforcement of policies—including those promoting a Hindu-nationalist agenda—that negatively affect Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Dalits, and other religious minorities.”
Rishi Kumar has a track record of campaigning for Hindu nationalist candidates with a pattern of targeted violence and genocide against Dalit, Sikh, Muslim, Christian, and Adivasi communities. In January 2017, he campaigned for Yogi Adityanath, whose Hindu nationalist gang the Hindu Yuva Vahini kidnapped over 700 Indian Muslim girls between 11-18 who were later raped, forced to convert to Hinduism, and marry their captors.
Rishi Kumar has not responded to numerous requests for clarity on where he stands on Hindu nationalism. This ideology allows for state-sanctioned violence against India's marginalized communities.
Sign this petition to ask Rishi Kumar to make clear where he stands on the role of Hindu fascism's encroachment upon human rights and religious freedom. His association with fascist elements desecrates the foundations for US democracy.
Submit your comments in the "Reasons for Signing" section below.
http://sacw.net/article14915.html
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/4/25/religious-freedom-in-india-significantly-worsened-us-panel