(Above): Tributes being paid by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the valor of martyred Indian Army soldiers, in Nimu, Ladakh, July 3. (PIB)

Over 150 Indian Americans in the Greater Sacramento area met online, June 27, and paid tribute to the twenty Indian Army personnel who sacrificed their lives in a bloody scuffle with Chinese soldiers in the Galwan valley of Ladakh on the India-China border.

Indian Association of Sacramento (IAS) led this online meet and was joined by friends of Col. Santosh Babu who was one of the 20 martyrs. A two-minute silence was observed as a mark of respect for the sacrifice of the Indian soldiers.

IAS Vice-President Bhaskar Vempati thanked the participants for joining and  wished sadgatiand mukti to the martyrs on behalf of IAS. IAS President Shivesh Sinha paid his homage to the martyrs and quoted PM Modi’s statement saying “India knows how to look into the eye and respond appropriately” to the aggressors. Shivesh also said “China is an autocratic country. Most Chinese people living in North America and outside China aren’t happy with China due to China’s autocratic policy. They don’t feel safe going back to their country. Our anger is not against the Chinese, but the Chinese government and their aggressive policies against India.” Shivesh requested the audience to take baby steps to find alternatives to Chinese products to break China’s monopoly over certain market segments.

General Rao, a friend of martyr Col. Santosh Babu, said “We have the best of the soldiers, manpower, motivated, and brave soldiers. Unfortunately, China took it for granted that the Indian Armed Forces are in the same state of 1962. Today we are very much ready in all ways. What China is doing is kind of dadagiri or coercive. When Col. Santhosh Babu went there, the tempos ran high, and very unfortunately it’s turnout was bad. The martyrs we lost, have created double or more than double the casualties at the opponent’s end … Recent news indicates the US offer to join Indian armed forces… If the economic interests of China are hit hard, then that itself will crumble our enemy. If this happens, China will not be able to maintain its huge arm forces for a long time…”

Smt. Lekha Itagi representing the local Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (HSS) chapter, said “Unfortunately 20 of our brave soldiers were martyred defending our borders. They have personified the words ‘Me rahu ya naa rahu, Bharath ye rehana chahiye.’ Each one of us can contribute our effort in cutting the Chinese economy to size and also in countering the vicious propaganda that emanates from its proxies in the media all over the world. ‘tera vaibhav amar rahe maa, hum din chaar rahe na rahe’ meaning – let the glory of our punyabhumiBharath remain forever, whether we live long or not. On behalf of HSS offering my deepest shradhanjali to our departed heroes.”

Paresh Sinha from the local OFBJP chapter spoke, “What China did was nothing but a cowardly attempt on our motherland. China did this on purpose to divert Covid-19, protests in Hong Kong, and our brave soldiers sacrificed their life. Soon or later China will have to pay the price for the misadventure … I request all of us to stay united in this difficult time.”

Colonel Santhosh Babu’s childhood school friend Venkateswarlu Nuvvuluri spoke, “On June 16th morning, I heard shocking news from WhatsApp group that Col. Santhosh Babu is no more. I am proud to say we shared our joy for 7 years at Korukonda Sainik School, located in Andhra Pradesh State… It’s a great loss to the nation.”

Dr Bhavin Parikh, past president of IAS, prepared a protest petition to the Chinese Embassy and other local political leaders. Parikh said “IAS always stands up in solidarity with our motherland whenever any tragedy strikes India, especially Military personnel. We’ve gathered today to salute our martyred soldiers of Galwan valley face-off. For the period between April 2019 and February this year, China accounted for 11.8% of India’s total imports. However, India’s total exports to the country was a mere 3%. Clearly, we buy more from China than we sell. Casualties of Indian soldiers from China’s aggression will definitely cost a lot to China. China should remember that this is Modi’s New India and the nation is united and ready to challenge China in many ways – internationally, economically and military.”

During the proceedings, Sohini Chakraboty, an Indian American girl from a local middle school, sang the patriotic song “Aye Mere Watan ke Logon.”

Meera Ramakrishnan sang Indian National Anthem “Jana Gana Mana.”

IAS online meet, July 7. (IAS photo)

A petition condemning China’s aggression in Galwan Valley

To

Public official,

We Indian Community of Greater Sacramento, California are deeply concerned with the Chinese government’s recent dangerous acts of aggression along the Line of Actual Control on the India-China border in Galwan valley. The Chinese armed forces launched an unprovoked military operation inside Indian territory, trapped Indian soldiers, and brutally attacked & killed them. We mourn the loss of brave Indian Soldiers and we offer our deepest condolences to their families.

The Chinese government must end its bullying and provocations while joining its neighbors in working to resolve conflicts according to international law.

We strongly urge the Chinese government to abandon its reckless path of escalation and instead turn to diplomacy to productively work to resolve its border matters.

Indian is a valuable, and a key ally of the international community. We urge our international partners to take the following actions:

(a) Denounce the Chinese aggression

(b) Support India’s right to defend its territories

(c) Provide logistics and equipment support to Indian defense forces

(d) Suspend trade negotiations with China until they retreat back from Indian territory.

We are also encouraging community members to boycott the use of Chinese products & instead to become self-reliant.

Your urgent attention will be greatly appreciated.

Thank you
Sincerely

Indian Association of Sacramento
California, USA

Indian Association of Greater Sacramento: http://iassac.org/Committee.php

More photos and video: https://tinyurl.com/IasGalwanHomage