The Coalition for the Defense of the Constitution and Democracy (CDCD), a coalition of South Asian human rights, Muslim, Hindu, Dalit, and secular activist groups, will hold a press conference in New York City to protest against World Hindu Congress (WHC), a Hindutva conclave organized by US-based Hindu nationalist organizations such as Vishwa Hindu Parishad - America (VHP-A) and Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (HSS).

The WHC event will be held in Lombard (Chicago), U.S. from September 7 â€“ 9. It features a list of speakers and participants from militant Hindutva organizations, many of whom are directly responsible for the ongoing persecution of minorities in India. This includes the supreme leader of the RSS, Mohan Bhagwat, the Chief Minister of the state of Uttar Pradesh, Ajay Singh Bisht (a.k.a. â€œYogi Adityanathâ€) and others.

What: Press meeting hosted by the coalition partners of CDCD to:
â— Highlight the growing brutal persecution of minorities, Dalits, public intellectuals and human rights defenders in India, including attacks on press freedom and the subversion of constitutional rights, and the role of Hindutva organizations participating at the World Hindu Congress in worsening the human rights situation in India.
â— Draw attention to the role of U.S. based Hindutva organizations behind the WHC event in promoting the agenda of Hindutva fascism under the cover of â€œHindu resurgence,â€ furthering the
nexus of right wing political forces in India and the United States around the common cause of promoting Islamophobia and violent majoritarianism.

Where: Kimmel Center 904, New York University, New York City, NY 10012
Who: Hosting the press conference: NYU South Asia Society
Panelists include:
Nishrin Hussein, daughter of MP Ehsan Jafri, who was brutally murdered by an RSS mob outside his home during the Gujarat genocide of 2002.
Niranjan Takle, veteran Indian investigative journalist who broke the Judge Loya story.
Shashank Rao, member, Sadhana: Coalition of Progressive Hindus.
Biju Mathew, India Civil Watch, labor and civil rights activist.
Meenakshi Ganguly, South Asia Director, Human Rights Watch.
Sheik Ubaid, Muslim Peace Coalition, Indian Minorities Advocacy Network (IMAN-net).
Azhar Bhatt, Board of Directors, Indian American Muslim Council, USA

Indian Americans protest militant Hindutva conclave in Chicago