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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20191019
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20191020
DTSTAMP:20260413T035125
CREATED:20221114T133345Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230313T115006Z
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SUMMARY:Kashmiri Pandits brief members of U.S. Congress on way forward in troubled state
DESCRIPTION:WASHINGTON\, D.C.— Over 200 Kashmiri Pandits from across the U.S.\, descended on Capitol Hill on Oct. 16 to interact with U.S. lawmakers and their aides at a Congressional briefing titled\, ‘Kashmir\, the Way Forward\,’ in the aftermath of the government of India’s revoking Article 370 of the Indian Constitution that provides for special status for the Muslim-majority state of Kashmir. \n“The objective of the briefing was to promote pluralism\, reconnect and to reintegrate the hearts and minds of the people of Kashmir following the removal of Articles 370 and 35A on August 5\, 2019.” \nTaking the lead in organizing the briefing was the Indo-American Community Federation (IACF)\, founded by longtime Kashmiri Pandit activist Jeevan Zutshi\, who got Congresswoman Anna Eshoo (D.-Calif.) to co-host the event. Partnering with the IACF\, were the Kashmiri Overseas Association (KOA) and U.S.-India Political Action Committee (USINPAC)\, led by their chairpersons\, Dr. Shakun Malik and Sanjay Puri. \nBesides Eshoo\, among the lawmakers who marked their presence included Reps. Ro Khanna\, Mike Thompson\, Zoe Lofgren\, Mark Desaulneir and Dorthy Matsui\, all Democrats from California. \nThe chairman of House Foreign Affairs Committee\, Elliot Engel (D.-N.Y.) also attended the event\, and in his brief remarks\, said\, “Democratic and pluralistic communities are very much needed to live harmoniously\, and I commend all of you for promoting harmony across the globe.” \nEarlier\, Eshoo said\, “It is a testament to this worthy cause (of the Indian American community) that we have so many members of Congress here to support you\, including chairman Eliot Engel.” \n“I am very touched and can’t believe so much torture is being inflicted in Kashmir\,” she said\, apparently referring to the ethnic cleansing alleged by the Pandits\, who were driven from their homes in Jammu and Kashmir more than two decades ago due to the terrorism by alleged Pakistan-backed militants\, and have been living as refugees in various parts of India\, and now after the repeal of Article 370\, have been left wondering if they could return to their ancestral homes. \nKhanna\, in his remarks\, said\, “I was born in the USA in 1976\, and I am proud of my South Asian roots\, and I came to this briefing to grasp the many issues related to the Kashmiri community\, and I am glad that I am here tonight to learn more.” \n“Malik\, spoke of the sorry plight of the “ethnically cleansed Kashmiri Pandits and the discrimination faced by  Kashmiri women\, minorities and weaker sections of society due to Articles 370 and 35A\,” while Puri informed the lawmakers and aides present that “Kashmir is a very serious issues for Indian Americans.” \nHe said\, “It should also be an important issue to the U.S. as India is a vital partner\,” and exhorted that “we must continue to work together so that the future generations of Kashmir\, regardless of their background or religion\, have an opportunity for good education\, jobs and security.” \nJeff M. Smith\, Research Fellow and the head of the South Asia Program at the conservative Heritage Foundation\, recounted his previous visits to Kashmir and said\, he was touched by the heart-wrenching stories of Kashmiri Pandit victims and wondered why “these stories of genocide and ethnic cleansing have not been covered by the western press while Pakistan’s narrative about Kashmir has been getting wide press coverage.” \nHe also explained to the audience that U.S. policy on Kashmir continues to be that any resolution of the problem has to sorted out bilaterally between India and Pakistan without any third party intervention\, and that the recent revocations of Articles 370 and 35A are clearly 
