A group of Indian expatriates in Miami, Florida, organised a protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act in their city on New Year’s Day.
Indian residents of Miami from Kerala, West Bengal, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, Delhi, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh participated in the protest, which took place at the city’s Torch of Friendship monument. The protesters, across faiths, referred to the Act as a “draconian” one that could render vulnerable and marginalised communities Stateless.
“We want to send out the message that even if voices in India are suppressed, Indians outside the country will stand up against atrocities,” said Shamsudheen Moidunny, a native of Kerala and one of the organisers.
American and Cuban families also joined the protest. Placards that said ‘Indian-Americans against bigotry’ were raised and the gathering read out the preamble of the Indian Constitution.
The group called upon the international community to hold the Indian government accountable for the violent crackdown on protesters, particularly students, in the past two weeks. They called for a judicial inquiry into the violence, and treatment and assistance for those who fell victim to it.
A nationwide people’s protest in the United States, including in several major cities, is in the offing on January 26.
