• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Our Authors
  • Contact Us

The Punjab Pulse

Centre for Socio-Cultural Studies

  • Areas of Study
    • Social & Cultural Studies
    • Religious Studies
    • Governance & Politics
    • National Perspectives
    • International Perspectives
    • Communism
  • Activities
    • Conferences & Seminars
    • Discussions
  • News
  • Resources
    • Books & Publications
    • Book Reviews
  • Icons of Punjab
  • Videos
  • Academics
  • Agriculture
You are here: Home / Areas of Study / Social & Cultural Studies / CoHNA Virtual Conference: “CAA: A Lifeline for Religiously Persecuted Minorities

CoHNA Virtual Conference: “CAA: A Lifeline for Religiously Persecuted Minorities

November 30, 2020 By Jaibans Singh

Share

Punjab Pulse Bureau

Spotlighting the systemic abuse of religious minorities in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan

The Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA) organised a two-day virtual conference titled “CAA: A Lifeline for Religiously Persecuted Minorities” on November 21 and November, 22, 2020. The objective of the Conference was to highlight the daily atrocities and discrimination that minorities in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan are being subjected to, especially so in Pakistan.

With hundreds attending the live audience and video replay views that have crossed over 50,000, the conference is among the first to draw attention to how India’s Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) provides a much needed relief and a voice to some of these groups.

In his opening remarks, Nikunj Trivedi, president of CoHNA, shared the dire situation of religious minorities and the apathy of various human rights organizations toward them. More than 1000 minor Hindu, Sikh and Christian girls are kidnapped, forcibly converted and married off each year, while blasphemy laws are used to target religious minorities and subject them to unprecedented abuse, and places of worship are destroyed or converted into commercial properties.

Richa Gautam, President of CoHNA’s Colorado chapter, moderated a moving session featuring Dr. Omendru Ratna, founder of Nimittekam, a NGO helping Pakistani refugees; Colonel (Retd) Jaibans Singh a reputed geo-strategic analyst and social worker and Mr. Ashok Karmaker, Esq., Chairman of the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council, USA.

Dr. Omendra Ratnu spoke of the extreme hardship and the existential threats driving refugees to flee Pakistan. Explaining Nimittekam’s work, an emotional Dr. Ratnu shared the story of a Hindu migrant from the “Dalit” community, who, when asked why he didn’t just convert to Islam to save himself, replied “How can we abandon the faith of our ancestors?” “These are the people who are the upholders of our faith and I call them ‘Sahodaras’ or brothers,” said Dr. Ratnu.

Refugees from Pakistan in India

Col. Jaibans Singh outlined the situation of the Sikh communities in Afghanistan; he traced their historical connect with the region that goes back to the 17 century and the fact that they lived there with honour till recent times when their persecution in the hands of the fundamentalist Taliban began. The Sikhs have now been forced to leave the country and the final exodus has come about in September of 2020.

Col Jaibans Singh also spoke of the different levels of atrocities being committed on Sikh, Hindu, Christian, Buddhist and Jain communities in Pakistan. While the Sikhs and Hindus are being literally forced to leave the land, the Christians are being retained to do the menial jobs but terribly persecuted nonetheless.  Col. Singh explained the legal nuances of the CAA by highlighting that it was not a new law but an Amendment (addition) to an existing law. Hence, no facility given to refugees under the Indian Constitution has been removed, the additions only make it easier for the refugees of aforementioned communities to seek citizenship in India in view of their very critical situation in the Indian neighbourhood.  He called upon the global community to recognize that the CAA as a a humanitarian law and nothing else. “India is one of the oldest civilizations and legislation of the CAA is in line with the civilizational ethos of our country,” he said.

Declaring himself “a refugee in exile,” Mr. Karmaker shared his own personal story and the struggles to get the world to heed the cries of those facing persecution in Bangladesh. He thanked the Indian government for CAA and discussed how the United States and other countries need to do more.

The second day featured a power packed panel with Ms. Subuhi Khan, an Indian Supreme Court lawyer, writer and activist, along with Ms. Priyanka Deo, deputy editor of TV9. Ms. Khan, an Indian Muslims with deep knowledge of Indian laws and the constitution, emphasized that the Indian government’s decision to pass the CAA was within constitutional boundaries and that the law was  an inclusive effort to help those whose religious existence was at stake in neighboring countries. Busting several myths around the fear and propaganda created by those with alternative agendas, Ms. Khan emphasized that India is a pluralistic nation welcoming all religions and ethnicities since millennia and that the world must stand against those who want to create an Islamic state by driving out religious minorities. “Opposing CAA is like opposing humanity,” she said.

