Indian American Hindu community organizations in the Washington DC, area came together on April 27, 2025, to hold a peaceful vigil and rally from the Washington Monument to the Lincoln Memorial, condemning the recent massacre of Hindus in Pahalgam, the Indian-administered territory of Jammu and Kashmir. 

Addressing the gathering, at the Washington Monument, Mohan Sapru, U.S. Coordinator for the Global Kashmiri Pandit Diaspora (GKPD), a global organization of displaced Kashmiri Hindus, said, “It’s the fight of humanity against the radical elements of Islam,” condemning radical Islamist terrorism, which he noted originated in Kashmir and has spread across the world. 

He described the situation as a “religious war,” by Islamist terrorists against “kaafirs,” or disbelievers. “So, this is a gathering of kaafirs, telling the world it needs to wake up. This is not only a Kashmir problem. This is not only an India’s problem. This is a problem worldwide,” he added. 

Sapru emphasized that the current violence unfolding in Kashmir is a continuation of the same jihadi mindset witnessed during the genocide of 1989-90.

Speaking to South Asian Herald, Sapru said, “We are here trying to raise our voice, making the world aware that terrorism is a menace to the humanity. The whole world needs to wake up. And we have to be very honest in recognizing that it’s an Islamist terrorism,” adding that such acts have posed a grave threat to humanity for the past three decades in Kashmir and are now spreading globally.

He stated that before killing the victims, terrorists asked them about their religion, and even verified their faith by asking them to recite a Kalima, sacred Islamic verses. In some instances, he added, men were forced to strip to determine whether they had undergone “circumcision.”

Mahendra Sapa of the Vishnu Hindu Parishad of America (VHPA) told South Asian Herald, “We are gathered to mourn the death of innocent Hindus that got killed by Islamist terrorists. We strongly urge the world powers and the government of India to make sure that terrorists are punished in a timely manner so that incidents are not repeated. We request world powers to make sure there is a safety, security and freedom for the Hindus.”

Amrish Vyas of the Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA) also spoke to South Asian Herald, saying, “We are here to protest against the anti-Hindu violence and hate and the massacre that happened in Kashmir.”

He noted that a campaign named “You Join” is currently underway, with volunteers sending emails to elected leaders urging them to condemn attacks against Hindus. He encouraged everyone to call on their representatives to take a stand against anti-Hindu hate and to advocate for legislation that protects Hindu communities worldwide.

“This is anti-Hindu hate. It’s been spewing in Pakistan. It’s been spewing in Bangladesh. It’s been spewing all over the world,” he added.

Swapna Raina, a Kashmiri activist and volunteer with CoHNA, the Hindu American Foundation, and the Kashmiri Overseas Association, told South Asian Herald, “The reason we are here is we want the world to know this is a targeted killing, and people are being singled out because of their faith. It’s not a random killing. It is an act of terrorism.”

Raina, a Kashmiri pandit, stressed that it is a war against anyone who does not support a certain religion, recounting how in January 1990, her family was forced from their home. She said the April 22^nd attack is a repeat of that nightmare, with Hindus being singled out and gunned down in front of their families.

President of Sikhs of America, Kanwaljit Singh Soni, blamed Pakistani Army General Asim Munir for the attack, comparing it to a “Gaza-style” assault in Pahalgam. He called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take decisive action against those responsible.

“So, I think India is ready. We can depend on PM Modi. He will do the right thing. I believe he is going to take the Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir,” said Soni, who is also represents the Sikh wing at the Overseas Friends of BJP, USA.

President of the Global Hindu Temple Network, Mohinder Gulati, emphasized that the situation is not merely political or geographic but is fundamentally about religion, ideology, hate, and identity.

According to Islamist terrorists, he said, “Every kaafir has to die, whether you are a Jew, Sikh, Buddhist, or Hindu, it does not matter. If you are a kaafir, then you either convert or you have to die.” 

Gulati compared the situation in Kashmir – described as “Raliv, Galiv Ya Chaliv,” meaning “Convert, Leave, or Die” – to the persecution faced by Jews and Christians in Armenia and Azerbaijan.

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