Protests have been registered in the USA against the visit of Sadhvi Rithambara, who was described by the demonstrators as "a Hindu extremist religious fanatic".
More than 100 people protested outside a venue at Norcross, a city near Atlanta, where Rithambara’s programmes were listed for August 30 and 31. The protestors demanded that Rithambara’s visa be revoked, and she be sent back to India.
Protesters said they were trying to "stop the Hindutva instigated bigotry and hate from seeping into our communities".
Led by the Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), which describes itself as the "largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States", the protests had participation from other groups such as Hindus for Human Rights, Muslims of USA, Council on American-Islamic Relations and Voices of Muslims.
The IAMC Atlanta Chapter president, Zameer Khan said: "It [her visit] is an affront to all civilized and peace-loving people of all faiths and it should be condemned in the strongest possible terms. We cannot allow people like Rithambara to come and spread their hatred and divisiveness in the peace-loving communities of America."
A press release issued on the protest said that over 2,000 letters had been sent to the organisers to cancel the Norcross event which is being organized by the Hindu Swayamsewak Sangh and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America, described as "groups…ideologically connected with the Hindu extremist Nazi-inspired paramilitary Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh".
The protests were not a one off as opposition to the visit has been building up since it was announced. The owner of the venue, a shopping mall, had been communicated the opposition and requested to not host the politician.
A list of ‘offensive’ remarks made by the politician had also been in circulation. This included her speeches given in the year before the demolition of the Babri Masjid calling for ‘Hindu war against Muslims’ and her remarks against Christians—most prominently one that if a single conversion is made, Christians would be wiped off from India.
