October Newsletter: Navrathri, Dussehra and Deepavali, Holy Days Devoted to Justice
October 30, 2020
Namaste Dear Friend,
We are pleased to bring you our October newsletter. This eventful month began with advocacy for the family of the young Dalit woman gang-raped and murdered in Hathras, UP. It was fitting that many peace activists across India and the diaspora observed Gandhi Jayanti by raising their voices about this case, particularly the horrific details of police complicity from the secret cremation of the victim without informing her family, to the intimidation of the family, and so many who were speaking up about this case. The protests have continued throughout the month. We were stunned to see the treatment of opposition politicians Jignesh Mevani, as well as Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi for bringing awareness to this case: Rahul and Priyanka were jailed as they tried to travel to Hathras to meet the victim’s family, and Jignesh Mevani was put under house arrest because he was organizing a march to Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad! HfHR helped organize a rally in New Jersey calling for justice in this case, and our cofounder Deepak and volunteer Nilab participated in the protest.
RECLAIMING INDIA
October 3rd and 4th saw the fruition of our summer of hard work, in the form of our inaugural Reclaiming India conference. HfHR and the other core organizations -- Indian American Muslim Council, Global Indian Progressive Alliance, India Civil Watch International, Students Against Hindutva Ideology -- are committed to making Reclaiming India an annual event.The conference was aimed at discussing the current state of politics, press, judiciary, art and culture, religious freedom and the economy in India, and each panel addressed a different aspect of how we can reclaim India as a secular democracy whose constitution is respected. The two-day conference had over 1300 registrants and brought together front-line justice activists, lawyers, writers, artists and faith leaders from both India and the United States. Speakers included Hamid Ansari, Ramachandra Guha, Martin Macwan, Prashant Bhushan, Arfa Khanum Sherwani and Teesta Setalwad from India and Rev Dr. William Barber, Roja Singh, Aatish Taseer and Rajmohan Gandhi from the United States, among many others.
Reclaiming India conference, Entire Day One (Oct 3, 2020)
Reclaiming India conference, Entire Day Two (Oct 4, 2020)
We have continued to add a Hindu voice to advocacy efforts for justice.
SunitaandRaju explain why they feel the term “fascist” is an apt term for the direction India is headed in.
HfHR is a member of the India Working Group (IWG) of the International Religious Freedom Roundtable, Washington DC. IWG sent this letter to Secretary Pompeo a few days ago, bringing his attention to the plight of Father Stan Swamy, 82 year old Jesuit priest and lifelong human rights defender. Father Swamy was the latest to be arrested under the draconian UAPA (Unlawful Activities Prevention Act) law on fabricated charges that he was part of the Bhima Koregaon plot to undermine the government and assassinate the Prime Minister.
Deepakreflects in Hindi and English about both the Tanishq ad controversy and the recent beheading of a French teacher by an Islamist terrorist.
Sravyareflects on Hindu nationalism in a blog entitled, “My Rama is not the same as their Rama.”
Swatiwrites from a Hindu perspective about the current farmers crisis in India.
Our advisors have also been continuing their courageous advocacy.
Martin Macwanwrote about his incredible effort to mobilize 1000 Dalit villages to protest the Hathras gang-rape and murder on October 14th, the day Dr. Ambedkar embraced Buddhism. Caravan Magazine also reported on Martin ji's efforts.
T.M. Krishna launched his Edict Project, which reimagines Ashoka's edicts in musical form. The project aims at creating vibrant academic, socio-political and aesthetic conversations around Ashoka’s edicts.
Rajmohan Gandhiwrote about the importance of the word “fraternity” in the preamble to India’s constitution.
Faisal Khan and his Khudai Kidmatgar team just conducted a 5-day yatra to Brij, a place of pilgrimage for Lord Krishna devotees, and spread the message of interfaith harmony.
This is a holy season for Hindus around the world -- we have just celebrated Navrathri and Dusshera and are looking ahead to Deepavali -- we ask all our supporters to think deeply about the core meaning of our major festivals. Usually our festivals celebrate the victory of good over evil -- but the important thing isn’t that a demon in our mythology was slayed by a God or Goddess. The purpose of our stories and our festivals is that we recognize that the battle between good and evil is within each of us.
When members of the Jesuit leadership in the Vatican learned about the arrest of Father Stan Swamy, rather than just speak out about a member of their own community, they took the time to learn about all the Bhima Koregaon prisoners before adding their voice. May we come together as one, across every difference of opinion and identity, for the good of our communities and our planet,
As Always, Get Involved.We would love to hear from you — write to us. Volunteer. Start a chapter. Hold a birthday fundraiser and raise both awareness and money!
Please consider a donation to HfHR to commemorate our holy days of Navrathri and Dussehra.
October 3rd and 4th saw the fruition of our summer of hard work, in the form of our inaugural Reclaiming India conference. HfHR and the other core organizations -- Indian American Muslim Council, Global Indian Progressive Alliance, India Civil Watch International, Students Against Hindutva Ideology -- are committed to making Reclaiming India an annual event.The conference was aimed at discussing the current state of politics, press, judiciary, art and culture, religious freedom and the economy in India, and each panel addressed a different aspect of how we can reclaim India as a secular democracy whose constitution is respected. The two-day conference had over 1300 registrants and brought together front-line justice activists, lawyers, writers, artists and faith leaders from both India and the United States. Speakers included Hamid Ansari, Ramachandra Guha, Martin Macwan, Prashant Bhushan, Arfa Khanum Sherwani and Teesta Setalwad from India and Rev Dr. William Barber, Roja Singh, Aatish Taseer and Rajmohan Gandhi from the United States, among many others. 
This is a holy season for Hindus around the world -- we have just celebrated Navrathri and Dusshera and are looking ahead to Deepavali -- we ask all our supporters to think deeply about the core meaning of our major festivals. Usually our festivals celebrate the victory of good over evil -- but the important thing isn’t that a demon in our mythology was slayed by a God or Goddess. The purpose of our stories and our festivals is that we recognize that the battle between good and evil is within each of us. 
