Washington: About 200 Indian-Americans marched in protest against the controversial withdrawal of an invitation to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi to speak at the Wharton India Economic Forum.
Marching under the banner of a group called Americans for Free Speech, they chanted: “We want Modi!” as the Forum held its conference on Saturday afternoon at the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology in Philadelphia.
The march, followed by a series of speeches from guest speakers, was held across the street from the conference to which members of the press were denied entrance, the Daily Pennsylvanian reported.
About 200 protesters from across the US gathered for the march with two buses from New Jersey and one from Queens, New York, bringing people to
the protest. During the march, a sign was posted outside the conference hall by the protesters that read: “In memory of Free Speech 1776-2013. Killed at Wharton by the English Department.”
The march is “carrying the funeral of free speech”, Narain Kataria, a speaker at the event, was quoted as saying.
Protesters held up signs that read “First they came for the Hindus”, “End McCarthyism against Hindus”, and “Stop Academic Jihad”, among others.
IANS
