India-China standoff: Indian-Americans stage protest against China in Washington
Washington, July 20: A group of Indian-Americans from in and around the national capital held a peaceful demonstration in front of the Chinese embassy, protesting against China's aggression along the Line of Actual Control.
Displaying anti-China banners and shouting slogans like "China Communist: Down Down", the protesters said that "the Chinese virus has killed lakhs of people across the world and has brought the global economy to a standstill".
Community activist Manoj Sreenilayam said, "We condemn the unprovoked Chinese aggression, landgrab and killing of Indians on Indian territory in Ladakh, while the world is distracted with the COVID-19 pandemic."
Do Mosquitoes spread coronavirus? Find out here
The
peaceful
protest
represented
a
cross-section
of
the
Indian-American
cultural
and
social
organisations
from
Maryland,
Virginia
and
Washington
DC.
Prominent
among
them
being
Kerala
association
of
Greater
Washington,
Durga
Temple
friends,
Tamil
cultural
groups
and
Indian
cultural
Associations
of
Howard
County,
National
Council
of
Asian
Indian
Associations
and
Vishwa
Hindu
Parishad
of
America.
Recently formed New York-based Oppose Chinese Imperialism (OCI) Group 23 also sent its representatives to participate in the protest.
COVID-19 global death toll now above 6 lakh
"We are here to protest against the Chinese aggression on the Indian land and territories of the neighbouring countries," said Sanjay Patel. In recent weeks, Indian-Americans in major US cities have held peaceful protests against China.
The first of those was held in Chicago by eminent Indian-American Dr Bharat Barai at New York's Times Square where members of the Tibetan community also demonstrated against China. Another group led by Prem Bhandari in New York recently formed OCI Group 23 to mobilise people in the 23 countries with whom China has territorial disputes.
Recommended Video
The group last week held a webinar on the Chinese imperialism addressed by India's former ambassador to China Gautam Bambawale and former Securities and Exchange Board of India chairman DR Mehta.