Ms. Deo, whose earlier videos discussing the CAA and other related topics have become tremendously popular, stressed that CAA has absolutely no impact on India’s Muslim citizens and does not force them out or into detention camps. As an investigative journalist, Ms. Deo had also exposed certain false reports carried out by popular news outlets such as Al Jazeera, Wall Street Journal and others regarding the Modi government building camps to detain Muslims. “I ask them, please show me where these camps are and they have no answer,” remarked Ms. Deo.

Highlighting the pervasiveness of propaganda around CAA, Ms. Deo concluded: “It makes one question what one has been reading over the years. I am thankful for the power of social media which has given an alternative to citizens to call out facts. Citizen Journalism will play a big part in Indian journalism going forward.”

Following this, a panel of students from USA, Canada and the UK discussed the impact of rampant Hindu-phobia on their daily lives. The participants highlighted how the relentless one- sided propaganda around CAA has led to questioning of India and Hinduism itself and resulted in psychological stress and cyberbullying. Cautioning parents and adults watching the panel, the students shared that today’s kids can no longer afford to ignore such geopolitical matters and just focus on getting good grades, for these issues attack the core of their traditions and religious identity.

CoHNA, in partnership with Dphelion also released a song called “Haven,” inspired by the plight of Hindu, Sikh, and Christian underage girls in Pakistan. Through the song ‘Haven’, CoHNA aims to bring attention to the apathy and silence towards these gross human rights violations and hope that the world takes notice. Check out CoHNA’s CAA Resource page (cohna.org/caa) to find these and other shareable facts.

CoHNA is a grassroots level advocacy organization dedicated to improving the understanding of Hinduism in North America by working on matters related to the Hindu community and by educating the public about Hindu heritage and tradition.

For more information, please visit –

Website –  https://cohna.org

Twitter – www.twitter.com/cohnaofficial,

Facebook – www.facebook.com/cohnaofficial

Instagram – www.instagram.com/cohnaofficial.


Share
test

Filed Under: Social & Cultural Studies, Stories & Articles Tagged With: CAA, Persecuted Hindus in Pakistan, Sikhs in Afghanistan

Primary Sidebar

News

ਪੰਜਾਬ ਚ ਖੇਡਾਂ

February 4, 2023 By News Bureau

ਸਿੱਖ ਫੌਜੀਆਂ ਲਈ ਹੈਲਮੇਟ ਲਾਜ਼ਮੀ ਕਰਨ ਦੇ ਫ਼ੈਸਲੇ ਦਾ ਵਿਰੋਧ

February 4, 2023 By News Bureau

ਪ੍ਰਨੀਤ ਕੌਰ ਕਾਂਗਰਸ ’ਚੋਂ ਮੁਅੱਤਲ

February 4, 2023 By News Bureau

आप सरकार के सत्ता में आने से पंजाब में आया बड़ा बदलाव

February 4, 2023 By News Bureau

मोटा अनाज खाएं; जल-जमीन और जीवन बचाएं

February 4, 2023 By News Bureau

Areas of Study

  • Governance & Politics
  • International Perspectives
  • National Perspectives
  • Social & Cultural Studies
  • Religious Studies

Featured Article

The actual message and etymology of Sri Guru Granth Sahib needs to be preserved

January 31, 2023 By Guest Author

Dr. Rajinder Pal Singh Sri Guru Granth Sahib, the eternal living Guru continues to inspire mankind and provide guidance for God realisation and truthful living. It contains the teachings of the Sikh Gurus as well as of Hindu and Muslim saints. Eternal wisdom flows from its teachings which are recited and sung with intense devotion […]

Academics

‘सिंघसूरमा लेखमाला’ धर्मरक्षक वीरव्रति खालसा पंथ – भाग-10 – भाग-11

सिंघसूरमा लेखमाला धर्मरक्षक वीरव्रति खालसा पंथ – भाग-10 विजयी सैन्य शक्ति के प्रतीक ‘पांच प्यारे’ और पांच ‘ककार’ नरेंद्र सहगल श्रीगुरु गोविंदसिंह द्वारा स्थापित ‘खालसा पंथ’ किसी एक प्रांत, जाति या भाषा का दल अथवा पंथ नहीं था। यह तो संपूर्ण भारत एवं भारतीयता के सुरक्षा कवच के रूप में तैयार की गई खालसा फौज […]