“the internal matters of India.” \nEarlier\, gripping personal stories by victims of Kashmiri terrorism\, particularly in 1990-1991 were shared by Swapna Raina\, Dr. Archana Kokroo\, and Sachin Koul\, while Dr. C Shaykher\, a cardiologist from Florida spoke about what he argued “are misconceptions about Hindutva” and provided a historic perspective of Kashmir\, emphasizing “that Kashmiri Hindus have a 5\,000-year documented civilizational legacy.” \nDr. Surinder Kaul\, International Coordinator of Global Kashmiri Pandit Diaspora\, stated that “the most dangerous framing of the issue in the U.S. media reporting is fanning religious polarization with the use of the Hindu Muslim binary\,” and asserted\, “The only binary that exists in Kashmir is that between peace and violence\, and the latter was introduced by the gun culture of the terrorists.” \nHe said that just in the past few weeks\, “terrorists aided and abetted by Pakistan have killed four innocent people in cold blood and are making attempts to disrupt public harmony.” Kaul also referred to the bellicose saber rattling by Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan and his declarations of Jihad against India for the repeal of Article 370 and the alleged subjugation of the Kashmiri people in his eyes. \nZutshi who earlier had joined Eshoo in welcoming the U.S. lawmakers\, their aides and the hundreds of guests and other participants\, returned to the podium to address the question of ‘The Way Forward for India\,’ and emphasized that the “only way forward for Kashmir is to ensure that people of all religions\, including minorities live peacefully in Kashmir with justice\, security and economic opportunities for all.” \nHe expressed the hope that with the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35 A “will result in expanded and equal opportunities to all and a chance for the development of regions like Ladakh\, which have been neglected for far too long.” \nZutshi also made a fervent appeal “to my fellow Kashmiris\, that we must promote pluralism in the state so that all communities can live together as they did before Pakistani trained militants created mayhem and forced Kashmiri Pandits to leave Kashmir valley. IntraKashmiri dialogue\, exchange programs of students\, writers\, artists to offer their strengths in all the regions will definitely help in reconnecting and reintegrating hearts and minds of the\npeople.” \nHe also said that “we must educate community members to use discretion when making hurtful intolerant or bigoted comments on social media and elsewhere. I urge you to remember — secularism was not promoted by a law or by a constitutional belief — it was promoted by the ethos of the society. The ethos of our society in India has not changed\, and the ethos of India\, the Hindu ethos\, is very secular.”
URL:https://indocommunity.us/event/indo-american-community-foundation-holds-virtual-unity-dinner-amid-covid-19-pandemic/
CATEGORIES:18th Annual Unity Dinner,Kashmiri Pandits
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20190328
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20190329
DTSTAMP:20260413T035125
CREATED:20190328T080001Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230313T115027Z
UID:6460-1553731200-1553817599@indocommunity.us
SUMMARY:IACF Celebrates 25 Years\, Features Panel on Women at 18th Annual Unity Dinner
DESCRIPTION:It was a dual celebration for the Indo-American Community Federation\, which concurrently celebrated its 25 anniversary 18 annual Unity Dinner at the India Community Center in Milpitas\, Calif.\, March 22. Seen here is IACF’s Indian American founder Jeevan Zutshi (right) being honored by U.S. Rep. Anna Eshoo\, D-Calif.\, who was the night’s keynote speaker and Lif Achievement Award recipient\, with a ag own over the Capitol in Washington\, D.C. (In Focus Photography photo via IACF) \nMILPITAS\, Calif. – In celebrating 25 years\, the Indo-American Community Federation pulled out all\nthe stops for its 18 annual Unity Dinner event March 22 at the India Community Center here. \nAmong the guest speakers at the annual event\, themed “Women’s History and Contribution\,” and\nwhich coincided with the federation’s silver anniversary\, included U.S. Reps. Anna G. Eshoo and Ro\nKhanna\, both Democrats from California\, as well as Consul General of India in San Francisco Sanjay\nPanda.\nThe annual Unity Dinner event\, created by IACF to improve community involvement\, education\,\nhealth and understanding of different cultures\, was created in 2002 in the wake of the Sept. 11\,\n2001\, terror attacks to promote harmony and unity in diversity. \nIACF was founded as a nonprot by Indian American community activist Jeevan Zutshi in 1994 to\nbuild bridges with mainstream organizations\, diverse leaders\, think tanks and public ofcials.