FOR PEACE, FOR PULWAMA

Amidst the sorrow and the anger, the calls for peace are strong as the Indian-Australian community pay homage to slain soldiers in Kashmir

FIAN event

The mood was sombre at the Dezire Function Centre at Blacktown as over a 100 people gathered to pay tribute those martyred in the Pulwama terrorist attack in Kashmir. Organised by the Federation of Indian Associations of NSW (FIAN) along with community members, this was one of the many such condolence ceremonies held around Australia.

Demonstrating the manner in which the terrorist attack has hurt the community at large, those who were gathered were not only from different age groups but comprised of Indians recently arrived as well as those who have been living in Australia for over 25 years.

Dr Yadu Singh, President of FIAN, opened with his views condemning the attack on innocent soldiers by a terrorist group that had claimed to have been behind the plot. The martyred came from all religions and states of India, he said, making this essentially an attack on the concept of India. He further accused

Pakistan for supporting and facilitating the infrastructure of the groups which are involved in cross-border terrorism.

Shobha Ingleshwar’s rendition of the national anthem this time round seemed especially evocative.

Member for Epping and friend of India Damien Tudehope expressed his shock and support for India in his brief speech: his belief was that 300kgs of explosives (as reported then) could not have been organised without external support from another country. He felt that Australia should reconsider having cricketing ties with countries that support terrorism and such heinous attacks.

Hills resident Rajiv Chaudhri, one of the organisers, expressed profound sadness at the most recent attacks; being the son of an ex-Indian Naval Officer who had fought three wars, he felt deeply for the families of the fallen soldiers. Other ex-servicemen who also spoke, put the recent tragedy into perspective for all present.

Various members of the community also expressed their shock at this terrorist attack in Kashmir. Indian-origin candidate for the NSW Senate in the forthcoming State elections, Pallavi Sinha said that terrorism in any form is abhorrent. “A lot of us may be experiencing various emotions ranging from shock and anger to sadness. I urge everyone to remember Mahatma Gandhi ji's words ‘An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind’. So let's channel any emotions we are feeling into constructive ways to find solutions to the horror of terrorism and the loss of innocent lives.”

A number of local poets Dr Prabhat Sinha, Dr Shailaja Chandra, Madhavi Mohindra and Pratibha Bhanushali expressed their grief through poetry.

With emotions running high, there was a strong backlash against Pakistan fostering and promoting terrorism against India. It was said that the Indians in Australia must exert pressure on the Australian government to condemn this cross border terrorism more strongly.

It was an afternoon of solidarity with the Indian defence forces and the many sacrifices they make in allowing Indians to enjoy their democratic freedoms.

Pawan Luthra

To make a donation to the martyred soldiers’ families, head to bharatkeveer.gov.in