FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 28, 2008

Washington D.C.: The US State Department has confirmed in a letter to Congresswoman Betty McCollum (D-MN) that Modi will not be granted a US visa for the upcoming World Gujarati Conference in New Jersey being held on the weekend of August 29-31, 2008. Amidst lobbying efforts by his supporters to get his US visa reinstated, Modi was invited to attend the World Gujarati Conference by its organizers.

Letter from US State Department

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
28 August 2008

Indian Muslim Council-USA (IMC-USA), an advocacy group working toward safeguarding India's pluralist and tolerant ethos, denounces in the strongest terms, the ongoing massacre of Christians and the killing of the Hindutva leader in the Indian state of Orissa.

According to news reports, dozens of Christians have been killed, hundreds injured and many torched alive by mercenaries belonging to Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), Bajrang Dal and other Hindu supremacist groups. Reports from the ground also indicate that hundreds of churches have been destroyed and thousands of Christians had to flee into the jungle to avoid massacre.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
26 August 2008

Indian Muslim Council - USA (IMC-USA), an advocacy group working toward safeguarding India's pluralist and tolerant ethos, strongly condemns the blockade of Kashmir Valley by the Amarnath Yatra Sangharsha Samiti. The economic blockade of the Valley has caused havoc and untold suffering to the civilian population of Kashmir.

According to news reports, Amarnath Yatra Sangharsh Samiti has vowed to extend its strike “chakka jam” till August 31. The Samiti has launched protest strikes since early August forcibly shutting down schools, shops, businesses and public transportation throughout the region creating an economic blockade on Kashmir Valley.

Equally condemnable is the firing by police and armed forces on unarmed civilians. At least 35 people are reported to be killed and hundreds more have been wounded in weeks of protests across the state.

IMC-USA celebrates India's Independence Day, turns six on August 15th

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
15 Aug 2008

Indian Muslim Council - USA (IMC-USA), an advocacy group working toward safeguarding India's pluralist and tolerant ethos, extends its best wishes to all Indians on the occasion of the 61st anniversary of India's Independence and calls on all Indians to remember the message of Mahatma Gandhi whose non-violent struggle was key to India's independence. August 15th, 2008 also marks the sixth anniversary of the Indian Muslim Council - USA, which was established on this day in 2002. In the last six years, IMC-USA has worked with various Indian organizations of different persuasions to advance the cause of social justice and communal harmony.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Washington D.C., July 26, 2008

Indian Muslim Council-USA (IMC-USA: http://www.imc-usa.org), an advocacy group dedicated towards safeguarding India's pluralist and tolerant ethos, denounces in strongest possible terms the bomb blasts in the Indian cities of Ahmedabad and Bangalore and expresses solidarity with the victims.

According to reports, a series of 17 blast occurred in crowded places in Ahmedabad city leaving at least 29 people dead and over 100 injured. A day earlier, the city of Bangalore was struck with bomb blasts that killed 2 people and injured several others. “Humanity is the ultimate victim in such acts of mindless violence” said Mr. Rasheed Ahmed, President of IMC-USA. He further stated that “The authorities should conduct a thorough and transparent investigation immediately and refrain from adopting the usual template of blaming Muslim sounding virtual groups whose existence or lack thereof cannot be proven”.