\n“The 25th Anniversary celebration of our organization\, which coincided with our signature Unity\nDinner 18th Annual event\, was received very enthusiastically by the community\, diverse leadership\nand lawmakers with two members of Congress\, members of Assembly\, county supervisors\, city\nmayors\, councilmembers and many other public ofcials\,” Zutshi told India-West. \n“IACF was conceived to inspire Indo-Americans to be a part and parcel of mainstream America by\nserving community at large. Today\, after 25 years\, we have a vice-mayor\, a congressman and so\nmany enthusiastic members of the Indo-American community vigorously involved in mainstream\nissues positively and have integrated with the American values bringing the best of Indian culture\nto blend with it\,” Zutshi added.\n“I feel that my vision of promoting unity and harmony has proved to be a blessing for my own\npersonal development and am rmly committed to continue in my mission to unite community\,” he\nsaid. \nEshoo\, who represents California’s 18 Congressional District\, was honored with the Lifetime\nAchievement Award at the event and served as the keynote speaker.\n“This evening is extraordinarily special for me and is for you\,” she said. “This organization (IACF)\nhas prospered over time\, where other organizations wear down over time.”\nEshoo thanked Zutshi for creating the federation\, which she said has made a difference and\ncontinues to make a difference. \n“I have a very deep understanding that our country is made stronger through its diversity\,” Eshoo\nstressed\, noting she experienced it in her family and sees it in her district. “We’re a nation of\nimmigrants and it is our greatest advantage.”\nEshoo also touched on the importance of the relationship between the U.S. and India\, and how she\nis working on upping the number of individuals from the country who can come to the U.S. on green\ncards.\n“My promise to (Zutshi and IACF) is that you have a sister (in me)\,” Eshoo said in response to\nreceiving the lifetime achievement award. \nThe congresswoman\, in conclusion\, awarded Zutshi for his 25 years of IACF with an American ag\nthat was own over the Capitol in Washington\, D.C.\nKhanna and Panda were also featured at the event as honored guest speakers.\nKhanna\, overjoyed to be back in the Bay Area and seeing the diversity\, called it “the future of the\nnation.”\n“The country is changing. It is extraordinarily diverse and that’s our strength\,” Khanna said. “Every\ntime I come back home\, I’m so inspired to represent this place.”\nKhanna believes the freshmen class in Congress is what the country is all about – diverse\, women\,\nyouth.\n“Now we have people in Congress from all walks of life\,” he said. The second-term congressman\nsaid Congress is now a more apt indication of what America is and those people will bring forward\nZutshi’s vision for unity. \nPanda\, who has been in his role since November 2018\, was speaking at the Unity Dinner for the rst\ntime since taking ofce.\nUsing the theme of the night\, Panda cited a quote apt for the event. “If you want something to be\nsaid\, ask a man. If you want something to be done\, ask a woman\,” he said.\nAdditionally\, there was a panel discussion on women’s history and contributions. Among the\npanelists were Alameda County District Attorney Nancy E. O’Malley; Fremont\, Calif.\, Police Chief\nKimberly Peterson; League of Women Voters president Syeda Reshma Inamdar; and Dr. Connie\nWun\, advocate\, educator\, researcher and a national expert on issues impacting women and girls of\ncolor. It was moderated by lawyer Anjali Shaykher Zutshi.\nThe panel discussion specically focused on the #MeToo movement.\nZutshi\, in kicking off the discussion\, noted that the movement isn’t just a women’s or girls’ issue\,\nbut affects everyone.\nO’Malley noted that social media\, as well as people who are in show business\, made the movement\nspread like wildre.\n“What’s important is that\, those who responded\, were from people from so many different\nbackgrounds just like us\,” O’Malley said.\nWun echoed O’Malley’s point\, adding that it is important that women are using their brand in\nleadership roles to bring in more victims and raise awareness.\nInamdar added that some of the perpetrators now faced some sort of accountability.\n“These powerful gures were nally held accountable where previously the women who came\nforward were held accountable\,” she said. “When women were considered human beings (receiving\nthe right to vote)\, the movement started to take shape.”\nThe police chief credited the snowball-like effect\, saying the movement has had strength in\nnumbers.