‘सिंघसूरमा लेखमाला’ धर्मरक्षक वीरव्रति खालसा पंथ – भाग-8 – भाग-9

सिंघसूरमा लेखमाला धर्मरक्षक वीरव्रति खालसा पंथ – भाग-8 अमृत शक्ति-पुत्रों का वीरव्रति सैन्य संगठन नरेंद्र सहगल संपूर्ण भारत को ‘दारुल इस्लाम’ इस्लामिक मुल्क बनाने के उद्देश्य से मुगल शासकों द्वारा किए गए और किए जा रहे घोर अत्याचारों को देखकर दशम् गुरु श्रीगुरु गोविंदसिंह ने सोए हुए हिंदू समाज में क्षात्रधर्म का जाग्रण करके एक […]

‘सिंघसूरमा लेखमाला’ धर्मरक्षक वीरव्रति खालसा पंथ – भाग-6 – भाग-7

सिंघसूरमा लेखमाला धर्मरक्षक वीरव्रति खालसा पंथ – भाग-6 श्रीगुरु गोबिन्दसिंह का जीवनोद्देश्य धर्म की स्थापना, अधर्म का नाश नरेंद्र सहगल ‘हिन्द दी चादर’ अर्थात भारतवर्ष का सुरक्षा कवच सिख साम्प्रदाय के नवम् गुरु श्रीगुरु तेगबहादुर ने हिन्दुत्व अर्थात भारतीय जीवन पद्यति, सांस्कृतिक धरोहर एवं स्वधर्म की रक्षा के लिए अपना बलिदान देकर मुगलिया दहशतगर्दी को […]

Twitter Feed

The Punjab Pulse Follow

The Punjab Pulse is an independent, non-partisan think tank engaged in research and in-depth study of all aspects the impact the state of Punjab and Punjabis

ThePunjabPulse
Retweet on Twitter The Punjab Pulse Retweeted
gopalsa22721269 गोपाल सनातनी @gopalsa22721269 ·
4 Feb

निकले तो भारत जोड़ने थे लेकिन यात्रा में बुलाया उनको जो कभी भारत को तोड़ने की बात कर चुके हैं!!

Reply on Twitter 1621779051957587968 Retweet on Twitter 1621779051957587968 12 Like on Twitter 1621779051957587968 19 Twitter 1621779051957587968
Retweet on Twitter The Punjab Pulse Retweeted
gopalsa22721269 गोपाल सनातनी @gopalsa22721269 ·
4 Feb

यही सोच कोंग्रेस को पनपने नही दे रही है जिसने कोंग्रेस का भला किया उसके साथ ऐसा ही व्यवहार करते हैं ??

Reply on Twitter 1621756288521875456 Retweet on Twitter 1621756288521875456 14 Like on Twitter 1621756288521875456 17 Twitter 1621756288521875456
Retweet on Twitter The Punjab Pulse Retweeted
ourindiafirst19 India First @ourindiafirst19 ·
4 Feb

स्वदेशी से बढ़ रही आत्मनिर्भर भारत की धाक 💪

Reply on Twitter 1621762337660350464 Retweet on Twitter 1621762337660350464 14 Like on Twitter 1621762337660350464 44 Twitter 1621762337660350464
Load More

EMAIL NEWSLETTER

Signup to receive regular updates and to hear what's going on with us.

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Phone
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

TAGS

Academics Activities Agriculture Areas of Study Books & Publications Communism Conferences & Seminars Discussions Governance & Politics Icons of Punjab International Perspectives National Perspectives News Religious Studies Resources Social & Cultural Studies Stories & Articles Uncategorized Videos

Footer

About Us

The Punjab Pulse is an independent, non-partisan think tank engaged in research and in-depth study of all aspects the impact the state of Punjab and Punjabis at large. It strives to provide a platform for a wide ranging dialogue that promotes the interest of the state and its peoples.

Read more

Follow Us

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Phone
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Copyright © 2023 · The Punjab Pulse

Developed by Web Apps Interactive