The Hindu community of Atlanta gathered in force at the Global Mall in Norcross, Georgia on Aug.11, for a peace vigil and protest march in support of persecuted Hindus in Bangladesh.
From eight-year-old Rishi to 88-year-old Shambhu, people of all ages participated, demonstrating the community’s deep concern for the plight of minorities in Bangladesh, particularly Hindus.
The event, which began at 8 p.m., attracted a combined crowd of 750 people between the noon and evening rallies, highlighting the solidarity among Hindus and their resolve to combat oppression.
The evening vigil featured a speech by Congressman Shawn Still, who expressed strong support for the Hindu community's cause.
He urged the U.S. government and the State Department to intervene in Bangladesh to protect minority groups. "These atrocities have continued for way too long, and it is time that this blatant abuse of social justice is totally annihilated," Congressman Still stated. He also called on other lawmakers to condemn the ongoing violence, which includes killings, rapes, and the destruction of Hindu properties across Bangladesh.
Local Atlanta representative Sheikh Rahman echoed these sentiments, assuring the crowd that he would use his influence to pressure the Bangladeshi government to curb the violence and bring the perpetrators to justice.
Demonstrators at the event carried large banners and placards, waved American and Indian flags, and chanted slogans such as "Hindu Lives Matter," "We Want Justice," "United Nations Wake Up," and "Jago Jago, Hindu Jago" as they marched along the pavement on Jimmy Carter Boulevard. The protest, conducted under police escort, was both orderly and impactful, with participants expressing sorrow over the widespread massacres of Hindus in Bangladesh while also committing to mobilize the global Hindu community to fight against such oppression.
The event was organized by key figures in the Atlanta Hindu community, including Dhiru Shah, Amitabh Sharma, and Rajeev Menon. They were supported by various associations and individuals from across the region. The organizers stressed that the violence in Bangladesh is not an isolated incident and warned that only a unified global Hindu response could prevent similar threats from emerging elsewhere.
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