\n“It has reached a tipping point and the time is right\,” Peterson said. \nIn shifting focus to the culture aspect of victims\, Inamdar noted that there has been a shift where\nthere was previously shame placed upon women or victims who came forward and that has changed\nwith the new wave of voices.\nPeterson used anecdotes as a younger police ofcer saying that in certain situations with cultural\ndifferences\, women were afraid to come forward and law enforcement didn’t get involved until it\nwas facing physical abuse allegations.\nWun talked about how her organization would travel across the country to hear what women deal\nwith in regards to sexual violence.\n“There’s an imagination (here in the U.S.) that we as women are supposed to accept that we are to\nbe acted upon\,” Wun explained. “What has been considered the norm can no longer be considered\nthe norm\, especially if there is no consent.”\nWun elaborated for several minutes on the cultural aspect of the movement\, noting women are\nfearful of many repercussions of coming forward.\n“What we want (victims) to know is that abuse\, sexual abuse and violence is never OK\,” district\nattorney O’Malley stressed.\nAnjali Zutshi opened the panel up to Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh being conrmed into\nthe position despite facing sexual abuse allegations.\nThe panel spoke about how Christine Blasey Ford was right to come forward despite her allegations\nstemming from decades earlier.\n“I think women felt defeated\,” O’Malley said\, “but I think others felt inspired by her coming forward\nwhen she had nothing to gain from it.”\nWun seconded O’Malley’s point\, adding that\, as a survivor herself\, coming forward and having the\ncourage to speak out is not easy.\n“What she did was continue to speak and showed the world she would continue to speak\, and I\ndon’t believe she thought she was going to win\,” Wun noted\, adding that it is a win in itself not to\nbe silenced. \n“Kavanaugh escaped\, but that doesn’t mean the next one will\,” Inamdar said.\nThe panel wrapped up with the panelists talking about stories from their past and providing advice.\n“If something does happen\, speak up\,” O’Malley stressed. “It’s the courage that allows others to\ncome forward.”\nIn a male-dominated industry\, Peterson said that people were very respectful for the most part\, just\nat the shock at seeing her in the position she held\, citing her time on the SWAT team.\n“The millennial generation grows up expecting equality\,” she said. “To me\, that’s a positive change.\nI do think things are moving in the right direction.”\nWun said she has been experiencing #MeToo moments since she was in junior high\, to varying\ndegrees.\n“I got a Ph.D. at U.C. Berkeley so I could be the perfect woman so my story would be accepted\,” Wun\nstated. But she said she had dealt with too much trauma\, which led her to starting her own\nnonprot\, bypassing her aspirations to becoming an academic.\n“The rst thing you have to know is it’s not your fault\,” Wun advised. “No. 2\, you are not alone. And\nNo. 3\, you have to go through the process of healing.”\nGoing forward\, Inamdar said there needs to be more education for children as to what’s normal and\nwhat is not.\n“We need a lot of prevention\, and that’s through education and through society saying ‘this is not\nOK\,’” she said.\nEach of the panelists stressed the need to give everyone a voice\, and education in general will help\nas the movement continues to ratchet up.\nThe IACF also used the platform of the Unity Dinner to dole out several awards. In addition to\nEshoo being bestowed the Lifetime Achievement Award\, AAPI Women Lead co-founder Wun was\nnamed Advocate of the Year; Alameda County administrator Susan Muranshi was honored with Excellence in Public Administration; Peterson was named the Public Safety Ofcer of the Year;\nVajraSoft Inc. chief executive Kameshwar Eranki was named Entrepreneur of the Year; and the\nRajasthan Association of North America was named Community Organization of the Year.\nThe event was attended by hundreds of community members\, including several dignitaries\, among\nwhom were California Assemblymembers Ash Kalra\, Kansen Chu and Evan Low; California State\nController Betty Yee; Newark\, Calif.\, Mayor Al Nagy; former Milpitas Mayor Jose Esteves; and\nseveral members of the Fremont City Council\, among many others.
URL:https://indocommunity.us/event/iacf-celebrates-25-years-features-panel-on-women-at-18th-annual-unity-dinner/
CATEGORIES:18th Annual Unity Dinner
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